they have all earlier sessions recorded and available on the page, youtube is happening as we speak,
i am downloading as i go and recording on audiotape
yeah, He is quietly sitting there with his translator, whom he hardly uses, busy explaining the framework required to build a case to take a lot of very powerful people to International Court, and then continues to lay out the best way to make it happen.
It was an incredible first day. The quality of the speakers is well balanced with the considered time they each get to present. The long Q&A sessions from the panel and the audience, including on line contributions, are already showing their worth.
Standard, please get the Weekend column up earlier, we want to discuss gardening and such like with my RWNJ annd LWNJ horticultural mates. Plus the rugger head stuff.
I want to ask that someone who has a lead into what sounds like an awesome firework display for tonight in Auckland to post it, in the Weekend fun column.
I will be playing on my cycle in the countryside from this evening and have no desire to participate in watching a minority sport developed at a public (toff’s) school, by people who couldn’t play proper football, played by colonial nations and appealing to farmers and red necks.
I will be playing on my cycle in the countryside from this evening and have no desire to participate in watching a minority sport developed at a public (toff’s) school, by people who couldn’t play proper football, played by colonial nations and appealing to farmers and red necks.
I shall be doing my level best to avoid it, but man it’s difficult! Some person has decided that Mt Albert (where I have the misfortune to live) has “adopted” the USA as “our team” and the suburb is festooned with the flag I least like to see… There are a million questions – not least, who decided that “we” care?
Our good friend Ianupnorth clambered up high on his high horse, looked down on the plebs (he sneeringly dismisses them as “red necks”) and disdainfully opined that rugby football is “played by colonial nations and appealing to farmers and red necks.”
It’s really just too silly and pathetic to merit much comment, but one thing in Ian’s Olympian dismissal of the game demands clarification: in what way is France a colonial nation?
I am interested in the treatment of “Taugate” by the left and the right.
On the left a few comments, no posts in any of the major left blogs that I know of and a couple of tweets.
On the right an attack by the slithery one on the complainant backed up by one of those echo posts by Farrar, you know the ones where Slater does the disgusting stuff and Farrar “only” reports that Slater has reported it.
Is this that different to the speeding cop car that Helen was not actually driving but which provided RWNJs with years of abuse and conspiracy theories on here?
Does the left actually weigh up the seriousness of an incident before commenting whereas the right just relish the opportunity to attack?
There’s been a mixture of attacks and support for Henare on KB.
And if you think “the left actually weigh up the seriousness of an incident before commenting” then you mustn’t actually read anything in posts or comments here, or you must suffer from severe blinkeritis..
In my own narrow experience here I’ve been attacked by numerous people sometimes based only on the presumption I must be bad because I’ve been active on “bad” blogs, or as someone admitted recently, based on attacks on me they’ve seen by people like you.
Did you weigh up anything before accusing me of working for CT or the Beehive?
Did you weigh up anything before accusing me of working for CT or the Beehive?
Have I ever done that? I thought from the start you were a fan of the coiffured one rather than a CT clone. The attacks on you are a response to the quality of your comments more than anything else.
Ehm in one of them I accused Herodotus of having the CT songbook out. I accused you of linkwhoring, not understanding the country’s financial state, taking the piss, trolling, being a waste of bandwidth, walking around with your wyes deliberately closed, and always insisting on having the last word.
In the other one I asked if you had “[b]een going to “how to muck up a thread” lessons with CT?” because you show an unusual ability to do so.
Not really. Your search is quite inefficient use – @author. It shows Mickey using it occasionally with long intervals between. Your search in it’s first page went back to mid 2010. If you looked at the squirrel in his several identities and ran queries on moderate or balance or centre you’d find he was eternally repetitive on those in the short time he has been here.
And that is back to mid 2010 on about half the total number of comments..
Basically you can get largish numbers of the same phrase for anyone who leaves large numbers of comments. If you left more then I could analyze your phrases as well. I suppose I could look at the IPs….
