Heather Roy on Checkpoint yesterday was trotting out the centre right’s line that Labour won’t/can’t win a majority because no party ever does in NZ, except for the 1951 election which was held in extraordinary circumstances, dominated by the waterfront dispute. She was somehow conveniently managing to ignore the circumstances around this election which make 1951 look like a walk in the park.
.
Might be an idea for Ardern to downplay the prospect of governing alone.
At the same point in the run up to the 2002 General Election, the Clark-led Labour Party was sitting on precisely the same rating (53%) in the Colmar Brunton … only to fall 12 points to 41% by Election Day.
NZES analysis suggests that Clark's initial decision to campaign vigorously for a one-Party Govt (on the basis of stability & her personal popularity) alienated voters (particularly on the Left) … seen as arrogant, dictatorial & a reversion to old-fashioned FPP-thinking. (Campaign Mini-scandals Corngate & Paintergate simply reinforced this mood). A hefty chunk of intending Labour voters subsequently swung elsewhere … first & foremost into non-voting. Luckily for the party, the Nats' plunge was even steeper.
Whenever NZES polls on attitudes to the Electoral System, it always finds substantial majority support for MMP & Coalition Govt among Left voters & majority support for FPP & single-Party Govt among Nat supporters.
Hence, while many of the 400k newly-acquired former Nats might be more comfortable with a sole Labour Govt … to hold on to a sizeable segment of core Labour voters, Ardern may just need to downplay any sense of arrogance or entitlement around the issue.
Interesting info swordfish. I hope the upper echelons listen – wouldn't want problems with the seals when the spaceship gets into the rarefied air, no D-ring or O-ring malfunctions.
maybe the economist have calculated this in their forecast, while the banker is just happy for the government to pay the wages for nigh on everyone in the country.
The latest figures from the Ministry of Social Development show that $1.9b of that has been paid under the extension to the scheme, which came into effect in early June.
More than 1.7 million jobs are being supported by the scheme, which comes to an end in September.
Nearly 10,500 recipients of the wage subsidy have paid the money back, totalling $323.6m.
once that wage subsidy is running out there will be a clearer picture on how bad it is going to be. Until then the economy is currently fully prepped on the taxpayers dime, and i am sure this will cause any guys working for a bank to rejoice, often and loudly.
House prices and the 'correction' that was going to occur. Here in the provinces, the sales are going gang-busters. Selling in under a week and above asking price.
Perhaps it is time to put the horoscopes in the news, they have as much relevance as these economists. Haruspication too. (Thanks Bill, I still have a smile when these financial forecasters pontificating).
thank you for highlighting this, dancing on the head of a pin, effort by economists. in my travels around middle NZ, people are VERY busy, and there is plenty of money being spent.I have long thought that most economists are fairly useless, and the last few months havent changed that opinion.none of their predictions of economic doom seem to have taken into account the very low interest rates currently, a factor in many people choosing to spend ,rather than letting money sit in term deposit ,getting basically nothing in interest. along with the low interest rates, we also had a big rise in benefits and the allowing of small building without permits. this last point probably flies past most on here, and definitley past 99.9% of economists, but go to your local demolition yard, or hardware supplier and ask them about building activity. all very busy. nothing like the economic standstill predicted by some, and hoped for by others.
Home renovations and cosmetic surgery are apparently popular replacements for overseas travel spending by those with enough money. However there are only so many kitchen and nose makeovers anyone can fit into a year, so we'll see where things land by 2021.
The wage subsidy is keeping us afloat here in Rotorua. Most businesses have already cut hours, closing early, not opening 7 days anymore etc. Some people have taking cuts to wages to ensure that all get to keep their jobs in one business – IT business. I can think of a few more towns like that in the North Island and the South Island.
Once that subsidy runs out and people are either still in a job or unemployed we will get to taste the real state of the economy.
On 26 June 2020, there were 353,440 people receiving main benefit, an increase of 61,470 since the same week last year.
Over the same period, the number of people receiving Jobseeker Support Work Ready benefits hasrisen 48,640 to 125,965 (up 65 per cent)since the same week last year, accounƟng for the majority of the net increase.
The number of recipients increased rapidly from late March and throughout April, but has stabilized since May. A further 10,580 people were receiving the COVID-19 Income Relief Payment, which is not included in the Main Benefit total.
that last number of people receiving the Covid – 19 Income Relief Payment aka the Covid Unemployment benefit will raise. And the 10580 people that are receiving it now will loose it within the next 8 odd weeks as it was only for a period of 12 weeks.
the comment of number of recipients of benefits having stabilized since may coincides wit the announcement of the extension of the wage subsidy for another 8 weeks of certain criteria is met.
There is unlimited house Reno's plus building there's still a massive shortage of housing and 100's of 1,000's of cold damp leaky building syndrome poorly constructed houses that need fixing.
By your imagination with cheap money around because of low interest people are renovating extending etc.House prices are going up while bank interest rates are at record lows.
I never mentioned borrowing. Only people with enough money not to worry about their immediate future will be spending, though the same group would be granted bank loans I guess.
And comments such has your don't help those who are still working under reduced hours, are full time yet still being paid 90,80 even 60%, are utilising annual leave but still expecting to achieve a 40 hour output, and still have the normal outgoings. And living with the fear of job loss should any resistance be given to these changes of working conditions.
Whilst there are some happy to point to the the economic data "telling" us all is good . Guess What IT ISN'T for many.
Like so many statistics that are used to support particular points of view "things are/are not getting better" People suffer, lost in the numbers.
House renovations are a good way to spend money. And some might think cosmetic surgery a good investment as did Paul Bennett – she has been well paid for years and no doubt made good contacts for future employment. They have noticed the spectacular changes in her profile and want one of those too.
Collins cashing in Kiwisaver dumb idea criticized by business man on RNZ as highly risky with 58% of Small business failing in the first year.similar odds as a pokie machine.
National desperately flailing around policy on the hoof in the same mode as the party complete disarray.
Yes. Lets only give money to really big businesses that are to big to fail.
'Wat the man from the bank is not saying is that they really like to keep all that saved money in THEIR bank accounts, as otherwise some bank may go bust if they had to pay it all out.
But heck its just he people who saved into their Kiwi Saver Account that we can't entrust with THEIR OWN money, lest the small business taht they would like to create (cause sure beats unemployment) may fail. Never mind the 48% of small businesses that don't fail. Also lets not mention the fact that often the reason small businesses fail are bad lending when they started up with too high repayment rates a. and b. high leases, high compliance costs etc etc etc.
Act's polling success is due to the NZ First vote going to Act. Last election non Labour and non Green voters who were not that supportive of National mainly voted for NZ First to be a coalition partner for National. These voters are now punishing NZ First.
The Maori Party was punished by their voters favouring Labour.
After an incident involving a close relative the other week I have been checking the MOH 'Covid 19 testing' webpage and up until the latest update on the 29th July the MOH message was that just having some of the symptoms was not necessarily grounds to be tested. Even now,
the criteria for testing is quite proscribed. Not exactly encouraging folks to be tested.
The incident involving a close family member involved headache, cough, sore throat and generally feeling like shit. Was advised to do the unthinkable(to our whanau) and go to the doctor and get tested…this person works in education and had very real concerns about possible contagion… Phonecalls to Healthline etc, and appointment made at large city medical centre, all the while describing symptoms and requesting a Covid test, just to be safe. Given a light mask at arrival (did phone before entering the building but was told to come on in) and was seen by the duty doctor. Who proceeded to discount the possibility of Covid19 and told the patient to attend the largely unused public testing centre 2 kms away if they really wanted a test. Issued a medical certificate for work but did not suggest self isolation until a negative test result was returned.
