Stayed at the Taufua Fale at Lalomanu, Upolu, Samoa, couple of years ago. Recall sitting on the beautiful beach there looking out to Nu’utele Island – the site of a leper colony 1916-1918 – http://samoa.southpacific.org/upolu/eastern.html
As I gloried in the warmth of Lalomanu and lively, embracing Samoan hospitality I would contemplatively muse – “How must life have been for those poor souls ?”
It is a bitter, bitter irony that our Minister of Corrections Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is Samoan. How must life be Sam……in the SERCO establishments you continue to licence……thus smartening the investment portfolios of the British upper-middle class……gifting wealth way beyond need ?
Deploying for a moment the risibly fake ‘Everyman’ diction of The Ponce-Key……”I reckon” if SERCO had been around in Germany and Poland in the 30s and 40s……there would have been some magnificent profit turned.
Sam……like a boy you do your masters’ bidding and you truck with the corporate beast SERCO, seemingly without shame. You do that in our name. No ! No ! Where is Fa’a Samoa in you Sam ?
Mmmm……a National Party politician…….he and Alfred Ngaro, the fiapalagi bait The Ponce-Key patronisingly disported before Pasifika of South Auckland last election…….that turned out beautifully, didn’t it ?
It’s that time of year again – when Britain’s “poppy fascism” dominates public life. Television presenters are perhaps the most conspicuous exponents, whereby the paper facsimile of the little red flower must be donned on all lapels.
Now weeks ahead of the official commemoration day, more and more Britons, including TV personalties, are pinning the poppy in public.
It may seem innocuous, but there is a disturbing authoritarianism to the increasing custom. Those who don’t wear the symbol commemorating Britain’s war dead are liable to be castigated and abused for being “traitors”.
The BBC is a classic example. The publicly owned state broadcaster says that its presenters and reporters have the option of not wearing the red poppy. But in practice such is the peer pressure and jingoistic mood of modern Britain that all BBC staff will have to conform to a personal display of the red floral tribute. Bet on it.
Some brave television figures refuse to go along with the established “norm”. It was Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow who coined the phrase “poppy fascism” a few years ago when he was publicly berated by BBC journalists and other media outlets for refusing to don the flower during his nightly broadcasts. It remains to be seen if the Channel 4 news anchor will this year cave to public pressure – a pressure which seems to be growing every year.
Ever since 1919, Britain and its Commonwealth states, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand hold Remembrance Day on November 11.
It marks the armistice of the First World War in 1918. The first commemoration was held by Britain’s King George V who wore a red poppy, thus inaugurating a tradition that continues to this day. The delicate flower was commonly seen on the battlefields of Belgium and France and came to symbolise the millions of soldiers killed during the four-year-old war.
Across Britain, Remembrance Day is marked by sombre ceremonies in towns and cities during which poppy wreathes are laid at war memorials. The biggest event is held at the Cenotaph in London’s Whitehall. Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister David Cameron and other political leaders will be among the chief dignitaries, along with senior members of Britain’s armed forces.
So what, you may ask, is objectionable about Britain’s annual Remembrance?
In its early observance, the event was indeed a momentous mourning for the millions who died in the First World War. It was an occasion to vow “never again” should mankind be plagued with such horror.
However, the massive demonstration of grieving and repudiation of war has since given way to an obscene glorification of war. The danger of such co-option was there from the beginning when King George V led the first Remembrance Day. For the British monarch – whose cousins included Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II and other European aristocrats – personified the basic background to the conflict. It was an imperialist squabble that exploded into a conflagration that consumed up to 18 million ordinary civilians among the warring nations. ….
On Remembrance Day I’d agree with you – pride or sorrow for the loss of lives spent in war or for futures than never were. But it’s not even November yet and the poppy is everywhere (peer pressure? It’s not meant to be a fashion statement). I feel this devalues the day itself.
Agreed. It’s like that beautiful word “awesome”. Once apon a time it was used in it’s correct sense. Something that filled one with awe. Now it has been debased by it’s gross overuse (young people especially) and it’s lost it’s status.
The same will happen with the poppy remembrance. For that reason I refuse to wear it on any other day other than the 25th April.
I’d agree with you if you’d said you wore it in sorrow.
DULCE ET DECORUM EST
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
The article you link to jumps from reasoned debate to an utter ugly and ill founded rant to fit the event to the author’s very public and well known counter-positions on monarchy, armed forces and UK government.
As a retired serviceman the ceremonies are a tiny moment of peace and stillness to reflect as a nation upon the futility of war and the loss of friends and comrades through the years. It remembers, for example, the fight against Nazi Fascism and in all the other conflicts in which we are caught up – mostly as a result of the failure of Politicians and Diplomats.
Those who shout loudest against events such as this have largely never worn uniform and put their lives in the hands of others. They do not recognise the value of service, they don’t see value at all, only cost. That is why, for example, the Monarchy that gives so many millions of people so much pleasure and generates so much for our nation, is the easy target for small minded and jealous writers whose own lives are monotonously dull and grey. For those of us who wore uniform, and who continue to do so, we do so for a variety of reasons – and not all are nationalistic or idealism – but ultimately because we are prepared to do so detractors are able to contort their faces into anger and shout their spittle laced messages from the safety of their own lives. The Poppy is a dignified sign of respect and thanks. If you don’t wear it that is up to you – freedom to exercise such rights is after all part of what we fought so hard for (unlike those compelled to wear a yellow star for example) – and frankly if you are so blinded by ugly rhetoric and cannot see the humanity beneath the November ceremonies you should not and neither are you decent enough person to be a Poppy wearer. Keep shouting – few are listening but many gave their lives that you could
Do you think it acceptable that the RSA never spoke out against the massacre, and in fact published doggerel in its magazine in praise of the murderers?
Certainly not about nationalism, not about the ugly military and their armies, not about government, not about the frikkin’ crown, not about politicians. Those things are all responsible for war and should be arsed out of the commemorations. Fuck them.
Unfortunately today, it has morphed into nationalism, militarism, government, crown and politicians.
It is fucked in the head and leading straight back to more war and death.
I knew a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
No one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you’ll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
Wellington employers Chamber of commerce wants to take action against the city council for issues around the living wage.
On the board -detail on website -are
Daniel Fielding – Minter Ellison Rudd Watts
Richard Stone – JacksonStone & Partners
Pierre Woolridge – Optimum Websites Ltd
Charles Finny – Saunders Unsworth
Zane Fulljames – NZ Bus.
