In effect this place pays no tax because the workers work for free (so no PAYE) and despite being worth $38 million and turning $1.8 million profit last year paid no tax. This is because they are registered as a charity. And then they take $199K from you and me to “educate” their children. That (given that they say the outside world is evil) is really taking the piss.
I dont feel charitable. What are our MPs and the IRD doing to ensure they fulfill their obligations as we must as citizens? What is being done to protect the vulnerable young people from these patriarchal predators?
I look forward to hearing sometime in the near future that there has been a police visit with CYFS and any other necessary social services in accompaniment.
Just as long as this is not left to drag. The more media coverage there is the more edgy the elders will get, and there might be open hostility when the authorities eventually do visit.
You gotta hand it to the PM – he’s a supreme actor. Look how gleeful he was on TV3 News last night telling the MSM that shouting to the world the whereabouts of our troops was not “news”. He’d just made it THE news ! and I bet he’s pushed the ponytail saga off the front page by doing so. Distraction politics at its best !
Your right Jenny, Wag the Dog at its best, thats what they do, just like the supposed letters of milk powder contamination….we didnt get to see those or hear anything else about them…..remember the letters were brought to our attention just prior to the Northland bi-election, but that backfired on them, ha.
My partner thought he looked and sounded embarrassed but was trying to cover it with nonchalance. She didn’t think it worked. Red face… cracking voice…
I thought he had been drinking just a little too much.
Whatever, it was disgraceful, careless behaviour from the ‘leader’ who has sent 143 brave soldiers into unknown dangers and just handed their so called ‘secure’ whereabouts to the enemy on a platter……. and in enemies part of the world!
This apology of a man is fast becoming a real liability for our country and it’s citizens.
Here are some interesting articles all of which indicate the fallout from bad US policies.
1. Corporate money (political donations to members of the Senate Finance Committee) is being used to influence the Fast Track vote on TTPA bypass democracy in US.
shame on them all trying to cover this up and I hope brownlie is called out on this today. criminals the lot of them.
“The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is trying to shut down adverse findings about its top engineer Graeme Robinson to avoid reopening his 2500 Canterbury assessments.
EQC is worried the findings, if allowed to stand, will have “serious and far reaching implications” for itself and other insurers.
Robinson was found negligent and incompetent by a disciplinary committee of the Institution of Professional Engineers last year. It also found he did not act honestly and with objectivity and integrity, and cancelled his registration.
The findings have not been released officially, although it is understood most of the complaints from 11 Canterbury homeonwers have been fully or partly upheld. Robinson did more than 2500 assessments in Canterbury for EQC after September 4, 2010, and the commission now faces demands for all his assessments to be reopened.
Robinson appealed the disciplinary committee decisions at a Chartered Professional Engineers Council (CPEC) hearing in Wellington last week. Although the hearing was closed to the media, EQC asked to observe and make submissions but its request was declined.
If the appeal fails, Robinson can still appeal to the District Court.
In a December 2014 letter to the CPEC chairman Graham Shaw, obtained by The Press, EQC chief executive Ian Simpson asked the council to keep decisions about Robinson confidential until any appeal of the decisions was completed.
The letter also said EQC believed the disciplinary committee findings were not supported by the evidence and failed to “properly understand and consider the role of EQC and Mr Robinson”.
Public demands to reopen all Robinson’s assessments illustrated “the difficulties which the decisions will inevitably cause for EQC if they are allowed to stand”.
I read about your “horsing about” and it made me realise you may be able to help me with some answers I need in a hurry.
You see, a couple of weeks ago I was in this café, meeting up with a mate. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and the place was pumping, with friends hooking up at the end of a hectic week. I couldn’t help noticing a very attractive young woman sitting at a table on the other side of the room. Her hair, her beautiful, lustrous, enticing hair; caught up in a pertly perfect pony tail which flicked and twitched as she nodded and smiled with her companion. Oh! How my fingers itched, just to touch that hair!
“Earth to Micko”, said my friend, “you’re drooling, mate”, and the spell was broken.
Later, I needed the loo, so I got up to go. Without even realising it, I found myself passing directly behind the young woman and couldn’t help myself saying, as I passed behind her, “Your hair looks so enticing” and, just to emphasise the point, I gave her pony tail a little tug. She swung round in her seat, looking to do battle, so I did my “cheeky schoolboy” grin and said, ” Just horsing about.” She continued to stare, but I could tell she was feeling flattered behind the ice-maiden gaze.
On the way back out I had to pass behind her, again. She saw me coming and turned her face towards me, which meant that the pony tail was out of my reach.
“Playing hard to get, are we?” I thought, as I passed, so I waited until I had gone right past her then, when she wasn’t expecting it, reached back in and gave her another little tug. “Ha, Gotcha” I said, flashing her the old million watt smile.
I got back to my table and my friend leaned in close and hissed in my ear, “Hey, Bro! Settle! Can’t you see she doesn’t like it?”
“Nah, she’s lovin’ it”, I said. Well, I could tell she was ‘cos of the way she was still switching that enticing little ponytail, all over the place.
A bit later we got to the stage of arguing over whose turn it was to pay. He held out for a while, insisting it was his turn but eventually, as I knew he would, he gave in and I got up to go and flash the plastic. Can’t have Bill thinking I owe him anything.
On the way back I was taking a look at the young woman’s face when she glanced up and we made eye contact for just a second. She looked away so quickly that I just knew she was being coquettish. Well, inspiration struck, and I went into “Cookie-Bear” monster mode, advancing on her and humming the theme from Jaws. It had just the effect I wanted. She played along beautifully, turning in her chair, so her back was to the wall, and feigning mock horror.
“I’ll still get you”, I thought, as I reached to get my hand between her head and the wall.
Next thing, I’m face down on the floor. My wrist is somewhere between my shoulder blades, there’s a knee in my back, and the end of a ponytail is flicking in my eyes, while the young woman is barking in my ear, “I am a police officer and I’m arresting you for assault”.
So, now my questions for you, John.
Do you think that if I offer this police woman a couple of bottles of nice red wine and explain how I didn’t realise, do you think that might help my case? Or do I risk being done for attempted bribery?
And what about my broken nose? My lawyer says it will go worse for me if I continue to maintain that the bit about me stumbling into the cell door isn’t actually true. He reckons I should just do a brain fade on the issue. Says it works for you. So should I put in a complaint to the IPCC or should I just stay schtum?
He also says that if I was to openly acknowledge my trichophilia, and seek help for it, then the court might be favourably inclined towards leniency. What do you think?
Hoping you can provide me with some answers,
Yours, with much feeling,
Mickomarvel.
I originally posted this on TDB, but don’t want it to disappear so I’m reposting here, slightly edited.