This was two weeks ago. Close family member did have the test….the brain scrape…and it returned a negative result.
Amazing, no? That the GP could tell without a test? That GP should be utilized to save $$$ on the actual Test.
So who should be tested? According to the MOH website….some or all of those symptoms and/or recent overseas travel or any possible contact with a recent traveler from overseas.
Your relative is doing the right thing by having a test, they are looking after the community by being tested.
I can be critical of health professionals and I am in this case because the duty doctor declined a test when they could not exclude the person being infected until tested.
Why are people refusing the test? is it because it is described by some as a 'brain scrape'? That it might hurt a little?
I had a Covid-19 test. A moment's discomfort.
As a male I had several DREs for prostate cancer. Again, discomfort but no bloody reason not to have the digital examination.
Indeed, it is not bloody helpful to discourage people with the language that we use. Rather, we should be supporting the people to have tests as it could be life saving for them, and in the case of Covid-19, life saving for others.
Personal pain, or discomfort, even if real and difficult, is not a reason to put others at risk, especially our seniors, of a particularly unpleasant death.
I have, as a cancer survivor, given talks on the need for testing. It saved my life. Eleven years later, I can still say that. I told a group of farmers that they'd get a vet in to check their livestock if they were concerned, so why not man up, accept s small discomfort and do themselves and their loved ones a favour by regular testing?
Most will, but those who frivolously make jokes or use off-putting language do not help the uncertain to do the correct thing.
Do people even refuse vaccination jabs because of the way it is described?
In my primary school days, the school dentist was known as 'the murder house'. At least we kids did know what an exaggeration that was, as the death toll was pretty low, even then with slow speed, grinding drills and the smell of burning meths in the air.
but those who frivolously make jokes or use off-putting language do not help the uncertain to do the correct thing.
Mary Poppins is a fictional character who also proposes sugar coating as a means to ensure the little ones comply with Doctors Orders.
But in the real world surely honesty is the best policy?
Tell folks the swab up the nostril does feel like a sample of brain tissue is being harvested…but that the discomfort is very transitory and it is for the greater good.
Treat us like responsible grown ups and perhaps we'll act like it?
@Rosemary, I had a test during L4. Wasn't keen on the idea at all because I'd heard several first-hand stories of 'pain' with the nose swab as opposed to brief discomfort. But given the circumstance and timing of symptoms that wasn't going to put me off.
Apart from gagging badly from the throat swabs, I didn't even feel the nose one. perhaps the nurse had it down to a fine art, or perhaps it's a matter of pain level tolerance, or perhaps it really is expecting the worse because of the off-putting language? I have a cold now that's getting worse, I know it's just a cold but if at some point another test is offered I'll take it (been travelling in long distance buses recently).
I do agree that with ANY medical procedure informed consent is first and foremost. Explain what's going to happen, and that some people (not everyone because it's NOT everyone) experience xyz. And be able to answer any follow-up questions in plain English to reassure.
I suspect it was the test taker's enthusiasm that gave the impression the swab was going to emerge above the whanau member's eyebrow. As you will know…some phlebotomists can take a blood sample with barely a bit of pressure. Others prod and poke around with a blunt needle until that bruise nicely extends from elbow-crook to wrist.
Hope your cold gets better…we've had various seasonal lurgees which we've hit with lots of vitamin C flushed down with lots of fluids. Just like Nana did.
To describe my experience aa a 'brain scrape' was a degree or two of magnitude too much. Of course we should be supportive and honest, but not to the extent of putting people off. Was your use of the 'brain scrape' meant to be gratuitously jocular, or be supportive and honest? Did it need to be said? To me that was un-useful information that also did not sit with my experience.
…use of the 'brain scrape' meant to be gratuitously jocular, or be supportive and honest?
Of course it was jocular…christ on a raft! … do you not think we could all do with a wee giggle now and again?
"Gratuitous"? Surely that is entirely subjective? One man's meat etc?
While the minutiae of language used is relevant, how about we examine the messaging being used by various players, especially the MOH and the GP's association, to try and ascertain just why folks are not being tested?
It may be just that one of the rabid rats wrestling inside his skull just farted, or it may be laying the groundwork for trying to delegitimise the election results.
An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
Negatives reactions generally dismissed as, "Can't youse guys take a joke?" or "Get a life!" or "It was a joke, geddit?"or "Gedda sensa huma." Yeah, met those guys quite often.
Maybe that's what Bob Jones said the Left had no sense of humour?
Negatives reactions generally dismissed as, "Can't youse guys take a joke?" or "Get a life!" or "It was a joke, geddit?"or "Gedda sensa huma." Yeah, met those guys quite often.
Maybe that's what Bob Jones meant when he said the Left had no sense of humour?
There's a sub-category who dig themselves in deeper by attempting to reference objective criteria as proof that they were kidding – such as eyebrow movements.
I know this is a Labour leaning blog, but I hope a lot of progressive voters look at where the Greens are sitting right now and decide to give them their party vote.
Labour is doing amazingly well this term and rightly deserves the support they are getting, but that won't last forever. Currently their at-risk voters are people who normally lean center right; think your investment bankers, professional landlords, and tax lawyers etc. This support won't last forever, it won't take much for them to go back to their natural home of National.
If as a result of Labour's stratospheric polling, the Greens fall below the 5% threshold, it will make it very hard for them to get back into parliament in the future. A future where Labour again will need coalition partners, and may find itself in the position National found itself in 2017.
So hopefully some progressive voters consider giving their party vote to the greens to ensure we keep the amazing talent on their list such as Marama, James, Chloe, and Eugenie. All amazing MPs who would have great contributions to make to future parliaments
I've always assumed that you are part of the rural farming community – perhaps wrongly. But do you think these facebook memes are going pretty much to the rural sector?
Yip probably is coming from mostly the thar hunting and high country farming lot at the moment. I'm to far removed to know If Sage is out to kill off to many thar and drive farmers out of the high country.
But that's were the anger is coming from.
Personally It doesn't bother me if they cull the thar ,and I've always hated tenure review.
(I’m a shepherd but think a bit different to most of my peers from what I see)
Those big hearted sons of the soil would be deepl hurt if they can't pick up public land for a song and sell the subdivisions for bags o money. They'd have to make placards about pretty communists, the poor little weaselfaced shitters.
Well said Devo….and with the RMA about to be dumped we desperately need Greens in parliament and on the select committee that writes the legislation that replaces it.
Exactly right. My vote’s natural home is Labour, plus I feel I owe a huge thanks for the Gov’s Covid effort. But, strategically and for the environment, it would be a disaster for the Greens to go below 5%. No question. So party vote Green for me, electorate vote Banks Peninsula Labour.
Of course that "tax is love" stuff was going to be mocked, what a dumb decision. They should get a bit rowdy and say something like, 'we won't tax you – well tax *them* (the billionaires)'.
But the released policy is actually pretty good, and necessary.
rugged individualism for some and for other its just cult behaviour. Also Louie Gohmert is one of the dumbest man ever elected to office. He is however a good Standard bearer and will do as he is told, which in the republican party is what counts.
The girlfriend of Trump the younger is also afflicted with Covid. Have not heard from her for about two weeks now.
Yes there is a lot of really stupid people about when it comes to this virus. In the US but also here.
