Susan St John: Child poverty measures short-change families
‘A shameful disparity between the treatment of children in families who can work enough paid hours, and those children whose families cannot, means in practice New Zealand has two classes of low-income children. The “in work” worthy can be supported to the full extent of the social security legislation, and the children of the unworthy, the outcasts: beneficiaries, disproportionately the disabled, Maori or Pasifika, many with chronic illness, are consigned to remain in poverty.
The parents of the “undeserving children” may struggle in a casualised labour market, on low wages or with redundancies, or in the aftermath of disasters. Irrespective of the cause of low income, regardless of circumstance, all children could and should be afforded the same tax-funded child payments to ensure an adequate standard of living.’
A quick perusal of the Charities Register confirms my theory that real advocacy is better done without the fetters of government funding.
CPAG has somehow managed to keep the issue of child poverty in New Zealand at the forefront in the media…despite receiving NOTHING from the the government in the way of funding.
People DONATE, and members VOLUNTEER. Shit gets DONE.
Hi Lara. Thanks for your comments on the John Key/White Ribbon ambassador post by Kerero Pono yesterday. It was good to get a different view of the functioning of White Ribbon – the link about the “anti feminist” WR ambassador in Oz was an eye opener. What you have said has made me think differently about them.
I’m still keeping an open mind and still have an expectation about them dropping Key – they absolutely must – but your words made sense and altered how I perceive White Ribbon.
“As part of her effort to run the Red Cross more like a business, McGovern recruited more than 10 former AT&T executives to top positions. The move stirred resentment inside the organization, with some longtime Red Cross hands referring to the charity as the “AT&T retirement program.’’
McGovern laid out a vision to increase revenue through “consolidated, powerful, breathtaking marketing.”
“This is a brand to die for,” she often said.
Her team unveiled a five-year blueprint in 2011 that called for expanding the charity’s revenue from $3 billion to $4 billion. In fact, Red Cross receipts have dropped since then and fell below their 2011 level last year.”
Glad y’all like that. It may be the only original thought I’ve ever had. It was sparked a few years ago by reading a flurry of articles showing high executive pay and poor company performance were well correlated. And I suspect that’s probably true for charities as well.
I think it holds true for CEO’s of gummint partmints too.
Many years ago, we used to worry about a thing called the Peter Principle.
Now we seem to worship incompetence.
Actually, I think it holds true for Munsters of the Crown. The only thing that props them up (their invisible means of support) seems to be our MSM (who’re rules along the same lines)
Stevie Ray Joyce, Pulla Bent, Soimun ‘Learnings’ Brudgizz, N. Tolley, etc.
The underappreciated bit about the Peter Principle is that you could be confident that, once upon a time, your boss actually was good at something useful.
Margrit Kennedy has done a fair amount of work with Bernard Lietar, who specialises (decades) in the field of money and how it works.
This ebook from Ms Kennedy outlines an interest free demurrage system.
The cool thing about demurrage is it reintroduces the incentive to loan, keeps the money supply stable and ensures existing money flows faster. The historic example of Worgl in Austria (it’s in the ebook) shows how well it can work.
I like the idea of demur-rage and believe it will come in to effect some time in the future. I just think that 0% interest loans need to come in first.
I want to address this bit in the introduction of the book:
For example, if you live in a village which relies entirely on barter, and you produce works of art but there is nobody to exchange your artwork with except the undertaker, you will soon have to change your occupation or leave.
This is a fundamental misunderstanding of how societies work.
A society that doesn’t use money would support the artist because they appreciate the art that they get to see. They may even go so far as to build art galleries to display it along with other artworks where everyone can go and view it as they choose.
It’s of note that David Graeber in his Debt: The first 5000 years notes that no bartering economy, as postulated by the economists, has ever been found.
I should also point out that I’m working to stop people loaning out money as it results in all the money going to people who are already rich – exactly as that book points out.
What an amazing level of cognitive dissonance expressed by the author of this article. They truly think that the recent election result in Venezuela has not fundamentally changed the game in that country.
The complete failure of socialism steering Pauly in the face , the answer move on nothing to see here. How many real world case studies do you need Pauly , capitalism has it failures nothing howerver to the scale of socialism, as Churchill rightly assessed capitalism is not perfect but it sure beats anything else
Capitalism only succeeds because of socialism. Without socialism capitalism would revert to its natural state – feudalism.
And ATM capitalism is bringing about the 6thextinctionevent. Wiping out life on Earth can in no way be considered successful.
A vast chunk of space rock crashes into the Yucatan Peninsula, darkening the sky with debris and condemning three-quarters of Earth’s species to extinction. A convergence of continents disrupts the circulation of the oceans, rendering them stagnant and toxic to everything that lives there. Vast volcanic plateaus erupt, filling the air with poisonous gas. Glaciers subsume the land and lock up the oceans in acres of ice.
Five times in the past, the Earth has been struck by these kinds of cataclysmic events, ones so severe and swift (in geological terms) they obliterated most kinds of living things before they ever had a chance to adapt.
Now, scientists say, the Earth is on the brink of a sixth such “mass extinction event.” Only this time, the culprit isn’t a massive asteroid impact or volcanic explosions or the inexorable drifting of continents. It’s us.
“Capitalism only succeeds because of socialism. Without socialism capitalism would revert to its natural state – feudalism.”
Mmmmm, I must remember that (You bastard!). It’s actually very profound and exemplifies what’s gone wrong today (i.e. we’re on the ‘neo-feudal’ route).
What’s your view: Do you think capitalism always leads to ‘crony-capitalism’? ( which is what we have, and what the likes of most trolls on here are pushing, as tho’ it was some sort of new religion. )
It wasn’t that long ago (around the time of Roger and Ruth) that they were espousing the idea of competition being the be-all and end-all – you know….many players competing is beneficial to ‘the consumer’ – even in things like health and edge-a-kayshun. Now of course (aided and abetted by an utterly knobbled Commerce Commission), the tendency towards monopoly/duopoly positions is seen by the capitalists (read 1%ers and those that aspire to the 1% – such as Gosman and ilk) is somehow capitalism at work and is seen as Norman Normal.
Really … they’re so full of shit private enterprise could make a killing off a sewage farm.
What’s your view: Do you think capitalism always leads to ‘crony-capitalism’?
Yes as competition is detrimental to everyone competing whereas cooperating is beneficial to everyone cooperating. So, the capitalists cooperate to screw over the rest of us while encouraging the rest of us to compete with each other. The latter is done through government policies of high unemployment and cutting out the welfare state while lambasting us with the idea that having ‘choice’ is all that matters while hiding the fact that you don’t have a choice in who you’re actually buying from.
I think you’re probably right (correct) @ Monsieur le Bastard.
I note you use the word ‘cooperating’.
(Foreign concept to most of the trolls that come in here from time to time and according to the roster – some even claiming ‘Christian values FFS – we have anew one, if you hadn’t noticed)
And I agree with you about their justifying their position with the idea of ‘choice’ being all important – problem being that they can’t then explain the tendency towards monopoly/duopoly structures that are inevitable. (Well, actually they can offer a few weasle words)
…… but then you’re just a ‘hard left’, kinsprissy-oriented, othered, fuckwit probably. You deserve to be locked up! :p
Good craic Draco and OWT. And, OWT, keep up the kooky way of speaking. I very much enjoy reading your comments. They are often lively, and always insightful.
Because Venezuela represents the sort of ideas and policies that a large number if leftists here wish to pursue. The idea that society can somehow control markets and that you can legislate wealth and prosperity for all. If you read those more radical left wing proposals I doubt there would be many that a lot of people here would disagree with. However it us those same policies that are causing the problems the country is facing.
I want something more like the New Zealand I grew up in – which worked and was humane. Venezuela is just a whipping boy for far-right trolls – you know nothing significant about it and care even less – you just think it supports your prejudices.
The failures of socialist societies, like those of capitalist societies, are complex and not generalisable without an indepth knowledge of the context of each. Israeli kibbutzim fail for different reasons than Stalinism. Bill English’s economic failures only partially resemble Cameron’s – Cameron didn’t bet the farm on a dairy bubble.
“I want something more like the New Zealand I grew up in – which worked and was humane”
From the things you put in other posts that sounds rather as if you grew up when Keith Holyoake was PM.
Life was a bit boring but certainly quite comfortable under a four term National Government.
On that basis John Key is going to come closest to providing those times again. Doesn’t that cheer you up?
socialism as a theory has failed, a nice fuzzy and warm theory that makes you fell good, however as it has been proven time and time again it fail in practice to achieve its desired or predicted outcomes, It is thus a flawed theory and ideology and should be dispensed with. Interesting however as you demonstrate as with other flawed theories its proponents tend to hold on to them no matter what, flat earth society etc
You look back at nz with rose tinted glasses, nz at the time as a command / mixed economy is another clear example of failed socialism, nz during the 50 60 70s was pretty bleak re choice and economic freedom, likewise opportunity. We funded our way of living by selling sheep and wool to Britain , once this door was closed we where pretty rooted, we kept it going by borrowing and paying farmers to produce lambs at a guaranteed price (Supplementary minimum prices) even though the price we sold product for to world markets was less.We Kept every one employed by running a bloated non productive state sector, e.g 40000 people working for kiwi rail, trucks not going more than 100 miles to maintain a state monopoly etc. We borrowed haevily to keep our so called utopia going. Eventually the world worked out what we where doing was not sustainable, hence the tap was turned off, normally how most socialist economies fail, they run out of other people’s money. Muldoon tried to keep the party going with price freezes, currency controls, think big ( all good socialist stuff) but eventually reality caught up and thank god for the 1984 labour government
The world has problems but contrary to Draco and Paul I believe capitalism ( with better regulation where required) and human innovation released by free markets has a far better chance of solving these problems than a ideology that simply fails time after time
Socialism preceded capitalism and continues to work and flourish even within the most dysfunctional capitalist societies. Public libraries, hospitals, post offices, police all reflect a communitarian approach which is successful, a necessary balancing influence. A healthy society runs mixed economies – both social and commercial.
But you are an extremist as well as a fool – you seem to think that society, like Thatcher, doesn’t exist. and that it can and should be eliminated, more fool you. You have lost the plot – as has National. Political parties don’t get to eliminate society unless they become despotic, and a despotic party has no right to exist in a democracy. You are traitors, every one of you.
Yes, National were truly lousy economic managers back in Holyoake’s day, and that hasn’t changed at all. But you have drifted a long, long, way right since then, without even learning the most basic things about how to run an economy. And now you have no redeeming social virtues to recommend you.
Run along and play on kiwiblog with the rest of the parasites – and dream of an economy financed by selling Auckland houses to one another indefinitely.
NZ has an abundance of natural resources, but none are as vast as the stupidity of National supporters.
No one is saying government should not provide public goods, I am simply saying they have no part in prouctive sector, as is well demonstrated with the bulk of econonic activity now produced by the private sector and corporates globally, replacing the state over the last 50 years. the facts are the facts, capitalism has trumped socialism wether you like it or not, even so called Marxist states are going the same way
Paul when some one starts a response with you ignorant turd (which tends to say more about the sender than the receiver) can you please advise how I should respond, I can’t use your tried and true method any more, I thought I was been polite in simply highlighting Stuart may have some anger issues , I also note nor you or Stuart really countered anything I said. I guess it’s hard when you are trying to deny facts with a washed up idealogy and some mythical past where Santa existed all year round or the favourite default response “troll”
States and commercial providers are both perfectly capable of providing public goods if scrupulously monitored & regulated.
Equally, both are capable of screwing up by the numbers if left to themselves or small interest groups.
Take Auckland housing. Could’ve been fixed by a state housing program. Could’ve been fixed by a well designed PPP model. Hasn’t been fixed by the clusterfuck Key kleptocracy.
As you say, facts are facts, and $105 billion worth of debt proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this so-called government doesn’t have a clue.
