Definitely shows his lack of understanding of MMP – got bored and stopped reading halfway through.
Did he say anything about the Epsom, hollow ACT party rort, undermining democracy – with one MP dictating some policy Nats never included in their election campaigns?
If the situation was reversed and there was a single monolithic party on the left that had 45% of the vote (after specials) and three smaller parties on the right that combined had nearly 50%, we’d be hearing none of this stuff:
– nothing about the largest party having a spurious ‘moral mandate’
– nothing about the smallest of those right wing parties being obliged to support the large left party to create ‘stable government’
– nothing about the supposed deficiencies of MMP
Not a dicky bird – there’d be total silence. Just lots of approving noises about how mature we are as a country, how well we’d adjusted to the principles of proportional representation and the idea that governments must constitute a majority. That we should take time to work the process through and that showed the strength of our democracy, etc. etc. John Roughan would be pulling out the flabbiest examples of his purple prose to say these things.
So although Garner is a vulgar clown, it’s not that he doesn’t understand MMP, it’s that he doesn’t like the result it has thrown up.
Yes. I’ve been thinking along the same lines these past few days AB.
In the event of a political reversal of electoral fortunes, the MSM would be pushing a totally different line such as:
“The will of the people has spoken and a significant majority are calling for change. There is no reason why a multi-party government cannot be strong and steady as has happened before in both National-led and Labour-led governments. Labour must concede their coalition govt with NZ First and C and S arrangement with the Greens between 1999 and 2008 was a success…….”
I can picture the NZ Herald using those exact words!
It’s interesting looking back to 2008 and the last Peters saga. I recalled a particularly vicious editorial from the Herald and tried to find it… links are dead all I could find was an article with quotes from it.
I won’t link to that, just copy & paste some of the Herald editorial;
” The departure of Winston Peters, a relief as it is, does not mean he is gone entirely from our political life. Thanks to MMP he needs only 5 per cent of the electorate – one voter in 20 – to give New Zealand First their party vote at the coming election and he would return to Parliament. …
After all that has been disclosed this year it seems unthinkable that anyone would still believe him worth their vote but he has had a following that seems impervious to political reasoning. They are older people mostly, on low fixed incomes, unsettled by social change and suspicious of minorities, migrants and trends they fear.
Mr Peters has exploited their fears and suspicions mercilessly, sometimes at the expense of minorities and careless of the damage done to this country’s standing in migrants’ homelands.
To supporting audiences Winston Peters liked to portray himself as lonely hero assailed on all sides by rich and powerful interests that he alone would expose and hold to account.
In recent weeks it is he who has been exposed as a recipient of money, a lot of money, from rich and powerful interests and he has resisted the sort of accountability he demands of others.
The National Party has written him out of the script for post election negotiations. Even if he summons enough support to survive, National’s John Key says he will not be acceptable in any ministry he might form. He has destroyed Mr Peters’ political leverage at a stroke.
Soon it will be up to his previous voters. Have they seen through him at last? Or have the disclosures of the past few months gone completely over their heads, merely reinforcing his heroic pose for them? Probably the latter. Ever susceptible to his rhetoric, grooming and charm, they might forgive him anything.
But he would return for nothing. The last of his credibility has disappeared. So should he.”
Now all the dust has settled on that Owen Glenn saga it’s quite disturbing to look back at the malice and vitriol that was emanating from the media. One thing I’m sure of is they won’t leave Peters alone, we’re in for a rough ride.
I remember that editorial. It was mind bogglingly vicious.
The Owen Glen saga is reminiscent of the David Cunliffe saga in 2014. Full of misrepresentations and outright lies. Owen Glenn was exposed as a liar about his past communications with Mike Williams. The MSM – in particular NZ Herald columnists – were exposed as liars about Cunliffe’s previous communications with the Liu character.
The media, like a pack of rabid wolves, pounce on their prey and proceed to tear them from limb to limb for no other reason than to indulge in a print version of mindless blood-sport.
I think it was Roughan wrote that editorial Anne, they tried to keep him anonymous back then but admitted at some point he’s been the Herald’s main editorial writer. It looks like his writing style and, lo & behold, here he is again in todays rag mouthing off with the same bile.
Whoever Peters runs with we can expect three years of the media constantly chasing Winston scandals and we don’t deserve that.
Of course the left made all these objections when they were on the other side of the divide..
Don’t you remember in 2005 when the lefties demanded that Labour stand down from Government as they had no moral right to govern?
After all, the opposition parties in the previous Parliament had gained a majority of the seats in the new Parliament.
Labour did what was required. Helen quit and, saying she had no legitimacy, refused to try and form a new Government with the help of the former opposition parties like New Zealand First.
Well perhaps you remember that.
I certainly don’t though.
I think I should have put “sarcasm” on this item.
The only thing I am objecting to is the attitude that says National do NOT have the right.
I am sure I can find comments about how Winston must go with Labour because the people “voted against the current Government” or such like.
And you are an idiot. There, I’m sure my opinion is at least as accurate as is yours.
You see the only person I have ever seen talking about having a “moral mandate” was Phil Twyford. He seems to have made the expression up and then tried to accuse Bill English of claiming it.
Phil is a very facile liar himself of course as he demonstrated when he talked about National “cutting” health spending. Frankly I don’t regard him as an honest authority on anything. Good example of a Labour MP of course.
It isn’t a tricky one at all.
They are using the same little fiddle as Twyford used.
They take as their starting year the 2009-2010 financial year. That was the first year for which National was responsible for the Budget.
They should have used the last year of the previous administration, for which Labour were responsible. That is the 2008-2009 year.
The 2009-2010 was an unusual one in that there was a massive, one-off boost in spending. That was mostly to try and fix the problems that Labour had left. There was in that year a real increase, after allowing for inflation and demographic changes, of about 6% from the last Labour year.
Twyford, and now the Doctors’ Union are setting it as being the “base” year of their calculations, rather than treating it as a one-off clean up year.
Have a look at Twyfords release from, I think BERL, and you will see the way the fiddle works.
OAB.
