‘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.”’
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.”‘
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.)
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……’
The Budget had over $800 million extra for health in the coming year, an increase of 5.5%. In the last nine years health expenditure has increased in real terms by 10% per capita. That is the reason why the news is not pack filled with terrible stories on health, and why Labors health spokespeople make very little headway. In fact I can’t even recall who the new Labour spokesperson is.
It is very different to the 1990’s when Annette King was completely dominant as opposition spokesperson. She owned the territory. And it clearly signalled a change of government.
A smart guy, but a bit invisible. I should know who is Labour’s health person, but even after thinking about I didn’t. I know Dr Clark has a reputation as a thinker, but he is quiet. In key roles opposition people need to do what it takes so we know who they are. Ardern, Twyford and Davis, have all done that.
Wayne
It’s strange how Ed’s subject, the health budget needing more money, morphs away as you seem to answer it, into an opinion as to whether the Labour Healthperson has enough visibility.
And come on. Waving health statistics with percentages at us just doesn’t wash. (Health warning, after handling any statistics from National wash and dry your hands thoroughly.)
In the last nine years health expenditure has increased in real terms by 10% per capita.
This means that the amount allocated to each person in NZ has gone up during the last nine years, at about 1.1% a year, which may or may not be the equivalent of counted inflation or CPI each year. This means that if CPI
exceeds 1.1% a year, then there is no rise to match the fall in spending value of the NZ$.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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”.
It’s possible. They probably realise how much they’ve screwed up and getting out now would allow them to blame the next government when it all goes in the crapper.
“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?
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.
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.
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
Tonight: we reveal YouGov's first seat by seat projection of the campaign – suggests Tories fall 16 seats short of overall majority pic.twitter.com/8ouPRHTZ7m
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.
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.
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.
“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”.
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]
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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On 1 August, we marked the anniversary of Jacinda Ardern becoming the Leader of the Labour Party. On that day in 2017, Leader Andrew Little nominated Jacinda Ardern to succeed him and lead the party to victory.Now, three years on, we look back at some of the key moments ...
With the June 2020 quarter showing underemployment increasing, the Green Party is calling for a Guaranteed Minimum Income and an increase to the abatement threshold to ensure everyone has a dignified income. ...
We went hard and we went early in our health response to COVID-19, and we did everything we could to cushion the economic impact too. In fact, we can fill every letter of the alphabet with the steps we took to fight COVID-19 and ensure we were in a position ...
Investing in our people, backing businesses, and upgrading infrastructure and housing throughout the country - it's been another week of progress for New Zealanders as we deliver our plan to recover and rebuild. ...
July was another busy month, packed with key investments aimed at progressing our economic recovery as we rebuild New Zealand. We extended support for businesses, helped create jobs through local infrastructure projects, and kept working to clean up our waterways so Kiwis can access safe clean water. Check out the ...
The Green Party is calling for the Defence Force Chiefs in place between 2010-2017 to front up and explain how dishonesty, process and policy failures within the Defence Force led to ‘a series of incorrect statements in briefings to ministers and public releases’ regarding alleged breaches of international torture prevention ...
Thanks to our strong health response, New Zealand’s economy is more open than many other countries. But as COVID continues to surge around the world, the economic consequences of the virus will continue to be a challenge, which is why we have a detailed plan to help New Zealand bounce ...
Thanks to our strong health response, New Zealand’s economy is more open than many other countries. But as COVID continues to surge around the world, the economic consequences of the virus will continue to be a challenge, which is why we have a detailed plan to help New Zealand bounce ...
The Government is stepping up action to deal with environmentally harmful products – including plastic packaging, tyres and e-waste – before they become waste. ...
The Green Party are ensuring that New Zealanders who were overseas when COVID-19 hit will not be charged for the cost of isolation or quarantine if they return home to live. ...
It's been another week of creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and investing in infrastructure up and down the country - all of which are helping to keep our economy moving post-COVID-19. ...
Law changes to end tenure review and provide for better management of Crown pastoral lands in the South Island high country were considered by Parliament today with the first reading of the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill says Minister for Land Information, Eugenie Sage. ...
The Green Party have secured legislative amendments in a bill expected to pass third reading this week, to ensure better rules for school teachers and staff, so they can de-escalate children with diverse needs and cognitive differences, such as autism, rather than using unnecessary and often traumatising force. ...
