"It's understood there've been moves against the MP at a national and local level, with two other nominations. Ms Wall missed out on promotion when Labour came into power despite securing gay marriage, its only big win in opposition".
"1 NEWS understands a deal has been signed off, moving her higher up the party list, ensuring her return to parliament. Tonight, Labour announced Arena Williams has been selected as the party's candidate for Manurewa. The lawyer and mum-of-two is of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Tūhoe and Ngai Tahu descent." And a lawyer.
Watching the story One News ran last night, I was intrigued to see Matt McCarten appear twice – carefully avoiding any reference to stalinism. Well done, stealth is essential. Dame Marilyn Waring: "She'd better be high enough on the list!"
I imagined the spectre of an elderly sisterhood marching against the Labour Party, banners waving, during the election campaign, may have flickered briefly in the tiny wee minds of the stalinists, before they reassured themselves that no, that couldn't happen.
Linda Clark this morning on RNZ, talking with Richard Harman and Jim Mora: "Helen Clark kept files on all sorts of people." Well, obviously. Stalinism 1.01 😆
the principles of communism associated with Joseph Stalin, characterized especially by the extreme suppression of dissident political or ideological views, the concentration of power in one person, and an aggressive international policy.
The thing the Labour government needs is support for David Parker who is overworked and one of the few competent Ministers they have, and also for Andrew Little who has been pretty ineffectual in the role of Justice, Courts, and Treaty of Waitangi stuff.
The Labour Party needs more lawyers. Mostly that's because law is the core business of Parliament.
Arena Williams brings Auckland networks that the Labour party otherwise doesn't have.
You'll also notice Kris Fa'afoi going onto the list in Mana. That's a majority of over 10,000.
The replacement there is Barbara Edmonds. Barbara is a bona fide legal tax specialist. It's pretty apparent that Deborah Russell hasn't made much policy headway in tax reform at all, so Labour definitely needs help in that department.
So no, it's not a Leninist conspiracy. It's just targeted renewal, in safe seats, to get more of what the Labour Party needs in parliament.
You should expect to see more renewal movement in the next 2 months.
Dr Webb is a pretty high profile lawyer, as are Kiri Allan and Willow-Jean Prime, not to mention the Deputy PM. Assuming all return in 2020, Labour will be very well served. Getting more talent through is very important, but it's not like the current caucus is bereft.
Also, I think Little has been excellent when NZ First has let him.
I accept that premise Ad but wonder if it can't be achieved in a less divisive way. Deborah Russell has been finding her feet this term in government and suspect she's just coming into her own now. Helen Clark had a low profile during her first term in parliament too.
I think it was Keith Holyoake who used to warn incoming newbies to "hold their noses during their first term and learn how parliament operates before jumping into the fray" – words to that effect anyway. Wise advice given the many complexities of parliamentary life.
I'm curious about the underlying reasons for the Louisa Wall affair. On the surface it smacks of a clash between ideological/religious conservatism and a whiff of identity politics in the shape of a strong Maori woman MP who also happens to be gay.
It is said that Louisa does not suffer fools gladly. Helen Clark didn't either but she learnt to manage her 'affliction' as I can personally attest to… when once many years ago I decided to be too clever by half at a local meeting. She put me in my place neatly and without rancour. A lesson well learnt that I never repeated. 😀
Honestly this is the best time to cut out the low performers.
At 55%+ polling Labour in parliament is about to be flooded with a whole phalanx of new MPs.
With that volume of intake you want to ensure there aren't any weak ones; any low performers who aren't achieving much.
And anyone except Labour Ministerial staff would accept that most of the current crop aren't that good. Only insiders would recognise a Labour Minister beyond the top five.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not only invigorate the Labour Party – it's an opportunity to get the talent pipeline so good that National is waiting until 2029 before it even gets a sniff.
On the surface it smacks of a clash between ideological/religious conservatism and a whiff of identity politics in the shape of a strong Maori woman MP who also happens to be gay.
'On the surface' from what little has come out of the Thorndon bubble over recent years it seems to have far more to do with being a team player than which social groupings the person may belong to. Low cabinet ranking also a function of that despite obvious smartness and ability to reach across parties when progressing that signature achievement.
My (third hand) understanding is that she was pushing some identity politics stuff too hard and insulting people simply for holding a different opinion.
That is what I suspected. It's not the first time it has happened in the Labour Party either.
Back in the 1970s and early 1980s there was a small group of women who were overly aggressive with their views. [The meme 'identity politics' was not part of the vocabulary then.] Instead of attracting other women to the cause they actually turned quite a few of them off. I was one of them.
You don't win battles by forcing your views on to other people. You gently persuade them over time.
Edit
The Labour Party needs more pragmatic idealists. Lawyers per se, but they do not necessarily have the sense to go with driving good laws. They normally just work within them. Workers from all levels of society who are thoughtful and practical and care about people and our small business that binds the nation are needed.
So a mix of politician types is needed, provided they can see beyond neolib to the field beyond. They would go to where the grass is actually greener and there is enough for all who are keen enough to walk over and chew their cuds, and take time to talk about getting opportunities and setting limits and bringing the people to education on how we need to live in the 21st century and find value in ourselves and satisfaction as we do work within a thoughtful, kind, sustainable society.
Could Labour manage this? Might take them out of their well-paid comfort zone.
lol – the thing about lawyers and politics is principles. They don't have any. And no – that's not a gratuitous swipe. Many a lawyer will punt for the legal path over the unlawful path, even where the unlawful path is principled and the legal one an arse that might leave you with an uneasy conscience that needs salved to escape or deny a world of regret. Just ask Andrew Little.
The lawyers that have been chosen for these two seats are lawyers of strong principle. You need to look at their work to demonstrate how they apply principle within policy to decisionmaking frameworks.
If you're making a swipe against Minister Little as a lawyer as well as Minister, for being unlawful, you need to back that up.
A very good lawyer does not necessarily a good politician make, Ad. That's my point.
If a lawyer is presented with a situation where they can be correct in law, they will tend to let that outweigh any principled actions that might contravene the law.
Taking a legally correct route in relation to wildcat strikes over health and safety may or may not ring any bells for you.
I haven't seen any informed explanation of what's behind this dispute, but somehow you can confidently put it down to Wall being in conflict with a Stalinist faction within Labour. Is that based on some evidence you've seen and we haven't? Or is it just the Internet having no shortage of blowhards?
Or is it an observer deducing the theoretical possibility on the basis of the behavioural evidence cited? Gosh, so many questions, so little time to explore the answers.
"Wall was a list MP before winning the seat after Labour veteran George Hawkins retired in 2011. She is best known for getting the marriage equality bill passed into law. She also chairs the health select committee and is a former Silver Fern and Black Fern."
"She received high-profile support this week from Dame Marilyn Waring who, writing in the Herald, said Wall was a national and international figure with a major profile. "She is highly regarded by a large number of significant women leaders, by our nation's sporting community, by community activists and by the nation's LGBTIQ community."" https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12335909
"Waring rejected reported comments that Wall was a "polarising" figure in the Labour caucus. "I was subject to the same criticisms," said the former National MP. "Time has a way of showing that critical thinkers on the inside improve a Government's performance, especially when there are weak opposition parties in Parliament." Labour president Claire Szabo will be running the selection meeting."
So you will be dead keen to provide your own explanation of all this, eh? Go for it. Explain why Labour's president felt the necessity to travel to the local selection and take charge of their process. Then explain why stalinists never do total control (so that proves she ain't stalinist).
Did you give it an actual go and fail to select the text that's the quote and then click the button with the quote marks (it's centre right, between the smiley face and the Source button)? Or is it all just a bit too much of a new tricks/old dog situation?
Not ruling out the latter possibility totally, but I actually forgot. I'm doing concreting concurrently, so I come & scan comments in between stints of that.
I did make the decision to change, and will enact that. Maybe not today tho. And to the other couple of commentors above, I call it as I see it. I did cite the evidence that made me see it that way.
Are you trying to suggest that subjective impressions aren't valid in political commentary? Better have a go at Andre, then, whose technicolour impressions of Trump often colour the scenery here. But no, I bet you aren't serious or consistent in your judgments. Just doing knee-jerk stuff, brain disengaged.
I'm trying to suggest the readability of what you contribute would be improved by making it clearer what content is yours and what is quoted from elsewhere. With improved readability there is likely to be improved understanding and engagement and less sniping snark.
When it comes to the situation in Manurewa with Louisa Wall and the broader Labour party, I have no particular information or insight or experience that might make my reckons have any value. Nor have I any stake in the outcome. So on that topic, any comment I might make would be just random internet noise, which I don't really want to add to.
Yeah, all good. Just to clarify to you & Sacha, owning personal impressions is a good point but evidence cited in support of a theory is something else again. It's a valuable political lesson when indicating a dark side. Just as comments here keep stressing how Trump's banalities indicate a dark side.
History has shown us that the dark side of the left is more of a threat to the people than the dark side of the right. Last time we addressed this point I proved it by citing how all four of the greatest political mass-murderers in the 20th century originated in leftist political organisations. Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
You do not like the left. We get that. Sadly it means you reach for Stalin or Idi Amin at the slightest sign of unease. Perhaps you would be happier somewhere like Kiwibog?
At this point I usually remind folks that I share leftist values, ideals, aspirations. You may recall some of those instances. I'm motivated to help raise consciousness around the typical ways leftists defeat themselves. I believe doing so enhances the common good. If they were to figure it out by themselves, I wouldn't have to.
Re Kiwibog, the miasma produced by the political ecology there always seems too lame, toxic often, distasteful otherwise. Rightists ought to be able to do better but never seem to even try…
Last time we addressed this point I proved it by citing how all four of the greatest political mass-murderers in the 20th century originated in leftist political organisations.
Indeed. How do you know when a political philosophy has gone too far?
It is a question of boundaries, and on this the right we understand that racial superiority and fascism put a player out of bounds. On the left it seems the more radical and disruptive the idea, the more virtuously it's treated; which makes the left very unlikeable at times.
Didn't quite follow that, can you try a rephrasing of the point. Trust seems to be the achilles heel in leftist political orgs (back-stabbing) but the chaos in National currently suggests it may be rife with factionalism too. In the USA the right seems to have become likewise riven with factions in recent years.
In the old days factions were identified via ideology. Not easy to do that nowadays. If political psychologists weren't useless an explanation deriving from depth psychology would be available.
Gadaffi saying he was going to "hunt terrorists house to house " prompted the UN no fly zone in Libya that culminated in the barbaric hunting and killing of Gadaffi "We came, we saw , he died" And the nation destroying chaos that is now Libya.That was Obama/Clinton
Now we have Trump
"US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that many Secret Service agents were "just waiting for action'' and ready to unleash "the most vicious dogs, and the most ominous weapons, I have ever seen"
Four experts say now is the time to usher in systemic economic change.
Leftist & rightist mainstreamers: no way! Over our dead bodies!
Yeah, probably.
One prominent policy blueprint with a deep time horizon is the European Commission’s European Green Deal, which offers several ways to support the communities and businesses most at risk from the current crisis.
COVID-19 reflects a broader trend: more planetary crises are coming. If we muddle through each new crisis while maintaining the same economic model that got us here, future shocks will eventually exceed the capacity of governments, financial institutions, and corporate crisis managers to respond. Indeed, the “coronacrisis” has already done so.
Stating the obvious doesn't work with mainstreamers. They know they've got the numbers to make denial and resistance effective.
The Club of Rome issued a similar warning in its famous 1972 report, The Limits to Growth, and again in Beyond the Limits, a 1992 book by the lead author of that earlier report, Donella Meadows. As Meadows warned back then, humanity’s future will be defined not by a single emergency but by many separate yet related crises stemming from our failure to live sustainably. By using the Earth’s resources faster than they can be restored, and by releasing wastes and pollutants faster than they can be absorbed, we have long been setting ourselves up for disaster.
Mainstreamers: Look, we've been rolling our eyes at this stuff for half a century. Who cares about future generations? Only the Greens, and they don't matter.
Rather than simply reacting to disasters, we can use the science to design economies that will mitigate the threats of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pandemics. We must start investing in what matters, by laying the foundation for a green, circular economy that is anchored in nature-based solutions and geared toward the public good.
Yeah, way to go. Ignore the political left & right. They're determined to remain clueless forever.
Dennis, I hope you don't mind but I reformatted your comment. I find how you format comments now makes it hard to read and understand what you are saying, so I wanted to see if separating out your words from the quotes made a difference.
Okay, I'll have a go at that. Looks like it introduces more space around the quotes and I can see how it could seem more easy to read to some. I'm habituated to traditional denser text formatting & probably need to get over it.
When I first started reading leftist writing it was the late 1960s. I couldn't believe how long their paragraphs were! Eyes glazing over before I got even half-way and I'd been reading constantly all my life so was adept and routinely scored above 95% in English exams. No wonder they never got traction with the masses…
That's interesting. No, I don't mind that alteration, and am sympathetic to the problem you encounter. My style recycles traditional print format, and dates from the '80s – I agree new tech requires communication styles to evolve. I will take this advice on board. Will see if I can adopt that new style.
future shocks will eventually exceed the capacity of governments, financial institutions, and corporate crisis managers to respond.
That's taken as a read. But what is their collective responsive capabilities when we're talking about the end of capitalism (which any non-growth economic model entails)?
Corporations + government + financial institutions fighting for their existence as entities (ie, the people who benefit from their existence fighting) versus a largely dis-empowered populace in the path of those future shocks becoming increasingly distracted by just trying to stay alive …
They hang on for the first few rounds, and the odds move in their favour….until climate wipes them out alongside the rest of us.
