Like many of my generation (boomers) I have a somewhat tenuous relationship with computers and big tech. I use my laptop quite a bit, but mainly just for word processing and connection to the internet and can see, in my case, a few limited uses for AI.
But I didn't quite grasp how profoundly earth-shattering DeepSeek will potentially be to the whole economy of the world.
This appears to be in the realm of 'invention of the wheel' type transformation!
It is true that the USA economy is developing via IP/wealth aggregation based on global monopoly, rather than competition (and using tariffs to limit foreign competition).
And AI is the next big thing.
Thus the modern Cold War is about tech IP and information security, as much as military power.
Parliament voted in favour of the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill this evening, marking the 100th settlement between the Crown and Māori and the end of nine years of negotiations.
Parliament voted unanimously to pass a law that formally grants legal personhood to Taranaki maunga (mountain). The bill also acknowledged the historical grievances inflicted on Taranaki’s eight iwi by the Crown.
New Zealand has granted legal personality to several natural features, including:
Te Urewera A mountainous region that became the first natural feature in New Zealand to be granted legal personality in 2014
Whanganui River the first river in the world to be granted legal personality in 2017
Taranaki Maunga New Zealand's second-highest mountain was granted legal personality in 2023
Green analogue of corporate personhood, and we now have a triad. It means any of these regions can take the state to court if state agents cause harm to the ecosystem, such as spreading poison within such regions. However that will only happen if Greenies decide to organise natural rights into political activity and use the legal personhood concept as a tool.
Could be that Wikipedia is also inaccurate: their list includes ridges & sub-peaks on the same mountain. Sort of like pretending that the different limbs of an animal are actually different animals. Whereas most people point to a mountain and say `there it is', a mountaineer may define a mountain in terms of various climbs to the top that loom in the adjacent possible of decision-making…
As a data and AI engineer, my two cents on DeepSeek is that it will only be revolutionary under three conditions.
Their claims about cost, speed, and hardware hold up.
DeepSeek’s reported efficiency in training its model is impressive—but unverified. There’s also plausible evidence they may have used stolen OpenAI data. And while they claim to have trained on H800 chips, they’ve also hinted at stockpiling 10,000+ export-controlled H100s, which raises more questions than answers.
They can match global standards on data security and privacy.
The relationship between DeepSeek and the CCP is murky. Given AI is a strategic priority for China, it's highly likely they have state backing—if not direct funding. Can they operate with the same transparency and privacy safeguards required of non-Chinese firms?
There's also the question of them model's reluctance to discuss issues that reflect badly on Xi Jiping or the CCP.
Their business model is actually sustainable.
It’s one thing to make a splash, another to build a long-term business. DeepSeek still has to prove it can compete without opaque funding or regulatory arbitrage.
Which is more likely?
A quantum leap in AI efficiency, seemingly from nowhere?
Or an aggressive market disruption from a new player in a sketchy jurisdiction with questionable practices that just happens to want to be a major competitor as a matter of serious national policy?
The jury's still out.
At the moment the AI market is overheated and overhyped – basically a bunch of tech and crypto bros high on huffing their own supply. Nobody with an understanding of the technology and underlying problems of building and scaling AI is taking this particularly seriously.
For now, best we can do is treat it like the cheaper, knockoff ChatGPT it likely is.
So what if Deepseek uses stolen data and stockpiled chips?
So what if it has links to the Chinese Communist Party?
Nobody really cares about this. What Deepseek has done, brilliantly, is show that the AI propaganda based-boom is built on sand and will collapse. Watch those tech share prices plummet.
You're absolutely right! AI is spectacularly overhyped. And like all bubbles, it will eventually burst.
But what happens next matters.
The crash won’t kill AI—it’ll just reshape the market, concentrating power in fewer hands. Normally, that process weeds out unsustainable products and leaves a few dominant players standing.
If one of those players happens to be a CCP-backed firm built on stolen IP, deception, and state protection from scrutiny, that’s a serious problem.
The AI hype bubble may collapse, but what comes after could be even worse.
Good point Muttonbird: western consumers have overlooked stolen IP in Chinese-made products for decades.
But the technology and strategic context matters.
Selling cheap knockoff gadgets is one thing. Reshaping the global AI landscape to gain control over a foundational technology is another.
That’s why this can't be ignored like consumer tech has been.
At the end of the day this isn’t just about China building a better AI product (assuming the claims DeepSeek have made are verified).
It’s about flooding the market with models trained on stolen data, backed by state support, and shielded from regulatory scrutiny. That’s not competition; it’s economic and technological sabotage.
Which leaves us here in Aotearoa vulnerable: to data theft, infrastructure compromises, and security threats.
That’s not to say we can blindly trust the US, or that late-stage capitalism will magically protect us from its worst excesses and be good stewards of our personal data.
The irony of OpenAI's complaints about data theft are not lost on me.
But at least with a US or EU company, we have a fighting chance of regulation and accountability.
Censorship is also an issue. Deepseek has it built in e.g. ask about 1989 Tiananmen Square and you'll get that is beyond my scope.
That alone makes it untrustworthy. I do find AI useful for getting sources but even then find the sources minimal overall eg really hard to get AI to use Hansard for instance as part of its research base. Not sure whether it just uses most popular.
Is there any evidence that the privatisation of public assets saved the promised 30% to 40%. List sources.
