Open Mike 31/05/2017

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, May 31st, 2017 - 64 comments
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64 comments on “Open Mike 31/05/2017”

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  1. Ed 1
    31 May 2017 at 6:19 am

    ‘Socialism closer to Gospel than free enterprise.’

    Pity Bill English can’t see this……

    ‘A retired High Court judge who donated $115,000 to Labour says the party’s principles reflect those of his religion.

    In Labour’s first large donation for some time, Robert Smellie, QC, gave $100,000 this month, on top of the $15,000 he gave in December.

    Smellie told the Herald one reason was his religion. “[Former PM] Michael Joseph Savage once said, ‘Labour is Christianity in action’. And I am a practising Anglican and as such I see socialism as being far closer to the Gospel than free enterprise.”’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11866294

  2. Ed 2
    31 May 2017 at 6:21 am

    Stephen Joyce’s budget is so going to give money to most vulnerable…….

    ‘Agency that put up rent ‘week on week’ accused of price gouging’

    ‘One of Auckland’s biggest rental agencies hiked rents on vacant apartments by five percent a week for several weeks earlier this year when demand from students surged to record levels.
    Ray White agent Krister Samuel said demand for apartments was unprecedented in February.

    The seasonal surge was caused by thousands of tertiary students and was exacerbated by a big rise in first home buyers snapping up apartments, shrinking the rental pool, he said.

    “We were getting 30 to 40 applicants turning up to a one or two-bedroom apartment, and all with good credit history, and testimonials and landlord references.

    “So the only response was to put the rent up,” Mr Samuel said.

    “For the landlords that we were representing, and we represent about 1000 individual landlords in the city, we were putting the rent up about five percent a week, week on week for about six weeks.”‘

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/331952/auckland-agency-price-gouging-over-weekly-rent-rise

    • Carolyn_nth 2.1
      31 May 2017 at 8:18 am

      “So the only response was to put the rent up,” Mr Samuel said.

      Of course it was! Responsible citizens that estate agents are – not capable of any other kind of response.

    • indiana 2.2
      31 May 2017 at 8:26 am

      Supply and Demand in full effect!

      • Draco T Bastard 2.2.1
        31 May 2017 at 9:08 am

        If we a actually used supply and demand the businesses would be paying more for power than homes. After all, they do actually demand more.

    • David Mac 2.3
      31 May 2017 at 8:34 am

      Krister Samuels of Ray White is touting for business via a free advertorial. If I owned a CBD apartment and needed management I’d read Krister’s comments and think ‘Gee looks like this outfit can get me top dollar for my pad.’

      If the apartments were previously priced at fair market value and he is pumping the ask by 5% week on week Krister is breaking the law.

      There appears to be room for some active advocates in this area. People au fait with the Residential Tenancy Act that can go in to bat for pocket raped tenants. Then Krister can ring some of his owners and advise them …”Ummm you’ve just been fined $2000.” (The contract Ray White has with owners will push the responsibility for payment of any exemplary damages onto owners.)

  3. Ed 3
    31 May 2017 at 6:26 am

    Money for more tax cuts for the rich, but none for our health.
    A wretched government.
    Vote them out in September.

    ‘Government not helping our region recover from Havelock North water crisis.’

    It appears the National Government has decided the water crisis that struck down Havelock North is “yesterday’s problem”.

    The public health cost alone from the poisoning of our town water supply is more than $1 million, but this Government has refused to help cover the gastro cost to our Hawke’s Bay District Health Board……’

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11866242

    • Wayne 3.1
      31 May 2017 at 6:49 am

      The Budget had over $800 million extra for health in the coming year, an increase of 5.5%. In the last nine years health expenditure has increased in real terms by 10% per capita. That is the reason why the news is not pack filled with terrible stories on health, and why Labors health spokespeople make very little headway. In fact I can’t even recall who the new Labour spokesperson is.