Remarkable info coming out of this presser: Gov. Tim Walls, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and now MN attorney general Keith Ellison ALL alleging outside forces, domestic and possibly foreign, have post-Tuesday infiltrated the state, and are
They made sure to tell them “DONT YOU EVER STEP A FOOT BACK IN MINNEAPOLIS AGAIN DO YOU HEAR ME??” “YOUVE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE WHY DO YOU COME TO THUS NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOOT? WOULD YOU DO THAT IN UR HOMETOWN??” No? WHAT MAKES U THINK ITS OK TO DO THAT HERE?!?
I frequently disagree with Frank on things, but think gratitude is in order that we have people who will put up arguments whether we agree with them or not. Otherwise it's an echo chamber, and potentially a boring one.
I disagree with Bob most of the time but I like how he has arguments plural, not just the same one over and over (to which a therapist might be a better answer). Worst kind of echo chamber.
Me too, on a functional relevance basis. Often significant stuff emerges during the course of the day. Working commentators can't be expected to comment until after the evening meal.
The other functional point is that threads on open mike meander and new stuff gets lost to the attention of many readers once there's an abundance. Issues can therefore get a fresh start on the later platform.
No, a few more people have commented on its demise.
What I liked about it is the opportunity to refresh the discussions at the end of the day or comment on a development that has come out of maybe the 6pm news. Add to that some of us don't always get the time to indulge at length during the day. Even retirees have other things to do.
How about a rule that if you have commented on Open Mike after noon you are not allowed to bless Daily Review with your reckons? Might encourage fresh voices.
Just scheduled a Post for tomorrow. Not my best ever, but I was long overdue for one. I’ve got too many half-finished ones and then I lose interest or they get overtaken by developments or events.
I totally understand, looking at my list of unfinished posts 😳 I'm trying to teach myself to put the posts up even if I am not completely satisfied with them.
reflecting on that a bit more. I started writing posts after covid hit and then not posting them because it was harder to tell in those early days what was useful or even ok to write*. Now it's more like yes I could say these things but is this what I really want to be saying? Do people want to be reading? What are we even doing? lol. I'm sure the election will sharpen my focus again.
Covid was and still is hugely confusing and scary. I had many things on my mind but decided to stick closely to the facts and the science that was rapidly evolving. As soon as economics and politics became involved – they always go hand-in-hand – the story became murkier and harder to follow and comment on.
BLM is too emotionally charged to have a sensible conversation about on this blog IMHO. Whatever I’d say, it would not make one iota of difference to what’s happening and likely to be taken the wrong way as Taika Waititi has found out.
John Wight has written an excellent article about the murder of George Floyd and the recurrent theme of racism in U.S history.
Born out of genocide, raised through slavery, the U.S. is an imperialist rogue state.
'Chauvin with his knee on the neck of a supine George Floyd was the acme of the evil of white supremacy. He was the overseer with his knee on the neck of a runaway slave. He was the the slaveowner’s whip, the lynch mob’s noose, the prison guard’s boot. In other words, Chauvin symbolised in those eight minutes the entire legacy and long history of racial oppression in country that was born in genocide and developed and nourished for two centuries on the back of the African slave trade."
Not a betting man (and I know it doesn’t portend anything) but occasionally I check the markets for the odds on our election.
They’ve all pretty much blown out for Labour in the week since Muller took over.
In the UK William Hill is paying 1/7 for Labour to form government after the election versus 9/2 for National.
In Australia, Sportsbet has Labour at 1.14 versus the Nats at 5.50. Going into Covid the odds were pretty even. They have opened a second market on the likelihood of Labour to govern in its own right (with no support partners regardless of whether they’re needed or not) currently paying 1.50 for Labour to NOT form government in its own right versus 2.25 for them to do so.
I hat we think happened is I took a rubber bullet to the face. It exploded my eyeball, which has now been patched back together but who knows if it’ll need more surgery. My vision is gone no matter what it winds up looking like scar wise
an update: I am permanently blind in my left eye, and the docs absolutely refuse to let me go back to work for they say six weeks. I’m definitely not allowed to be near smoke or gas.
Usually if I had to stay home I’d spend a lot of time amplifying folk but reading hurts today
Seems like the alt-right and white supremacists are seizing on a gifted opportunity to create trouble and further division in a troubled country.
“Let’s be very clear, the situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,” he added.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said most of the arrests made last night were of people from out of state and while “there’s a group of folks that are sad and mourning,” he said “there seems to be another group that are using Mr. Floyd’s death as a cover to create havoc.”
Department of Safety Commissioner John Harrington said they are contact-tracing the arrested and added that an investigation is underway about white nationalist groups posting online to encourage their members to use the protests as a cover to create chaos.
He said some of the 40 arrests made in the Twin Cities Friday night were of people linked to white supremacist groups and organized crime.
“The people that are doing this are not Minneapolis residents,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said. “They are coming largely from outside the city outside the region to prey on everything we have built.”
I think if you threw a stone in any crowd you'd hit another faction, there's even people with bows and arrows ffs. And the leader tweets while the place burns.
From the Fox News politics front page (scan down) – runs as a news clip without it's own page. The presenter interviews a legal adviser to explore the viability of Trump's attempt.
He flags a likely constitutional issue (separation of powers) in respect of the question of whether the exec order is in breach of the act of congress he is attempting to get around.
He ends by saying Twitter needs to decide what it will do when it grows up. After alerting us to media policy inconsistency by Twitter (owner/managers) and citing examples to validate his reasoning.
So in a time of very challenging employment uncertainty the National Party wants the government to bring back the 90 day fire-at-will laws for medium and large employers. They want to increase uncertainty for stressed out NZ workers? Just who is advising these losers?
ACT wants a 12 month trial period and 3 year minumum wage freeze..
If these clowns had their way, we would have the US system of at will employment where you could be just sacked at any time for any reason, and that if you turned up at work and found your password didnt work, that meant you were sacked.
COVID has provided the once in a life time opputunity for employers and businesses to slash their wage bill by 20%.
a) The 90 day trial period is still there for employers with 19 or less people, as Labour didn't fulfill their promise to get rid of it.
b) Do you mind posting some stats on how many of your claimed workers were "fired at will" and how many got work they would have otherwise not got due to risk to the employer of them being crap without it?
As always, the onus on satisfactorily employing staff lies on the employer doing their due diligence during and after the interviewing process. If they fuck up, tough, they had their chance.
Having said that, I'm okay with a trial period, though not three months, more like a couple of weeks at most. Any employer that needs, or waits, until day 89 to find out it hasn't worked out is a bit of a wanker.
Background of the new police commissioner. Interesting interview in which his faith is mentioned numerous times but we don't find out exactly what it is based on. This and other articles have also outlined his career trajectory. While his background and education are nothing particularly unusual at some point he seems to have entered a career path that even the most competent could only dream about. Was he being groomed as a future commissioner and if so by whom ? Can’t quite put my finger on it but there is something that feels not quite comfortable?
by a group called "50 shades of green". This included signs calling the government "c***s", the "make Ardern go away" placards, MAGA caps, and suchlike.
It's a mixture of self-pity, whataboutery and special pleading, with the actual argument very difficult to discern. He seems like an excellent fit with National's existing caucus, in other words.
I know we are generally supposed to be opposed to private spaceflight, SpaceX and Elon Musk, but this was pretty impressive, and good to see something positive happen for a change.
This #thread is for those of you struggling to comprehend that the recent murders are just a fraction of racial violence in the United States. We are protesting for #GeorgeFloyd#BreonnaTaylor, #AhmaudArbery AND hundreds of years of oppression.
Armed men and women heading to today’s protests in Austin. Saw a number of others. Texas is open carry state, but all the guns I saw today were carried by white people. pic.twitter.com/rSqSeKSQTV
Jeez, got cops driving into people, there's footage of some shop owner being beaten to death by mob, batman, it's a real mess. I watched the doco LA92 a few months back but this is a whole new level of cray cray.
Gripped by disease, unemployment and outrage at the police, America plunges into crisis
[…]
“The threads of our civic life could start unraveling, because everybody’s living in a tinderbox,” said historian and Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley.
Barbara Ransby, a historian at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a longtime political activist, said the toll of the coronavirus outbreak made long-standing racial inequities newly stark. Then, images of police violence made those same disparities visceral.
There are always tensions. There have always been upset people and violence has happened.
The emotional state of the country is in an unusual place with the pandemic. The many media platforms means everyone has access to attitude forming material. Something dramatic happens and what you rely on is rationality, resilience, respect and trust in systems and leadership.
There has been burning in the streets over a couple of days. Over a couple of years there have been fires burning rationality, respect and trust. Welcome to Trump's America.
"When the law not merely fails to guarantee the safety of life and property, but directly threatens both, the subject is absolved from obedience to it, and civil society collapses."(Paul Johnson: "The Offshore Islanders", 1972)
He was writing about the causes of the misleadingly-termed Great Rebellion which led to the English Civil War of the 1640s. But the sentiment is relevant in any age or society. By all means do what's necessary to curb out-of-town looters seizing chances for mayhem. That most emphatically does not include charging down a peaceful residential street loosing off missiles at people on their own properties going about their lawful occasions. State-supported terrorism doesn't altogether too strong a term for this appalling behaviour.
Isn’t it interesting how our woke media criticism the Nats supposed lack of diversity on it’s front bench but not the Greens lack of gender diversity? In their Party List there is one male and seven females.Would the woke media be criticising a front bench of seven men and one women?
Standing for being an MP would be attractive to more men if there was more power attached to the job.
Our current Prime Minister is building the Labour Party list with young and talented women. Over three terms there's just a chance they will collectively get to redefine how power is exercised in Parliament full stop.
Three men in the top ten, ten in the top twenty. Want to know how long we had the reverse or less? Yeah, when the balance of power in society has been redressed the Greens can revisit their gender equity policy.
Meh. They are all capable and won their selection on merit. Wake me up to care about it when men are under-represented overall in positions of power and capable male candidates are routinely shoved aside to make room for time-serving female drones.
You are trolling and posted the same ‘query’ over at KB today. The answer was provided and to be more precise, it was answered in great detail by Graeme Edgeler on KB on 16 April. Something tells me that you do not care and do not have the slightest interest in the answer/explanation. It is a sure sign of you being a stupid little troll. You can prove me wrong, of course, but I won’t hold my breath.
‘This is how we feel every day’ – protester compares violence in LA to racial inequality in society
“This is what it’s like to walk down the streets. It’s chaos. I’m afraid every time a police officer drives past me.”
I was a fairly surprised this evening to hear my 78yr old dad defending the protesters going nuts on the street. In his view it was because the same people were being treated the same way for multiple decades, it wasn't getting better, and they've had enough.
That's not usual for my dad who is usually a NZFirst voter.
Your dad is 4 years my senior, but I think a lot of us septuagenarians would share a similar viewpoint. We grew up with the powerful film "To Kill a Mockingbird" and read the book. We saw and read "Black Like Me" the true story of John Howard Griffin who darkened his skin and travelled through the segregated US south. And many more. We saw the tyranny of the KKK and similar groups. Lived through the 60's and witnessed, via television and radio, the civil rights movement and heard Martin Luther King and probably sang "We shall overcome". And saw the slow dismantling of segregation in the south.
On the 28 August 1963 Martin Luther King in his famous "I have a Dream" speech said'
We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.
These last few days have laid bare that we are a nation furious at injustice. Every person of conscience can understand the rawness of the trauma people of color experience in this country, from the daily indignities to the extreme violence, like the horrific killing of George Floyd.
Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. It’s an utterly American response. But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not.
The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance.
I know that there are people all across this country who are suffering tonight. Suffering the loss of a loved one to intolerable circumstances, like the Floyd family, or to the virus that is still gripping our nation. Suffering economic hardships, whether due to COVID-19 or entrenched inequalities in our system. And I know that a grief that dark and deep may at times feel too heavy to bear.
I know.
And I also know that the only way to bear it is to turn all that anguish to purpose. So tonight, I ask all of America to join me — not in denying our pain or covering it over — but using it to compel our nation across this turbulent threshold into the next phase of progress, inclusion, and opportunity for our great democracy.
We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us.
As President, I will help lead this conversation — and more importantly, I will listen. I will keep the commitment I made to George’s brother, Philonise, that George will not just be a hashtag. We must and will get to a place where everyone, regardless of race, believes that “to protect and serve” means to protect and serve them. Only by standing together will we rise stronger than before. More equal, more just, more hopeful — and that much closer to our more perfect union.
How the police endanger us and why we need to find an alternative
Alex S. Vitale The End of Policing (Verso, 2017)
Recent years have seen an explosion of protest against police brutality and repression—most dramatically in Ferguson, Missouri, where longheld grievances erupted in violent demonstrations following the police killing of Michael Brown. Among activists, journalists, and politicians, the conversation about how to respond and improve policing has focused on accountability, diversity, training, and community relations. Unfortunately, these reforms will not produce results, either alone or in combination. The core of the problem must be addressed: the nature of modern policing itself. “Broken windows” practices, the militarization of law enforcement, and the dramatic expansion of the police’s role over the last forty years have created a mandate for officers that must be rolled back.
This book attempts to spark public discussion by revealing the tainted origins of modern policing as a tool of social control. It shows how the expansion of police authority is inconsistent with community empowerment, social justice—even public safety. Drawing on groundbreaking research from across the world, and covering virtually every area in the increasingly broad range of police work, Alex Vitale demonstrates how law enforcement has come to exacerbate the very problems it is supposed to solve.
In contrast, there are places where the robust implementation of policing alternatives—such as legalization, restorative justice, and harm reduction—has led to reductions in crime, spending, and injustice. The best solution to bad policing may be an end to policing.
Reviews
“The End of Policing combines the best in academic research with rhetorical urgency to explain why the ordinary array of police reforms will be ineffective in reducing abusive policing. Alex Vitale shows that we must move beyond conceptualizing public safety as interdiction, exclusion, and arrest if we hope to achieve racial and economic justice.”
– Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Professor, CUNY Graduate Center, Co-Founder of Critical Resistance, author of Golden Gulag
The Council of Disobedient Women There is a regular segment in the Speak Up For Women podcasts called “Absolutely Blasted Mad Moment of the Week”. Each podcast the speaker and the host discuss a recent event that is the most insane thing they have seen in the gender critical space ...
Todd Muller - Dishonest National Party leaderIt seems that dishonest Todd Muller is, like many right-wing politicians, entirely morally bankrupt. I mean just look at the National Party’s leaking omni-shambles over the last week or so. They’ve imploded in a spectacular display of backfiring dirty politics, the likes of which ...
TUESDAY JULY 14Yorkshire Airport (Prime, 7.30pm). Bloomin’ ’eck, behind the scenes at Leeds Bradford Airport. Apparently, there is plenty of “northern charm”, although reaction in the UK ranged from “brilliant” to “patronising”. It is narrated by Hugh Dennis, whose middle name might be “Arch”.WEDNESDAY JULY 15Queen: Live at Wembley (Prime, ...
Simon Bridges must be the unluckiest person in New Zealand politics. When he was elected as leader of the National party, he also became Leader of the Opposition – a position, he was entitled to assume, that would require him to “oppose”. But the government he set out to oppose ...
Check out Speak Up For Women’s new podcasts: Episode 3 In this episode Speak Up For Women spokeswoman Ani O’Brien (@aniobrien) is joined by Beth Johnson (@beth_nosnhoj) to discuss the proposal from Statistics NZ to change standard data collection policy to “gender by default” rather than sex. They discuss why the ...
During a recent public consultation on the future of Archives New Zealand, a key report was suppressed. The Ombudsman has ruled that the refusal was unjustified. Sadly, the consultation was over by the time of the the decision has been made. However, the law on the use of the ...
National MP - Michael WoodhouseUnbelievable! Michelle Boag also sent National’s Michael Woodhouse confidential emails about COVD-19 patients, and he continued to publicly attack the Government over these very same breaches of privacy.This is the biggest political self-own since the Act Party’s David Garrett admitted in Parliament that he used a ...
Transcript: National Party policy announcement on roads – 8 July, 2020 Muller: Good afternoon everybody. Thank you for coming. Reporter 1: Is Hamish Walker a racist? Muller: Hang on… you haven’t even said good afternoon to me yet. Reporter 1: Good afternoon Mr Muller. Is Hamish Walker a racist? ...
Back in April, I wrote about trials in Iran of a fixed-dose combination of two existing anti-viral drugs used to treat hepatitis C – sofosbuvir and daclatasvir – that could point to an effective treatment for Covid-19 symptoms.At the time, data from those trials was not available outside the hospitals ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Anja Mizdrak, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael BakerThe pandemic-related lockdown is possibly the most dramatic public health intervention in NZ history. It helped achieve the elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 virus in NZ. But it was also associated with 548 fewer total ...
Reprehensible: There is much that could be said about Michael Woodhouse, but what would be the point? Any man who willingly involves himself in a situation as reprehensible as the one depicted in the above photograph has already vouchsafed all that decent people need to know about his character. That there have ...
As the debate over assisted dying rages in the run-up to the referendum at the election on September 19, a persistent problem continues to dog the discussions. That is to say, a prominent spokesperson for a particular group takes a strong public stand in opposition without acknowledging that they don’t ...
No Other Suspects? The mainstream news media was willing to print and broadcast harsh Opposition criticism of the Government, even though they knew that the source of the leaked information was a National Party MP. Even though, by pushing the story up towards the top of every news bulletin they were ...
Sacrificial Lamb: If the stories about Mr Taogaga and the unauthorised release of confidential medical data had been deliberately orchestrated by Labour’s political opponents, their deflection of the news media’s attention away from the Prime Minister’s address to the Labour Party Congress could hardly have been more successful.THE LABOUR PARTY ...
The East is Rent: The consequences of unleashing the young against the old; of elevating ideological rigor above reasoned debate; and of setting the present against the past; was a decade of unprecedented social stress and tension, interspersed with explosions of murderous mob violence and tragic material destruction. More than ...
The Green Party of Aotearoa-New Zealand could go from helping Jacinda Ardern run the country, to being turfed out of Parliament altogether in ten weeks. And that could see the end of Labour in government. Without them, Labour would likely have to do what no party has done since the ...
Remember the government's tyrannicalTerrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill? Remember how it was rammed through Parliament, with a four-day submission period and a select committee process that was a democratic fraud? At the time, the government gave the impression that there was an urgent need for this legislation, that a ...
Attack journalist - Tova O'BrienWe all know that much of the mainstream media in New Zealand is terribly biased. They are in effect another branch of the National Party, and can often be even more prejudiced than their right wing bosses.In fact many right wing politicians moonlight as journalists and ...
Former National Party President - Michelle BoagAfter the complete botch job Hamish Walker made of leaking the private details of COVID-19 patients to the mainstream media last week, the best-case scenario for Todd Muller and the National Party would be if the news cycle went quiet about their involvement.But unfortunately ...
One of the challenges of working on illegal wildlife markets, is you don’t really have scope to talk about your research into illegal wildlife markets. There is some stuff though that willbe coming out on Asiatic black bears in China, and before Covid19, I was delving more into rhinos. Which ...
Some are surprised at this sudden brain implosion on the part of both Michelle Boag, former National Party President, and the National Party in general, in exposing the private, confidential details of COVID patients. Others…? Let’s be blunt: not so much. Too many of that Party have long operated with ...
Michelle Boag - Former National Party PresidentWhen Todd Muller decided not to discipline Hamish Walker for his horribly racist press release last week, you had to wonder if his lack of proper leadership had something to do with a shared belief system? After all, the whiteness of the blue “team” ...
On Twitter today, lawyer Felix Geiringer asked a good question: why are MP's exempt from the Privacy Act? The Act imposes its obligations on "agencies", and s8 of the 2020 Act states that this term does not include... a member of Parliament in their official capacity The 1993 Act, ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzWhat was the climate and sea level like at times ...
So now we know, beyond all doubt. The National party has no interest in joining the “team of five million” in our fight against the pandemic but its priority is to take every opportunity it can to damage the government. The cynicism is breathtaking. It was prepared to leak the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters The massive dust storm that formed over the Sahara Desert in mid-June invaded the southeastern U.S. June 25-28, bringing dangerous levels of air pollution, low visibility, and colorful sunsets. The air pollution event over parts of Texas and the Gulf ...
In 1987, as a British Labour MP, I was elected to the Shadow Cabinet by my colleagues and was asked by the party leader to direct Labour’s campaign in the general election of that year. The election was to take place at the height of Mrs Thatcher’s dominance and we ...
National MP Nicola WillisHousing, which I would argue is a fundamental human right, has long been a problem in New Zealand. Not only do we have some of the most overpriced houses in the entire world, much of the housing stock is substandard and therefore affects not just people’s health ...
If the government has not lined up behind a "Yes" vote in this year's cannabis referendum the way some reformers would have liked, one entirely laudable thing it did do was commission some science around the public's choice.That science landed today, in the form of the report from an expert ...
Associate Professor Sara WaltonAt the heart of the discussion on opening up our borders is the dichotomy of health and the economy – both of which are actually intertwined, like many things with our economy, as this epidemic has shown.If we think about our country as a system, ...
This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Josh Gabbatiss This year will see the largest ever drop globally in both investment and consumer spending on energy as the coronavirus pandemic hits every major sector, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The crisis is accelerating the shutdown of older fossil-fuelled ...
A short opinion piece – Friday 26th June 2020 Whilst our Government has treated many financial victims of the current Covid-19 virus with appropriate generosity, the same cannot be said for those of the two earlier “epidemics” in NZ. The “Covid-84” virus (also called “Rogernomics”) spread systemic greed, with the ...
Everyone deserves a a decent life. We know this is possible with a fairer approach to income support and tax Read the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Poverty Action Plan here ...
After a long break, the government is back inserting secrecy clauses in legislation. This time its the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill (No 3), which in its clause allowing Ministers to exempt purchasers of farm land from the usual rules also allows them to exempt an exemption from the publication requirement: ...
Over the past two years the government has repeatedly delayed a scheme to put cameras on boats to monitor Mew Zealand's pervasively criminal fishing industry. But it turns out that the industry actually wants cameras: Three of the country's biggest seafood companies have broken ranks with the rest of the ...
Louise Delany (public health lawyer)Health and emergency laws have played a critical role in this country’s successful elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog details key aspects of the legislation and comments on issues around testing, payments by incoming travellers for quarantine costs, and mask use. ...
I like Andrew Curry’s succinct and insightful futures blog The Next Wave. His most recent post is about social change. In particular, the decadal-long periods usually required for changes in values. He highlights a 2016 paper by Inglehart and Norris, who examined whether economic insecurity or a “cultural backlash” ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Stop making sense: why it's time to get emotional about climate changeThe science has been settled to the highest degree, so now ...
MONDAY JULY 6Washington (History, Sky 073, 7.30pm). The brilliant Doris Kearns Goodwin is the executive producer of this six-part series about America's first president. It combines interviews with live action and is narrated by Jeff Daniels. It's engaging, said Salon.TUESDAY JULY 7The ABC Murders (Prime, 8.30pm). Sarah Phelps has done incredible things with ...
I think we can all agree that the mainstream media in New Zealand has a very different set of rules for the right wing compared to the left. While Labour and Green Party politicians don’t seem to be able to fart without it becoming a sackable offence, National and Act ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, June 28 through Sat, July 4, 2020Editor's Choice'2040': A funny, entertaining, upbeat climate documentaryA timely Australian documentary takes a 'solutions' approach, with the filmmaker inspired by visions of ...
Racist National MP Hamish WalkerEven before Todd Muller's coup ousted Simon Bridges by a single vote, it was patently obvious that the National Party promotes and stands for white privilege. In fact they’ve always worked to ensure the discriminatory status quo in New Zealand doesn’t change.So it’s no surprise that ...
Dave HeatleyZero community transmission. Just a handful of active cases, all in quarantine. New Zealand is in an attractive situation, at least compared to much of the world. The situation could be robust and enduring – or it might be fragile, just one border incursion away from a “second ...
Is the consequence of the Simpson Report proposals for restructuring the health system poorer accountability to people? When in doubt, centralise‘ has been a persistent theme in New Zealand public policy throughout our history. The current government is no exception. Here are some examples. - The regional polytechs have been ...
I wrote earlier in the week about the Scientology front organisations Drug Free World and Drug Free Ambassadors and their quite prominent role in anti-cannabis reform "coalition" assembled by Family First and a newloca branch of the American prohibitionist organisation SAM.It turns out Family First aren't the only ones helping ...
Nik GreenMuch of the public debate about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has focused on the extent to which government regulations have restricted personal and business activity.Oxford University Blavatnik School of Government Here in New Zealand, the question of when to change Alert Levels dominated the ...
James Higham, University of OtagoUnprecedented border closures and the domestic lockdown have paralysed New Zealand’s $40.9 billion a year tourism industry. In the process, the vulnerability of the sector to external shocks and the tenuous nature of tourism employment have been exposed. While New Zealand’s handling of the pandemic ...
Raising The Bar: Would that the Prime Minister and her colleagues would listen as intently to what the people – as opposed to the power elites – are saying as the Greens. Were they so disposed, the popular clamour for a transformational post-Covid reset would be loud in their ears. ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzDo you think the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown will slow or ...
A bit like a letter home. I have now been full-time at the University of Melbourne since 2019. Before that, I was 20 years at the University of Otago, Wellington. Indeed, I set up this very Public Health Expert Blog with Nick Wilson ten years ago. Now I am your ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections House Democrats have released a comprehensive report showing how – if they control the White House and both the Senate and the House of Representatives – they might move forward on climate change. Their “Climate Crisis Action Plan,” released June 30 by the ...
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Electoral (Integrity Repeal) Amendment Bill (David Carter) Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate Visual Recording) Amendment Bill (Louisa wall) Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Bill (Judith ...
Not Ready: Todd Muller’s lack-lustre and self-contradictory performances offer conclusive proof that a political leader cannot be managed into competence. National’s new boss has Janet Wilson handling his media and Matthew Hooton writing his speeches. Both are highly professional political and public relations specialists, and Muller is lucky to have ...
Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, I have landed in hospital so am not able to do a current update on the NZ blog statistics. Let’s hope I can get back to this in good time. ...
It started as a family story, about a step-father who went out one night to break into an embassy in Wadestown, Wellington. John Daniell wanted to understand what his family had been part of when his mother and then step-father work for New Zealand’s Security Intelligence. He wanted to know ...
The Greens have shaken up the election campaign with the announcement of their radical poverty and action plan to reform welfare provision and introduce a new wealth tax for millionaires. It’s a big-thinking, controversial policy and has generated a lot of disagreement over how radical it is, whether it could ...
My house is currently supplied electricity by Meridian. As soon as I can change I will because Meridian spilled water to hike electricity prices. They got consumers to spend an extra $80 million on power unnecessarily. Clever them. The Electricity Authority has called their behaviour an “undesirable trading situation”, or ...
When Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly became the Labour Party leader shortly before the 2017 general election, she promised to lead a government of transformation. After nearly three years occupying the Treasury benches, health professionals working in public hospitals have been keenly waiting for transformational progress, including in the capacity and quality ...
Last night, One News ran a follow-up story to its Colmar Brunton poll results on the cannabis referendum, headed here as Government accuses big American anti-cannabis group of interfering in NZ politics.In truth it wasn't just the government: Justice minister Andrew Little, National's Shane Reti and the Greens' Chloe Swarbrick ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industry New Zealand First is supporting calls by hunters and the New Zealand Tahr Foundation (NZTF) to halt a large scale cull of Himalayan Tahr by the Department of Conservation in National Parks. The calls are supported by a 40,000 strong petition and the ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First leader Winston Peters today scoffed at suggestions that a team of six political operatives have been dispatched to New Zealand to assist his campaign. ‘As President Ronald Reagan once said, ‘there they go again.’ ‘The clickbait journos can’t ...