Linda Sissons – Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec)
Peter Cullen – Cullen Law, President
Cas Carter – Massey University, Vice-President
Olivier Lacoua – CQ Hotels
Ian Cassels – The Wellington Company
Brent Callaghan – Westpac
John Dow – Agenda Limited
Not exactly your small local business’s are they – wonder if the membership looks the same.
You’d have though that on behalf on their members they would be more likely to support an increase in lower level pay and a hold on the upper level pay.
After all that would mean more people outside their door with money to spend. Looking at the CV’s I suspect a number of them may have council contracts – is there a conflict of interets? Go on journo’s do your stuff – ask the questions.
The hysteria around this move by the WCC is incredible. What is it about people not electing the “right” local government that so gets under the skin of the neo-libs? Farrar is practically demanding a judicial coup against the democratically elected councillors complete with blood curdling threats of hefty fines – and all over less than $3,000,000 a year in extra wages?
It is a bizarrely over the top authoritarian response from an increasingly intolerant and Fascistic right wing that seems to think anyone who doesn’t agree with them has no right to govern.
So you are for it now that we have cleared that up?
Westpac
“Cash earnings in the New Zealand business rose to $441 million in the six months ended March 31, from $432 million a year earlier, the Sydney-based bank said in a statement. Net interest income rose 6 per cent to $832 million as the local lender grew its mortgage loan book 5 per cent to $40.7 billion and business lending expanded 5 per cent to $24 billion. Impairment charges on bad debts rose to $31 million from $4 million a year earlier, when the bank benefitted from provision recoveries.
“We achieved good growth in New Zealand, supported by changes to our distribution network and the increased use of digital channels,” group chief executive Brian Hartzer said.” May 2015
“…The Australian parent reported a small dip in first-half profit to A$3.61 billion, from A$3.62 billion a year earlier, with cash earnings flat at A$3.77 billion. “
Can I suggest that the Wellington Chamber of Commerce should be asked to come up with a weekly household budget for a person living on the minimum wage to support their argument with the Wellington Council.
That line-up shows the chamber of commerce is just another rightwing front like the Taxpayer Union. Using the credibility of local business owners to push their agenda.
Despite the Chamber of Commerces’ hysterical (good word Sanctuary) reaction to the vote to retain the living wage for council staff and get council contractors on board with the living wage too, the main contractor in question, Recon, who provide noise control services to the WCC and whose staff would benefit from moving to the living wage haven’t said a word about it as yet. (Maybe they have and I missed it – or is Recon a member of the Chamber of Commerce and they want to stay under the radar?)
It is absurd that their ideological viewpoint would prevent them from putting $$$ into potential customers hands to spend at their stores (eg John MIlford used to be CE of Kirkaldie and Stains, and look where that store has ended up after 150 years of trading – down the tubes, no customers!)
Absurd too that Nicola Young, right wing councillor for Lambton Ward, in her opposition to introducing the living wage to council staff last year, said those on minimum wage get benefits from the government to top up their existence. I thought those nats thought people who receive benefits are bludgers, draining their precious tax payer $$$?
By opposing the living wage in their blind mean spirited way, these guys are in fact opposing increased trade, let alone the reduction of financial stress in people’s lives, that which of course they couldn’t care about.
hi rosie,
re. living wage being paid: there is a great ted talk that covers this amongst other things.
put “plutocrats and the pitchforks are coming” into the search.
essentially he helps to define capitalism and deals with inequality, arguing that the middle class is where jobs and growth are generated.
while he is at it he smashes a few of those neo-liberal myths, eg.tricledown, raising minimum wages costs jobs etc.
Thanks gsays. I’ve heard of Ted Talks but never listened to one. Do I just google ted talk and who is the speaker I look for? Ta.
The other thing that just occurred to me is that is would make sense for a banker, ie, Brent Callaghan from Westpac of the board of the Chamber of Commerce, to oppose a living wage. If people could actually afford to live they would use their credit cards less and less for essential and non essential items.
People like Brent, I would assume, would want workers to remain on low wages and be dependent on the bank for credit. The business of debt is big business for them. It’s pure profit.
Imagine if wages in general went up. You’d get more side orders at your cafe, in addition to orders for mains, and more covers. People, once their debt is under control could do nice things like go out and enjoy themselves. Your business would increase, then you can all have wage increase too!!!
Hey, go the whole hog, abolish GST and theres more money for everyone!!!
The speaker is billionaire Nick Hanauer and he makes some excellent points. Video here. He’s got an article up here as well covering the same ground.
People like Brent, I would assume, would want workers to remain on low wages and be dependent on the bank for credit. The business of debt is big business for them. It’s pure profit.
That is pretty much exactly how our financial system works.
The poor are in debt because they can’t afford to live and the interest that they pay goes to the rich and then stays there because our banks create money to loan out rather than loaning out money that they have on deposit.
Imagine if wages in general went up. You’d get more side orders at your cafe, in addition to orders for mains, and more covers. People, once their debt is under control could do nice things like go out and enjoy themselves.
And they become nicer to everyone else as well as competition between people decreases. This is another reason why our government should be bringing back full employment as a policy setting.
Thanks Draco. I’ve got 5 minutes into the Nick Hanauer talk, before I have to dash off and do things, and he’s talking alot of sense.
Those boofheads at the Chamber of Commerce need to listen to what he says about inequality being bad for business, regardless of your moral stance – sort of what I was getting to above, in a less articulate way.
In Robert Reich’s “Inequality for all” that same theme is covered: (Trailer)
I’ve seen you post that “A flaw in the monetary system” video before and will give it a look later. And re the poor being in debt, I think it’s increasingly more the middle classes too. Everything points to out current system holding us back financially which affects us personally and socially. I believe our society is under a great strain but here in Nu Zuland I think those pitchforks are going to stay safely tucked away in their garden sheds for quite some time.
PS: Stephanie has a good post on her blog Boots Theory about the living wage Vs the chamber of Commerce.
Oh the injustice, Council are SUCH bastards, paying a living wage to security guards. Westpac make billions a year in profit but pay their security guards 14.70 (gross) per hour to guard the loot
Will there be a spin off for Fonterra in baby formula sales due to China increasing the population?
In 1979 China introduced the one child policy, 400 million less births have occurred due to the policy. Not sure when but there has been a relaxation in some provinces to allow a second child due to an aging population. Knowing how many extra children have been born in the provinces with a second child would interest me as it would give an estimation of how many people may elect to have a second child.