How about you sending it to John Key, all the National MPs, leaders of all parties, Tv1, TV3 and some radio stations too? And may be to NZ Herald or some other publications who might even pay you for the article!
You could try a little honey applied to the bruises to ease the pain, Mick, it’s a lot cheaper than counselling. And if you’ve run out you could get in touch via Farcebook instead of TM, I have a few spare jars. Definitely don’t stay schtum though, you know what happens if you bottle it up. Messy, very messy…
I’m so proud of the Dunedin City Council progressively voting for divesting from investments in oil and guns. It nice to see something positive for a change. The Councillors who voted against the move range from the short sighted and crusty, through the plain bonkers, on to the right wing libertarian.
the council would also no longer invest in tobacco, arms, gambling and pornography, but it was the issue of whether to include fossil fuels which prompted the most vigorous debate.
That debate continues with; Woodhouse against, Turei supportive, while Clark & Curran (the actual electorate MPs, not just MPs resident in the electorate) were either not asked for, or didn’t provide, comment.
Mr Woodhouse said the council’s decision to dump fossil fuels from the city’s $82.5 million Waipori Fund was ”narrow minded idealism” that would cause ”significant harm to the city it purports to serve”.
”This decision sends a strong message that [oil and gas companies] are not welcome in Dunedin…
Mr Woodhouse admitted he had not spoken to anyone in the oil and gas industry about whether divestment would affect a choice on where to base operations…
Mr Woodhouse’s comments also appeared to show he was unaware of his own Government’s policy.
”The Government is a signatory to the United Nation’s Framework Convention on climate change and recently that convention endorsed fossil fuel divestment.”
The council was acting on the wishes of Dunedin people, which had been evidenced clearly through a consultation process last year.
Dunedin based Green Party co leader Metiria Turei said the council had shown ”great leadership” in choosing to divest.
”I’m sure that other councils will be looking at this decision very closely.”
thanks Pasupial, that is so good, but close eh? Congrats to the DCC. It’s a pity that Woodhouse had to make a dork of himself, these people are so on the wrong side of history and will be judged very harshly in years to come.
Hallelujah brothers and you sinful sisters…we God fearing righteous Christians here at Gloriavale must keep the sins of the world at bay! Creatures of Satan, worshippers of Mammon.
Verily did you not hear an evil satanic follower of the false prophet Feminism said unto us that our Christian school should be shut down, that the nearly $200,000 of tainted money we receive from the evil devil infested government should be denied us, for our blessed childrens learning!
Have we not rendered unto Ceasar what is Ceasars? Perhaps not in full, Caesar after all has said that we don’t as a charity owe him a thing, that our Gods mercy in the form of $1.8 million this year we can keep. No taxes to the evil rabble out in the world, no, generous devil Caesar, he blesses us with the additional money to educate our children in the ways of the Lord. Hallelujah.
Now brothers and sisters, the Lords work awaits you, go forth and toil, give your labour to the Lord, no taxes, forth slothful servants. To the greater glory of God and Hopeful Christian…..let’s take from the Devils world what evil tainted Mamman that we can and save it for the Lord (plus Hopefuls legal bills for the next evil accusations of sexual deviancy…) http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/68145084/education-researcher-calls-for-gloriavale-school-to-be-closed
“Further detail on the deployment of troops would not be provided “in accordance with our policy on non-identification of personnel and for reasons of operational security,” Brownlee said.
Prime Minister John Key said the first detachment of New Zealand troops – a “fraction” of the total deployment – would go “soonish” but he would not confirm the date.
He said he would not name the exact date for security reasons, on the advice of the Defence Force.
“They don’t go in one group of 106 people, they go in sub-groups of that.”
Oh… and human rights issues in the Middle East and a claim that Key spotted over 70 NZ products during a visit to a local supermarket…. if his lips are moving… there’s a deal to be made.
SNP will take every seat in Scotland.
Labour will get roughly the same percentage as the Tories: 16-18%
Sturgeon does not need to mention Independence: if every seat in Scotland is an SNP one then seperation has commenced.
This is a bloodless revolution. Where is the party on the 8th May? The results will start around 11am on that Friday morning.
538’s projection shows Lib Dems and Labour are highly likely to each win 1 seat in Scotland. There are two other very-close seats for Labour as well, and the southern-most seat only has SNP a hair ahead of both Conservatives and Labour, and Conservatives winning 2 other seats in the south, although one is only just ahead of the Lib Dems:
Either William Hill or Ladbrooks (can’t remember which one) are only offering odds of 3 – 1 for the SNP winning all 59 seats. As way of comparison, they were offering 1000 – 1 at the time of the last election.
Regardless, I guess their up for far more than their present 6 😉
2. Bill Drees said they will win all seats, to which I pointed out some evidence that they won’t. The wager you are offering has you profit, even if SNP doesn’t win all of the seats. So you’re offering a wager on different terms than the claim that I disputed.
3. 538’s model takes into account a lot of available polling data, as well as demographic information. This makes it more reliable than any single poll, especially polls that are written up by media outlets in order to attract readers.
1. Wine?
2. A counter offer wager?
3. I’ve been watching many polls covering Scotland since the beginning of last year. The pollsters have very solid tested data on which to model due to the IndyRef last year. 95% were enrolled and 85% of them voted.
Many, and particularly Ashcroft, have done extensive polling in individual seats around Scotland. Different polling methods, i.e. Phone, Online, Inteview, are coming up with the same trends and similar results. The “Poll of Polls” that Ashcroft presents uses ComRes, ICM, Ipsos-Mori, Opinium, Populus, Survation, TNS-BMRB and YouGov as well as Ashcroft funded polling.
Though I’ve never heard of “538” they are another one to add to the mix. Thank you for drawing them to our attention.
2. The only wager I would consider is my assertion that SNP will not win 100% of the seats in Scotland.
3. 538 correctly predicted the outcome of all 50 states in the 2012 US presidential election, and 49/50 in 2008, far more accurate than any other prediction. Their UK prediction actually comes from this site: http://electionforecast.co.uk/ which rather than a simple ‘poll of polls’, is a mathematical model of UK voting intention, taking the latest polls into account.
Further interesting on Radionz interview with Brit on coming elections there. It sounds hopeful for Labour et al. And apparently there are enough et al to make it work. And there’s more – Ed is talking, now, about limiting ownership of media, capping it or the like. The Brit said that Murdoch’s papers are having a war of words!
UK election race neck and neck – columnist ( 8′ 16″ )
08:41 With eight days to go until the UK General Election, opposition leader Ed Miliband has made a pitch for the youth vote by visiting actor Russell Brand for what’s being called “a kitchen chat” in the comedian’s multi million pound London flat.
I was reminded by my discussion with Tracey yesterday when I read this article. Seems some people want to wrap themselves in cotton wool and not confront anything that they dislike.