New Zealand needs to be more aggressive in pursuing economic opportunities and resist the short-term thinking affecting some of its major industry, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says.Mr Peters told Wellington Chamber of Commerce members this morning that the planned closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter will have ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has ridiculed the National Party "circus", with the politician saying it was in "chaos" after the resignation of another MP.Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon announced on Monday he would retire from politics after he allegedly sent inappropriate pornographic images to a young woman. Following a ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters today outlined what he saw as the requirements to re-open New Zealand's borders for tourists and travellers. If New Zealand was dealing solely with an Australian state such as Tasmania, we wouldn't need a vaccine, said Mr Peters, but these moves were complicated by the ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters appears to have prompted last-minute alterations to proposed legislation for commercial landlords and their tenants. Mr Peters told reporters on Wednesday said that he was making sure the proposed bill was in step with what the parties had actually agreed to. He said he ...
Associate Minister for State Owned Enterprise and New Zealand First List MP Shane Jones attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new NZ Post "super depot" in Wellington. The state-owned postal service, which got $280 million from the Coalition Government last month, is expanding its operations to handle surging parcel volumes. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First CHECK AGAINST DELIVERYIntroduction Good afternoon. Welcome to you all here today and party supporters watching from around the country. We appreciate your hard work keeping New Zealand First strong; thank you for keeping the faith. Sixty-three days out from Election Day, ...
The diversity of conservation boards around Aotearoa is increasing with 47 appointments to 14 of the 15 conservation boards across New Zealand announced today by the Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage. ...
The Green Party is honoured to be remembering former co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today at a public memorial service in the heart of Wellington at the Cathedral of St. Paul’s. Following her passing in March, this celebration of her life brings together her friends, family and colleagues to honour her life ...
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has announced a $2.5 million boost for South Westland to help a regional alliance of local businesses and government agencies provide nature based jobs. ...
The Government has re-affirmed its commitment to supporting the hosting of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, which the ICC has delayed from 2021 to 2022. “This is obviously a disappointing decision for cricket players and fans around the world and for the White Ferns and their supporters here at ...
Cyclists and walkers will now have a safer way to get around Taupō, Tūrangi, and between Hamilton and Cambridge, with funding for shared paths and Te Awa River Ride, Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter announced today. “The Te Awa River Ride is the latest part of massive growth ...
Six major cycle routes will be completed in Christchurch thanks to funding from the Government’s investment in shovel-ready infrastructure as part of the COVID-19 recovery Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter announced today. $125 million will be invested to kick-start construction and fund the completion of the following cycleway ...
Plans are underway for a brand new state-of-the-art hub for Whanganui’s justice and social agencies, following confirmation the ageing Whanganui Central Police Station is to be replaced. Police Minister Stuart Nash has announced $25 million in new infrastructure spending to improve facilities for the wider community, and for staff who ...
An adjustment payment has been made to Waikato-Tainui and Ngāi Tahu under the relativity mechanisms in their 1995 and 1997 Treaty of Waitangi settlements, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little announced today. The latest payments to Waikato-Tainui and Ngāi Tahu are $2,700,000 and $2,600,000 respectively to ensure the ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Transport Minister Phil Twyford today kicked off the start of the Auckland NZ Upgrade Programme rail projects which will support over 400 jobs and help unlock our biggest city. Both ministers marked the start of enabling works on the third main rail line project ...
The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment of $3.78 million in Wairoa will create much needed economic stimulus and jobs, Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. PGF projects announced today include: $200,000 loan to Nuhaka Kiwifruit Holdings Ltd (operated by Pine Valley Orchard Ltd) to increase the productivity ...
Tenants in public and Māori housing may be benefiting from their own affordable renewable energy in future – a fund to trial renewable energy technology for public and Māori housing has today been announced by Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods and Associate Minister for Housing (Māori Housing) Nanaia Mahuta. ...
Hokianga will receive $2.7 million to redevelop four of its wharves and upgrade its water supply, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Far North District Council will receive $1.8 million from the Provincial Growth Fund for the work on the wharves. “The work will include the construction of ...
A $350 million Residential Development Response Fund is being established to support the residential construction sector and to minimise the economic impact from COVID-19, the Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods has announced. “The Residential Development Response Fund will help to progress stalled or at-risk developments that support our broader housing ...