In rural areas often the parents go into the cities to work and leave their children in the care of grandparents.
Increasing the birth rate is part of China’s vision for the next five years. I can now see why establishing the production of milk solids in NZ is important for China.
At some point the population in China will reach 2 billion, it is currently 1.4 billion.
During the year of the dragon the birth rate increases and during the year of the sheep it decreases. Planning maternity services for an extra child is just the start, next is housing, child care, education, health, jobs etc.
There was a bit more on TV 3 news at 6 pm about the one child policy. A woman dared to have a second child, the child was deemed to not exist as there was no entitlement to health care, education or travel documents. I was left thinking how forward thinking this mother was.
I would like to see all children who were born under the one child policy, treated the same as a first born.
A neighbour mentioned to me that many children overseas have elderly parents in China. I also think that there could be a shortage of females.
“Court Orders USTR To Justify Industry Advisor Confidentiality In TPP”
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) next week is expected to provide justification for withholding from a Freedom of Information Act request the communications with its industry advisors as confidential commercial or financial information. The case involves communications in the lead-up to completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, and could set a precedent for exemptions of communications with lobbyists. http://www.ip-watch.org/2015/10/29/ustr-called-on-to-justify-industry-advisor-confidentiality-in-tpp/
Good and about time! In addition there needs to be a political donations disclosure requirement from lobbyists.
Wonder who wrote this Editorial? Interesting to see the connection between Slater and Hager.
“Blogger Cameron Slater and author Nicky Hager have much in common, even beyond the emails one wrote and the other obtained, possibly illegally, now the Supreme Court has ruled computer files are property.
Both claim to be journalists, and both have found their work subject to the scrutiny of the High Court……….
…..The Supreme Court’s ruling suggests receiving illegally obtained email may be a crime.
Although data might be property is is clearly pretty different from physical property in the sense that the person still has the data even if it is copied. Also someone who wipes out data from the original should be treated differently than someone who just copies data.
Also it should take into account where the data came from, is it Facebook? (already face book and many other sites keep copies on their servers even if they are deleted).
In the Hager case, nobody can prove where it came from anyway. There is no proof it was stolen apart from what contempt of court Slater has said. Slater could have printed it out and lost it at the park or accidentally sent it to the wrong person – or what ever. Plenty of SIS and ACC scandals about this.
The rumours are that Slater records everything like his conversations with the prime minister for example. He is not going to admit he ‘lost or accidentally’ sent the data off to the wrong person rather say it was not his fault and it was stolen.
So I don’t think some sort of receipt of ‘stolen goods’ is applicable in the Hager case as a defence at all. So many holes in it.
I just don’t think the police can prove anything on that one. In fact the police have always said Hager is NOT a suspect for criminal activity in the media.
And even if the data was copied from Slater then the ‘for the public good’ will apply.
TPP- the latest news and ongoing saga.
TPP Text Needs Further Work After Japan; Release Not Expected For Weeks
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) officials will not be able to finalize the text of the agreement by Oct. 30, when a drafting and legal scrub session is slated to wrap up in Tokyo, meaning the release of the final text is still several weeks away, according to informed sources. http://insidetrade.com/
A further David Fisher article on the Hager/Westpac information release is on the Herald’s website today, which is a good round-up of the overall situation re banks and others providing information to NZ Police. It is somewhat hidden on the site, and I had missed it earlier and only heard about it through another blog site.
” The simple act of transparency is likely to reduce the practice. That was TradeMe’s experience with its Transparency Report.”
Interestingly, once a company publishes the number of requests it receives (but no identifying names), Fisher suggests it reduces the number of attempts the police make….
Overseas investors are deserting Auckland’s property market as the Government crack down on foreign buyers works, but experts say asking prices now remain too high for the remaining local buyers.
There Idiot/Savant draws and almost correct conclusion:
But the fact that it has had such a noticeable effect tells us something about the sort of money we’ve been playing haven too, and how a deregulated market enables foreign crime and corruption.
A deregulated will also enable our own crime and corruption which is why the psychopaths like it so much.
Love the way the politicians denied it was foreign investors and some money laundering issue for so long in Auckland.
Now there are some basic ways to curb foreign investment in place to buy a property and people are going to be taxed if it is resold before 2 years – we don’t have the run away prices.
If they had bothered to do it 4 years ago, there wouldn’t be the mess!
Take it you haven’t watched the first series of Continuum then?
Admittedly, the idea there was to map the patterns of reflections of existing wifi and cellphone towers.
And it’s not as if they’ve discovered anything – RADAR has been around awhile. It’s just now that they’ve developed the technological capability needed to do it.
So, Lord Lloyd-Webber, what would Jesus do about tax credits cuts?
If there’s one thing he couldn’t stand, it was the poor whining on about being hungry.
by MARK STEEL, The Independent, 29 October 2015
George Osborne should be aware of his achievement, because he must be one of the first people to be warned he’s being too mean to the poor by a body made up of the aristocracy, people dressed in ermine and bishops.
This proves his leadership potential, similar to a burglar being so determined he’s told by his colleagues: “Hang on, George, leave them the Sugar Puffs. We can’t take everything off the poor sods.” But instead of taking credit, he’s humble enough to explain the main issue of this uneasiness about cutting the income of the poorest people, which is that it creates a “constitutional crisis”.
That’s the real pain that will be felt by the families who lose £1,300 a year. When children ask: “Why have we got to go without breakfast from now on, Mummy?” they’ll be told: “Because if we’re allowed to keep getting tax credits it would disturb an unspecified constitutional legislative protocol that may or may not have been established in 1910. Do you want to ruin that just for a boiled egg? Now remember, if you faint at school, chew on a finger.”
Some of us might wonder how you can spoil a constitution when there isn’t a constitution. He might as well say: “The House of Lords has drawn over the masterpiece I painted, and murdered my stegosaurus.” But the most important thing is he’s explained thoroughly that the cuts won’t make people poorer at all, although they will save £4.4bn.
To be fair, this is genius and if we all did it we would be much better off. To start with, we could call the electricity company and say: “I have to make essential savings, so from now on, I’ll only be paying half my bill. But don’t listen to anyone who suggests this will make you worse off, they’re all extremists.” Then you can get a trolley full of shopping from Sainsbury’s and insist you’re only giving them £2 as you have to make essential savings, but it’s fine because they’re not getting any less than if you gave them £70.