All you have done with that link is show me that you completely missed my point, not only in that thread but for posting as I do on this topic (sexual abuse). Which is fine, I need to try to be clearer in my communication of what I mean so that you don’t go off on a wrong tangent in your understanding of my point of view. I did try hard, but must do better to make my writing more understandable for some people..
It wasn’t neccessarily what you personally stated but a number of other commenters expressed opinions around that subject that reflect the views discussed in that article. One person argued that Rugby promotes violence and therefore should not be promoted. You might like to keep a narrow focus but it is an easy step to demanding massive cultural change to accomodate people’s need to feel “Safe” as per the ridiculous attempts outlined in that article.
Lol
On Planet Key a “conversation with Tracey” includes any conversation that Tracey was even slightly involved with before subsequent statements were made, but a “text conversation with the Prime Minister” does not exist if the person who has the job of being Prime Minister declares he was actively texting but only in a private capacity…
I think Cunliffe, Shearer before him, and Goff before him all genuinely believed that if they were matey enough with people like Hooton and Farrar they’d eventually come onside (or at least go easy on them).
It’s a sad delusion and I’m pleased that Andrew doesn’t appear to suffer from it.
Taika Waititi is returning to the small screen in Brown Eye, a satirical look at the news with a Maori perspective which is starting on Maori Television next month.
[…]
Waititi is a producer on the show with Bailey Mackey. He will appear on the show as Uncle Isaac, giving his insight into subjects such as the Treaty of Waitangi.
Taika Waititi is returning to the small screen in Brown Eye, a satirical look at the news with a Maori perspective which is starting on Maori Television next month.
[…]
Waititi is a producer on the show with Bailey Mackey. He will appear on the show as Uncle Isaac, giving his insight into subjects such as the Treaty of Waitangi.
“You’ll see on the video he walked very slow so there was nothing aggressive about him. He didn’t see the humvee coming, he didn’t hear the humvee coming,” Beatty said. “All he knew was that suddenly he was cut off from the cameras. Then he was grabbed by multiple people in riot gear.”
It’s a video and shows that the police went to a great deal of effort to hide their actions from the camera. I suppose this is what to expect in a police state.
Caught a story at lunch today saying there is a 1,000,000 black men in jail in america and as most of there prisons are working ones it made me think it’s slavery by stealth.
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Vietnamese victory over imperialism and the day the last American military and ‘diplomatic’ forces left Vietnam, scurrying away on their choppers. A day of abject humiliation for Washington, as they had too many choppers and not enough aircraft carriers, so a whole bunch of Hueys had to be pushed off the aircraft carriers and into the sea.
Not quite. They wanted to make room for the many hundreds of Vietnamese who understandably didn’t want to live under a communist dictatorship. Aircraft Carriers aren’t usually designed to take the land based choppers that were being flown.
They didn’t want to leave too many collaborators behind because (1) many of them had paid huge bribes, and (2) it would look bad next time they invaded a country if they were seen to abandon the torturers and black marketeers who had helped them. A bit like what they’ve done with their little helpers in Afghanistan, in fact.
There is absolutely no reason a land based helicopter can’t be accommodated on an aircraft carrier. Many makes have air force and navy versions, usually differing in the alloys used in some parts. There were just too many trying to land.
They left very many “collaborators” behind, to their eternal shame.
And as to the local losers in that tragic war, the suffering goes on.
In the 1990s if you rode a cycle-rickshaw in Ho Chi Minh City there was every chance it was being pedaled by a former South Vietnam military officer. It was the only sort of work permitted them.
Similarly, the various hill tribes lived under cruel and restrictive laws for many years after the war. Probably still do.
And as to the helicopters – you can’t operate an aircraft carrier with the decks covered in other people’s aircraft. The US Navy had no use for Vietnamese helicopters, land-based or not.
“Dame Jenny Shipley says her appointment as the first independent chair of Oravida is an important move for the company as it seeks to expand its presence in China.”
must go specially alongside her chair of the Chinese bank in Auckland and how well she did as chair of Mainzeal.
maybe someone can investigate the more secret chinese holdings she held previously with drapac … how did they get the lab space at the old DSIR in Mt Albert ? Hard to imagine without largesse and her matronage.
I love the way Fonterra is calling milk prices “volatile”. Prices have plummeted.
And the way they blame the fall on overproduction and lack of demand. NZ milk production has gone from 9.8 billion litres to 20.7 billion litres between 1996-2015
Govt inaction on housing keeping rates high
The Government’s failure to rein in the housing crisis means the Reserve Bank Governor cannot lower interest rates despite inflation being at 15-year lows, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.
“Inflation is below the target band and the economy has actually deflated in the past two quarters, yet we have among the highest interest rates in the developed world.
“As the Reserve Bank has repeatedly pointed out the biggest reason for that is the Government’s refusal to tackle the housing crisis.
“If it wasn’t for skyrocketing housing prices in Auckland and the increased spending that comes off the back of that, there’s no doubt the Governor would be looking to lower rates.
“That would lower our overvalued dollar, make our exporters more competitive, create jobs and boost incomes, as well as lower mortgage costs for stretched families. Not to mention reduce the serious financial stability risk the Reserve Bank Governor is so worried about.
“In his commentary today, it is clear the Governor is very concerned about the impact of a high dollar on our exporters.
“National is failing to build enough houses and refuses to take action on property speculators. That failure is keeping rates high which is hurting businesses, homeowners, and all Kiwis looking to get ahead.
This is all a brilliant angle from Grant Robertson, he is actually showing he is a better Finance Spokesperson than I thought he was going to be, but then he ruins it all with his last paragraph:
“The decision on interest rates is usually seen as a headache for the Reserve Bank Governor. It’s quickly turning into a headache for everyone, thanks to John Key,” says Grant Robertson.
Come on Grant! You have just put forward a reasoned argument for why National should be doing more to tackle the housing issue, then instead of finishing with what Labour plan to do about it, or just leave it as a well reasoned attack on National’s credibility, he has to bring the political battle back to John Key vs Andrew Little rather than National vs Labour!
National use this tactic because john Key has an almost 4:1 preferred Prime Minister advantage over Andrew Little (according to the latest Colmar Brunton poll), so bringing the arguments back to man against man works for them, but the tenuous links back to John Key at the end of this Media Release is one of the reasons Labour is making no traction in the polls, lot’s of complaints about National using personality politics, then try to counter it with personality politics when you don’t have an overly popular person leading the party (only 1/3rd of his own voters want him as PM)!
When the Prime Minister says the movement of New Zealand forces through a foreign country is not newsworthy, that is the surest signal he no longer trusts the media.
