Two things stood out here
– there is no pressure on the parent who does a runner and these are largely male
– that one in two adult women will be in sole charge of a family at some point in their adult lives.
Now, the been there done that group of women, with a few exceptions like PB, are unlikely to be too impressed with the benefit hounding going on and women vote on the left.
Just how much would it cost the labour party to show at least some loyalty to a large group of their demographic and at least oppose some of the hounding. FFS some of it, like sending out letters to people’s 16 year old daughters telling them to go onto contraception aren’t even policies that it will cost anything to reverse ever – they just violate the civil rights of a young girl who has had no say in her domestic situation whosoever.
And, I am repeating myself here, if this is such a good idea for 16 year old girls to get these letters, then perhaps some voluntary group should receive a grant to write letters to all 16 year old girls on the same topic, even the daughters of Nact politicians.
I like this young woman! She is at the center of the “Topless Jihad” – a global protest where women bare their breasts rebelling against female oppression after Amina Tyler posted topless pictures of herself with “My body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honor” written in Arabic.
Obviously this is found to be highly objectionable so her family shipped her off to a psych ward stating publically that she was suicidal and that is why she has posted the pics.
Dear Author: I am a Muslim woman and think Amina’s protest is entirely culturally relevant in post-revolution Tunisia. Read the writing on Amina’s body: “My body is mine, not somebody’s honor” in Arabic. No protest that was universally loved and agreed with changed the world for the better. Please stop speaking for “everyday Muslims” such as myself. We can do without the sweeping generalizations about the “West” and “Islam”. They are simplistic and silly – even from someone taking on this native informant role. Muslim (or western) societies are not homogenous.
1. Required EQC to immediately shut down all external email systems – there will be no emails going into the organisation and none will be sent out.
2. Required EQC to immediately shut down all business-to-business systems and data exchanges as well as access into EQC systems by external parties.
3. Asked the Government’s Chief Information Officer Colin MacDonald to investigate and oversee the solutions for issues relating to information management within EQC.
I had to laugh (otherwise I would cry), so now instead of EQC doing nothing Gerry Brownlee has made it mandatory.
I would say the leaks are in all likelyhood deliberate, sent by staff disgruntled with the underhand way eqc is dealing with claims. Either that or they have some seriously incompetent staff with access to data that they really shouldnt. ( ala winz kiosks)
Wondered about just how accidental the EQC leaks really were Cricklewood.
And were the amounts of compensation listed on the released documents actually being given to the claimants or being with-held?
Coal Free Mangatawhiri and Auckland Coal Action are joining forces on Monday to protest Fonterraʼs proposed new coal mine beside state highway 2.
Protesters will gather from 2pm at Mangatawhiri south of Auckland for the roadside rally protesting Fonterraʼs proposed new Mangatangi Mine.
They hope to engage with people queued in traffic on SH2 on their way back to Auckland.
Local residents, iwi and supporters from Auckland will be calling for ʻno new coalʼ and making the point that ʻcoal cooks the climateʼ in an awareness raising campaign against the proposed mine.
Public submissions on resource consents for the mine, closed this week with Waikato Regional Council and Waikato District Council. Hundreds of submissions were sent in by local residents, iwi and others opposing the proposed new coal mine at Mangatawhiri.
The resource consent applications were made by Fonterraʼs coal mining subsidiary Glencoal Energy Ltd, which is seeking consents for an open cast mine on farmland at Mangatawhiri right beside SH2.
If the mine goes ahead it will be highly visible to anyone driving along SH2. The mine is intended to produce 120,000 tonnes of coal a year to supply the Fonterra dairy factories at Waitoa, Hautapu and Te Awamutu. Fonterraʼs nearby Kopako coal mine is predicted to close in 2014.
Instead of opening a new coal mine in a farming community, locals believe Fonterra should phase out coal in favour of locally available cleaner burning, wood waste.
At the time of the farmer vote to turn Fonterra into a shareholding corporation there was severe misgivings that farmers, particularly less well off share milkers who had no vote, and whose incomes are reliant on milk prices would suffer, and so it is.
Fonterra directors’ failure to use the dairy giant’s stellar first half earnings to increase the full-year dividend guidance has confirmed predicted tension between farmer and external-investor interests in the new capital structure.
Stuff.co.nz
As farms become corporate factories with out roofs that increase profits, by driving down the livelihoods of the producers. Less sharemilkers will enter the industry, resulting in bigger farms staffed with employees, who like most NZ workers over the last three decades will have declining incomes. While, year after year, in favour of better shareholder returns, profits continuously exceed previous records. That is, until the whole top heavy edifice topples over as the profit bubble bursts under the combined weight of lack of skilled farmers without any commitment to the land, and less forgiving climatic conditions that will make farming less productive and rural life harsher for those doing it at the milk face.
Critics of the hybrid capital structure predicted a tug of war over earnings between external investors wanting a strong dividend and farmers needing the highest possible milk price to secure their livelihoods.
This week’s half-year result was the first time Fonterra’s financial performance has been put under the microscope by sharemarket analysts, and those predictions proved true.
Forsyth Barr’s Andy Bowley said the size of the profit Fonterra managed to generate came as a big surprise to most market analysts.
Stuff.co.nz
The move to squeeze more out of farmers in favour of profits, may have some unforeseen (read forseen) outcomes.
Asked for his response to directors leaving the dividend unchanged at 32c, Bowley said: “I think two things. One, that the second half of the year will be much more challenging for them because of a number of factors including higher input costs (read climate change fueled drought) which will pressure the margins in some of their businesses.
Yeh I saw this too and it was a prefectly predictable outcome. Even at the time it was obvious that the Fonterra managers were going back and back with the proposals no matter how often the farmers voted them down. It was very much in management interests I imagine, to have two groups with vested interests, Farmers and bond holders to play off against each other, for their own gain and ultimately the sort of gain that comes from stock market listing and moving the whole lot into overseas ownership.
Mind you most of them vote for the Nact’s too, be careful what you wish for perhaps?
More legislation written for corporations and against the rights of our people to protest.
Masked as protecting us from our own “reckless and dangerous” behaviour and delivered by the Glove Puppet from Tauranga, Simon Bridges.
Parroting prepared lines, statements that were shameless begging the question and all with a deadpan face the Glove Puppet from Tauranga presented restrictions on our right to protest mineral and oil exploration off our coast.
– http://www.3news.co.nz/Crackdown-on-anti-drilling-protesters/tabid/423/articleID/292432/Default.aspx
Bridges also, when asked, pretty much ruled out putting the O and G revenue into an investment fund (like in other oil rich nations). Which means all this money is going to be frittered on tax cuts.
More from the Bank Bailout U$K Austerity Class War:
Disability rights activist Susan Archibald, in Edinburgh, said: ‘We have heard talk about “strivers and skivers”.
‘One person can be a striver one day and then get made redundant. Will they be a skiver the next day? That’s how easy it happens.’
“John McArdle, from anti-disability discrimination campaign Black Triangle, said: ‘Every day our campaign receives more messages from desperate people who are on the brink of suicide.
‘This government is killing disabled people, and we must stand together and say enough is enough.’
Have seen this really interesting report on ChristChurch in the http://www.wsws.org website. It’d be good to if we could comment and/or criticise on it?
“Residents face bitter winter in New Zealand’s quake-hit city”
“Residents of the New Zealand city of Christchurch, devastated by the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that killed 185 people in February 2011, are facing a bitter winter. While the National Party government, city council and business investors concentrate on rebuilding the central business district, thousands of people, particularly those in working class suburbs, are into their third year of unresolved social stress and personal dislocation.” http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/03/30/nzch-m30.html
The Money Market’s P@mp John Yankee continues to flog off this Nation’s commonwealth (Asset Sales) and our ability to help and support our own people. The Market in the end does not mind if you end up in a workhouse. 🙁
This from our colleagues working hard to oppose workfare:
In one of his most disgusting manoeuvres yet, last week Iain Duncan Smith laid legislation to rewrite history to stop the 225,000 people who were sanctioned on his unlawful workfare schemes being able to reclaim what they are due.
To make matters worse, the bill is being rushed through parliament; the second reading; committee stage; and third reading are all scheduled for one day: this Tuesday.
As if this wasn’t outrageous enough, Labour have indicated that they will support the Bill.
“The savage attacks on benefits for unemployed, low paid workers, single parents and disabled which will push millions further into poverty and despair.
The vicious attacks on those in the rented sector whose landlords charge huge rents but who now face a cap in their Housing Benefit which is seeing families evicted and shipped out of London to find cheaper accommodation around the country.