Because, as Osborne says about tax credits: “It’s ridiculous that we give with one hand and take it away with the other.” So it’s much more efficient if we dispense with the “giving” bit of that process – which, after all, is the expensive bit – and stick to the taking away, which makes everything much more manageable.
In any case, as the Government repeats about every issue, we all benefit from these savings because they create a strong economy which makes us all better off. So if you’re receiving tax credits, the most sensible thing to do is accept these cuts, then demand they take more off you, forcing you to place your floorboards on eBay and put a great aunt on the game, then you’ll be living the dream.
This is why so many lords and ladies selflessly gave up their time to vote with the Government. Lord Lloyd-Webber, for example, hasn’t bothered voting for two years, because nothing in the past two years has really mattered. But this week he flew in from New York and cast his vote, because cutting tax credits to the poorest people in work is the one issue where he had to make a stand. And he’s so dedicated I don’t suppose he even checked to see whether he qualifies for tax credits himself, because for him it’s all about the principle. …..
Mark Reason: New Zealand “deserved” to have that sixteenth man in 2011 The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 30 October 2015, 4:50 p.m.
Horrible, braindead, unsporting rhetoric from Reason and Farrar. All their faux-patriotic, one-eyed bullshit fails to convince Gayford or Mulligan, however….
MARK REASON:[speaking slowly and carefully to show how serious he is] The appointment of the referee is very important. Think back to 2011: we all thanked the Lord that Craig Joubert didn’t penalize New Zealand once in that last twenty minutes. We DESERVED to have a hometown referee for our home final! ….
DAVID FARRAR: I don’t think anybody will care if the Australians are complaining after the match, AS LONG AS WE WIN! Ha ha ha ha!
I will admit I never knew there was/is any dessent over the last final due to the fact that I don’t watch much sport “news” ,sport to me is entertainment pure and simple and as a ex rugby player that’s my chosen entertainment.
I’d put farrars comment down to a bit of pre game sledging .
What do you get if you take the AB’s out of wallabies??
It’s only a game of footy Morrissey a bit of light hearted banter is getting your knickers in a twist, chill as I have counselled you before, build a bridge re the 2011 rwc final, the result ain’t going to change
It’s only a game of footy [sic] Morrissey a bit of light hearted banter is getting your knickers in a twist,
First point: adults say “football”. Please don’t use puerile language.
Second point: I don’t see anything lighthearted about systematic cheating, a referee who colludes in that cheating, and commentators like Mark Reason who claim that “we” deserved to have a “hometown referee” for that farcical match.
the result ain’t going to change
Lance Armstrong still has those Tour de France titles to his name. But perception of the worth and validity of his victories has changed. It wasn’t immediately apparent that he’d cheated; it was and is immediately apparent that the All Blacks did in 2011. Our pyrhhic victory in 2011 was immediately condemned by the French players, and in France generally. That this country has maintained a Soviet-level official silence over the scandal doesn’t mean people don’t actually know what happened—as Reason’s words so clearly demonstrate.
Epic match. I presume you are hinting at Laurie Mains’s muttering about “Suzy”. I wouldn’t trust Mains as far as I could kick him.
I suggest you take a look some time at the 1999 final, which was in many ways a grim foreshadowing of the 2011 final. The commentators for Television New Zealand’s live coverage—Keith Quinn, John McBeth and Wayne Graham—were all clearly disturbed by the performance of another South African referee, Andre Watson.
I’ll post more on that débâcle some time in the future.
You’re very willing to condemn kiwis yet you seem to not think it possible that the fledgling rainbow nation wouldn’t see winning the world cup by any means as plausible. Why so down on nz?
I don’t condemn “Kiwis”. Most of my analysis concerns the performance or non-performance of South African referees in 1999 and 2011. I’ve acknowledged that while the All Blacks, led by McCaw, cheated flagrantly in 2011, so would have any team that was granted such carte blanche immunity by a “referee”. Read my posts again.
yet you seem to not think it possible that the fledgling rainbow nation wouldn’t see winning the world cup by any means as plausible.
Maybe it happened. I don’t trust South Africa any more than any other country. But there’s never been anything more than allegations about “Suzy”. I wouldn’t trust anything Mains said or says on that matter or any other.
Why so down on nz?
Once again: look at my posts carefully. My criticisms are mainly of the referees, both of them South African. The beneficiaries of Andre “The Warbler” Watson’s extraordinary 1999 RWC final performance—a chilling preview in many ways of what happened 16 years later—were not the All Blacks but the Wallabies.
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Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
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In its terms this Waatea News article doesn’t sufficiently indicate that SERCO runs Christmas Island –
http://www.waateanews.com/Waatea+News.html?story_id=MTEzNDQ%3D&v=291#.Vi7jsfkk3-k.facebook
This workpermit.com article expressly confirms that fact –
http://www.workpermit.com/news/2015-01-22/serco-wins-5-year-australian-immigration-contract
Stayed at the Taufua Fale at Lalomanu, Upolu, Samoa, couple of years ago. Recall sitting on the beautiful beach there looking out to Nu’utele Island – the site of a leper colony 1916-1918 – http://samoa.southpacific.org/upolu/eastern.html
As I gloried in the warmth of Lalomanu and lively, embracing Samoan hospitality I would contemplatively muse – “How must life have been for those poor souls ?”
It is a bitter, bitter irony that our Minister of Corrections Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is Samoan. How must life be Sam……in the SERCO establishments you continue to licence……thus smartening the investment portfolios of the British upper-middle class……gifting wealth way beyond need ?
Deploying for a moment the risibly fake ‘Everyman’ diction of The Ponce-Key……”I reckon” if SERCO had been around in Germany and Poland in the 30s and 40s……there would have been some magnificent profit turned.
Sam……like a boy you do your masters’ bidding and you truck with the corporate beast SERCO, seemingly without shame. You do that in our name. No ! No ! Where is Fa’a Samoa in you Sam ?
He’s a politician, North. His primary loyalty is to the National Party.
Mmmm……a National Party politician…….he and Alfred Ngaro, the fiapalagi bait The Ponce-Key patronisingly disported before Pasifika of South Auckland last election…….that turned out beautifully, didn’t it ?
Britain’s Poppy Fascism
by Finian Cunningham, 29 October 2015
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43274.htm
It’s that time of year again – when Britain’s “poppy fascism” dominates public life. Television presenters are perhaps the most conspicuous exponents, whereby the paper facsimile of the little red flower must be donned on all lapels.
Now weeks ahead of the official commemoration day, more and more Britons, including TV personalties, are pinning the poppy in public.