If the Prime Minister, the most accountable public servant, no longer trusts the media, his/her days with that title should be numbered.
the photographic and video images of him they have selected today makes it very clear how they all feel about his ‘middle finger’ to them.
oh, surprise surprise, they have all been changed !! But the Herald one of him with stretching jaws wide open stuffing a burger in his mouth was a perfect derogation of the hollow man.
also, stuff had a most unflattering image of him, but no links .. all gone !! funny that.
‘Gather you cynics throughout all the land,
and don ‘t criticise what you can’t understand …. ‘
( with apologies to Mr Bob Zimmerman), but this:
“The Swiss government has a long and widely-respected history of neutrality, and therefore, reports from this government on controversial subjects need to be taken more seriously than other reports from countries that are more strongly influenced by present economic and political constituencies. When one considers that two of the top five largest drug companies in the world have their headquarters in Switzerland, one might assume that this country would have a heavy interest in and bias toward conventional medicine, but such assumptions would be wrong.
In late 2011, the Swiss government’s report on homeopathic medicine represents the most comprehensive evaluation of homeopathic medicine ever written by a government and was just published in book form in English (Bornhoft and Matthiessen, 2011).
This breakthrough report affirmed that homeopathic treatment is both effective and cost-effective and that homeopathic treatment should be reimbursed by Switzerland’s national health insurance program.
The Swiss government’s inquiry into homeopathy and complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments resulted from the high demand and widespread use of alternatives to conventional medicine in Switzerland, not only from consumers but from physicians as well. Approximately half of the Swiss population have used CAM treatments and value them. Further, about half of Swiss physicians consider CAM treatments to be effective. Perhaps most significantly, 85 percent of the Swiss population wants CAM therapies to be a part of their country’s health insurance program.”
There has been many, many, more peaceful protests than violent ones – and still the MSM media won’t discuss the fact some 300 people have been murder by police in the last year. And the overwhelming majority of these people being killed are Black Americans.
I mention that I did a piece honouring Ettie Rout late yesterday which probably will drop out of sight. She was a WW1 war heroine who receved little ackowledgement and lost her position in society and friends resuting in her taking her life. http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29042015/#comment-1007830
absolutely she deserves a retrospective award … wonderful heroine who saved so many lives from syphilis and other venereal death sentences. thanks for posting, grey.
did you see the fine sam neill doco on maori tv on anzac day .. he gave her an elegant and deserved eulogy.
link for you, and it reminds well of what very good television looks like …
Earlier today, Ingleby, a postdoc at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, posted two excerpts of the anonymous review. “It would probably … be beneficial to find one or two male biologists to work with (or at least obtain internal peer review from, but better yet as active co-authors)” to prevent the manuscript from “drifting too far away from empirical evidence into ideologically biased assumptions,” the reviewer wrote in one portion.
It doesn’t matter how many extensions there are as it’s the length of the wharves that’s the problem. One will still be narrowing the width of the harbour.
“The workers and their union are asking New Zealanders not to eat at McDonald’s on May Day, and if you drive past a picket line, please toot your horn and wave in support.”
Felix Geiringer is so tongue in cheek it’s easy to miss what he really means … he is neither fisi or bob jones … suffice to know he was tweeting the other day that he was very happy to help Amanda Bailey if she needed legal advice or representation ? -)
Oh rawshark-yeshe. I immediately and fully understood that Felix was demonstrating just how absurd the Key supporters position is. (Just in case anyone thought I took him seriously. But Fisi and Jones do sound just like Felix writes.) And being very funny as well. The Geiringer family has a long and noble history of doing the right thing
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Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
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RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
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Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
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While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
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Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
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The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
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On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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Gloriavale. A place run by a convicted sex offender and his patriarchal mates. Heres what they take from you and me. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/68145084/education-researcher-calls-for-gloriavale-school-to-be-closed
In effect this place pays no tax because the workers work for free (so no PAYE) and despite being worth $38 million and turning $1.8 million profit last year paid no tax. This is because they are registered as a charity. And then they take $199K from you and me to “educate” their children. That (given that they say the outside world is evil) is really taking the piss.
I dont feel charitable. What are our MPs and the IRD doing to ensure they fulfill their obligations as we must as citizens? What is being done to protect the vulnerable young people from these patriarchal predators?
Nothing.
I look forward to hearing sometime in the near future that there has been a police visit with CYFS and any other necessary social services in accompaniment.
Just as long as this is not left to drag. The more media coverage there is the more edgy the elders will get, and there might be open hostility when the authorities eventually do visit.
You gotta hand it to the PM – he’s a supreme actor. Look how gleeful he was on TV3 News last night telling the MSM that shouting to the world the whereabouts of our troops was not “news”. He’d just made it THE news ! and I bet he’s pushed the ponytail saga off the front page by doing so. Distraction politics at its best !
Your right Jenny, Wag the Dog at its best, thats what they do, just like the supposed letters of milk powder contamination….we didnt get to see those or hear anything else about them…..remember the letters were brought to our attention just prior to the Northland bi-election, but that backfired on them, ha.
I call it big noting – a little man on the world stage getting his jollies off – he is not a very insightful person – a hollow man.
My partner thought he looked and sounded embarrassed but was trying to cover it with nonchalance. She didn’t think it worked. Red face… cracking voice…
He always does this. He is desperate to impress those in power so he runs his mouth off.
spot on
I thought he had been drinking just a little too much.
Whatever, it was disgraceful, careless behaviour from the ‘leader’ who has sent 143 brave soldiers into unknown dangers and just handed their so called ‘secure’ whereabouts to the enemy on a platter……. and in enemies part of the world!
This apology of a man is fast becoming a real liability for our country and it’s citizens.
I am so mad at him and his blind followers.
Here are some interesting articles all of which indicate the fallout from bad US policies.
1. Corporate money (political donations to members of the Senate Finance Committee) is being used to influence the Fast Track vote on TTPA bypass democracy in US.
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/04/29/corporate-cash-vs-rest-us-fast-track
2. An example of how US foreign policy created the incentive for a journalist to become a terrorist.
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/04/29/life-death-al-qaeda-spokesman/
3. Yet another report on the rorts of Charter Schools in the US
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/04/29/fraud-waste-and-lies-charter-schools-cheating-communities-out-millions-dollars
shame on them all trying to cover this up and I hope brownlie is called out on this today. criminals the lot of them.
“The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is trying to shut down adverse findings about its top engineer Graeme Robinson to avoid reopening his 2500 Canterbury assessments.
EQC is worried the findings, if allowed to stand, will have “serious and far reaching implications” for itself and other insurers.
Robinson was found negligent and incompetent by a disciplinary committee of the Institution of Professional Engineers last year. It also found he did not act honestly and with objectivity and integrity, and cancelled his registration.