Why you should think I, or anyone else on here is especially attached to Marxism I do not know – I guess your education never got much beyond Muldoon’s Reds under the Beds ad campaign. But just to put the record straight, extremes of capitalism, as practised post Reagan Thatcher etc, consistently underperform the mixed model that preceded it.
Stop lying to yourself and for gods sake learn a smattering of economics you ignorant sack of shit.
No it couldn’t as there’s no such thing as a good PPP model. Or, to put it another way, no commercial enterprise will sign up to a PPP model that actually does what’s needed for the right price as they’re be little or no profit in it.
Virtually all ppps in the UK, Oz, and here are out and out rorts. In Korea however (where I spent most of the last decade) companies exist at the sufferance of the state and the worst ones will be broken up and their principals jailed if they play too fast and loose. My understanding is that not all Korean law is codified so that egregious wrongdoing gets you in trouble even if legislators did not anticipate it. Apart from the party linked companies, some of whose directors go to jail with every change of government, the larger companies negotiate with the state to avoid unpleasantness and for the most part actually perform as required. Serco is kind of the opposite of this. If Serco were in Korea the directors would not find prison radio gags especially entertaining, but of course they would not be able to listen to them, being behind bars.
My understanding is that not all Korean law is codified so that egregious wrongdoing gets you in trouble even if legislators did not anticipate it.
Recalls to mind the MPs manual that John Key dismissed with the wave of his hand and the pronunciation that it was just a set of guidelines rather than law when he broke those guidelines in an immoral manner and declared it legal.
Basically, what I’m getting at here is that people look for ways, that are often immoral, to do things that aren’t covered by law that will net them a quick profit. Despite them knowing that doing it that way is immoral they’ll do it any way as it benefits them and they just don’t care who’s harmed. The actions of this guy spring to mind.
We need laws and, IMO, we need a general set of principles that the law is set upon that will catch immoral behaviour even if there isn’t a law covering a specific action. I believe that we’ve gone too far in specificity in our laws.
I am simply saying they have no part in prouctive sector, as is well demonstrated with the bulk of econonic activity now produced by the private sector and corporates globally, replacing the state over the last 50 years
No mention of the private frameworks which skewed the odds in their favour. Global rape of human & environmental resource exploitation
Finance and legal would be the two frameworks you’re either ignoring, or are ignorant of
“Eventually the world worked out what we where doing was not sustainable, hence the tap was turned off, normally how most socialist economies fail, they run out of other people’s money.”
The number of times I have heard similiar shit about socialist are good at spending others money.
Please enlighten us how does that equate to the Double Dipping Dickhead from Dipton borrowing now over a 100 billion dollars just to waste on the likes of tax cuts for the rich and social welfare for the likes of Warners, Jackson Reo Tinto and money wasting stupid flag referendum. as I never classed that prat as a socialist
If the US could cause such economic dislocation as occurring in Venezuela right now then it should make people think twice before alienating them. Of course the problems faced by Venezuela are homegrown not caused by the US. However that won’t stop leftists like you trying to shift the blame.
The US is not responsible for the oil price: I’m not surprised that you’d suggest such a thing and you’re a fool if you think that’s what I’m referring to.
You cannot possibly know that Venezuela’s problems are 100% homegrown, because the aforementioned US foreign policy exists and has been implemented. Who knows where Venezuela would be without it?
Oh yes, the Venezuelan Government lost around $36 billion in export revenue in a year because somehow Venezuela has the power to set the world oil price… Damn that left wing government. A right wing dictatorship would of course still be riding high..
You seem to have a preoccupation with Venuzuela. It serves your cause of course – in this case taking an example where something has turned to shit, and trying to use it as an example of how those who disagree with that ‘centre-right-sensible’ ideology are stupid.
It’s a bit like taking a small minority of feral beneficiaries and using it as a weapon to bash all (they’re SO not like you). Classic CT, classic Nact, classic MSM.
What is with the preoccupation with Venuzuela by the way? Does it stem from when Key & Co (those bizniss ‘leaders’) visited Sth America and left with most Sth Americans seeing Him as a complete dolt? (Snubbing the funeral et al). What’s come of hopes of a ‘free trade agreement’ btw? About the only thing I can see is Air NZ Sth American route additions – and that’s on their own initiative.
(Shudda cudda wudda treated Brazilian students a bit better)
Hey Gosman How’s the economy going in that right wing cot case called the Ukraine.?
Oh I forgot things are looking up as the IMF have told them to forget about paying the money they owe to Russia. Pity the IMF does not apply the same rules to Greece.
By doing so, it announced its new policy: “We only enforce debts owed in US dollars to US allies.” This means that what was simmering as a Cold War against Russia has now turned into a full-blown division of the world into the Dollar Bloc (with its satellite Euro and other pro-U.S. currencies) and the BRICS or other countries not in the U.S. financial and military orbit.
What should Russia do? For that matter, what should China and other BRICS countries do? The IMF and U.S. neocons have sent the world a message: you don’t have to honor debts to countries outside of the dollar area and its satellites.
Why then should these non-dollarized countries remain in the IMF – or the World Bank, for that matter. The IMF move effectively splits the global system in half,between the BRICS and the US-European neoliberalized financial system.
Should Russia withdraw from the IMF? Should other countries?
My bold.
The present global system is designed to keep the US pre-eminent but it can’t as change happens.
The socialism (health, education, jobs etc) of the last Venezuelan government was very good for the poor. Unfortunately many took their new middle class wealth and security for granted and started believing the lies of capitalism. They went to the polls to vote out those who had rescued them. Much the same as the new middle classes in New Zealand drove from their new state houses to the polling booths in 1949 in their new cars to vote out the first Labour Government which had done so much for them.
“Welcome to the “1099 economy”: The only things being shared are the scraps our corporations leave behind
In the aftermath of the economic collapse in 2008, a significant factor in the decline of the quality of jobs in the United States, as well as in Europe has been employers’ increasing reliance on “non-regular” workers — a growing army of freelancers, temps, contractors, part-timers, day laborers, micro-entrepreneurs, gig-preneurs, solo-preneurs, contingent labor, perma-lancers and perma-temps. It’s practically a new taxonomy for a workforce that has become segmented into a dizzying assortment of labor categories. Even many full-time, professional jobs and occupations are experiencing this precarious shift.
This practice has given rise to the term “1099 economy,” since these employees don’t file W-2 income tax forms like any regular, permanent employee; instead, they receive the 1099-MISC form for an IRS classification known as “independent contractor.” The advantage for a business of using 1099 workers over W-2 wage-earners is obvious: an employer usually can lower its labor costs dramatically, often by 30 percent or more, since it is not responsible for a 1099 worker’s health benefits, retirement, unemployment or injured workers compensation, lunch breaks, overtime, disability, paid sick, holiday or vacation leave and more. In addition, contract workers are paid only for the specific number of hours they spend providing labor, or completing a specific job, which increasingly are being reduced to shorter and shorter “micro-gigs.”
Exactly as has been happening in NZ starting back in the 1990s with the Employment Contracts Act. All the expenses shifted on to the workers while the bosses get all the benefits. The workers have been getting shafted as the amount that the bosses pay the workers isn’t enough to buy and maintain the tools that the workers need, any holiday or sick pay or pretty much anything at all. ACC then make it harder by making it almost impossible for the contractors to get it despite the fact that they’ve been paying both the employer and employee parts of the ACC levy.
New Zealand farming practice responsible for the massive Indonesian fires.
This is another consequence of our do nothing climate polices.
‘Palm kernel imports jump
Palm kernel imports picked up sharply last month
Imports of the controversial livestock feed supplement, which is used extensively in the dairy industry, came to 222,413 tonnes last month, up from 138,763 tonnes in October and 178,381 tonnes in November last year, according to Statistics NZ data.
Palm kernel became popular in 2007 when a drought sent North Island farmers looking for new feed sources.
Imports of palm kernel, a byproduct of the palm oil industry, went from 96,000 tonnes in 2003 to a record 2 million tonnes last year.’
Intensive dairy farming is increasingly looking like an industry that is not compatible with the sensible management of our planet and our country.
Destroying our rivers
Responsible for the destruction of pristine Indonesian rainforest
Animal cruelty, as exposed by SAFE and Farmwatch
Dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods in our modern diet, second only to gluten.
And it looks lie our government, rather than deal with its poor environmental record, engages in climate fraud.
‘Dealing with criminals in climate fraud
The Government’s plan for meeting our Kyoto Protocol commitment and 2020 emissions reduction target was released this month.
It reveals a shocking truth: New Zealand has been a willing participant in a wholesale climate fraud.
We’ve been dealing with criminals and fraudsters in order to meet our international obligations. If our reputation wasn’t shot to pieces after Paris – where we revealed our weak kneed 2030 target – it will be now.’
This kind of monkey business is why I think a straight up fossil carbon (and other greenhouse gas) tax is by far the best “market mechanism” to reduce emissions. Any kind of cap-and-trade system will inevitably be open to these sorts of frauds.
I don’t see the opportunity to line the bastards up against a wall coming anytime soon. Not even if Sanders becomes Prez and Corbyn becomes PM. Do you? And to be honest, the way revolutions played out in the past, I’d be worried about being lined up with the rest of them, being educated and well-off and all that.
So the tools of the system we’ve got now are pretty much the only tools we’ve got to play with.
If it comes to “lining the bastards up”, you can be pretty certain that anyone who fights for democracy will be the next against the wall. (Maybe third, after the academics, poets and musicians have been purged).
Governments, particularly revolutionary ones, can and often do far worse to their people than the rampant corruption, incompetence and theft that we currently labour under.
Yep, laws against corruption with Proceeds of Crime acts that are fully enforced are a much better idea. Gets rid of the capitalists on one hand while also returning the wealth to the nation.
While your generalisation is pretty sound, Frank Bainimarama managed to supplant a government without a very high butcher’s bill. It could be done here too – we are not some eastern European badlands with a tradition of mass murder going back to Attila.
Personally I think enthusiastic prosecution of public asset frauds would suffice, though of course it would see 90% of the incumbents doing porridge, so they will try to suppress investigations of things like CERA.
Are you suggesting that for real change to happen we must have a violent revolution? That is the bit I disagree with if I understand you correctly (please do point out if I’ve interpreted this wrongly).
Non voilent revolution is actually more effective. See this TED talk by Erica Chenoweth.
And I don’t think we even need a revolution to achieve real change. With an MMP system if we get enough people voting for parties that represent real change (which IMO would be Greens and Mana) then we may well get it. Peacefully and democratically.
IMO it is money; how it is structured, how it works, and who creates it most specifically that is the key to real change. If we change how our money works then we change our society.
Money has a big influence on our behaviour. Because we need money to survive; most of us can’t provide our shelter and food necessities without access to some money, and so to obtain money which buys us necessities of life we will do many things which we would rather not do. It drives much of our behaviour at an individual level and at a society wide level.
Change how money is structured and you change our behaviour at an individual level and at a society wide level.
If a new government was elected which had the balls to change our monetary system then we’d have the foundation of real change in NZ.
But that’s the problem. Most MPs don’t understand how our current monetary system works, nor how important it is, nor that there are alternatives. And they lack the balls to change it even if they did understand.
Because there are powerful interests that don’t want change.
Good luck with doing it that way. I’ll be cheering for you, no sarcasm, but I really doubt you’ll get any traction beyond “margin-of-error-in-the-polls”. And in the meantime I’ll put my efforts towards things that look to me like they have a chance of actually making improvements.
Ok, poor choice of words on my part about bastards and walls. Lesson learned, anything I say can and will be wilfully misinterpreted and used against me. Avoid hyperbole.
I advocated a simple carbon tax. Coz I want to see positive changes actually happen. A carbon tax is the kind of tool that is well known and easily adjusted to drive changes in behaviour.
I don’t want to just dream about the way things should be, though I do plenty of that too. And the kind of fundamental, radical societal changes on the scale you’re talking about has either taken generations or violent revolutions to come about. When it comes to climate change, we don’t have generations of time to play with, nor do I want to see violent revolution (although I’m very afraid it’s coming anyway). So it’s a case of getting the best results we can with the tools we have now.