6. Yes, Not all medical people are "Concerned" But any patient can ask for a second opinion. That may be why the Dr. offered the testing station, which should have been offered by the health line imo.
Rosemary, this didn’t link for some reason.
With New Zealand’s average national house price now over $700,000, the heirs of home-owning boomers (as well as people born before 1945 whose significant wealth is often overlooked) will receive a currently untaxed bonanza.
Ignoring this unprecedented transfer of wealth from people who no longer need it to people who haven’t earned it would be absurd. But equitable tax policy must first overcome political timidity and rhetoric.
…
Taxing a person’s wealth when they no longer need it, provided a reasonable exemption is made to support dependants, has been usual since Roman times. In the modern era, inter-generational wealth was seen as eminently taxable, too. Indeed, progressive tax rates were applied to estate taxes before they were first used for income taxes.
…
The arguments against estate taxes are well rehearsed – usually accompanied by emotive references to “death taxes”. But, in the long term, the current ideological opposition to taxing inter-generational wealth transfers may prove to be an anomaly.
We do have a form of means testing already in NZ where we recognise that ownership of assets can be a reason to reduce or even deny a subsidy. I think of rates rebates and state assistance into residential care as examples.
Tax on wealth is the basis of Muslim countries’ practice where taxation is actually predicated on certain asset holdings.
NZ also examines transfer of wealth while the giver is still alive in circumstances such as assistance into residential care.
The asset and income-from-assets thresholds for the Residential Care Subsidy have been increased as of July 1. For eligibility, go to the Work and Income website at http://www.workandincome.govt.nz
So, the concept is not unknown and could easily be investigated as a means of funding social expenditure for all as a taxation measure.
All the money spent on the report only to discover that the SAS raid was carried out in a lawful and professional manner and the only real issue was how the military dealt with the allegations after the event. Nice use of taxpayers money there.
Gosman, in the report very recent in RNZ news, did the Minister of Defence of the time also get mentioned, and in what way?
Your comment makes it look like only the military personnel were criticised.
In the earlier report that I have cited above, the Minister said d he did not have information as to whether, and if so how many, civilians died.
That is surely one good reason for investigation.
It's also good to have the military accountable.
It's also good to have the incident investigated for the reputation of the NZ military, and to have it seemingly exonerated.
On another but related issue of reports and wastage of time and money, have you noted that the National Party has still not publicly released its report into its own culture and practice around bullying?
Since they are being held accountable by the electors in a few weeks time………
The military is a law unto itself command and Control no dissenters,That's the ethos of the military that's why discipline is the ultimate weapon break down individuality breakdown any dissention.Your job is to do and die without any questions. Whistleblowers are not treated kindly look at how the NZDF treated a Women soldier who was sexually harassed and abused by a senior ranking man.
The Defence force continued to pursue her for court cost's until the PM stepped in an put an end to the mysoginist hierarchy debt pursuit ,another round of bullying on top of the humiliation.
"…The Inquiry process was highly unequal. NZDF and other government agencies spent millions of dollars of public money trying to deny any wrongdoing, while the authors and public were not allowed to analyse and contest the agencies’ secret submissions and evidence." – Nicky Hager
Someone, (you Gosman?) should notify the taxpayers union of this egregious waste of your taxes.
Fascists, they accuse others of what they are about to do. It's part of the mind fuck that keeps people anxious, agitated and confused. When 45 says the election in November will be the most corrupt in US history, he's stating intention. But if he does crazy shit now, back and forth on his position, blames others and so on, it creates an atmosphere whereby they can monkey wrench the process to suit themselves.
Take to the streets US people, while you still can.
Scaremongering headline currently on nzherald.co.nz "'Get tested immediately': Spectre of community transmission in Queenstown"
The story relates to the South Korean traveller who tested positive in South Korea after travelling from Auckland via a 12 hour transit at Changi Airport in Singapore (where the virus is rife). Turns out that he was in Queenstown BETWEEN JULY 1 AND JULY 4 (i.e. yes, a month ago) He left the country over two weeks later on 21 July and tested positive a few days after that once he was back home. NZME trying to whip South Islanders into a frenzy over that?
Anyone who was in Queenstown from July 1 to 4 and has since developed Covid-19 symptoms should get tested immediately, health authorities say.
don't see that as fearmongering but rather a sensible thing. It seems like there is a certain amount of people in this country that want a Covid outbreak. Maybe they just feel left out in the general mess the world is in.
Exactly Sacha. Yes we do want to get our community testing numbers up, and anyone anywhere in the country who develops Covid-19 symptoms should be able to access a test to achieve that.
But in reality there's no "spectre" of anything. All of his housemates in Auckland (where he lived up to the time he departed the country) have tested negative. There was almost three weeks (longer than the recognised incubation period) between him leaving Queenstown and departing the country. He travelled on two international flights and transited through Singapore where Covid is rife. Doesn't take a genius to work out what almost certainly happened, but the inability to prove a negative is more than enough fodder for NZME to go spooking the horses.
Your claim Covid is rife in Singapore is incorrect, it is migrant dormitories which have been isolated so not much chance of picking it up in the general population it may pay to read the Singapore Covid situation before creating unnecessary hysteria .
Mostly in the migrant dorms yes, but community cases are being picked up in Singapore on a daily basis . Further, Changi Airport is a major international hub, so he would have potentially come into contact with travellers from all over the world while in transit.
Balance this against the possibility of him having picked Covid up from an unknown source in New Zealand over a month ago and seeded it in Queenstown while he was infectious, even though there hasn't been a single detected community case in the whole country in the last three months despite test numbers in the hundreds of thousands over that time. It's not impossible (not much is), but surely no more than a remote/trivial prospect.
By all means, out of an abundance of caution clean the public places he visited (although my understanding is that the virus has been proven to live on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours so if that's correct the risk of picking it up from surfaces he touched has long expired). But banner headlines trumping the "spectre of community transmission in Queenstown" is what is hysterical here.
“New Zealand's estimated almost $50 billion tax deficit could be paid by rich people keen to move here, multi-millionaire Australian investor Mark Carnegie says. who as of late last year is a resident in NZ,
He said NZ had an improving position in the market for rich people.
I would be taxing the rich foreigners. But I understand that maybe New Zealand says no.”
No Mr Carnegie, you obviously have no sense of New Zealand’s history. We are not open to nor need the rich of the world to come and rape, pillage and buy up our land to live the indulgent life of a rich man, now that New Zealand is a developed country.
In a way he might be onto something. I'm absolutely not interested in giving any form of citizenship or residency or voting rights to the rich.
But hey we could raffle/auction a very limited number of places that gave a minimal right to live here for say 1-2 years, no voting no donating to any political party or charity or advertising,no buying any assets or houses or anything or having a payroll over a certain amount – so very limited in country spending and a top dollar payment for any use of social assets, schools etc. So no attempts whatsoever to change the local environment heads need to be kept right down
I find it interesting that commentators have failed to acknowledge that the Rise of Act is at the disadvantage of National, and/or possibly NZF, they are not new voters coming from nowhere.
If National does increase its support, Act will most likely be the party to see support shed away from them.
Dunne really has no idea, he probably thinks support for Labour will fall the closer to election we get
There would have to a seismic shift in support that could only occur from a significant issue, which is possible, but highly unlikely given the last few weeks of "significant issues".
I think we may have already had more than a fair share of "Significant Issues" to deal with and every Political Party is conscious of this and will be very cautious leading upto the election.