It may seem innocuous, but there is a disturbing authoritarianism to the increasing custom. Those who don’t wear the symbol commemorating Britain’s war dead are liable to be castigated and abused for being “traitors”.
The BBC is a classic example. The publicly owned state broadcaster says that its presenters and reporters have the option of not wearing the red poppy. But in practice such is the peer pressure and jingoistic mood of modern Britain that all BBC staff will have to conform to a personal display of the red floral tribute. Bet on it.
Some brave television figures refuse to go along with the established “norm”. It was Channel 4 news presenter Jon Snow who coined the phrase “poppy fascism” a few years ago when he was publicly berated by BBC journalists and other media outlets for refusing to don the flower during his nightly broadcasts. It remains to be seen if the Channel 4 news anchor will this year cave to public pressure – a pressure which seems to be growing every year.
Ever since 1919, Britain and its Commonwealth states, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand hold Remembrance Day on November 11.
It marks the armistice of the First World War in 1918. The first commemoration was held by Britain’s King George V who wore a red poppy, thus inaugurating a tradition that continues to this day. The delicate flower was commonly seen on the battlefields of Belgium and France and came to symbolise the millions of soldiers killed during the four-year-old war.
Across Britain, Remembrance Day is marked by sombre ceremonies in towns and cities during which poppy wreathes are laid at war memorials. The biggest event is held at the Cenotaph in London’s Whitehall. Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister David Cameron and other political leaders will be among the chief dignitaries, along with senior members of Britain’s armed forces.
So what, you may ask, is objectionable about Britain’s annual Remembrance?
In its early observance, the event was indeed a momentous mourning for the millions who died in the First World War. It was an occasion to vow “never again” should mankind be plagued with such horror.
However, the massive demonstration of grieving and repudiation of war has since given way to an obscene glorification of war. The danger of such co-option was there from the beginning when King George V led the first Remembrance Day. For the British monarch – whose cousins included Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II and other European aristocrats – personified the basic background to the conflict. It was an imperialist squabble that exploded into a conflagration that consumed up to 18 million ordinary civilians among the warring nations. ….
Read more….
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43274.htm
+1
Personally I find it the most respectful representation of war that I’ve seen.
And I definitely wear it with pride.
+1
“And I definitely wear it with pride”
On Remembrance Day I’d agree with you – pride or sorrow for the loss of lives spent in war or for futures than never were. But it’s not even November yet and the poppy is everywhere (peer pressure? It’s not meant to be a fashion statement). I feel this devalues the day itself.
Agreed. It’s like that beautiful word “awesome”. Once apon a time it was used in it’s correct sense. Something that filled one with awe. Now it has been debased by it’s gross overuse (young people especially) and it’s lost it’s status.
The same will happen with the poppy remembrance. For that reason I refuse to wear it on any other day other than the 25th April.
I’d agree with you if you’d said you wore it in sorrow.
DULCE ET DECORUM EST
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.
Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.
If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori.
Which war did you both (Ad and Poppy with pride) serve in, if you don’t mind me asking.
Not at all. None. Thank God.
Poppy fascism 🙄 what drivel
Poppy fascism what drivel
??
Could you back up your rather emotional statement with an argument please?
The article you link to jumps from reasoned debate to an utter ugly and ill founded rant to fit the event to the author’s very public and well known counter-positions on monarchy, armed forces and UK government.
As a retired serviceman the ceremonies are a tiny moment of peace and stillness to reflect as a nation upon the futility of war and the loss of friends and comrades through the years. It remembers, for example, the fight against Nazi Fascism and in all the other conflicts in which we are caught up – mostly as a result of the failure of Politicians and Diplomats.
Those who shout loudest against events such as this have largely never worn uniform and put their lives in the hands of others. They do not recognise the value of service, they don’t see value at all, only cost. That is why, for example, the Monarchy that gives so many millions of people so much pleasure and generates so much for our nation, is the easy target for small minded and jealous writers whose own lives are monotonously dull and grey. For those of us who wore uniform, and who continue to do so, we do so for a variety of reasons – and not all are nationalistic or idealism – but ultimately because we are prepared to do so detractors are able to contort their faces into anger and shout their spittle laced messages from the safety of their own lives. The Poppy is a dignified sign of respect and thanks. If you don’t wear it that is up to you – freedom to exercise such rights is after all part of what we fought so hard for (unlike those compelled to wear a yellow star for example) – and frankly if you are so blinded by ugly rhetoric and cannot see the humanity beneath the November ceremonies you should not and neither are you decent enough person to be a Poppy wearer. Keep shouting – few are listening but many gave their lives that you could
What is your assessment of the New Zealand soldiers who murdered all those boys and men in Surafend in 1918, after the war had finished?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2675357/Old-words-cast-fresh-light-on-Anzac-atrocity
Do you think it acceptable that the RSA never spoke out against the massacre, and in fact published doggerel in its magazine in praise of the murderers?
It is about the people who died, nothing else.
Certainly not about nationalism, not about the ugly military and their armies, not about government, not about the frikkin’ crown, not about politicians. Those things are all responsible for war and should be arsed out of the commemorations. Fuck them.
Unfortunately today, it has morphed into nationalism, militarism, government, crown and politicians.
It is fucked in the head and leading straight back to more war and death.
I knew a simple soldier boy
Who grinned at life in empty joy,
Slept soundly through the lonesome dark,
And whistled early with the lark.
In winter trenches, cowed and glum,
With crumps and lice and lack of rum,
He put a bullet through his brain.
No one spoke of him again.
You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you’ll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.
Thanks Grant. Said in a nutshell.
Wellington employers Chamber of commerce wants to take action against the city council for issues around the living wage.
On the board -detail on website -are
Daniel Fielding – Minter Ellison Rudd Watts
Richard Stone – JacksonStone & Partners
Pierre Woolridge – Optimum Websites Ltd
Charles Finny – Saunders Unsworth
Zane Fulljames – NZ Bus.
Linda Sissons – Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec)
Peter Cullen – Cullen Law, President
Cas Carter – Massey University, Vice-President
Olivier Lacoua – CQ Hotels
Ian Cassels – The Wellington Company
Brent Callaghan – Westpac
John Dow – Agenda Limited
Not exactly your small local business’s are they – wonder if the membership looks the same.
You’d have though that on behalf on their members they would be more likely to support an increase in lower level pay and a hold on the upper level pay.
After all that would mean more people outside their door with money to spend. Looking at the CV’s I suspect a number of them may have council contracts – is there a conflict of interets? Go on journo’s do your stuff – ask the questions.