The claim that privatization of public assets saves 30% to 40% is often cited in debates about privatization, but the actual evidence is mixed and context-dependent. While some studies and reports suggest that privatization can lead to cost savings and efficiency improvements, others highlight that the outcomes vary widely depending on the sector, country, and implementation. Below is an overview of the evidence and some key sources:
Evidence Supporting Cost Savings
World Bank Studies:
The World Bank has published reports suggesting that privatization can lead to significant efficiency gains and cost savings, particularly in sectors like telecommunications, energy, and transportation.
Source: World Development Report 1994: Infrastructure for Development (World Bank, 1994).
Megginson and Netter (2001):
A widely cited academic study reviewed privatization efforts globally and found that privatized firms often experienced improved performance, including cost reductions and increased efficiency.
Source: Megginson, W. L., & Netter, J. M. (2001). "From State to Market: A Survey of Empirical Studies on Privatization." Journal of Economic Literature, 39(2), 321-389.
UK Privatization Experience:
The privatization of British Telecom (BT) and British Gas in the UK during the 1980s and 1990s is often cited as a success story, with reports of improved efficiency and service quality.
Source: Privatization and Economic Performance (Oxford University Press, 1994).
Evidence Questioning the 30%-40% Claim
Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU):
PSIRU has published reports arguing that the promised savings from privatization are often overstated. They highlight cases where privatization led to higher costs for consumers and reduced service quality.
Source: The Privatization Industry in Europe (PSIRU, 2014).
OECD Studies:
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has noted that while privatization can lead to efficiency gains, the outcomes depend heavily on the regulatory framework and market conditions. In some cases, privatization has not delivered the expected savings.
Source: Privatisation in the 21st Century: Recent Experiences of OECD Countries (OECD, 2009).
Latin American Privatization:
Studies of privatization in Latin America have shown mixed results. While some sectors (e.g., telecommunications) saw improvements, others (e.g., water and electricity) experienced price increases and service disruptions.
Source: Privatization in Latin America: Myths and Reality (Stanford University Press, 2005).
Water Privatization Failures:
In cases like Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Jakarta, Indonesia, water privatization led to significant price hikes and public backlash, undermining claims of cost savings.
Source: Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World’s Water (Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, 2002).
Key Takeaways
Sector-Specific Outcomes: Savings are more likely in competitive sectors (e.g., telecommunications) than in natural monopolies (e.g., water, electricity).
Regulation Matters: Effective regulation is critical to ensure that privatization benefits the public and does not lead to exploitation.
Context Matters: The success of privatization depends on the country's economic, political, and institutional context.
Mixed Evidence: While some cases show significant savings, others show no improvement or even negative outcomes.
Conclusion
The claim that privatization consistently saves 30% to 40% is not universally supported by evidence. While there are success stories, there are also notable failures. The outcomes depend on how privatization is implemented, the sector in question, and the regulatory environment. For a balanced view, it is important to examine case studies and empirical research rather than relying on generalized claims.
Funnily enough, the subject of my master's research was a takedown of neoliberal public management models, privatization, and the growth of managerialism in the public sector.
As for AI, it's an incredibly powerful tool. But we are only just scratching the surface of the ethical, legal, and data management implications.
We're basically toddlers running around with a chainsaw.
Yeah one meta-analysis identified only rubbish disposal as making any where near decent gains.
growth of managerialism in the public sector.
Yeah that's a fuck up of monumental proportions – made worse now by incompetent Ministers if my obrservations are correct eg ferries.
AI is great funnily enough for non-techy people who could revolutionise small community groups in terms of productivity and research. An instant draft presentation can save hours of thinking and work.
Write me a short presentation on how potato chips are made. Include references and individual steps n the process.
Presentation: How Potato Chips Are Made
Slide 1: Title Slide
How Potato Chips Are Made
A step-by-step guide to the production of everyone's favorite snack.
References included for further reading.
Slide 2: Introduction
Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks worldwide.
The process involves selecting the right potatoes, slicing, frying, seasoning, and packaging.
Let’s explore how this crispy treat is made!
Slide 3: Step 1 – Potato Selection
Key Point: Only high-quality potatoes are used.
Varieties like Russet or Maris Piper are preferred for their low sugar and high starch content.
Potatoes are inspected for size, shape, and defects.
Reference: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Potato Processing Technology.
Slide 4: Step 2 – Washing and Peeling
Key Point: Potatoes are cleaned to remove dirt and peeled.
They are washed in water and passed through abrasive peelers.
Some brands leave the skin on for a more rustic chip.
Reference: USDA, Guidelines for Potato Processing.
Slide 5: Step 3 – Slicing
Key Point: Potatoes are sliced into thin, even pieces.
Industrial slicers cut potatoes into slices about 1-2 mm thick.
Uniform thickness ensures even cooking.
Reference: Fellows, P. J. (2009). Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice.
Slide 6: Step 4 – Rinsing and Blanching
Key Point: Slices are rinsed to remove excess starch.
Blanching in hot water (70-90°C) softens the slices and removes sugars to prevent over-browning.
This step also improves the final texture and color.
Reference: Singh, R. P., & Heldman, D. R. (2014). Introduction to Food Engineering.
Slide 7: Step 5 – Frying
Key Point: Slices are fried in oil at 175-190°C for 2-3 minutes.
Continuous fryers are used in industrial production.
The chips are monitored to achieve the perfect golden color and crispiness.
Reference: Food Engineering Magazine, The Science of Frying.
Slide 8: Step 6 – Seasoning
Key Point: Chips are flavored with seasonings.
Salt is the most common seasoning, but other flavors (e.g., barbecue, sour cream) are added using tumblers or spray systems.