And as always the Labour party acolytes are starting with 2009-2010. If they are going to claim “Labour good, National bad”, why don’t they look at what the Labour Party did in their last year?
Meanwhile, in the paper I linked, Figure 1 starts at 1950. Figure 2 starts in 2000. I suggest you examine Figure 2: “Health” is the thick blue line that is trending down.
OAB @7.29pm.
I find it very hard to determine anything about the way the Health spending is going from that figure 2.
The numbers are cumulative for the year and health is only the difference between 2 lines. About the only thing that is clear from that graph is that the total Government expenditure as a percentage of GDP fell from about 2011 onwards. The individual parts are almost impossible to discern from that graph though. After all it isn’t the fall in the top of the Health segment that matters. It is the difference from the top of the Education Sector to the top of the Health sector. I would suggest that the steepness of the Health line from 2008 to 2009 is greater than the line for Education below it, which implies that the Health Sector was growing between those years.
An honest presentation, talking about Health would, at the very least, put the health segment at the bottom of the graph so its level was obvious.
That isn’t what they want of course.
By the way Twyford’s material was done by Infometrics, not BERL.
Shame really. They used to be very good.
Youre a useful tool al – bill english the leader of the gnats admitted lying by omission re todd barclay and you worship him. And when someone points that out you call them names. Weak effort by you indeed – typical gnat.
The Winston Peters show always reminds me of the old saying about glass houses. Most of the media angst is petulant dummy spitting from overinflated egos, they’re hardly in a position to pass judgement on Peters.
For years, mainstream media outlets have been doing their opinion polLls. Very often the journos authoritatively conclude that NZF will be King maker. Now that the election has delivered this, no MSM journos have anything to say about what an NZF-Nat government might look like.
It’s not as if they didn’t have some time to ponder on it….?
Garner lashes out at Peters; others are contemplating the plausibility of a Nat-GP coalition…. but, who is looking at the actual likely outcome of NZF-Nats?
I’m betting greens will jump at national offer.
I would be happy. They would be less radical than nzf and also the kiwi public would enjoy have strong financial management by national and the soft caring edge of the greens.
I think the public should open their minds.
If done well we could see a 3 or 4 term national green government….that would be amazing for our country
Time for people to open their minds
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[lprent: Clearly you didn’t read the post – which covered those points in detail. I regard commenting without referencing the post as simple trolling. Banned for 4 weeks. ]
Its not so much a question about the greens entering a coalition., its just not any coalition. The question is much more whether National is ready to change its slash and burn policies, water issues, health system failure, the catastrophic hosing situation etc. These are after all policies pursued by the greens. The laissez fair party would have to make some fundamental changes – are they actual ready for that? I have my doubts. I hope that the greens are a party of principles.
It is dreadful a result of abdication of state or collective responsibility for our children. Some individuals do great things. I know of a group of librarians in South Auckland providing out of their own money bread and spreads for the hungry children who hung out in their library in the holidays. There are teachers who give children their own food. There are charities like feed the need and kids can. There is no will from government to have a systematic approach to solve the problem. As a country we deserve that rating.
The methodology for obtaining the final score in the Index is such that extremely poor performances in one domain cannot be compensated by higher scores in other areas, as all children’s rights are equally important. Extreme underperformance in one of the domains therefore creates an insurmountable bottleneck that automatically demotes the concerned country to the lower-most region of the Index
In other words, the total score is the lowest score. It takes no account of the other areas.
New Zealand’s scores for non-discrimination and budget fell from an average to the lowest score, but itsscores remain incomplete – there was no score for state-civil society cooperation in either 2011 or 2016.
It was a MSM piece on our Womens Rugby team to jog my thoughts that my writing could cause problems for our uninformed police and we could not have that because I never harm another unless it is self defence there are a lot of good people in our police force. There is a lot of good people in NZ to .
It would be awesome when our women’s Rugby team get to host there World Cup
In our beautiful country with our clear skys we see the star every clear night you can hear the birds chirping its not perfect and we will improve it Come on Steve Tu back our ladys and get the Cup hosted here we need all the good publicity we can get.
P.S ladys and Joseph Parker’s team get a good publishes as I have seen someone go from O to hero with a good Publishes as this is the way the world work’s
Ka Pai
One of the dudes that helped create the myth that tax cuts (at the top rates) create growth and pay for themselves looks back out how it worked out. Short answer: not how the sales pitch said it would.
I thought it was accepted theory that tax cuts to high end in economic crises takes money out of the economy either by debt pay down or hols overseas? That if you want to stimulate an economy you give cuts at the lower end?
The following is also the ilusion/delusion thst Nats campaign on and peole buy….
” but the prosperity of the ’80s is overrated in the Republican mind. In fact, aggregate real gross domestic product growth was higher in the ’70s — 37.2 percent vs. 35.9 percent…..
The flip-side of tax cut mythology is the notion that tax increases are an economic disaster — the reason, in theory, every Republican in Congress voted against the tax increase proposed by Bill Clinton in 1993. Yet the 1990s was the most prosperous decade in recent memory. At 37.3 percent, aggregate real GDP growth in the 1990s exceeded that in the 1980s.
“
That if you want to stimulate an economy you give cuts at the lower end?
Tax cuts to the lower end are just higher income for the top end (The lower end spend all their money and the top end are in a place to grab it all) and still don’t produce better economic outcomes.
There’s probably a point where tax rates become excessive for the rich but we haven’t reached it yet. Even at 95%.
On the other hand, we have had tax rates too high for the lower end causing poverty and hardship. It’s why progressive income taxes that are proportional were brought in.
“This Way Up” after 12 O’Clock on Radio NZ has a piece on rising atmospheric CO2 impacting on the nutritional levels of food. I’m wondering if they will cover the recent study by the US DofA that found goldenrod (a crucial food source for N American bees) has lost 30% of its nutritional content since the 1840s and make the obvious connections….
Should I add the aside that Tanya Carlson commented on sheep wool being degraded when compared to wool of the 70s? (Point being – not the one she made – that nutritional deficiency likely shows up in coat/skin quality, yes?)
there’s probably some overlap with degradation of soil causing less nutrients in foods too. Would be interested to see the science on both of those and if they can separate them out. Plenty of other good reasons to stop fucking with the soil, but that it would be useful if increasing soil health mitigated the CC effect (so long as we actually take action to limit CC).
