The notion that New Zealanders don’t give a fuck about the environment or say, child poverty, while it suits the National Party’s owners, and certainly applies to the sociopath wing of the party, simply has no foundation in reality.
That’s because “most people” have a thing called “empathy”.
“Another day and most people get on with their lives quite happily.”
Now try this one … another day and far too many Kiwi families struggle in silence, in absolute misery, attempting to get on with their lives trying hard to survive … living in the back of a car, a garage, shed, tent, hovel etc!! Or they can rent a motel room and be in debt to WINZ for the rest of their wretched lives!
But then I guess if you are comfortable, well fed, warm, surviving on a very good income and happy with your lot, why give a big rat’s backside about the suffering of others?
You make this, or a similar comment every day. While I accept that there are things that could be done better, and that there are social problems to be solved, surely you are rather overstating it.
Most people in New Zealand do not think they are living in a nightmare. The right direction/wrong direction polls consistently show that a substantial majority think NZ is going in the right direction, which for instance is unlike the US.
By most OECD measures New Zealand is doing pretty well. Among the higher levels of economic growth, and among the highest levels of employment and one of the lowest levels on unemployment. Welfare rolls generally shrinking. The fact that we have such a high level of inwards migration, much of it being returning kiwis, shows that for many people they see good opportunities here.
In the Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay for instance they are struggling to increase cool store capacity because of the good prices for kiwifruit, apples and other horticulture.
In short, overstating the severity of the issues facing the country will have people thinking that you are crying wolf a bit too often.
“Welfare rolls generally shrinking” – yes, because people are being kicked off welfare into destitution.
Meanwhile, the country is what, $120 bn in debt now? Hospitals are being steadily underfunded, with massive waits for ‘elective’ surgeries. Schools rely on donations just to keep afloat. Funding across many areas of government isn’t keeping up with inflation and population increases. Benefits don’t keep up with inflation. Numbers of homeless are burgeoning. Many people can’t even afford to rent a garage in Auckland. People are being forced into debt as they get shoved into motels as emergency accommodation because there aren’t enough houses for people in need, because the government is utterly failing to provide any solutions in this area.
So while things seem rosy to you, that’s only because you’ve ignored all the serious issues facing this country.
All you guys bitching and moaning about 120bn of debt: what do you want the alternative to be? slash and burn? because that’s what a traditional nat govt would have done, and what many other countries have done.
Increase taxes I hear you say? Well nope. Business were already doing it tough. This would have just made it even tougher.
Yeah, I’d have increased taxes to be more inline with western European social democracies. Businesses would have been just fine, particularly since I wouldn’t have raised GST (and indeed would move toward getting rid of GST).
I seriously doubt Wayne, that you have much to do with ‘most people’. Which explains part of the disconnect that lets you shrug off the manifest dishonesty and non-performance of this disgraceful kleptocracy. The other part must be attributed to that want of character by which lawyers have made themselves notorious.
Ha ! The plump Wayne. “Most people in New Zealand…….”
Tell that to the kids in cars Wayne……as you scan your financial affairs indicating (educated guess) the best part of half a million dollars gross coming into your small household annually.
Gets on my wick that a life long gravy trainer like you should invoke his plumpness to say “…….all’s OK, you know, by and large, at the end of the day, and here are some figures and gosh, we must mind our manners etc etc etc. Let’s just be gloriously plump and plompous !”
Highlighting the homelessness issue in New Zealand is not crying wolf.
I guess you can’t see from your leafy suburb and through the tinted windows of your SUV.
And the ‘most people’ argument does not wash.
Jimmy Carter, the last president of the US before the cult of neo-liberalism ( to which you subscribe) took over said.
“The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens.
I am not sorry this upsets you; you need to pay attention. I do not plan to stop.
And the NACTS make similar comments every day too. nothing wrong, nothing to see here, everything is going well yada yada.
But I’m delighted to hear that some of you are doing really well, you’ll be able to pay that $120B debt off for the rest of us? Nope??
That 70% tax rate on personal incomes over $250k , on all trust income (offshore or onshore trusts ) looks like a more attractive option every day.
I’d even suggest bringing it in straight away, like tobacco tax hikes, so ther was no time to hide the dosh.
Stephanie’s on fire at the moment. People stepping up to help with the housing crisis,
And because New Zealanders are caring, compassionate people, we step up. We open our doors and put our hands in our pockets
Imagine if we could pool all those resources across the country and had a single organisation with the knowledge and leverage to ensure every kid gets breakfast and every family has a home. An organisation motivated by providing good lives for people, not payouts for shareholders.
We could call the organisation, “government”. We could call those resources we all chip in, “tax”. We used to know what those things meant, before we got to where we are now. Together, we can decide to go somewhere else.
Actually lets not have the tax be mandatory, but be a true donation but it must be declared publicly – i.e. “Hi my name is John Key and I only care for the country to the tune of 5c”
With John Key’s ultimatum last week over housing in Auckland; Is there anything stopping the Auckland Council finally zoning all inner suburbs as ultra-high density so we the Natophiles can get on and build nice big apartment buildings nice and close to the city? Save most of the infrastructure costs. Sure the people of Remmers, Ponsnobby and Parnell will have to move, but hey just zone some of that outer fringe land to low density residential so they can have mcmansions on their land-banked land and nice large green areas.
Would be much cheaper than the opposite way round, and the sooner we got on with becoming a real city the better…
AND
the 17Billion for the infrastructure upgrade for the green fields development will cost the average rate payer in Auckland about an extra $2000 per year for 20 years.
so?
the only ones that could not pay for that would be those on a fixed income, and i am sure that Paula Bennett and Blinglish will have no issues giving our retired people in akl some cash to move the fuck outta town and leave their homes to some more deserving people.
economical warfare is the game.
economical cleansing is the final desired solution
The cities of NZ, gated communities with swipe cards for the maids, chefs, baristas and gardeners.
Reactions ranging from outrage at the “ferals” ruining freedom camping for those with self contained vehicles to mild concern and ‘what are we going to do about it?’ from forumites living locally.