The findings have not been released officially, although it is understood most of the complaints from 11 Canterbury homeonwers have been fully or partly upheld. Robinson did more than 2500 assessments in Canterbury for EQC after September 4, 2010, and the commission now faces demands for all his assessments to be reopened.
Robinson appealed the disciplinary committee decisions at a Chartered Professional Engineers Council (CPEC) hearing in Wellington last week. Although the hearing was closed to the media, EQC asked to observe and make submissions but its request was declined.
If the appeal fails, Robinson can still appeal to the District Court.
In a December 2014 letter to the CPEC chairman Graham Shaw, obtained by The Press, EQC chief executive Ian Simpson asked the council to keep decisions about Robinson confidential until any appeal of the decisions was completed.
The letter also said EQC believed the disciplinary committee findings were not supported by the evidence and failed to “properly understand and consider the role of EQC and Mr Robinson”.
Public demands to reopen all Robinson’s assessments illustrated “the difficulties which the decisions will inevitably cause for EQC if they are allowed to stand”.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/68135509/eqc-fights-adverse-findings-against-its-top-engineer
Dear John,
I read about your “horsing about” and it made me realise you may be able to help me with some answers I need in a hurry.
You see, a couple of weeks ago I was in this café, meeting up with a mate. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and the place was pumping, with friends hooking up at the end of a hectic week. I couldn’t help noticing a very attractive young woman sitting at a table on the other side of the room. Her hair, her beautiful, lustrous, enticing hair; caught up in a pertly perfect pony tail which flicked and twitched as she nodded and smiled with her companion. Oh! How my fingers itched, just to touch that hair!
“Earth to Micko”, said my friend, “you’re drooling, mate”, and the spell was broken.
Later, I needed the loo, so I got up to go. Without even realising it, I found myself passing directly behind the young woman and couldn’t help myself saying, as I passed behind her, “Your hair looks so enticing” and, just to emphasise the point, I gave her pony tail a little tug. She swung round in her seat, looking to do battle, so I did my “cheeky schoolboy” grin and said, ” Just horsing about.” She continued to stare, but I could tell she was feeling flattered behind the ice-maiden gaze.
On the way back out I had to pass behind her, again. She saw me coming and turned her face towards me, which meant that the pony tail was out of my reach.
“Playing hard to get, are we?” I thought, as I passed, so I waited until I had gone right past her then, when she wasn’t expecting it, reached back in and gave her another little tug. “Ha, Gotcha” I said, flashing her the old million watt smile.
I got back to my table and my friend leaned in close and hissed in my ear, “Hey, Bro! Settle! Can’t you see she doesn’t like it?”
“Nah, she’s lovin’ it”, I said. Well, I could tell she was ‘cos of the way she was still switching that enticing little ponytail, all over the place.
A bit later we got to the stage of arguing over whose turn it was to pay. He held out for a while, insisting it was his turn but eventually, as I knew he would, he gave in and I got up to go and flash the plastic. Can’t have Bill thinking I owe him anything.
On the way back I was taking a look at the young woman’s face when she glanced up and we made eye contact for just a second. She looked away so quickly that I just knew she was being coquettish. Well, inspiration struck, and I went into “Cookie-Bear” monster mode, advancing on her and humming the theme from Jaws. It had just the effect I wanted. She played along beautifully, turning in her chair, so her back was to the wall, and feigning mock horror.
“I’ll still get you”, I thought, as I reached to get my hand between her head and the wall.
Next thing, I’m face down on the floor. My wrist is somewhere between my shoulder blades, there’s a knee in my back, and the end of a ponytail is flicking in my eyes, while the young woman is barking in my ear, “I am a police officer and I’m arresting you for assault”.
So, now my questions for you, John.
Do you think that if I offer this police woman a couple of bottles of nice red wine and explain how I didn’t realise, do you think that might help my case? Or do I risk being done for attempted bribery?
And what about my broken nose? My lawyer says it will go worse for me if I continue to maintain that the bit about me stumbling into the cell door isn’t actually true. He reckons I should just do a brain fade on the issue. Says it works for you. So should I put in a complaint to the IPCC or should I just stay schtum?
He also says that if I was to openly acknowledge my trichophilia, and seek help for it, then the court might be favourably inclined towards leniency. What do you think?
Hoping you can provide me with some answers,
Yours, with much feeling,
Mickomarvel.
I originally posted this on TDB, but don’t want it to disappear so I’m reposting here, slightly edited.
Mickomarvel – very funny. Perhaps you can meet up at a cafe to discuss your mutual fascination with ponytails! ?
Mickomarvel, you’re on planet earth remember, not planet key
That needs to go here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/657685857619031/?pnref=lhc
Nice one.
Best ‘Dear John” letter ever written lol .. please ensure you will advise us any reply received from said ‘john’.
How about you sending it to John Key, all the National MPs, leaders of all parties, Tv1, TV3 and some radio stations too? And may be to NZ Herald or some other publications who might even pay you for the article!
You could try a little honey applied to the bruises to ease the pain, Mick, it’s a lot cheaper than counselling. And if you’ve run out you could get in touch via Farcebook instead of TM, I have a few spare jars. Definitely don’t stay schtum though, you know what happens if you bottle it up. Messy, very messy…
I’m so proud of the Dunedin City Council progressively voting for divesting from investments in oil and guns. It nice to see something positive for a change. The Councillors who voted against the move range from the short sighted and crusty, through the plain bonkers, on to the right wing libertarian.
Which way did the vote go?
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/340505/dcc-quitting-its-fossil-fuel-shares
That debate continues with; Woodhouse against, Turei supportive, while Clark & Curran (the actual electorate MPs, not just MPs resident in the electorate) were either not asked for, or didn’t provide, comment.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/340602/dcc-fossil-fuel-divestment-decision-raises-row
Weka
The vote was split 7/7 for/against amongst the councilors, with the mayor casting the deciding vote for divestment.
thanks Pasupial, that is so good, but close eh? Congrats to the DCC. It’s a pity that Woodhouse had to make a dork of himself, these people are so on the wrong side of history and will be judged very harshly in years to come.
I just found the a few links too,
http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2015/04/council-joins-global-movement/
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1405/S00253/dunedin-becomes-first-nz-city-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels.htm
Hallelujah brothers and you sinful sisters…we God fearing righteous Christians here at Gloriavale must keep the sins of the world at bay! Creatures of Satan, worshippers of Mammon.
Verily did you not hear an evil satanic follower of the false prophet Feminism said unto us that our Christian school should be shut down, that the nearly $200,000 of tainted money we receive from the evil devil infested government should be denied us, for our blessed childrens learning!