The original observation (increased growth rates and dropping nutritional content) was first observed in a marine environment. Basically, oceanic algae was given a surplus of light to boost growth with the thought being that zoo-plankton would flourish in a food rich environment. But that didn’t happen. The zoo-plankton began to struggle because it was malnourished.
For oceanic algae, think plants and for zoo-plankton, think pollinators (or other organisms further up the food chain if you want).
This doesn’t end well and ends quite abruptly and devastatingly if there is a level of CO2 above which pollinators starve rather than “merely” suffer from malnutrition.
(Goldenrod grows in soil that’s never been messed with btw, suggesting that regen ag, heirloom seeds etc won’t halt or reverse any decline due to elevated CO2 levels)
Imagine a world with no seeds and no fruits bar those resulting from wind blown pollination? If there’s a CO2 “guard-rail” or “tipping point” for pollinator survival, then we’d only need to exceed it for a few months or a single growing season….
I was talking with a marine biologist friend and his gallows humour suggested that Trump might tear down the wall and issue Mexicans with brushes and set them to hand pollinating the ‘wheat prairies’ of the USA.
edit – and he’s going to give me a shout if he comes across any marine experiment that takes sea water back to pre-industrial CO2 levels and measures algae nutritional content in that environment. (It’s far easier to run an experiment in an aquarium than it is to run one in fields and the results from an oceanic environment could probably be taken as running somewhat in tandem with terrestrial ones.)
At worst he doesn’t understand MMP at all……..at best he understands MMP but only selectively. Which really is more egregious than being just stupidly unaware.
Garner demonstrates four things: firstly he disrespects the nation’s democratically registered preference for MMP all those years ago; secondly deep down he’s a Tory; thirdly he has a personal axe to grind because Winston always whips his fat ass; fourthly hubris propels him to engage quite unashamedly off-the-planet bullshit to rival Alex Jones.
No MMP election can be finally resolved when election night seat spread doesn’t include the cast of 300,000 plus votes, That is particularly so when history shows that this dynamic can result in the loss/gain of seats.
What sort of self-respecting political commentator carpingly demands a settled coalition when votes in that order are not accounted for ?…….,.yes Dunky, those pesky things called peoples’ votes, I know……..the political commentator who reflects 1-4 above.
STFU Dunky. Patently you’re not ‘Da Man’ your vaingloriousness says you are. You define the cheap right-leaning polemicist actually. Like so many of your cohorts.
Garner calling anyone a megalomaniac ? Phew ! That’s rich. You’ve not changed a bit since I witnessed you at McDonalds Wellsford early one morning some years ago. Strutty and ‘loudy’…….’look at ME look at ME common rabble’
@ North
The interesting thing about this article is that if NZF had got 4.9% (just 2.1 less than their likely final 7%) the Nats would probably have been able to govern alone and people like Garner would have been yelling from the rooftops “fantastic result for National, democracy has been served.”
He would, of course, immediately forget all about the lies and leaks that lead to that result.
Boards of businesses smaller than the NZ Govt take weeks, months and sometimes years to negoiate a partner for lesser ventures. Why would we want out Governance rushed?
Perhaps our journalists have forgotten how to write about anything else and know they will have to for a few weeks.
I havent read the piece does he pile scorn on Merkel too?
I thought he was spending more time fathering tgese days?
Question please, if anyone can help ? With our caretaker govt in place, could Blinglish sign us on to TPPA during this period, as it was actively ‘in process’ prior to election ?
Many thanks .. I have nightmares about this 🙂
Congrats to anyone going to see London Grammar tonight even if it it is the Vector arena. Pretty damn awesome…
I’d have done something rare and organised tickets if I’d realised that they were coming here. They have been on my playlist pretty continuously for the last couple of months. Very nice music.
But I had my nose buried in the blog during the election, and there isn’t that much cash left over after paying two mortgages. Hadn’t budgeted for concert tickets. *sigh*
Also, although the prevailing evidence shows a decline in reproductive health, not all studies show this; there are some geographical differences. It will be critical to determine what the key differences between geographical regions are – such as genetic differences and exposure to specific pollutants – so we can then examine treatment strategies to limit these negative effects.
So, what are the probable causes of Western men in industrialised nations losing their fertility?
All but one (looking at you, Helensville) of Auckland’s electorates have a proportion of residents who were born overseas that’s higher than the New Zealand average of 23.6% – often much higher. And many of them went National’s way. East Coast Bays, where 47.4% of residents were born overseas, gave 63% of its vote to National. New Lynn, where 42.7% were born overseas, put National over Labour by eight points. Pakuranga, with a 44.1% foreign-born population, went 62.9% for National. Te Atatū, where 34.3% of residents were born overseas – and where Phil Twyford was a candidate – went narrowly for National, 43.3% to 41.9%.
And this isn’t to mention other National strongholds with high foreign-born numbers, such as Botany, Epsom, North Shore, or Upper Harbour.
So, has National been importing its voters?
Oh, and it really does look like Phil Twyford has been vindicated.
While you are about it why don’t you enlighten us on what happened in the various Labour strongholds like the Mangere area.
On the other hand don’t bother. For all anyone knows nearly every foreign born voter might have been cast for Labour or the Greens.
There. Let’s see you prove me wrong
You do realise that the Green Party seems to be importing their MPs, rather than their voters? If, as many commenters on this blog seem to assume, they get another MP after the specials that will mean that 25% of their MPs will have been born overseas. That is higher than the New Zealand average.
The Green Party also seem to get more of their votes from people who don’t even live in New Zealand than any other party. Look at what seems to happen with the allocation of votes cast overseas each election. Why do we allow people who are long term overseas residents from voting here anyway?
Don’t be cute, Alwyn – you know perfectly well that the country of origin of voters in Mangere is not the same as those resident in East Coast Bays. At least, if you don’t you need to get out more!