The hysteria around this move by the WCC is incredible. What is it about people not electing the “right” local government that so gets under the skin of the neo-libs? Farrar is practically demanding a judicial coup against the democratically elected councillors complete with blood curdling threats of hefty fines – and all over less than $3,000,000 a year in extra wages?
It is a bizarrely over the top authoritarian response from an increasingly intolerant and Fascistic right wing that seems to think anyone who doesn’t agree with them has no right to govern.
You think Farrar is neo-liberal? You know he is called “Pinko” right?
only by the insane fringes of torydom that you inhabit.
I thought that was reference to his skin colour?
http://www.arkive.org/star-nosed-mole/condylura-cristata/image-G76377.html
Lovely people aren’t they.
Pushing to pay people less than it costs to live.
Fucking bludgers
Does that include the Councillors who voted for the living wage, but refuse to pay their own business staff it? e.g. Mark Peck
everyone
yes.
So you are for it now that we have cleared that up?
Westpac
“Cash earnings in the New Zealand business rose to $441 million in the six months ended March 31, from $432 million a year earlier, the Sydney-based bank said in a statement. Net interest income rose 6 per cent to $832 million as the local lender grew its mortgage loan book 5 per cent to $40.7 billion and business lending expanded 5 per cent to $24 billion. Impairment charges on bad debts rose to $31 million from $4 million a year earlier, when the bank benefitted from provision recoveries.
“We achieved good growth in New Zealand, supported by changes to our distribution network and the increased use of digital channels,” group chief executive Brian Hartzer said.” May 2015
“…The Australian parent reported a small dip in first-half profit to A$3.61 billion, from A$3.62 billion a year earlier, with cash earnings flat at A$3.77 billion. “
Can I suggest that the Wellington Chamber of Commerce should be asked to come up with a weekly household budget for a person living on the minimum wage to support their argument with the Wellington Council.
@Tautoko Mangō Mata – and then the chamber of commerce people have to live on it for a month.
and their families.
lol…t’would be fun to watch……
A month wouldn’t be long enough. Needs to be a year at the very least.
That line-up shows the chamber of commerce is just another rightwing front like the Taxpayer Union. Using the credibility of local business owners to push their agenda.
yup ‘Charles Finny – Saunders Unsworth’ stands out amongst others.
And rent a place paying the average rent in Auckland.
Despite the Chamber of Commerces’ hysterical (good word Sanctuary) reaction to the vote to retain the living wage for council staff and get council contractors on board with the living wage too, the main contractor in question, Recon, who provide noise control services to the WCC and whose staff would benefit from moving to the living wage haven’t said a word about it as yet. (Maybe they have and I missed it – or is Recon a member of the Chamber of Commerce and they want to stay under the radar?)
It is absurd that their ideological viewpoint would prevent them from putting $$$ into potential customers hands to spend at their stores (eg John MIlford used to be CE of Kirkaldie and Stains, and look where that store has ended up after 150 years of trading – down the tubes, no customers!)
Absurd too that Nicola Young, right wing councillor for Lambton Ward, in her opposition to introducing the living wage to council staff last year, said those on minimum wage get benefits from the government to top up their existence. I thought those nats thought people who receive benefits are bludgers, draining their precious tax payer $$$?
By opposing the living wage in their blind mean spirited way, these guys are in fact opposing increased trade, let alone the reduction of financial stress in people’s lives, that which of course they couldn’t care about.
hi rosie,
re. living wage being paid: there is a great ted talk that covers this amongst other things.
put “plutocrats and the pitchforks are coming” into the search.
essentially he helps to define capitalism and deals with inequality, arguing that the middle class is where jobs and growth are generated.
while he is at it he smashes a few of those neo-liberal myths, eg.tricledown, raising minimum wages costs jobs etc.
thoroughly reccommended 20mins.
Thanks gsays. I’ve heard of Ted Talks but never listened to one. Do I just google ted talk and who is the speaker I look for? Ta.
The other thing that just occurred to me is that is would make sense for a banker, ie, Brent Callaghan from Westpac of the board of the Chamber of Commerce, to oppose a living wage. If people could actually afford to live they would use their credit cards less and less for essential and non essential items.
People like Brent, I would assume, would want workers to remain on low wages and be dependent on the bank for credit. The business of debt is big business for them. It’s pure profit.
Imagine if wages in general went up. You’d get more side orders at your cafe, in addition to orders for mains, and more covers. People, once their debt is under control could do nice things like go out and enjoy themselves. Your business would increase, then you can all have wage increase too!!!
Hey, go the whole hog, abolish GST and theres more money for everyone!!!
We’d get our financial independence back!!!
The speaker is billionaire Nick Hanauer and he makes some excellent points. Video here. He’s got an article up here as well covering the same ground.
That is pretty much exactly how our financial system works.
The poor are in debt because they can’t afford to live and the interest that they pay goes to the rich and then stays there because our banks create money to loan out rather than loaning out money that they have on deposit.
And they become nicer to everyone else as well as competition between people decreases. This is another reason why our government should be bringing back full employment as a policy setting.
Thanks Draco. I’ve got 5 minutes into the Nick Hanauer talk, before I have to dash off and do things, and he’s talking alot of sense.
Those boofheads at the Chamber of Commerce need to listen to what he says about inequality being bad for business, regardless of your moral stance – sort of what I was getting to above, in a less articulate way.
In Robert Reich’s “Inequality for all” that same theme is covered: (Trailer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9REdcxfie3M
I’ve seen you post that “A flaw in the monetary system” video before and will give it a look later. And re the poor being in debt, I think it’s increasingly more the middle classes too. Everything points to out current system holding us back financially which affects us personally and socially. I believe our society is under a great strain but here in Nu Zuland I think those pitchforks are going to stay safely tucked away in their garden sheds for quite some time.
PS: Stephanie has a good post on her blog Boots Theory about the living wage Vs the chamber of Commerce.
‘Imagine if wages in general went up. You’d get more side orders at your cafe, in addition to orders for mains, and more covers.’
that is one of points nick hanauer (thanks draco) makes;
its a good thing if you pay your staff enough so they can afford to eat at your place.
Fighting to keep paying people what is regarded as insufficient to lead a decent life…
Oh the injustice, Council are SUCH bastards, paying a living wage to security guards. Westpac make billions a year in profit but pay their security guards 14.70 (gross) per hour to guard the loot
By evening this article had dropped way down stuffs online presence to near invisibilty-
maybe not such a good idea by the Chamber?