Essentially you’re just being a bit of irritating dickhead – roughly the intelligence level of the drunken ugly rugby louts staggering somewhere outside my house. Noisy, loud and stupid…
Snippet in Business news on RNZ this morning about building consents at their lowest since World War 2. This is doing a time of major housing crisis and a year after of major earthquakes. Of course not picked up as a story to investigate (let alone asking the minister for some accountability).
A month of BBC and Al J me thinks. NZ media now inhabits a parralell universe where nothing but a bunch of gladiators running round a paddock after a ball exists.
Yep, noticed that. In fact a closer inspection would reveal that there is less building going on than any time since the 1970s. Down 24% on last year – that is a colossal drop.
That is really something major. It tells a big story about what the people of NZ are doing at the moment.
It is also worth noting another example in tourism. On the west coast this year numbers are down well below 50% of last years. And last years were dismally down on the previous too.
It is like we have run off a cliff like a road runner cartoon and are currently suspended in mid-air in realisation of the drop about to occur …..
National are not a business party with the interests of NZ business at heart.
They are second hand salesman, they talk up and then sell cheap.
They reflect the NZ economy and culture. If you can do it now for
next to nothing then best get it done because there’s no come back,
and everyone is doing it so where would they start with anyway.
If you want a world class economy we need a world class parliament.
Limiting our nation to 100 MPs and no upper chamber, is the bottle
neck. If you want better policy you need to pay for more people to
produce better policy.
A month ago there was a little bit of media coverage concerning the wage difference between males and females in New Zealand. The impetus for that reporting was to highlight the defunct thought process of Alasdair Thompson who was dismissed from the EMA for his sexist remarks. Although slowly declining, wage inequality is still a problem that disproportionately attributes wealth based on a male dominated hierarchical system…
It may pay for Goff to refrain from commenting on what should be happenning in Christchurch until such time as he and Labour have worked out what they think should be happenning in Christchurch.
Labour has completely failed in not coming up with a Christchurch policy. Speaking about it merely highlights that lack of policy. Is this not simple politics?
I think they’re in a position where they don’t want to make any promises, especially anything that National could rake them over the coals with (which they surely would).
Pete, it’s pretty obvious that Labour will win this election on policies, not personality. So the timing of policy releases is pretty important and I would say there is very little point releasing anything till the thugby finishes, because it’ll be swamped by the RWC coverage. In short, expect a short, sharp campaign from Labour starting immediately after the final, with actual policies and plans for the future.
And, anyway, isn’t a policy free zone like United Future a strange place to be complaining from? The last 4 elections, UF’s only go has been to grovel for a job from whoever is best placed to form a Government.
Pete, it’s pretty obvious that Labour will win this election on policies, not personality.
Labour stalwarts seem to be convinced of that, but few give them a show.
UnitedFuture have openly published a wide range of policies so people have a chance to check them out in plenty of time rather than trying a risky last minute last hope onslaught.
Gee, sorry if I wasn’t clear, Pete. Despite being in various parties and Governments for what feels like forever, Dunne has failed to implement anything other than his vision of himself sitting in the back seat of a ministerial limo. Is that better?
You are dead right that UF have a website with ‘policy’ on it. So did that party you were a member of a month ago, as I recall. It’s the ability to translate that policy into action that counts and Dunne has failed miserably to achieve anything other than personal enrichment and regular hair, scalp and ego massaging.
Also on the United Future website is the Successes section. The only “success” (sic) listed over the last three years appears to be signing a confidence and supply agreement with National. Whoopee!
So, TVOR, if Labour lose the election, it will be because the Nats personality won, not a rejection of Labours policies? And as soon as the public stops falling for ther JK smile and wave act all will be right (well, left) because the current polling has absolutly nothing to do with Labours policies and all with JK!?!?!?!?
Know where you’re coming from Sweetd, but it would be fair to say that Labour cannot win a personality contest, so it has to be superior policies that get them over the line. And I don’t think the public has rejected Labour’s previous policies, anyway. National simply adopted them and put up a fresh face to spruik for them.
This time around though, there will be a more substantial difference between the left and right and I hope that the debate will be about which direction NZ goes in, not who’d be more fun at a BBQ.