What most failed to read in the Stuff article was..
“Taupo’s Emergency Accommodation Facebook page manager Renee Grey said many of the people she has helped have used Reid’s Farm when times go desperate.
“I think it would be devastating as Taupo has no emergency accommodation shelter and thats where most homeless in Taupo use it temporarily,” she said. ”
and the forumites also neglected to read the other articles about the impending accommodation crisis in tourism hotspot Taupo.
This is a repetition of what has happened in Queenstown.
Rich buy up property, many don’t reside year round, property prices rise and rise and the low wage workers on whom the tourism industry depend cannot afford to live in town.
Towns people and privileged indigenous travelers refer to the homeless as ‘ferals’.
I commented in the distaff…but methinks the mods will remove the comment or perhaps ban me from the site.
That Stuff article doesn’t tell us 2 critical things. How much is this an issue of tourism, and what are the complaints being made? Pretty hard to understand the issue or what could be done without knowing those things.
Probably pay to read all three articles to get the picture weka, then maybe trawl the archives for articles along a similar vein that came out of Queenstown about three years ago.
“Indigenous travelers”….those of us who own our own self contained motorhomes. The ‘privileged’ part comes in when some…maybe most….demand the ‘right’ to freedom camp wherever and whenever based on the theory that spending a few dollars in that region affords them entitlement. Any real or perceived threat to freedom camping results in (yet another) venting of outrage at the ‘ferals’ in non self contained camping vehicles spoiling it for us.
Few ever engage with the ‘others’, seldom learn the whys and wherefores of their individual circumstances.
“A delegation of Queenstown community leaders received a shocking warning of what their resort town could become.
Queenstown/Aspen Queenstown/Aspen Photo: Wiki commons
The Chamber of Commerce delegation visited the Colorado ski resort of Aspen last month.
It’s geographically similar to Queenstown, and both are suffering serious housing affordability issues, with those working in the service industries having to live further and further out of town.”
Tourism…the raison d’etre of Queenstown , is losing ground to the now greater industry of real estate investment.
The lack of public facilities in NZ is astounding. You can literally drive form AKL to Wellington without seeing one Highway Rest Ground with appropriate Facilities.
When people need to go they need to go. And now you have about 4 million more that need to go. Add an extra million people over summer, and they all flush at least thrice a day.
Public facilities need to be upgraded and more numerous that is for sure, however i don’t hold my breath.
As for the spreading of the disease. The disease is Growth, this is our current Growth, selling the country to the highest bidder quarter acre by quarter acre, – us in Akl can tell you, that we told you so. Its time that NZ wake up. As elsewhere Paula Bennett will have no issue offering those with houses in high impact – err, high value areas. Here have 5 grand, now fuck off.
“The lack of public facilities in NZ is astounding. You can literally drive form AKL to Wellington without seeing one Highway Rest Ground with appropriate Facilities.”
Not quite…but the public facilities are often not obvious.
In Taupo, after 7pm, it appears you have to use the ones in a local fast food joint…after making the appropriate purchase of course. ;-( .
thats what i mean. there should be appropriatly marked rest places that offer public facilities. Not fast food joints or dairies where on has to buy something.
Interesting website. It does kinda confirm that you can drive a long way on SH1 without finding one. And how obvious the toilets are is another question.
Libraries, Petrol stations, and shopping centres are not at beaches or scenic sites or National Parks. Most of the public toilets are listed in towns anyway. The concern if you don’t already understand – is not that there are no toilet facilities in towns – the concern is that places of beauty are being spoiled by people defaecating on roadsides and reserves etc because there are little or no facilities. For instance in the Coromandel the permanent population of 30,000 are required to provided toilet facilities for up to 130,000 transient people (many of whom are tourists). The total number of toilet pans outside of the towns is about 3 dozen (including 2 at the top to “The Pinnacles”).
I thought you as a neo-lib junkie were all for user pays? Why should rate payers subsidize the tourist industry?
With rents or the new term, ‘social housing’, the current ‘mums and dads’ landlords will be gone, and in it’s place unwieldy companies and corporations with big rental portfolios who can price fix, decide not to rent at all or whatever. We can see it coming with the Chinese and Australian interest. Then NZ rentals or ‘social bonds’ will be put into shares by banks and money traders and traded by the wealthy. All the this is Bill English and Keys wet dream for NZ like the financial hub (aka tax havens).
For those that seem to think more houses and zoning changes will mean “for the poor’ – at current rates – very unlikely. We may get more of Paula Bennett’s famously vacant facts and figures, the increase in emergency housing which under scrutiny does not even make sense, like $5000 to leave Auckland or $3000 to come back.
The more the government and council loosen up planning rules the less affordable the houses in Auckland are becoming as people use the rules to make houses bigger and less affordable.
NZ has to lose the neoliberal rubbish and go back to what worked previously, state house being built and retained by the government and wages in line with the price to build a house to get back to our previously 74% home ownership figures.
The irony of all this, is that under neoliberalism the super rich are not even expected to pay tax (hence Key’s tax havens) and now the poorest are expected to keep the coffers going in our taxes increasingly spent on corporate welfare, with cigarette tax and beneficiary ‘fraud’ (i.e. over payments or being deemed to be a relationship) as assets in the latest budget!
With the super rich and corporations quasi legally not paying and seemingly out of the equation to get more taxes out of, it is up to the declining middle class to both pay for the corporate welfare and the social system. No wonder middle class are between a rock and a hard place vote wise if their choice is framed between more taxes vs less taxes from political parties.
Should we make the super rich poorer? An inheritance tax, a wealth tax, a land/property tax, and high income tax can all be designed to do just that.
But that’s a separate aim from funding the government. Government can fund itself by borrowing NZD, or by issuing NZD or by a combination of all these methods including taxation.
The problem is, under globalism many of these super rich people not only avoid the rules they have armies of lobbyist putting loop holes into legislation so that they don’t pay. If you are rich enough you can just tie the whole thing up in legal wranglings (like TPPA) so that those with least money pay i.e. middle class (and therefore become poorer hence middle class decline in the West) while the super rich using alias, corporations, trusts, tax havens and what have you become richer and less catchable.