      It is very different to the 1990’s when Annette King was completely dominant as opposition spokesperson. She owned the territory. And it clearly signalled a change of government.

      • Stunned mullet 3.1.1
        31 May 2017 at 6:56 am

        It’s David Clark.

        • Wayne 3.1.1.1
          31 May 2017 at 8:21 am

          A smart guy, but a bit invisible. I should know who is Labour’s health person, but even after thinking about I didn’t. I know Dr Clark has a reputation as a thinker, but he is quiet. In key roles opposition people need to do what it takes so we know who they are. Ardern, Twyford and Davis, have all done that.

          • greywarshark 3.1.1.1.1
            31 May 2017 at 12:09 pm

            Wayne
            It’s strange how Ed’s subject, the health budget needing more money, morphs away as you seem to answer it, into an opinion as to whether the Labour Healthperson has enough visibility.

            And come on. Waving health statistics with percentages at us just doesn’t wash. (Health warning, after handling any statistics from National wash and dry your hands thoroughly.)

            In the last nine years health expenditure has increased in real terms by 10% per capita.

            This means that the amount allocated to each person in NZ has gone up during the last nine years, at about 1.1% a year, which may or may not be the equivalent of counted inflation or CPI each year. This means that if CPI
            exceeds 1.1% a year, then there is no rise to match the fall in spending value of the NZ$.

        • Draco T Bastard 3.1.1.2
          31 May 2017 at 9:10 am

          It’s Wayne and you – both of whom are National Party apologists.

          The figures show that National has always kept the increase below that of inflation and population growth.

      • Ed 3.1.2
        31 May 2017 at 7:34 am

        The government does not care about the people’s health. Spin and shill for them if you want….

        • Wayne 3.1.2.1
          31 May 2017 at 8:57 am

          Ed,

          I know that the left likes to parrot the line that National does not care about people, health, welfare or education, but it is a silly line.

          Voters know that National is in their own way broadly representative of New Zealanders. They all have families and use public schools and public health. So at an intuitive level voters know that National is as involved in these things as other parties, though obviously with their own perspective.

          That is why that sort of criticism does not cut through. It belies peoples actual experience.

          To succeed you have to do what King was able to do in the 1990’s. Show comprehensive failings, not just spout mantras.

          • Robert Guyton 3.1.2.1.1
            31 May 2017 at 11:23 am

            Good morning, Wayne. I agree with much you say in your reply to ed; parroting the line, broadly representative, criticism does not cut through, however Ed knows, I think, that there’s a serious problem with the ideological “planet” you and your and National Party pals inhabit and pontificate from. I’ve a question for you; you talk of “peoples actual experience”, implying that New Zealanders are comfortable with the “National Way”, but how do you accommodate such things as our distressingly high domestic violence rates and youth suicide statistics? You may claim that New Zealanders support your world view and management, but don’t those aspects; violence and a severe crisis for our young people, whisper to you that something you are collectively doing is desperately wrong? I haven’t included the appalling incarceration statistics, alcohol harm etc. etc. as these topics are covered here on The Standard in some detail and I’m guessing you read those posts.
            Thanks in anticipation of your answers.

            • garibaldi 3.1.2.1.1.1
              31 May 2017 at 1:54 pm

              Health is going to be a bottomless pit for any government in the next few years. As a boomer it scares me to think about it. The system cannot cope with a diabetes epidemic, more poverty related diseases, mental health shortfalls, more cancer, sports injuries, more expensive treatment procedures and ,finally, countless old bastards.
              We’re in for trouble big time re health.

      • One Anonymous Bloke 3.1.3
        31 May 2017 at 8:00 am

        Are you this “honest” in your day job?

        You know very well that a large proportion of the increase is a consequence of the National “government” being forced to obey the law regarding pay equity, not increased healthcare provision.

        Per capita health expenditure is on exactly the same trend it’s been on all this century, and as you very well know, this is a consequence of demographics.