Agreed, its MMP applied; that is the main parties fight for the middle ground, and whoever holds the middle ground becomes govt, therefore the main parties end up looking very similar in terms of policies.
So just what are the National / ACT policies, Pete George?
Further up there is talk about building consents being at a record low – is that consistent with getting Christchurch going again? Or have all the builders left to help out Queensland after their floods?
What is National / ACT doing about the building sector?
I think I might jump in and mention that the South African Rugby Board offered to have neutral referees in the 1976 series but the NZ Rugby Union declined. Apparently ‘Pole’ Whiting retired on the spot when he was told that.
Anything has to be an improvement on the Nats policy- demolish the CBD and two suburbs, bleed the EQC dry, blame everything on the earthquake….
There is plenty to criticize in this shameful display of disaster politics and no reason to be quiet about it.
Just read over on Red Alert on the question of unemployment, “They told us there was to be absolutely no discussion of anything to the media. If anyone spoke to the media it could be a code of conduct issue,” an employee told the Taranaki Daily News on condition of anonymity. Penalties for breaching the code of conduct could include being sacked, they said.
Could this be true? Ominous. Reminds me of the news blackout during the wharfies strike in the 50s.
I wish that Owen Glenn would just piss off – nakedly partisan PR bullshit puffery and the dirty money that he is trying to bribe the country with has no place in NZ Politics
where would national be? and labour and the whole lot of them
its the richest who decide elections cos they harp on and on and on re their spin until people believe it and they have the $ to back em up
The elections of old are long gone
this election like the last one esp in nationals case is that clown key is the only thing they have apart from brash hahahahha
this is about image rather than substance or policies
wot an eyesore the rwc is and then election following behind it full of smile and mince
Owen had a couple of things that drove him. He wanted respect, ergo the desire to have a diplomatic passport and be a mover and shaker, and he just wanted to be loved.
In some respects he is a very simple man. Give someone like this a few billion dollars and this is what you get.
yeah pity people like him didnt actually stay in the country and invest those few billion and create a few jobs BUT NO………………………
but nah
frakers like him, seem to think we owe them something cos they’re rich??
C L – On Owen Glenn – Might have been better to give him the consul’s job that he so wanted – get him out of our hair. He might have used up his money at European casinos instead of playing roulette wheel with us.
Capill was released weeks ago. I saw him walking through the underpass between the Beehive and Bowen House. Question is, who in government was he visiting?
On the Stuff news web site yesterday there was an intriguing story headed “NZDF may have covered up abuse allegations- Ferguson.” It was from an interveiw with former head of the NZDF, Bruce Ferguson screened on Media 7 last night. Ferguson had admitted that whistleblowing by Kiwi soldiers about the prisoner abuse in Afghanistan could have been covered up by their superiors on his watch.
In the light of Hagar’s revelations, I made a point of watching the interview. I heard no such admission. In case I missed it, I also watched it online a short time later. Now, one of two things must have happened:
a) my cognitive abilities were not the best at the time (?) or
b) the segment containing that admission was removed before it went on air.
If it was the latter, then it has to be concluded that an instruction was sent to TVNZ (probably from the PM’s Office) to remove the segment from the interview. Surely politicians – or an official on their behalf – are not allowed to interfere with day to day programming like that?
The Stuff item was still online an hour or so ago.
The Stuff story gave the impression it was included in the on air interview.
I had a few dealings with Bruce Ferguson back in the days when he was a RNZAF Squadron Leader. He came across to me as a well rounded, highly intelligent and astute person. I have no qualms in believing him when he says he knew nothing about the mistreatment of the prisoners for example. In fact, he was a very good choice by the Labour Govt. to lead the Defence Forces during that period.
It’s bullshit that the CHch rebuild will give a boost to the building industry. Even if as many as 30,000 houses are to be rebuilt at say 6000 a year ( conservative ) it will still not take the number a houses built in the country to anywhere near the average starts per annum for the last 20 years. We don’t need imported labour from Ireland or anywhere else for that matter. Why was this fuckwit idea floated, because indentured labour is strike proof and can be easily ripped and if you complain about anything you’re on the next plane out of here. Wasn’t the Irish building boom built by Poles and Czechs ?