New Zealand First is pleased to announce Jenny Marcroft as the party’s election 2020 candidate for the Auckland Central electorate. Jenny spent years working in Auckland Central, having spent a vast proportion of her broadcasting career there. She says she, "knows the place and knows the people." Ms Marcroft says ...
New Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...
This week we moved into the second half of 2020 - and our Government delivered another week of big changes and major progress for New Zealanders. Read below for a wrap of the key things moments from the week - from extending paid parental leave, to making major investments in ...
The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Regional Economic Development A regional freight hub for the lower North Island will be built just northeast of Palmerston North, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. The Government is investing $40 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to designate and buy land and design ...
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson is calling for the introduction of a Guaranteed Minimum Income to lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty and prevent more families entering into further debt with the Ministry of Social Development. ...
There has been renewed focus on New Zealand First acting as a handbrake on the Government after our decision to not support Auckland light rail. We are a handbrake for bad ideas, that istrue, but our track record since 2017 has seen New Zealand First constructively also serve as an ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP New Zealand First’s Fair Residency for Superannuation Bill passed its First Reading in Parliament today. The Bill makes a significant change to NZ Super by raising the minimum residency requirement from 10 to 20 years, after age 20. “Currently, a migrant of ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order A New Zealand First member’s bill in the name of Darroch Ball introducing a six-month minimum prison sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its second reading in Parliament. The new offence of "injuring a first responder or corrections officer with ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Deputy Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First welcomes the launch of the new Criminal Cases Review Commission, gifted with the name from Waikato-Tainui - Te Kāhui Tātari Ture, announced in Hamilton today by Justice Minister Andrew Little. “New Zealand First has long believed in and ...
The Green Party is celebrating over $800m in new funding for green projects, which will get people into jobs while solving New Zealand’s long-term challenges. ...
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First is appalled that Meridian seems to have been unnecessarily spilling water from its dams to drive up its profits."While New Zealanders have been coming together in some of our darkest hours, we don’t expect power gentailers to waste water and ...
We wrapped up the first half of 2020 with a busy month, taking additional steps to support New Zealanders as we continue with our economic recovery. We rolled out targeted packages to support key industries like tourism and construction, helped create jobs in the environmental and agriculture sectors, and set ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has welcomed the appointment of Maurice Davis and his deep infrastructure and construction experience to the board of the Infrastructure Commission. Mr Davis (Ngāti Maniapoto), is the seventh and final appointment to the board led by former Reserve Bank Governor ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand’s click bait journalism is taking a turn for the worse, with yet another example of sensationalist, wilful-misrepresentation of the facts. “New Zealand First has worked constructively with its Coalition partner on hundreds of pieces of legislation and policy, and ...
The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Rotorua Museum redevelopment and Whakarewarewa and Tokorangi Forest projects will be accelerated thanks to a $2.09 million Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) boost, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
This week, we rolled out the next steps of our recovery plan, with new infrastructure investment, extra support for tourism operators, and a new programme to get Kiwis into agriculture careers. The global economic consequences of COVID-19 will continue to be a challenge, but we have a detailed plan to ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Health New Zealand First welcomes the passage of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Bill through its final reading in Parliament today fulfilling a coalition agreement commitment. “This is an important step in saving the lives of New Zealanders and delivers a key coalition commitment ...
Whakatāne has been given a $2.5 million boost to speed up previously funded projects and create more than 450 jobs in the next decade. Of those, the equivalent of 160 full-time jobs could be delivered in the next six weeks. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is in town to make ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $2.5 million to accelerate three infrastructure projects in Whakatāne, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “This package is about ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones is throwing his weight behind a bid by the Auckland Council to fast-track the more than doubling of the city's water allowance from the Waikato River. And he's coming out strongly against anyone who plans on getting in the way of this campaign. "It is my ...
The Green Party is thrilled to see changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that mean consents for large projects can be declined if they will have significant climate change implications that are inconsistent with the Zero Carbon Act and Aotearoa New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations. ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of Defence The Royal New Zealand Navy’s new ship, Aotearoa, set sail for New Zealand on 10 June from the Republic of Korea, and is due to arrive in Auckland tomorrow, announced Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “Aotearoa is the Royal New Zealand Navy’s new fleet ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Racing Racing Minister Winston Peters has today welcomed the Racing Industry Bill passing its third reading, creating the legislative framework for revitalising the racing industry while limiting the need for future government intervention. “For too long our domestic racing industry has ...
The Green Party has today put forward an amendment to the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill to ensure all people in prisons can vote in general elections. ...
The Green Party welcomes the decision to not proceed with Public Public Investment (PPI) delivery of Auckland’s light rail project and to instead run the process through the public service. ...
Hon Ron Mark, New Zealand First List MP based in the Wairarapa New Zealand First List MP Hon Ron Mark welcomes the announcement of Provincial Growth Funding investment of $1.4 million to help secure the Wairarapa’s water supply. The funding boost will allow the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and ...
New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson has been selected to represent the party in the newly formed Taieri electorate at the upcoming election. Mr Patterson, his wife Jude and two daughters farm sheep and beef at Lawrence and Waitahuna. He previously stood in the Clutha-Southland electorate however boundary changes ...
Hon Shane Jones, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises A new ‘super depot’ to be built for NZ Post in Wellington will create around 350 jobs during construction, Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprises Shane Jones says. Shane Jones today attended a ground-breaking and blessing ceremony for the parcel-processing depot ...
Our strong economic management prior to COVID-19 - with surpluses, low debt and near-record-low unemployment - put us in a good position to weather the impact of the virus and start to rebuild our economy much earlier than many other countries.Now we're putting our plan to recover and rebuild ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order Recently released Police fleeing driver statistics have shown yet another increase in incidents with another record-high in the latest quarter. “This new quarterly record-high is the latest in a string of record-high numbers since 2014. The data shows incidents ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of Kiribati Language Week as part of the 2020 Pacific language Weeks programme. “I am so pleased that this year we are able to provide resourcing support to the Kiribati community in Aotearoa which will ...
Wildlife institutions affected by a loss of visitor revenue during the COVID-19 lockdown are set to receive government support with nearly $15 million of funding available announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “Eco-sanctuaries, zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, and wildlife rescue, hospital and rehabilitation facilities provide crucial support for the recovery ...
The Government is expanding and accelerating frontline mental health and wellbeing services at tertiary education institutes (TEI) to help students manage ongoing stresses related to COVID-19. “The lockdown has been hugely disruptive for students. Many of them have had to relocate and move to online learning, isolating them from their ...
The Minister of Police says a major operation against the Mongrel Mob in Waikato will make a big dent in drug harm and violent offending linked to organised crime networks. “Senior leadership of the Waikato Mongrel Mob has been taken out as a result of Operation Kingsville, which resulted in ...
The Government is extending the border exception criteria to enable some offshore victims and support people of the Christchurch mosque attacks to attend the sentencing of the accused beginning on 24 August2020, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. “We want to support our valued Muslim brothers and sisters who were directly ...
A project to support volunteer efforts to look after streams and rivers is getting a boost thanks to support from DOC’s Community Conservation Fund announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage today. “The government is backing efforts to look after waterways with $199,400 for the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust from ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter today announced that funding for the COVID-19 Community Fund for women and girls will be doubled, as the first successful funding applications for the initial $1million were revealed. “Women and girls across the country have suffered because of the effects of COVID-19, and I ...
The Government’s books were better than forecast with a higher GST take as the economy got moving again after lockdown, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Crown Accounts for the 11 months to the end of May indicate the year end results for tax revenue will be stronger than forecast. ...
A plan to revitalise New Zealand’s strong wool sector and set it on a new, more sustainable and profitable path was unveiled today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The newly-released report - Vision and Action for New Zealand’s Wool Sector - was developed by the Wool Industry Project Action Group ...
Community efforts to create a Predator Free Whangārei will receive a $6 million boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. The new funding, through Government company Predator Free 2050 Ltd, will create around 12 jobs while enabling the complete removal of possums over ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced that the New Zealand Government is reviewing the settings of its relationship with Hong Kong. “China’s decision to pass a new national security law for Hong Kong has fundamentally changed the environment for international engagement there,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand remains deeply ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced details of a multimillion-dollar investment in Whangārei for infrastructure projects that will help it recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200 jobs are expected to be created through the $26 million investment from the Government’s rejuvenation package ...
Following a second incident in which a person escaped from a managed isolation facility, security is being enhanced, including more police presence onsite, Minister Megan Woods said. “The actions of some individuals who choose to break the very clear rules to stay within the facilities means that more resourcing is ...
Waste reduction and recycling programmes in Kaipara are set to get a boost with Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage today announcing a $361,447 grant from the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund (WMF) Sustainable Kaipara. “The new funding will allow Sustainable Kaipara to partner with local schools, kura, community ...
The Government will support the Southland economy in the wake of multinational mining company Rio Tinto’s decision to follow through with its long signalled closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. “This day has unfortunately been on the cards for some time now, but nevertheless the final decision is a ...
New tools being developed to help boost Aotearoa’s Predator Free 2050 effort were unveiled today by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. A new rat poison, a camera with predator recognition software to detect and report predators, a new predator lure and a ...
The Coalition Government has approved the purchase of a fleet of Bushmaster vehicles to replace the New Zealand Army’s armoured Pinzgauers, Defence Minister Ron Mark has announced today. The new fleet of 43 Australian-designed and built Bushmaster NZ5.5 will provide better protection for personnel and improved carrying capacity. “The age ...
The Government’s three prevention frameworks to reduce family violence in Aotearoa were launched this week by Associate Minister for Social Development Poto Williams. The frameworks were developed in partnership with communities around New Zealand, and build on the work the Government has already begun with its new family violence prevention ...
The Government is pleased to confirm funding for improvements to radiology and surgical services at Hawke's Bay DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins says. "The Minister of Finance the Hon Grant Robertson and former Health Minister Dr David Clark approved funding for Hawke's Bay DHB’s redevelopment of their radiology facilities ...
• New funding for four beds at Napier’s Springhill Residential Addiction Centre • A new managed withdrawal home and community service, and peer support before and after residential care at Tairāwhiti DHB • A co-ordinated network of withdrawal management services throughout the South Island • Peer support in Rotorua and ...
Introduction, seafarers and POAL Good morning everyone, I am delighted to be online with you all today. Before I begin, I have to acknowledge that COVID-19 has disrupted the maritime sector on an unprecedented scale. The work of seafarers and the maritime industry is keeping many economies around the world ...
A $13 million investment from Government will create jobs and improve the resilience of the rail connection between Christchurch and the West Coast, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and Regional Economic Development Under-Secretary Fletcher Tabuteau say. The funding comes from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2020 for infrastructure projects ...
The Government is investing $761 million to assist local government upgrade under-pressure water services across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The announcement was made at the site of the water bore that was found to be the source of the fatal ...
Recognised Seasonal Employers and migrant seasonal workers stranded in New Zealand will be able to continue working and supporting themselves with more flexible hours and roles, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway. The time-limited visa changes are: Stranded RSE workers will be able to work part-time (a minimum of 15 hours ...
The Government is making immediate short-term changes to visa settings to support temporary migrants already onshore in New Zealand and their employers, while also ensuring New Zealanders needing work are prioritised, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. We are: Extending temporary work visas due to expire by the end of 2020 ...
Professor Peter Skelton CNZM has been appointed as Chief Freshwater Commissioner and Alternate Environment Court Judge Craig James Thompson as Deputy Chief Freshwater Commissioner for the newly established Freshwater Planning Process (FPP). Environment Minister David Parker today also announced the appointment of Chief Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook as the ...
Auckland Queen’s Counsel Neil Campbell has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Campbell graduated with a BCom and LLB (Hons) from the University of Auckland in 1992. He spent two years with Bell Gully Buddle Weir in Auckland before travelling to the United ...
The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to better enable the development and operation of commercial film and video facilities in Christchurch. The Proposal, developed by Regenerate Christchurch in response to a request from Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section ...
The Government has launched a bold plan to boost primary sector export earnings by $44 billion over the next decade, while protecting the environment and growing jobs. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today released Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential, a 10-year roadmap to unlock greater value ...
A new approach to prevent family harm that encourages greater collaboration across government and community groups is being celebrated at the opening of a new facility in Auckland. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today opened the Multi-Disciplinary Family Harm Prevention Hub Te Taanga Manawa in Lambie Road in Manukau. The facility ...
The Government has released a major new report on the options for relocating the Port of Auckland’s freight operations while deferring any decision on the issue. “That decision needs to be informed by policy analysis that is still to be completed. As a result it will be up to a ...
The history of Rāpaki is being restored through the inclusion of te reo in thirteen official place names on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula and around Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō, the Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage, announced today. “I am pleased to approve the proposals from Te Hapū o Ngāti ...
Bookings for seats on Air New Zealand flights into New Zealand will be managed in the short term to ensure the Government is able to safely place New Zealanders arriving home into a managed isolation or quarantine facility, says Housing Minister Megan Woods. “Last week Air Commodore Darryn Webb and I ...
Grant Robertson has today announced the first major release of funding from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced at Budget 2020. “Today we’re setting out how $80 million will be invested, with $54 million of that over the 2020/2021 financial year for organisations from community level through to elite ...
The Government is maintaining current levy rates for the next 2 years, as part of a set of changes to help ease the financial pressures of COVID-19 providing certainty for businesses and New Zealanders, ACC Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “New Zealanders and businesses are facing unprecedented financial pressures as a ...
Small businesses are getting greater certainty about access to finance with an extension to the interest-free cashflow loan scheme to the end of the year. The Small Business Cashflow Loan Scheme has already been extended once, to 24 July. Revenue and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash says it will be ...