I'm listening to you on RNZ Checkpoint, and may I say JUST how adult and Victor Mature you handled things.
Truly!!!! I feel your pain and sincerely hope it doesn't affect the credibility you've built up over the years going forward, and that the MSM will continue to engage you with your commentary and words of wisdom on any incisive currant fears rent-a-voice slot in future.
I just can't recall, or even remember what caused me to fail to recall about something as serious a matter I should have been intimately involved with. May I say I feel the pain as you search your soul and you wrestle with the hows and whys of how all this happened. Truly, the load must be horrendous!
Perhaps you could discuss it all with Chelle if the pain becomes too unbearable.
I'm (me me me) so utterly devastated by this sorry LITTLE episode I've had to pour myself a stiff G & T, and I'm going to have to seek solace in the bosom of Mrs OnceWasTim.
War as you know @Tony, is a dreadful, dreadful thing – especially the ones we have no business in.
Really, I don't know how I'M going to recover from all this! I was thinking maybe I should have Mrs OnceWasTim run up something on the Elna and select something from online Walmart as a token of our sorrow for the family.
Such a devastating thing to have happened and to have affected the Honour of OUR defence force in such a way.
You would be amazed Sacha what terrible memories these high flyers have when it comes to recalling the past – even the immediate past.
I remember a personal experience while working on an RNZAF base in the late 1980s when my boss arranged for a stoutish bloke in a blue satin fancy dress (motor cycle outfit) to visit him with what proved to be a recording device. (I witnessed the piece of drama through a slightly open door.) Five minutes after the stout man left, the regional boss turned up and I was called into the office and confronted by them. The aim of the exercise had been to implicate myself – on tape – because they were convinced I was a Labour Govt. spy. I never did find out who I was reporting to… whether it was David Lange himself or one of his ministers. I would be deeply disappointed if it was only a minion MP.
When I reported the matter to their masters in Wellington, neither of them had any recollection of the incident. I was made to apologise to them.
I eventually demanded an interview with the General Manager of the Govt. agency I worked for (now an SOE) and he sent a senior official to interview me. A few days after that interview the Regional Manager was sacked. Further down the track – after I left the Public Service – the base boss was also sacked.
A complicated and intriguing story involving a little bit of everything.
I would have been tempted to make up an elaborate story – but I guess the Urewera raids show that ridiculous exaggeration is not necessarily enough protection when they're determined to get you.
Not wishing to sound patronising @Anne, just view them as the same smelly farts floating around in a time and space continuum as any other egotistically-driven specimens – such as rival gangs intent on duking it out in whatever they perceive as their next battle to conquer.
The only difference is they have the apparatus of state behind them and usually bigger egos and sense of self-importance.
Just as pathetic. Avoid any and all of them if and when they come begging for a shoulder to cry on – even if you have the misfortune to be related to any of them.
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A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonia R. Grover, Clinical Professor of Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne Polina Zimmerman/Pexels Menstruation, or a period, is the bleeding that occurs about monthly in healthy people born with a uterus, from puberty to menopause. This happens when the endometrium, the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ella Barclay, Senior Lecturer, School of Art and Design, Australian National University Despite the perceived outrage at Khaled Sabsabi’s depiction of Hassan Nasrallah in his 2007 work You, Australian art has long made subjects of outlaws and questionable figures. And it is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Pryke, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia “It’s an old song”, Hermes (Christine Anu) sings at the opening of Hadestown, but “we’re gonna sing it again and again”. Based on a ...
An additional $13 million will be invested in tourism infrastructure, including upgrading huts and resolving the backlog in Milford Sound concessions. ...
The reality is that we have no obligation to tolerate the intolerant. They are using violence to shut down and silence others. The result of tolerating intolerant views is the loss of everyone’s freedom of speech except for the one who most effectively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Associate Professor in Conservation, Edith Cowan University Adwo/Shutterstock Humans have been poisoning rodents for centuries. But fast-breeding rats and mice have evolved resistance to earlier poisons. In response, manufacturers have produced second generation anticoagulant rodenticides such as bromadiolone, widely ...
Alex Casey unearths Simon Court’s full sales pitch for how menstrual cups could end poverty. On Friday last week, Act MP Simon Court was accused of “mansplaining” during a parliamentary committee hearing about benefit sanctions. After submitter Rachel Dibble shared her concerns about period poverty and the impact that sanctions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato It’s an unfortunate fact that bad people sometimes want guns. And while laws are designed to prevent guns falling into the wrong hands, the determined criminal can be highly resourceful. There are three main ...
Asia Pacific Report Two independent Jewish Voices groups in Aotearoa New Zealand have written an open letter to the government condemning the Zionist “colonisation” project leading to genocide and criticising the role of the NZ Jewish Council for its “unelected” and “uncritical support” for Israel. The groups, Alternative Jewish Voices ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted February 10–14 from a sample of 1,244, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the previous Newspoll, ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you enjoy whip-smart satire: The White Lotus (Neon, February 17) HBO’s award-winning The White Lotus is back for what critics are calling “an absolutely exquisite third ...
NZPF called for a slowdown of the curriculum change, asking for one subject at a time, so that teachers and principals could be fully trained and feel confident and competent to implement the changes, New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) President ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Indonesia’s TVOne launched an AI news presenter in 2023.T.J. Thomson Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has taken off at lightning speed in the past couple of years, creating disruption in ...
Many of the young vapers interviewed by a team of public health researchers said they felt unable to resist the pro-vaping environment that surrounded them. New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree ...
Analysis: While most Wellingtonians enjoyed a rare but unbeatable sunny day on Saturday, some New Zealand diplomats will have been briefly shocked by a screenshot making the rounds on social media showing US President Donald Trump calling us a “third world country”.The image, it appears, was a fake – certainly a ...
ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp says that the Treaty Principles Bill has galvanised the biggest movement in support of Te Tiriti in modern history. ...
While it is in the interests of Wellington ratepayers to sell off this subsidy for the rich, it is unfortunate that it has come to this point. The council should have never spent a penny on this programme, and the $3.4 million spent is a flagrant abuse ...
A search for the person behind a social media account ridiculing Māori.Last week, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a post shared to the New Zealand Centre for Political Research group. The post began, “From Matua Kahurangi on X”, before pasting his critique of iwi leadership – particularly Ngāpuhi ...
On the heels of The White Lotus season three, Tara Ward travels to Koh Samui, Thailand, to live her best life as a five-star wannabe. I’ve never been one for luxury travel. Despite religiously watching TV shows like Luxury Escapes: World’s Best Holidays and harbouring grand dreams of one day ...
The Treaty Principles Bill submission hearings continue at Parliament today with a range of submitters expected including councils, iwi, community organisations and individuals. ...
It’s become of one of Christchurch’s most famous landmarks online, but why? Alex Casey steps through the portal of the brutalist Timezone. Ask anyone what Christchurch’s most iconic building is and you might expect to hear some of the dusty old classics like the Cathedral, or the Town Hall, or ...
New Zealand’s alignment with the White House is further underscored by its refusal to oppose Trump’s sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is a serious blow to the soft power of the United States and disastrous for many poor countries ...
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By George Disney, Research Fellow, Social Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne Edwin Tan/Getty Images When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established in 2013, one of its driving aims was to make disability services and support systems fairer. However, our new ...
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Heather Roy on Checkpoint yesterday was trotting out the centre right’s line that Labour won’t/can’t win a majority because no party ever does in NZ, except for the 1951 election which was held in extraordinary circumstances, dominated by the waterfront dispute. She was somehow conveniently managing to ignore the circumstances around this election which make 1951 look like a walk in the park.