Of course the “country of origin of voters in Mangere is not the same”
So what are you saying about the Labour Party policy? Are you implying that they are racist bigots who will only allow immigrants into New Zealand if they are from races who are likely to vote Labour?
The Labour Party policies don’t publicly admit that they regard some races as being superior to others but you seem to think they should.
I have said nothing at all about Labour Party immigration policy – it’s you who’s wittering on about it. I merely pointed out that immigrants from different cultures and countries have different ideas and beliefs
Yes that’s right, before the Green Party existed those who hadn’t quite conceived of its existence realised that a refugee from Iran would be essential (you know, for something) so they imported an eight year old girl.
Coming over from Australia for a weekend to attend a wedding counts as still retaining the right to vote I believe. I lived in Australia for more than five years and was always qualified to vote. I didn’t vote in 1993 though as I didn’t think I should be eligible.
I would also be surprised if it was ever checked.
As far as non-citizens go I wouldn’t allow anyone who isn’t a citizen from voting at all. It should be a privilege for New Zealand citizens only.
As far as non-citizens go I wouldn’t allow anyone who isn’t a citizen from voting at all. It should be a privilege for New Zealand citizens only.
I’d agree with that.
A lot of those north-eastern people who can vote keep their citizenship for that foreign country because it doesn’t allow dual citizenship but they still get to vote in NZ if they’re residents.
On election night at the National party headquarters when English was arriving, the TV cameras panned across the crowd gathered to congratulate him, in the front rows were mostly non NZ decent supporters, which made a quite a large proportion of the crowd, so “YES”, immigration is a good for National, that s why they keep it going.
Many of the immigrants come from very conservative countries, with no, or few social services and safety net.
Please tell me that this is only a typo.
“non NZ decent supporters”. I would really be disappointed if you were someone who doesn’t think that anyone who doesn’t follow you own political leanings was somehow not “decent”.
I assume it’s supposed to be ‘descent’ but even that’s an issue. Many people in NZ who are NZ citizens have descended from other than white European or Māori.
You really cannot tell who is or is not a NZ citizen by looking at them.
Probably but what sort of policy structure would we be looking at?
Would National suddenly start backing trains?
Would they can immigration or NZ1st go for increased immigration?
Renationalise a whole heap of stuff that NZ1st wants renationalised?
Etc, etc.
I certainly can’t see possible policy structure that would suit as their policy structures are too different.
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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 ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Pōneke based peace activists staged a silent protest at the ANZAC day service to highlight New Zealand’s complicity in war and genocide, and urge the government to take concrete steps to stop the genocide in Palestine. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Magdalena M.E. Bunbury, Postdoctoral Researcher, James Cook University Burial with a horse at the Rákóczifalva site, Hungary (8th century AD).Sándor Hegedűs, Hungarian National Museum, CC BY How do we understand past societies? For centuries, our main sources of information have been ...
Amanda Thompson doesn’t really do Anzac Day. But what she does do is remember the people she knew who had a lifetime to remember stuff they didn’t really want to, because of a war they didn’t ask for. And she does make Anzac biscuits.First published in 2021.All my ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock In the two decades to 2019, global plastic production doubled. By 2040, plastic manufacturing and processing could consume as much as 20% of global oil production and use up 15% of the annual carbon ...
With our collective remembrance, and steadfast belief in our common humanity, we strengthen our hope and resolve to do what we can to foster dialogue and understanding, and to heal divisions in our pursuit of peace. ...
Principal reasons for the opposition is the loss of the public’s democratic right to have “a fair say” and the vital need for a government free from corruption, said Casey Cravens of Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater ...
Never mind the scoreboard – in the 2000 Bledisloe Cup decider, the real trans-Tasman battle was won before kickoff.First published in 2016. The dawn of the new millennium was a dark time for the All Blacks. Their final game pre-Y2K was a 22-18 loss to South Africa in the ...
I’m on the wrong side of 40, I never pursued creative work and now my job is killing my soul. Help! Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,May I start with the least original conversation opener you’re likely to hear around the motu at the moment, particularly in Wellington: ...
“Never again - No AUKUS” was the message of the wreath laid at this morning’s national ANZAC Day commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park this morning by the Stop AUKUS group. ...
Until this month, Auckland swimmer Hazel Ouwehand had never met a qualifying time in an Olympic event for a New Zealand team, even as a junior. Now she’s very likely off to the Paris Olympics after swimming well under the qualifying standard in the 100m butterfly twice – both in ...
While Anzac Day has experienced a resurgence in recent years, our other day of remembrance has slowly faded from view.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand. Original illustrations by Hope McConnell.First published in 2022.The high school’s head girl and ...
Australian and New Zealand volunteers fought together in the Waikato War, yet still its place in the Anzac tradition is unacknowledged by our defence forces or Returned Services Association.First published in 2018.When I was a boy cub I attended Anzac Day services in the South Auckland suburb of ...
A poem by Wellington writer Tayi Tibble.Hoki Mai She kisses him goodbye with her eyes still wet and alight from their last swim in the Awatere river. At the train station celebration, she leads the Kapa Haka but her voice keeps breaking under and over itself like waves. ...
A poem from Bill Manhire’s 2017 book of verse Some Things to Place in a Coffin.My World War I Poem Inside each trench, the sound of prayer. Inside each prayer, the sound of digging. Image courtesy of Auckland War Memorial Museum. ...
There are three books I have wolfed down in one sitting over the last two years. Colleen Maria Lenihan’s gorgeous and sad debut Kōhine, Noelle McCarthy’s memoir Grand about becoming her mother and then unbecoming her, and now Hine Toa, a staunch yet gentle self-portrait by living legend Ngāhuia te ...
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Asia Pacific Report Students and activist staff at Australia’s University of Sydney (USyd) have set up a Gaza solidarity encampment in support of Palestinians and similar student-led protests in the United States. The camp was pitched as mass graves, crippled hospitals, thousands of civilian deaths and the near-total destruction of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Australian teddy bear bees are cute and fluffy, but get a look at that massive (unbarbed) stinger! James Dorey Photography Most of us have been stung by a bee and we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Roberts, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Aussie~mobs/FlickrVictor Farr, a private in the 1st Infantry Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove just before dawn on April 25 1915. Victor Farr ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Gregory Moore I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne’s Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for ...