Taxation needs to come into the 21st century, When the current tax laws were made people did not have multiple passports, private air and boat travel and ability to lobby to create the laws, media and government in their favour.
That is why I favour micro taxes at source, like stamp duty and transaction taxes. Both do not care about how much money you have or where you live, if you make the transaction – you must pay a set amount. So a person buying a $10 million house vs a person buying a $300k house will pay different amount of taxes each time they buy. Likewise if you are a currency trader and trading million of trades per day, you pay each time you trade vs someone who has a kiwi bank saver is hit only once unless they are buying and selling constantly.
It is interesting that the biggest group using the Panama tax haven through Mossack were politicians (followed by Hollywood). They make the rules so that they have given themselves exemption from paying tax!
In my view the opposition which has been obsessed with income figures with taxation instead decides, how do you stop someone wealthy who does not want to pay tax and may not even reside in this country to pay their fair share? Anything to do with income is a waste of time these days as the rich seem to live on nothing and aka Sky City casino there are plenty of places to money launder here for those people who pay in cash! As for capital taxes they will not work for Kiwis on a fixed income and again completely avoidable by the rich shuffling global money around.
Tax those that are buying up and moving money around each time they do it. Surprisingly we might have a bit more stability if those speculating were taxed each time! And if tax were unavoidable, we would have funds to pay for state houses again!
And I would like to see a gambling tax put on Sky City and they become legally liable if they contribute to money laundering.
“With John Key’s ultimatum last week over housing in Auckland…”
This morning Key muddied the waters over the Auckland Council threat. I couldn’t understand what he was saying. http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201802550
The prime Minister was saying nothing, attempting to sound authoritative, sincere and convincing.
He has replaced ‘ at the end of the day’ with his latest buzz word, ‘fundamentally’ which is a bit like Brash’s, ‘basically’ and ‘frankly’..
Jane Bowron in the Press (Monday) sums it up well…in her column referring among other stupidities, to the Govt’s smugness “…..the prime minister sets out to grab the sound bite and appear the action man tough guy…”… ..convincing to some I guess.
In a huge blow to Israel, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders announced Thursday that calls to boycott the Jewish state fall within the limits of free speech, undermining intensive Israeli diplomatic efforts to sway European capitals to outlaw the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment Movement.
“Statements or meetings concerning BDS are protected by freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, as enshrined in the Dutch Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights,” Koenders said Thursday during a debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the Dutch parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in The Hague.”
Some think that the crimes by Israeli Government against their enemies are similar to the crimes against Jews committed by Germany. How does that happen?
On 21 June 1933, the Zionist Federation of Germany sent a memorandum to the Nazi Party that contains the following insight into Zionist psychology:
“On the foundation of the new [Nazi German] state, which has established the principle of race, we wish so to fit our community into the total structure so that for us too, in the sphere assigned to us, fruitful activity for the Fatherland is possible… Our acknowledgment of Jewish nationality provides for a clear and sincere relationship to the German people and its national and racial realities. Precisely because we do not wish to falsify these fundamentals, because we, too, are against mixed marriage and are for maintaining the purity of the Jewish group…” (Lucy Dawidowicz (ed.), A Holocaust Reader, pp. 150-155.)
A different approach to affordability in Auckland, that is sustainable. I would not be against density if it was low rise and stylish and sustainable. It costs the same in the most part to have something beautiful than something that is an eyesore which is a lot of Auckland housing!
How about set designs like tiny houses from Architects that require no building consents under certain conditions and approved designs? A bit like State houses, designed for living in and built quickly and affordably.
Evidently Hooton was misleading Nine to Noon listeners (again) this morning in order to criticise the Auckland Council. He claimed the council hadn’t included the cost of the City Rail Link but actually they have. It is the Nact govt. who haven’t. If they had there would have been no surplus.
Patrick Reynolds
@pv_reynolds
@MatthewHootonNZ completely wrong on #CRL: Council share IS budgeted for gov share is in no budget @ninetonoon Council/AT are funding it now
It looks as though the Clinton’s may be indicted on charges relating to money laundering, bribery ,etc. These charges arise from investigations by the FBI of Hilary’s deleted emails, which now been recovered.
See entry in http://www.globalresearch.ca
I am aware the Huffington Post article has been removed. However the Global Research article seems sure of its facts. I suspect that the HuffPost has been leaned on while the Global Research, being Canadian, may well be beyond the reach of the Clintons.
Linked to the article so everyone knows what we’re talking about.
Well, I for one would like to know where the author got the information that James Comey and The FBI will present a recommendation to Loretta Lynch from. Which is probably the bit that got it cut. I doubt if the FBI is going to tell anyone about such a recommendation before it’s actually presented.
“Well, I for one would like to know where the author got the information”
I guess we all would, and also whether in fact the FBI has actually recovered those emails. And unless the content of the emails, if they exist, is compelling enough to oblige Ms Lynch to put aside her friendship with the Clinton’s and bring an indictment, nothing is likely to come of the matter. There is though the matter of conducting state business through a private email address and later destroying the emails, which I think is illegal.
However, even if Hillary is forced to fall on her sword over this, it does not guarantee that Bernie will get the nomination it seems.
The latest posting on global research (on this topic) would seem to indicate that the FBI are going to recommend the Clinton Foundation should be prosecuted for money laundering etc.
“Hit the streets Aucklanders! Tell Pm John Key to back off and butt out!”
___________________________________________________________________________
“Today, I ‘locked in’ with Auckland Central Police, the date, time and route of a march of potentially thousands of Aucklanders, to tell PM John Key to ‘back off and butt out’,” said Auckland Mayoral candidate, Penny Bright.
___________________________________________________________________________
MARCH! Queen Street – Britomart to the Auckland Town Hall.
WHEN: Saturday 11 June 2016.
TIME: 12 noon till 2pm.
ASSEMBLE: 12 noon outside Britomart.