I've heard that notion about something 'not going to happen because it's not happened before.'
It's a ridiculous argument. Nothing ever happens until it happens for the first time.
We are in at least a big a crisis as 1951.
A very fair chance of a Labour-only Cabinet.
With comfortable side agreements if necessary.
.
Might be an idea for Ardern to downplay the prospect of governing alone.
At the same point in the run up to the 2002 General Election, the Clark-led Labour Party was sitting on precisely the same rating (53%) in the Colmar Brunton … only to fall 12 points to 41% by Election Day.
NZES analysis suggests that Clark's initial decision to campaign vigorously for a one-Party Govt (on the basis of stability & her personal popularity) alienated voters (particularly on the Left) … seen as arrogant, dictatorial & a reversion to old-fashioned FPP-thinking. (Campaign Mini-scandals Corngate & Paintergate simply reinforced this mood). A hefty chunk of intending Labour voters subsequently swung elsewhere … first & foremost into non-voting. Luckily for the party, the Nats' plunge was even steeper.
Whenever NZES polls on attitudes to the Electoral System, it always finds substantial majority support for MMP & Coalition Govt among Left voters & majority support for FPP & single-Party Govt among Nat supporters.
Hence, while many of the 400k newly-acquired former Nats might be more comfortable with a sole Labour Govt … to hold on to a sizeable segment of core Labour voters, Ardern may just need to downplay any sense of arrogance or entitlement around the issue.
Interesting info swordfish. I hope the upper echelons listen – wouldn't want problems with the seals when the spaceship gets into the rarefied air, no D-ring or O-ring malfunctions.
1951 was the last time it happened, but not the only time (1938 saw Labour with its highest ever result, 55%).
Another blow to the National Party "…a perkier state than most expected”…."
"As New Zealand closed its borders and prepared to go into level 4 lockdown, predictions of economic doom flew.
But four months on, economists say the situation is better than expected and many of those predictions have already been revised."
Mike Jones, an economist at ASB, said the economy had “bounced out of lockdown in a perkier state than most expected”.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300070354/economists-might-have-to-concede-they-overestimated-negatives
maybe the economist have calculated this in their forecast, while the banker is just happy for the government to pay the wages for nigh on everyone in the country.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/421993/more-than-13-billion-paid-out-under-government-s-wage-subsidy-scheme
once that wage subsidy is running out there will be a clearer picture on how bad it is going to be. Until then the economy is currently fully prepped on the taxpayers dime, and i am sure this will cause any guys working for a bank to rejoice, often and loudly.
Too true, Robert.
House prices and the 'correction' that was going to occur. Here in the provinces, the sales are going gang-busters. Selling in under a week and above asking price.
Perhaps it is time to put the horoscopes in the news, they have as much relevance as these economists. Haruspication too. (Thanks Bill, I still have a smile when these financial forecasters pontificating).
Remember Bagrie was predicting petroleum hitting $3 per litre after the Saudi refinery attack!
Well there is another interesting word for my specimen board.
We're in a dead cat bounce.
thank you for highlighting this, dancing on the head of a pin, effort by economists. in my travels around middle NZ, people are VERY busy, and there is plenty of money being spent.I have long thought that most economists are fairly useless, and the last few months havent changed that opinion.none of their predictions of economic doom seem to have taken into account the very low interest rates currently, a factor in many people choosing to spend ,rather than letting money sit in term deposit ,getting basically nothing in interest. along with the low interest rates, we also had a big rise in benefits and the allowing of small building without permits. this last point probably flies past most on here, and definitley past 99.9% of economists, but go to your local demolition yard, or hardware supplier and ask them about building activity. all very busy. nothing like the economic standstill predicted by some, and hoped for by others.
Home renovations and cosmetic surgery are apparently popular replacements for overseas travel spending by those with enough money. However there are only so many kitchen and nose makeovers anyone can fit into a year, so we'll see where things land by 2021.
The wage subsidy is keeping us afloat here in Rotorua. Most businesses have already cut hours, closing early, not opening 7 days anymore etc. Some people have taking cuts to wages to ensure that all get to keep their jobs in one business – IT business. I can think of a few more towns like that in the North Island and the South Island.
Once that subsidy runs out and people are either still in a job or unemployed we will get to taste the real state of the economy.
Yes, Xmas will be grim.
this might make for interesting reading
that last number of people receiving the Covid – 19 Income Relief Payment aka the Covid Unemployment benefit will raise. And the 10580 people that are receiving it now will loose it within the next 8 odd weeks as it was only for a period of 12 weeks.
the comment of number of recipients of benefits having stabilized since may coincides wit the announcement of the extension of the wage subsidy for another 8 weeks of certain criteria is met.
There is unlimited house Reno's plus building there's still a massive shortage of housing and 100's of 1,000's of cold damp leaky building syndrome poorly constructed houses that need fixing.
How can renovations be "unlimited"?
By your imagination with cheap money around because of low interest people are renovating extending etc.House prices are going up while bank interest rates are at record lows.
I never mentioned borrowing. Only people with enough money not to worry about their immediate future will be spending, though the same group would be granted bank loans I guess.
Do you really want to know this Sacha? Or are just putting a spoke in?
I was asking how it is possible. Drop the attitude.
Cos the sky's the limit, buddy.
Use low quality materials that need replacing every few years?
Sacha, you obviously haven’t tried renovating an old Kiwi house!!!
well lets hope that someone forces the owners of these leaky houses to finally fix them. 🙂
and then that will save the economy! Yeah, right Tui.
And comments such has your don't help those who are still working under reduced hours, are full time yet still being paid 90,80 even 60%, are utilising annual leave but still expecting to achieve a 40 hour output, and still have the normal outgoings. And living with the fear of job loss should any resistance be given to these changes of working conditions.
Whilst there are some happy to point to the the economic data "telling" us all is good . Guess What IT ISN'T for many.
Like so many statistics that are used to support particular points of view "things are/are not getting better" People suffer, lost in the numbers.
House renovations are a good way to spend money. And some might think cosmetic surgery a good investment as did Paul Bennett – she has been well paid for years and no doubt made good contacts for future employment. They have noticed the spectacular changes in her profile and want one of those too.
My reckons is this time Labour scoop most of the expat vote as well.
Their families as well
Unfortunately that would doom the Greens to under 5%.
Collins cashing in Kiwisaver dumb idea criticized by business man on RNZ as highly risky with 58% of Small business failing in the first year.similar odds as a pokie machine.
National desperately flailing around policy on the hoof in the same mode as the party complete disarray.
Yes. Lets only give money to really big businesses that are to big to fail.
'Wat the man from the bank is not saying is that they really like to keep all that saved money in THEIR bank accounts, as otherwise some bank may go bust if they had to pay it all out.
But heck its just he people who saved into their Kiwi Saver Account that we can't entrust with THEIR OWN money, lest the small business taht they would like to create (cause sure beats unemployment) may fail. Never mind the 48% of small businesses that don't fail. Also lets not mention the fact that often the reason small businesses fail are bad lending when they started up with too high repayment rates a. and b. high leases, high compliance costs etc etc etc.
Go figure.
Act's polling success is due to the NZ First vote going to Act. Last election non Labour and non Green voters who were not that supportive of National mainly voted for NZ First to be a coalition partner for National. These voters are now punishing NZ First.
The Maori Party was punished by their voters favouring Labour.