Seasonings adhere to the chips while they are still warm.
Reference: Potter, N. N., & Hotchkiss, J. H. (1995). Food Science.
Slide 9: Step 7 – Packaging
Key Point: Chips are packaged to maintain freshness.
Nitrogen gas is used to flush out oxygen in the bags, preventing staleness and extending shelf life.
Bags are sealed and labeled for distribution.
Reference: Robertson, G. L. (2012). Food Packaging: Principles and Practice.
Slide 10: Conclusion
Potato chips are made through a carefully controlled process:
Potato selection
Washing and peeling
Slicing
Rinsing and blanching
Frying
Seasoning
Packaging
Each step ensures the chips are crispy, flavorful, and ready to enjoy!
Slide 11: References
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Potato Processing Technology.
USDA. Guidelines for Potato Processing.
Fellows, P. J. (2009). Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice.
Singh, R. P., & Heldman, D. R. (2014). Introduction to Food Engineering.
Food Engineering Magazine. The Science of Frying.
Potter, N. N., & Hotchkiss, J. H. (1995). Food Science.
Robertson, G. L. (2012). Food Packaging: Principles and Practice.
According to the theory of magical thinking, any such set of 7 elements operating as a plan of action will have a magical effect when enacted.
So that's why the dietary influence of potato chips the past half-century has inflated the bodies of consumers so much: the method works like magic – it is powerfully transformative in a physical sense.
It's the salt- cravings for salt. There is, I believe, a cellar/pantry inventory hard-wired into the brain that, reminding us that potato crisps, cheese crackers and beer are available for immediate consumption, short circuits any nascent delayed gratification urgings…..
Most of the pro-privatisation reports are from 20 years ago. You have to look at the long game for true cost-benefit. Don't trust ai to do your homework.
No I wasn't. Was just seeing what AI would produce. It seeems fair too even handed for what I've read – most were an abject failure as far as the promised savings, many have had to be bailed out and the cynical and exploitative Theresa Gattung policy of multiple (confusing) pricing models is an example of profit maximisation at the cost of the consumer – as is wanky borrowing to pay dividends to shareholders – capital theft at it's finest.
One thing Labour could do is say each is only allowed one price for electricity. Then they can compete for consumers.
Ok sure, open-source AI could certainly help Europe and India build competitive AI ecosystems.
But independence depends on more than just access to code. Infrastructure, talent retention, regulatory frameworks, and investment all play a role.
The real question is whether these regions can build sustainable AI ecosystems that aren’t overly dependent on any single power. Whether that's the US or China.
That said, real competition requires a level playing field that drives actual innovation. Not just wholesale IP theft, protectionism, or a facade propped up by propaganda.
An open market is valuable, but only if it leads to genuine progress rather than reinforcing artificial advantages.
A quantum leap in AI efficiency, seemingly from nowhere?
Or an aggressive market disruption from a new player in a sketchy jurisdiction with questionable practices that just happens to want to e a major competitor as a matter of serious national policy?
Shane Jones on Morning Report this morning confirmed that he is a self-important, slithering supercilious snake. Many more adjectives could be used but not going to waste any more of my time.
Trump claims diversity hiring is the cause of the Potomac River crash, but reports are saying air traffic control was not staffed properly at the time, so perhaps budget cuts are the primary cause.
I'm no aviation safety expert but it looked to me like the military helicopter should have been there, crossing the descent path of the airliner.
We know the airline pilot was white, so no fault there according to Trump, but since he is quick to lay the blame on DEI, it's very important we know the colour skin of the helicopter pilots, the air traffic controller, and their rostering manager. Only way to know for sure!
There is a Helicopter transit corridor down the Potomac River, which the Blackhawk was using next to Ronald Reagan Airport.
It appears that Blackhawk Pilot may lost Situation Awareness and it also appears that he/ she didn't have it's transponder/ anti collision transponder on either?
Then we also have the understaffed ATC at Ronald Reagan Airport, who are double hatting atm which could also be a factor as well?
The Tony Blair Institute asked people in 6 western democracies their views on government. Voters were 'turning away from centre-left and centre-right parties not for ideological reasons, but because confidence in their competence and integrity have plummeted. “Whatever voters are looking for, they increasingly…doubt that it can be delivered by the parties they…traditionally elected to office"…'economic pessimism was linked to declining faith in democracy.'
Perception is everything, as propagandaists know. TBI said 'the findings served as a “clarion call to mainstream parties: disrupt or be disrupted”…to build and maintain support, mainstream parties needed to “change through disruption – of social media feeds, of the old left-right spectrum and by embracing new technology, especially AI. At the same time, credible answers must be provided for legitimate grievances', eg immigration in the UK and Germany.
We know we have reached a political inflexion point world-wide. I think is due almost entirely to the transition in the last decade from trad media to a million viewpoints on the same event. And controlling or manipulating social media with its anonimity, via shills or bots or influencers, is the key to controlling voters. Whaleoil times 5 million.
To gain attention, but not via a constant spew of trumpian crap is the challenge for the left. More, much more radical, but in a principled direction, is the message from this research.
Interesting, but the times seem more indeterminate than indicative. Thinking ahead in a situation of social turbulence is challenging for anyone but we did evolve on that basis so we do have the capacity as a shared resource.
Yes, a political inflection due to media diversity is likely but more as ebbing of faith in the system than clever proactivity and solutions-based thinking. In the short term, anyway, while folks ponder the lack of an apparent alternative to the status quo.