___________________________________________________________________________
“The reason for this march, is the veiled threat from PM John Key to appoint unelected Commissioners to run Auckland, if ‘Auckland’ doesn’t do what ‘Wellington’ says, (effectively on behalf of developers), regarding housing in Auckland.”
“Prime Minister John Key has given a strong hint that the Government could go as far as appointing commissioners to run Auckland if the council refuses to free up more land for housing.
“Mark my words,” he told reporters today after being asked about the possibilities for dealing with an uncooperative council.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
“For the Prime Minister to even hint at the threat of appointing Commissioners to run Auckland, four months out from the Auckland local body elections – is simply obscene.”
“In my view, every time ‘Wellington’ (central government) interferes with ‘Auckland’ (local government) – it makes things worse for thousands of ordinary Auckland ratepayers and citizens.”
“It was the John Key led National Government that forced this Auckland ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%) upon us in 2009, by railroading legislation under urgency through Parliament.”
“Pivotal to this Auckland ‘Supercity’ was the ‘One Plan’ for Auckland, which, in my view, has been delightful if you are a property developer, speculator, overseas investor, bank, land banker and/or money-launderer, but disastrous for thousands of Aucklanders.”
“Why does all this ‘growth’ have to come to Auckland?”
“Where is the national population growth, migration and regional development and employment strategy?”
“What is ‘local’ now about ‘local government’ in Auckland?”
“While PM John Key promotes ‘democracy for developers’, and his Government ‘land banks’ empty State houses, decent New Zealanders are appalled at the plight of vulnerable fellow citizens trying to sleep on cardboard in Queen Street, and little kids and their families ‘living’ crammed into cars, garages, caravans and already over-crowded houses.”
“As someone who helped organise the thousands on to the streets, opposing the TPPA investor and corporate control, I call upon those people, and more, to oppose investor and corporate /developer control of Auckland.”
“Stand up and be counted Aucklanders, and give PM John Key the message that can’t be ignored!”
I nearly threw more than a few well-chosen words of advice at Mr Hooton as he continually spoke over both other speakers. He has a habit of speaking over the others to interrupt or take over. The result is that the thread and the listener’s comprehension are disrupted. He’s ekshully quite good at it.
Williams is too well mannered, and Ryan has learnt to keep on going but Hooton’s interruptions are very unhelpful to good debate and listening.
Williams doesn’t have it any more. He should step down and let someone younger take it on. Several times this morning he let Hooton get away with blatant twists and outright lies and all he could do was giggle. Hooton’s attempt to shout both Williams and Ryan down was particularly bad this morning. Ryan doesn’t let him get away with it but Williams is useless. It’s almost as though he’s too scared to stand up to Hooton.
The issue is what Matthew has to say is interesting and thought provoking, the left comment normally whinging and nonsense, thus Matthew gets more air time
Oh, craven bullshit. 😀 Matthew shouts over everybody else that’s why he gets more air time. RNZ should be shot of him because he doesn’t even tell the truth most of the time.
“what Matthew has to say is interesting and thought provoking”
🙄
Yeah the thought that runs through my mind whenever I am unfortunate enough to hear him is “what shit are you on Matthew? and how come you’re not sea sick with all that spinning?”
He gets more air time because he is an empty vessel and they are the ones that make the most noise.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11639758
You would think with all these P users contaminating HNZ houses there would be a bunch of benes getting kicked off welfare for drug use, but yeah, doesn’t seem to be the case…”Last year, there were 31,791 referrals for drug testable positions nationwide and just 55 sanctions for failing a drug test, according to Ministry of Social Development (MSD) figures.”
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Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
I was initially resistant to the idea often suggested to me that the Government should deliver an arts strategy. The whole point of the arts and creativity is that people should do whatever the hell they want, unbound by the dictates of politicians in Wellington. Peter Jackson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Eleanor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
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Another day in John Key’s neo-liberal nightmare.
We have become a cruel, ugly and selfish nation under his wretched leadership.
DoC funding cut by $40m – independent expert
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/305139/doc-funding-cut-by-$40m-independent-expert
Another day and most people get on with their lives quite happily.
…most people…
The notion that New Zealanders don’t give a fuck about the environment or say, child poverty, while it suits the National Party’s owners, and certainly applies to the sociopath wing of the party, simply has no foundation in reality.
That’s because “most people” have a thing called “empathy”.
Except when it effects their house values or share portfolio it seems.
That says a lot about you.
Empathy.
Google it.
Ignorance is bliss stunned mullet. You must be exceptionally happy.
@ Stunned mullet (1.1)
“Another day and most people get on with their lives quite happily.”
Now try this one … another day and far too many Kiwi families struggle in silence, in absolute misery, attempting to get on with their lives trying hard to survive … living in the back of a car, a garage, shed, tent, hovel etc!! Or they can rent a motel room and be in debt to WINZ for the rest of their wretched lives!
But then I guess if you are comfortable, well fed, warm, surviving on a very good income and happy with your lot, why give a big rat’s backside about the suffering of others?
+111
Another day and another moronic posting by Paul
Paul,
You make this, or a similar comment every day. While I accept that there are things that could be done better, and that there are social problems to be solved, surely you are rather overstating it.
Most people in New Zealand do not think they are living in a nightmare. The right direction/wrong direction polls consistently show that a substantial majority think NZ is going in the right direction, which for instance is unlike the US.
By most OECD measures New Zealand is doing pretty well. Among the higher levels of economic growth, and among the highest levels of employment and one of the lowest levels on unemployment. Welfare rolls generally shrinking. The fact that we have such a high level of inwards migration, much of it being returning kiwis, shows that for many people they see good opportunities here.
In the Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay for instance they are struggling to increase cool store capacity because of the good prices for kiwifruit, apples and other horticulture.
In short, overstating the severity of the issues facing the country will have people thinking that you are crying wolf a bit too often.
“Welfare rolls generally shrinking” – yes, because people are being kicked off welfare into destitution.