Again, Natrad has GPs bemoaning the fact that patients are refusing to be tested for Covid 19 despite having symptoms.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/422409/doctors-worried-not-enough-testing-for-covid-19-happening
After an incident involving a close relative the other week I have been checking the MOH 'Covid 19 testing' webpage and up until the latest update on the 29th July the MOH message was that just having some of the symptoms was not necessarily grounds to be tested. Even now,
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-general-public/assessment-and-testing-covid-19
the criteria for testing is quite proscribed. Not exactly encouraging folks to be tested.
The incident involving a close family member involved headache, cough, sore throat and generally feeling like shit. Was advised to do the unthinkable(to our whanau) and go to the doctor and get tested…this person works in education and had very real concerns about possible contagion… Phonecalls to Healthline etc, and appointment made at large city medical centre, all the while describing symptoms and requesting a Covid test, just to be safe. Given a light mask at arrival (did phone before entering the building but was told to come on in) and was seen by the duty doctor. Who proceeded to discount the possibility of Covid19 and told the patient to attend the largely unused public testing centre 2 kms away if they really wanted a test. Issued a medical certificate for work but did not suggest self isolation until a negative test result was returned.
This was two weeks ago. Close family member did have the test….the brain scrape…and it returned a negative result.
So the doctor was right.
So the doctor was right.
Amazing, no? That the GP could tell without a test? That GP should be utilized to save $$$ on the actual Test.
So who should be tested? According to the MOH website….some or all of those symptoms and/or recent overseas travel or any possible contact with a recent traveler from overseas.
no the doctor took an educated guess – three month no community transmission – and based on that felt certain she may not have the disease.
He was not right. But he was proven right once a test was taken. Until then he was guessing to the detriment of your close relatives health.
And what if someone then dies because the doctor failed to correctly diagnose the illness? How many $$$ will save?
Your relative is doing the right thing by having a test, they are looking after the community by being tested.
I can be critical of health professionals and I am in this case because the duty doctor declined a test when they could not exclude the person being infected until tested.
Why are people refusing the test? is it because it is described by some as a 'brain scrape'? That it might hurt a little?
I had a Covid-19 test. A moment's discomfort.
As a male I had several DREs for prostate cancer. Again, discomfort but no bloody reason not to have the digital examination.
Indeed, it is not bloody helpful to discourage people with the language that we use. Rather, we should be supporting the people to have tests as it could be life saving for them, and in the case of Covid-19, life saving for others.
Personal pain, or discomfort, even if real and difficult, is not a reason to put others at risk, especially our seniors, of a particularly unpleasant death.
I have, as a cancer survivor, given talks on the need for testing. It saved my life. Eleven years later, I can still say that. I told a group of farmers that they'd get a vet in to check their livestock if they were concerned, so why not man up, accept s small discomfort and do themselves and their loved ones a favour by regular testing?
Most will, but those who frivolously make jokes or use off-putting language do not help the uncertain to do the correct thing.
Do people even refuse vaccination jabs because of the way it is described?
In my primary school days, the school dentist was known as 'the murder house'. At least we kids did know what an exaggeration that was, as the death toll was pretty low, even then with slow speed, grinding drills and the smell of burning meths in the air.
but those who frivolously make jokes or use off-putting language do not help the uncertain to do the correct thing.
Mary Poppins is a fictional character who also proposes sugar coating as a means to ensure the little ones comply with Doctors Orders.
But in the real world surely honesty is the best policy?
Tell folks the swab up the nostril does feel like a sample of brain tissue is being harvested…but that the discomfort is very transitory and it is for the greater good.
Treat us like responsible grown ups and perhaps we'll act like it?
@Rosemary, I had a test during L4. Wasn't keen on the idea at all because I'd heard several first-hand stories of 'pain' with the nose swab as opposed to brief discomfort. But given the circumstance and timing of symptoms that wasn't going to put me off.
Apart from gagging badly from the throat swabs, I didn't even feel the nose one. perhaps the nurse had it down to a fine art, or perhaps it's a matter of pain level tolerance, or perhaps it really is expecting the worse because of the off-putting language? I have a cold now that's getting worse, I know it's just a cold but if at some point another test is offered I'll take it (been travelling in long distance buses recently).
I do agree that with ANY medical procedure informed consent is first and foremost. Explain what's going to happen, and that some people (not everyone because it's NOT everyone) experience xyz. And be able to answer any follow-up questions in plain English to reassure.
I suspect it was the test taker's enthusiasm that gave the impression the swab was going to emerge above the whanau member's eyebrow. As you will know…some phlebotomists can take a blood sample with barely a bit of pressure. Others prod and poke around with a blunt needle until that bruise nicely extends from elbow-crook to wrist.
Hope your cold gets better…we've had various seasonal lurgees which we've hit with lots of vitamin C flushed down with lots of fluids. Just like Nana did.
To describe my experience aa a 'brain scrape' was a degree or two of magnitude too much. Of course we should be supportive and honest, but not to the extent of putting people off. Was your use of the 'brain scrape' meant to be gratuitously jocular, or be supportive and honest? Did it need to be said? To me that was un-useful information that also did not sit with my experience.
…use of the 'brain scrape' meant to be gratuitously jocular, or be supportive and honest?
Of course it was jocular…christ on a raft! … do you not think we could all do with a wee giggle now and again?
"Gratuitous"? Surely that is entirely subjective? One man's meat etc?
While the minutiae of language used is relevant, how about we examine the messaging being used by various players, especially the MOH and the GP's association, to try and ascertain just why folks are not being tested?
I liked “brain scrape” – it was so evocative of the process.
RWNJ go-to "just kidding"
https://twitter.com/JohnJHarwood/status/1288878470957760512
That will raise a few eyebrows, he thought…..
It may be just that one of the rabid rats wrestling inside his skull just farted, or it may be laying the groundwork for trying to delegitimise the election results.
schrodinger's douchebag: noun
An individual, generally male, who says offensive things, either sexist, racist, or otherwise bigoted, and decides based on the reaction of those around them whether or not they were kidding.
Negatives reactions generally dismissed as, "Can't youse guys take a joke?" or "Get a life!" or "It was a joke, geddit?"or "Gedda sensa huma." Yeah, met those guys quite often.
Maybe that's what Bob Jones said the Left had no sense of humour?
Negatives reactions generally dismissed as, "Can't youse guys take a joke?" or "Get a life!" or "It was a joke, geddit?"or "Gedda sensa huma." Yeah, met those guys quite often.
Maybe that's what Bob Jones meant when he said the Left had no sense of humour?
There's a sub-category who dig themselves in deeper by attempting to reference objective criteria as proof that they were kidding – such as eyebrow movements.
It was a joke eh
Boy that Trump has a wonderful sense of humour
I know this is a Labour leaning blog, but I hope a lot of progressive voters look at where the Greens are sitting right now and decide to give them their party vote.
Labour is doing amazingly well this term and rightly deserves the support they are getting, but that won't last forever. Currently their at-risk voters are people who normally lean center right; think your investment bankers, professional landlords, and tax lawyers etc. This support won't last forever, it won't take much for them to go back to their natural home of National.
If as a result of Labour's stratospheric polling, the Greens fall below the 5% threshold, it will make it very hard for them to get back into parliament in the future. A future where Labour again will need coalition partners, and may find itself in the position National found itself in 2017.
So hopefully some progressive voters consider giving their party vote to the greens to ensure we keep the amazing talent on their list such as Marama, James, Chloe, and Eugenie. All amazing MPs who would have great contributions to make to future parliaments
Tautoko Devo.