The Lange-Douglas government is about the only example I can think of where that kind of radical change actually did happen non-violently. Although, metaphorically, it actually was pretty violent. While a lot of those changes were needed, a lot of the rest were not needed, and have turned out pretty negative for the vulnerable parts of our society. So looking back on how things have played out over the last 25 years I would rather the changes had been introduced incrementally.
One final general thought – when large holes get ripped into any complex system, say a natural ecosystem or a societal structure, it’s the quick opportunists that tend to fill the holes. Weeds. Fast buck artists. And once they get established they are pretty difficult to dislodge. So to my mind, the kind of change in the structure of money that Draco talks about, and it seems to me that you’re looking for, that’s a disruption bigger than Lange-Douglas and will invite all kinds of unintended consequences. Whereas things like a carbon tax or UBI are just an incremental change from what we have now and can be easily adjusted to get the desired effect.
@Andre
Am of a similar mind though probably less confident….revolutionary without the guillotine,using your example of Lange/Douglas but to the power of 10….and thats why the bulk of it will need to be government led (driven) although not this government obviously. A groundswell (bottom up if you prefer) is needed to establish that administration but the changes needed will need to be enforced, transitioned, supported in many instances….the alternative is anarchy (revolution) and as history has taught, while quick to tear down revolutions are slow to rebuild….and time hasn’t been on our side for a while .
Andre, there was no “wilful” in my misinterpretation. I made it very clear that it was my interpretation and I can only interpret what you wrote. I also asked to be corrected if I had gotten it wrong.
I agree with you that a carbon tax is a possible solution.
I am pointing out that carbon trading is unlikely to work. So far that is true.
And I am pointing out that it is the structure of our monetary system (which discounts the future) that is the root problem. And that I don’t think we need a revolution to change it.
So we actually agree, I’m just trying to take it one step further.
You are so right there, we visited a lake where many many many years ago we used to go sailing. This would be over 30 years ago. the kids used to swim and play in the lake. I was utterly disgusted this lake is now has a reddish colour about it and warning notices about unsafe to expose your skin to the water as it has a toxic algae in the lake. Shit the number of times I got wet in this lake I doubt if I would have survived the day in today’s conditions.
No one was sailing on this lake the day we were there. but I give it the benefit of the doubt as it was the holiday season, but I suspect the opposite, people are now wary of the condition this lake is in.
Lovely HUGE herds of cows in the neighborhood though. no doubt being fed that Palm kernel crap.
The cynic in me thinks that Fonterra is using this as both a PR and pre-emptive action. There are many in NZ that think our dairy cows are fully pasture or hay fed, it comes as a surprise to find out this is not the case.
As more look local, the transparency of supply chains for food become easier to collate and view.
However, without giving farmers direction on how to achieve profitability on their overstocked, climate-change prone farms, this directive is of little use to farmers.
Brings to mind my partner’s work in heavy industry where workers are told to “work safe” and then also told that production needs to increase to a certain level, and they have to find a way to make it happen. Often the responsibility for ensuring work safe practices belongs with the workers themselves, but few have the personality type or assurance that allows them to challenge conflicting messages from upper management.
Our complacency in damaging other countries environments while simultaneously damaging our own in our pursuit of white gold, does us no credit. And it seems to enrich very few in return – Amy Adams notwithstanding.
You are right to be cynical.
The article in the Herald looks like a PR exercise for Fonterra.
There are at least 4 specific mentions of how well Fonterra are doing.
The link to the WWF is revealing though, as this is one of the dodgiest charities around.
“However, without giving farmers direction on how to achieve profitability on their overstocked, climate-change prone farms, this directive is of little use to farmers.”
Completely agree Molly. If Fonterra gave a shit in real life they’d be supporting organics and sustainably production. It’s all going to be spin that works for the profit of the few and the expense of others.
The only way that less will be used by NZ farmers is if the government bans food importation for animal feed. This would mean that the animals raised in NZ will have to be done so sustainably on NZ’s resources.
This government won’t do it and I’m pretty sure that a Labour led one won’t either and for the same reason – free-market trade.
Good call. Red Delusion is obviously from the Youth Wing of the trolls – either that or it hasn’t the capacity to learn, think critically, or experience (going forward).
I ‘spose even the ‘hard-right’ are trying to scrape up enough specimens these days to comment, attempt diversions, pepper a few comments with semi-intelligent utterings – what’s the fucking point I sometimes think. CT can’t be ‘across’ everything even tho’ I see one is about to get a Cameron knighthood.
I wonder who does their roster.
It’d be nice if they understood some basic methmetuks – the natives will eventually (and are) getting restless – even tho’ the cynicism with politics and an alternative that’s still desperately trying to feed from the trough in order to preserve their comfort.
(Did someone say James Shaw and Andrew Little ???? SURELY not!!!!)
Palm kernel tend to agree not good, not sure of solution barring Indonesia sorting it out and or nz regulation ( re dairy intensification) or consumers rising up
Ukrain, complicated, no easy answer
El Salvador, not across it
capitalism destroying planet, disagree, I agree human activity and population growth is detrimental to planet, capitalism, well not so much capitalism but free markets with corporates of multiple forms of ownership are more likely to find answers though releasing innovation than innovation stifling state based socialism, wastage and poor regulation
“capitalism destroying planet, disagree, I agree human activity and population growth is detrimental to planet, capitalism, well not so much capitalism but free markets with corporates of multiple forms of ownership are more likely to find answers though releasing innovation than innovation stifling state based socialism, wastage and poor regulation”
what is capitalism if not free markets with corporates of multiple forms (and in the absence of regulation, lassiez faire) pray tell?
The fact that palm kernel is a buy product makes me think you’re being at best mischievous blaming Indonesian forest fires on kiwi farmers.
Any products on your shopping list with vegetable/palm oil in them by chance.
Exactly. Palm kernel is a by-product of the palm oil business. NZ dairy farmers are no more “responsible” for forest fires in Indonesia than are the people promoting the replacement of animal fats with vegetable ones.
Before anyone starts: the stupidity of intensifying dairy production to the point where we need to import animal feed (not that dairy cows ought to be eating this stuff) is a separate issue.
I know that’s the theory (and it’s certainly the industry and Fonterra’s PR), but is there evidence that stopping all palm kernal exports would not affect the economics of what is happening in Malayasia/Indonesia and that the kernal would be dumped?
Let’s think this through. Selling PKE increases the profitability of growing palm oil. So maybe the least profitable forest clearance to palm plantation projects might not go ahead without the PKE sales. Kind of like fewer dairy conversions happen when the milk payout is low. So there’s at least a tenuous link between kiwi farmers buying PKE and forest fires in Indonesia.
Whom do folks think should be responsible for ensuring that New Zealand Councils, are held accountable to the ‘Rule of Law’ regarding citizens and ratepayers LAWFUL rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ local government?
I wonder how this will impact on our future, whether planetary or individual:
“Google claims the D-Wave 2X is 100 million times as fast as any of today’s machines. As a result, this quantum computer could theoretically complete calculations within seconds to a problem that might take a digital computer 10,000 years to calculate. That’s particularly important, given the difficult tasks that today’s computers are called upon to complete and the staggering amount of data they are called upon to process.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11567032
2015 Smashes Global Temperature Records
“According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), by mid-December, 25,242 high-temperature records had been set across the country for just the last year.
“Given that 2015 easily remains on track to become the hottest year ever recorded for the globe, record-high temperatures continue to be recorded across the planet.
“In the Arctic, the latest NOAA data shows that temperatures there in 2015 were up to 3 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, and that the warmth had caused so much melting of the sea ice that 70 percent of the ice pack was made up of first-year ice. These temperatures are the highest ever recorded there, and the minimum ice cover for this year was the fourth-smallest ever recorded.” (emph added) http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34090-gop-candidates-receive-failing-grades-on-climate-as-2015-smashes-global-temperature-records
Predictions for 2016.
1. Opinion polls for 2016 will all (RoyMorgan excluded) have National support greater than Labour+ Greens.
2. Greens will cuddle closer to National
3. At least two national MP’s will leave parliament.
4. There will be a by election.
5. Moves will be made to deselect certain longstanding Labour MP’s
6. There will be a Cabinet reshuffle and some talented MP’s elected in 2014 will be promoted.
7. An MP will die.
8. [RL: Deleted] will be rampant on the Standard.
9. Celtic will qualify for the Champions League
10. Tourism revenues for NZ will exceed dairy earnings again
[RL: Take a week off for repeating boring derivative crap when warned yesterday not to.]
1. the right will continue to lie about the Green Party as cosying up to National in an attempt to lessen the GP vote.
2. trolls will troll the standard, but increasingly find it harder to do anything other rely on the CT spin memos, because we’re now in the year of ‘everyone knows Key and National are corrupt so let’s stop pretending’.
3. real conservatives will speak out more about the problems with National, simply from embarrassment.
4. NZ will have several severe weather events that scream climate change (one of which will be flooding in Dunedin).
5. 2016 will see a quantum increase in awareness of the seriousness of climate change.
6. The Standard will go from strength to strength, including gaining new authors to help spread the load.
7. Moves will be made to deselect certain longstanding Labour MP’s (we can hope anyway).
8. a certain website (no not that one, the other one) will implode from too much beige exposure from trying to sue PG.
9. Andrew Little will continue steady as she goes with Labour, which will both build good standing for the 2017 election and frustrate/disappoint leftist lefties.
10. Key will make at least 3 rape culture political gaffs because despite some pretty pricey PR and advice he just can’t help himself.
If anyone comments on Mike Sabin on the Standard in 2016 will you include that in your no.8? Seven of the predictions are about politicians but none about him.
The public sector deficit – the difference between what the government spends and what it receives in revenues – rose to $5.1bn usd
[RL: Some of your comments are going into moderation because your user name is appearing with extra characters at the end. I’d check to see your user name is being entered properly. Cheers.]
The claim that economic inequality is justified based on the differential value of people’s contributions to society is no less ideological. It is not an objective weighing on Platonic scales that leads us to think that a doctor should earn more than a mechanic, or that a hedge fund manager should earn more than a teacher. If we accept such inequalities, it is because our thinking about what constitutes a valuable contribution has been shaped by the impression management of occupational groups and by a capitalist culture that would have us equate social value with money-making prowess. The conflation of money with value performs another ideological trick: it implies that wealth is the best indicator of the deservingness of wealth.
This is, of course, the main problem with today’s socio-economic system.
There is still no escaping first principles. My brief for equality rests on asserting the values of democracy, self-realization, empathy, dignity, and mutuality. Other people might reject these values. To this I offer a consequentialist rejoinder: only a society built on values consistent with equality will allow everyone to enjoy what the vast majority of human beings have sought from life throughout history. No society organized to enrich a ruling few at the expense of the many can produce such a result.
I note that the emphasis is on economic equality and almost the whole piece is set within an economic framework. The starting point or primary argument is that we are all equal and should therefore get an equal portion/part of the available (including man-made, I assume) but not necessarily unlimited resources and services: ”meaning that, yes, everyone should get pretty much the same”.
Side-stepping that all people are not equal, not in terms of needs or wants, not in terms of ability ”to join effectively in community decision making”, and not in utilising their capacities to the fullest (assuming they have equal capacities in the first place), this piece seems to advocate almost (?) absolute equality and to reject anything less as inferior!?
That said, striving for equality, for equal rights, is an almost Utopian ideal that I personally strongly subscribe to. The question remains, though, how to get closer to this ideal. To incentivise the people through materialism is out, by definition. To forcibly make people to treat one and another as equals also is an oxymoron. So, this only leaves the moral or ideological ‘reasoning’ as the way to achieve itself! I may have knotted myself into a circular argument here [bad metaphor, I know] and butchered the writing by Kolakowski on a different topic.