Meanwhile, the country is what, $120 bn in debt now? Hospitals are being steadily underfunded, with massive waits for ‘elective’ surgeries. Schools rely on donations just to keep afloat. Funding across many areas of government isn’t keeping up with inflation and population increases. Benefits don’t keep up with inflation. Numbers of homeless are burgeoning. Many people can’t even afford to rent a garage in Auckland. People are being forced into debt as they get shoved into motels as emergency accommodation because there aren’t enough houses for people in need, because the government is utterly failing to provide any solutions in this area.
So while things seem rosy to you, that’s only because you’ve ignored all the serious issues facing this country.
All you guys bitching and moaning about 120bn of debt: what do you want the alternative to be? slash and burn? because that’s what a traditional nat govt would have done, and what many other countries have done.
Increase taxes I hear you say? Well nope. Business were already doing it tough. This would have just made it even tougher.
I think many of you need a reality check.
Not have implemented the unaffordable “tax switch”.
Labour’s tax cuts were already pretty generous, and more than we could really afford.
Yeah, I’d have increased taxes to be more inline with western European social democracies. Businesses would have been just fine, particularly since I wouldn’t have raised GST (and indeed would move toward getting rid of GST).
I seriously doubt Wayne, that you have much to do with ‘most people’. Which explains part of the disconnect that lets you shrug off the manifest dishonesty and non-performance of this disgraceful kleptocracy. The other part must be attributed to that want of character by which lawyers have made themselves notorious.
Wayne, it’s fully possible for “most people” to think we’re going in the right direction, without that being what is actually best for New Zealand.
But that doesn’t make any judgement about how fast we’re going there.
It might be under this current government we’re crawling along in ‘the right direction’, but under a different government we’d be zooming away.
Wayne Mapp should probably be in jail …………. http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/judith-collins-brazen-cronyism.html
Nominated yourself for anything else to Judith lately wayne ker ?????
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/Cronyism
Ha ! The plump Wayne. “Most people in New Zealand…….”
Tell that to the kids in cars Wayne……as you scan your financial affairs indicating (educated guess) the best part of half a million dollars gross coming into your small household annually.
Gets on my wick that a life long gravy trainer like you should invoke his plumpness to say “…….all’s OK, you know, by and large, at the end of the day, and here are some figures and gosh, we must mind our manners etc etc etc. Let’s just be gloriously plump and plompous !”
Highlighting the homelessness issue in New Zealand is not crying wolf.
I guess you can’t see from your leafy suburb and through the tinted windows of your SUV.
And the ‘most people’ argument does not wash.
Jimmy Carter, the last president of the US before the cult of neo-liberalism ( to which you subscribe) took over said.
“The measure of a society is found in how they treat their weakest and most helpless citizens.
I am not sorry this upsets you; you need to pay attention. I do not plan to stop.
This sums up your world view, Wayne.
“I’d love to help, but there’s no moral obligation to do so.”
Neo-liberalism has rotted your soul.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cjk_CaMVEAAqbNo.jpg:large
And the NACTS make similar comments every day too. nothing wrong, nothing to see here, everything is going well yada yada.
But I’m delighted to hear that some of you are doing really well, you’ll be able to pay that $120B debt off for the rest of us? Nope??
That 70% tax rate on personal incomes over $250k , on all trust income (offshore or onshore trusts ) looks like a more attractive option every day.
I’d even suggest bringing it in straight away, like tobacco tax hikes, so ther was no time to hide the dosh.
..whereas France stands up to transnational corporations.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/305137/france-targets-multinationals-with-tax-cases
France is going to sign TTIP like everone else.
Stephanie’s on fire at the moment. People stepping up to help with the housing crisis,
And because New Zealanders are caring, compassionate people, we step up. We open our doors and put our hands in our pockets
Imagine if we could pool all those resources across the country and had a single organisation with the knowledge and leverage to ensure every kid gets breakfast and every family has a home. An organisation motivated by providing good lives for people, not payouts for shareholders.
We could call the organisation, “government”. We could call those resources we all chip in, “tax”. We used to know what those things meant, before we got to where we are now. Together, we can decide to go somewhere else.
https://bootstheory.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/how-we-got-here/
Actually lets not have the tax be mandatory, but be a true donation but it must be declared publicly – i.e. “Hi my name is John Key and I only care for the country to the tune of 5c”
With John Key’s ultimatum last week over housing in Auckland; Is there anything stopping the Auckland Council finally zoning all inner suburbs as ultra-high density so we the Natophiles can get on and build nice big apartment buildings nice and close to the city? Save most of the infrastructure costs. Sure the people of Remmers, Ponsnobby and Parnell will have to move, but hey just zone some of that outer fringe land to low density residential so they can have mcmansions on their land-banked land and nice large green areas.
Would be much cheaper than the opposite way round, and the sooner we got on with becoming a real city the better…
AND
the 17Billion for the infrastructure upgrade for the green fields development will cost the average rate payer in Auckland about an extra $2000 per year for 20 years.
so?
the only ones that could not pay for that would be those on a fixed income, and i am sure that Paula Bennett and Blinglish will have no issues giving our retired people in akl some cash to move the fuck outta town and leave their homes to some more deserving people.
economical warfare is the game.
economical cleansing is the final desired solution
The cities of NZ, gated communities with swipe cards for the maids, chefs, baristas and gardeners.
And I can’t imagine the aucklanders being pleased about a 50% rate increase. They get exercised about a 5% incase
the teachers working for private schools and living in provided accomodation.
nothing says freedom more then owing once soul to the company store
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niClWAnP_14
read up on Paul Robertson, he lived in interesting times and lived an accordingly interesting life.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson
This http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/80391585/reids-farm-could-close-due-to-complaints.html popped up on a forum for motorhomers the other day.
Reactions ranging from outrage at the “ferals” ruining freedom camping for those with self contained vehicles to mild concern and ‘what are we going to do about it?’ from forumites living locally.
What most failed to read in the Stuff article was..
“Taupo’s Emergency Accommodation Facebook page manager Renee Grey said many of the people she has helped have used Reid’s Farm when times go desperate.