Have we not rendered unto Ceasar what is Ceasars? Perhaps not in full, Caesar after all has said that we don’t as a charity owe him a thing, that our Gods mercy in the form of $1.8 million this year we can keep. No taxes to the evil rabble out in the world, no, generous devil Caesar, he blesses us with the additional money to educate our children in the ways of the Lord. Hallelujah.
Now brothers and sisters, the Lords work awaits you, go forth and toil, give your labour to the Lord, no taxes, forth slothful servants. To the greater glory of God and Hopeful Christian…..let’s take from the Devils world what evil tainted Mamman that we can and save it for the Lord (plus Hopefuls legal bills for the next evil accusations of sexual deviancy…)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/68145084/education-researcher-calls-for-gloriavale-school-to-be-closed
WTF!!!
Russell Brand and Ed Miliband on the Trews. Guardian link
The full Trews here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDZm9_uKtyo
Just watching it now, good value so far. Miliband is going to be a great PM, I reckon!
“Further detail on the deployment of troops would not be provided “in accordance with our policy on non-identification of personnel and for reasons of operational security,” Brownlee said.
Prime Minister John Key said the first detachment of New Zealand troops – a “fraction” of the total deployment – would go “soonish” but he would not confirm the date.
He said he would not name the exact date for security reasons, on the advice of the Defence Force.
“They don’t go in one group of 106 people, they go in sub-groups of that.”
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/67756596/first-new-zealand-troops-set-to-deploy-to-iraq
Oh… and human rights issues in the Middle East and a claim that Key spotted over 70 NZ products during a visit to a local supermarket…. if his lips are moving… there’s a deal to be made.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/economy/2015/04/27/New-Zealand-ISIS-fighters-prompt-security-talks.html
SNP will take every seat in Scotland.
Labour will get roughly the same percentage as the Tories: 16-18%
Sturgeon does not need to mention Independence: if every seat in Scotland is an SNP one then seperation has commenced.
This is a bloodless revolution. Where is the party on the 8th May? The results will start around 11am on that Friday morning.
538’s projection shows Lib Dems and Labour are highly likely to each win 1 seat in Scotland. There are two other very-close seats for Labour as well, and the southern-most seat only has SNP a hair ahead of both Conservatives and Labour, and Conservatives winning 2 other seats in the south, although one is only just ahead of the Lib Dems:
http://fivethirtyeight.com/interactives/uk-general-election-predictions/
Based solely on these predictions, the chances of SNP winning all seats in Scotland is essentially nil.
Either William Hill or Ladbrooks (can’t remember which one) are only offering odds of 3 – 1 for the SNP winning all 59 seats. As way of comparison, they were offering 1000 – 1 at the time of the last election.
Regardless, I guess their up for far more than their present 6 😉
Are you a betting person Lanthanide?
The Scotsman -Edinburgh: SNP on course to win every Scottish Seat.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/snp-on-course-to-win-every-scottish-seat-1-3757713
The Herald – Glasgow: Poll: SNP could win all 59 Scottish seats in general election.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/scottish-politics/poll-snp-could-win-all-59-scottish-seats-in-general-election.1430300172
The Independent – London: “….as new poll predicts SNP will win all seats north of the border”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/generalelection/general-election-2015-labours-scottish-leader-predicts-cameron-will-remain-as-pm-as-new-poll-predicts-snp-will-win-all-seats-north-of-the-border-10214211.html
What say I buy you an pint for every non SNP seat and you buy me a pint for every SNP seat over 50?
1. I don’t drink beer.
2. Bill Drees said they will win all seats, to which I pointed out some evidence that they won’t. The wager you are offering has you profit, even if SNP doesn’t win all of the seats. So you’re offering a wager on different terms than the claim that I disputed.
3. 538’s model takes into account a lot of available polling data, as well as demographic information. This makes it more reliable than any single poll, especially polls that are written up by media outlets in order to attract readers.
1. Wine?
2. A counter offer wager?
3. I’ve been watching many polls covering Scotland since the beginning of last year. The pollsters have very solid tested data on which to model due to the IndyRef last year. 95% were enrolled and 85% of them voted.
Many, and particularly Ashcroft, have done extensive polling in individual seats around Scotland. Different polling methods, i.e. Phone, Online, Inteview, are coming up with the same trends and similar results. The “Poll of Polls” that Ashcroft presents uses ComRes, ICM, Ipsos-Mori, Opinium, Populus, Survation, TNS-BMRB and YouGov as well as Ashcroft funded polling.
Though I’ve never heard of “538” they are another one to add to the mix. Thank you for drawing them to our attention.
1. Wine comes in Pints?
2. The only wager I would consider is my assertion that SNP will not win 100% of the seats in Scotland.
3. 538 correctly predicted the outcome of all 50 states in the 2012 US presidential election, and 49/50 in 2008, far more accurate than any other prediction. Their UK prediction actually comes from this site: http://electionforecast.co.uk/ which rather than a simple ‘poll of polls’, is a mathematical model of UK voting intention, taking the latest polls into account.
Further interesting on Radionz interview with Brit on coming elections there. It sounds hopeful for Labour et al. And apparently there are enough et al to make it work. And there’s more – Ed is talking, now, about limiting ownership of media, capping it or the like. The Brit said that Murdoch’s papers are having a war of words!
UK election race neck and neck – columnist ( 8′ 16″ )
08:41 With eight days to go until the UK General Election, opposition leader Ed Miliband has made a pitch for the youth vote by visiting actor Russell Brand for what’s being called “a kitchen chat” in the comedian’s multi million pound London flat.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201752458
I was reminded by my discussion with Tracey yesterday when I read this article. Seems some people want to wrap themselves in cotton wool and not confront anything that they dislike.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/judith-shulevitz-hiding-from-scary-ideas.html?_r=0
Yes mean the way you refuse to discuss anything you can’t quantify as an economic equation?
All you have done with that link is show me that you completely missed my point, not only in that thread but for posting as I do on this topic (sexual abuse). Which is fine, I need to try to be clearer in my communication of what I mean so that you don’t go off on a wrong tangent in your understanding of my point of view. I did try hard, but must do better to make my writing more understandable for some people..
It wasn’t neccessarily what you personally stated but a number of other commenters expressed opinions around that subject that reflect the views discussed in that article. One person argued that Rugby promotes violence and therefore should not be promoted. You might like to keep a narrow focus but it is an easy step to demanding massive cultural change to accomodate people’s need to feel “Safe” as per the ridiculous attempts outlined in that article.
Then why name me specifically if it was what “other commenters expresed opinions around”?
Sigh, cos asking to be respected requires a “massive” cultural change just so lsome people can feel “safe” … do you ever re-read what you write?
Because the discussion was around a topic you kicked off.