As part of a broader plan to divert waste from landfill, the Government today announced $10.67 million for new infrastructure as part of the Resource Recovery Network across the Auckland region. “This key investment in Auckland’s community recycling network is part of the Government’s Infrastructure Reference Group ‘shovel ready’ projects ...
The Government is investing $45 million in the first stage of an ambitious urban development project for Tauranga that will employ up to 250 people and help the region grow, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Phil Twyford says the funding has been allocated out of the $3 billion ...
Getting low-emission trucks on the road is a step closer with investment in infrastructure to support hydrogen vehicles, the Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods has announced. The Infrastructure Reference Group has provisionally approved $20 million for New Plymouth company Hiringa Energy to establish a nationwide network of hydrogen-fuelling stations. ...
A new trades training centre to upskill the local workforce will be built in the South Waikato town of Tokoroa through funding from the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, Education Minister Chris Hipkins and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones have announced. The Government will contribute $10.84 million from ...
The Government has agreed to repeal part of the Oranga Tamariki Act subsequent children provisions, Minister for Children Tracey Martin announced today. “There are times when children need to go into care for their safety – the safety and care of children must always be paramount,” Minister Martin said. “But ...
A $1.5 million boost to grow primary mental health and addiction services for Pacific peoples in Auckland, Hamilton and Canterbury will lead to better outcomes for Pacific communities, Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa says. Pasifika Futures has received funding to expand services through The Fono, Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest by ...
Twenty-two projects to boost the sustainability and climate resilience of New Zealand’s food and fibres sector have been announced today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. The $18m funding will deliver practical knowledge to help farmers and growers use their land more sustainably, meet environmental targets, remain prosperous, and better understand ...
Employment Minister Willie Jackson welcomes an initiative that assists employers to get mature workers into New Zealand small businesses. The disadvantages that older people face in the workplace was highlighted in the whole of Government Employment Strategy. In order to address this, a Mature Workers Toolkit has been developed and ...
New Zealand and Australia reaffirmed today the need for the closest possible collaboration as they tackle a global environment shaped by COVID-19, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said. “In these challenging times, our close collaboration with Australia is more vital than ever,” said Mr Peters. Mr Peters and his Australian ...
The recovery and forensic examination of the loader driven by survivor Russell Smith means the underground team are now moving into an area of the Pike River Mine that has not been seen since the explosion, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little said. “The fifth and last robot ...
The Government has confirmed a community-wide trial of CovidCard technology as it explores options for COVID-19 contact tracing. “Effective contact tracing is a vital part of the COVID-19 response,” Minister of Health Chris Hipkins said. “While manual processes remain the critical component for contact tracing, we know digital solutions can ...
The government is proposing changes to aquaculture legislation to improve the process for allocating and transferring aquaculture assets to iwi. Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has introduced the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Amendment Bill to Parliament. It proposes a limited new discretionary power for Te Ohu Kaimoana Trustee Limited (ToKM). ...
The Minister of Justice has today introduced the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill – the next step in the ongoing programme of work to fix the failed 2014 Family Court reforms led by then Justice Minister Judith Collins. The Bill arises from the report of the Independent ...
A new Department of Conservation (DOC) action plan tackles the impacts of climate change on New Zealand’s biodiversity and DOC managed infrastructure including tracks, huts and cultural heritage. Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage says extreme weather events around the country have really brought home our vulnerability to changing weather patterns. ...
A heavily scaled back international Antarctic season will commence this week, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods have confirmed. “Antarctica is the only continent that is COVID-19 free,” Mr Peters said. “Throughout the global pandemic, essential operations and long-term science have continued at ...
The Government is providing up to $30 million to help fund the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt - an investment that will create 244 jobs. “The sports hub is designed to be a world-leading shared service for a range of sports, offering the level of facilities ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford announced today transport projects currently in construction will continue at pace due to extra Government support for transport projects to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. To keep the $16.9 billion 2018-21 National Land Transport Programme going the Government has allocated funding from the COVID Response and ...
$50 million for further rural broadband digital connectivity has been allocated from the $3 billion infrastructure fund in the COVID Response and Recovery Fund has been announced by Shane Jones, Minister for Infrastructure and Kris Faafoi, Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media. The investment will go to boosting broadband ...