        As for the news, have you missed the crisis in mental health? Or the rate of preventable “third world” diseases? Or the increase in new HIV cases? Or doctors and nurses on strike?

        Keep spinning, Wayne, I’d hate the National Party to get out of the gutter.

      • McFlock 3.1.4
        31 May 2017 at 11:54 am

        the news is not pack filled with terrible stories on health

        What, you mean stories like “Hospital staff show strain”, “Unexplained death on Palmerston North Hospital grounds raises questions”, “NZ records highest-ever number of HIV diagnoses in 2016”, “Patients head to Aussie for treatment”, “Third of Kiwi women have chlamydia by age 38: study”, or “Man suffers heart attack just after leaving Christchurch’s Burwood Hospital”? /sarc

        • weka 3.1.4.1
          31 May 2017 at 12:02 pm

          And, ffs, there are people in the Southern DHB region going blind because of waiting lists.

    • Stunned mullet 3.2
      31 May 2017 at 6:54 am

      Doesn’t vote health cover the cost of dr visits and pharmaceuticals in Hawke’s Bay ?

  4. Ed 4
    31 May 2017 at 6:30 am

    Meanwhile New Zealand is asleep, distracted by sports ‘news’….

    Rugby: British & Irish Lions madness to begin
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11866436

    and celebrity ‘news’……………
    Police: Tiger Woods ‘asleep at wheel’ of stationary car, alcohol levels zero
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/golf/93166630/police-tiger-woods-asleep-at-wheel-of-stationary-car-alcohol-levels-zero

    and clickbait….
    ‘Woman criticised for super car bonnet climb’
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11865908

    Wake up New Zealand!

    • garibaldi 4.1
      31 May 2017 at 6:54 am

      Wake up New Zealand! That is very appropriate at 6.30 am! Though your point is very true, however this is the Nu Zild kulcha, which is actively promoted to stop the masses waking up. It’s all part of the on going “bread and circuses”.

    • BM 4.2
      31 May 2017 at 7:37 am

      Back again Paul.

  6. Bill 6
    31 May 2017 at 8:43 am

    Anyone else scratching their heads over news coming out of Britain and wondering if Theresa May is trying to lose the up-coming election?

  7. marty mars 7
    31 May 2017 at 9:33 am

    Good start – te waikoropupu will be protected we wont stop until it is and tangata whenua and everyone will work together to do it.

    https://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/nelson-iwis-fight-protect-te-waikoropupu-springs

  8. Muttonbird 8
    31 May 2017 at 9:36 am

    “Look at what we’ve delivered from Opposition with the warm up our homes scheme – which unfortunately National has now abandoned, but also national cycleways. We’ve managed to achieve a lot from Opposition, and now we’re ready to be in government – and it is with Labour.”

    The Warm Up New Zealand scheme provides grants for home insulation and is due to come to an end in June 2018. The scheme has subsidised insulation for up to 300,000 homes so far.

    Research institute Motu Economics says the Warm Up NZ Programme has a 6:1 benefit-to-cost ratio.

    Philippa Lynne Howden-Chapman, Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago, told Newshub keeping houses warm and dry is the foundation of ‘social investment’.

    “It’s clearly cost-effective. It’s inexplicable that the Government has turned their backs on the insulation policy,” Ms Howden-Chapman said.

    I wonder where Bill English stands on this, the withdrawl of a key component of ‘social investment’? Too busy on social media to keep an eye on Joyce?

    http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/05/new-green-candidates-not-keen-on-national-coalition.html

    Worth looking at the body language throughout that clip of Paul Henry wannabe, Mark Richardson.

    • Draco T Bastard 8.1
      31 May 2017 at 12:16 pm

      Increasing insulation on homes will decrease power usage and thus decrease profits for the new shareholders that National created by selling our assets against our will.

      Or the other option is that the power companies, determined to maintain profit levels with decreasing power usage, boost prices.

      The first one can be hidden whereas the second will be come back on National for selling the power companies.