In any case, I don’t see an easy way (!) forward out of the neo-liberal quagmire unless we all get suddenly infected by a mind-altering virus that radically changes our thinking and attitudes. Unlikely.
And what replaces it Draco that will work better without massive unintended consequences and result in the efficient allocation of resources ( including human capital) , correct price discovery etc
Reading the Press today,I almost choked on my weetbix. One of the most avid supporters of our beloved leader giving him and his government one right in the groin with a number 10 toe cap.
Here was the Press holding the Prime Minister, Government ministers and the Health Ministry up for a dose of good old fashioned ridicule over their treatment of mentally ill people in Canterbury.
I am still in shock at the ferocity of the attack
yes but only 1000 of 12000 were moved enough to return their vote, so approx 800 of 12000 (or roughly 7%) actively support what National are doing…looked at in those terms pretty low level support…..my experience of most farmers in recent times is they are unimpressed with National but that in no way equates for support of Labour or the Greens, there may be some support for Winston but to vote left goes against genetic programing
They probably know they can be scathing because everyone is on holiday mode and the public just aren’t going to care (more so than normal). And you’ve got to feign criticality on your masters just to pretend to everyone you can still do a proper job.
David Farrar was also on the news tonight, being “critical” of the goverment rushing through legislation. Won’t see him on there again for at least another 6 months.
That’s grim reading. Not that it’s news to anyone that has been paying attention to what’s happened to Chch, which is why this is shame on NZ as a whole. It’s going on in our front yard.
As years of weariness, stress and anxiety continue taking a toll across Canterbury, the Ministry of Health is refusing to accept there is an issue when it comes to the extent of the region’s mental health problems.
Now Canterbury police district commander Superintendent John Price has added his concerns to the mix, revealing a huge increase in the number of attempted suicides around the region. Since 2011, suicide-related emergency calls have almost doubled and are now likely the highest in the country, Price says.
Such compelling and frightening statistics should be more than enough to spur into action a decent-minded, caring Government.
Instead, the ongoing issue is being met with tepid indifference by the ministry, which continues its “dogged determination” – according to the Canterbury District Health Board and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority – to deny the problem exists and to provide any extra mental health support.
Hard to imagine a more succinct summation of the neoliberal ethos. Come on all you righty regulars on TS, do tell us how this is right and proper in the scheme of things.
Nah it’s only a small minority of losers who aren’t ‘resilient’ enough to cope. No point in wasting good money on them when there’re plenty of lucrative, criminal carbon credits to spend it on.
(I went through about a decade of mild PTSD after the Edgecumbe quake in 1988, so I’m not in the least surprised by this … just how long it’s taken for our media to say anything about it.)
Well, if you’re looking through a neoliberal lens, the real question is not whether or not Christchurch has experienced a spike in the number of people suffering from mental health issues, but whether or not someone can make money out of it.
Capitalism and particularly the neo-liberal mind-set explicitly restricts the use of capital to only those ventures which are able to generate profit.
This in turn prevents inquiry into the most efficient use of capital; collectively funding the basic services upon which everybody relies (health, education, housing, access to water et al.).
The other lie I see often is the assertion that only capitalism and the capitalists lust for profit drives innovation. And that it is socialism, or my personal preference, social democracy that stifles innovation.
It’s easy to see this lie. Most of us grew up already knowing the answer: Necessity is the mother of invention.
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
A Waitangi Tribunal inquiry report has warned government that a repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act could cause harm to children in care. ...
The Treasury has published today three new papers covering government consumption multipliers, automatic stabilisers and the impacts of global shocks on New Zealand’s economy. ...
Asia Pacific Report The Pacific state of Hawai’i’s House of Representatives has joined the state’s Senate in calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza, becoming the first state to pass such a resolution, reports Hawaii News Now. In March, the Senate passed a ceasefire resolution with a 24–1 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ferrie, A/Prof, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney PsiQuantum The Australian government has announced a pledge of approximately A$940 million (US$617 million) to PsiQuantum, a quantum computing start-up company based in Silicon Valley. Half ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South Australia Cameron Prins/Shutterstock If you spend a lot of time exploring fitness content online, you might have come across the concept of heart rate zones. Heart rate zone training has become more ...
SPECIAL REPORT:By Eugene Doyle He is the most popular Palestinian leader alive today — and yet few people in the West even know his name. Absolutely no one in Gaza or the West Bank does not know him. That difference speaks volumes about who dominates the media narrative that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will McCallum, PhD Candidate – School of Communication and Creative Arts, Deakin University Earlier this year, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not supporting Operation Sovereign Borders – the military-led border security operation that has “closed Australia’s borders ...
By Melyne Baroi in Port Moresby A Papua New Guinea MP, Peter Isoaimo, who had been ousted by the National Court in an alleged bribery case, has been reinstated by the Supreme Court on appeal. A three-member Supreme Court bench found that the National Court had erred in finding that ...
Publisher Chris Holdaway reflects on the unique project of collecting the work of the late, terrific poet Schaeffer Lemalu. One of the nice things you can do as a truly independent publisher is to make the books that writers want to make, whatever they happen to be. That’s how I’ve ...
Those profiled in the stamp series served on overseas deployments from 1995 onwards, and all have been awarded theNew Zealand Operational Service Medal. ...
Last night’s dismal poll result for the coalition government shows the limits of trying to govern as an opposition, argues Joel MacManus. There’s a quote from the American political activist Barbara Deming: “Vengeance is not the point; change is. But the trouble is that in most people’s minds, the thought ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shireen Morris, Associate Professor and Director of the Radical Centre Reform Lab at Macquarie University Law School, Macquarie University Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock Foreign interference in Australian democracy poses a growing risk to our national sovereignty. It refers to coercive, corrupt or ...
A defendant charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has pleaded guilty to four charges of obtaining by deception in relation to a mortgage fraud scheme. Sentencing has been scheduled for 14 August 2024. ...
What to say when pesky journalists ask gotcha questions like ‘can you name a single book you’ve ever read?’ and ‘did you read it, or did you just see the movie?’This week, Act Party arts spokesperson Todd Stephenson foolishly agreed to an interview with Newsroom’s Steve Braunias regarding his ...
Explainer - What will a ban on cellphones in schools achieve? Can students use them during lunch breaks? And what happens if you need to contact your child? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jodi Rowley, Curator, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology, Australian Museum, UNSW Sydney Jodi Rowley, CC BY-NC-ND In winter 2021, Australia’s frogs started dropping dead. People began posting images of dead frogs on social media. Unable to travel to investigate the deaths ...
In the year ended March 2024, 0.4 percent of home transfers were to people who didn’t hold New Zealand citizenship or a resident visa, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wasay Majid, Research Assistant , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau New Zealand’s accommodation supplement scheme is facing scrutiny, with Social Development Minister Louise Upston recently saying “there is merit in considering whether the current settings are fair and sustainable long-term”. The ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor The first prime ministerial candidate has been announced in Solomon Islands and it is not Manasseh Sogavare. The man of the hour is Jeremiah Manele, the MP for Hograno/Kia/Havulei constituency in Isabel Province, who served as minister of foreign affairs in the last government. ...
Protesting the removal of bins by leaving piles of your dog’s shit for others to deal with doesn’t make you a hero – it’s precious and entitled behaviour. You haven’t truly lived until you’ve stood on the shoreline of Auckland’s Cheltenham beach, desperately trying to scoop increasingly liquid dog shit ...
Analysis - Christopher Luxon will be alert to the factors driving the dire polling, but won't be waving the white flag just yet, RNZ political editor Jo Moir writes. ...
Writer, teacher and academic Vincent O’Sullivan died on Sunday 28 April. Here we gather tributes from friends, colleagues, and students who remember his extraordinary contributions. I went down to the garage tonight. There was a bird shrieking out in the bush, in the dark, maybe a kākā. Miraculously, through the ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a burnt-out corporate escapee explains how she gets by ‘working as little as possible’. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.Gender: Female Age: 31 Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: Contractor in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Schmidt, Professor of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney Albert Russ / Shutterstock The icebreaker of many a barbeque conversation is something like “what do you do for a crust?” “I teach chemistry at university,” is what we usually reply. Then silence. Our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asher Flynn, Associate Professor of Criminology, Monash University Shutterstock Sexual harassment is often considered to be a person-to-person act, but new research shows Australians are also experiencing and perpetrating workplace harassment in large numbers through technology. Our latest study shows one ...
A petition signed by more than 16,500 people, demanding the government take stronger action to halt the genocide of Palestinians by the State of Israel, is being presented to the House of Representatives today by Hon Phil Twyford. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University jenmartin/Shutterstock April has been a bad month for the Australian environment. The Great Barrier Reef was hit, yet again, by intense coral bleaching. And Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek delayed ...
Winston Peters might not give a ‘rat’s derriere’ about last night’s poll, but it revealed the unusual absence of a honeymoon period and little payoff for the government’s action plan approach, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Details released by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under the Official Information Act reveal New Zealand officials have been considering involvement in AUKUS from the outset. ...
The government's treatment of Māori raised eyebrows, with countries saying New Zealand needed to do more to reduce health, education and justice inequities. ...
The age of criminal responsibility was one of numerous human rights issues raised during Aotearoa New Zealand’s UPR. Other key themes were racism and discrimination, the disproportionate representation of Māori in prison, and to uphold the UN Declaration ...
In a sitdown interview ahead of his final day at Parliament this week, the former Green Party co-leader tells RNZ about his lowest point during 2017's rough election campaign. ...
Is the fringe radio station really in a financial crisis, or is it just running a hyped-up donation drive? Fringe internet radio station Reality Check Radio was launched by the anti-vaccine mandates group Voices for Freedom in March 2023. For the next year, it undertook probably the most aggressive promotional ...
Above the Fold: On Monday, the biggest Māori screen production company faced down the biggest funder of Māori content at the High Court. It was an incredibly tense moment – then, just as quickly, it resolved. Duncan Greive breaks down a strange day in the screen sector.Yesterday morning, Māori ...
When it comes to talking about the Government’s controversial fast-track consenting process, political scientist Richard Shaw refers to the famous Chinese sci-fi novel Three-Body Problem, while RNZ’s In Depth journalist Farah Hancock talks about zombie projects. Shaw is referring to the three-party coalition Government and how the proposed legislation is ...
Opinion: The debate over single gender versus co-educational schooling has long been controversial. I went to a co-ed school and was inspired by a remarkable woman who was my maths teacher, and because of her deep knowledge and passion for the subject, I knew that maths was definitely an option ...
He won everything and he earned a knighthood and he was a senior literary figure to the point that he was a living monument to himself until his death in the weekend at 86, but there was something about Vincent O’Sullivan that flew under the radar, that was independent and ...
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It’s a ride that’s lasted almost 30 years for mother and daughter BMX riders Nancy and Toni James, and the next stop is the World Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Almost 27 years ago, Nancy and her husband Gerrard took their oldest child, Daniel, to the Waitākere BMX Club. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia The rate of women killed by their partners in Australia grew by 28% from 2021–22 to 2022–23, according to new statistics released today by the Australian Institute of Criminology ...
Ministry of Disabled People employees were promised a permanent role, but were told to start packing three weeks before their fixed term contract finished, says a former employee. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Clean Energy Council / Neoen As Australia’s rapid renewable energy rollout continues, so too does debate over land use. Nationals Leader David Littleproud, for example, claimed regional areas had reached “saturation point” and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan C. Walsh, Sessional Academic, The University of Queensland Arrest for witchcraft (1866) by John PettieNGV, CC BY-NC In recent decades, governments the world over have increasingly taken action to address the dark history of witch-hunting. In western Europe, memorials to ...
By Mark Rabago, RNZ Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas correspondent The US Department of Justice is being urged to condemn and cease its reliance on the “Insular Cases” — a series of US Supreme Court opinions on US territories, which have been labelled racist. Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kara Dadswell, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Victoria University Ask your son or daughter, niece, or nephew to draw you a picture of a sport coach. They will most probably draw a man. Why? Our latest research published in the Psychology of Sport ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Rinehart, Professor, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Director, Krongold Clinic (Research), Monash University Shutterstock/Brian A. Jackson “Charlie” is an eight-year-old child with autism. Her parents are worried because she often responds to requests with insults, aggression and refusal. Simple demands, such ...