A package of 23 projects across the country will clean up waterways and deliver over 2000 jobs Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker announced today. The $162 million dollar package will see 22 water clean-up projects put forward by local councils receiving $62 million and the Kaipara ...
Tena koutou katoa Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe o Pōneke, tena koutou Nau mai, haere mai ki te hui a tau mo te roopu reipa Ko tatou! Ko to tatou mana! Ko to tatou kaupapa kei te kokiri whakamua Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa Welcome. I ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is investing $1.5 million to ensure QE Health in Rotorua can proceed with its world class health service and save 75 existing jobs, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development, Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. The PGF funding announced today is in addition to the $8 million ...
A new programme, which sets a firm course for the Building and Construction sector to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has been announced by the Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa. “A significant amount of New Zealand’s carbon emissions come from the building and construction sector. If we’re serious ...
For one hour a week the supermarket lights are dimmed and the music stops. And it’s a kind of triumph, writes Michelle Langstone.I thought there’d been a power cut. The lights were out at the entrance, so you arrived into a kind of gloom. There was no music, and no ...
It’s no secret that New Zealand’s Covid-19 response was one of the world’s most effective. But to get an idea of how eagerly parts of our economy have rebounded post lockdown, take a look at our electricity demand data.Despite an impending wave of unemployment and looming fiscal challenges down the ...
In the second in the Spnioff’s Last on the list series, Dave King explains what inspired him to stand for the Act Party in Manurewa. At 20th spot on the list, if David Seymour’s party can win around 16% of the party vote, King is parliament bound.It wasn’t that long ...
Basketball is growing massively in popularity around the country, led by thousands of youngsters picking up the game every day. To The Line looks at what it’s like for New Zealand high school kids with hoop dreams.If there’s been a narrative rumbling away in the sports pages, it’s that of ...
Unbelievable. A first-rank world leader picks a needless fight with blameless allies, thus imperiling their unity. But that’s General de Gaulle for you.Impressive work, even by his standards. In 1967, Canada was to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (their Gallipoli – except that they ...
From RNZ Saturday Morning Described by a Guardian reviewer as “superb hate-reading”, writer and columnist Anand Giridharadas‘s latest book Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World investigates the hypocrisy of billionaire “do-gooders”. He questions how and why we have become reliant on the philanthropy of the super-rich ...
The Professional Hunting Guides Association is welcoming the High Court decision on DoC’s controversial tahr campaign. The High Court in Wellington was asked on Wednesday by the Tahr Foundation for a judicial review of DoC’s plan to kill thousands ...
With the 2020 general election nearly three months away, a new campaign is asking voters to vote in line with the future. Vote Climate 2020 aims to highlight the opportunity to build momentum behind climate change, ensuring climate justice is a key election ...
“ACT will target the gangs by hitting them where it hurts – their pockets,” according to ACT Leader David Seymour and Firearms Spokesperson Nicole McKee. “New Zealanders deserve to be safe and secure, but violent gangs are a scourge on our ...
Waffles don’t need to be sweet – these cheese and onion numbers make an excellent savoury breakfast with an egg, or an equally tasty dinner with leftover mince.It’s easy to default to sweet breakfasts without thinking. At least that’s the case in our household, as porridge or bircher muesli is ...
The government is revitalising the wool sector, splashing out on freshwater restoration projects, relieving student stress and showing kindness to Muslims by extending the border exception criteria. It is also increasing its support (in announcements from two separate Green Party Ministers) for women and for wildlife institutions. And it is ...
People have called it for it be pulled from the service, but the escapist fantasy of 365 Days is nothing new, writes Alie Benge.To every generation, a bullish alpha-male psychopath is born, and is for someone reason considered a romantic hero. We’ve been through a lot this year, and instead ...
As Aucklanders reluctantly adjust to the inconvenient practice of water conservation, a drought-savvy Northlander shares the tips and temperament needed to get through the dry times.Auckland’s water shortage was recently reported on The Project, and viewers were earnestly exhorted to fill their dishwashers completely before turning them on. My husband ...
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk A request by the Philippines’ biggest radio and TV network for a new franchise has been rejected by a congressional committee in a vote that will go down in history as a flagrant violation of the country’s constitution, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The Paris-based media ...
Hamish Walker's privacy leak debacle dominated the news this week, but it's not the first time a southern MP has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, writes Daisy Hudson. ...
Let’s not allow the focus on big-budget infrastructure projects to detract from the vital role public transport will play in revitalising our cities in a post-Covid world, says Greg Pollock.The recent match between the Blues and the Hurricanes was one of the world’s first major post-lockdown sporting fixtures. It was ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level one – read about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. To support this ...
In the heart of Christchurch is a Designated Character high school. What makes it unique? And should there be more like it? Frank Film visits Hagley College Paddy Grant was a 27-year-old truck driver when he rocked up to Christchurch’s Hagley High School, as it was then known. It was ...
"After he calms down we share the pie and talk about how hard the years since the show have been for him": a short story by Wellington writer Jordan Hamel. Every morning it’s the same. Cling wrap on the toilet seat, a pop up snake in my can of breakfast ...
Childcare centre closures have left families and staff out in the cold. In some cases, they were given just three days’ notice, Laura Walters reports Staff and families of Auckland’s Discoveries Educare branches feel blindsided by the sudden closure of the early childhood education centres. The Ministry of Education has ...
Controversy and the America's Cup go hand-in-hand and the latest edition is no different with Emirates Team New Zealand at the centre of financial mismanagement allegations. Extra Time unpicks the debate and ponders what does the latest Cup drama mean? And should we care? A study has revealed racial bias ...
Over the decades, Mike Fox has witnessed the housing market progressively tilt towards larger, more expensive homes. Without a major overhaul of the current regulatory processes, he says, things will never change.It’s one of the biggest problems our country faces – we cannot produce the affordable housing that’s so desperately ...
So-called dirty deals have been roundly denounced over the years. Hayden Donnell argues that they need to be normalised, and even embraced, in September’s election.Just before the 2011 general election, Patrick Gower was confronted with a political act so stomach-churning, it forced him to abandon his trademark reserve. John Key ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Esterman, Professor of Biostatistics, University of South Australia Victoria has recorded 288 new COVID-19 cases since yesterday, the largest daily increase we’ve seen so far. This big jump must have the Victorian government and health authorities very concerned, especially since nearly ...
The controversial 101 East episode Locked Up in Malaysia’s Lockdown on 3 July 2020. Video: Al JazeeraPacific Media Watch Newsdesk Malaysian police summoned six Al Jazeera media workers today for questioning relating to an investigation for defamation and violation of Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA), reports IFJ Asia-Pacific. ...
Analysis - A National MP destroys his career, the government explains how someone with Covid-19 could walk around a supermarket and the closure of Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is announced. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Abrar Ahmad Chughtai, Epidemiologist, UNSW Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly today recommended people in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire wear masks when leaving the house: […] If people have symptoms and they need to go for a test, for example, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rochelle Wynne, Director, Western Sydney Nursing & Midwifery Research Centre, Western Sydney University Over the past week, we’ve seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 infections among health-care workers in Victoria. This includes a doctor at Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital, one ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon and Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan discuss the week in politics including the return to lockdown in Victoria, National Cabinet setting to slow the flow of Australian’s ...
We prefer our heroes untarnished. And few match the heroism of Winston Churchill. But a recent report in the Times reminds us of the inevitability of human frailty and the consequences of keeping it under wraps.During the second world war, Britain’s greatest single loss of life at sea was the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ou Yang, Research Fellow, University of Melbourne Donald Trump has ordered US federal agencies to bypass environmental protection laws and fast-track pipeline, highway and other infrastructure projects. Signing the executive order last month, the US president declared regulatory delays would hinder “our ...
SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says "The NZDIA has done the right thing, and we’re glad to see Bertram has been held to account over his actions. He should take this as an opportunity to right his wrongs and show that he takes animal welfare seriously." ...
Takuta Ferris, Te Tai Tonga candidate for the Māori Party, is urging government to place whānau first in the wake of announcements around Tiwai Point. “The declaration that one of the region's major employers the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is closing ...
Dietary Requirements is The Spinoff’s monthly podcast in which we eat, drink and talk about it too, with special thanks to Freedom Farms. This month, we’re joined by The Spinoff’s managing editor, mall rat and self-confessed food philistine Duncan Greive.On this month’s Dietary Requirements, the gang’s back in the studio, and ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart 1: United States and Australia rising. Chart by Keith Rankin. These charts look at Covid19 incidence in China (the most important first-wave country, with a limited second wave), Italy (the lead second-wave country), and USA and Australia (second-wave countries – drawing their caseload from Europe ...
The Government must listen to the Muslim community to rectify its failure to act in the past, says the Human Rights Commission. The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ) submission to the Royal Commission of Inquiry was released this week. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, President, Australian Association for Professional & Applied Ethics. Senior Research Fellow, Moral philosophy, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Law Futures Centre., Griffith University Earlier this week, 150 high-profile authors, commentators and scholars signed an open letter in Harper’s magazine ...
You can’t keep a good woman down and Helen Clark is no exception. Her new appointment, as co-chair of a review of how the World Health Organisation handled the coronavirus pandemic, will test her formidable political skills. Sitting with her is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian president, who handled the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Connor, Lecturer, James Cook University While many people may enjoy a game of backyard cricket, only a few go on to become elite professional batsmen in Australia. Cricket batting is example of what human skills can achieve. The fastest bowling delivery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee Baumgartner, Professor of Fisheries and River Management, Institute for Land, Water, and Society, Charles Sturt University This article is a preview of Flora, Fauna, Fire, a multimedia project launching on Monday July 13. The project tracks the recovery of Australia’s native ...
CEAC review of pre-election National’s “outline plan” just sent to us by Todd Muller 9/7/20 was actually his speech about his plan and was described as ‘an outline’. So in our review of National Party response to A Greener, Smarter Future; climate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Podger, Honorary Professor of Public Policy, Australian National University In Hidden Hand, China scholars Clive Hamilton and Marieke Ohlberg examine the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in Europe and North America in a similar way to how Hamilton dissected the CCP’s influence ...
“I can see why people are fed up, many are wondering how to clothe and feed their kids, or how they are going to pay their rent next week and still others are wondering what has happened to our beautiful Kiwi Way of Life. Well no party in parliament ...
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk Sixty press freedom groups and civil society organisations, journalism institutions, filmmakers, and other supporters have formed a coalition in support of Maria Ressa and independent media in the Philippines, united around the call to #HoldTheLine. Today the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Center for ...
National MP Michael Woodhouse also received Covid-19 patient emails from Michelle Boag, and deleted them when he realised she was implicated in a separate email scandal. National Party leader Todd Muller says no further MPs in his party received confidential information from Michelle Boag, after revelations today that Michael Woodhouse also ...
The government is extending border exceptions to allow overseas victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks and their support people to attend the shooter's sentencing. ...
Ever wanted to be Iron Man? Sam Brooks prefers Pepper Potts, but he had a great time stepping into the iron suit anyway.The first few moments of Iron Man VR are where it plays its hand, confidently and assuredly. You hold your palms out in front of you, and Iron ...
SAP has released to the public a policy paper, “Helping Kiwis get back to work: How data and technology can drive a bigger, better, faster economic recovery.” ...
A new poem by Jordan Hamel.Mermaids When you lose grip and start to drift.The first thing you’re supposed to do issteer into it or steer away? Not all mermaids are royaltysomeone needs to audit the oceanprovide cashflow projectionssome mermaids are actuallymiddle-aged accountants named Stephendreaming of a land-view holiday home. I saw a ...
Want to work for The Spinoff? We’re looking for someone to fill an exciting new role based in our Auckland office. We’re looking for a video and podcast content manager: an experienced writer or sub-editor with a strong understanding of social media to manage our video and podcast content across various channels. ...
National Party leader Todd Muller says no further MPs in his party received confidential information from Michelle Boag, after revelations today that Michael Woodhouse also received four unsolicited emails. ...
By RNZ News Opposition National list MP Dr Jian Yang has announced his retirement from New Zealand politics and says he will not stand in the 2020 general election after three terms in the party caucus. He said politics was “demanding” and he wanted to spend more time with his ...
Bayer-Monsanto's June 24 announcement of a US$10.9 billion pay out (1) to people who have been harmed by Glyphosate, is effectively an admission of guilt. Spokesperson for The People’s Inquiry 2020 Asha Andersen says, “The Ministry of Health, The ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has filed a complaint with the Electoral Commission and the Parliamentary Speaker’s Office over Lawrence Yule’s new taxpayer funded billboards promoting Mr Yule as the ‘Voice in Tukituki’. Union spokesman, Louis Houlbrooke ...
Ten points, two plans. Which points are whose? With an election within spitting distance, Aotearoa’s two biggest political parties are all about the plans. “You don’t have a plan!” says one party to the other. “Yes we have a plan, or certainly a plan to have a plan, or a plan ...
Four months after he announced his re-selection, a National Party MP whose links to Chinese spy agencies attracted the interest of New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service has announced he will not stand in the next election A three-term National Party MP who studied at an elite Chinese spy school before moving to ...
National list MP Dr Jian Yang announced his retirement from politics and said he would not stand in the 2020 general election after three terms in the party caucus. ...
A new political party, the New Zealand TEA Party, with headquarters in Auckland, has been established. The party aims to contest the queen- or kingmaker position to form a coalition with the largest parliamentary party as part of the general elections ...
A review has determined fish oils are non-hazardous and no longer require oversight by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). We regulate pesticides, household chemicals and other dangerous goods and substances under the Hazardous Substances ...
New Conservative calls on the government to join with our Five Eyes allies and add New Zealand's signature to a joint statement condemning the continued removal of freedoms in Hong Kong. New Conservative also calls on the government to give safe-haven ...