The Minister for Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media has congratulated the Ultra-fast Broadband (UFB) programme on its major milestone of connecting more than 1 million New Zealand households and businesses to UFB. “This milestone has been 10 years in the making and demonstrates the popularity of the UFB network. “Uptake ...
Landmark legislation passed today puts New Zealand on track to saving thousands of lives and having a smokefree generation sooner rather than later, Associate Health Minister, Jenny Salesa says. The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill regulates vaping products and heated tobacco devices. “There has long been concern ...
A discriminatory law that has been a symbol of frustration for many people needing and providing care and support, has been scrapped by the Government. “Part 4A of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill (No 2) was introduced under urgency in 2013 by a National Government,” Associate ...
Kiwi motorists are set to reap the benefits of a more competitive fuel market following the passing of the Fuel Industry Bill tonight, Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods says. “This Act is where the rubber meets the road in terms of our response to the recommendations made in the ...
The Government has delivered on its promise to New Zealanders to modernise tenancy laws with the passing of the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill 2020 today, says Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing), Kris Faafoi. “The Residential Tenancies Act 1986 was out-dated and the reforms in the RTA modernise our ...
New rules to protect and restore New Zealand’s freshwater passed into law today. Environment Minister David Parker and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor welcomed the gazetting of the new national direction on freshwater management. “These regulations deliver on the Government’s commitment to stop further degradation, show material improvements within five years and ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointment of Jeremy Clarke-Watson as New Zealand’s new Consul-General in Los Angeles. “New Zealand and the United States share a close and dynamic partnership, based on a long history of shared values and democratic traditions,” Mr Peters said. “Mr Clarke-Watson is a ...
Victims of family violence can end a tenancy with two days’ notice Landlords can terminate tenancies with 14 days’ notice if tenants assault them Timeframe brought forward for limiting rent increases to once every 12 months Extension of time Tenancy Tribunal can hear cases via phone/video conference Reform of New ...
Two employment schemes – one new and one expanded – going live today will help tens of thousands of people continue training on the job and support thousands more into work, the Government has announced. Apprenticeship Boost, a subsidy of up to $12,000 per annum for first year apprentices and ...
The Government is funding a significant infrastructure package at Omokoroa which will create 150 new jobs and help transform the Western Bay of Plenty peninsula, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today. Phil Twyford says the Government is investing $14 million towards the $28 million roading and water package. This ...
The Bill allowing the Government to recover some costs for managed isolation and quarantine passed its third reading today, with charges coming into force as soon as regulations are finalised. Putting regulations into force is the next step. “The COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill and its supporting regulations will ...
Today’s unemployment data shows the Government’s plan to protect jobs and cushion the blow for businesses and households against the economic impact of COVID-19 was the right decision, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. Stats NZ said today that New Zealand’s unemployment rate in the June quarter – which includes the ...
REVIEW: JACINDAMANIA: THE SEQUELWritten, directed and starring: Jacinda ArdernGenre: Political love story Classification: General ReleaseRunning Time: Six weeksShowing: NationwideRating: * * * * starsReviewer: Tim Murphy We've waited three years but the sequel to the 2017 blockbuster Jacindamania has finally arrived, debuting Saturday at the ...
Judith Collins is still shy of a month into the job but in her media blitz she and her arched eyebrows are everywhere, along with the party slogan "Strong team, More Jobs, Better Economy". ...
New Zealand First is pleased to announce the next tranche of candidates that will represent our values and spread our message across the country at this year’s election. We thank these hardworking New Zealanders for putting their hand up to take on the ...
A high-ranking Chinese candidate promoted over more than a dozen incumbent MPs is the biggest surprise in an otherwise orthodox National Party list for the 2020 election, as Sam Sachdeva reports The National Party has released its list rankings for the 2020 election, with the ascent of new candidate Nancy ...
The National Party is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy Lu to the National Party’s List for the 2020 General Election, President Peter Goodfellow says. “Nancy Lu is a Chartered Accountant with a background in accounting and business working ...
Headline: A crisis of governance. – 36th Parallel Assessments [embedded content] The Port of Beirut warehouse explosion, involving 2.7 kilotons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate negligently stored in an unsecured area, crystalizes in one national tragedy a much wider trend: the crisis and decline of democratic governance world-wide.For a ...