The disgusting Bedroom Tax which will force council and social landlord tenants who claim Housing benefit and have a spare room to either pay more rent or downsize to a smaller home. This will hit 600.000 tenants. Tory Welfare minister responsible for this bedroom tax is Lord Freud who has a plush 4 bedroom London home as well as an 8 bedroom mansion elsewhere.”
Kyle Bass runs Hayman Capital. Here he talks about Japan’s impending financial/demographic implosion (including 10 finance ministers in just the last 5 years).
Not pretty. He makes several references to future severe social discontent as a result.
“Bank of Cyprus depositors could lose up to 60% of their savingsCypriot finance officials say initial losses will be 37.5%, but up to 22.5% more could be taken if bank needs further capitalisation
But, but , but TPTB said Cyrpian banks were over-flowing with dirty Russian money, where is it then!
After an initial estimate that the capital controls would be in place for a matter of days, the government then warned later in the week they could last for as long as a month.
Capital controls will not be coming off, the accounts will be empty before that happens!
Capital controls in Iceland remain in place more than five years after its economic crisis.
And a finger in the eye for Iceland, balance is important in the MSM!
So, a year and a half until the next general election, and the Labour party are still shitting on their own doorstep, mired in a fantasy land game plan to win (bribe) back 5% of the middle ground they think will open the door to the treasury.
Dumb arses.
The win is in the numbers who didn’t vote last time.
Bollocks to the sensibilities of centre right politics of nothingness.
Go left, that man.
If the nat’s are the worst negotiators, then NZ Labour must surely rank as worst political strategists, ever.
Labour must surely rank as worst political strategists, ever
Not necessarily. The way I see it, this is strategy which is wanted by the *internationalists*, and being rolled out effectively, by giving the NACT a free ride, to what could easily be another 3 years.
As if it matters in real terms who the government is, the decline will continue, as the *foreign owners*, like any good hedge, control both sides of bet!
Try viewing Labour’s actions and strategy from the standpoint of it’s present as a centrist middle class party. One which is focussed on continuing (but socially moderating) the political economic status quo, while appealing to the top 1/3 of income earners.
When you do that it’s approach becomes entirely consistent and coherant.
I’m sure someone believes in what they’re doing, somewhere, playing the game like they are, but whatever the outcome (crushing defeat 😉 ), watching the cogs turn is like them cleaning a hammer with a walnut.
I can’t believe parties facing another three years in opposition aren’t out there getting those stay at home voters interested, engaged and motivating change, unless like said, they don’t really care about the majority of kiwis and pay lip service to the plight facing New Zealanders.
Time for that new left wing party idea to crop up again.
But seriously, what answers has political science given us in the last 20 years? The other area to defund is economics, finance and financial engineering.
Yeah, when I think about it CV none worth listening to and to be honest once I’ve sorted out who the unhinged ideologues are and who’s worth listening to I reckon the most astute and nuanced appraisals are usually to be found buried in comments threads.
I thought the Mayflower was one of the first four ships to get to America. They did that on sail I thought. Maybe I am not up with the modern ideas that now it is okay to have a major negative oil spill event every five years or so. Just part of the risk profile engineered in using the modern equipment and modern efficiencies of corporations as accepted by the modern governments.
You made the allegation, so the burden of proof is yours. Don’t expect me to assist you.
Slander is what this massive hole is all about. Slander was also the issue that was being discussed just before I was moderated into posting on open mike.
Ugly, you’re the one talking about “non-harm paedophilia” as if there is such a thing.
Context is everything. The original context was girls 13 and over who were repeatedly soliciting.
If these girls were being harmed, these who was forcing them?
And I suggest that this comment implies you think 13 year old girls can give valid informed consent to have sex with an elderly tv star.
Why are you bringing up Saville now? He is dead, had nothing to do with the South Auckland flap.
Just like you brought up fantasing.
Just like you brought up NABMLA.
You’re just slinging shit to divert from the fact that you’ve got no argument.
I reckon your comments are proof enough. You seem to think that harm can only result from force. And the original point wasn’t about slander, it was about appropriate responses to revelations that adults are paying to screw children. If you reckon a possible slander against yourself is more important, then that also says much about you.
You seem to think that harm can only result from force.
I don’t think that.
And the original point wasn’t about slander, it was about appropriate responses to revelations that adults are paying to screw children.
O.K. Slander is important because it was the issue that was being discussed just before I was moderated into posting on open mike. It would be too convenient for you if I just dropped the issue.
if these girls were being harmed, these who were focing them?
Assuming you meant “then who was forcing them”, why are you raising force if force at the time is irrelevant to harm?
slander is a falsehood, right? What falsehood did I utter? You’re arguing that sex between a thirteen year old and a sixty year old can be consensual for the child, are you not?
McFlock, force is relevant because without anyone forcing the girls the most likely explanation is that they were soliciting of their own free will. The fact that they were doing this repeatedly suggests that they were not being harmed, so non-harm paedophilia is not an oxymoron like you said it was.
Like Redlogix said, paedophilia usually refers to pre-pubescent children, but in the rape culture thread it was also used in the context of older men having sex with teenage girls.
Your falsehood was:
Actually, I brought up an organisation that defends child rape. Like you do.
You couldn’t show proof of your allegation, your argument was:
I reckon your comments are proof enough
So McFlock, do you think that you can slander other people and just get away with it?
Frankly, a kid in the lower half of their teens is a child. Legally, as well.
Secondly, children can’t consent or do a contract. They have issues with impulse control, abstraction, and long term planning.
Thirdly, there are economic and other power issues at play in the case of prostitution, and sex in general. These are marked when one party is adult and the other is not. Both adults, fair enough, both can give informed consent all else being equal. Both kids, well both can be making the same mistake if it appears consensual. But an adult and a kid? Any adult with the interests of the child as a concern would bail based on the power imbalance implicit in the relationship.
Secondly, children can’t consent or do a contract.
In general this is true not because they are not able to reach an agreement, but because they are under the power of another, i.e. their parents.
In the case the South Auckland girls the parental power argument isn’t so solid: either the girls are under the power of their parents which makes the parents responsible, or they are not (ie the family is dysfunctional), in which agreement and contract may be possible.
It’s got nothing to do with being under the power of their parents.
Kids can’t give informed consent because they lack experience, information and the ability to process that with long term objectives taken into full consideration.
Just to spell it out: kids, including young teens, cannot consent to sex.
Sex without consent is rape.
You argue that young teens at the very least (you’ve been cagey on the exact age cutoff where you regard any sex=rape) can consent to sex.
That is a defense of child rape.
Just to spell it out: kids, including young teens, cannot consent to sex.
You are wrong, they can consent if the understand what is involved.
Consent. A concurrence of wills. Voluntarily yielding the will to the proposition of another; acquiescence or compliance therewith. Agreement; the act or result
of coming into harmony or accord. Consent is an act of reason, accompanied with deliberation, the mind weighing as in a balance the good or evil on each side.
You are confusing uninformed consent with actual consent. Knowing someone who was manipulated into “consenting” sex by adults when she was a young teen, and seeing the issues she’s dealt with over the years in no small part due to those experiences, I say that you are deluding yourself. Severely. I don’t know if your reasons are nutty or nefarious, but I sure know “uninformed consent at the time” in no way equals “no-harm sex “.
What you argue for doesn’t exist. And if it did, it would be indistinguishable from apparent but uninformed consent, so essentially you’re arguing that it’s not rape unless harm occurs in subsequent years. Which is pretty pointless moral guidance for someone considering sticking his elderly dick in a 13 year old girl.
I’m interested because the issues of sexual predators, family, and protection are closely related to the conflict between legislation and the law of the land. Most people are unaware of how the system misleads them about the nature of the law. The system takes the privilege of oath from the common law but it also denies that the source of this privilege exists.
Television (was) New Zealand is dropping BBC News which used to come on at off-peak hours, which one would think was a triumph for pragmatic, responsible, budget conscious services. It’s to be replaced by – infomercials. Or to put it another way Info-unmercifuls. Recommendation -Only to be watched in an alcoholic haze. If want to know more Radionz’s Mediawatch today.
Also being dropped by Television NZ (spit) – teletext function. It’s been serving NZ’s for 30 years and is particularly useful for older people. Hence why it is being dropped. Who gives a f..k for older people, they aren’t the advertisers preferred demographic which is – 15 to 55? after that you’re history old codgers!
John Drinnan broke the news of the dropping of BBC World on Friday. Its sad, but is thanks to the government chopping the TVNZ charter and telling it to make more idiot TV to make money (amazing how the same people who moan about our education system being ‘dumbed down’ seem fine with it happening to our television)..