Latest from the Beehive – Hard on the heels of the government promising help for the Southland economy in the wake of Rio Tinto’s decision to close the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, it was announcing the delivery of more money to the North, at the other end of the country. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luciano Beheregaray, Professor in Biodiversity Genomics, Flinders University As the global climate shifts, it’s important to know which species have adaptations to survive. Our research published today in PNAS found it largely depends on where they evolved. We looked at the capacity ...
From eggplant emojis and twerking llamas to sweaty anthropomorphic butts, we present some of the most fascinating, hilarious and outrageous complaints dismissed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) from 2019 to now.Avocadon’t (January 2019)The ad: In this ad from Specsavers, a man gets ready to join a cricket match, but ...
They might sound like the same thing, but light rail is quite different from light metro – the system that transport minister Phil Twyford now favours for Auckland. Katy Wakefield and Jessica Rose of Women in Urbanism explain why the metro option is a poor substitute for LRT. Transport is ...
Why isn't the Government spending $30m to extend Tiwai Point's 2,600 jobs until after the Covid-19 recession, after Manapouri's power can be transmitted elsewhere, and after there's a hydrogen plan for the smelter site, Bernard Hickey asks. The sense of shock and foreboding about the future was clear in Invercargill Mayor ...
An intensive care doctor is outraged health officials are giving helicopter rescue trusts a daily list of Covid-19 patients, saying it's completely unnecessary. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Seth Lazar, Professor, Australian National University In the US, tireless opposition to state use of facial recognition algorithms has recently won some victories. Some progressive cities have banned some uses of the technology. Threetechcompanies have pulled facial recognition products from ...
Open mike 31/05/2020 
The Council of Disobedient Women There is a regular segment in the Speak Up For Women podcasts called “Absolutely Blasted Mad Moment of the Week”. Each podcast the speaker and the host discuss a recent event that is the most insane thing they have seen in the gender critical space ...11 hours ago
Todd Muller - Dishonest National Party leaderIt seems that dishonest Todd Muller is, like many right-wing politicians, entirely morally bankrupt. I mean just look at the National Party’s leaking omni-shambles over the last week or so. They’ve imploded in a spectacular display of backfiring dirty politics, the likes of which ...17 hours ago
TUESDAY JULY 14Yorkshire Airport (Prime, 7.30pm). Bloomin’ ’eck, behind the scenes at Leeds Bradford Airport. Apparently, there is plenty of “northern charm”, although reaction in the UK ranged from “brilliant” to “patronising”. It is narrated by Hugh Dennis, whose middle name might be “Arch”.WEDNESDAY JULY 15Queen: Live at Wembley (Prime, ...17 hours ago
Simon Bridges must be the unluckiest person in New Zealand politics. When he was elected as leader of the National party, he also became Leader of the Opposition – a position, he was entitled to assume, that would require him to “oppose”. But the government he set out to oppose ...19 hours ago
Check out Speak Up For Women’s new podcasts: Episode 3 In this episode Speak Up For Women spokeswoman Ani O’Brien (@aniobrien) is joined by Beth Johnson (@beth_nosnhoj) to discuss the proposal from Statistics NZ to change standard data collection policy to “gender by default” rather than sex. They discuss why the ...1 day ago
During a recent public consultation on the future of Archives New Zealand, a key report was suppressed. The Ombudsman has ruled that the refusal was unjustified. Sadly, the consultation was over by the time of the the decision has been made. However, the law on the use of the ...1 day ago
Everyone is paying attention today to the Supreme Court ruling that the President is not above the law and that Trump's tax returns can be given to a New York grand jury investigating him. But the Supreme Court decided another, far more important case yesterday, and effectively restored Native American ...2 days ago
Transcript: National Party policy announcement on roads – 8 July, 2020 Muller: Good afternoon everybody. Thank you for coming. Reporter 1: Is Hamish Walker a racist? Muller: Hang on… you haven’t even said good afternoon to me yet. Reporter 1: Good afternoon Mr Muller. Is Hamish Walker a racist? ...2 days ago
Today’s content Tiwai Point to close Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Government subsidising practically everything plays hardball with Rio Tinto (paywalled) Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Sudden closure of aluminium smelter worst outcome for jobs, consumers and the environment Brian Fallow (Herald): Tiwai closure sad news – and an opportunity for the environment (paywalled) Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Rio ...2 days ago
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Anja Mizdrak, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker The pandemic-related lockdown is possibly the most dramatic public health intervention in NZ history. It helped achieve the elimination of community transmission of the COVID-19 virus in NZ. But it was also associated with 548 fewer total ...2 days ago
Reprehensible: There is much that could be said about Michael Woodhouse, but what would be the point? Any man who willingly involves himself in a situation as reprehensible as the one depicted in the above photograph has already vouchsafed all that decent people need to know about his character. That there have ...2 days ago
79 Articles Observations & observational methods of global warming & effects Six hundred years of South American tree rings reveal an increase in severe hydroclimatic events since mid-20th century (open access) Late summer temperature variability for the Southern Rocky Mountains (USA) since 1735 CE: applying blue light intensity to low-latitude ...4 days ago
Some are surprised at this sudden brain implosion on the part of both Michelle Boag, former National Party President, and the National Party in general, in exposing the private, confidential details of COVID patients. Others…? Let’s be blunt: not so much. Too many of that Party have long operated with ...4 days ago
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Unfortunately, due to a medical emergency, I have landed in hospital so am not able to do a current update on the NZ blog statistics. Let’s hope I can get back to this in good time. ...1 week ago
Mark Patterson MP, Spokesperson for Primary Industry New Zealand First is supporting calls by hunters and the New Zealand Tahr Foundation (NZTF) to halt a large scale cull of Himalayan Tahr by the Department of Conservation in National Parks. The calls are supported by a 40,000 strong petition and the ...5 days ago
New Zealanders deserve healthy rivers and lakes that are safe to swim in - but they have been getting worse for decades. That's why, with our latest announcement, we're investing in projects that will help clean up our rivers and lakes and restore them to health, within a generation. ...7 days ago
The Green Party has opposed the COVID-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Bill which shortcuts normal consenting processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA), reduces public participation and narrows environmental considerations. ...1 week ago
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of Kiribati Language Week as part of the 2020 Pacific language Weeks programme. “I am so pleased that this year we are able to provide resourcing support to the Kiribati community in Aotearoa which will ...18 hours ago
For one hour a week the supermarket lights are dimmed and the music stops. And it’s a kind of triumph, writes Michelle Langstone.I thought there’d been a power cut. The lights were out at the entrance, so you arrived into a kind of gloom. There was no music, and no ...5 hours ago
Unbelievable. A first-rank world leader picks a needless fight with blameless allies, thus imperiling their unity. But that’s General de Gaulle for you. Impressive work, even by his standards. In 1967, Canada was to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (their Gallipoli – except that they ...7 hours ago
The Professional Hunting Guides Association is welcoming the High Court decision on DoC’s controversial tahr campaign. The High Court in Wellington was asked on Wednesday by the Tahr Foundation for a judicial review of DoC’s plan to kill thousands ...12 hours ago
The government is revitalising the wool sector, splashing out on freshwater restoration projects, relieving student stress and showing kindness to Muslims by extending the border exception criteria. It is also increasing its support (in announcements from two separate Green Party Ministers) for women and for wildlife institutions. And it is ...16 hours ago
Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk A request by the Philippines’ biggest radio and TV network for a new franchise has been rejected by a congressional committee in a vote that will go down in history as a flagrant violation of the country’s constitution, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The Paris-based media ...18 hours ago
Hamish Walker's privacy leak debacle dominated the news this week, but it's not the first time a southern MP has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, writes Daisy Hudson. ...18 hours ago
In the heart of Christchurch is a Designated Character high school. What makes it unique? And should there be more like it? Frank Film visits Hagley College Paddy Grant was a 27-year-old truck driver when he rocked up to Christchurch’s Hagley High School, as it was then known. It was ...23 hours ago
"After he calms down we share the pie and talk about how hard the years since the show have been for him": a short story by Wellington writer Jordan Hamel. Every morning it’s the same. Cling wrap on the toilet seat, a pop up snake in my can of breakfast ...23 hours ago
Childcare centre closures have left families and staff out in the cold. In some cases, they were given just three days’ notice, Laura Walters reports Staff and families of Auckland’s Discoveries Educare branches feel blindsided by the sudden closure of the early childhood education centres. The Ministry of Education has ...23 hours ago
Controversy and the America's Cup go hand-in-hand and the latest edition is no different with Emirates Team New Zealand at the centre of financial mismanagement allegations. Extra Time unpicks the debate and ponders what does the latest Cup drama mean? And should we care? A study has revealed racial bias ...24 hours ago
You can’t keep a good woman down and Helen Clark is no exception. Her new appointment, as co-chair of a review of how the World Health Organisation handled the coronavirus pandemic, will test her formidable political skills. Sitting with her is Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian president, who handled the ...2 days ago
National MP Michael Woodhouse also received Covid-19 patient emails from Michelle Boag, and deleted them when he realised she was implicated in a separate email scandal. National Party leader Todd Muller says no further MPs in his party received confidential information from Michelle Boag, after revelations today that Michael Woodhouse also ...2 days ago
Alan Brent looks at how NZ's solar resources can be used more effectively to address energy demand in our transitioning economy. ...2 days ago
Four months after he announced his re-selection, a National Party MP whose links to Chinese spy agencies attracted the interest of New Zealand’s Security Intelligence Service has announced he will not stand in the next election A three-term National Party MP who studied at an elite Chinese spy school before moving to ...2 days ago
Why isn't the Government spending $30m to extend Tiwai Point's 2,600 jobs until after the Covid-19 recession, after Manapouri's power can be transmitted elsewhere, and after there's a hydrogen plan for the smelter site, Bernard Hickey asks. The sense of shock and foreboding about the future was clear in Invercargill Mayor ...2 days ago
The saga of Louisa Wall vs the Labour stalinist faction: "After nine years as the MP, Ms Wall has thrown in the towel over what's been called a "vicious" in-house fight for her seat." https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/louisa-wall-has-list-seat-deal-see-her-return-parliament-despite-bowing-labour-s-manurewa-candidate-race
"It's understood there've been moves against the MP at a national and local level, with two other nominations. Ms Wall missed out on promotion when Labour came into power despite securing gay marriage, its only big win in opposition".
"1 NEWS understands a deal has been signed off, moving her higher up the party list, ensuring her return to parliament. Tonight, Labour announced Arena Williams has been selected as the party's candidate for Manurewa. The lawyer and mum-of-two is of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Tūhoe and Ngai Tahu descent." And a lawyer.
Watching the story One News ran last night, I was intrigued to see Matt McCarten appear twice – carefully avoiding any reference to stalinism. Well done, stealth is essential. Dame Marilyn Waring: "She'd better be high enough on the list!"
I imagined the spectre of an elderly sisterhood marching against the Labour Party, banners waving, during the election campaign, may have flickered briefly in the tiny wee minds of the stalinists, before they reassured themselves that no, that couldn't happen.
Linda Clark this morning on RNZ, talking with Richard Harman and Jim Mora: "Helen Clark kept files on all sorts of people." Well, obviously. Stalinism 1.01 😆
Stalinism
[ stah-luh-niz-uh m ]SHOW IPA
noun
the principles of communism associated with Joseph Stalin, characterized especially by the extreme suppression of dissident political or ideological views, the concentration of power in one person, and an aggressive international policy.
Yeah right /cue Tui advert
But doesn't Wall herself go to the extremes at times? She could be being hoist on her own petard!
Louisa Wall has been prominent in her support for marriage equality and transgender rights. Are those the "extremes" to which you refer?? Do tell…
The thing the Labour government needs is support for David Parker who is overworked and one of the few competent Ministers they have, and also for Andrew Little who has been pretty ineffectual in the role of Justice, Courts, and Treaty of Waitangi stuff.
The Labour Party needs more lawyers. Mostly that's because law is the core business of Parliament.
Arena Williams brings Auckland networks that the Labour party otherwise doesn't have.
You'll also notice Kris Fa'afoi going onto the list in Mana. That's a majority of over 10,000.
The replacement there is Barbara Edmonds. Barbara is a bona fide legal tax specialist. It's pretty apparent that Deborah Russell hasn't made much policy headway in tax reform at all, so Labour definitely needs help in that department.
So no, it's not a Leninist conspiracy. It's just targeted renewal, in safe seats, to get more of what the Labour Party needs in parliament.
You should expect to see more renewal movement in the next 2 months.
that makes more sense. Doesn't explain why there was conflict, but does show up the TVNZ piece as useless.
Dr Webb is a pretty high profile lawyer, as are Kiri Allan and Willow-Jean Prime, not to mention the Deputy PM. Assuming all return in 2020, Labour will be very well served. Getting more talent through is very important, but it's not like the current caucus is bereft.
Also, I think Little has been excellent when NZ First has let him.
I accept that premise Ad but wonder if it can't be achieved in a less divisive way. Deborah Russell has been finding her feet this term in government and suspect she's just coming into her own now. Helen Clark had a low profile during her first term in parliament too.
I think it was Keith Holyoake who used to warn incoming newbies to "hold their noses during their first term and learn how parliament operates before jumping into the fray" – words to that effect anyway. Wise advice given the many complexities of parliamentary life.
I'm curious about the underlying reasons for the Louisa Wall affair. On the surface it smacks of a clash between ideological/religious conservatism and a whiff of identity politics in the shape of a strong Maori woman MP who also happens to be gay.
It is said that Louisa does not suffer fools gladly. Helen Clark didn't either but she learnt to manage her 'affliction' as I can personally attest to… when once many years ago I decided to be too clever by half at a local meeting. She put me in my place neatly and without rancour. A lesson well learnt that I never repeated. 😀
Oops… Holyoake's comment was "breathe through your noses".