I hope a lot of actoids, gnats and nzfisters consider voting green. Those would be votes worth purloining.
The anti green memes are gathering pace on my fb feed .
Especially the loathing of Eugenie Sage so I cant see them getting any from the modern you suggest.
Maybe you had you eyebrow up when you wrote that .
I've always assumed that you are part of the rural farming community – perhaps wrongly. But do you think these facebook memes are going pretty much to the rural sector?
Yip probably is coming from mostly the thar hunting and high country farming lot at the moment. I'm to far removed to know If Sage is out to kill off to many thar and drive farmers out of the high country.
But that's were the anger is coming from.
Personally It doesn't bother me if they cull the thar ,and I've always hated tenure review.
(I’m a shepherd but think a bit different to most of my peers from what I see)
Those big hearted sons of the soil would be deepl hurt if they can't pick up public land for a song and sell the subdivisions for bags o money. They'd have to make placards about pretty communists, the poor little weaselfaced shitters.
Well said Devo….and with the RMA about to be dumped we desperately need Greens in parliament and on the select committee that writes the legislation that replaces it.
Completely agree.
It's fine to bring this up here, lots of green supporters, including those that voted Labour last time 😉
Exactly right. My vote’s natural home is Labour, plus I feel I owe a huge thanks for the Gov’s Covid effort. But, strategically and for the environment, it would be a disaster for the Greens to go below 5%. No question. So party vote Green for me, electorate vote Banks Peninsula Labour.
Spot on Devo. I intend to give my electorate vote to Labour, but my party vote to the Greens. In the hope they'll turn Labour 'left.'
Party Vote Green for a labour Labour government.
Yep. It’s party vote Green for me, Labour electorate.
Yes, same here in Cromwell (the invisible 30000 state houses Nat MP Jacqui Dean's electorate). Labour electorate vote and Green party vote for me.
Me too.
Of course that "tax is love" stuff was going to be mocked, what a dumb decision. They should get a bit rowdy and say something like, 'we won't tax you – well tax *them* (the billionaires)'.
But the released policy is actually pretty good, and necessary.
Herman Cain, prominent COVID denier and anti-mask wearer dies of Covid.
While I don't wish to speak ill of the dead… fucking idiot – this is what happens
thoughts and prayers.
Then there's that fucking nitwit Louie Gohmert who reckons he caught COVID from a mask.
There is something seriously sick in US politics
rugged individualism for some and for other its just cult behaviour. Also Louie Gohmert is one of the dumbest man ever elected to office. He is however a good Standard bearer and will do as he is told, which in the republican party is what counts.
The girlfriend of Trump the younger is also afflicted with Covid. Have not heard from her for about two weeks now.
Yes there is a lot of really stupid people about when it comes to this virus. In the US but also here.
Even a leader of his party is calling him Congressman Covid!
https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1288577803387117572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1288577803387117572%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.salon.com%2F2020%2F07%2F30%2Fwatch-gop-house-leader-kevin-mccarthy-accidentally-calls-rep-louie-gohmert-congressman-covid_partner%2F
He went to the Trump campaign Rally wearing no mask where 7 other of the Trump administration were infected.
6. Yes, Not all medical people are "Concerned" But any patient can ask for a second opinion. That may be why the Dr. offered the testing station, which should have been offered by the health line imo.
Rosemary, this didn’t link for some reason.
Not allowed a CGT – how about taxing recipients of inherited unearned wealth instead?
https://theconversation.com/forget-a-capital-gains-tax-what-new-zealand-needs-is-a-tax-on-inherited-wealth-143604
We do have a form of means testing already in NZ where we recognise that ownership of assets can be a reason to reduce or even deny a subsidy. I think of rates rebates and state assistance into residential care as examples.
Tax on wealth is the basis of Muslim countries’ practice where taxation is actually predicated on certain asset holdings.
NZ also examines transfer of wealth while the giver is still alive in circumstances such as assistance into residential care.
The asset and income-from-assets thresholds for the Residential Care Subsidy have been increased as of July 1. For eligibility, go to the Work and Income website at http://www.workandincome.govt.nz
So, the concept is not unknown and could easily be investigated as a means of funding social expenditure for all as a taxation measure.
Jacinda has been named the world's most eloquent leader! She is certainly making her mark here and round the world.
Yes, and without even trying.
Just doing her job in a way that nearly every Kiwi agrees with.
Wow!
All the money spent on the report only to discover that the SAS raid was carried out in a lawful and professional manner and the only real issue was how the military dealt with the allegations after the event. Nice use of taxpayers money there.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/401305/ex-minister-knew-of-operation-burnham-report-but-didn-t-pass-information-on
Gosman, in the report very recent in RNZ news, did the Minister of Defence of the time also get mentioned, and in what way?
Your comment makes it look like only the military personnel were criticised.
In the earlier report that I have cited above, the Minister said d he did not have information as to whether, and if so how many, civilians died.
That is surely one good reason for investigation.
It's also good to have the military accountable.
It's also good to have the incident investigated for the reputation of the NZ military, and to have it seemingly exonerated.
On another but related issue of reports and wastage of time and money, have you noted that the National Party has still not publicly released its report into its own culture and practice around bullying?
Since they are being held accountable by the electors in a few weeks time………
The military is a law unto itself command and Control no dissenters,That's the ethos of the military that's why discipline is the ultimate weapon break down individuality breakdown any dissention.Your job is to do and die without any questions. Whistleblowers are not treated kindly look at how the NZDF treated a Women soldier who was sexually harassed and abused by a senior ranking man.
The Defence force continued to pursue her for court cost's until the PM stepped in an put an end to the mysoginist hierarchy debt pursuit ,another round of bullying on top of the humiliation.
Not so fast Gosman
https://twitter.com/BarristerNZ/status/1288987015195906049?s=20
The report is here:
https://www.operationburnham.inquiry.govt.nz/inquiry-report/
And speaking of money
"…The Inquiry process was highly unequal. NZDF and other government agencies spent millions of dollars of public money trying to deny any wrongdoing, while the authors and public were not allowed to analyse and contest the agencies’ secret submissions and evidence." – Nicky Hager
Someone, (you Gosman?) should notify the taxpayers union of this egregious waste of your taxes.
Worth finding out that they're a pack of liars and a certain ex minister apparently has brain damage.
Fascists, they accuse others of what they are about to do. It's part of the mind fuck that keeps people anxious, agitated and confused. When 45 says the election in November will be the most corrupt in US history, he's stating intention. But if he does crazy shit now, back and forth on his position, blames others and so on, it creates an atmosphere whereby they can monkey wrench the process to suit themselves.
Take to the streets US people, while you still can.
but her fucking emails.
yep.
Scaremongering headline currently on nzherald.co.nz "'Get tested immediately': Spectre of community transmission in Queenstown"
The story relates to the South Korean traveller who tested positive in South Korea after travelling from Auckland via a 12 hour transit at Changi Airport in Singapore (where the virus is rife). Turns out that he was in Queenstown BETWEEN JULY 1 AND JULY 4 (i.e. yes, a month ago) He left the country over two weeks later on 21 July and tested positive a few days after that once he was back home. NZME trying to whip South Islanders into a frenzy over that?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12352575
first line from your link.
don't see that as fearmongering but rather a sensible thing. It seems like there is a certain amount of people in this country that want a Covid outbreak. Maybe they just feel left out in the general mess the world is in.