  9. Muttonbird 9
    31 May 2017 at 9:49 am

    More evidence the Maori Party, like their bedfellows the National Party, are for the elite and no-one else.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/331967/govt-hiring-before-maori-land-bill-passes-arrogant

    • marty mars 9.1
      31 May 2017 at 11:11 am

      I can’t see where it shows that. It does show imo an arrogant little man ramming stuff through without suffient process or accord or even assessment of success. Dirty bullshit by that little man.

  10. weka 10
    31 May 2017 at 11:03 am

    This should be interesting, from The Times,

    Sam Coates Times‏ Verified account @SamCoatesTimes

    Tonight: we reveal YouGov’s first seat by seat projection of the campaign – suggests Tories fall 16 seats short of overall majority
    .

    Nick Faith‏ @nickfaith82 1h
    Would love to see a seat by seat break down showing how they got to this.
    .

    Sam Coates Times‏Verified account @SamCoatesTimes
    Replying to @nickfaith82

    Tomorrow on YouGov website

  11. greywarshark 11
    31 May 2017 at 12:35 pm

    It will be noticed I think that an earlier comment I made was in response to one of Wayne’s which lauded 10% per capita increase in health spending over 9 years. I said that was only 1.1% p.a. which would be less than CPI, so therefore it would still be a drop.

    Now we all don’t understand economics perfectly, and as he said it was 10% in real terms, he meant that was allowing for inflation, so providing 1.1% rise in each year.
    If you thought that meant all was right because I was wrong in not allowing for the calculations showing a rise in real terms, then you are a shallow thinker.

    Because there is an error in understanding of the figures, it does not mean that there is assuredly an error in the commenter’s opinion and conclusions Because 1.1 rise a year per capita from a low base, does not sound sufficient to cope with our growing diseases from overseas, and our growing incapacitation for long periods as we are forced to grind out our lives to the last sigh.

    So you have to read things carefully to form your own opinions. I would direct you to the discussion on the terms of banking by Dr Don Brash, ex-governor of the Reserve Bank. Who has stated certain understandings which are not agreed by the Bank of England, and Bryan Gould who knows a few things, one of which is that Dr Brash has been proceeding on a faulty presumption.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11845670
    If this is “nonsense”, the “peddlers” include some very distinguished economists. My legal training has taught me the value of being able to turn to reliable authority to support what I say.
    In my original piece, I referred to a Bank of England research paper, published in the bank’s first Quarterly Bulletin 2014, which describes in detail the process by which banks create money.

    And quite a few thinkers of repute have been stating that our whole economic system is run on twisted lines. They say economists have proposed procedures from theories they have formulated, and when they don’t work because people haven’t followed the expected lines of approach, they arrange to change the laws and utilised PR to change people’s behaviour so they match the theories which then shown to be right.

    • weka 12.1
      31 May 2017 at 1:45 pm

      that is very cool.

      I’m glad that we can start to take tsunamis more seriously and I suspect once people (public, journos) start trawling through and seeing the stark reality of quake and tsunami, we might get better prepared.

  13. Tautoko Mangō Mata 13
    31 May 2017 at 1:42 pm

    I see Rex Tillerson (ex Exxon and now US Secretary of State is coming to NZ next week where he will meet Bill English and Gerry Brownlee.

    Tillerson will head to Wellington where Brownlee said a meeting would be held to discuss “some of the world’s most pressing issues and to further promote our economic ties”.

    Climate Change and World are surely the most pressing issues at this point in time.

    I would like Gerry Brownlee to tell Rex Tillerson that NZ does not want to have any close ties with the USA until:

    1. The USA honours its commitment on Climate Change
    2. It cancels its arms deal to Saudi Arabia and takes responsibility for its own part in fuelling terrorism in the world.