Okay. Some might say the former is more appropriate but………
Honestly this is the best time to cut out the low performers.
At 55%+ polling Labour in parliament is about to be flooded with a whole phalanx of new MPs.
With that volume of intake you want to ensure there aren't any weak ones; any low performers who aren't achieving much.
And anyone except Labour Ministerial staff would accept that most of the current crop aren't that good. Only insiders would recognise a Labour Minister beyond the top five.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not only invigorate the Labour Party – it's an opportunity to get the talent pipeline so good that National is waiting until 2029 before it even gets a sniff.
We are going to tilt this country for good.
'On the surface' from what little has come out of the Thorndon bubble over recent years it seems to have far more to do with being a team player than which social groupings the person may belong to. Low cabinet ranking also a function of that despite obvious smartness and ability to reach across parties when progressing that signature achievement.
My (third hand) understanding is that she was pushing some identity politics stuff too hard and insulting people simply for holding a different opinion.
That is what I suspected. It's not the first time it has happened in the Labour Party either.
Back in the 1970s and early 1980s there was a small group of women who were overly aggressive with their views. [The meme 'identity politics' was not part of the vocabulary then.] Instead of attracting other women to the cause they actually turned quite a few of them off. I was one of them.
You don't win battles by forcing your views on to other people. You gently persuade them over time.
Edit
The Labour Party needs more pragmatic idealists. Lawyers per se, but they do not necessarily have the sense to go with driving good laws. They normally just work within them. Workers from all levels of society who are thoughtful and practical and care about people and our small business that binds the nation are needed.
So a mix of politician types is needed, provided they can see beyond neolib to the field beyond. They would go to where the grass is actually greener and there is enough for all who are keen enough to walk over and chew their cuds, and take time to talk about getting opportunities and setting limits and bringing the people to education on how we need to live in the 21st century and find value in ourselves and satisfaction as we do work within a thoughtful, kind, sustainable society.
Could Labour manage this? Might take them out of their well-paid comfort zone.
lol – the thing about lawyers and politics is principles. They don't have any. And no – that's not a gratuitous swipe. Many a lawyer will punt for the legal path over the unlawful path, even where the unlawful path is principled and the legal one an arse that might leave you with an uneasy conscience that needs salved to escape or deny a world of regret. Just ask Andrew Little.
The lawyers that have been chosen for these two seats are lawyers of strong principle. You need to look at their work to demonstrate how they apply principle within policy to decisionmaking frameworks.
If you're making a swipe against Minister Little as a lawyer as well as Minister, for being unlawful, you need to back that up.
A very good lawyer does not necessarily a good politician make, Ad. That's my point.
If a lawyer is presented with a situation where they can be correct in law, they will tend to let that outweigh any principled actions that might contravene the law.
Taking a legally correct route in relation to wildcat strikes over health and safety may or may not ring any bells for you.
Yes agree with that.
…Louisa Wall vs the Labour stalinist faction:
I haven't seen any informed explanation of what's behind this dispute, but somehow you can confidently put it down to Wall being in conflict with a Stalinist faction within Labour. Is that based on some evidence you've seen and we haven't? Or is it just the Internet having no shortage of blowhards?
Or is it an observer deducing the theoretical possibility on the basis of the behavioural evidence cited? Gosh, so many questions, so little time to explore the answers.
"Wall was a list MP before winning the seat after Labour veteran George Hawkins retired in 2011. She is best known for getting the marriage equality bill passed into law. She also chairs the health select committee and is a former Silver Fern and Black Fern."
"She received high-profile support this week from Dame Marilyn Waring who, writing in the Herald, said Wall was a national and international figure with a major profile. "She is highly regarded by a large number of significant women leaders, by our nation's sporting community, by community activists and by the nation's LGBTIQ community."" https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12335909
"Waring rejected reported comments that Wall was a "polarising" figure in the Labour caucus. "I was subject to the same criticisms," said the former National MP. "Time has a way of showing that critical thinkers on the inside improve a Government's performance, especially when there are weak opposition parties in Parliament." Labour president Claire Szabo will be running the selection meeting."
So you will be dead keen to provide your own explanation of all this, eh? Go for it. Explain why Labour's president felt the necessity to travel to the local selection and take charge of their process. Then explain why stalinists never do total control (so that proves she ain't stalinist).
Is that based on some evidence you've seen and we haven't?
So that's a "No" then. Could have saved yourself a few paras.
Why use a few well chosen words when you can bore for England?
Or is it an observer deducing the theoretical possibility on the basis of the behavioural evidence cited?
No, it's clearly not that, as it was asserted as fact, not offered as a theoretical possibility. "Behavioural evidence" was also lacking.
So you will be dead keen to provide your own explanation of all this, eh?
Er, no, I won't. Not without some evidence to base an explanation on. That's my point.
Okay, I'll have a go at that. 3.2.1.2 at 11:42 am
Did you give it an actual go and fail to select the text that's the quote and then click the button with the quote marks (it's centre right, between the smiley face and the Source button)? Or is it all just a bit too much of a new tricks/old dog situation?
Not ruling out the latter possibility totally, but I actually forgot. I'm doing concreting concurrently, so I come & scan comments in between stints of that.
I did make the decision to change, and will enact that. Maybe not today tho. And to the other couple of commentors above, I call it as I see it. I did cite the evidence that made me see it that way.
Are you trying to suggest that subjective impressions aren't valid in political commentary? Better have a go at Andre, then, whose technicolour impressions of Trump often colour the scenery here. But no, I bet you aren't serious or consistent in your judgments. Just doing knee-jerk stuff, brain disengaged.
Best to own your subjective impressions as what they are rather than dress them up as 'evidence'. Nothing wrong with "I believe".
I'm trying to suggest the readability of what you contribute would be improved by making it clearer what content is yours and what is quoted from elsewhere. With improved readability there is likely to be improved understanding and engagement and less sniping snark.
When it comes to the situation in Manurewa with Louisa Wall and the broader Labour party, I have no particular information or insight or experience that might make my reckons have any value. Nor have I any stake in the outcome. So on that topic, any comment I might make would be just random internet noise, which I don't really want to add to.
Yeah, all good. Just to clarify to you & Sacha, owning personal impressions is a good point but evidence cited in support of a theory is something else again. It's a valuable political lesson when indicating a dark side. Just as comments here keep stressing how Trump's banalities indicate a dark side.
History has shown us that the dark side of the left is more of a threat to the people than the dark side of the right. Last time we addressed this point I proved it by citing how all four of the greatest political mass-murderers in the 20th century originated in leftist political organisations. Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
You do not like the left. We get that. Sadly it means you reach for Stalin or Idi Amin at the slightest sign of unease. Perhaps you would be happier somewhere like Kiwibog?
At this point I usually remind folks that I share leftist values, ideals, aspirations. You may recall some of those instances. I'm motivated to help raise consciousness around the typical ways leftists defeat themselves. I believe doing so enhances the common good. If they were to figure it out by themselves, I wouldn't have to.
Re Kiwibog, the miasma produced by the political ecology there always seems too lame, toxic often, distasteful otherwise. Rightists ought to be able to do better but never seem to even try…
Last time we addressed this point I proved it by citing how all four of the greatest political mass-murderers in the 20th century originated in leftist political organisations.
Indeed. How do you know when a political philosophy has gone too far?
It is a question of boundaries, and on this the right we understand that racial superiority and fascism put a player out of bounds. On the left it seems the more radical and disruptive the idea, the more virtuously it's treated; which makes the left very unlikeable at times.
Didn't quite follow that, can you try a rephrasing of the point. Trust seems to be the achilles heel in leftist political orgs (back-stabbing) but the chaos in National currently suggests it may be rife with factionalism too. In the USA the right seems to have become likewise riven with factions in recent years.
In the old days factions were identified via ideology. Not easy to do that nowadays. If political psychologists weren't useless an explanation deriving from depth psychology would be available.
Hitler. Leftish?
Gadaffi saying he was going to "hunt terrorists house to house " prompted the UN no fly zone in Libya that culminated in the barbaric hunting and killing of Gadaffi "We came, we saw , he died" And the nation destroying chaos that is now Libya.That was Obama/Clinton
Now we have Trump
"US President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that many Secret Service agents were "just waiting for action'' and ready to unleash "the most vicious dogs, and the most ominous weapons, I have ever seen"
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/300024659/trump-threatens-to-set-vicious-dogs-on-george-floyd-protesters-at-white-house
Time for the UN Security Council to be involved? Or the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) to be invoked?
In a parallel universe Xi says "Trump must go "
And promises arms and funding to freedom fighters in Minneapolis
"I stand with the American people "says Putin
Ominous weapons????
Is Trump going to nuke them????
Or maybe twitter them!!!
Maybe he's planning to get his Space Farce team onto it and deploy their new Super Duper Missile on them.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/trumps-super-fast-and-super-duper-missile-confusion-2020-5?r=US&IR=T
Nice Andre
I like this quote from that article—
"Trump is well known for serving up nonsensical word salads, and this was no exception,” Reif said."
Or maybe the ominous weapon is Covid!!!
Don't underestimate what Trump is building in receptive minds, and look at him as a sideshow obscuring the action behind the theatre curtain.
Easy to forget this is the employed clown not the circus owners.
People are so easily distracted by the big red
hatnose.Leftist & rightist mainstreamers: no way! Over our dead bodies!
Yeah, probably.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/a-green-reboot-after-the-pandemic/
Stating the obvious doesn't work with mainstreamers. They know they've got the numbers to make denial and resistance effective.
Mainstreamers: Look, we've been rolling our eyes at this stuff for half a century. Who cares about future generations? Only the Greens, and they don't matter.
Yeah, way to go. Ignore the political left & right. They're determined to remain clueless forever.
4.9% / 5.1%
That reboot better start looking attractive.
Labourites starting to get nervous 😉
🙂 🙂 🙂
Dennis, I hope you don't mind but I reformatted your comment. I find how you format comments now makes it hard to read and understand what you are saying, so I wanted to see if separating out your words from the quotes made a difference.
Works way better for me, thanks.
Dennis, there is a button with quote marks on the editor toolbar when you are assembling your comments. Please use it.
oh good. Made a big difference to me too.
Okay, I'll have a go at that. Looks like it introduces more space around the quotes and I can see how it could seem more easy to read to some. I'm habituated to traditional denser text formatting & probably need to get over it.
When I first started reading leftist writing it was the late 1960s. I couldn't believe how long their paragraphs were! Eyes glazing over before I got even half-way and I'd been reading constantly all my life so was adept and routinely scored above 95% in English exams. No wonder they never got traction with the masses…
Thank you. Comprehension on screen is lower than in print without extra spacing.
That's interesting. No, I don't mind that alteration, and am sympathetic to the problem you encounter. My style recycles traditional print format, and dates from the '80s – I agree new tech requires communication styles to evolve. I will take this advice on board. Will see if I can adopt that new style.
Thanks Dennis. I found it much easier to get the nuance in what you were saying once I could easily separate the quotes from your own words.
I've started writing a post in response 🙂
future shocks will eventually exceed the capacity of governments, financial institutions, and corporate crisis managers to respond.
That's taken as a read. But what is their collective responsive capabilities when we're talking about the end of capitalism (which any non-growth economic model entails)?
Corporations + government + financial institutions fighting for their existence as entities (ie, the people who benefit from their existence fighting) versus a largely dis-empowered populace in the path of those future shocks becoming increasingly distracted by just trying to stay alive …
They hang on for the first few rounds, and the odds move in their favour….until climate wipes them out alongside the rest of us.
Lotsa fuckery going on.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1266741059163389952.html
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1266598693647638528.html
edit:
That footage of the guy in black wearing a gas mask calmly smashing windows was very chilling, night of broken crystal indeed.
COINTELPRO.
The boot fits.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/trump-economy-crashing-quote/
How about starting the open mikes at a random time each day (maybe 8am pm 60mins) so that different people get to be the first poster?
Nah, it's fine the way it is. I've programmed the autoscroll to kick in if there's a green avatar at the top.
+100 scroll
Truth hurts. Best to avoid both. 😎
I just scroll past all posts by Dennis Frank …too long…usually irrelevant or a distraction from the real issues. Very close to trolling.
No you don't. You often respond, and agree more than disagree. Be honest!
I frequently disagree with Frank on things, but think gratitude is in order that we have people who will put up arguments whether we agree with them or not. Otherwise it's an echo chamber, and potentially a boring one.
I disagree with Bob most of the time but I like how he has arguments plural, not just the same one over and over (to which a therapist might be a better answer). Worst kind of echo chamber.
That's you added to the 2034 killer zinger list 😆
We had "Daily Review" which appeared around 5:30 pm Mon. to Fri., but it was canned at the start of Lockdown and hasn't reappeared.
Just seems to be you and me Anne, mourning the demise of Daily Review!
Me too, on a functional relevance basis. Often significant stuff emerges during the course of the day. Working commentators can't be expected to comment until after the evening meal.
The other functional point is that threads on open mike meander and new stuff gets lost to the attention of many readers once there's an abundance. Issues can therefore get a fresh start on the later platform.
I liked the review too even if I don't participate in it.
No, a few more people have commented on its demise.
What I liked about it is the opportunity to refresh the discussions at the end of the day or comment on a development that has come out of maybe the 6pm news. Add to that some of us don't always get the time to indulge at length during the day. Even retirees have other things to do.
I miss Daily Review too.
How about a rule that if you have commented on Open Mike after noon you are not allowed to bless Daily Review with your reckons? Might encourage fresh voices.
Same here. Bring back Daily Review please.
Meh. Daily Review just diluted threads and repeated stuff that was already covered in Open Mike. But maybe a Night Owls post would be good, from 8 pm
That’s my usual dinner time, 8:00 PM. I’d suggest a Midnight Oil (MO) post but then I’d have to schedule and monitor it 🙁
Midnight Oil Review. That'd be you, me and McFlock.