“I think it would be devastating as Taupo has no emergency accommodation shelter and thats where most homeless in Taupo use it temporarily,” she said. ”
and the forumites also neglected to read the other articles about the impending accommodation crisis in tourism hotspot Taupo.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/77452043/The-rental-crisis-creating-Taupos-homeless-community
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/home-property/75936619/competitive-taupo-housing-market-forcing-one-family-towards-homelessness
This is a repetition of what has happened in Queenstown.
Rich buy up property, many don’t reside year round, property prices rise and rise and the low wage workers on whom the tourism industry depend cannot afford to live in town.
Towns people and privileged indigenous travelers refer to the homeless as ‘ferals’.
I commented in the distaff…but methinks the mods will remove the comment or perhaps ban me from the site.
Reality.
That Stuff article doesn’t tell us 2 critical things. How much is this an issue of tourism, and what are the complaints being made? Pretty hard to understand the issue or what could be done without knowing those things.
“privileged indigenous travelers”
Who do you mean?
Probably pay to read all three articles to get the picture weka, then maybe trawl the archives for articles along a similar vein that came out of Queenstown about three years ago.
“Indigenous travelers”….those of us who own our own self contained motorhomes. The ‘privileged’ part comes in when some…maybe most….demand the ‘right’ to freedom camp wherever and whenever based on the theory that spending a few dollars in that region affords them entitlement. Any real or perceived threat to freedom camping results in (yet another) venting of outrage at the ‘ferals’ in non self contained camping vehicles spoiling it for us.
Few ever engage with the ‘others’, seldom learn the whys and wherefores of their individual circumstances.
Natrad has done some good work on trying to highlight the issue….
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/201801465/queenstown-warned-it-could-become-like-exclusive-aspen
“A delegation of Queenstown community leaders received a shocking warning of what their resort town could become.
Queenstown/Aspen Queenstown/Aspen Photo: Wiki commons
The Chamber of Commerce delegation visited the Colorado ski resort of Aspen last month.
It’s geographically similar to Queenstown, and both are suffering serious housing affordability issues, with those working in the service industries having to live further and further out of town.”
Tourism…the raison d’etre of Queenstown , is losing ground to the now greater industry of real estate investment.
Taupo is going down the same road.
The lack of public facilities in NZ is astounding. You can literally drive form AKL to Wellington without seeing one Highway Rest Ground with appropriate Facilities.
When people need to go they need to go. And now you have about 4 million more that need to go. Add an extra million people over summer, and they all flush at least thrice a day.
Public facilities need to be upgraded and more numerous that is for sure, however i don’t hold my breath.
As for the spreading of the disease. The disease is Growth, this is our current Growth, selling the country to the highest bidder quarter acre by quarter acre, – us in Akl can tell you, that we told you so. Its time that NZ wake up. As elsewhere Paula Bennett will have no issue offering those with houses in high impact – err, high value areas. Here have 5 grand, now fuck off.
“The lack of public facilities in NZ is astounding. You can literally drive form AKL to Wellington without seeing one Highway Rest Ground with appropriate Facilities.”
Not quite…but the public facilities are often not obvious.
In Taupo, after 7pm, it appears you have to use the ones in a local fast food joint…after making the appropriate purchase of course. ;-( .
thats what i mean. there should be appropriatly marked rest places that offer public facilities. Not fast food joints or dairies where on has to buy something.
thats a private facility 🙂
There’s a heap of public toilets.
http://www.toiletmap.co.nz
Interesting website. It does kinda confirm that you can drive a long way on SH1 without finding one. And how obvious the toilets are is another question.
7553 individual public toilet pans spread over the whole of NZ does not equal “there are heaps” and many of them are a heap of shit!
Add every petrol station,library and shopping center to that number.
Libraries, Petrol stations, and shopping centres are not at beaches or scenic sites or National Parks. Most of the public toilets are listed in towns anyway. The concern if you don’t already understand – is not that there are no toilet facilities in towns – the concern is that places of beauty are being spoiled by people defaecating on roadsides and reserves etc because there are little or no facilities. For instance in the Coromandel the permanent population of 30,000 are required to provided toilet facilities for up to 130,000 transient people (many of whom are tourists). The total number of toilet pans outside of the towns is about 3 dozen (including 2 at the top to “The Pinnacles”).
I thought you as a neo-lib junkie were all for user pays? Why should rate payers subsidize the tourist industry?
And just like the UK experience (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/25/sadiq-khan-condemns-foreign-investors-london-homes-gold-bricks-housing-policy) – it will produce houses for the wealthy many of whom do not live in NZ while the locals running Auckland will be commuting for hours, paying more rates and unable to buy a house or spending more to own a home.
With rents or the new term, ‘social housing’, the current ‘mums and dads’ landlords will be gone, and in it’s place unwieldy companies and corporations with big rental portfolios who can price fix, decide not to rent at all or whatever. We can see it coming with the Chinese and Australian interest. Then NZ rentals or ‘social bonds’ will be put into shares by banks and money traders and traded by the wealthy. All the this is Bill English and Keys wet dream for NZ like the financial hub (aka tax havens).
For those that seem to think more houses and zoning changes will mean “for the poor’ – at current rates – very unlikely. We may get more of Paula Bennett’s famously vacant facts and figures, the increase in emergency housing which under scrutiny does not even make sense, like $5000 to leave Auckland or $3000 to come back.
The more the government and council loosen up planning rules the less affordable the houses in Auckland are becoming as people use the rules to make houses bigger and less affordable.
NZ has to lose the neoliberal rubbish and go back to what worked previously, state house being built and retained by the government and wages in line with the price to build a house to get back to our previously 74% home ownership figures.
The irony of all this, is that under neoliberalism the super rich are not even expected to pay tax (hence Key’s tax havens) and now the poorest are expected to keep the coffers going in our taxes increasingly spent on corporate welfare, with cigarette tax and beneficiary ‘fraud’ (i.e. over payments or being deemed to be a relationship) as assets in the latest budget!