'Spectre' may have been the problem.
Exactly Sacha. Yes we do want to get our community testing numbers up, and anyone anywhere in the country who develops Covid-19 symptoms should be able to access a test to achieve that.
But in reality there's no "spectre" of anything. All of his housemates in Auckland (where he lived up to the time he departed the country) have tested negative. There was almost three weeks (longer than the recognised incubation period) between him leaving Queenstown and departing the country. He travelled on two international flights and transited through Singapore where Covid is rife. Doesn't take a genius to work out what almost certainly happened, but the inability to prove a negative is more than enough fodder for NZME to go spooking the horses.
Your claim Covid is rife in Singapore is incorrect, it is migrant dormitories which have been isolated so not much chance of picking it up in the general population it may pay to read the Singapore Covid situation before creating unnecessary hysteria .
Fact please not hysterical fiction .
Mostly in the migrant dorms yes, but community cases are being picked up in Singapore on a daily basis . Further, Changi Airport is a major international hub, so he would have potentially come into contact with travellers from all over the world while in transit.
Balance this against the possibility of him having picked Covid up from an unknown source in New Zealand over a month ago and seeded it in Queenstown while he was infectious, even though there hasn't been a single detected community case in the whole country in the last three months despite test numbers in the hundreds of thousands over that time. It's not impossible (not much is), but surely no more than a remote/trivial prospect.
By all means, out of an abundance of caution clean the public places he visited (although my understanding is that the virus has been proven to live on hard surfaces for up to 72 hours so if that's correct the risk of picking it up from surfaces he touched has long expired). But banner headlines trumping the "spectre of community transmission in Queenstown" is what is hysterical here.
“New Zealand's estimated almost $50 billion tax deficit could be paid by rich people keen to move here, multi-millionaire Australian investor Mark Carnegie says. who as of late last year is a resident in NZ,
He said NZ had an improving position in the market for rich people.
I would be taxing the rich foreigners. But I understand that maybe New Zealand says no.”
Paraphrased from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12352616
No Mr Carnegie, you obviously have no sense of New Zealand’s history. We are not open to nor need the rich of the world to come and rape, pillage and buy up our land to live the indulgent life of a rich man, now that New Zealand is a developed country.
In a way he might be onto something. I'm absolutely not interested in giving any form of citizenship or residency or voting rights to the rich.
But hey we could raffle/auction a very limited number of places that gave a minimal right to live here for say 1-2 years, no voting no donating to any political party or charity or advertising,no buying any assets or houses or anything or having a payroll over a certain amount – so very limited in country spending and a top dollar payment for any use of social assets, schools etc. So no attempts whatsoever to change the local environment heads need to be kept right down
No bids under a billion dollars to start.
He's bought a 6 mill property in the Sth Island with a covenanted area of bush, rare powelliphanta snails and coastal forest
I hope he appreciates what he's bought.The previous owner had lived there for a long time and the covenant was a labour of love.
It seems he will commute between here and Aus.
We're getting a bit saturated with billionaires .
Bless. Tourism industry still reckons everything will be the same as before. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/422432/long-term-harm-feared-if-tourism-training-cuts-go-ahead
If I had a subscription to this employer group I'd cancel it pronto. This lot should get the dumb business leader of the week award.
And really how dare they stuff around with young people's futures and suggest they wrack up debt for the benefit of a no job industry
heh
https://twitter.com/TheEpicDept/status/1288820355960799233
Wow! The contradictions of the modern American right laid bare in one short video.
Here's another artivle on the recent polls.
This one includes comments from Peter Dunne.
I find it interesting that commentators have failed to acknowledge that the Rise of Act is at the disadvantage of National, and/or possibly NZF, they are not new voters coming from nowhere.
If National does increase its support, Act will most likely be the party to see support shed away from them.
Dunne really has no idea, he probably thinks support for Labour will fall the closer to election we get
There would have to a seismic shift in support that could only occur from a significant issue, which is possible, but highly unlikely given the last few weeks of "significant issues".
I think we may have already had more than a fair share of "Significant Issues" to deal with and every Political Party is conscious of this and will be very cautious leading upto the election.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/422430/new-political-poll-assessing-the-fortunes-of-the-minor-parties
hooboy
https://twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1289013082577080320
https://twitter.com/FrankMcRae/status/1289005736568094721
However..
https://twitter.com/Economissive/status/1289008142638919680
@Wayne
I'm listening to you on RNZ Checkpoint, and may I say JUST how adult and Victor Mature you handled things.
Truly!!!! I feel your pain and sincerely hope it doesn't affect the credibility you've built up over the years going forward, and that the MSM will continue to engage you with your commentary and words of wisdom on any incisive currant fears rent-a-voice slot in future.
I just can't recall, or even remember what caused me to fail to recall about something as serious a matter I should have been intimately involved with. May I say I feel the pain as you search your soul and you wrestle with the hows and whys of how all this happened. Truly, the load must be horrendous!
Perhaps you could discuss it all with Chelle if the pain becomes too unbearable.
Ha ha! Wayne Mapp on Checkpoint suffering from the same disease Key so often suffered from: "I can't remember!"
Edit: snap – OnceWasTim and Sacha
I'm (me me me) so utterly devastated by this sorry LITTLE episode I've had to pour myself a stiff G & T, and I'm going to have to seek solace in the bosom of Mrs OnceWasTim.
War as you know @Tony, is a dreadful, dreadful thing – especially the ones we have no business in.
Really, I don't know how I'M going to recover from all this! I was thinking maybe I should have Mrs OnceWasTim run up something on the Elna and select something from online Walmart as a token of our sorrow for the family.
Such a devastating thing to have happened and to have affected the Honour of OUR defence force in such a way.
You would be amazed Sacha what terrible memories these high flyers have when it comes to recalling the past – even the immediate past.
I remember a personal experience while working on an RNZAF base in the late 1980s when my boss arranged for a stoutish bloke in a blue satin fancy dress (motor cycle outfit) to visit him with what proved to be a recording device. (I witnessed the piece of drama through a slightly open door.) Five minutes after the stout man left, the regional boss turned up and I was called into the office and confronted by them. The aim of the exercise had been to implicate myself – on tape – because they were convinced I was a Labour Govt. spy. I never did find out who I was reporting to… whether it was David Lange himself or one of his ministers. I would be deeply disappointed if it was only a minion MP.
When I reported the matter to their masters in Wellington, neither of them had any recollection of the incident. I was made to apologise to them.
This is a true story. I kid you not.
Doesn't surprise me in the slightest @ Anne. Did any of them happen to be promoted sideways doing the dirty work in the spook service?
I eventually demanded an interview with the General Manager of the Govt. agency I worked for (now an SOE) and he sent a senior official to interview me. A few days after that interview the Regional Manager was sacked. Further down the track – after I left the Public Service – the base boss was also sacked.
A complicated and intriguing story involving a little bit of everything.
I would have been tempted to make up an elaborate story – but I guess the Urewera raids show that ridiculous exaggeration is not necessarily enough protection when they're determined to get you.
Not wishing to sound patronising @Anne, just view them as the same smelly farts floating around in a time and space continuum as any other egotistically-driven specimens – such as rival gangs intent on duking it out in whatever they perceive as their next battle to conquer.
The only difference is they have the apparatus of state behind them and usually bigger egos and sense of self-importance.
Just as pathetic. Avoid any and all of them if and when they come begging for a shoulder to cry on – even if you have the misfortune to be related to any of them.