Supporters of the opposition claim that they will provide a positive alternative – but neither them nor the opposing parties are fronting with sufficient evidence to impress the increasingly-disillusioned masses. You point to a principled radical stance as primary take for the left. It seems a necessity, yet it ain't happening.
I gave the source, because I understand Blair is a capitalist apologist, and his think tank possibly suspect. But, I think the survey itself is very informative, and that TBI make a valid challenge to the left to change things by taking big steps.
There is a heap of 'Labour and the Greens are out of touch/don't progress fast enough' at TS. This work at least tries to identify why and suggest a 'how'.
I am thinking how marxism at the turn of the 1900s had a simple message of social justice from capilalist exploitation. It was spread by grass-roots worker groups. This led down the track to Labour's Welfare state, Rooseveldt's New Deal, etc.
Earlier on, we forget that, in the same way that the US defanged the robber barons, via taxation, we in NZ had the breakup of giant land estates. These are all 'big' ideas. How to get back on a democratic track via a big social message, well-proliferated?
The president replied: "It may have, I don't know. Incompetence might have played a role…
"But we want the most competent people. We don't care what race they are, we want the most competent people, especially in those positions.
"And you're talking about extremely complex things, and if they don't have a great brain, a great power of the brain, they're not going to be very good at what they do, and bad things will happen."
Just days before the crash, President Donald Trump enacted a sweeping shake-up of the federal agencies responsible for aviation oversight, removing the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), David Pekoske, and eliminating all the members of a key aviation security advisory group. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace, was also without permanent leadership at the time of the crash, as its top official, Michael Whitaker, stepped down ahead of the new administration’s transition after clashing with Trump ally Elon Musk.'
“In the 10 days since Trump’s inauguration, his administration froze the hiring of additional air traffic controllers, gutted key air safety protections, and fired FAA leadership to the benefit of Musk’s business interests,” the progressive policy advocacy group MoveOn wrote in a statement.
Hiring freezes jeopardising safety. Where have we heard this before?
Dr James Kierstead is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Languages and Cultures at Te Herenga Waka -Victoria University of Wellington. He has a commentary on Dame Anne Salmond's latest essay here: https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/31/hayeks-real-bastards/
The picture painted in Salmond’s article is one in which Act is seeking to strip ordinary New Zealanders of their human rights, and in which my Initiative colleagues play a supporting role as purveyors of an ideology which is fundamentally illiberal, anti-democratic, and even racist.
In an effort “to work out what’s going on”, Salmond looked at three books – Globalists,Crack-up Capitalism and Hayek’s Bastards – by the Canadian intellectual historian Quinn Slobodian… In Salmond’s telling, “a direct genealogy can be traced from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in the 1920s to the Mont Pelerin Society in 1947, the Atlas Foundation” and the New Zealand Initiative… It’s very strange, then, that Salmond associates us with the likes of Wilhelm Röpke, whose pro-apartheid racism she documents (without mentioning the anti-apartheid work of other members of the Mont Pelerin Society), as well as Curtis Yarvin (a.k.a. ‘Mencius Moldbug’), who has argued for the restoration of monarchical rule in Western nations.
Her associations cited here aren't strange to me. Leftists normally conflate rightists and vice versa. It has long been the primary way for both groups to become delusional.
true dialogue, though, requires both sides to actually listen to what the other is saying, and not put words in other people’s mouths.
Paying attention is extremely difficult when one's state of mental normalcy is driven by bias of any kind. It become more likely when others aren't viewed as enemies, allowing the possibility of mutual respect. Principled advocacy from the right is a refreshing change to normalcy, worthy of encouragement.
A key objective certainly of ACT and very probably of National is to undermine universities, and university academics. Particular targets are academics who study humanities and human sciences, and especially those who speak for the underprivileged. The reason is clear, it's the because these academics are a form of regulation against the unbridled power and profit seeking of the privileged, and the flawed version of democracy which they hide behind.
Where Obama had hopey-changey, New Zealand and Britain are battling to own the growthy-yessy mantra. Here’s how we win.
Luxon is plainly up for the task. The first week back in the seat last week was festooned with invocations of growth and saying yes, culminating in a state of the nation speech that arrived like a giant word cloud pregnant with growth and its sidekick yes. (“Turbocharging New Zealand’s economic growth is the key to brighter days ahead.” “The bottom line is we need a lot less no and a lot more yes.”)
It's all about power-sloganeering. Sadly, Lux failed to credit his Labour source:
“Kickstarting economic growth is this government’s number one mission. (blah blah blah) We must start saying yes.”
Toby predicts ministers will be known as maxisters. Son of Think Big looms…
Gore becomes Goer, Lower Hutt becomes Upper Hutt and Upper Hutt becomes Upperer Hutt. And we will abandon the No 8 Wire mentality in favour of a Yes 8 Wire mentality. At the end of the day, we’re talking about being relentlessly positive for a brighter future. Let’s do this.
Electronic Intifada details the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the start of the ceasefire.
How is it, these killings are not considered to be a breach of the ceasefire agreement?
And Hamas getting a name wrong on a list, or too enthusiastic crowds at a hostage handover are considered breaches of the ceasefire?
Because these are just the normal background of racist murders that Israel has visited on Palestinians since 1948
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Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
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 from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
Hundreds of engineers are losing their jobs and leaving our shores due to infrastructure project delays, creating "significant" risk to our nation's development, says the head of New Zealand's engineering body. ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says the deal with China “complements, not replaces” the relationship with New Zealand after signing it yesterday. Brown said “The Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 2025-2030” provides a structured framework for engagement between the Cook Islands ...