Susan St John: Child poverty measures short-change families
‘A shameful disparity between the treatment of children in families who can work enough paid hours, and those children whose families cannot, means in practice New Zealand has two classes of low-income children. The “in work” worthy can be supported to the full extent of the social security legislation, and the children of the unworthy, the outcasts: beneficiaries, disproportionately the disabled, Maori or Pasifika, many with chronic illness, are consigned to remain in poverty.
The parents of the “undeserving children” may struggle in a casualised labour market, on low wages or with redundancies, or in the aftermath of disasters. Irrespective of the cause of low income, regardless of circumstance, all children could and should be afforded the same tax-funded child payments to ensure an adequate standard of living.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11567240
https://www.register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=ddac582a-0c8a-dc11-98a0-0015c5f3da29&searchId=6842f25b-61b2-494d-9423-fe367ccec538
A quick perusal of the Charities Register confirms my theory that real advocacy is better done without the fetters of government funding.
CPAG has somehow managed to keep the issue of child poverty in New Zealand at the forefront in the media…despite receiving NOTHING from the the government in the way of funding.
People DONATE, and members VOLUNTEER. Shit gets DONE.
Just like it used to be.
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacs/pdf-files/Fears-constraints-and-contracts-Grey-and-Sedgwick-2014.pdf
I am always wary of charities that get large amounts of corporate money.
There is usually a hook attached.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/oct/01/green-ngos-big-business-naomi-klein
https://www.facebook.com/nopinkwashing
http://ethicalnag.org/2011/01/07/sugarwashing-unicef-cadbury/
Thing is, if our economic system actually worked we wouldn’t need charities.
That is the thing not one reporter has ever said when doing a touchy feely piece about charities.
Totally predictable.
Neo-liberalism needs charities to patch up its gaping holes.
And it’s still sinking.
When corporate ‘marketers’ take over charities…
“The corporate takeover of the Red Cross: How a former AT&T exec gutted America’s most recognizable charity”
http://www.salon.com/2015/12/27/how_att_execs_took_over_the_red_cross_and_hurt_its_ability_to_help_people_partner/
Reminds me of other charities that sacrifice their principles for money
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/292654/pm-to-keep-anti-violence-role-despite-radio-rape-joke
I’m not sure their principles are actually what they say they are.
I think they really are more about taking money for a cushy job that involves very little work.
Hi Lara. Thanks for your comments on the John Key/White Ribbon ambassador post by Kerero Pono yesterday. It was good to get a different view of the functioning of White Ribbon – the link about the “anti feminist” WR ambassador in Oz was an eye opener. What you have said has made me think differently about them.
I’m still keeping an open mind and still have an expectation about them dropping Key – they absolutely must – but your words made sense and altered how I perceive White Ribbon.
You’re welcome Rosie!
May you have a lovely New Years.
“As part of her effort to run the Red Cross more like a business, McGovern recruited more than 10 former AT&T executives to top positions. The move stirred resentment inside the organization, with some longtime Red Cross hands referring to the charity as the “AT&T retirement program.’’
McGovern laid out a vision to increase revenue through “consolidated, powerful, breathtaking marketing.”
“This is a brand to die for,” she often said.
Her team unveiled a five-year blueprint in 2011 that called for expanding the charity’s revenue from $3 billion to $4 billion. In fact, Red Cross receipts have dropped since then and fell below their 2011 level last year.”
http://www.salon.com/2015/12/27/how_att_execs_took_over_the_red_cross_and_hurt_its_ability_to_help_people_partner/
If you want the best people you have to pay top dollar
😉
Pay peanuts, get monkeys. Pay more peanuts, get bigger monkeys.
“Pay peanuts, get monkeys. Pay more peanuts, get bigger monkeys.”
I like it I have put that in my file of quotable quotes.
Very good Andre.
😈 😆
Glad y’all like that. It may be the only original thought I’ve ever had. It was sparked a few years ago by reading a flurry of articles showing high executive pay and poor company performance were well correlated. And I suspect that’s probably true for charities as well.
I think it holds true for CEO’s of gummint partmints too.
Many years ago, we used to worry about a thing called the Peter Principle.
Now we seem to worship incompetence.
Actually, I think it holds true for Munsters of the Crown. The only thing that props them up (their invisible means of support) seems to be our MSM (who’re rules along the same lines)
Stevie Ray Joyce, Pulla Bent, Soimun ‘Learnings’ Brudgizz, N. Tolley, etc.
The underappreciated bit about the Peter Principle is that you could be confident that, once upon a time, your boss actually was good at something useful.
I bet on her first day she told the staff
“Things are gonna change around here. We need to be more business like cos. we are not a cbarity.”
Running NFP is NOT as simple as bringing i FP successes
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11567126
Add $200 billion private debt to $100 government debt and you end up with $66k of debt per child woman and man. (Hopefully I got enough zeros in my calculations)
Where does it end?
Under the present financial system – it doesn’t. Just keep adding those zeros.
The only way to fix it is for the government to, essentially, write off the present system and replace it with one that actually works.
Draco, have you read this one?
Margrit Kennedy has done a fair amount of work with Bernard Lietar, who specialises (decades) in the field of money and how it works.
This ebook from Ms Kennedy outlines an interest free demurrage system.
The cool thing about demurrage is it reintroduces the incentive to loan, keeps the money supply stable and ensures existing money flows faster. The historic example of Worgl in Austria (it’s in the ebook) shows how well it can work.
I like the idea of demur-rage and believe it will come in to effect some time in the future. I just think that 0% interest loans need to come in first.
I want to address this bit in the introduction of the book:
This is a fundamental misunderstanding of how societies work.
A society that doesn’t use money would support the artist because they appreciate the art that they get to see. They may even go so far as to build art galleries to display it along with other artworks where everyone can go and view it as they choose.
It’s of note that David Graeber in his Debt: The first 5000 years notes that no bartering economy, as postulated by the economists, has ever been found.
A society that doesn’t use money would potentially support the artist because they appreciate the art that they get to see.
I don’t see any guarantees with this. Some artists may be supported, others not.
I do as it would be a cooperating society rather than a competitive one.
are there any things that wouldn’t be supported within this cooperating society?
That would be up to the society via democratic means.
what if this society, via democratic means, decided to be competitive rather than cooperative – would you accept that
Sure, but that would necessitate the return of money.
I should also point out that I’m working to stop people loaning out money as it results in all the money going to people who are already rich – exactly as that book points out.
What an amazing level of cognitive dissonance expressed by the author of this article. They truly think that the recent election result in Venezuela has not fundamentally changed the game in that country.
http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11790
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I’m honestly curious, Gosman. What’s with the Venezuela fetish?
Yes, we never hear about Saudi Arabia, Turkey or El Salvador.
Venezuela will be the line he is fed – I don’t think he comes up with his nonsense independently.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz to the power of 10 to the hundred
The complete failure of socialism steering Pauly in the face , the answer move on nothing to see here. How many real world case studies do you need Pauly , capitalism has it failures nothing howerver to the scale of socialism, as Churchill rightly assessed capitalism is not perfect but it sure beats anything else
Capitalism only succeeds because of socialism. Without socialism capitalism would revert to its natural state – feudalism.
And ATM capitalism is bringing about the 6th extinction event. Wiping out life on Earth can in no way be considered successful.
“Capitalism only succeeds because of socialism. Without socialism capitalism would revert to its natural state – feudalism.”
Mmmmm, I must remember that (You bastard!). It’s actually very profound and exemplifies what’s gone wrong today (i.e. we’re on the ‘neo-feudal’ route).
What’s your view: Do you think capitalism always leads to ‘crony-capitalism’? ( which is what we have, and what the likes of most trolls on here are pushing, as tho’ it was some sort of new religion. )
It wasn’t that long ago (around the time of Roger and Ruth) that they were espousing the idea of competition being the be-all and end-all – you know….many players competing is beneficial to ‘the consumer’ – even in things like health and edge-a-kayshun. Now of course (aided and abetted by an utterly knobbled Commerce Commission), the tendency towards monopoly/duopoly positions is seen by the capitalists (read 1%ers and those that aspire to the 1% – such as Gosman and ilk) is somehow capitalism at work and is seen as Norman Normal.
Really … they’re so full of shit private enterprise could make a killing off a sewage farm.
Yes as competition is detrimental to everyone competing whereas cooperating is beneficial to everyone cooperating. So, the capitalists cooperate to screw over the rest of us while encouraging the rest of us to compete with each other. The latter is done through government policies of high unemployment and cutting out the welfare state while lambasting us with the idea that having ‘choice’ is all that matters while hiding the fact that you don’t have a choice in who you’re actually buying from.
I think you’re probably right (correct) @ Monsieur le Bastard.
I note you use the word ‘cooperating’.
(Foreign concept to most of the trolls that come in here from time to time and according to the roster – some even claiming ‘Christian values FFS – we have anew one, if you hadn’t noticed)
And I agree with you about their justifying their position with the idea of ‘choice’ being all important – problem being that they can’t then explain the tendency towards monopoly/duopoly structures that are inevitable. (Well, actually they can offer a few weasle words)
…… but then you’re just a ‘hard left’, kinsprissy-oriented, othered, fuckwit probably. You deserve to be locked up! :p
Good craic Draco and OWT. And, OWT, keep up the kooky way of speaking. I very much enjoy reading your comments. They are often lively, and always insightful.
Happy NY.
Capitalism has its failures, including the minor issue of destroying the planet.
You are assuming a lot about my own philosophy, btw.
And the word is ‘staring.’
Are you educated?
Now now Pauly everybody hates a corrector
Where you bullied at school because of this affliction
yawn
That is at least a change from the repeated use of a letter that will get you banned.
Alwyn your trolling is very dull.
Some more zzzzzzzzz, you have run out it seems
Because Venezuela represents the sort of ideas and policies that a large number if leftists here wish to pursue. The idea that society can somehow control markets and that you can legislate wealth and prosperity for all. If you read those more radical left wing proposals I doubt there would be many that a lot of people here would disagree with. However it us those same policies that are causing the problems the country is facing.
Research El Salvador
This should concern you.
https://www.hrw.org/americas/el-salvador
https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/americas/el-salvador/report-el-salvador/
http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/reported-abuses-by-el-salvador-security-forces-up-official
Thanks. That helps me see where you’re coming from.
Even though I still think you’re misinterpreting comments and opinions here. Except maybe Draco.
He’s misinterpreting me as well. It seems to be purposeful as he simply doesn’t want to believe that there’s a better way.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXaxnbtWsAAS-Bz.jpg:large
I’m not misrepresenting your views at all. Have a look at the more left wing proposals in that article and tell me which ones you disagree with.
It’s a one-commodity wonder. Without the wonder.
But the one to watch is Brazil. Nasty fall ahead.
Personally, I see 2016 being pretty brutal for the whole world economy.
And here are my sources for that opinion.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/27/living-dangerously-2016-light-fuse-impending-explosion-global-economy
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/recession/china-economic-slowdown/11980218/Financial-Talking-Points-how-bad-will-it-get-for-China.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2015/12/27/morgan-stanleys-bloodcurdling-economic-forecast-global-gdp-to-shrink-by-5-next-year/
Bullshit.
I want something more like the New Zealand I grew up in – which worked and was humane. Venezuela is just a whipping boy for far-right trolls – you know nothing significant about it and care even less – you just think it supports your prejudices.
The failures of socialist societies, like those of capitalist societies, are complex and not generalisable without an indepth knowledge of the context of each. Israeli kibbutzim fail for different reasons than Stalinism. Bill English’s economic failures only partially resemble Cameron’s – Cameron didn’t bet the farm on a dairy bubble.