    Here is a useful video about the Saudi Arms deal,

  14. JC 14
    31 May 2017 at 2:55 pm

    “Eighty percent of the country’s native bird species are in bad shape, with some on the brink of extinction, and the environment watchdog is recommending genetic engineering and tourist taxes to tackle the problem.

    Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright has released the report Taonga of an island nation: Saving New Zealand’s birds, which provides seven recommendations to government”.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/332000/four-out-of-five-nz-bird-species-in-trouble

  15. BM 15
    31 May 2017 at 8:03 pm

    When are you moving to your cave Bill?

    [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]

    • Bill 15.1
      31 May 2017 at 8:11 pm

      When are you thinking of acknowledging reality or engaging your brain BM?

      • BM 15.1.1
        31 May 2017 at 8:17 pm

        What is reality Bill? seriously, man, no one can predict shit, we may all die in some climate-induced apocalypse or we may not for a myriad of unknown reasons.

        This reading chicken guts, tea leaves predictions is a complete waste of time, the future is unwritten, it can be anything, live in the present don’t get hung up on the future.

        [did you edit out my moderation note when you edited your comment? Interesting, never had that before, please don’t do that again. Let me repeat then, Stop Trolling. Good to see you trying to make an actual point in the edit, maybe just start with that next time so I don’t end up wasting my time. – weka]

        • BM 15.1.1.1
          31 May 2017 at 8:57 pm

          Sorry about that Blog Mum, I had no idea what’s going on behind the scenes anything that happened was completely unintentional.

    • fender 15.2
      31 May 2017 at 8:17 pm

      When Dracos’ mum finally kicks them out of her basement 😉

    • Bill 15.3
      31 May 2017 at 8:37 pm

      G’night 😉

  16. Ric 16
    31 May 2017 at 8:58 pm

    There’s an interesting article about “What Budget 2017 spending promises look like when adjusted for inflation and population growth” at

    http://www.interest.co.nz/news/87936/what-budget-2017-spending-promises-look-when-adjusted-inflation-and-population-growth

    They conclude that the budget will reduce health spending over 5 years by 7.5% and this with an increasing number of elderly people and DHBs struggling to meet their budgets.

    Hence I find Wayne’s comment at 6.49am that “The Budget had over $800 million extra for health in the coming year, an increase of 5.5%.” misleading at best.

    I’d much rather have a well funded health system than a tax cut. I just can’t imagine what it’s like having to wait several hours at emergency with a sick child especially if you live in a car.

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  • Australia to Pacific: “Fuck you, you can all drown”
    World leaders are meeting in New York in two weeks for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, where they are expected to announce new and more ambitious targets to stop the world from burning. But the Australian Prime Minister won't be there, despite being in the USA at the time:Scott Morrison ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Implausible ignorance
    Labour Party president Nigel Haworth resigned yesterday over the party's sexual assault scandal. But while that's good news, its unlikely to take away the stench of a coverup. Because according to Paula Bennett in Parliament yesterday, pretty much everyone in the Prime Minister's office was involved as well:I have been ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Labour’s Fatal Flaw.
     Two-Faced? Labour insiders' commitment to the neoliberal status quo puts them at odds with their party’s membership; its trade union affiliates; and a majority of Labour voters, but this only serves to strengthen the perception they have of themselves as a special elite. Among the lesser breeds, they’ll talk up a ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Ten reasons the Tories do NOT want an election
    There has been a lot of talk about Boris Johnson wanting an election, and he has blustered with great gusto about 'chicken' Jeremy Corbyn refusing one, but I think there are many reasons why he is secretly glad he has been refused the opportunity:The Tories are an utter rabble,tearing themselves ...
    Left hand palmBy lurgee
    7 days ago

  • Prorogation Illegal, rule Scottish judges
    Scottish appeal court judges have declared that Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament in the run-up to the October Brexit deadline is unlawful. The three judges, chaired by Lord Carloway, Scotland’s most senior judge, overturned an earlier ruling that the courts did not have the powers to interfere in the prime ...
    Left hand palmBy lurgee
    7 days ago