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Duncan Garner having a lash at Winston in Stuff. Shows his vitriol and “born to rule ” mentality.
Also shows his lack of understanding/respect for MMP.
So I sent him a message via facebook. He is a Nat mouthpiece.
Definitely shows his lack of understanding of MMP – got bored and stopped reading halfway through.
Did he say anything about the Epsom, hollow ACT party rort, undermining democracy – with one MP dictating some policy Nats never included in their election campaigns?
+100
If the situation was reversed and there was a single monolithic party on the left that had 45% of the vote (after specials) and three smaller parties on the right that combined had nearly 50%, we’d be hearing none of this stuff:
– nothing about the largest party having a spurious ‘moral mandate’
– nothing about the smallest of those right wing parties being obliged to support the large left party to create ‘stable government’
– nothing about the supposed deficiencies of MMP
Not a dicky bird – there’d be total silence. Just lots of approving noises about how mature we are as a country, how well we’d adjusted to the principles of proportional representation and the idea that governments must constitute a majority. That we should take time to work the process through and that showed the strength of our democracy, etc. etc. John Roughan would be pulling out the flabbiest examples of his purple prose to say these things.
So although Garner is a vulgar clown, it’s not that he doesn’t understand MMP, it’s that he doesn’t like the result it has thrown up.
Yes. I’ve been thinking along the same lines these past few days AB.
In the event of a political reversal of electoral fortunes, the MSM would be pushing a totally different line such as:
“The will of the people has spoken and a significant majority are calling for change. There is no reason why a multi-party government cannot be strong and steady as has happened before in both National-led and Labour-led governments. Labour must concede their coalition govt with NZ First and C and S arrangement with the Greens between 1999 and 2008 was a success…….”
I can picture the NZ Herald using those exact words!
It’s interesting looking back to 2008 and the last Peters saga. I recalled a particularly vicious editorial from the Herald and tried to find it… links are dead all I could find was an article with quotes from it.
I won’t link to that, just copy & paste some of the Herald editorial;
” The departure of Winston Peters, a relief as it is, does not mean he is gone entirely from our political life. Thanks to MMP he needs only 5 per cent of the electorate – one voter in 20 – to give New Zealand First their party vote at the coming election and he would return to Parliament. …
After all that has been disclosed this year it seems unthinkable that anyone would still believe him worth their vote but he has had a following that seems impervious to political reasoning. They are older people mostly, on low fixed incomes, unsettled by social change and suspicious of minorities, migrants and trends they fear.
Mr Peters has exploited their fears and suspicions mercilessly, sometimes at the expense of minorities and careless of the damage done to this country’s standing in migrants’ homelands.
To supporting audiences Winston Peters liked to portray himself as lonely hero assailed on all sides by rich and powerful interests that he alone would expose and hold to account.
In recent weeks it is he who has been exposed as a recipient of money, a lot of money, from rich and powerful interests and he has resisted the sort of accountability he demands of others.
The National Party has written him out of the script for post election negotiations. Even if he summons enough support to survive, National’s John Key says he will not be acceptable in any ministry he might form. He has destroyed Mr Peters’ political leverage at a stroke.
Soon it will be up to his previous voters. Have they seen through him at last? Or have the disclosures of the past few months gone completely over their heads, merely reinforcing his heroic pose for them? Probably the latter. Ever susceptible to his rhetoric, grooming and charm, they might forgive him anything.
But he would return for nothing. The last of his credibility has disappeared. So should he.”
Now all the dust has settled on that Owen Glenn saga it’s quite disturbing to look back at the malice and vitriol that was emanating from the media. One thing I’m sure of is they won’t leave Peters alone, we’re in for a rough ride.
I remember that editorial. It was mind bogglingly vicious.
The Owen Glen saga is reminiscent of the David Cunliffe saga in 2014. Full of misrepresentations and outright lies. Owen Glenn was exposed as a liar about his past communications with Mike Williams. The MSM – in particular NZ Herald columnists – were exposed as liars about Cunliffe’s previous communications with the Liu character.
The media, like a pack of rabid wolves, pounce on their prey and proceed to tear them from limb to limb for no other reason than to indulge in a print version of mindless blood-sport.
I think it was Roughan wrote that editorial Anne, they tried to keep him anonymous back then but admitted at some point he’s been the Herald’s main editorial writer. It looks like his writing style and, lo & behold, here he is again in todays rag mouthing off with the same bile.
Whoever Peters runs with we can expect three years of the media constantly chasing Winston scandals and we don’t deserve that.
Whoever Peters runs with we can expect three years of the media constantly chasing Winston scandals and we don’t deserve that.
Not if he coalesces with National. Unless or until he falls out with them over something then they will turn on him.
Of course the left made all these objections when they were on the other side of the divide..
Don’t you remember in 2005 when the lefties demanded that Labour stand down from Government as they had no moral right to govern?
After all, the opposition parties in the previous Parliament had gained a majority of the seats in the new Parliament.
Labour did what was required. Helen quit and, saying she had no legitimacy, refused to try and form a new Government with the help of the former opposition parties like New Zealand First.
Well perhaps you remember that.
I certainly don’t though.
alwyn, no-one’s saying that the Nats don’t have the right to try to form a government – just that they’re not the only ones with that right.
Once again tilting at Windmills, me old Walrus
I think I should have put “sarcasm” on this item.
The only thing I am objecting to is the attitude that says National do NOT have the right.
I am sure I can find comments about how Winston must go with Labour because the people “voted against the current Government” or such like.
Maybe if they quit with all this ‘moral majority’ shit they would get a little more respect.
I am honestly not sure who you are referring to when you say “they would get a little more respect”.
Who is the “they” that you are referring to?
National Party members are liars, and con-artists who have no credibility with civil minded people.
And you are an idiot. There, I’m sure my opinion is at least as accurate as is yours.