National’s 2020 Party List is a strong mix of experience coming up through our Caucus, and new and exciting talent joining our team from communities across New Zealand, Party President Peter Goodfellow says. “The National Party is incredibly ...
Latest from the Beehive – It looked (at first blush) like Christchurch would gobble up around half the money earmarked by the government for projects to get us on our bikes. Julie Anne Genter, Associate Minister of Transport and a Green with a fondness for two-wheeled, pedal-driven transport, today banged ...
The suggestion of putting border exemptions up for auction so large companies can bring in overseas executives and key workers is naïve and totally unfair,” says Ms June Ranson, chair of the New Zealand Association of Migration and Investment ...
Looking for a wonderfully trashy movie to watch? TVNZ OnDemand now have some of Lifetime’s best dramas for your viewing pleasure. In a world of serious and credible television, the arrival of Lifetime to TVNZ OnDemand is joyous news. Lifetime is an American cable channel that churns out emotional drama after emotional drama, ...
The introduction of a $3,100 fee for returning New Zealanders will disadvantage Māori disproportionately, Phoebe Carr (Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe)and Max Harris argue.The government has once again failed to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi by rushing through legislation to introduce exorbitant managed isolation fees for returning New Zealanders. This ...
7 August 2020: The Team of Six Million, a campaign group established to oppose the imposition of quarantine fees by the New Zealand Government, has expressed disappointment at the Government's urgent passing of the Public Health Response Amendment Bill to ...
In July support for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party was at 53.5% down 1% since June, but still more than double the support for National on 26.5%, down 0.5%, with just over a month to go before the election in mid-September. If ...
Welcome to Election Live for August 7, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other breaking news. For key dates in the election season click here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Policy launching soon. Get in touch ...
After initial concerns about low testing rates in South Auckland, Counties Manukau DHB has the second-highest testing rate in the country. Ōtara Health chief executive Sosefina Paletaoga explains her organisation’s role in achieving this. Covid-19 has affected us all in different ways, and for us in Ōtara, it has highlighted existing ...
Oranga Tamariki's Chief Executive appeared before the Waitangi Tribunal a day after a report from the Chief Ombudsman found the agency had used its draconian powers to uplift babies too readily in many cases A Waitangi Tribunal hearing has seen Oranga Tamariki chief executive Gráinne Moss concede her organisation harmed families during ...
"A resident of the boarding house disappeared the same day Mrs Bethany’s body was discovered": provincial gothic, with astrology, by Auckland writer Mandy McMullin. I moved into the tearooms the day I turned sixteen, 23 December 2006. The same day I met Garth. It was Saturday, a lucky day for ...
The resignation of Westland Milk Products chief executive Tony Brendish almost a year to the day the company was sold to Chinese conglomerate Yili makes a mockery of assurances that there was no conflict of interest in top management preparing ...
*Watch the video in the player below*The wheels of progress turn frustratingly slow in Christchurch’s Red Zone. Frank Film asks, is anything going to happen? Hayley Guglietta is honest about her group’s activities on vacant land bordering Christchurch’s Avon River. She admits the groundwork was commenced without official ...
On this week's Extra Time podcast: After significant investigations into cycling, football and hockey in New Zealand, now gymnastics is in the spotlight around their athletes' welfare. Allegations of multiple New Zealand gymnasts suffering from verbal and physical abuse, bullying and unsafe training methods have surfaced over the past week. And ...
She’s a lone wolf, a team player, a rebel, a leader and the nicest lady around. But what combination of those do you need to survive in government?On a cold July morning, I found myself driving around Totara Park in Manurewa in the dark. I had been invited to a ...
All around the country, people are asking ‘what’s going to happen in the 2020 general election campaign?’ That’s because they haven’t read this guide, which reveals exactly what will happen in the 2020 general election campaign.Someone has finally put this term of parliament out of its misery. We’ve had three ...
The UK car industry has run a good race in the post-Brexit lobbying stakes. But Britain’s chemical industry looks to be making a late run, if recent coverage in the Financial Times is accurate.The issue for the industry is the post-Brexit regulatory regime and how this is to be ...