  • Let me explain what I meant by Everyday New Zealanders
    By Simon Bridges. The following is a press release from the office of Simon Bridges, leader of The National Party. Key ora, New Zealand. Happy Maori Language Week. Look, I’m writing to you today because I want to clear something up. There’s been a lot of kerfuffle around some things ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    7 days ago

  • Yes, the SIS is subject to the Public Records Act
    I understand there's some stuff going round about how the SIS "was removed from the list of public offices covered by the Public Records Act in 2017". The context of course being their records derived from US torture, which will be disposed of or sealed. The good news is that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • An evidence-based discussion of the Canadian fluoride/IQ study
    Dr. Christopher Labos and Jonathan Jarry discuss the recent Canadian fluoride/IQ research. They provide an expert analysis of the paper and its problems. Click on image to go to podcast. The critical debate about the recent ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    7 days ago

  • Climate Change: Australia in denial
    Australia is burning down again, and meanwhile its natural disaster minister is denying climate change:Australia’s minister responsible for drought and natural disasters, David Littleproud, has said that he doesn’t “know if climate change is manmade”. Clarifying earlier comments that the question is “irrelevant” when considering the Coalition government’s response to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Philippines activist speaking on the Duterte tyranny
    Auckland Philippines Solidarity is excited to host Professor Judy Taguiwalo for a speaking tour of NZ in September. She is a well-known activist in the Philippines and was a political prisoner under the Marcos dictatorship. Professor Taguiwalo briefly served as a Cabinet member under President Duterte but was forced from ...
    RedlineBy Daphna
    7 days ago

  • Disgust
    I have no special insights to offer on the Labour sexual assault coverup. All I have is disgust. Disgust that an organisation could fail its people so badly. Disgust that they punished the victims rather than the perpetrator. Disgust that its party hacks are apparently blaming the victims for demanding ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Speak Up for Women calls out Greens’ censorship
    This open letter to the Green Party was penned after an opinion piece by Jill Abigail, a feminist and founding member of the party, was censored by the Greens’ leadership. (Redline has reprinted her article here).The intolerance of the Green Party leaders and their acceptance of the misogyny of gender ...
    RedlineBy Daphna
    7 days ago

  • Member’s Day: End of Life Choice, part 3
    Today is a Member's day, and David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill continues its slow crawl through its committee stage. They're spending the whole day on it today, though the first hour is likely to be spent on voting left over from last time. After that they'll move on ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Flight to Los Angeles turned back after passengers decide they don’t want to go anymore
    An ambitious plan to fly to Los Angeles petered out into a brief sight-seeing trip and a desire to return home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. Air New Zealand has confirmed a flight to Los Angeles last night was turned back about a quarter of the way into ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    1 week ago

  • Indigenous Futures: defuturing and futuring – an analytical framework for policy development?
    There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...
    EllipsisterBy Ellipsister
    1 week ago

  • Cadbury rumoured to be releasing the Pineapple Trump
    Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    1 week ago

  • The coming resource war.
    During my time in the Pentagon I had the privilege of sitting down with military leaders and defence and security officials from a variety of Latin American nations. Sometimes I was present as a subordinate assistant to a senior US defence department official, sometimes as part of a delegation that ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 week ago

  • Māori Language Week with The Civilian
    Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    1 week ago

  • Will Horizons act on climate change?
    Local body elections are coming up next month. And it looks like all Palmerston North candidates for Horizons (the Manawatu-Whanganui Regional Council) want to take action on climate change:Climate change is set to be a key issue in Palmerston North for the next three years if those wanting to get ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • BORA reform is stalled
    Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. So how's that going? I was curious, so I asked for all advice about the proposal. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Corbyn and Brexit
    As the Brexit saga staggers on, the focus is naturally enough on the Prime Minister and his attempts to achieve Brexit “do or die”. But the role played by the Leader of the Opposition is of almost equal interest and complexity. The first problem for Jeremy Corbyn is that he ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    1 week ago