Lol
On Planet Key a “conversation with Tracey” includes any conversation that Tracey was even slightly involved with before subsequent statements were made, but a “text conversation with the Prime Minister” does not exist if the person who has the job of being Prime Minister declares he was actively texting but only in a private capacity…
Starting right now on Nine to Noon, Muslim women’s rights with Mona Eltahawy, Egyptian author of Headscarves and Hymens.
need a laff..?
hooton and little are clawing at each other..
..little has called hooton a ‘total nutbar’…
http://whoar.co.nz/2015/andrew-little-and-matthew-hooton-have-a-twit-spat-little-calls-hooton-a-total-nutbar/
Thems fighting words!
Can’t imagine Cunliffe would’ve said something like that.
I think Cunliffe, Shearer before him, and Goff before him all genuinely believed that if they were matey enough with people like Hooton and Farrar they’d eventually come onside (or at least go easy on them).
It’s a sad delusion and I’m pleased that Andrew doesn’t appear to suffer from it.
and two of them weren’t sure they could oppose some issues with a straight face
Shearer? YES.
Cunliffe? NO.
Māori Television takes the lead, again.
Taika Waititi is returning to the small screen in Brown Eye, a satirical look at the news with a Maori perspective which is starting on Maori Television next month.
[…]
Waititi is a producer on the show with Bailey Mackey. He will appear on the show as Uncle Isaac, giving his insight into subjects such as the Treaty of Waitangi.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11440530
Thanks joe
Something to look forward to on Māori Television.
Taika Waititi is returning to the small screen in Brown Eye, a satirical look at the news with a Maori perspective which is starting on Maori Television next month.
[…]
Waititi is a producer on the show with Bailey Mackey. He will appear on the show as Uncle Isaac, giving his insight into subjects such as the Treaty of Waitangi.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11440530
Baltimore activist ‘kidnapped’ on live TV is in jail despite having hands up ‘the whole time’
It’s a video and shows that the police went to a great deal of effort to hide their actions from the camera. I suppose this is what to expect in a police state.
He was calmly urging others to refrain from violence and to go home peacefully.
Can’t be having that. The only peace that counts is a peace imposed by force and fear.
The KKK is alive and well in the USA. And it wears blue. The Grand Dragons are now ‘Police Commissioners’.
Caught a story at lunch today saying there is a 1,000,000 black men in jail in america and as most of there prisons are working ones it made me think it’s slavery by stealth.
The new Jim Crow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Jim_Crow
http://newjimcrow.com/about
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Vietnamese victory over imperialism and the day the last American military and ‘diplomatic’ forces left Vietnam, scurrying away on their choppers. A day of abject humiliation for Washington, as they had too many choppers and not enough aircraft carriers, so a whole bunch of Hueys had to be pushed off the aircraft carriers and into the sea.
I’ve written about the Vietnam War, or as the Vietnamese called it, The Great Patriotic War, here: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2015/04/29/vietnam-40th-anniversary-of-the-triumph-over-imperialism/
Phil
Not quite. They wanted to make room for the many hundreds of Vietnamese who understandably didn’t want to live under a communist dictatorship. Aircraft Carriers aren’t usually designed to take the land based choppers that were being flown.
http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/312/563/05d.jpg
They didn’t want to leave too many collaborators behind because (1) many of them had paid huge bribes, and (2) it would look bad next time they invaded a country if they were seen to abandon the torturers and black marketeers who had helped them. A bit like what they’ve done with their little helpers in Afghanistan, in fact.
There is absolutely no reason a land based helicopter can’t be accommodated on an aircraft carrier. Many makes have air force and navy versions, usually differing in the alloys used in some parts. There were just too many trying to land.
They left very many “collaborators” behind, to their eternal shame.
And as to the local losers in that tragic war, the suffering goes on.
In the 1990s if you rode a cycle-rickshaw in Ho Chi Minh City there was every chance it was being pedaled by a former South Vietnam military officer. It was the only sort of work permitted them.
Similarly, the various hill tribes lived under cruel and restrictive laws for many years after the war. Probably still do.
And as to the helicopters – you can’t operate an aircraft carrier with the decks covered in other people’s aircraft. The US Navy had no use for Vietnamese helicopters, land-based or not.
Indeed. And it wasn’t a “war” and it was a draw not a loss /sarc
:pokey tongue out face:
Library access to scoop.co.nz denied
Independent of what/who
“Dame Jenny Shipley says her appointment as the first independent chair of Oravida is an important move for the company as it seeks to expand its presence in China.”
must go specially alongside her chair of the Chinese bank in Auckland and how well she did as chair of Mainzeal.
maybe someone can investigate the more secret chinese holdings she held previously with drapac … how did they get the lab space at the old DSIR in Mt Albert ? Hard to imagine without largesse and her matronage.
Shipley would be the ideal candidate to be independent of integrity, accountability, honesty, public service, and ethics.
Engish as NZ traitor: headline says it all.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/68152582/government-offloads-2800-state-houses-to-auckland-development-company
nb: use of the verb “offload’ in the headline.
nb2: English’s action includes givng the developer a $200 million instant line of credit to get them start !
Brian Donnelly has been involved in “developing” state housing for a while now.
http://www.nzsef.org.nz/the-2007-fellowship/brian-donnelly
Thanks for the link Murray. It is well worth a read folks.
It is kind of what the Housing Corporation used to do? Now they rely on direct funding from the public.
But quick. Look over there, people are taking up the grants to buy their own houses… Govt is good for low income folks looking for a home..
I love the way Fonterra is calling milk prices “volatile”. Prices have plummeted.
And the way they blame the fall on overproduction and lack of demand. NZ milk production has gone from 9.8 billion litres to 20.7 billion litres between 1996-2015
Power problem. Fallback failed yet again.
Sneaker fallback worked. May as well take lunch back with me.
When are Labour going to learn!
Press release this morning from Grant Robertson:
Govt inaction on housing keeping rates high
The Government’s failure to rein in the housing crisis means the Reserve Bank Governor cannot lower interest rates despite inflation being at 15-year lows, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.
“Inflation is below the target band and the economy has actually deflated in the past two quarters, yet we have among the highest interest rates in the developed world.
“As the Reserve Bank has repeatedly pointed out the biggest reason for that is the Government’s refusal to tackle the housing crisis.
“If it wasn’t for skyrocketing housing prices in Auckland and the increased spending that comes off the back of that, there’s no doubt the Governor would be looking to lower rates.
“That would lower our overvalued dollar, make our exporters more competitive, create jobs and boost incomes, as well as lower mortgage costs for stretched families. Not to mention reduce the serious financial stability risk the Reserve Bank Governor is so worried about.
“In his commentary today, it is clear the Governor is very concerned about the impact of a high dollar on our exporters.
“National is failing to build enough houses and refuses to take action on property speculators. That failure is keeping rates high which is hurting businesses, homeowners, and all Kiwis looking to get ahead.