With the super rich and corporations quasi legally not paying and seemingly out of the equation to get more taxes out of, it is up to the declining middle class to both pay for the corporate welfare and the social system. No wonder middle class are between a rock and a hard place vote wise if their choice is framed between more taxes vs less taxes from political parties.
We really are at the bottom of the barrel!
Should we make the super rich poorer? An inheritance tax, a wealth tax, a land/property tax, and high income tax can all be designed to do just that.
But that’s a separate aim from funding the government. Government can fund itself by borrowing NZD, or by issuing NZD or by a combination of all these methods including taxation.
The problem is, under globalism many of these super rich people not only avoid the rules they have armies of lobbyist putting loop holes into legislation so that they don’t pay. If you are rich enough you can just tie the whole thing up in legal wranglings (like TPPA) so that those with least money pay i.e. middle class (and therefore become poorer hence middle class decline in the West) while the super rich using alias, corporations, trusts, tax havens and what have you become richer and less catchable.
Taxation needs to come into the 21st century, When the current tax laws were made people did not have multiple passports, private air and boat travel and ability to lobby to create the laws, media and government in their favour.
That is why I favour micro taxes at source, like stamp duty and transaction taxes. Both do not care about how much money you have or where you live, if you make the transaction – you must pay a set amount. So a person buying a $10 million house vs a person buying a $300k house will pay different amount of taxes each time they buy. Likewise if you are a currency trader and trading million of trades per day, you pay each time you trade vs someone who has a kiwi bank saver is hit only once unless they are buying and selling constantly.
FTT type taxes are important
Notice how the financial services industry in NZ got itself exempted from GST
It is interesting that the biggest group using the Panama tax haven through Mossack were politicians (followed by Hollywood). They make the rules so that they have given themselves exemption from paying tax!
In my view the opposition which has been obsessed with income figures with taxation instead decides, how do you stop someone wealthy who does not want to pay tax and may not even reside in this country to pay their fair share? Anything to do with income is a waste of time these days as the rich seem to live on nothing and aka Sky City casino there are plenty of places to money launder here for those people who pay in cash! As for capital taxes they will not work for Kiwis on a fixed income and again completely avoidable by the rich shuffling global money around.
Tax those that are buying up and moving money around each time they do it. Surprisingly we might have a bit more stability if those speculating were taxed each time! And if tax were unavoidable, we would have funds to pay for state houses again!
And I would like to see a gambling tax put on Sky City and they become legally liable if they contribute to money laundering.
CV,
In practice it is borrowers who get the majority of this advantage.
Hi Wayne. I’m sure that Auckland housing speculators with multiple sets of mortgage approvals and fees are very thankful.
The lending of money is presumably not considered a service. It is therefore difficult to see why interest should be charged.
“With John Key’s ultimatum last week over housing in Auckland…”
This morning Key muddied the waters over the Auckland Council threat. I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201802550
– Don’t worry ianmac- you are not alone.
The prime Minister was saying nothing, attempting to sound authoritative, sincere and convincing.
He has replaced ‘ at the end of the day’ with his latest buzz word, ‘fundamentally’ which is a bit like Brash’s, ‘basically’ and ‘frankly’..
Jane Bowron in the Press (Monday) sums it up well…in her column referring among other stupidities, to the Govt’s smugness “…..the prime minister sets out to grab the sound bite and appear the action man tough guy…”… ..convincing to some I guess.
The Dutch resist efforts to criminalise dissent.
In a huge blow to Israel, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders announced Thursday that calls to boycott the Jewish state fall within the limits of free speech, undermining intensive Israeli diplomatic efforts to sway European capitals to outlaw the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment Movement.
“Statements or meetings concerning BDS are protected by freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, as enshrined in the Dutch Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights,” Koenders said Thursday during a debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the Dutch parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee in The Hague.”
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/In-huge-blow-to-Israel-Netherlands-declares-BDS-free-speech-455162
Some think that the crimes by Israeli Government against their enemies are similar to the crimes against Jews committed by Germany. How does that happen?
Same way as a beaten child will go on to beat his children.
Nope:
A different approach to affordability in Auckland, that is sustainable. I would not be against density if it was low rise and stylish and sustainable. It costs the same in the most part to have something beautiful than something that is an eyesore which is a lot of Auckland housing!
http://www.treehugger.com/tiny-houses/jutland-denmark-cabin-simon-steffensen.html
How about set designs like tiny houses from Architects that require no building consents under certain conditions and approved designs? A bit like State houses, designed for living in and built quickly and affordably.
Evidently Hooton was misleading Nine to Noon listeners (again) this morning in order to criticise the Auckland Council. He claimed the council hadn’t included the cost of the City Rail Link but actually they have. It is the Nact govt. who haven’t. If they had there would have been no surplus.
Patrick Reynolds
@pv_reynolds
@MatthewHootonNZ completely wrong on #CRL: Council share IS budgeted for gov share is in no budget @ninetonoon Council/AT are funding it now
It looks as though the Clinton’s may be indicted on charges relating to money laundering, bribery ,etc. These charges arise from investigations by the FBI of Hilary’s deleted emails, which now been recovered.
See entry in http://www.globalresearch.ca
Huffington Post Removes Article Claiming Hillary Clinton Will Be Indicted
I am aware the Huffington Post article has been removed. However the Global Research article seems sure of its facts. I suspect that the HuffPost has been leaned on while the Global Research, being Canadian, may well be beyond the reach of the Clintons.
Breaking: Hillary Clinton to be Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges [?]
Linked to the article so everyone knows what we’re talking about.
Well, I for one would like to know where the author got the information that James Comey and The FBI will present a recommendation to Loretta Lynch from. Which is probably the bit that got it cut. I doubt if the FBI is going to tell anyone about such a recommendation before it’s actually presented.
Global Research though…would be waiting for some confirmation.
“Well, I for one would like to know where the author got the information”
I guess we all would, and also whether in fact the FBI has actually recovered those emails. And unless the content of the emails, if they exist, is compelling enough to oblige Ms Lynch to put aside her friendship with the Clinton’s and bring an indictment, nothing is likely to come of the matter. There is though the matter of conducting state business through a private email address and later destroying the emails, which I think is illegal.