The government should not set military style academies into youth justice law, the children's commissioner says, despite its first bootcamp getting a glowing report. ...
The infamous over-the-suit T-shirt worn by the PM at a Parliament barbecue has gone on sale to raise funds for children living in poverty, in a TradeMe auction. ...
MONDAYSheriff Seymour rode slowly down the main street of Dodge on his faithful white horse Atlas Network.He liked what he saw.Children were being fed free lunches prepared by kind people who collected the scraps from an offal rendering plant.“Very strongly flavoured liver, such as ox liver, can be soaked overnight ...
Once upon a time it was all about being an astronaut, a firefighter or doctor; but these days kids have their sights set on becoming vloggers or YouTubers.That’s according to a 2019 study by Lego that surveyed 3000 children between the ages of eight to 12 from the US, the ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. From the moment I started high school and realised almost every other girl in my year was at least partially interested in what the boys were up to, I realised that I would be single for life. The feeling wasn’t one of ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Selina Alesana Alefosio.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.On a bright Sunday morning from her grandparent’s home in Pito-one, I spoke with ...
The White Lotus star reflects on her life in TV, including the local ad reference that doesn’t work in Australia, and her bananas co-star on Neighbours.Morgana O’Reilly was scrolling her phone next to her sleeping son on an idle Saturday morning when she got the call confirming that she ...
Claire Mabey explores the pros and cons of puff quotes on book covers.In January, Publishers Weekly put out an article by Sean Manning – publisher of Simon & Schuster’s flagship US imprint – in which he said he’d “no longer require authors to obtain blurbs for their books”.The ...
New Zealand’s Entomological Society is hosting its annual bug of the year contest. Here are some of the insects in the running. For some reason – perhaps humans’ inherent competitiveness, the idealisation of democracy, the need to demarcate winners and losers – one of the best ways to get people ...
A journey along the border, with words and illustrations by Bob Kerr.The Spinoff Essay showcases the best essayists in Aotearoa, on topics big and small. Made possible by the generous support of our members.The Sunset Limited leaves Union Station New Orleans on time at nine in the morning. We ...
Neville Peat is the 2024 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in nonfiction. He’s written 56 books, mostly on natural history; this excerpt is from The Falcon and the Lark: A New Zealand High Country Journal, first published in 1992. The falcon wintering on the Rock and ...
It was a light-hearted gesture Greta Pilkington will be forever grateful for – thanks to an Aussie rival who jumped in when the Olympic sailor couldn’t be at her own graduation.Pilkington, then 20, had been leading a double life – while qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the ILCA ...
I was born in the back of my grandfather’s ute, by an overgrown windbreak in a remote place called Wahi-Rakauyou can’t find on a map. I was born a girl but given the man’s name Harvey, as my dad always wanted a violent-minded boy to one day help him ...
“We’re not here to interfere in people’s property rights,” Ngāi Tahu’s Te Maire Tau has told the High Court.Tau, a historian, Upoko (traditional leader) of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and a university professor of history, is the lead witness in a case designed to force the Crown to recognise the tribe’s rangatiratanga ...
Pacific Media Watch Trump administration officials barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from covering White House events this week because the US-based independent news agency did not change its style guide to align with the president’s political agenda. The AP is being punished for using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin editor France’s top diplomat in the Pacific region says talks around the “unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s highly controversial electoral roll are back on the table. The French government intended to make a constitutional amendment that would lift restrictions prescribed under the Nouméa Accord, which ...
By bringing these global voices to the fight for free expression in New Zealand, we’ll continue to protect and expand our culture of free speech, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech Union's Events Manager. ...
The issue is no longer a hypothetical one. US President Donald Trump will not explicitly suggest death camps, but he has already consented to Israel’s continuing a war that is not a war but rather a barbaric assault on a desolate stretch of land. From there, the road to annihilation is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on the northwest coast of Australia and is likely to make landfall early Friday evening. It’s a monster storm of great concern to Western Australia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Ireland-Piper, Associate Professor, ANU National Security College, Australian National University A Victorian government decision to allow dingo culling in the state’s east until 2028 has reignited debate over what has been dubbed Australia’s most controversial animal. Animals Australia, an animal welfare ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University Overnight, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the secretary of the US Health and Human Services Department. Put simply, this makes him the most influential figure in overseeing the health and wellbeing of more ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard eight hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.It was another work from home day for the Justice Committee, the only people in Room 3 being security guards, committee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Juris Teivans/Shutterstock In Australia, fatal road crashes are climbing again, especially since the pandemic, and despite years of attempts to reduce road trauma, the numbers ...
In its eagerness to appease supporters of Israel, the media is happy to ride roughshod over due process and basic rights. It’s damaging Australia’s (and New Zealand’s?) democracy.COMMENTARY:By Bernard Keane Two moments stand out so far from the Federal Court hearings relating to Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking by the ...
Like many of my generation (boomers) I have a somewhat tenuous relationship with computers and big tech. I use my laptop quite a bit, but mainly just for word processing and connection to the internet and can see, in my case, a few limited uses for AI.
But I didn't quite grasp how profoundly earth-shattering DeepSeek will potentially be to the whole economy of the world.
This appears to be in the realm of 'invention of the wheel' type transformation!
Richard Murphy explains – 8.50 mins long.
It is true that the USA economy is developing via IP/wealth aggregation based on global monopoly, rather than competition (and using tariffs to limit foreign competition).