This is all a brilliant angle from Grant Robertson, he is actually showing he is a better Finance Spokesperson than I thought he was going to be, but then he ruins it all with his last paragraph:
“The decision on interest rates is usually seen as a headache for the Reserve Bank Governor. It’s quickly turning into a headache for everyone, thanks to John Key,” says Grant Robertson.
Come on Grant! You have just put forward a reasoned argument for why National should be doing more to tackle the housing issue, then instead of finishing with what Labour plan to do about it, or just leave it as a well reasoned attack on National’s credibility, he has to bring the political battle back to John Key vs Andrew Little rather than National vs Labour!
National use this tactic because john Key has an almost 4:1 preferred Prime Minister advantage over Andrew Little (according to the latest Colmar Brunton poll), so bringing the arguments back to man against man works for them, but the tenuous links back to John Key at the end of this Media Release is one of the reasons Labour is making no traction in the polls, lot’s of complaints about National using personality politics, then try to counter it with personality politics when you don’t have an overly popular person leading the party (only 1/3rd of his own voters want him as PM)!
When the Prime Minister says the movement of New Zealand forces through a foreign country is not newsworthy, that is the surest signal he no longer trusts the media.
If the Prime Minister, the most accountable public servant, no longer trusts the media, his/her days with that title should be numbered.
the photographic and video images of him they have selected today makes it very clear how they all feel about his ‘middle finger’ to them.
oh, surprise surprise, they have all been changed !! But the Herald one of him with stretching jaws wide open stuffing a burger in his mouth was a perfect derogation of the hollow man.
also, stuff had a most unflattering image of him, but no links .. all gone !! funny that.
the ice is thinning under key’s feet.
but this odd choice of image survives on TV3 .. proves my point !
http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/key-troop-deployment-not-newsworthy-2015042911#axzz3Yb448UjV
‘Gather you cynics throughout all the land,
and don ‘t criticise what you can’t understand …. ‘
( with apologies to Mr Bob Zimmerman), but this:
“The Swiss government has a long and widely-respected history of neutrality, and therefore, reports from this government on controversial subjects need to be taken more seriously than other reports from countries that are more strongly influenced by present economic and political constituencies. When one considers that two of the top five largest drug companies in the world have their headquarters in Switzerland, one might assume that this country would have a heavy interest in and bias toward conventional medicine, but such assumptions would be wrong.
In late 2011, the Swiss government’s report on homeopathic medicine represents the most comprehensive evaluation of homeopathic medicine ever written by a government and was just published in book form in English (Bornhoft and Matthiessen, 2011).
This breakthrough report affirmed that homeopathic treatment is both effective and cost-effective and that homeopathic treatment should be reimbursed by Switzerland’s national health insurance program.
The Swiss government’s inquiry into homeopathy and complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments resulted from the high demand and widespread use of alternatives to conventional medicine in Switzerland, not only from consumers but from physicians as well. Approximately half of the Swiss population have used CAM treatments and value them. Further, about half of Swiss physicians consider CAM treatments to be effective. Perhaps most significantly, 85 percent of the Swiss population wants CAM therapies to be a part of their country’s health insurance program.”
Full article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/homeopathic-medicine-_b_1258607.html
“For the times, they are a changin’ ” …
Well worth watching – Good work by the activist. Great media work.
Also good analysis from the folks from Young Turks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWIDvMpieVQ
https://twitter.com/deray
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing
#baltimoreuprising
There has been many, many, more peaceful protests than violent ones – and still the MSM media won’t discuss the fact some 300 people have been murder by police in the last year. And the overwhelming majority of these people being killed are Black Americans.
Lest we forget – Freddie Gray.
In four months 386 people have been killed by police.
http://www.killedbypolice.net/
https://www.facebook.com/KilledByPolice?fref=nf
Maybe it was 300 people since the start of the year, was the quote I heard.
That said, any figure over 0 is a tragedy. 300+ is morally bankrupt, corrupt system that is failing.
I mention that I did a piece honouring Ettie Rout late yesterday which probably will drop out of sight. She was a WW1 war heroine who receved little ackowledgement and lost her position in society and friends resuting in her taking her life.
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29042015/#comment-1007830
absolutely she deserves a retrospective award … wonderful heroine who saved so many lives from syphilis and other venereal death sentences. thanks for posting, grey.
did you see the fine sam neill doco on maori tv on anzac day .. he gave her an elegant and deserved eulogy.
link for you, and it reminds well of what very good television looks like …
https://www.maoritelevision.com/tv/shows/anzac-2015/S01E001/anzac-2015-anzac-tides-blood
Thanks for thinking of that r-yeshe. I haven’t got tv at moment but should get set up for Maori TV.
you can watch online if you have a computer … just use the same link …
Updated: Sexist peer review elicits furious Twitter response, PLOS apology
Bold mine and all I can say to that is: WTF???
wow
comments are an interesting read (plus that video, lolz).
Can’t say I’m too surprised. Women talking about gender, how could they not be biased 😉
Is Len Brown a corporate stooge or is it just that he’s overly thick and mendacious ?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11441189
A bit of both?
It doesn’t matter how many extensions there are as it’s the length of the wharves that’s the problem. One will still be narrowing the width of the harbour.
@Draco..yes pretty much.
They say we get the leaders we deserve… not sure what we did to deserve our current local and government leaders.
Boycott McDonald’s Tomorrow : May 1 :
“The workers and their union are asking New Zealanders not to eat at McDonald’s on May Day, and if you drive past a picket line, please toot your horn and wave in support.”
See more at:
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/04/30/guest-blog-anonymous-mcdonalds-worker-old-mcdonalds-had-a-strike/#sthash.cBVnfPll.dpuf
I’m glad to say that will be very easy for me…never eaten there and never intend to do so.
“Louise Upston spouts meaningless waffle when she talks about women’s issues.”
Dita de BonI writes:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11440715
Felix Geiringer: “Will ‘bit of fun’ end up like pate polishing? “A very funny look at the Hair Pulling Brigade. Sounds just like Fisi or Bob Jones.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11440603
(Funny thing is that to click on the agree hand the vote evaporates when reloading page.)
Felix Geiringer is so tongue in cheek it’s easy to miss what he really means … he is neither fisi or bob jones … suffice to know he was tweeting the other day that he was very happy to help Amanda Bailey if she needed legal advice or representation ? -)
Oh rawshark-yeshe. I immediately and fully understood that Felix was demonstrating just how absurd the Key supporters position is. (Just in case anyone thought I took him seriously. But Fisi and Jones do sound just like Felix writes.) And being very funny as well. The Geiringer family has a long and noble history of doing the right thing
it was the fisi reference that had me fooled ! no insult to you intended ianmac!