We could do worse.
🙂
Just scheduled a Post for tomorrow. Not my best ever, but I was long overdue for one. I’ve got too many half-finished ones and then I lose interest or they get overtaken by developments or events.
I totally understand, looking at my list of unfinished posts 😳 I'm trying to teach myself to put the posts up even if I am not completely satisfied with them.
Off to have a read now 🙂
reflecting on that a bit more. I started writing posts after covid hit and then not posting them because it was harder to tell in those early days what was useful or even ok to write*. Now it's more like yes I could say these things but is this what I really want to be saying? Do people want to be reading? What are we even doing? lol. I'm sure the election will sharpen my focus again.
*same with BLM right now too.
Covid was and still is hugely confusing and scary. I had many things on my mind but decided to stick closely to the facts and the science that was rapidly evolving. As soon as economics and politics became involved – they always go hand-in-hand – the story became murkier and harder to follow and comment on.
BLM is too emotionally charged to have a sensible conversation about on this blog IMHO. Whatever I’d say, it would not make one iota of difference to what’s happening and likely to be taken the wrong way as Taika Waititi has found out.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/121686071/george-floyd-taika-waititi-under-fire-for-black-lives-matter-comments
It makes it very hard to moderate, at times, but luckily, the commentariat has been exemplary 🙂
Bring on the Election, I say!
Me too.
How the Minister Of Truth (a.k.a. D Cummings) rewrites the past on his blog, to make himself seem ultra-prescient.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/30/dominic-cummings-boris-johnson-evil-geniuses-hardly-lazy-incompetent
A longish piece, but well worth sticking with.
John Wight has written an excellent article about the murder of George Floyd and the recurrent theme of racism in U.S history.
Born out of genocide, raised through slavery, the U.S. is an imperialist rogue state.
'Chauvin with his knee on the neck of a supine George Floyd was the acme of the evil of white supremacy. He was the overseer with his knee on the neck of a runaway slave. He was the the slaveowner’s whip, the lynch mob’s noose, the prison guard’s boot. In other words, Chauvin symbolised in those eight minutes the entire legacy and long history of racial oppression in country that was born in genocide and developed and nourished for two centuries on the back of the African slave trade."
The Murder of George Floyd — White Supremacy’s War on Black America Rolls on
Not a betting man (and I know it doesn’t portend anything) but occasionally I check the markets for the odds on our election.
They’ve all pretty much blown out for Labour in the week since Muller took over.
In the UK William Hill is paying 1/7 for Labour to form government after the election versus 9/2 for National.
In Australia, Sportsbet has Labour at 1.14 versus the Nats at 5.50. Going into Covid the odds were pretty even. They have opened a second market on the likelihood of Labour to govern in its own right (with no support partners regardless of whether they’re needed or not) currently paying 1.50 for Labour to NOT form government in its own right versus 2.25 for them to do so.
Oh fuck.
(Linda Tirado on TS)
Seems like the alt-right and white supremacists are seizing on a gifted opportunity to create trouble and further division in a troubled country.
https://www.courthousenews.com/minnesota-officials-link-arrested-looters-to-white-supremacist-groups/
Surprise…
White supramacists and KKK types have been infiltrating US police forces for decades.
They have swapped the burning crosses and white hoods for badges and pepper spray.
Seems to me like a lot of angry young people of all different races involved in the chaos. But hey blame it on the alt-right.. or next why not Russia?
I think if you threw a stone in any crowd you'd hit another faction, there's even people with bows and arrows ffs. And the leader tweets while the place burns.
Because people that were very fine people, on both sides, right.
/
"Trump targets social media companies in new executive order "
From the Fox News politics front page (scan down) – runs as a news clip without it's own page. The presenter interviews a legal adviser to explore the viability of Trump's attempt.
He flags a likely constitutional issue (separation of powers) in respect of the question of whether the exec order is in breach of the act of congress he is attempting to get around.
He ends by saying Twitter needs to decide what it will do when it grows up. After alerting us to media policy inconsistency by Twitter (owner/managers) and citing examples to validate his reasoning.
So in a time of very challenging employment uncertainty the National Party wants the government to bring back the 90 day fire-at-will laws for medium and large employers. They want to increase uncertainty for stressed out NZ workers? Just who is advising these losers?
Mediocre business managers and owners who lack the ability to select good staff, that's who.
ACT wants a 12 month trial period and 3 year minumum wage freeze..
If these clowns had their way, we would have the US system of at will employment where you could be just sacked at any time for any reason, and that if you turned up at work and found your password didnt work, that meant you were sacked.
COVID has provided the once in a life time opputunity for employers and businesses to slash their wage bill by 20%.
a) The 90 day trial period is still there for employers with 19 or less people, as Labour didn't fulfill their promise to get rid of it.
b) Do you mind posting some stats on how many of your claimed workers were "fired at will" and how many got work they would have otherwise not got due to risk to the employer of them being crap without it?
Sad when we set the bar so low that employers will only take workers on if they can get rid of them.
That implies that workers are treated as disposable in this country and have no value.
As always, the onus on satisfactorily employing staff lies on the employer doing their due diligence during and after the interviewing process. If they fuck up, tough, they had their chance.
Having said that, I'm okay with a trial period, though not three months, more like a couple of weeks at most. Any employer that needs, or waits, until day 89 to find out it hasn't worked out is a bit of a wanker.
Background of the new police commissioner. Interesting interview in which his faith is mentioned numerous times but we don't find out exactly what it is based on. This and other articles have also outlined his career trajectory. While his background and education are nothing particularly unusual at some point he seems to have entered a career path that even the most competent could only dream about. Was he being groomed as a future commissioner and if so by whom ? Can’t quite put my finger on it but there is something that feels not quite comfortable?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300003371/national-portrait-andrew-coster–top-cop
I was giving it a thought on what those with spare cash to buy shares with, what type of shares they will buy?
For some current share holders it will be like a crash, depending on what they have invested in
I expect people will still invest in residential property as people always need a home.
Commodities such as gold, lithium etc i.e. the elements of an electrical world.
Oil and airline shares were never any good for the planet.
There has to be a better way in extracting gold without the damage it causes.
The largest gold mines are rubbish dumps in developed countries.
National have picked Mike Butterick as their candidate for Wairarapa, a seat they hold.
In the pre-Covid days, you might remember the angry protest march on Parliament
by a group called "50 shades of green". This included signs calling the government "c***s", the "make Ardern go away" placards, MAGA caps, and suchlike.
The group is (was?) led by Butterick.
Here's his speech (I think from the same event).
It's a mixture of self-pity, whataboutery and special pleading, with the actual argument very difficult to discern. He seems like an excellent fit with National's existing caucus, in other words.
He does indeed. An "actual argument" is that the townies and their arts fucking festivals and delicatessens mainly leach off agriculture to survive.
Damn them for adding value. Milk powder forever!
Scoop forgot to add Mike's protest to his bio.
Space X mission launched this morning:
I know we are generally supposed to be opposed to private spaceflight, SpaceX and Elon Musk, but this was pretty impressive, and good to see something positive happen for a change.
Safer out in space than in the USA at present. And I would have thought a Covid free NZ pretty good news lately.
200 years.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1266531249914601472.html
Things are going well.
https://twitter.com/breaking911/status/1265839057994764288
Jeez, got cops driving into people, there's footage of some shop owner being beaten to death by mob, batman, it's a real mess. I watched the doco LA92 a few months back but this is a whole new level of cray cray.
The headline of a failed state.
Gripped by disease, unemployment and outrage at the police, America plunges into crisis
[…]
“The threads of our civic life could start unraveling, because everybody’s living in a tinderbox,” said historian and Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley.
Barbara Ransby, a historian at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a longtime political activist, said the toll of the coronavirus outbreak made long-standing racial inequities newly stark. Then, images of police violence made those same disparities visceral.
http://archive.li/4p9JH (wapo)
There are always tensions. There have always been upset people and violence has happened.
The emotional state of the country is in an unusual place with the pandemic. The many media platforms means everyone has access to attitude forming material. Something dramatic happens and what you rely on is rationality, resilience, respect and trust in systems and leadership.
There has been burning in the streets over a couple of days. Over a couple of years there have been fires burning rationality, respect and trust. Welcome to Trump's America.
In the land of the free and the home of the brave, residents must stay inside their homes or the National Guard will shoot you.
"When the law not merely fails to guarantee the safety of life and property, but directly threatens both, the subject is absolved from obedience to it, and civil society collapses." (Paul Johnson: "The Offshore Islanders", 1972)
He was writing about the causes of the misleadingly-termed Great Rebellion which led to the English Civil War of the 1640s. But the sentiment is relevant in any age or society. By all means do what's necessary to curb out-of-town looters seizing chances for mayhem. That most emphatically does not include charging down a peaceful residential street loosing off missiles at people on their own properties going about their lawful occasions. State-supported terrorism doesn't altogether too strong a term for this appalling behaviour.
wow…
Isn’t it interesting how our woke media criticism the Nats supposed lack of diversity on it’s front bench but not the Greens lack of gender diversity? In their Party List there is one male and seven females.Would the woke media be criticising a front bench of seven men and one women?
is it interesting? I must admit I've yet to look up the definition of "woke", but I don't think I really care.
I'm confident it has nothing to do with our media. But yes, meh.
I did look up the meaning once and still don't understand what it means. I don't care either because its a silly word.
Standing for being an MP would be attractive to more men if there was more power attached to the job.
Our current Prime Minister is building the Labour Party list with young and talented women. Over three terms there's just a chance they will collectively get to redefine how power is exercised in Parliament full stop.
Just maybe it's time for that.
Three men in the top ten, ten in the top twenty. Want to know how long we had the reverse or less? Yeah, when the balance of power in society has been redressed the Greens can revisit their gender equity policy.
Meh. They are all capable and won their selection on merit. Wake me up to care about it when men are under-represented overall in positions of power and capable male candidates are routinely shoved aside to make room for time-serving female drones.
You are trolling and posted the same ‘query’ over at KB today. The answer was provided and to be more precise, it was answered in great detail by Graeme Edgeler on KB on 16 April. Something tells me that you do not care and do not have the slightest interest in the answer/explanation. It is a sure sign of you being a stupid little troll. You can prove me wrong, of course, but I won’t hold my breath.
Wise – "the Nats supposed lack of diversity on it’s front bench" does not suggest a good faith intent.
Well, since the purpose of trolling is to rark up responses, it has to be conceded that was actually a fairly successful troll.
The whetstone is always ready for trolls and with the upcoming Election my tolerance levels are lowering.
Scythe away..
Ooh that's right election season is banning season .
Lprent usually shows no mercy ,great fun to watch.
Actually what our "woke media" did was … wait for it … ask the National leader some questions. The horror, the mind control!
They couldn't have predicted the hilarity of the answers.
Global deaths in 2020 from different causes:
https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/2562261/
pretty crazy watching covid jump up like that.
But hey, it's just a flu, no need for worry. /sarc
‘This is how we feel every day’ – protester compares violence in LA to racial inequality in society
“This is what it’s like to walk down the streets. It’s chaos. I’m afraid every time a police officer drives past me.”
https://abc7.com/video/embed/?pid=6222259
I was a fairly surprised this evening to hear my 78yr old dad defending the protesters going nuts on the street. In his view it was because the same people were being treated the same way for multiple decades, it wasn't getting better, and they've had enough.
That's not usual for my dad who is usually a NZFirst voter.
Your dad is 4 years my senior, but I think a lot of us septuagenarians would share a similar viewpoint. We grew up with the powerful film "To Kill a Mockingbird" and read the book. We saw and read "Black Like Me" the true story of John Howard Griffin who darkened his skin and travelled through the segregated US south. And many more. We saw the tyranny of the KKK and similar groups. Lived through the 60's and witnessed, via television and radio, the civil rights movement and heard Martin Luther King and probably sang "We shall overcome". And saw the slow dismantling of segregation in the south.
On the 28 August 1963 Martin Luther King in his famous "I have a Dream" speech said'
Those words could be echoed today
https://twitter.com/Namixcv/status/1266378273161768964
Statement by Joe Biden
Thanks Macro. I'm impressed with that statement.
How the police endanger us and why we need to find an alternative
Alex S. Vitale The End of Policing (Verso, 2017)
Recent years have seen an explosion of protest against police brutality and repression—most dramatically in Ferguson, Missouri, where longheld grievances erupted in violent demonstrations following the police killing of Michael Brown. Among activists, journalists, and politicians, the conversation about how to respond and improve policing has focused on accountability, diversity, training, and community relations. Unfortunately, these reforms will not produce results, either alone or in combination. The core of the problem must be addressed: the nature of modern policing itself. “Broken windows” practices, the militarization of law enforcement, and the dramatic expansion of the police’s role over the last forty years have created a mandate for officers that must be rolled back.
This book attempts to spark public discussion by revealing the tainted origins of modern policing as a tool of social control. It shows how the expansion of police authority is inconsistent with community empowerment, social justice—even public safety. Drawing on groundbreaking research from across the world, and covering virtually every area in the increasingly broad range of police work, Alex Vitale demonstrates how law enforcement has come to exacerbate the very problems it is supposed to solve.
In contrast, there are places where the robust implementation of policing alternatives—such as legalization, restorative justice, and harm reduction—has led to reductions in crime, spending, and injustice. The best solution to bad policing may be an end to policing.
Reviews
“The End of Policing combines the best in academic research with rhetorical urgency to explain why the ordinary array of police reforms will be ineffective in reducing abusive policing. Alex Vitale shows that we must move beyond conceptualizing public safety as interdiction, exclusion, and arrest if we hope to achieve racial and economic justice.”
– Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Professor, CUNY Graduate Center, Co-Founder of Critical Resistance, author of Golden Gulag
https://www.versobooks.com/books/2426-the-end-of-policing