And AI is the next big thing.
Thus the modern Cold War is about tech IP and information security, as much as military power.
History was made last night:
Googles AI overview:
Google A1 not that accurate there. Taranaki Maunga is the second highest in North Island and 65th in the country.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountains_of_New_Zealand_by_height
Could be that Wikipedia is also inaccurate: their list includes ridges & sub-peaks on the same mountain. Sort of like pretending that the different limbs of an animal are actually different animals. Whereas most people point to a mountain and say `there it is', a mountaineer may define a mountain in terms of various climbs to the top that loom in the adjacent possible of decision-making…
As a data and AI engineer, my two cents on DeepSeek is that it will only be revolutionary under three conditions.
Their claims about cost, speed, and hardware hold up.
DeepSeek’s reported efficiency in training its model is impressive—but unverified. There’s also plausible evidence they may have used stolen OpenAI data. And while they claim to have trained on H800 chips, they’ve also hinted at stockpiling 10,000+ export-controlled H100s, which raises more questions than answers.
They can match global standards on data security and privacy.
The relationship between DeepSeek and the CCP is murky. Given AI is a strategic priority for China, it's highly likely they have state backing—if not direct funding. Can they operate with the same transparency and privacy safeguards required of non-Chinese firms?
There's also the question of them model's reluctance to discuss issues that reflect badly on Xi Jiping or the CCP.
Their business model is actually sustainable.
It’s one thing to make a splash, another to build a long-term business. DeepSeek still has to prove it can compete without opaque funding or regulatory arbitrage.
Which is more likely?
The jury's still out.
At the moment the AI market is overheated and overhyped – basically a bunch of tech and crypto bros high on huffing their own supply. Nobody with an understanding of the technology and underlying problems of building and scaling AI is taking this particularly seriously.
For now, best we can do is treat it like the cheaper, knockoff ChatGPT it likely is.
So what if Deepseek uses stolen data and stockpiled chips?
So what if it has links to the Chinese Communist Party?
Nobody really cares about this. What Deepseek has done, brilliantly, is show that the AI propaganda based-boom is built on sand and will collapse. Watch those tech share prices plummet.
It's wonderful timing with Trump just elected.
You're absolutely right! AI is spectacularly overhyped. And like all bubbles, it will eventually burst.
But what happens next matters.
The crash won’t kill AI—it’ll just reshape the market, concentrating power in fewer hands. Normally, that process weeds out unsustainable products and leaves a few dominant players standing.
If one of those players happens to be a CCP-backed firm built on stolen IP, deception, and state protection from scrutiny, that’s a serious problem.
The AI hype bubble may collapse, but what comes after could be even worse.
Western consumers have happily lapped up products built in China using stolen IP for decades. Why will this be any different?
Good point Muttonbird: western consumers have overlooked stolen IP in Chinese-made products for decades.
But the technology and strategic context matters.
Selling cheap knockoff gadgets is one thing. Reshaping the global AI landscape to gain control over a foundational technology is another.
That’s why this can't be ignored like consumer tech has been.
At the end of the day this isn’t just about China building a better AI product (assuming the claims DeepSeek have made are verified).
It’s about flooding the market with models trained on stolen data, backed by state support, and shielded from regulatory scrutiny. That’s not competition; it’s economic and technological sabotage.
Which leaves us here in Aotearoa vulnerable: to data theft, infrastructure compromises, and security threats.
That’s not to say we can blindly trust the US, or that late-stage capitalism will magically protect us from its worst excesses and be good stewards of our personal data.
The irony of OpenAI's complaints about data theft are not lost on me.
But at least with a US or EU company, we have a fighting chance of regulation and accountability.
Censorship is also an issue. Deepseek has it built in e.g. ask about 1989 Tiananmen Square and you'll get that is beyond my scope.
That alone makes it untrustworthy. I do find AI useful for getting sources but even then find the sources minimal overall eg really hard to get AI to use Hansard for instance as part of its research base. Not sure whether it just uses most popular.
Is there any evidence that the privatisation of public assets saved the promised 30% to 40%. List sources.
The claim that privatization of public assets saves 30% to 40% is often cited in debates about privatization, but the actual evidence is mixed and context-dependent. While some studies and reports suggest that privatization can lead to cost savings and efficiency improvements, others highlight that the outcomes vary widely depending on the sector, country, and implementation. Below is an overview of the evidence and some key sources:
Evidence Supporting Cost Savings
Evidence Questioning the 30%-40% Claim
Key Takeaways
Conclusion
The claim that privatization consistently saves 30% to 40% is not universally supported by evidence. While there are success stories, there are also notable failures. The outcomes depend on how privatization is implemented, the sector in question, and the regulatory environment. For a balanced view, it is important to examine case studies and empirical research rather than relying on generalized claims.
Funnily enough, the subject of my master's research was a takedown of neoliberal public management models, privatization, and the growth of managerialism in the public sector.
As for AI, it's an incredibly powerful tool. But we are only just scratching the surface of the ethical, legal, and data management implications.
We're basically toddlers running around with a chainsaw.
privatization
Yeah one meta-analysis identified only rubbish disposal as making any where near decent gains.
growth of managerialism in the public sector.
Yeah that's a fuck up of monumental proportions – made worse now by incompetent Ministers if my obrservations are correct eg ferries.
AI is great funnily enough for non-techy people who could revolutionise small community groups in terms of productivity and research. An instant draft presentation can save hours of thinking and work.
Write me a short presentation on how potato chips are made. Include references and individual steps n the process.