As for Teletext, it was a damn good service. Not only did it provide captions for the deaf, but it provided information services to the general public with very low overheads, via simple RF signal, to a teletext capable TV (which cost a few hundred dollars). It would be way easier for a farmer in Marokopa to look up the weather on teletext than to use his smartphone or tablet.
and you condemned paedophilia” – that’s fucken right, I did, unlike you I don’t think raping children is a-okay
Paedophilia and raping children are two different things. In the original argument the paedophilia involved teenage girls as young as 13 soliciting. They were not crying rape, they were doing business.
You and your ‘law’ mates are the lowest scum around – twisting so that you can increase your self interest, and as for the not paying taxes you are just as selfish and self interested as the big fat corporate pigs who don’t pay tax by slime-ing out of it.
People and corporations don’t have the same status in law. Corporations owe their existence to the state, people do not. It’s not unfair to refuse to give money to something that is of no benefit to you.
What it means, North, is that corporations are subject to the law of the state, but people not subject to it. But people in a common law jurisdiction are still subject to the law of the land.
do you pay GST ugly or don’t they have that tax in canada?
I suppose you don’t utilise any of the services that society provides, you know, because you don’t pay tax lol
and as for your line “they were not crying rape” well, enough has been written about that and obviously it doesn’t fit with your morals, beliefs, or actions as evidenced in the threads discussing it. I am not surprised you don’t get what so many have tried to explain to you – it doesn’t fit with your self interest does it?
I don’t pay GST, the shop does. I pay the marked price.
Society doesn’t implement the taxation scheme, the state does.
Get a grip marty, you’re ranting.
A beautiful day with mokos so no chance to check TS but I did get to see that prissy little ex-crown prosecutor (you know that shit-arsed wee type, witheringly socially retarded, mock angelic) Simon Bridges on Q + A this morning.
Yeah, he’s the messenger boy with the the news that this corporate-tending-to-facist-if-necessary government is gonna take a hard line with people who “endanger saftey” in protest around foreign rape of our resources.
A black lie of course but your final proof that this government is traitorous. “But they broke the law”. Yeah, right. A law created by a devious harlot of a government which in one out of ten parts has it’s heart outside New Zealand and inside the pockets of the ilk of its leader. The nine out of ten parts are mediocre self-seekers and cargo-cult thickos who follow Key because they believe they could be him one day.
On this day of all days for Christ’s Sake, it’s only gonna make the hard folks go harder. That’s the big joke of it. The world ain’t the Tauranga District Court sitting in its indictable jurisdiction wee Simon. Where you jump up and down with your petty points and strut out of court in the conviction that you’re shit-hot. And where success is winning and when you win that’s ALWAYS justice, definitionally.
It’s been occurring to me for some time that sooner or later there is going to be significant civil unrest in this country. Bring it on Simon Bitch ! Pathetic, atrocious, little ex-crown prosecutor.
I do it all of the time on a android nexus7 with chrome with android. I have noticed that the javascript on my old iPad1 is crap for anything to do with javascript.
But I’ll check. Could you provide any more info about what OS you’re using?
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On Wednesday, the government was loudly telling us that it needed to legislate to allow it to impose "control orders" - effectively a parole regime, but imposed without charge, prosecution, conviction or real evidence - on suspected terrorists because they couldn't be prosecuted for their supposed crimes. Today, it turns ...
On Monday, the Hit and Run inquiry heard from NZDF's former director of special operations, who claimed that the defence Minister knew everything about the Operation Burnham raid. Today, the inquiry heard from that (former) Minister - and it turns out that he didn't know nearly as much as NZDF ...
Yoga gurus and cult leaders – I’ve seen a few. Two weeks ago, I unknowingly joined an alleged new-age cult at the Kāpiti coast, together with a giant kraken and some neatly dressed pensioners who would make any book club proud.They were among the two hundred people of all ages ...
The last decade has seen a trend of increasing weapons availability to police. Assault rifles. Tasers on every hip. Guns in cars. And following the march 15 massacre, pistols on every hip, all over the country. At the same time, its also seen an increase in the abuse of force: ...
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been busy preparing for our summer paper on Science Communication. Looking for something amusing about ‘risk’ in science, I came across this neat xkcd.com cartoon about why so many people come knocking on my door (or phoning me, or emailing me) desperately wanting ...
by John Edmundson The International Socialist Organisation (ISO) have recently reposted a February article, by Romany Tasker-Poland, explaining ISO’s position in the “trans rights” debate. It is available on their website and on their Facebook Page. The article sets out to explain why “socialists support trans rights”. It reads more ...
"Auckland City Mission: 10% of Kiwis experiencing food insecurity", RNZ, 16 October 2019:About half a million people are experiencing food insecurity, according to new research from the Auckland City Mission. Food insecurity, or food poverty, is defined as not having enough appropriate food. The City Mission said over the last ...
Media Statement for Immediate Release 16th October 2019 “Fake News” from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers Despite comments from Auckland City Council CCOs Board Chairs re pay and performance bonuses for top managers—Herald Newspaper Tuesday Oct 15th–there is very little evidence ...
Would You Buy A Used Propaganda Video From This Man? Bridges and the National Party’s strategists have discovered that the ideas and attitudes considered acceptable by today’s editors and journalists are no longer enforceable. The rise and rise of the Internet and the social media platforms it spawned means that ...
There is plenty of evidence of the way the business mentality has permeated every level of society since the recrudescence of market liberalism 35 years ago. You only need to think of how citizens in need of help from their government, their state, their country, are now routinely described as ...
John MacCormickOver the last 40 years, New Zealanders – and people in other countries – have experienced big changes in the jobs they do and where they live and work. These changes include: a decline in manufacturing jobs an increase in jobs in ‘information-intensive’ industries (which are better paid ...
Nick Wilson, Leah Grout, Mereana Wilson, Anja Mizdrak, Phil Shoemack, Michael BakerProtecting waterways has the benefits of: (1) protecting water from hazardous microbes; (2) minimising cancer risk and other problems from nitrates in water; (3) avoiding algal blooms that are hazardous to health; (4) protecting mahinga kai uses (cultural ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women In a press release today Massey University announced it has decided to rebrand and reorientate after struggling to be a University for grown-ups. For some time the University has wanted to be a safe play space for wee-woke-misogynists who have been really badly triggered ...
After a brief dalliance with 'hard Revoke' it looks like the Lib Dems are changing ground on on Brexit, with leader Jo Swinson reverting to calling for a second referendum on Johnson's deal.The party has tabled an amendment to the Queen’s speech requesting that any deal brought back from Brussels ...
The government has decided that someone has done Something Bad. But despite their belief, there seems to be no evidence that they have actually broken the law. So the government's solution is to pass a retrospective law allowing them to be punished anyway, on a lower standard of proof. If ...
So, Judith Collins has done a Facebook rant about climate change, peddling the same shit National has been shovelling for the past twenty years: the impacts are overstated, there's no need to do anything about it, and its too hard anyway (oh, and its so unfair that people who peddle ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzThere is a lot of discussion on the benefits of ...
I came across this song quite by accident. If it isn't one of Greta Thunberg's favourites - it should be.Video courtesy of YouTube.This post is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
Last month, NZDF's shoddy coverup of what it knew about civilian casualties in Operation Burnham began to fall apart, with the revelation that a report on the matter, which NZDF claimed not to have, had been sitting in an NZDF safe for the past nine years. Yesterday, the man responsible ...
While many imagine that countries like the USA and Europe dominate space activities, in fact India is now a major player on this stage. It launches satellites for its own purposes and also commercially, and has constellations orbiting our planet and returning data of vital importance to that nation in ...
Thanks to a report from the Acting Inspector General of Intelligence and Security following a complaint by Nicky Hager, we have come to find out that the SIS illegally spied on Mr. Hager on behalf of the NZDF after publication of Hager’s 2011 book, Other People’s Wars. The NZDF justified ...
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING MYTH 1: Global temperatures are rising at a rapid, unprecedented rate. FACT: The HadCRUT3 surface temperature index, produced by the Hadley Centre of the UK Met Office and the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, shows warming to 1878, cooling to 1911, ...
For the past week, Extinction Rebellion has been peacefully protesting in London to demand action on climate change. The British government's response? Ban their protests:Police have banned Extinction Rebellion protests from continuing anywhere in London, as they moved in almost without warning to clear protesters who remained at the movement’s ...