“I want something more like the New Zealand I grew up in – which worked and was humane”
From the things you put in other posts that sounds rather as if you grew up when Keith Holyoake was PM.
Life was a bit boring but certainly quite comfortable under a four term National Government.
On that basis John Key is going to come closest to providing those times again. Doesn’t that cheer you up?
John Key is rapidly taking us back to the 19th century or earlier and all of the ills that existed then.
My family knew Holyoake – I had lunch with him once. And we wouldn’t have scum like Key on the porch, mate.
No Stuart the bs is all yours
socialism as a theory has failed, a nice fuzzy and warm theory that makes you fell good, however as it has been proven time and time again it fail in practice to achieve its desired or predicted outcomes, It is thus a flawed theory and ideology and should be dispensed with. Interesting however as you demonstrate as with other flawed theories its proponents tend to hold on to them no matter what, flat earth society etc
You look back at nz with rose tinted glasses, nz at the time as a command / mixed economy is another clear example of failed socialism, nz during the 50 60 70s was pretty bleak re choice and economic freedom, likewise opportunity. We funded our way of living by selling sheep and wool to Britain , once this door was closed we where pretty rooted, we kept it going by borrowing and paying farmers to produce lambs at a guaranteed price (Supplementary minimum prices) even though the price we sold product for to world markets was less.We Kept every one employed by running a bloated non productive state sector, e.g 40000 people working for kiwi rail, trucks not going more than 100 miles to maintain a state monopoly etc. We borrowed haevily to keep our so called utopia going. Eventually the world worked out what we where doing was not sustainable, hence the tap was turned off, normally how most socialist economies fail, they run out of other people’s money. Muldoon tried to keep the party going with price freezes, currency controls, think big ( all good socialist stuff) but eventually reality caught up and thank god for the 1984 labour government
The world has problems but contrary to Draco and Paul I believe capitalism ( with better regulation where required) and human innovation released by free markets has a far better chance of solving these problems than a ideology that simply fails time after time
Capitalism is destroying the Earth.
Your belief system isn’t going to save the planet.
You ignorant turd.
Socialism preceded capitalism and continues to work and flourish even within the most dysfunctional capitalist societies. Public libraries, hospitals, post offices, police all reflect a communitarian approach which is successful, a necessary balancing influence. A healthy society runs mixed economies – both social and commercial.
But you are an extremist as well as a fool – you seem to think that society, like Thatcher, doesn’t exist. and that it can and should be eliminated, more fool you. You have lost the plot – as has National. Political parties don’t get to eliminate society unless they become despotic, and a despotic party has no right to exist in a democracy. You are traitors, every one of you.
Yes, National were truly lousy economic managers back in Holyoake’s day, and that hasn’t changed at all. But you have drifted a long, long, way right since then, without even learning the most basic things about how to run an economy. And now you have no redeeming social virtues to recommend you.
Run along and play on kiwiblog with the rest of the parasites – and dream of an economy financed by selling Auckland houses to one another indefinitely.
NZ has an abundance of natural resources, but none are as vast as the stupidity of National supporters.
Calm down Stuart
No one is saying government should not provide public goods, I am simply saying they have no part in prouctive sector, as is well demonstrated with the bulk of econonic activity now produced by the private sector and corporates globally, replacing the state over the last 50 years. the facts are the facts, capitalism has trumped socialism wether you like it or not, even so called Marxist states are going the same way
Sheeeeeeesh what an angry we fella you are
Another meme
angry…
Can you actually debate a subject properly?
Troll.
Paul when some one starts a response with you ignorant turd (which tends to say more about the sender than the receiver) can you please advise how I should respond, I can’t use your tried and true method any more, I thought I was been polite in simply highlighting Stuart may have some anger issues , I also note nor you or Stuart really countered anything I said. I guess it’s hard when you are trying to deny facts with a washed up idealogy and some mythical past where Santa existed all year round or the favourite default response “troll”
I can’t be bothered debating with you.
Hence the sleep symbols.
You only come here to stir.
Please go home.
Then you’re even more of a fool.
States and commercial providers are both perfectly capable of providing public goods if scrupulously monitored & regulated.
Equally, both are capable of screwing up by the numbers if left to themselves or small interest groups.
Take Auckland housing. Could’ve been fixed by a state housing program. Could’ve been fixed by a well designed PPP model. Hasn’t been fixed by the clusterfuck Key kleptocracy.
As you say, facts are facts, and $105 billion worth of debt proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this so-called government doesn’t have a clue.
Why you should think I, or anyone else on here is especially attached to Marxism I do not know – I guess your education never got much beyond Muldoon’s Reds under the Beds ad campaign. But just to put the record straight, extremes of capitalism, as practised post Reagan Thatcher etc, consistently underperform the mixed model that preceded it.
Stop lying to yourself and for gods sake learn a smattering of economics you ignorant sack of shit.
Happy new year to you to Stuart, [RL: Deleted. Reference to mental health and death insinuation not needed. ]
Very few kiwis will have a happy new year thanks to the Key kleptocracy, but I’m sure your insincere good wishes make all the difference.
No it couldn’t as there’s no such thing as a good PPP model. Or, to put it another way, no commercial enterprise will sign up to a PPP model that actually does what’s needed for the right price as they’re be little or no profit in it.
Government doesn’t need the profit.
Virtually all ppps in the UK, Oz, and here are out and out rorts. In Korea however (where I spent most of the last decade) companies exist at the sufferance of the state and the worst ones will be broken up and their principals jailed if they play too fast and loose. My understanding is that not all Korean law is codified so that egregious wrongdoing gets you in trouble even if legislators did not anticipate it. Apart from the party linked companies, some of whose directors go to jail with every change of government, the larger companies negotiate with the state to avoid unpleasantness and for the most part actually perform as required. Serco is kind of the opposite of this. If Serco were in Korea the directors would not find prison radio gags especially entertaining, but of course they would not be able to listen to them, being behind bars.
Recalls to mind the MPs manual that John Key dismissed with the wave of his hand and the pronunciation that it was just a set of guidelines rather than law when he broke those guidelines in an immoral manner and declared it legal.
Basically, what I’m getting at here is that people look for ways, that are often immoral, to do things that aren’t covered by law that will net them a quick profit. Despite them knowing that doing it that way is immoral they’ll do it any way as it benefits them and they just don’t care who’s harmed. The actions of this guy spring to mind.
We need laws and, IMO, we need a general set of principles that the law is set upon that will catch immoral behaviour even if there isn’t a law covering a specific action. I believe that we’ve gone too far in specificity in our laws.
I am simply saying they have no part in prouctive sector, as is well demonstrated with the bulk of econonic activity now produced by the private sector and corporates globally, replacing the state over the last 50 years
No mention of the private frameworks which skewed the odds in their favour. Global rape of human & environmental resource exploitation
Finance and legal would be the two frameworks you’re either ignoring, or are ignorant of
Ignore , ignorant. Same same
“Eventually the world worked out what we where doing was not sustainable, hence the tap was turned off, normally how most socialist economies fail, they run out of other people’s money.”
The number of times I have heard similiar shit about socialist are good at spending others money.
Please enlighten us how does that equate to the Double Dipping Dickhead from Dipton borrowing now over a 100 billion dollars just to waste on the likes of tax cuts for the rich and social welfare for the likes of Warners, Jackson Reo Tinto and money wasting stupid flag referendum. as I never classed that prat as a socialist
Gosman wants everyone to acknowledge that no amount of democracy can withstand sustained attack by the United States.
If the US could cause such economic dislocation as occurring in Venezuela right now then it should make people think twice before alienating them. Of course the problems faced by Venezuela are homegrown not caused by the US. However that won’t stop leftists like you trying to shift the blame.
The US is not responsible for the oil price: I’m not surprised that you’d suggest such a thing and you’re a fool if you think that’s what I’m referring to.
You cannot possibly know that Venezuela’s problems are 100% homegrown, because the aforementioned US foreign policy exists and has been implemented. Who knows where Venezuela would be without it?
Not you, that’s for sure.
Oh yes, the Venezuelan Government lost around $36 billion in export revenue in a year because somehow Venezuela has the power to set the world oil price… Damn that left wing government. A right wing dictatorship would of course still be riding high..
You seem to have a preoccupation with Venuzuela. It serves your cause of course – in this case taking an example where something has turned to shit, and trying to use it as an example of how those who disagree with that ‘centre-right-sensible’ ideology are stupid.
It’s a bit like taking a small minority of feral beneficiaries and using it as a weapon to bash all (they’re SO not like you). Classic CT, classic Nact, classic MSM.
What is with the preoccupation with Venuzuela by the way? Does it stem from when Key & Co (those bizniss ‘leaders’) visited Sth America and left with most Sth Americans seeing Him as a complete dolt? (Snubbing the funeral et al). What’s come of hopes of a ‘free trade agreement’ btw? About the only thing I can see is Air NZ Sth American route additions – and that’s on their own initiative.
(Shudda cudda wudda treated Brazilian students a bit better)
Hey Gosman How’s the economy going in that right wing cot case called the Ukraine.?
Oh I forgot things are looking up as the IMF have told them to forget about paying the money they owe to Russia. Pity the IMF does not apply the same rules to Greece.
http://thesaker.is/the-imf-forgives-ukraines-loan-to-russia/
Some info for Gosman.
https://www.hrw.org/europe/central-asia/ukraine
http://yubanet.com/world/Ukraine-Reduction-of-hostilities-but-serious-human-rights-concerns-persist-UN-report.php#.VoL3Sfl97cs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Ukraine
Great article:
My bold.
The present global system is designed to keep the US pre-eminent but it can’t as change happens.
The socialism (health, education, jobs etc) of the last Venezuelan government was very good for the poor. Unfortunately many took their new middle class wealth and security for granted and started believing the lies of capitalism. They went to the polls to vote out those who had rescued them. Much the same as the new middle classes in New Zealand drove from their new state houses to the polling booths in 1949 in their new cars to vote out the first Labour Government which had done so much for them.
Well put Sirenia The two bob millionaires
Yep, the success of socialism allows the capitalists to lie more and for more people to believe those lies.
“Welcome to the “1099 economy”: The only things being shared are the scraps our corporations leave behind
In the aftermath of the economic collapse in 2008, a significant factor in the decline of the quality of jobs in the United States, as well as in Europe has been employers’ increasing reliance on “non-regular” workers — a growing army of freelancers, temps, contractors, part-timers, day laborers, micro-entrepreneurs, gig-preneurs, solo-preneurs, contingent labor, perma-lancers and perma-temps. It’s practically a new taxonomy for a workforce that has become segmented into a dizzying assortment of labor categories. Even many full-time, professional jobs and occupations are experiencing this precarious shift.
This practice has given rise to the term “1099 economy,” since these employees don’t file W-2 income tax forms like any regular, permanent employee; instead, they receive the 1099-MISC form for an IRS classification known as “independent contractor.” The advantage for a business of using 1099 workers over W-2 wage-earners is obvious: an employer usually can lower its labor costs dramatically, often by 30 percent or more, since it is not responsible for a 1099 worker’s health benefits, retirement, unemployment or injured workers compensation, lunch breaks, overtime, disability, paid sick, holiday or vacation leave and more. In addition, contract workers are paid only for the specific number of hours they spend providing labor, or completing a specific job, which increasingly are being reduced to shorter and shorter “micro-gigs.”
http://www.salon.com/2015/12/29/the_sharing_economy_partner/
Exactly as has been happening in NZ starting back in the 1990s with the Employment Contracts Act. All the expenses shifted on to the workers while the bosses get all the benefits. The workers have been getting shafted as the amount that the bosses pay the workers isn’t enough to buy and maintain the tools that the workers need, any holiday or sick pay or pretty much anything at all. ACC then make it harder by making it almost impossible for the contractors to get it despite the fact that they’ve been paying both the employer and employee parts of the ACC levy.
New Zealand farming practice responsible for the massive Indonesian fires.
This is another consequence of our do nothing climate polices.