Will there be a spin off for Fonterra in baby formula sales due to China increasing the population?
In 1979 China introduced the one child policy, 400 million less births have occurred due to the policy. Not sure when but there has been a relaxation in some provinces to allow a second child due to an aging population. Knowing how many extra children have been born in the provinces with a second child would interest me as it would give an estimation of how many people may elect to have a second child.
In rural areas often the parents go into the cities to work and leave their children in the care of grandparents.
Increasing the birth rate is part of China’s vision for the next five years. I can now see why establishing the production of milk solids in NZ is important for China.
At some point the population in China will reach 2 billion, it is currently 1.4 billion.
During the year of the dragon the birth rate increases and during the year of the sheep it decreases. Planning maternity services for an extra child is just the start, next is housing, child care, education, health, jobs etc.
There was a bit more on TV 3 news at 6 pm about the one child policy. A woman dared to have a second child, the child was deemed to not exist as there was no entitlement to health care, education or travel documents. I was left thinking how forward thinking this mother was.
I would like to see all children who were born under the one child policy, treated the same as a first born.
A neighbour mentioned to me that many children overseas have elderly parents in China. I also think that there could be a shortage of females.
“Court Orders USTR To Justify Industry Advisor Confidentiality In TPP”
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) next week is expected to provide justification for withholding from a Freedom of Information Act request the communications with its industry advisors as confidential commercial or financial information. The case involves communications in the lead-up to completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, and could set a precedent for exemptions of communications with lobbyists.
http://www.ip-watch.org/2015/10/29/ustr-called-on-to-justify-industry-advisor-confidentiality-in-tpp/
Good and about time! In addition there needs to be a political donations disclosure requirement from lobbyists.
These guys are raising money to make a documentary about TPP.
https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/4209-beautiful-democracy-documentary-on-activism-through-art
Wonder who wrote this Editorial? Interesting to see the connection between Slater and Hager.
“Blogger Cameron Slater and author Nicky Hager have much in common, even beyond the emails one wrote and the other obtained, possibly illegally, now the Supreme Court has ruled computer files are property.
Both claim to be journalists, and both have found their work subject to the scrutiny of the High Court……….
…..The Supreme Court’s ruling suggests receiving illegally obtained email may be a crime.
On this basis, Hager’s challenge to the police search of his house may be harder to sustain. But since his book served a public interest, free speech should prevail.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11537132
Although data might be property is is clearly pretty different from physical property in the sense that the person still has the data even if it is copied. Also someone who wipes out data from the original should be treated differently than someone who just copies data.
Also it should take into account where the data came from, is it Facebook? (already face book and many other sites keep copies on their servers even if they are deleted).
In the Hager case, nobody can prove where it came from anyway. There is no proof it was stolen apart from what contempt of court Slater has said. Slater could have printed it out and lost it at the park or accidentally sent it to the wrong person – or what ever. Plenty of SIS and ACC scandals about this.
The rumours are that Slater records everything like his conversations with the prime minister for example. He is not going to admit he ‘lost or accidentally’ sent the data off to the wrong person rather say it was not his fault and it was stolen.
So I don’t think some sort of receipt of ‘stolen goods’ is applicable in the Hager case as a defence at all. So many holes in it.
I just don’t think the police can prove anything on that one. In fact the police have always said Hager is NOT a suspect for criminal activity in the media.
And even if the data was copied from Slater then the ‘for the public good’ will apply.
That Slater is th only person to get a public apology from our PM suggest to me that he does indeed KEEP. EVERYTHING.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/288342/dotcom's-bid-to-stop-hearing-rejected
Good to see common sense has prevailed and finally a decision will be made.
Please come and join us on the Q&A with Alastair Thompson post…
just had my comment not appear, presumably into moderation. Is that the random bug?
edit, nevermind, it’s there now 🙂
Audrey young very wise not to open her opinion piece to comments. Lovely photo of esteemed pm with his stubby in his hand.
TPP- the latest news and ongoing saga.
TPP Text Needs Further Work After Japan; Release Not Expected For Weeks
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) officials will not be able to finalize the text of the agreement by Oct. 30, when a drafting and legal scrub session is slated to wrap up in Tokyo, meaning the release of the final text is still several weeks away, according to informed sources.
http://insidetrade.com/
A further David Fisher article on the Hager/Westpac information release is on the Herald’s website today, which is a good round-up of the overall situation re banks and others providing information to NZ Police. It is somewhat hidden on the site, and I had missed it earlier and only heard about it through another blog site.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11537431
a cynic would suggest they didnt really want the spotlight on this… untilt hey discovered i tmight affect their bottom line
” The simple act of transparency is likely to reduce the practice. That was TradeMe’s experience with its Transparency Report.”
Interestingly, once a company publishes the number of requests it receives (but no identifying names), Fisher suggests it reduces the number of attempts the police make….
And more information coming to light that it was foreign investors pushing our housing bubble:
There Idiot/Savant draws and almost correct conclusion:
A deregulated will also enable our own crime and corruption which is why the psychopaths like it so much.
Love the way the politicians denied it was foreign investors and some money laundering issue for so long in Auckland.
Now there are some basic ways to curb foreign investment in place to buy a property and people are going to be taxed if it is resold before 2 years – we don’t have the run away prices.
If they had bothered to do it 4 years ago, there wouldn’t be the mess!
In creepy news, researchers discover how to use Wifi to see what’s happening inside your house.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3292246/Forget-X-rays-walls-using-WI-FI-Device-captures-silhouettes-identify-people-stood-CONCRETE.html
Take it you haven’t watched the first series of Continuum then?
Admittedly, the idea there was to map the patterns of reflections of existing wifi and cellphone towers.
And it’s not as if they’ve discovered anything – RADAR has been around awhile. It’s just now that they’ve developed the technological capability needed to do it.
So, Lord Lloyd-Webber, what would Jesus do about tax credits cuts?
If there’s one thing he couldn’t stand, it was the poor whining on about being hungry.
by MARK STEEL, The Independent, 29 October 2015
George Osborne should be aware of his achievement, because he must be one of the first people to be warned he’s being too mean to the poor by a body made up of the aristocracy, people dressed in ermine and bishops.
This proves his leadership potential, similar to a burglar being so determined he’s told by his colleagues: “Hang on, George, leave them the Sugar Puffs. We can’t take everything off the poor sods.” But instead of taking credit, he’s humble enough to explain the main issue of this uneasiness about cutting the income of the poorest people, which is that it creates a “constitutional crisis”.