An essay by Judith Collins MP reported on Carbon News yesterday seems to show an alarming shift in attitude within the National Party. Collins argues against the Zero Carbon Bill, the Paris Agreement, and downplays the magnitude of climate impacts. The Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015 and ratified ...
When they were running for election, Labour promised to overhaul the Employment Relations Act and introduce fair pay agreements to set basic pay and conditions on an industry level, preventing bad employers from undercutting good ones. They followed this up by establishing a working group, which reported back in January ...
A list of indicators of bad science – many of these are found in articles promoted by anti-fluoride activists. Anti-fluoride activists have been pouring money into a scaremongering campaign warning pregnant women not to drink fluoridated water. They claim fluoride will lower the IQ of their future child. Fluoride ...
Nothing Left To Say: Labour's pollster, Stephen Mills, remains swaddled-up in the comforting myths of the 1980s. As if the experience of Roger Douglas’s genuinely radical post-Muldoon policy agenda was literally a once-in-a-lifetime thing – as much as the party could possibly absorb for at least the next 50 years.MEMO ...
The Royal Commission on abuse in care is very significant for the disability community. For many decades last century, thousands of disabled children, and adults who managed to survive, were locked away from families and communities. This was not for anything they had done, but for the perceived threat their ...
With an unfair voting system, uneven electorates and an un-elected upper house, the UK's "democracy" is barely worthy of the name. But now the government wants to make it worse:The government has been accused of suppressing voters’ rights with the potential disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of people after plans ...
Back in the 90's and early 2000's, the building industry was building leaky homes which should never have been granted consent. Now it turns out they've been building dodgy office blocks as well:New imaging technology has revealed hundreds of major buildings nationwide have defective or missing concrete or reinforcing steel. ...
Local body election results were released over the weekend, to joy or despair depending on where you live. In Auckland, Phil Goff trounced John Tamihere, who is muttering darkly about running for Parliament again (but which party would want him?) Wellington is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weta Workshop, except ...
How could government evolve over the next decades? Reports of democracy’s imminent demise are greatly exaggerated. However, satisfaction with political systems in many countries is low, so there is much to do for governments of all political stripes to improve relevance and trust. Digital technologies are seen as one ...
Two years have now gone by since the Friday afternoon when my university-student son and I headed out of our Barcelona flat to a nearby primary school, designated as a polling station for the vote that was to be held the following Sunday: the referendum on Catalonia’s independence from Spain ...
Overruled: The joint decision of Finance Minister, Grant Robertson (Labour) and his Associate Minister, David Parker (Labour) arguably the two most powerful ministers in Jacinda Ardern’s government, to grant OceanaGold the consents which Land Information Minister, Eugenie Sage (Greens) had earlier denied them, offers bitter proof of how hard fighting ...
More than double the number of people who will vote in this year’s local body elections have tried marijuana or urinated somewhere they shouldn’t have. As local elections look set for the lowest turnout in decades, with many regions falling well short of 40%, the Government is exploring a number ...
A Statement on Abortion Law Reform by the Council of Disobedient Women On the eve of bringing an end to antiquated, anti-women abortion laws Green MP Jan Logie intends to write women out of the Bill. With a stroke of the pen, the woke are aiming for total erasure ...
Musings continue apace about “the experienced businessman!” soon to be taking up a National Party MP position. Or to be more accurate, being parachuted into a seat to shut down their former MP Jamie-Lee Ross, who despite his own shortcomings shed at least some more light on the inner workings ...
The Ugandan government wants to murder gay people:Uganda has announced plans to impose the death penalty on homosexuals. The bill, colloquially known as “Kill the Gays” in Uganda, was nullified five years ago on a technicality, but the government said on Thursday it plans to resurrect it within weeks. The ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), through its skills and employment programme,Te Ara Mahi, is investing a further $1.6m into Tairāwhiti’s workforce development, said Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau. “This PGF funding follows on from significant PGF investment earlier this ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters says the Government’s steps to reduce farm livestock emissions are necessary and timely. Today the Government and farming leaders announced a plan to measure and price emissions at the farm level by 2025. “Many farmers ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones has hit back at those who are upset over a change in approach to partnership visas. There has been a specific government directive to stop waiving requirements such as couples needing to have lived together for 12 months - a test Indian couples who have ...
The North Auckland Line rejuvenation kicks off with teams surveying the rail corridor and Northland construction contractors are showing interest in the project.KiwiRail provided an industry briefing for Northland contracting and construction companies about future work opportunities on rejuvenating Northland’s rail lines. The briefing session in Whangarei was held to ...
Journalist Andrew Dickens, reporting from the 2019 New Zealand First Conference, states that the Party once again proved “they are more than a sideshow”. In his op-ed article for NewstalkZB, Mr Dickens said he has always been an admirer of the Party, saying they are “a true centrist party”. “[NZ ...
New Zealand First's potential policy of compulsory community service for ages 15-19 years old has been getting support from those in the industry. A policy remit was passed during their recent Conference in Christchurch, gaining the support of a majority of its membership. Party leader Winston Peters has been talking ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the Party hopes to decide it’s stance pill testing at music festivals "before the season of concern", with festivals generally held during the summer months. Mr Peters' comments come in an interview with TVNZ's Q+A and follow a remit from the party's youth ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says he has been told to be "alert" to potential cost blowouts for the light rail project in Auckland. Mr Peters said no such concerns were raised with him from ministerial colleagues, including Transport Minister Phil Twyford of the Labour Party. He suggested that ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters Leader of New Zealand First The Benefits of having New Zealand First in the Centre: Security, Experience & Balance 2.00pm, 20th October 2019 Ladies and Gentlemen Thank you all for your warm welcome to this, the party’s 26thConvention. Speaking on behalf of caucus colleagues, it’s great to ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Fletcher Tabuteau is travelling to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu this week to continue toadvance important bilateral relationships in our region consistent with thePacific Reset. Mr Tabuteau will engage in a range of bilateral meetings and visit New Zealand development ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...
Speaking at the Council of Trade Unions' (CTU) biennial conference, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told unionists that any future attacks on the Government won't work. "Now, we are being attacked by the union movement in this country. You can have your views but I'm here to say standing ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill will have its first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Andrew Little says. “The control orders Bill will mean our community is better protected from the risks of the very small number of New Zealand citizens who have engaged in terrorism related activities overseas. ...
The Government and farming sector leaders have agreed to a world-first partnership to reduce primary sector emissions in one of the most significant developments on climate action in New Zealand's history. Today farming leaders and the Government announced a plan to join forces to develop practical and cost-effective ways to ...
More houses for homeless New Zealanders are being opened today in Tauranga by Associate Housing Minister Kris Faafoi. Six 2-bedroom quality units are being opened at 878 Cameron Road by Minister Faafoi and Accessible Properties, a local Community Housing Provider (CHP). Accessible Properties now provides more than 1,700 community housing ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson departs tomorrow for events and meetings in Japan and Vietnam. While in Japan, he will discuss economic and fiscal issues including meeting with the Minister of Finance, Taro Aso, and Minister of Economic and Fiscal Policy, Yasutoshi Nishimura. He will meet with the Minister of Education, ...
The Government’s Housing Dashboard released today confirms record numbers of state houses are under construction and shows the Government build programme is gaining momentum. “After nine years of inaction, and a hands-off attitude from the previous government we’re starting to see things move in the right direction for housing,” says ...
Mr Speaker, I wish to make a ministerial statement relating to the Auckland fire. The Government is closely monitoring the situation with the fire at the NZ International Convention Centre and is thankful that everyone is now safe. Firefighters are doing an incredible job managing the fire and bringing it ...
The Government is investing in ambitious research that will digitise Te Reo, grow the low-carbon protein efficient aquaculture industry, help interpret environmental trends, and large data sets says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods. The four projects range from teaching Siri to speak Te Reo to crunching large environmental ...
A new education-to-employment brokerage service to strengthen connections between local employers and schools. Funding for more trades focused ‘speed-dating’ events to connect schools with employers. Promotional campaign to raise profile of vocational education. The Government is taking action to increase the number of young people taking up vocational education and ...
A Bill to improve prison security and ensure the fair, safe, and humane treatment of people in prison while upholding public safety has passed its third reading. Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says the Corrections Amendment Bill makes a number of changes to ensure the Corrections Act 2004 is fit for ...
Minister for Māori Development, Nanaia Mahuta, has selected Arihia Bennett MNZM, Chief Executive Officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, as the Te Puni Kōkiri appointed representative on the New Zealand-China Council. The New Zealand-China Council (the Council) was established in 2012 as a New Zealand led and funded organisation ...