You see the only person I have ever seen talking about having a “moral mandate” was Phil Twyford. He seems to have made the expression up and then tried to accuse Bill English of claiming it.
Phil is a very facile liar himself of course as he demonstrated when he talked about National “cutting” health spending. Frankly I don’t regard him as an honest authority on anything. Good example of a Labour MP of course.
Who to believe?
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, or the National Party?
That’s a tricky one. If only one of those organisations had a track record of telling lies…
It isn’t a tricky one at all.
They are using the same little fiddle as Twyford used.
They take as their starting year the 2009-2010 financial year. That was the first year for which National was responsible for the Budget.
They should have used the last year of the previous administration, for which Labour were responsible. That is the 2008-2009 year.
The 2009-2010 was an unusual one in that there was a massive, one-off boost in spending. That was mostly to try and fix the problems that Labour had left. There was in that year a real increase, after allowing for inflation and demographic changes, of about 6% from the last Labour year.
Twyford, and now the Doctors’ Union are setting it as being the “base” year of their calculations, rather than treating it as a one-off clean up year.
Have a look at Twyfords release from, I think BERL, and you will see the way the fiddle works.
Yeah yeah, everyone’s lying except the National Party
I’m happy to leave it there: you believe what National tells you without question. If I need your opinion I can ask Steven Joyce.
OAB.
And as always the Labour party acolytes are starting with 2009-2010. If they are going to claim “Labour good, National bad”, why don’t they look at what the Labour Party did in their last year?
Meanwhile, in the paper I linked, Figure 1 starts at 1950. Figure 2 starts in 2000. I suggest you examine Figure 2: “Health” is the thick blue line that is trending down.
OAB @7.29pm.
I find it very hard to determine anything about the way the Health spending is going from that figure 2.
The numbers are cumulative for the year and health is only the difference between 2 lines. About the only thing that is clear from that graph is that the total Government expenditure as a percentage of GDP fell from about 2011 onwards. The individual parts are almost impossible to discern from that graph though. After all it isn’t the fall in the top of the Health segment that matters. It is the difference from the top of the Education Sector to the top of the Health sector. I would suggest that the steepness of the Health line from 2008 to 2009 is greater than the line for Education below it, which implies that the Health Sector was growing between those years.
An honest presentation, talking about Health would, at the very least, put the health segment at the bottom of the graph so its level was obvious.
That isn’t what they want of course.
By the way Twyford’s material was done by Infometrics, not BERL.
Shame really. They used to be very good.
Youre a useful tool al – bill english the leader of the gnats admitted lying by omission re todd barclay and you worship him. And when someone points that out you call them names. Weak effort by you indeed – typical gnat.
The Winston Peters show always reminds me of the old saying about glass houses. Most of the media angst is petulant dummy spitting from overinflated egos, they’re hardly in a position to pass judgement on Peters.
For years, mainstream media outlets have been doing their opinion polLls. Very often the journos authoritatively conclude that NZF will be King maker. Now that the election has delivered this, no MSM journos have anything to say about what an NZF-Nat government might look like.
It’s not as if they didn’t have some time to ponder on it….?
Garner lashes out at Peters; others are contemplating the plausibility of a Nat-GP coalition…. but, who is looking at the actual likely outcome of NZF-Nats?
The guy still doesn’t understand MMP, he really is thick ?
I’m betting greens will jump at national offer.
I would be happy. They would be less radical than nzf and also the kiwi public would enjoy have strong financial management by national and the soft caring edge of the greens.
I think the public should open their minds.
If done well we could see a 3 or 4 term national green government….that would be amazing for our country
Time for people to open their minds
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
[lprent: Clearly you didn’t read the post – which covered those points in detail. I regard commenting without referencing the post as simple trolling. Banned for 4 weeks. ]
Good god Upnorth, you just don’t get it do you ?
I’m betting…
A fool and his money are easily parted. What does that say about the Greens? Nothing at all.
For reals Upnorth? Keen to do a wager on it, a self imposed ban? I’m up for it, just let me know.
Its not so much a question about the greens entering a coalition., its just not any coalition. The question is much more whether National is ready to change its slash and burn policies, water issues, health system failure, the catastrophic hosing situation etc. These are after all policies pursued by the greens. The laissez fair party would have to make some fundamental changes – are they actual ready for that? I have my doubts. I hope that the greens are a party of principles.
fundamental changes
For example, surgeons would have to figure out how to perform an amygdalectomy.
In a word !!! PRINCEPLES, is what separates the Greens from National, and it’s pretty clear which one has them and which one doesn’t.
Has anyone read this report about NZ plummetting to 156th in the world on our treatment of children?
I am not a stats/methodology person so wondered if those who have read it have thoughts on how it was measured?
https://e2nz.org/2017/05/17/worst-places-to-be-a-child-nz-ranked-158-out-of-165-for-childhood-rights/
It is dreadful a result of abdication of state or collective responsibility for our children. Some individuals do great things. I know of a group of librarians in South Auckland providing out of their own money bread and spreads for the hungry children who hung out in their library in the holidays. There are teachers who give children their own food. There are charities like feed the need and kids can. There is no will from government to have a systematic approach to solve the problem. As a country we deserve that rating.
In other words, the total score is the lowest score. It takes no account of the other areas.
And it’s data is incomplete anyway.
So, not worth the time to read it.
Thanks. I confess I didnt know what they meant about high scores and low scores etc
Not a lie after all. Joyce’s missing hole finally found.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11928008
Hehehe
Saturday funny….
I saw this clickbait on facebook about industrial diarrhoea, had to have a look
https://www.wimp.com/the-moment-these-people-knew-they-were-going-to-quit-their-jobs/8/?utm_source=fba&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=vito/
#8….
It was a MSM piece on our Womens Rugby team to jog my thoughts that my writing could cause problems for our uninformed police and we could not have that because I never harm another unless it is self defence there are a lot of good people in our police force. There is a lot of good people in NZ to .
It would be awesome when our women’s Rugby team get to host there World Cup
In our beautiful country with our clear skys we see the star every clear night you can hear the birds chirping its not perfect and we will improve it Come on Steve Tu back our ladys and get the Cup hosted here we need all the good publicity we can get.