Latest from the Beehive – We had just finished digesting an outpouring of announcements from the Beehive over the previous 24 hours or so when the Point of Order Trough Monitor shrieked an alert. A new trough had been established. While we were inspecting the contents of this new trough, ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Chart 1, Historical: Australian much lower than Spain, Belgium and Sweden. Chart by Keith Rankin. The known incidences of Covid19 in Spain, Belgium and Sweden are similar, although Sweden lagged for a while before overtaking the other two. In deaths, Sweden is slightly lower than ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The good news in the Reserve Bank’s latest quarterly set of forecasts is that the recession won’t be as steep as it thought last time. The bad news is it ...
Analysis: National entices voters with big infrastructure projects, Judith Collins rips into Jacinda Ardern and Parliament passes a bill that could affect every tenant in the country. ...
By RNZ Pacific France’s new overseas minister Sebastien Lecornu says New Caledonia’s restrictions over the covid-19 pandemic will not affect the preparations for the October referendum on independence. Lecornu gave the assessment during a visit to New Caledonia House in Paris. Paris is expected to send dozens of officials and ...
Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa descendants are overjoyed they can do up their wharenui, while also attracting their rangatahi back to their marae, with more than $1.5 million from the Provincial Growth Fund. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Meyrick, Professor of Creative Arts, Griffith University National crises, like the pandemics that can provoke them, come in stages. Each stage presents leaders with unique problems that require mental, moral and emotional agility to manage. Change is the only constant, as ...
How is New Zealand faring in during the Covid-19 pandemic? Newsroom is taking a weekly look at the latest numbers related to the virus and the impact on the economy.Excess deaths Overseas the death toll in some countries has risen sharply, with the ...
Justice campaign organisation JustSpeak has outlined a vision for a society without prisons in its 2020 election campaign ‘ Our Justice Our Future ’. The campaign was launched last night in Wellington, to a sold out audience of supporters and volunteers. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vasso Apostolopoulos, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research Partnerships, Victoria University During the COVID-19 pandemic we’re constantly being reminded to practise good hygiene by frequently washing our hands and regularly cleaning the spaces where we live and work. These practices aim to remove or kill ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Assistant Professor Caroline Fisher discuss the week in politics. This week Michelle and Caroline discuss the closure of ‘non-essential’ businesses in Melbourne under stage ...
Labour's campaign slogan "Let's Keep Moving" is hardly the most inspirational but reflects the conservative game plan - trade on the Covid response and stay on track. ...
By granting a permit to OceanaGold to mine under DOC land in the Coromandel, the government is not only threatening an endangered species, says Catherine Delahunty – it’s threatening future generations.I woke up angry. The government has given a 40-year permit to OceanaGold to mine under DOC land behind Whangamatā. ...
How come, after numerous condemnatory reports, Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss holds on to her job? Aaron Smale wonders if those harmed by her tenure aren't a big enough voting bloc So, what happens when a government department breaks the law and breaches its own policies? Nothing, apparently. The latest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia Review: The Meddler, screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival For movie scholars and enthusiasts, one of the worst things about the COVID-19 pandemic has been the shutting down of ...
The combination of solar panels, electricity storage batteries, smart household gadgets, and a boring looking black box is set to change forever how our electricity system works. But do we need subsidies? ...
The New Zealand Bar Assocation says misinformed criticism of a South Island judge’s sentencing of a sex offender has the potential for disturbing consequences for the justice system and society generally. The Bar Association’s President Kate Davenport ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Royal Commission into Aged-Care Quality and Safety delivered it’s interim report in October 2019. Titled ‘Neglect’, it provided a scathing insight into the aged care industry – finding it centred around transactions not care. ...
By Tom Peters, Socialist Equality Group More than one year after the March 15, 2019 terrorist attack, an official inquiry into the mass shooting that killed 51 people and injured 49 in two Christchurch mosques has still not released any information ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien Manuel, Director, Centre for Cyber Security Research & Innovation (CSRI), Deakin University Australia’s long-awaited cybersecurity strategy, released yesterday, pledges to spend A$1.67 billion over the next ten years to improve online protection for businesses, individuals and the country as a whole. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roxana Diamond, PhD Candidate, Flinders University This article has links that contain graphic content Many industries and employees have been hurt by COVID-19. But sex workers, who face stigma and discrimination at the best of times, have been hit particularly hard by ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby Port Moresby may need to expand its covid-19 isolation facilities quickly and effectively in case a big spike in cases occurs, a doctor says. Rita Flynn isolation facility manager Dr Gary Nou said it would be a disaster if the spread of covid-19 in ...