‘Palm kernel imports jump
Palm kernel imports picked up sharply last month
Imports of the controversial livestock feed supplement, which is used extensively in the dairy industry, came to 222,413 tonnes last month, up from 138,763 tonnes in October and 178,381 tonnes in November last year, according to Statistics NZ data.
Palm kernel became popular in 2007 when a drought sent North Island farmers looking for new feed sources.
Imports of palm kernel, a byproduct of the palm oil industry, went from 96,000 tonnes in 2003 to a record 2 million tonnes last year.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11567302
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/73843284/indonesian-forest-fires-fuel-row-over-palm-kernel-purchases
And yet Fonterra is telling suppliers to use less…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/72361968/Fonterra-PKE-bombshell-bewilders-farmers
Which is weird because some years ago, Fonterra was telling suppliers to use more PKE as it boost the fat content of the milk.
Somewhere there is research that indicates this increase in fat content was not necessarily a good thing…
Intensive dairy farming is increasingly looking like an industry that is not compatible with the sensible management of our planet and our country.
Destroying our rivers
Responsible for the destruction of pristine Indonesian rainforest
Animal cruelty, as exposed by SAFE and Farmwatch
Dairy is one of the most inflammatory foods in our modern diet, second only to gluten.
“Intensive dairy farming is increasingly looking like an industry that is not compatible with the sensible management of our planet and our country.”
That would have to be the understatement of the year 😉
We can have one of two things: a clean environment and sustainable economy, or industrial dairying. We can’t have both.
And it looks lie our government, rather than deal with its poor environmental record, engages in climate fraud.
‘Dealing with criminals in climate fraud
The Government’s plan for meeting our Kyoto Protocol commitment and 2020 emissions reduction target was released this month.
It reveals a shocking truth: New Zealand has been a willing participant in a wholesale climate fraud.
We’ve been dealing with criminals and fraudsters in order to meet our international obligations. If our reputation wasn’t shot to pieces after Paris – where we revealed our weak kneed 2030 target – it will be now.’
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/75315901/Dealing-with-criminals-in-climate-fraud
a pity this article was buried in a Boxing day edition
That does not happen by accident.
no, I suspect you are right….. it will be back to the ABs, house prices and the Kardashians when everyone is back on deck.
This kind of monkey business is why I think a straight up fossil carbon (and other greenhouse gas) tax is by far the best “market mechanism” to reduce emissions. Any kind of cap-and-trade system will inevitably be open to these sorts of frauds.
It never did look like a good idea to try and use the tools of the very system which caused the problem, to try and fix the problem.
I don’t see the opportunity to line the bastards up against a wall coming anytime soon. Not even if Sanders becomes Prez and Corbyn becomes PM. Do you? And to be honest, the way revolutions played out in the past, I’d be worried about being lined up with the rest of them, being educated and well-off and all that.
So the tools of the system we’ve got now are pretty much the only tools we’ve got to play with.
If it comes to “lining the bastards up”, you can be pretty certain that anyone who fights for democracy will be the next against the wall. (Maybe third, after the academics, poets and musicians have been purged).
Governments, particularly revolutionary ones, can and often do far worse to their people than the rampant corruption, incompetence and theft that we currently labour under.
Yep, laws against corruption with Proceeds of Crime acts that are fully enforced are a much better idea. Gets rid of the capitalists on one hand while also returning the wealth to the nation.
While your generalisation is pretty sound, Frank Bainimarama managed to supplant a government without a very high butcher’s bill. It could be done here too – we are not some eastern European badlands with a tradition of mass murder going back to Attila.
Personally I think enthusiastic prosecution of public asset frauds would suffice, though of course it would see 90% of the incumbents doing porridge, so they will try to suppress investigations of things like CERA.
Nope. I disagree vehemently.
Are you suggesting that for real change to happen we must have a violent revolution? That is the bit I disagree with if I understand you correctly (please do point out if I’ve interpreted this wrongly).
Non voilent revolution is actually more effective. See this TED talk by Erica Chenoweth.
And I don’t think we even need a revolution to achieve real change. With an MMP system if we get enough people voting for parties that represent real change (which IMO would be Greens and Mana) then we may well get it. Peacefully and democratically.
IMO it is money; how it is structured, how it works, and who creates it most specifically that is the key to real change. If we change how our money works then we change our society.
Money has a big influence on our behaviour. Because we need money to survive; most of us can’t provide our shelter and food necessities without access to some money, and so to obtain money which buys us necessities of life we will do many things which we would rather not do. It drives much of our behaviour at an individual level and at a society wide level.
Change how money is structured and you change our behaviour at an individual level and at a society wide level.
If a new government was elected which had the balls to change our monetary system then we’d have the foundation of real change in NZ.
But that’s the problem. Most MPs don’t understand how our current monetary system works, nor how important it is, nor that there are alternatives. And they lack the balls to change it even if they did understand.
Because there are powerful interests that don’t want change.
Good luck with doing it that way. I’ll be cheering for you, no sarcasm, but I really doubt you’ll get any traction beyond “margin-of-error-in-the-polls”. And in the meantime I’ll put my efforts towards things that look to me like they have a chance of actually making improvements.
Righto.
You continue with your idea of violent revolution then.
Apparently that’s the only way we’re going to get change.
Apparently.
And if that’s what everyone thinks… then that’s what we’ll fucking get.
You might want to take a look at what the results from violence gets you though.
Just sayin’
Ok, poor choice of words on my part about bastards and walls. Lesson learned, anything I say can and will be wilfully misinterpreted and used against me. Avoid hyperbole.
I advocated a simple carbon tax. Coz I want to see positive changes actually happen. A carbon tax is the kind of tool that is well known and easily adjusted to drive changes in behaviour.
I don’t want to just dream about the way things should be, though I do plenty of that too. And the kind of fundamental, radical societal changes on the scale you’re talking about has either taken generations or violent revolutions to come about. When it comes to climate change, we don’t have generations of time to play with, nor do I want to see violent revolution (although I’m very afraid it’s coming anyway). So it’s a case of getting the best results we can with the tools we have now.
The Lange-Douglas government is about the only example I can think of where that kind of radical change actually did happen non-violently. Although, metaphorically, it actually was pretty violent. While a lot of those changes were needed, a lot of the rest were not needed, and have turned out pretty negative for the vulnerable parts of our society. So looking back on how things have played out over the last 25 years I would rather the changes had been introduced incrementally.
One final general thought – when large holes get ripped into any complex system, say a natural ecosystem or a societal structure, it’s the quick opportunists that tend to fill the holes. Weeds. Fast buck artists. And once they get established they are pretty difficult to dislodge. So to my mind, the kind of change in the structure of money that Draco talks about, and it seems to me that you’re looking for, that’s a disruption bigger than Lange-Douglas and will invite all kinds of unintended consequences. Whereas things like a carbon tax or UBI are just an incremental change from what we have now and can be easily adjusted to get the desired effect.
@Andre
Am of a similar mind though probably less confident….revolutionary without the guillotine,using your example of Lange/Douglas but to the power of 10….and thats why the bulk of it will need to be government led (driven) although not this government obviously. A groundswell (bottom up if you prefer) is needed to establish that administration but the changes needed will need to be enforced, transitioned, supported in many instances….the alternative is anarchy (revolution) and as history has taught, while quick to tear down revolutions are slow to rebuild….and time hasn’t been on our side for a while .
Andre, there was no “wilful” in my misinterpretation. I made it very clear that it was my interpretation and I can only interpret what you wrote. I also asked to be corrected if I had gotten it wrong.
I agree with you that a carbon tax is a possible solution.
I am pointing out that carbon trading is unlikely to work. So far that is true.
And I am pointing out that it is the structure of our monetary system (which discounts the future) that is the root problem. And that I don’t think we need a revolution to change it.
So we actually agree, I’m just trying to take it one step further.
You are so right there, we visited a lake where many many many years ago we used to go sailing. This would be over 30 years ago. the kids used to swim and play in the lake. I was utterly disgusted this lake is now has a reddish colour about it and warning notices about unsafe to expose your skin to the water as it has a toxic algae in the lake. Shit the number of times I got wet in this lake I doubt if I would have survived the day in today’s conditions.
No one was sailing on this lake the day we were there. but I give it the benefit of the doubt as it was the holiday season, but I suspect the opposite, people are now wary of the condition this lake is in.
Lovely HUGE herds of cows in the neighborhood though. no doubt being fed that Palm kernel crap.
The cynic in me thinks that Fonterra is using this as both a PR and pre-emptive action. There are many in NZ that think our dairy cows are fully pasture or hay fed, it comes as a surprise to find out this is not the case.
As more look local, the transparency of supply chains for food become easier to collate and view.
However, without giving farmers direction on how to achieve profitability on their overstocked, climate-change prone farms, this directive is of little use to farmers.
Brings to mind my partner’s work in heavy industry where workers are told to “work safe” and then also told that production needs to increase to a certain level, and they have to find a way to make it happen. Often the responsibility for ensuring work safe practices belongs with the workers themselves, but few have the personality type or assurance that allows them to challenge conflicting messages from upper management.
Our complacency in damaging other countries environments while simultaneously damaging our own in our pursuit of white gold, does us no credit. And it seems to enrich very few in return – Amy Adams notwithstanding.
You are right to be cynical.
The article in the Herald looks like a PR exercise for Fonterra.
There are at least 4 specific mentions of how well Fonterra are doing.
The link to the WWF is revealing though, as this is one of the dodgiest charities around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJPK4FpTjCA
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x105tsl_wwf-silence-of-the-pandas_news
http://www.naturalnews.com/047517_World_Wildlife_Fund_corporate_practices_PandaLeaks.html
http://www.amazon.com/PandaLeaks-The-Dark-Side-WWF/dp/1502366541
“However, without giving farmers direction on how to achieve profitability on their overstocked, climate-change prone farms, this directive is of little use to farmers.”
http://grazinginfo.com/freestuff.php
It is not a sustainable solution if it is merely to tinker within the constraints of neo-liberal ideology.
Completely agree Molly. If Fonterra gave a shit in real life they’d be supporting organics and sustainably production. It’s all going to be spin that works for the profit of the few and the expense of others.
Fonterra’s enthusiastic use of coal shows its views on being a responsible global citizen.
The Herald is acting as its PR machine.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/element-magazine/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503340&objectid=11536799
The only way that less will be used by NZ farmers is if the government bans food importation for animal feed. This would mean that the animals raised in NZ will have to be done so sustainably on NZ’s resources.
This government won’t do it and I’m pretty sure that a Labour led one won’t either and for the same reason – free-market trade.
Zzzzzzzzzz
[RL: The ‘zzz’s’ are not needed. You and anyone else repeating them will earn a ban.]
Now go away and play
Good call. Red Delusion is obviously from the Youth Wing of the trolls – either that or it hasn’t the capacity to learn, think critically, or experience (going forward).
I ‘spose even the ‘hard-right’ are trying to scrape up enough specimens these days to comment, attempt diversions, pepper a few comments with semi-intelligent utterings – what’s the fucking point I sometimes think. CT can’t be ‘across’ everything even tho’ I see one is about to get a Cameron knighthood.
I wonder who does their roster.
It’d be nice if they understood some basic methmetuks – the natives will eventually (and are) getting restless – even tho’ the cynicism with politics and an alternative that’s still desperately trying to feed from the trough in order to preserve their comfort.
(Did someone say James Shaw and Andrew Little ???? SURELY not!!!!)
Don’t be like that Paul, it’s all robust debate,
A truce 😀
I do not call trolling robust debate.
Nor are ad hominems.
Would be great to hear your views on palm kernels
or the Ukraine
or El Salvador
or the clash between capitalism and saving the planet…..
Palm kernel tend to agree not good, not sure of solution barring Indonesia sorting it out and or nz regulation ( re dairy intensification) or consumers rising up
Ukrain, complicated, no easy answer
El Salvador, not across it
capitalism destroying planet, disagree, I agree human activity and population growth is detrimental to planet, capitalism, well not so much capitalism but free markets with corporates of multiple forms of ownership are more likely to find answers though releasing innovation than innovation stifling state based socialism, wastage and poor regulation
Have you read Naomi Klein’s book on Climate Change?