P.S ladys and Joseph Parker’s team get a good publishes as I have seen someone go from O to hero with a good Publishes as this is the way the world work’s
Ka Pai
One of the dudes that helped create the myth that tax cuts (at the top rates) create growth and pay for themselves looks back out how it worked out. Short answer: not how the sales pitch said it would.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2017/09/28/i-helped-create-the-gop-tax-myth-trump-is-wrong-tax-cuts-dont-equal-growth/?tid=ss_tw-bottom&utm_term=.fb9a7b5e91bb
I thought it was accepted theory that tax cuts to high end in economic crises takes money out of the economy either by debt pay down or hols overseas? That if you want to stimulate an economy you give cuts at the lower end?
The following is also the ilusion/delusion thst Nats campaign on and peole buy….
” but the prosperity of the ’80s is overrated in the Republican mind. In fact, aggregate real gross domestic product growth was higher in the ’70s — 37.2 percent vs. 35.9 percent…..
The flip-side of tax cut mythology is the notion that tax increases are an economic disaster — the reason, in theory, every Republican in Congress voted against the tax increase proposed by Bill Clinton in 1993. Yet the 1990s was the most prosperous decade in recent memory. At 37.3 percent, aggregate real GDP growth in the 1990s exceeded that in the 1980s.
“
Tax cuts to the lower end are just higher income for the top end (The lower end spend all their money and the top end are in a place to grab it all) and still don’t produce better economic outcomes.
There’s probably a point where tax rates become excessive for the rich but we haven’t reached it yet. Even at 95%.
On the other hand, we have had tax rates too high for the lower end causing poverty and hardship. It’s why progressive income taxes that are proportional were brought in.
“This Way Up” after 12 O’Clock on Radio NZ has a piece on rising atmospheric CO2 impacting on the nutritional levels of food. I’m wondering if they will cover the recent study by the US DofA that found goldenrod (a crucial food source for N American bees) has lost 30% of its nutritional content since the 1840s and make the obvious connections….
Should I add the aside that Tanya Carlson commented on sheep wool being degraded when compared to wool of the 70s? (Point being – not the one she made – that nutritional deficiency likely shows up in coat/skin quality, yes?)
But, but, all that extra carbon makes plants grow bigger and greener!!!
there’s probably some overlap with degradation of soil causing less nutrients in foods too. Would be interested to see the science on both of those and if they can separate them out. Plenty of other good reasons to stop fucking with the soil, but that it would be useful if increasing soil health mitigated the CC effect (so long as we actually take action to limit CC).
The original observation (increased growth rates and dropping nutritional content) was first observed in a marine environment. Basically, oceanic algae was given a surplus of light to boost growth with the thought being that zoo-plankton would flourish in a food rich environment. But that didn’t happen. The zoo-plankton began to struggle because it was malnourished.
For oceanic algae, think plants and for zoo-plankton, think pollinators (or other organisms further up the food chain if you want).
This doesn’t end well and ends quite abruptly and devastatingly if there is a level of CO2 above which pollinators starve rather than “merely” suffer from malnutrition.
(Goldenrod grows in soil that’s never been messed with btw, suggesting that regen ag, heirloom seeds etc won’t halt or reverse any decline due to elevated CO2 levels)
Imagine a world with no seeds and no fruits bar those resulting from wind blown pollination? If there’s a CO2 “guard-rail” or “tipping point” for pollinator survival, then we’d only need to exceed it for a few months or a single growing season….
I was talking with a marine biologist friend and his gallows humour suggested that Trump might tear down the wall and issue Mexicans with brushes and set them to hand pollinating the ‘wheat prairies’ of the USA.
edit – and he’s going to give me a shout if he comes across any marine experiment that takes sea water back to pre-industrial CO2 levels and measures algae nutritional content in that environment. (It’s far easier to run an experiment in an aquarium than it is to run one in fields and the results from an oceanic environment could probably be taken as running somewhat in tandem with terrestrial ones.)
Thanks for this comment Bill. I do learn shitloads of stuff put here
Same. Thanks.
How embarrassing for whiney schoolboy Garner.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/97391717/duncan-garner-the-megalomaniac-reigns-all-over-nationals-parade
At worst he doesn’t understand MMP at all……..at best he understands MMP but only selectively. Which really is more egregious than being just stupidly unaware.
Garner demonstrates four things: firstly he disrespects the nation’s democratically registered preference for MMP all those years ago; secondly deep down he’s a Tory; thirdly he has a personal axe to grind because Winston always whips his fat ass; fourthly hubris propels him to engage quite unashamedly off-the-planet bullshit to rival Alex Jones.
No MMP election can be finally resolved when election night seat spread doesn’t include the cast of 300,000 plus votes, That is particularly so when history shows that this dynamic can result in the loss/gain of seats.
What sort of self-respecting political commentator carpingly demands a settled coalition when votes in that order are not accounted for ?…….,.yes Dunky, those pesky things called peoples’ votes, I know……..the political commentator who reflects 1-4 above.
STFU Dunky. Patently you’re not ‘Da Man’ your vaingloriousness says you are. You define the cheap right-leaning polemicist actually. Like so many of your cohorts.
Garner calling anyone a megalomaniac ? Phew ! That’s rich. You’ve not changed a bit since I witnessed you at McDonalds Wellsford early one morning some years ago. Strutty and ‘loudy’…….’look at ME look at ME common rabble’
@ North
The interesting thing about this article is that if NZF had got 4.9% (just 2.1 less than their likely final 7%) the Nats would probably have been able to govern alone and people like Garner would have been yelling from the rooftops “fantastic result for National, democracy has been served.”
He would, of course, immediately forget all about the lies and leaks that lead to that result.
Boards of businesses smaller than the NZ Govt take weeks, months and sometimes years to negoiate a partner for lesser ventures. Why would we want out Governance rushed?
Perhaps our journalists have forgotten how to write about anything else and know they will have to for a few weeks.
I havent read the piece does he pile scorn on Merkel too?
I thought he was spending more time fathering tgese days?