Paige Tapara is a fast-rising young singer-songwriter whose debut EP explores themes of sexuality, coming of age, mental health and relationships. We asked her how it came together, and why she thinks it’s so important for NZ music to include voices like hers.Paige swoops into the room, a cream doughnut in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cathy Foley, Chief Scientist, CSIRO Universities and other research organisations in Australia have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, a group led by Australia’s Chief Scientist Alan Finkel forecasted severe impacts for our research workforce. These included the loss ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Carnt, Scientia Senior Lecturer, School of Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW, Sydney, UNSW You’re rushing and accidentally drop a contact lens on the bathroom floor. Should you: a) run it under the tap and pop it in? b) spit on it ...
The Māori Party is celebrating World Indigenous Day the Māori way, surrounded by friends and whānau at a Meet-the-Candidates at the Third Place Café in Rotorua this weekend. To mark World Indigenous Day, the Māori Party wants to remind Aotearoa ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Wayland, Lecturer, University of Sydney As part of new research into missing persons in Australia, I have been asking people who return after disappearing what they needed or wanted. Mary, who has gone missing four times in the last few years, ...
Forest & Bird is calling for all political parties to back an end to mining conservation land, after a permit was issued to mine the home of a critically-endangered native animal. This week Oceana Gold was granted a 40-year mining permit from the ...
Here’s a snapshot of a single day in parliament. A day where changes were made to laws that govern everything from the milk in your refrigerator to the speed you can drive your car, and to Netflix, and war crimes, and who tests your water. It was a big day.The ...
*This article was first published on RNZ and is republished with permission* Māori leaders say they have no faith in Oranga Tamariki and the chief executive needs to go after the latest report into the organisation found it was routinely taking newborns without whānau consultation. The Chief Ombudsman's report He Take Kōhukihuki, ...
So is the government succeeding in steering the country through the Covid-19 crisis and what it calls a “one-in-100-year shock”. And just what is it costing? These are questions which will be uppermost in the minds of voters when they cast their ballots in next month’s general election. Finance Minister ...
Peddlethorp calls on other businesses that cancelled events due to Covid to donate now when need is greatest Peddlethorp Architects is calling on businesses that cancelled events due to Covid-19 to donate event catering or funding to those in need, if circumstances ...
A poem by Rhian Gallagher from her new collection Far-Flung.At the Boatshedfor Sonja MitchellWe carried the day through the door the harbour had earned its keep light laid its hands on each contourthe shed held abreast with the shore spreading the waves in pleats we carried the day through the ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alistair Sisson, Postdoctoral Research Associate, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Social and public housing is intensely stigmatised in Australia and has been for several decades. Estates in particular are often labelled “ghettos”, framed as places of danger, drugs and vice. This stigma ...
National is promising to spend $20 million over four years on increasing testing rates and accessibility to clinical trials for gynaecological cancer if elected. ...
The National Party is criticising the government's list of "shovel-ready projects", meant to kickstart the economy, for not generating enough jobs for women. ...
Wedged between punitive commercial law and an ineffective government, a once-thriving business is dying a slow and expensive death.It was one of the most acclaimed backpackers in New Zealand.Perched at the top of the Elliot Stables building in central Auckland, it was voted by Hostelworld as the city’s most popular ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW One of the many things COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on is the way many of us work. Those fortunate enough to be able to work from home have been able to adapt to this ...
When Covid-19 forced New Zealanders to live most of their lives online it exacerbated the effects of digital exclusion. Jean Teng spoke to the organisations that kept vulnerable communities connected during the pandemic. From job hunting and banking to watching TV and scrolling through the news, there is hardly a ...
Bernard Hickey writes this election's argument over who will repay Government debt faster is a dangerous and pointless replay of a 30-year old debate rendered obsolete by today's financial facts Often the myths and legends of the past are more powerful in the minds of politicians, bureaucrats and voters than the reality. Just the fear ...