  • A ditch for him to die in
    Last week, English Prime Minister Boris Johnson boldly declared that he would rather die be dead in a ditch than delay Brexit. Unfortunately for him, the UK parliament accepted the challenge, and promptly dug one for him. The "rebellion bill" requires him to ask for and secure yet another temporary ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Warning! Warning! Danger Jacinda Ardern! Danger Marama Davidson! Warning!
    Lost In Political Space: The most important takeaway from this latest Labour sexual assault scandal, which (if I may paraphrase Nixon’s White House counsel’s, John Dean’s, infamous description of Watergate) is “growing like a cancer” on the premiership, is the Labour Party organisation’s extraordinary professional paralysis in the face of ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • Union solidarity with Ihumatao land occupation
    by Daphna Whitmore Every Sunday for the past two months unionists from First Union, with supporters from other unions, have set out to the Ihumatao land protest, put up gazebos and gas barbeques, and cooked food for a few hundred locals and supporters who have come from across the country. ...
    RedlineBy Daphna
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: The wrong kind of trees?
    Newsroom today has an excellent, in-depth article on pine trees as carbon sinks. The TL;DR is that pine is really good at soaking up carbon, but people prefer far-less efficient native forests instead. Which is understandable, but there's two problems: firstly, we've pissed about so long on this problem that ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • No freedom of speech in Turkey
    Canan Kaftancioglu is a Turkish politician and member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Like most modern politicians, she tweets, and uses the platform to criticise the Turkish government. She has criticised them over the death of a 14-year-old boy who was hit by a tear gas grenade during ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Speaker: Tadhg Stopford: Why I’m standing for the ADHB
    Hi there, just call me Tim.We face tough problems, and I’d like to help, because there are solutions.An Auckand District Health Board member has nominated me for as a candidate for the ADHB, because her MS-related pain and fatigue is reduced with hemp products from Rotorua.  Nothing else helped her. If I ...
    Public Address
    1 week ago

  • Good little vassals
    The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security has published their report on whether the SIS and GCSB had any complicity in American torture. And its damning. The pull quote is this:The Inquiry found both agencies, but to a much greater degree, the NZSIS, received many intelligence reports obtained from detainees who, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Who Shall We Turn To When God, And Uncle Sam, Cease To Defend New Zealand?
    Bewhiskered Cassandra? Professor Hugh White’s chilling suggestion, advanced to select collections of academic, military and diplomatic Kiwi experts over the course of the past week, is that the assumptions upon which Australia and New Zealand have built their foreign affairs and defence policies for practically their entire histories – are ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • The Politics of Opposition
    For most of the time I was a British MP, my party was out of government – these were the Thatcher years, when it was hard for anyone else to get a look-in. As a front-bencher and shadow minister, I became familiar with the strategies required in a parliamentary democracy ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    1 week ago

  • More expert comments on the Canadian fluoride-IQ paper
    The Green et al (2019) fluoride/IQ is certainly controversial – as would be expected from its subject (see If at first you don’t succeed . . . statistical manipulation might help and Politics of science – making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear). Anti-fluoride campaigners have been actively promoting it ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 week ago

  • The return to guerrilla war in Colombia
    by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On August 29th a video in which veteran FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) commander Iván Márquez announced that they had taken up arms again was released. There was no delay in the reaction to it, from longtime Liberal Party figure and former president Uribe, for ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    1 week ago

  • Air New Zealand identifies this enormous plot of unused land as possible second airport site
    Air New Zealand couldn’t believe its luck that this seemingly ideal piece of real estate had so far gone entirely unnoticed. Air New Zealand’s search for a site to build a second Auckland Airport may have made a breakthrough this afternoon, after employees scanning Google satellite imagery spotted a huge, ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    2 weeks ago