However, even if Hillary is forced to fall on her sword over this, it does not guarantee that Bernie will get the nomination it seems.
The latest posting on global research (on this topic) would seem to indicate that the FBI are going to recommend the Clinton Foundation should be prosecuted for money laundering etc.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/hillary-accused-of-racketeering-by-the-fbi-will-she-be-indicted-will-she-be-dumped-from-the-presidential-race/5527862
Press Release Auckland Mayoral candidate Penny Bright.
“Hit the streets Aucklanders! Tell Pm John Key to back off and butt out!”
___________________________________________________________________________
“Today, I ‘locked in’ with Auckland Central Police, the date, time and route of a march of potentially thousands of Aucklanders, to tell PM John Key to ‘back off and butt out’,” said Auckland Mayoral candidate, Penny Bright.
___________________________________________________________________________
MARCH! Queen Street – Britomart to the Auckland Town Hall.
WHEN: Saturday 11 June 2016.
TIME: 12 noon till 2pm.
ASSEMBLE: 12 noon outside Britomart.
___________________________________________________________________________
“The reason for this march, is the veiled threat from PM John Key to appoint unelected Commissioners to run Auckland, if ‘Auckland’ doesn’t do what ‘Wellington’ says, (effectively on behalf of developers), regarding housing in Auckland.”
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11646100
“Prime Minister John Key has given a strong hint that the Government could go as far as appointing commissioners to run Auckland if the council refuses to free up more land for housing.
“Mark my words,” he told reporters today after being asked about the possibilities for dealing with an uncooperative council.”
____________________________________________________________________________________
“For the Prime Minister to even hint at the threat of appointing Commissioners to run Auckland, four months out from the Auckland local body elections – is simply obscene.”
“In my view, every time ‘Wellington’ (central government) interferes with ‘Auckland’ (local government) – it makes things worse for thousands of ordinary Auckland ratepayers and citizens.”
“It was the John Key led National Government that forced this Auckland ‘Supercity’ (for the 1%) upon us in 2009, by railroading legislation under urgency through Parliament.”
“Pivotal to this Auckland ‘Supercity’ was the ‘One Plan’ for Auckland, which, in my view, has been delightful if you are a property developer, speculator, overseas investor, bank, land banker and/or money-launderer, but disastrous for thousands of Aucklanders.”
“Why does all this ‘growth’ have to come to Auckland?”
“Where is the national population growth, migration and regional development and employment strategy?”
“What is ‘local’ now about ‘local government’ in Auckland?”
“While PM John Key promotes ‘democracy for developers’, and his Government ‘land banks’ empty State houses, decent New Zealanders are appalled at the plight of vulnerable fellow citizens trying to sleep on cardboard in Queen Street, and little kids and their families ‘living’ crammed into cars, garages, caravans and already over-crowded houses.”
“As someone who helped organise the thousands on to the streets, opposing the TPPA investor and corporate control, I call upon those people, and more, to oppose investor and corporate /developer control of Auckland.”
“Stand up and be counted Aucklanders, and give PM John Key the message that can’t be ignored!”
“ENOUGH!”
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
(Activists – get things done.)
Same day as the test match, might have to miss it, dam !
Wouldn’t it be perfectly timed to be a double header?
I would prefer to read a page of OABs drivel than attend your march.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/us-will-refuse-to-confirm-or-deny-if-nukes-on-ship-visiting-nz-2016053010#axzz4A6EtjlGz
I’d like to see how many people participated in this poll but its not a bad poll for those that are pro-American (yes that includes me)
Why are we not surprised. Only the extreme right are blind to America’s failings – you’d probably support Trump. Or Palin.
Could someone please explain how Mike Williams gets to be ‘the Voice of the Left’ on National Radio..sorry iHeartRadio.
I nearly threw more than a few well-chosen words of advice at Mr Hooton as he continually spoke over both other speakers. He has a habit of speaking over the others to interrupt or take over. The result is that the thread and the listener’s comprehension are disrupted. He’s ekshully quite good at it.
Williams is too well mannered, and Ryan has learnt to keep on going but Hooton’s interruptions are very unhelpful to good debate and listening.
Williams is too well mannered,
Williams doesn’t have it any more. He should step down and let someone younger take it on. Several times this morning he let Hooton get away with blatant twists and outright lies and all he could do was giggle. Hooton’s attempt to shout both Williams and Ryan down was particularly bad this morning. Ryan doesn’t let him get away with it but Williams is useless. It’s almost as though he’s too scared to stand up to Hooton.
Self respect…….. A man with self respect faces his fears and doesn’t live a lie.
The issue is what Matthew has to say is interesting and thought provoking, the left comment normally whinging and nonsense, thus Matthew gets more air time
Oh, craven bullshit. 😀 Matthew shouts over everybody else that’s why he gets more air time. RNZ should be shot of him because he doesn’t even tell the truth most of the time.
Debatable but irrespective he is entertaining, I doubt many would listen otherwise
“what Matthew has to say is interesting and thought provoking”
🙄
Yeah the thought that runs through my mind whenever I am unfortunate enough to hear him is “what shit are you on Matthew? and how come you’re not sea sick with all that spinning?”
He gets more air time because he is an empty vessel and they are the ones that make the most noise.
I think his problem is DMS as distinct from KDS.
Hootie blows extra hard when he’s fibbing. He sounded quite angry that he couldn’t blame Labour so he did anyway.
Medical Cannabis on One News tonight, thanks to HK for hooking the charity up with a Reporter.
Good stuff, the item came over well I thought, and that this is an urgent issue.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11639758
You would think with all these P users contaminating HNZ houses there would be a bunch of benes getting kicked off welfare for drug use, but yeah, doesn’t seem to be the case…”Last year, there were 31,791 referrals for drug testable positions nationwide and just 55 sanctions for failing a drug test, according to Ministry of Social Development (MSD) figures.”