Responsibility for processing the small number of Southern Response claims still to be settled will be transferred to EQC by the end of the year. “As claim numbers reduce, it no longer makes sense for the Crown to have two organisations processing the remaining Canterbury claims,” Grant Robertson says. “Since ...
Health Minister David Clark is encouraging Whanganui residents to take up the opportunity for free bowel screening, which can detect cancer early when it’s easier to treat. Over the next two years 12,000 Whanganui locals, aged 60 to 74 will be invited to participate in the National Bowel Screening ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio, heads to Oslo today to represent New Zealand at the sixth Our Ocean Conference, which is being hosted by the Norwegian Government from the 23-24 October. “The Our Ocean Conference mobilises real action on issues like marine plastic pollution and the impacts of ...
Two secondary-school initiatives are being expanded as part of the Government’s plan to see more young New Zealanders take up a trade to help close the skills gap. This includes the largest single increase in Trades Academy places in recent years. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Education Minister Chris ...
Session 4: Pacific Connectivity – Youth, Media and New Opportunities Kia ora tatou katoa and Warm Pacific greetings to one and all. Representatives of Tainui, the local people of the land, or manawhenua – the indigenous peoples of this area – have welcomed you this morning in accordance with ...
The Government today announced its support for a project that could substantially reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from cattle. The announcement was made as part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor’s visit to Nelson’s Cawthron Aquaculture Park. The Cawthron Institute will receive $100,000 from the Government’s ...
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni has welcomed the first reading of the New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension Legislation Amendment Bill. “Every New Zealander has a stake in New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension,” says Carmel Sepuloni. “They are our most common form of social assistance – nearly 800,000 New ...
Babies in Auckland aged six months and over can receive a free vaccination and children will all have access to vaccines, Associate Minister of Health Julie Anne Genter announced today at Papatoetoe High School. The move comes as part of Government efforts to step up the fight against measles. ...
***Check against delivery*** Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here, and to have the honour of opening this important conference on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. Let us take the opportunity to acknowledge all the people who have helped make today possible, including our special ...
Police Minister Stuart Nash says the safety of frontline officers and members of the public will be the focus of a new trial of specialist Police response teams in three of our largest urban centres. Police have this morning released details of an initiative to be trialled in Counties Manukau, ...
The Minister of Fisheries is calling for entries for a new public award to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector. “I have established the Seafood Sustainability Awards to recognise and celebrate those throughout industry, tangata whenua and communities who demonstrate outstanding dedication and innovation towards the sustainability of New Zealand’s ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter welcomes leaders in the private sector taking action on closing their gender pay gaps to ensure a fairer workplace for all New Zealanders. Ms Genter today launched a new report, Addressing the gender pay gap and driving women’s representation in senior leadership, from the Champions for ...
Government Ministers today welcomed the release of a marine environment report highlighting the four key issues affecting our oceans, estuaries and coastlines. The release underlines the importance of government proposals to combat climate pollution, ensure clean freshwater, protect biodiversity, make land use more sustainable, and reduce waste and plastic. Environment ...
The Government has approved funding for a new acute mental health facility for Waikato which will provide better care and support to people with mental health and addiction issues. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Dr David Clark announced the $100 million project to replace the aging Henry Rongomau ...
The Government is making progress on its goal to integrate te reo Māori into education by 2025, with over 500 teachers and support staff already graduating from Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Kelvin Davis made the announcement at an awards ceremony in Waikanae today, for ...
Statistics Minister James Shaw has welcomed the first release of 2018 Census data. The first release of data today, 23 September, includes key data on population, regional growth, the number of homes and the size of different ethnic groups in New Zealand. Data from the 2018 Census will support the ...
Minister for Statistics James Shaw today announced a public consultation on a proposed algorithm charter for government agencies. The charter has been developed by the Government Chief Data Steward in response to growing calls for more transparency in government use of data. Computer algorithms – procedures or formulas for solving ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, Climate Change Minister James Shaw and visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte co-hosted a business roundtable in Auckland this morning focused on working together to address climate change. “The Netherlands is an important partner for New Zealand. We share a strong agricultural history. Sustainable agribusiness and ...
The Government is taking action to build an inclusive economy where more of us receive our fair share at work and businesses can compete on great products and services, not undercutting wages and conditions, Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. Two consultations launched today seek feedback ...
The future for New Zealand’s threatened indigenous freshwater fish looks brighter with the passing of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill in Parliament today said Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “Until now, our freshwater fish legislation has been 20 years out of date. We have lacked effective tools to ...
At 1.30pm tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis will join about 65 million people around the globe in ShakeOut, the world’s biggest earthquake drill. The annual drill is to remind people of the right action to take during an earthquake which is to Drop, Cover, Hold, and to practise their ...
Kiwis are benefiting from higher wage growth and low inflation under the Coalition Government. Stats NZ data out today shows the rise in the cost of living remains low, as annual Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.5% in September from 1.7% in June. “The low inflation comes as ...
New Zealand’s economic strength and resilience has been recognised in a major update on the state of the global economy. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook released overnight shows a reduced global growth forecast over the next two years as issues like the US-China trade war and Brexit take hold. ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little has today introduced a new Bill to prevent terrorism and support the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill gives the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to the High Court to impose control orders on New Zealanders who ...
A Bill that proposes targeted changes to simplify the processes for Māori land owners when engaging with the Māori Land Court has had its First Reading today. “The approach taken by the Government is to ensure that the protection of Māori land remains a priority as we seek to improve ...
Let me first thank all the new unionists and members in the room. There is nothing more important to improving people’s working lives than people making the decision to care, to get on board and help, to take up the reins and get involved. Congratulations to you. You bring the ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has signed a certificate exempting the activity of engine testing at Whenuapai Airbase from the Resource Management Act 1991. The Act gives the Minister of Defence the power to exempt activities for the purposes of national security. The certificate will mean the recent Environment Court ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced New Zealand will join the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action while attending APEC meetings in Chile. The objective of the 39 member Coalition is to share information and promote action to tackle climate change. It was formed in April this year, in ...
Feedback sought– Lyttelton commercial zone parking The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal to remove on-site car parking requirements for new developments in the Lyttelton commercial zone. The proposal, by Christchurch City Council, asks that powers under section 71 of the Greater ...
Hon Minister Poto Williams Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration MEDIA STATEMENT Tuesday 15 October 2019 Feedback sought – Hagley Oval The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Poto Williams, is seeking feedback on a proposal about Hagley Oval. The proposal was developed by Regenerate Christchurch ...
We wonder if there is any surprise among readers that the Ardern government has made a hash of delivering another of its flagship policies, Auckland’s light rail project. Ardern labelled the project to build light rail from Auckland city to the airport a “game changer”. And she promised to extend ...
Simpson@8 investigated the allegations of mismanagement that had accrued over professor Chandra’s tenure. Video: Simpson@8By Sri Krishnamurthi Staff and students at the University of the South Pacific have said poor governance, nepotism and negligence were rife at the institution under the leadership of the previous Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rajesh ...
The question of what process should be followed before people can change the genders recorded on their birth certificates may well have been discussed on Massey University’s Wellington campus. Trouble is, a bunch of students with firm ideas on the subject and a militant urge to muzzle contrary ideas staged a ...
New Zealand Red Cross is delighted to be announced as the primary settlement provider for former refugees in two new locations – Blenheim and Levin – and will be delivering settlement support in Masterton in partnership with Connected Communities Wairarapa. ...
Amy Russell loves to run, but as an overweight person, she feels marginalised by an industry finds that hard to understand. I love to run. Something about its intensity and rhythm is captivating to me. It’s simple as can be, but physically and mentally all-consuming. When a friend asked me ‘what ...
The Independent Police Conduct Authority has found that it was reasonable for an officer to fire 21 shots at a driver who repeatedly drove towards and reversed at him in the Coromandel on 28 August 2017. ...
A scathing account of the state of television and the wider media, from the departing Newshub boss.Less than a week after Mediaworks put its television operations up for sale, the head of its news arm, Hal Crawford, has announced he is leaving. Crawford’s departure – he is returning to Australia ...
As Tauranga’s first council meeting since the election gets underway at 1pm, councillors will be greeted with a picket line as city employees strike for two hours. ...
An expert on steel design and construction weighs in on the potential impact the SkyCity inferno has had on the $700m complex and the costly rehabilitation job ahead. ...
Alex Casey talks to Wellington-born Thomasin McKenzie, Sylvanian Family enthusiast and star of Jojo Rabbit. At just 19, Thomasin McKenzie has already played a sexual assault survivor, a cancer patient and a Jewish teenager hiding in the walls during WW2. I was pleased to see her enjoying a day off on ...