  • Redline on the Labour Party
    No-one on the anti-capitalist left in this country today puts forward a case that Labour is on the side of the working class.  There are certainly people who call themselves ‘socialist’ who do, but they are essentially liberals with vested interests in Labourism – often for career reasons. Nevertheless, there ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    2 weeks ago

  • New Fisk
    Lebanon’s crisis is almost unstoppable. Drone warfare is on the horizon ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

  • Labour’s failure
    When National was in government and fucking over the poor for the benefit of the rich, foodbanks were a growth industry. And now Labour is in charge, nothing has changed: A huge demand for emergency food parcels means the Auckland City Mission is struggling to prepare for the impending arrival ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

  • Ardern attempts to vaccinate Clarke Gayford live on television to prove that it’s safe
    Gayford, pictured here on The Project, before things got wildly out of control. A bold public relations move by the Government to encourage parents to vaccinate their children has gone horribly wrong. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared on tonight’s episode of Three’s The Project, where the plan was for her ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    2 weeks ago

  • Has Mr. Whippy gone too far by parking on our front lawns?
    Mr. Whippy’s business model has driven it down a dark road of intimidation. Residents in major centres around the country are becoming disgruntled by the increasingly aggressive actions of purported ice cream company Mr. Whippy, who have taken to parking on people’s front lawns and doorsteps in a desperate attempt ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    2 weeks ago

  • Cleaning up the water
    Today the government released its Action Plan for Healthy Waterways, aimed at cleaning up our lakes and rivers. Its actually quite good. There will be protection for wetlands, better standards for swimming spots, a requirement for continuous improvement, and better standards for wastewater and stormwater. But most importantly, there's a ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

  • Fronting up
    Today I appeared before the Environment Committee to give an oral submission on the Zero Carbon Bill. Over 1,500 people have asked to appear in person, so they've divided into subcommittees and are off touring the country, giving people a five minute slot each. The other submitters were a mixed ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

  • Politics of science – making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear
    Anti-fluoride activists have some wealthy backers – they are erecting billboards misrepresenting the Canadian study on many New Zealand cities – and local authorities are ordering their removal because of their scaremongering. Many New Zealanders ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    2 weeks ago

  • Democracy – I Don’t Think So
    So, those who “know best” have again done their worst. While constantly claiming to be the guardians of democracy and the constitution, and respecters of the 2016 referendum result, diehard Remainers (who have never brought themselves to believe that their advice could have been rejected) have striven might and main ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    2 weeks ago

  • Government says it will now build just one really nice home
    Following publication of this article, the Ministry has requested it to be noted that this supplied image is not necessarily representative of what the final house will look like, and it “probably won’t be that nice.” As part of today’s long-anticipated reset of the Government’s flagship KiwiBuild policy, Housing Minister ...
    The CivilianBy admin
    2 weeks ago

  • Imperialism and your cup of coffee
    Over the next week or two we will be running three synopses of parts of the opening chapter of John Smith’s Imperialism in the 21st Century (New York, Monthly Review Press, 2016).  The synopsis and commentary below is written by Phil Duncan. Marx began Capital not with a sweeping historical ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    2 weeks ago

  • Still juking the stats
    The State Services Commission and Ombudsman have released another batch of OIA statistics, covering the last six months. Request volumes are up, and the core public service is generally handling them within the legal timeframe, though this may be because they've learned to extend rather than just ignore things. And ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

  • Hard News: Time for a New Deal: 25 years on
    In 1994, I was editing an ambitious street mag called Planet, from a fabled office at at 309 Karangahape Road. The thirteenth issue of the magazine was published in the winter of that year and its cover embodied a particularly ambitious goal: the end of cannabis prohibition.I wanted to do ...
    Public Address
    2 weeks ago

  • Not impressed
    KiwiBuild was one of the Ardern government's core policies. The government would end the housing crisis and make housing affordable again by building 100,000 new homes. Of course, it didn't work out like that: targets weren't met, the houses they did build were in the wrong place, and the whole ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

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