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki says the Government has utterly betrayed the public by allowing MBIE to grant a 40 year mining permit to Oceana Gold on Dept of Conservation land at Wharekirauponga near Whangamata this week. " It is appalling that this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Moffat, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow in Archaeological Science, Flinders University How did the first person evolve? Mabel, age 7, Anglesea, Victoria. Hi Mabel, what a great question! We know humans haven’t always been around. After all, we ...
Open Mike 31/05/2017 
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‘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
Thanks for putting your money where your heart is Bob.
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
“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.
Supply and Demand in full effect!
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.
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.)
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
The Budget had over $800 million extra for health in the coming year, an increase of 5.5%. In the last nine years health expenditure has increased in real terms by 10% per capita. That is the reason why the news is not pack filled with terrible stories on health, and why Labors health spokespeople make very little headway. In fact I can’t even recall who the new Labour spokesperson is.
It is very different to the 1990’s when Annette King was completely dominant as opposition spokesperson. She owned the territory. And it clearly signalled a change of government.
It’s David Clark.
A smart guy, but a bit invisible. I should know who is Labour’s health person, but even after thinking about I didn’t. I know Dr Clark has a reputation as a thinker, but he is quiet. In key roles opposition people need to do what it takes so we know who they are. Ardern, Twyford and Davis, have all done that.
Wayne
It’s strange how Ed’s subject, the health budget needing more money, morphs away as you seem to answer it, into an opinion as to whether the Labour Healthperson has enough visibility.
And come on. Waving health statistics with percentages at us just doesn’t wash. (Health warning, after handling any statistics from National wash and dry your hands thoroughly.)
In the last nine years health expenditure has increased in real terms by 10% per capita.
This means that the amount allocated to each person in NZ has gone up during the last nine years, at about 1.1% a year, which may or may not be the equivalent of counted inflation or CPI each year. This means that if CPI
exceeds 1.1% a year, then there is no rise to match the fall in spending value of the NZ$.
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.
The government does not care about the people’s health. Spin and shill for them if you want….
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
And, ffs, there are people in the Southern DHB region going blind because of waiting lists.
Doesn’t vote health cover the cost of dr visits and pharmaceuticals in Hawke’s Bay ?
Troll
Hate crime !
Ambulance at bottom of cliff thinking exemplified.
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!
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”.
Back again Paul.
Ah, a RWNJ complaining about National’s depredations on the country being brought to light.
He’s complaininf about spammy ed whose way of getting some point across is similar to pauls who was banned for a long time.
Looks like it – soaking OM again with bullshit
UK Itunes No. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQFwxw57NBI
Anyone else scratching their heads over news coming out of Britain and wondering if Theresa May is trying to lose the up-coming election?
We can only hope.
It’s possible. They probably realise how much they’ve screwed up and getting out now would allow them to blame the next government when it all goes in the crapper.
what did she do?
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
Keeping te puna tapu ra safe from the extractors is vital work – many thanks to those who are doing just that.
Please stop spamming on om.
Yep I’d expect that infantile response – what a sad loser you are – and you pretend to be so high and mighty lol you’re having a laugh…
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.
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.
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
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.
This should be interesting, from The Times,
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.
Niwa publishes paleotsunami database
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1705/S00087/new-database-sheds-light-on-prehistoric-nz-tsunamis.htm
http://ptdb.niwa.co.nz
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.
I agree after the fiasco with the kaikoura event.
indeed. That was shocking.
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,
That clip is so depressing Tautoko. What hope the World?
“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
Shocking, if we don’t get serious they will be gone soon.
Agreed Marty… I’m aware there are other pressing priorities…. among many others…
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/332003/urgent-changes-needed-in-mental-health-care
(A little unsure who the current AG is given circumstance…)
Regardless, will be interesting to see if the new Government “Watchdog”… Simon Upton, will have influence… and carry the mantle…
kia kaha
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.]
When are you thinking of acknowledging reality or engaging your brain BM?
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]
Sorry about that Blog Mum, I had no idea what’s going on behind the scenes anything that happened was completely unintentional.
Ok, no worries if you didn’t see it. Cheers.
When Dracos’ mum finally kicks them out of her basement 😉
Lol, so true.
G’night 😉
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.
Theresa Mussolini moving into panic mode…
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/30/corbyn-would-go-alone-and-naked-into-brexit-talks-says-theresa-may