Hi weka,
I’ve sent you a message with a Guest Post for The Standard and I hope you’ll have time to read & put it up.
Some food for thought
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/09/28/50736/what-if-winston-bill-or-jacinda-cant-go-on
Andrew Geddis on why the wait for Special Votes – it’s the law!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/340568/special-votes-why-the-wait
Oh the law! Pah! 😉 The media dont research so wouldnt know this… and therefore most us dont know.
A nice wee blog (with links) about the need for imagination and critical thinking to go beyond capitalism: https://sciblogs.co.nz/ariadne/2017/09/24/thinking-beyond-capitalism/
Question please, if anyone can help ? With our caretaker govt in place, could Blinglish sign us on to TPPA during this period, as it was actively ‘in process’ prior to election ?
Many thanks .. I have nightmares about this 🙂
In theory – yes. In practice – no. Not as a caretaker government.
Thanks lprent .. some comfort in your reply 🙂
The GG ought not sign it off in the current circumstances?
Congrats to anyone going to see London Grammar tonight even if it it is the Vector arena. Pretty damn awesome…
I’d have done something rare and organised tickets if I’d realised that they were coming here. They have been on my playlist pretty continuously for the last couple of months. Very nice music.
But I had my nose buried in the blog during the election, and there isn’t that much cash left over after paying two mortgages. Hadn’t budgeted for concert tickets. *sigh*
This looks like a fan video + the released track for Non Beliver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC7sHxzRQAA
And a BBC live version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ9iSpRyogU
Interesting. The jetpack youtube linkages are not working.
Most men in the US and Europe could be infertile by 2060
So, what are the probable causes of Western men in industrialised nations losing their fertility?
psudo estrogens …. ie environmental pollutants that act like estrogens
http://www.psr.org/chapters/boston/resources/environmental-chemicals-and-estrogens.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoestrogen
How did Labour’s immigration stance impact its immigrant vote?
So, has National been importing its voters?
Oh, and it really does look like Phil Twyford has been vindicated.
While you are about it why don’t you enlighten us on what happened in the various Labour strongholds like the Mangere area.
On the other hand don’t bother. For all anyone knows nearly every foreign born voter might have been cast for Labour or the Greens.
There. Let’s see you prove me wrong
You do realise that the Green Party seems to be importing their MPs, rather than their voters? If, as many commenters on this blog seem to assume, they get another MP after the specials that will mean that 25% of their MPs will have been born overseas. That is higher than the New Zealand average.
The Green Party also seem to get more of their votes from people who don’t even live in New Zealand than any other party. Look at what seems to happen with the allocation of votes cast overseas each election. Why do we allow people who are long term overseas residents from voting here anyway?
Aren’t these silly statistics rather fun?
Don’t be cute, Alwyn – you know perfectly well that the country of origin of voters in Mangere is not the same as those resident in East Coast Bays. At least, if you don’t you need to get out more!
Of course the “country of origin of voters in Mangere is not the same”
So what are you saying about the Labour Party policy? Are you implying that they are racist bigots who will only allow immigrants into New Zealand if they are from races who are likely to vote Labour?
The Labour Party policies don’t publicly admit that they regard some races as being superior to others but you seem to think they should.
I have said nothing at all about Labour Party immigration policy – it’s you who’s wittering on about it. I merely pointed out that immigrants from different cultures and countries have different ideas and beliefs
Yes that’s right, before the Green Party existed those who hadn’t quite conceived of its existence realised that a refugee from Iran would be essential (you know, for something) so they imported an eight year old girl.
We don’t. If you’ve been outside the country for more than three years you’re not allowed to vote. That applies to everybody.
Meanwhile, we allow non-citizens to vote after only living here for a year. No sane country does that.
Coming over from Australia for a weekend to attend a wedding counts as still retaining the right to vote I believe. I lived in Australia for more than five years and was always qualified to vote. I didn’t vote in 1993 though as I didn’t think I should be eligible.
I would also be surprised if it was ever checked.
As far as non-citizens go I wouldn’t allow anyone who isn’t a citizen from voting at all. It should be a privilege for New Zealand citizens only.
I’d agree with that.
A lot of those north-eastern people who can vote keep their citizenship for that foreign country because it doesn’t allow dual citizenship but they still get to vote in NZ if they’re residents.
How moral of you. Imagine if that morality stopped you voting for people who lie to you cos they think you are easy to manipulate
Draco,
On election night at the National party headquarters when English was arriving, the TV cameras panned across the crowd gathered to congratulate him, in the front rows were mostly non NZ decent supporters, which made a quite a large proportion of the crowd, so “YES”, immigration is a good for National, that s why they keep it going.
Many of the immigrants come from very conservative countries, with no, or few social services and safety net.
Please tell me that this is only a typo.
“non NZ decent supporters”. I would really be disappointed if you were someone who doesn’t think that anyone who doesn’t follow you own political leanings was somehow not “decent”.
I assume it’s supposed to be ‘descent’ but even that’s an issue. Many people in NZ who are NZ citizens have descended from other than white European or Māori.
You really cannot tell who is or is not a NZ citizen by looking at them.
Barnaby Bennett posed this question:
And I must admit that I’m somewhat stumped. Why aren’t people speculating as to what a NZ1st/Nat coalition would look like and what would it do.
Any reckons?
Implode rapidly?
Probably but what sort of policy structure would we be looking at?
Would National suddenly start backing trains?
Would they can immigration or NZ1st go for increased immigration?
Renationalise a whole heap of stuff that NZ1st wants renationalised?
Etc, etc.
I certainly can’t see possible policy structure that would suit as their policy structures are too different.
NZF will have their own ideas of course. But the Gnats will set out to nobble them.
Foreign affairs for Winston – gets him out of the way a lot.
Health for Shane Jones – a poisoned chalice to cripple his future prospects.
If they are generous
Armed Forces for Ron Mark – Gerry’s getting a bit heavy for the helicopters eh.
Education for Tracy Martin – has more clues about it than any Gnat.
And work hard to siphon enough waka jumpers to destroy them all
And why ACT is being haranged for not giving away all its principles to go with Labour?