No, but I don’t deny climate change
“capitalism destroying planet, disagree, I agree human activity and population growth is detrimental to planet, capitalism, well not so much capitalism but free markets with corporates of multiple forms of ownership are more likely to find answers though releasing innovation than innovation stifling state based socialism, wastage and poor regulation”
what is capitalism if not free markets with corporates of multiple forms (and in the absence of regulation, lassiez faire) pray tell?
Interesting.
When it comes to the state of the economy of Venezuela, it is all the fault of the socialist system that has failed and will always fail.
When it comes to that other cot case but right wing Ukraine, it is ” complicated, no easy answer”
Apologies I just picked this up , understood, I will now z up
The fact that palm kernel is a buy product makes me think you’re being at best mischievous blaming Indonesian forest fires on kiwi farmers.
Any products on your shopping list with vegetable/palm oil in them by chance.
Exactly. Palm kernel is a by-product of the palm oil business. NZ dairy farmers are no more “responsible” for forest fires in Indonesia than are the people promoting the replacement of animal fats with vegetable ones.
Before anyone starts: the stupidity of intensifying dairy production to the point where we need to import animal feed (not that dairy cows ought to be eating this stuff) is a separate issue.
I know that’s the theory (and it’s certainly the industry and Fonterra’s PR), but is there evidence that stopping all palm kernal exports would not affect the economics of what is happening in Malayasia/Indonesia and that the kernal would be dumped?
Let’s think this through. Selling PKE increases the profitability of growing palm oil. So maybe the least profitable forest clearance to palm plantation projects might not go ahead without the PKE sales. Kind of like fewer dairy conversions happen when the milk payout is low. So there’s at least a tenuous link between kiwi farmers buying PKE and forest fires in Indonesia.
That’s what I’m thinking. Plus Fonterra etc will be supporting the best price and not the best practice so they’re culpable that way too.
A serious question.
Whom do folks think should be responsible for ensuring that New Zealand Councils, are held accountable to the ‘Rule of Law’ regarding citizens and ratepayers LAWFUL rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable’ local government?
The Council’s elected representatives?
The Council’s CEO?
The Auditor-General?
Citizens and ratepayers?
Kind regards
Penny Bright
2016 Auckland Mayoral candidate.
Council CEOs and people who pay their rates
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
[RL: The ‘zzz’s’ are not needed. You and anyone else repeating them will earn a ban.]
I shall have to think of others ways of indicating Reddelusion’s system of trolling is very dull.
*yawn* is traditional.
I wonder how this will impact on our future, whether planetary or individual:
“Google claims the D-Wave 2X is 100 million times as fast as any of today’s machines. As a result, this quantum computer could theoretically complete calculations within seconds to a problem that might take a digital computer 10,000 years to calculate. That’s particularly important, given the difficult tasks that today’s computers are called upon to complete and the staggering amount of data they are called upon to process.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11567032
SBW: “See how children live”
https://twitter.com/UNICEFNZ/status/674113821393354752
There are now more displaced persons in the world than ever before. More than 60,000,000
“Indications from the first half of the year suggest 2015 is on track to see worldwide forced displacement exceeding 60 million for the first time. In a global context, that means that one person in every 122 has been forced to flee their home.” http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/677031-number-of-people-forced-to-flee-war-violence-to-hit-record-in-2015.html
https://news.vice.com/article/there-are-more-displaced-people-in-the-world-than-ever-before
http://www.unhcr.org/5672c2576.html
2015 Smashes Global Temperature Records
“According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), by mid-December, 25,242 high-temperature records had been set across the country for just the last year.
“Given that 2015 easily remains on track to become the hottest year ever recorded for the globe, record-high temperatures continue to be recorded across the planet.
“In the Arctic, the latest NOAA data shows that temperatures there in 2015 were up to 3 degrees Celsius above the long-term average, and that the warmth had caused so much melting of the sea ice that 70 percent of the ice pack was made up of first-year ice. These temperatures are the highest ever recorded there, and the minimum ice cover for this year was the fourth-smallest ever recorded.” (emph added) http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34090-gop-candidates-receive-failing-grades-on-climate-as-2015-smashes-global-temperature-records
Predictions for 2016.
1. Opinion polls for 2016 will all (RoyMorgan excluded) have National support greater than Labour+ Greens.
2. Greens will cuddle closer to National
3. At least two national MP’s will leave parliament.
4. There will be a by election.
5. Moves will be made to deselect certain longstanding Labour MP’s
6. There will be a Cabinet reshuffle and some talented MP’s elected in 2014 will be promoted.
7. An MP will die.
8. [RL: Deleted] will be rampant on the Standard.
9. Celtic will qualify for the Champions League
10. Tourism revenues for NZ will exceed dairy earnings again
[RL: Take a week off for repeating boring derivative crap when warned yesterday not to.]
#7 ???
Various Gnat trolls have predicted Winston’s demise for several terms.
‘Demising’ can take a life time 😉
1. the right will continue to lie about the Green Party as cosying up to National in an attempt to lessen the GP vote.
2. trolls will troll the standard, but increasingly find it harder to do anything other rely on the CT spin memos, because we’re now in the year of ‘everyone knows Key and National are corrupt so let’s stop pretending’.
3. real conservatives will speak out more about the problems with National, simply from embarrassment.
4. NZ will have several severe weather events that scream climate change (one of which will be flooding in Dunedin).
5. 2016 will see a quantum increase in awareness of the seriousness of climate change.
6. The Standard will go from strength to strength, including gaining new authors to help spread the load.
7. Moves will be made to deselect certain longstanding Labour MP’s (we can hope anyway).
8. a certain website (no not that one, the other one) will implode from too much beige exposure from trying to sue PG.
9. Andrew Little will continue steady as she goes with Labour, which will both build good standing for the 2017 election and frustrate/disappoint leftist lefties.
10. Key will make at least 3 rape culture political gaffs because despite some pretty pricey PR and advice he just can’t help himself.
#s 4 – 6, Yes, totally agree
That is Sir CT
😉
lol.
Off with their heads!
If anyone comments on Mike Sabin on the Standard in 2016 will you include that in your no.8? Seven of the predictions are about politicians but none about him.
yawn
My prediction:
1. All RWNJs, such as Fisiani, will continue to talk out their arse
2. All RWNJs will continue to think that the sun shines out of John Key’s arse
We really do waste a lot of time on these useless trolls.
I like it
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0TR25D20151208
Disney doubles stake in Vice to $400 million
That’s how to control ‘independent media’
The agendas pushed through Vice have become highly visible in recent years, the site filled with articles containing blatant misstruth
Is this better or worse than NZ
The public sector deficit – the difference between what the government spends and what it receives in revenues – rose to $5.1bn usd
[RL: Some of your comments are going into moderation because your user name is appearing with extra characters at the end. I’d check to see your user name is being entered properly. Cheers.]
A Brief for Equality
This is, of course, the main problem with today’s socio-economic system.
A very interesting find, thank you!
I note that the emphasis is on economic equality and almost the whole piece is set within an economic framework. The starting point or primary argument is that we are all equal and should therefore get an equal portion/part of the available (including man-made, I assume) but not necessarily unlimited resources and services: ”meaning that, yes, everyone should get pretty much the same”.
Side-stepping that all people are not equal, not in terms of needs or wants, not in terms of ability ”to join effectively in community decision making”, and not in utilising their capacities to the fullest (assuming they have equal capacities in the first place), this piece seems to advocate almost (?) absolute equality and to reject anything less as inferior!?
That said, striving for equality, for equal rights, is an almost Utopian ideal that I personally strongly subscribe to. The question remains, though, how to get closer to this ideal. To incentivise the people through materialism is out, by definition. To forcibly make people to treat one and another as equals also is an oxymoron. So, this only leaves the moral or ideological ‘reasoning’ as the way to achieve itself! I may have knotted myself into a circular argument here [bad metaphor, I know] and butchered the writing by Kolakowski on a different topic.
In any case, I don’t see an easy way (!) forward out of the neo-liberal quagmire unless we all get suddenly infected by a mind-altering virus that radically changes our thinking and attitudes. Unlikely.
And what replaces it Draco that will work better without massive unintended consequences and result in the efficient allocation of resources ( including human capital) , correct price discovery etc
Democracy.
Elegant.
Unchallenged.
Reading the Press today,I almost choked on my weetbix. One of the most avid supporters of our beloved leader giving him and his government one right in the groin with a number 10 toe cap.
Here was the Press holding the Prime Minister, Government ministers and the Health Ministry up for a dose of good old fashioned ridicule over their treatment of mentally ill people in Canterbury.
I am still in shock at the ferocity of the attack
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/75497858/editorial-shameful-denial-of-canterburys-growing-mental-health-issues
will be interesting to see if the teflon retains its properties
84% of fed farmers support key and think is govt is great. Big surprise huh.
yes but only 1000 of 12000 were moved enough to return their vote, so approx 800 of 12000 (or roughly 7%) actively support what National are doing…looked at in those terms pretty low level support…..my experience of most farmers in recent times is they are unimpressed with National but that in no way equates for support of Labour or the Greens, there may be some support for Winston but to vote left goes against genetic programing
They probably know they can be scathing because everyone is on holiday mode and the public just aren’t going to care (more so than normal). And you’ve got to feign criticality on your masters just to pretend to everyone you can still do a proper job.
David Farrar was also on the news tonight, being “critical” of the goverment rushing through legislation. Won’t see him on there again for at least another 6 months.
That’s grim reading. Not that it’s news to anyone that has been paying attention to what’s happened to Chch, which is why this is shame on NZ as a whole. It’s going on in our front yard.
As years of weariness, stress and anxiety continue taking a toll across Canterbury, the Ministry of Health is refusing to accept there is an issue when it comes to the extent of the region’s mental health problems.
Now Canterbury police district commander Superintendent John Price has added his concerns to the mix, revealing a huge increase in the number of attempted suicides around the region. Since 2011, suicide-related emergency calls have almost doubled and are now likely the highest in the country, Price says.
Such compelling and frightening statistics should be more than enough to spur into action a decent-minded, caring Government.
Instead, the ongoing issue is being met with tepid indifference by the ministry, which continues its “dogged determination” – according to the Canterbury District Health Board and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority – to deny the problem exists and to provide any extra mental health support.
Hard to imagine a more succinct summation of the neoliberal ethos. Come on all you righty regulars on TS, do tell us how this is right and proper in the scheme of things.
opps, that last paragraph is mine not the editorial’s 😉
Nah it’s only a small minority of losers who aren’t ‘resilient’ enough to cope. No point in wasting good money on them when there’re plenty of lucrative, criminal carbon credits to spend it on.
(I went through about a decade of mild PTSD after the Edgecumbe quake in 1988, so I’m not in the least surprised by this … just how long it’s taken for our media to say anything about it.)
Well, if you’re looking through a neoliberal lens, the real question is not whether or not Christchurch has experienced a spike in the number of people suffering from mental health issues, but whether or not someone can make money out of it.
Capitalism and particularly the neo-liberal mind-set explicitly restricts the use of capital to only those ventures which are able to generate profit.
This in turn prevents inquiry into the most efficient use of capital; collectively funding the basic services upon which everybody relies (health, education, housing, access to water et al.).
The other lie I see often is the assertion that only capitalism and the capitalists lust for profit drives innovation. And that it is socialism, or my personal preference, social democracy that stifles innovation.
It’s easy to see this lie. Most of us grew up already knowing the answer: Necessity is the mother of invention.
Like this expression of understanding of mental health
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30122015/#comment-1113413
God forbid anyone mention nazis but calling left wingers loonies or commies is all good
Reddelusion — how much was your average monthly power bill in, say 1980?. Phone line rental? Rent? How much did you have to pay to go to the doctor?
Because….