The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has cautiously welcomed the announcement today of the new plan to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. ...
Family First NZ says that the referendum on assisted suicide will be defeated by voters once they understand the law that may be passed by politicians next month, and the impacts it will have on both the vulnerable and society in general. ...
New Zealand, Thursday 24 October 2019 - The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) appeared before Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee yesterday on behalf of it’s 8,000 members to submit on the proposed Arms Legislation Bill. ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is pleased to announce the appointment of three organisations to provide refugee settlement support services in five new locations from February 2020. The new settlement locations were announced ...
The prime minister has hailed a ‘historic’ agreement between the government and farming groups. What does it amount to, and is it a substantial step forward in the climate fight, or a ‘sellout’?What’s all this then?For as long as the Emissions Trading Scheme has existed, it has been dogged by ...
Farmers won't have to start paying for their emissions until 2025, as long as they make progress in finding ways to measure and price emissions at the farm level. ...
Thursday, 24 October: Greenpeace is calling the Government’s surprise backdown on its commitment to put farming into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) a major sell-out. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Environment Richard Harman (Politik): Farm leaders win Government backdown Henry Cooke and Luke Malpass (Stuff): Farmers ...
Act MP David Seymour is confident the public is well-equipped to vote in a referendum on whether to ratify legislation to allow terminally-ill adults to request assisted dying. ...
Changes are being proposed to the standards and guidelines that apply to Election Programmes which are broadcast by or for political parties and candidates in the run-up to the general election. In consultation with broadcasters, the Broadcasting ...
Federated Farmers is pleased to be working with the government via the industry’s ‘He Waka Eke Noa’ commitment but continues to oppose agriculture entering the Emissions Trading Scheme, ...
As the interminable saga surrounding the Wellington Mayoralty election result drags on, some are already blaming the uncertainty on the fact that the election was carried out under proportional representation – in this case, the Single Transferable Vote ...
Vision NZ says it is a mockery that people who have been in the county five minutes can decide the fate of our nation. New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world that gives non-citizens the right to vote. Vision NZ will put a stop to this ...
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The latest in Sony’s stable of 90s remasters should come with a pair of rose-coloured glasses. Sam Brooks reviews the 2019 MediEvil remaster.In this generation of gaming, we’ve seen the glowed-up return of a few of our childhood avatars. The bandicoot spins back in, looking fresher than ever. The purple dragon ...
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Open mike 31/03/2013 
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Yesterday I tried to link to this post on the prime real estate that is Open Mike post #1… so, finally getting the attention it deserves here it is:
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/03/30/the-myths-and-lies-about-the-domestic-purposes-benefit/
Two things stood out here
– there is no pressure on the parent who does a runner and these are largely male
– that one in two adult women will be in sole charge of a family at some point in their adult lives.
Now, the been there done that group of women, with a few exceptions like PB, are unlikely to be too impressed with the benefit hounding going on and women vote on the left.
Just how much would it cost the labour party to show at least some loyalty to a large group of their demographic and at least oppose some of the hounding. FFS some of it, like sending out letters to people’s 16 year old daughters telling them to go onto contraception aren’t even policies that it will cost anything to reverse ever – they just violate the civil rights of a young girl who has had no say in her domestic situation whosoever.
And, I am repeating myself here, if this is such a good idea for 16 year old girls to get these letters, then perhaps some voluntary group should receive a grant to write letters to all 16 year old girls on the same topic, even the daughters of Nact politicians.
I like this young woman! She is at the center of the “Topless Jihad” – a global protest where women bare their breasts rebelling against female oppression after Amina Tyler posted topless pictures of herself with “My body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honor” written in Arabic.
Obviously this is found to be highly objectionable so her family shipped her off to a psych ward stating publically that she was suicidal and that is why she has posted the pics.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/amina-tyler-supporters-set-topless-jihad-day-april-4-article-1.1301311#ixzz2P3LzC9D8
Best pic is Amina extending her two fingers, topless, with the words, “fuck your morals”.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/03/30/april-4th-defend-amina/
Kiaora AWW
Here is another perspective worth reflecting on.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/life/8486908/Why-protests-must-be-culturally-appropriate
This comment is from Stuff’s blog:
Dear Author: I am a Muslim woman and think Amina’s protest is entirely culturally relevant in post-revolution Tunisia. Read the writing on Amina’s body: “My body is mine, not somebody’s honor” in Arabic. No protest that was universally loved and agreed with changed the world for the better. Please stop speaking for “everyday Muslims” such as myself. We can do without the sweeping generalizations about the “West” and “Islam”. They are simplistic and silly – even from someone taking on this native informant role. Muslim (or western) societies are not homogenous.
Hold onto your hats CHCH.
“The Government has taken three steps:
1. Required EQC to immediately shut down all external email systems – there will be no emails going into the organisation and none will be sent out.
2. Required EQC to immediately shut down all business-to-business systems and data exchanges as well as access into EQC systems by external parties.
3. Asked the Government’s Chief Information Officer Colin MacDonald to investigate and oversee the solutions for issues relating to information management within EQC.
I had to laugh (otherwise I would cry), so now instead of EQC doing nothing Gerry Brownlee has made it mandatory.
I would say the leaks are in all likelyhood deliberate, sent by staff disgruntled with the underhand way eqc is dealing with claims. Either that or they have some seriously incompetent staff with access to data that they really shouldnt. ( ala winz kiosks)
Wondered about just how accidental the EQC leaks really were Cricklewood.
And were the amounts of compensation listed on the released documents actually being given to the claimants or being with-held?
Media Release
Coal Free Mangatawhiri and Auckland Coal Action
Saturday 30th March 2013
Roadside Coal Protest at Mangatawhiri
Coal Free Mangatawhiri and Auckland Coal Action are joining forces on Monday to protest Fonterraʼs proposed new coal mine beside state highway 2.
Protesters will gather from 2pm at Mangatawhiri south of Auckland for the roadside rally protesting Fonterraʼs proposed new Mangatangi Mine.
They hope to engage with people queued in traffic on SH2 on their way back to Auckland.
Local residents, iwi and supporters from Auckland will be calling for ʻno new coalʼ and making the point that ʻcoal cooks the climateʼ in an awareness raising campaign against the proposed mine.
Public submissions on resource consents for the mine, closed this week with Waikato Regional Council and Waikato District Council. Hundreds of submissions were sent in by local residents, iwi and others opposing the proposed new coal mine at Mangatawhiri.
The resource consent applications were made by Fonterraʼs coal mining subsidiary Glencoal Energy Ltd, which is seeking consents for an open cast mine on farmland at Mangatawhiri right beside SH2.
If the mine goes ahead it will be highly visible to anyone driving along SH2. The mine is intended to produce 120,000 tonnes of coal a year to supply the Fonterra dairy factories at Waitoa, Hautapu and Te Awamutu. Fonterraʼs nearby Kopako coal mine is predicted to close in 2014.
Instead of opening a new coal mine in a farming community, locals believe Fonterra should phase out coal in favour of locally available cleaner burning, wood waste.
ENDS
A Farmer’s cooperative turns into a corporation.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/8485681/Investor-tensions-evident-in-Fonterra
At the time of the farmer vote to turn Fonterra into a shareholding corporation there was severe misgivings that farmers, particularly less well off share milkers who had no vote, and whose incomes are reliant on milk prices would suffer, and so it is.
As farms become corporate factories with out roofs that increase profits, by driving down the livelihoods of the producers. Less sharemilkers will enter the industry, resulting in bigger farms staffed with employees, who like most NZ workers over the last three decades will have declining incomes. While, year after year, in favour of better shareholder returns, profits continuously exceed previous records. That is, until the whole top heavy edifice topples over as the profit bubble bursts under the combined weight of lack of skilled farmers without any commitment to the land, and less forgiving climatic conditions that will make farming less productive and rural life harsher for those doing it at the milk face.
The move to squeeze more out of farmers in favour of profits, may have some unforeseen (read forseen) outcomes.
Yeh I saw this too and it was a prefectly predictable outcome. Even at the time it was obvious that the Fonterra managers were going back and back with the proposals no matter how often the farmers voted them down. It was very much in management interests I imagine, to have two groups with vested interests, Farmers and bond holders to play off against each other, for their own gain and ultimately the sort of gain that comes from stock market listing and moving the whole lot into overseas ownership.
Mind you most of them vote for the Nact’s too, be careful what you wish for perhaps?
More legislation written for corporations and against the rights of our people to protest.