Presentation: How Potato Chips Are Made
Slide 1: Title Slide
How Potato Chips Are Made
Slide 2: Introduction
Slide 3: Step 1 – Potato Selection
Slide 4: Step 2 – Washing and Peeling
Slide 5: Step 3 – Slicing
Slide 6: Step 4 – Rinsing and Blanching
Slide 7: Step 5 – Frying
Slide 8: Step 6 – Seasoning
Slide 9: Step 7 – Packaging
Slide 10: Conclusion
Slide 11: References
You have specified a heptad at slide 10:
According to the theory of magical thinking, any such set of 7 elements operating as a plan of action will have a magical effect when enacted.
So that's why the dietary influence of potato chips the past half-century has inflated the bodies of consumers so much: the method works like magic – it is powerfully transformative in a physical sense.
It's the salt- cravings for salt. There is, I believe, a cellar/pantry inventory hard-wired into the brain that, reminding us that potato crisps, cheese crackers and beer are available for immediate consumption, short circuits any nascent delayed gratification urgings…..
Same reason they cottoned on that salt on chips sold more drinks at fairgrounds – as does the salt in soft drinks sells more soft drinks.
Create a nice viscous circle of need and satisfaction.
Most of the pro-privatisation reports are from 20 years ago. You have to look at the long game for true cost-benefit. Don't trust ai to do your homework.
No I wasn't. Was just seeing what AI would produce. It seeems fair too even handed for what I've read – most were an abject failure as far as the promised savings, many have had to be bailed out and the cynical and exploitative Theresa Gattung policy of multiple (confusing) pricing models is an example of profit maximisation at the cost of the consumer – as is wanky borrowing to pay dividends to shareholders – capital theft at it's finest.
One thing Labour could do is say each is only allowed one price for electricity. Then they can compete for consumers.
What if (Chinese) Open Source allows Europe and India to compete in AI and not be an American market colony?
Ok sure, open-source AI could certainly help Europe and India build competitive AI ecosystems.
But independence depends on more than just access to code. Infrastructure, talent retention, regulatory frameworks, and investment all play a role.
The real question is whether these regions can build sustainable AI ecosystems that aren’t overly dependent on any single power. Whether that's the US or China.
That said, real competition requires a level playing field that drives actual innovation. Not just wholesale IP theft, protectionism, or a facade propped up by propaganda.
An open market is valuable, but only if it leads to genuine progress rather than reinforcing artificial advantages.
I would put money on 2.
My judgement is also that scenario 2) is much more likely.
Tech is now just another front in great power competition. Which, as an IT professional, scares the living daylights out of me.
Tech, science and democracy.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Sn8EkqOxpvg
AI is a tool, like every tool it can be turned into a weapon.
An AI arms race is developing between the US and China.
Eventually, AIs will be pitted against each other.
Shane Jones on Morning Report this morning confirmed that he is a self-important, slithering supercilious snake. Many more adjectives could be used but not going to waste any more of my time.
Trump claims diversity hiring is the cause of the Potomac River crash, but reports are saying air traffic control was not staffed properly at the time, so perhaps budget cuts are the primary cause.
I'm no aviation safety expert but it looked to me like the military helicopter should have been there, crossing the descent path of the airliner.
We know the airline pilot was white, so no fault there according to Trump, but since he is quick to lay the blame on DEI, it's very important we know the colour skin of the helicopter pilots, the air traffic controller, and their rostering manager. Only way to know for sure!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360565297/small-plane-crashes-river-washington-dc
Surely you mean 'shouldn't.'
There is a Helicopter transit corridor down the Potomac River, which the Blackhawk was using next to Ronald Reagan Airport.
It appears that Blackhawk Pilot may lost Situation Awareness and it also appears that he/ she didn't have it's transponder/ anti collision transponder on either?
Then we also have the understaffed ATC at Ronald Reagan Airport, who are double hatting atm which could also be a factor as well?
Isn't Trump a DEI hire.
Mentally deficient Narcissist?
RFK, the New Amerika Health cooker in chief…..a clear and present danger, not only to USA Health.
Aiono Professor Dr Alec Ekeroma warns…
He's an anti-vaxxer who had his own children vaxxed. The guy is a mega grifter & very weird.
As a Cooker in chief….perfect for that role. As US Health supremo ? Bad news….
‘cooker in chief’, surely, that should be ‘head chef’?
Well, he could be seen as a variety of "head" (chef, dick, case etc), the problem is his elevation way beyond any competence….to a Public danger .
His own cousin Caroline Kennedy…
A toxic soup…
The Tony Blair Institute asked people in 6 western democracies their views on government. Voters were 'turning away from centre-left and centre-right parties not for ideological reasons, but because confidence in their competence and integrity have plummeted. “Whatever voters are looking for, they increasingly…doubt that it can be delivered by the parties they…traditionally elected to office"…'economic pessimism was linked to declining faith in democracy.'
Perception is everything, as propagandaists know. TBI said 'the findings served as a “clarion call to mainstream parties: disrupt or be disrupted”…to build and maintain support, mainstream parties needed to “change through disruption – of social media feeds, of the old left-right spectrum and by embracing new technology, especially AI. At the same time, credible answers must be provided for legitimate grievances', eg immigration in the UK and Germany.
We know we have reached a political inflexion point world-wide. I think is due almost entirely to the transition in the last decade from trad media to a million viewpoints on the same event. And controlling or manipulating social media with its anonimity, via shills or bots or influencers, is the key to controlling voters. Whaleoil times 5 million.