That’s the real pain that will be felt by the families who lose £1,300 a year. When children ask: “Why have we got to go without breakfast from now on, Mummy?” they’ll be told: “Because if we’re allowed to keep getting tax credits it would disturb an unspecified constitutional legislative protocol that may or may not have been established in 1910. Do you want to ruin that just for a boiled egg? Now remember, if you faint at school, chew on a finger.”
Some of us might wonder how you can spoil a constitution when there isn’t a constitution. He might as well say: “The House of Lords has drawn over the masterpiece I painted, and murdered my stegosaurus.” But the most important thing is he’s explained thoroughly that the cuts won’t make people poorer at all, although they will save £4.4bn.
To be fair, this is genius and if we all did it we would be much better off. To start with, we could call the electricity company and say: “I have to make essential savings, so from now on, I’ll only be paying half my bill. But don’t listen to anyone who suggests this will make you worse off, they’re all extremists.” Then you can get a trolley full of shopping from Sainsbury’s and insist you’re only giving them £2 as you have to make essential savings, but it’s fine because they’re not getting any less than if you gave them £70.
Because, as Osborne says about tax credits: “It’s ridiculous that we give with one hand and take it away with the other.” So it’s much more efficient if we dispense with the “giving” bit of that process – which, after all, is the expensive bit – and stick to the taking away, which makes everything much more manageable.
In any case, as the Government repeats about every issue, we all benefit from these savings because they create a strong economy which makes us all better off. So if you’re receiving tax credits, the most sensible thing to do is accept these cuts, then demand they take more off you, forcing you to place your floorboards on eBay and put a great aunt on the game, then you’ll be living the dream.
This is why so many lords and ladies selflessly gave up their time to vote with the Government. Lord Lloyd-Webber, for example, hasn’t bothered voting for two years, because nothing in the past two years has really mattered. But this week he flew in from New York and cast his vote, because cutting tax credits to the poorest people in work is the one issue where he had to make a stand. And he’s so dedicated I don’t suppose he even checked to see whether he qualifies for tax credits himself, because for him it’s all about the principle. …..
Read more…
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/so-lord-lloyd-webber-what-would-jesus-do-about-tax-credits-cuts-a6713916.html
Mark Reason: New Zealand “deserved” to have that sixteenth man in 2011
The Panel, Radio NZ National, Friday 30 October 2015, 4:50 p.m.
Horrible, braindead, unsporting rhetoric from Reason and Farrar. All their faux-patriotic, one-eyed bullshit fails to convince Gayford or Mulligan, however….
MARK REASON: [speaking slowly and carefully to show how serious he is] The appointment of the referee is very important. Think back to 2011: we all thanked the Lord that Craig Joubert didn’t penalize New Zealand once in that last twenty minutes. We DESERVED to have a hometown referee for our home final! ….
DAVID FARRAR: I don’t think anybody will care if the Australians are complaining after the match, AS LONG AS WE WIN! Ha ha ha ha!
CLARK GAYFORD: [dubious] Hmmmmmmm.
JESSE MULLIGAN: [deeply uncomfortable] Heh heh heh heh….
I will admit I never knew there was/is any dessent over the last final due to the fact that I don’t watch much sport “news” ,sport to me is entertainment pure and simple and as a ex rugby player that’s my chosen entertainment.
I’d put farrars comment down to a bit of pre game sledging .
What do you get if you take the AB’s out of wallabies??
Wallies!!:-)
What do you make of the 95 final??
It’s only a game of footy Morrissey a bit of light hearted banter is getting your knickers in a twist, chill as I have counselled you before, build a bridge re the 2011 rwc final, the result ain’t going to change
It’s only a game of footy [sic] Morrissey a bit of light hearted banter is getting your knickers in a twist,
First point: adults say “football”. Please don’t use puerile language.
Second point: I don’t see anything lighthearted about systematic cheating, a referee who colludes in that cheating, and commentators like Mark Reason who claim that “we” deserved to have a “hometown referee” for that farcical match.
the result ain’t going to change
Lance Armstrong still has those Tour de France titles to his name. But perception of the worth and validity of his victories has changed. It wasn’t immediately apparent that he’d cheated; it was and is immediately apparent that the All Blacks did in 2011. Our pyrhhic victory in 2011 was immediately condemned by the French players, and in France generally. That this country has maintained a Soviet-level official silence over the scandal doesn’t mean people don’t actually know what happened—as Reason’s words so clearly demonstrate.
I’d put farrars comment down to a bit of pre game sledging.
Fair comment.
What do you get if you take the AB’s out of wallabies?? Wallies!!:-)
http://static.commentcamarche.net/es.ccm.net/pictures/Ud6krzOUaQiVrbx4IWkuzUrMD8vWr4qbG1wMtmWKQ94r7Doi6fybXXnACJoLFtKR-lol.png
What do you make of the 95 final??
Epic match. I presume you are hinting at Laurie Mains’s muttering about “Suzy”. I wouldn’t trust Mains as far as I could kick him.
I suggest you take a look some time at the 1999 final, which was in many ways a grim foreshadowing of the 2011 final. The commentators for Television New Zealand’s live coverage—Keith Quinn, John McBeth and Wayne Graham—were all clearly disturbed by the performance of another South African referee, Andre Watson.
I’ll post more on that débâcle some time in the future.
You’re very willing to condemn kiwis yet you seem to not think it possible that the fledgling rainbow nation wouldn’t see winning the world cup by any means as plausible. Why so down on nz?
You’re very willing to condemn kiwis
I don’t condemn “Kiwis”. Most of my analysis concerns the performance or non-performance of South African referees in 1999 and 2011. I’ve acknowledged that while the All Blacks, led by McCaw, cheated flagrantly in 2011, so would have any team that was granted such carte blanche immunity by a “referee”. Read my posts again.
yet you seem to not think it possible that the fledgling rainbow nation wouldn’t see winning the world cup by any means as plausible.
Maybe it happened. I don’t trust South Africa any more than any other country. But there’s never been anything more than allegations about “Suzy”. I wouldn’t trust anything Mains said or says on that matter or any other.
Why so down on nz?
Once again: look at my posts carefully. My criticisms are mainly of the referees, both of them South African. The beneficiaries of Andre “The Warbler” Watson’s extraordinary 1999 RWC final performance—a chilling preview in many ways of what happened 16 years later—were not the All Blacks but the Wallabies.