Masked as protecting us from our own “reckless and dangerous” behaviour and delivered by the Glove Puppet from Tauranga, Simon Bridges.
Parroting prepared lines, statements that were shameless begging the question and all with a deadpan face the Glove Puppet from Tauranga presented restrictions on our right to protest mineral and oil exploration off our coast.
– http://www.3news.co.nz/Crackdown-on-anti-drilling-protesters/tabid/423/articleID/292432/Default.aspx
Surely this would be unconstitutional and the right to protest protected if this was tested in law by the courts..
New Zealand has no constitution.
Bridges also, when asked, pretty much ruled out putting the O and G revenue into an investment fund (like in other oil rich nations). Which means all this money is going to be frittered on tax cuts.
This vexes me so.
Bridges has been through the rinse, and is likely as anyone else inside Parliament to actually believe in what he’s representing!
West Auckland my foot!
More from the Bank Bailout U$K Austerity Class War:
Disability rights activist Susan Archibald, in Edinburgh, said: ‘We have heard talk about “strivers and skivers”.
‘One person can be a striver one day and then get made redundant. Will they be a skiver the next day? That’s how easy it happens.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301575/Axe-bedroom-tax–Thousands-protesters-join-demonstrations-cut-benefits.html
“John McArdle, from anti-disability discrimination campaign Black Triangle, said: ‘Every day our campaign receives more messages from desperate people who are on the brink of suicide.
‘This government is killing disabled people, and we must stand together and say enough is enough.’
Have seen this really interesting report on ChristChurch in the http://www.wsws.org website. It’d be good to if we could comment and/or criticise on it?
“Residents face bitter winter in New Zealand’s quake-hit city”
“Residents of the New Zealand city of Christchurch, devastated by the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that killed 185 people in February 2011, are facing a bitter winter. While the National Party government, city council and business investors concentrate on rebuilding the central business district, thousands of people, particularly those in working class suburbs, are into their third year of unresolved social stress and personal dislocation.”
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/03/30/nzch-m30.html
The Money Market’s P@mp John Yankee continues to flog off this Nation’s commonwealth (Asset Sales) and our ability to help and support our own people. The Market in the end does not mind if you end up in a workhouse. 🙁
http://benefitjustice.wordpress.com/ More on the U$K situation likely to come here too. 🙁
”
Workfare
March 18, 2013
This from our colleagues working hard to oppose workfare:
In one of his most disgusting manoeuvres yet, last week Iain Duncan Smith laid legislation to rewrite history to stop the 225,000 people who were sanctioned on his unlawful workfare schemes being able to reclaim what they are due.
To make matters worse, the bill is being rushed through parliament; the second reading; committee stage; and third reading are all scheduled for one day: this Tuesday.
As if this wasn’t outrageous enough, Labour have indicated that they will support the Bill.
Tell your MP to vote against these outrageous attempts to rewrite history and rob people of £130 million in benefit repayments with this one minute online form: http://action.pcs.org.uk/page/speakout/ask-your-mp-to-stop-the-government-changing-the-law-on-workfare”
“The savage attacks on benefits for unemployed, low paid workers, single parents and disabled which will push millions further into poverty and despair.
The vicious attacks on those in the rented sector whose landlords charge huge rents but who now face a cap in their Housing Benefit which is seeing families evicted and shipped out of London to find cheaper accommodation around the country.
The disgusting Bedroom Tax which will force council and social landlord tenants who claim Housing benefit and have a spare room to either pay more rent or downsize to a smaller home. This will hit 600.000 tenants. Tory Welfare minister responsible for this bedroom tax is Lord Freud who has a plush 4 bedroom London home as well as an 8 bedroom mansion elsewhere.”
UK Labour is still enmeshed in Blairism. Doesnt look to be getting out anytime soon.
Looks to me like Thatcherism is still strong. Making beneficiaries work for corporate megastores for free? Welcome back to the 10th century.
“Looks to me like Thatcherism is still strong”
I’d take Blairism over Thatcherism any century.
There really isn’t that much difference between the two. Both thrive on neoliberal claptrap.
Kyle Bass runs Hayman Capital. Here he talks about Japan’s impending financial/demographic implosion (including 10 finance ministers in just the last 5 years).
Not pretty. He makes several references to future severe social discontent as a result.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/30/bank-of-cyprus-depositors-lose-savings
“Bank of Cyprus depositors could lose up to 60% of their savingsCypriot finance officials say initial losses will be 37.5%, but up to 22.5% more could be taken if bank needs further capitalisation
But, but , but TPTB said Cyrpian banks were over-flowing with dirty Russian money, where is it then!
Capital controls will not be coming off, the accounts will be empty before that happens!
And a finger in the eye for Iceland, balance is important in the MSM!
More lies and BS, see how this all works!
So, a year and a half until the next general election, and the Labour party are still shitting on their own doorstep, mired in a fantasy land game plan to win (bribe) back 5% of the middle ground they think will open the door to the treasury.
Dumb arses.
The win is in the numbers who didn’t vote last time.
Bollocks to the sensibilities of centre right politics of nothingness.
Go left, that man.
If the nat’s are the worst negotiators, then NZ Labour must surely rank as worst political strategists, ever.
Not necessarily. The way I see it, this is strategy which is wanted by the *internationalists*, and being rolled out effectively, by giving the NACT a free ride, to what could easily be another 3 years.
As if it matters in real terms who the government is, the decline will continue, as the *foreign owners*, like any good hedge, control both sides of bet!
I’ll rephrase my perspective for the benefit of your world view:
As a lefty voter, NZ Labour must surely rank as worst political strategists, ever.
Try viewing Labour’s actions and strategy from the standpoint of it’s present as a centrist middle class party. One which is focussed on continuing (but socially moderating) the political economic status quo, while appealing to the top 1/3 of income earners.
When you do that it’s approach becomes entirely consistent and coherant.
I’m sure someone believes in what they’re doing, somewhere, playing the game like they are, but whatever the outcome (crushing defeat 😉 ), watching the cogs turn is like them cleaning a hammer with a walnut.
I can’t believe parties facing another three years in opposition aren’t out there getting those stay at home voters interested, engaged and motivating change, unless like said, they don’t really care about the majority of kiwis and pay lip service to the plight facing New Zealanders.
Time for that new left wing party idea to crop up again.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-reich/why-politicians-are-sensi_b_2978297.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
An honest politician is one who stays bought, or why we are not allowed democracy on anything important, like the economy, and inequality!
And just make sure that no one knows WTF is going on, de-fund polsci.
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/03/21/senate-votes-defund-political-science-research-save-tuition-assistance-budget-bill
But seriously, what answers has political science given us in the last 20 years? The other area to defund is economics, finance and financial engineering.
Yeah, when I think about it CV none worth listening to and to be honest once I’ve sorted out who the unhinged ideologues are and who’s worth listening to I reckon the most astute and nuanced appraisals are usually to be found buried in comments threads.
“I reckon the most astute and nuanced appraisals are usually to be found buried in comments threads.”
And now on live TV during question time, 2pm, channel 22 🙂
Pipe ruptures, who’d a thunk it.
http://www.katv.com/story/21831082/oil-spill-in-mayflower-near-lake-conway-subdivision-evacuated
I thought the Mayflower was one of the first four ships to get to America. They did that on sail I thought. Maybe I am not up with the modern ideas that now it is okay to have a major negative oil spill event every five years or so. Just part of the risk profile engineered in using the modern equipment and modern efficiencies of corporations as accepted by the modern governments.
open-mike 28/03
To: McFlock
You made the allegation, so the burden of proof is yours. Don’t expect me to assist you.
Slander is what this massive hole is all about. Slander was also the issue that was being discussed just before I was moderated into posting on open mike.
Context is everything. The original context was girls 13 and over who were repeatedly soliciting.
If these girls were being harmed, these who was forcing them?
Why are you bringing up Saville now? He is dead, had nothing to do with the South Auckland flap.
Just like you brought up fantasing.
Just like you brought up NABMLA.
You’re just slinging shit to divert from the fact that you’ve got no argument.
I reckon your comments are proof enough. You seem to think that harm can only result from force. And the original point wasn’t about slander, it was about appropriate responses to revelations that adults are paying to screw children. If you reckon a possible slander against yourself is more important, then that also says much about you.
What you reckon isn’t proof, it’s opinion.
I don’t think that.
O.K. Slander is important because it was the issue that was being discussed just before I was moderated into posting on open mike. It would be too convenient for you if I just dropped the issue.