To gain attention, but not via a constant spew of trumpian crap is the challenge for the left. More, much more radical, but in a principled direction, is the message from this research.
Interesting, but the times seem more indeterminate than indicative. Thinking ahead in a situation of social turbulence is challenging for anyone but we did evolve on that basis so we do have the capacity as a shared resource.
Yes, a political inflection due to media diversity is likely but more as ebbing of faith in the system than clever proactivity and solutions-based thinking. In the short term, anyway, while folks ponder the lack of an apparent alternative to the status quo.
Supporters of the opposition claim that they will provide a positive alternative – but neither them nor the opposing parties are fronting with sufficient evidence to impress the increasingly-disillusioned masses. You point to a principled radical stance as primary take for the left. It seems a necessity, yet it ain't happening.
Chicken 'n egg argument there, Dennis. I believe my egg trumps your chicken.
Worth a post all by itself. Will look at over weekend.
The Tony Blair Institute ? Really? Nil credence should be given to that…
I gave the source, because I understand Blair is a capitalist apologist, and his think tank possibly suspect. But, I think the survey itself is very informative, and that TBI make a valid challenge to the left to change things by taking big steps.
There is a heap of 'Labour and the Greens are out of touch/don't progress fast enough' at TS. This work at least tries to identify why and suggest a 'how'.
I am thinking how marxism at the turn of the 1900s had a simple message of social justice from capilalist exploitation. It was spread by grass-roots worker groups. This led down the track to Labour's Welfare state, Rooseveldt's New Deal, etc.
Earlier on, we forget that, in the same way that the US defanged the robber barons, via taxation, we in NZ had the breakup of giant land estates. These are all 'big' ideas. How to get back on a democratic track via a big social message, well-proliferated?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/540473/potomac-crash-live-more-than-60-people-dead-as-jet-helicopter-collide-over-washington
Yes Mr Trump, especially for the president !!!!
One person doing two jobs in air control in a busy period.
AND
Just Bizarre
Just days before the crash, President Donald Trump enacted a sweeping shake-up of the federal agencies responsible for aviation oversight, removing the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), David Pekoske, and eliminating all the members of a key aviation security advisory group. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers and manages the nation’s airspace, was also without permanent leadership at the time of the crash, as its top official, Michael Whitaker, stepped down ahead of the new administration’s transition after clashing with Trump ally Elon Musk.'
https://apple.news/ArCq_C-eRRceLBxLv5zoO9Q
Hiring freezes jeopardising safety. Where have we heard this before?
The two controller jobs – one managing helicopters in the vicinity and the other landing planes.
https://bsky.app/profile/mattdpearce.com/post/3lgyaywczy22r
Incompetence in executive order governance.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-freeze-hiring-air-traffic-controllers-washington-crash-2023348
Dr James Kierstead is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Languages and Cultures at Te Herenga Waka -Victoria University of Wellington. He has a commentary on Dame Anne Salmond's latest essay here: https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/01/31/hayeks-real-bastards/
Her associations cited here aren't strange to me. Leftists normally conflate rightists and vice versa. It has long been the primary way for both groups to become delusional.
Paying attention is extremely difficult when one's state of mental normalcy is driven by bias of any kind. It become more likely when others aren't viewed as enemies, allowing the possibility of mutual respect. Principled advocacy from the right is a refreshing change to normalcy, worthy of encouragement.
A key objective certainly of ACT and very probably of National is to undermine universities, and university academics. Particular targets are academics who study humanities and human sciences, and especially those who speak for the underprivileged. The reason is clear, it's the because these academics are a form of regulation against the unbridled power and profit seeking of the privileged, and the flawed version of democracy which they hide behind.
Academics like Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/540491/treaty-principles-bill-s-promise-of-equal-rights-ignores-blind-spots-of-our-democracy
"No Frills" Simeon semi-delivers…..
Wait…what?
And, unsurprisingly (amongst others..)
NAct1: bringing you the Hospitals and Health System you need. Apparently.
Yep, in 6 years we will have a new hospital with fewer beds than our current one. I see our mayor is hailing this as a success, fukkin sell-out.
National copies Labour: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/29-01-2025/just-some-ideas-to-help-nz-win-the-growthy-yessy-arms-race
It's all about power-sloganeering. Sadly, Lux failed to credit his Labour source:
RR joined the Labour Party at the age of 16, then got a masters degree from the London School of Economics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Reeves
Toby predicts ministers will be known as maxisters. Son of Think Big looms…
To put it all in a few words: This is a government that specializes in spin.
MP landlords have cause to celebrate today
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2025/01/31/its-now-no-cause-eviction-open-season-on-renters-as-national-reopen-country-up-to-digital-nomad-hyper-tourism/
Hmm…
I think it’s the seemingly duplicated pink hair nets which make this picture what it is.
And the two struggling not to laugh in the background.
If there's something weird
And it don't look good
Who you gonna call?
Why on earth does Luxon need a hair net???
Bing Videos
Biggs Dickus?
Is that Willis?
Electronic Intifada details the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the start of the ceasefire.
How is it, these killings are not considered to be a breach of the ceasefire agreement?
And Hamas getting a name wrong on a list, or too enthusiastic crowds at a hostage handover are considered breaches of the ceasefire?
Because these are just the normal background of racist murders that Israel has visited on Palestinians since 1948
So I guess we can finally address the worst-kept secret in NZ….
Tim Jago… Now that we can legally call a nonce a nonce.