Assuming you meant “then who was forcing them”, why are you raising force if force at the time is irrelevant to harm?
slander is a falsehood, right? What falsehood did I utter? You’re arguing that sex between a thirteen year old and a sixty year old can be consensual for the child, are you not?
McFlock, force is relevant because without anyone forcing the girls the most likely explanation is that they were soliciting of their own free will. The fact that they were doing this repeatedly suggests that they were not being harmed, so non-harm paedophilia is not an oxymoron like you said it was.
Like Redlogix said, paedophilia usually refers to pre-pubescent children, but in the rape culture thread it was also used in the context of older men having sex with teenage girls.
Your falsehood was:
You couldn’t show proof of your allegation, your argument was:
So McFlock, do you think that you can slander other people and just get away with it?
This is all beginning to sound rather familiar.
Frankly, a kid in the lower half of their teens is a child. Legally, as well.
Secondly, children can’t consent or do a contract. They have issues with impulse control, abstraction, and long term planning.
Thirdly, there are economic and other power issues at play in the case of prostitution, and sex in general. These are marked when one party is adult and the other is not. Both adults, fair enough, both can give informed consent all else being equal. Both kids, well both can be making the same mistake if it appears consensual. But an adult and a kid? Any adult with the interests of the child as a concern would bail based on the power imbalance implicit in the relationship.
Even if it were legal.
In general this is true not because they are not able to reach an agreement, but because they are under the power of another, i.e. their parents.
In the case the South Auckland girls the parental power argument isn’t so solid: either the girls are under the power of their parents which makes the parents responsible, or they are not (ie the family is dysfunctional), in which agreement and contract may be possible.
It’s got nothing to do with being under the power of their parents.
Kids can’t give informed consent because they lack experience, information and the ability to process that with long term objectives taken into full consideration.
Wrong again,. it is important for contracts.
SUI JURIS. One who has all the rights to which a freemen is entitled; one who is not under the power of another, as a slave, a minor, and the like.
2. To make a valid contract, a person must, in general, be sui juris. Every one of full age is presumed to be sui juris. Story on Ag. p. 10.
I think you might need a newer legal text. Preferably one that deals with new zealand law.
Just to spell it out: kids, including young teens, cannot consent to sex.
Sex without consent is rape.
You argue that young teens at the very least (you’ve been cagey on the exact age cutoff where you regard any sex=rape) can consent to sex.
That is a defense of child rape.
You are wrong, they can consent if the understand what is involved.
Consent. A concurrence of wills. Voluntarily yielding the will to the proposition of another; acquiescence or compliance therewith. Agreement; the act or result
of coming into harmony or accord. Consent is an act of reason, accompanied with deliberation, the mind weighing as in a balance the good or evil on each side.
You are confusing uninformed consent with actual consent. Knowing someone who was manipulated into “consenting” sex by adults when she was a young teen, and seeing the issues she’s dealt with over the years in no small part due to those experiences, I say that you are deluding yourself. Severely. I don’t know if your reasons are nutty or nefarious, but I sure know “uninformed consent at the time” in no way equals “no-harm sex “.
Wrong again. I said “if they understand what is involved”, which implies informed consent.
Why is it that slanderers refuse to admit they are wrong, but try to divert with straw men and other fallacies?
Sex with under-16s is against New Zealand law. Legally there is no possibility of informed consent.
Arguing you believe in some other philosophy of life does not negate that. Why are you so interested in the topic?
Ah, the “no true rapist” argument.
What you argue for doesn’t exist. And if it did, it would be indistinguishable from apparent but uninformed consent, so essentially you’re arguing that it’s not rape unless harm occurs in subsequent years. Which is pretty pointless moral guidance for someone considering sticking his elderly dick in a 13 year old girl.
Handle, the legality of it is based on fictions.
I’m interested because the issues of sexual predators, family, and protection are closely related to the conflict between legislation and the law of the land. Most people are unaware of how the system misleads them about the nature of the law. The system takes the privilege of oath from the common law but it also denies that the source of this privilege exists.
It is OK to want to protect others without needing an elaborate belief system to justify that. Did you have a particular 13-year old in mind?
Television (was) New Zealand is dropping BBC News which used to come on at off-peak hours, which one would think was a triumph for pragmatic, responsible, budget conscious services. It’s to be replaced by – infomercials. Or to put it another way Info-unmercifuls. Recommendation -Only to be watched in an alcoholic haze. If want to know more Radionz’s Mediawatch today.
Also being dropped by Television NZ (spit) – teletext function. It’s been serving NZ’s for 30 years and is particularly useful for older people. Hence why it is being dropped. Who gives a f..k for older people, they aren’t the advertisers preferred demographic which is – 15 to 55? after that you’re history old codgers!
John Drinnan broke the news of the dropping of BBC World on Friday. Its sad, but is thanks to the government chopping the TVNZ charter and telling it to make more idiot TV to make money (amazing how the same people who moan about our education system being ‘dumbed down’ seem fine with it happening to our television)..
As for Teletext, it was a damn good service. Not only did it provide captions for the deaf, but it provided information services to the general public with very low overheads, via simple RF signal, to a teletext capable TV (which cost a few hundred dollars). It would be way easier for a farmer in Marokopa to look up the weather on teletext than to use his smartphone or tablet.
I think the teletext system was affected by needing updates on its equipment, and TVNZ weren’t prepared to invest in this updating.
All of which is being replaved by Freeview.
open mike 28/03
To: Marty Mars
Paedophilia and raping children are two different things. In the original argument the paedophilia involved teenage girls as young as 13 soliciting. They were not crying rape, they were doing business.
People and corporations don’t have the same status in law. Corporations owe their existence to the state, people do not. It’s not unfair to refuse to give money to something that is of no benefit to you.
What the fuck does the last paragraph of your post at 17 mean, Ugly Truth ? It is utterly unintelligible.
I’m a bit hoha with your pronouncements on “law”. You seem always to get it very wrong.
What it means, North, is that corporations are subject to the law of the state, but people not subject to it. But people in a common law jurisdiction are still subject to the law of the land.
What do you think that I get wrong?
do you pay GST ugly or don’t they have that tax in canada?
I suppose you don’t utilise any of the services that society provides, you know, because you don’t pay tax lol
and as for your line “they were not crying rape” well, enough has been written about that and obviously it doesn’t fit with your morals, beliefs, or actions as evidenced in the threads discussing it. I am not surprised you don’t get what so many have tried to explain to you – it doesn’t fit with your self interest does it?
I don’t pay GST, the shop does. I pay the marked price.
Society doesn’t implement the taxation scheme, the state does.
Get a grip marty, you’re ranting.
lol you pay the marked price – what a hero.
btw have you tried the old agree and ask a question line with the legal system yet?
A beautiful day with mokos so no chance to check TS but I did get to see that prissy little ex-crown prosecutor (you know that shit-arsed wee type, witheringly socially retarded, mock angelic) Simon Bridges on Q + A this morning.
Yeah, he’s the messenger boy with the the news that this corporate-tending-to-facist-if-necessary government is gonna take a hard line with people who “endanger saftey” in protest around foreign rape of our resources.
A black lie of course but your final proof that this government is traitorous. “But they broke the law”. Yeah, right. A law created by a devious harlot of a government which in one out of ten parts has it’s heart outside New Zealand and inside the pockets of the ilk of its leader. The nine out of ten parts are mediocre self-seekers and cargo-cult thickos who follow Key because they believe they could be him one day.
On this day of all days for Christ’s Sake, it’s only gonna make the hard folks go harder. That’s the big joke of it. The world ain’t the Tauranga District Court sitting in its indictable jurisdiction wee Simon. Where you jump up and down with your petty points and strut out of court in the conviction that you’re shit-hot. And where success is winning and when you win that’s ALWAYS justice, definitionally.
It’s been occurring to me for some time that sooner or later there is going to be significant civil unrest in this country. Bring it on Simon Bitch ! Pathetic, atrocious, little ex-crown prosecutor.
Don’t mention the chemtrails, he’s the minister for climate change issues. 😉
north
+1
Me too.
Turned the TV off. Couldn’t even bear to look at the supercilious little toad. He reminds me of a youthful Tony Ryall.
lprent just wondering if there’s a way to edit a comment posted from a tablet using chrome?
I do it all of the time on a android nexus7 with chrome with android. I have noticed that the javascript on my old iPad1 is crap for anything to do with javascript.
But I’ll check. Could you provide any more info about what OS you’re using?
Young Simon had a wee laugh (hehe) on his Facebook page at the idea of slapping the interviewer. Screenshots are lovely things. What a scumbag.