One of New Zealand’s richest families have denied they are profiting from the elderly in a move which could net them more than $5 million.
A group of pensioners at Perrinpark near Hamilton are fighting the Perry Foundation, a charitable trust and owner of Te Kowhai retirement village, over freeholding of land.
and
If the Perrys collected an average $75,000 for each section, the trust would be $5.4 million richer, she said. “I wonder where they are taking all the money they’re getting from the village?”
An idea. May have been proposed before on The Standard, I don’t know.
Among the various resources we squander in New Zealand is “waste”.
In most cities, shit not only undergoes an expensive treatment process to render it benign but is discarded by pumping the filtered sewage into the sea. (A few places try to recycle: I believe they do or did create biogas for council vehicles at the Chch sewage works.) This is a crazy waste of money and of a valuable resource. People in China, Africa, and other places, would simply shake their heads and wonder why we do all this.
The alternative system would be for each home – where practical – to have a small biogas plant. Essentially a biogas digestor would be similar to the old-school septic tank, but have several side-benefits: producing gas for heating and cooking, and compost for the garden.
In this way, we would (a) save society sewage treatment costs; (b) save households on energy costs; (c) make households more food self-sufficient; (d) avoid the need for industrial gas extraction like “fracking” (banned in the EU, but coming to a NZ town near you, real soon!).
Thanks Ianupnorth. Sounds like an excellent scheme, although it still involves expensive centralised infrastructure. Here are some pull quotes from the link:
“If successful, a full-scale plant in Rotorua could initially remove thousands of tonnes of biosolid waste going to landfill each year, and ultimately achieve cost reduction and value creation of around $4 million per year for the council and community,” says Rotorua District Council chief executive Peter Guerin.
…
The technology has applications beyond sewage biosolids… “The growing waste streams from expanding industries such as pulp and paper, agriculture, dairy, meat and fruit processing represent a tremendous potential resource for New Zealand that can be tapped into by environmental technologies like those developed through the Waste 2 Gold biosolids research programme.
“Also, greenhouse gas emissions and the risk of contaminating leachates arising from organic wastes will be substantially reduced,” says Dr Parker.
It has been noted on this site recently that as you scan Fairfax’s media offerings the widespread use of comments is always more interesting for what articles qualify for the opportunity of public response and which fall short. No prizes this weekend if guessing which topics are muted. There are over a dozen well aligned 9/11 articles on Stuff this weekend but only the riveting Gwenyth Paltrow piece has comments switched on, and that single article has not been updated since Thursday.
Just saying is all
NZ times for Toronto Hearings Day2 (note: schedule was accurate on Day One)
10/09/11 nzt
01:00 – 01:15 Moderators: Overview of the Day’s Testimony
01:15 – 02:30 Jay Kolar: The Alleged 9/11 Hijackers
02:45 – 04:00 Paul Zarembka: Evidence of Insider Trading Before 9/11
04:00 – 04:35 Barbara Honegger:
Eyewitnesses and Evidence of Explosions at the Pentagon
4:35 – 6:10 Richard Gage: Evidence of the Demolition of WTC:
An Overview
06:30 – 07:45 Michel Chossudovsky: Global Consequences of 9/11
07:45 – 08:25 Cynthia McKinney: Attempts to Raise Questions about 9/11
08:45 – 9:30 Audience Question and Answer
Good luck if we’re in the finals 😀 This symbolically is like the practice run just as it was for the ABs tonight, the more serious stuff has yet to come.
It’s a big exciting event so going beyond capacity of public services is too be expected for the latecomers etc, but it’s pretty shitty how they are getting all draconian now and advising people not to join the party in whatever area. I remember being in London and no matter how busy public transport got ‘from people excited about some sporting/whatever thing’ but the public servants never really tried to put the dampners on it in real time like this, we’d simply get neutral reports and updates on the delays to expect using whatever forms of public transport, and let people make decisions for themselves, like adults do.
Is subliminal advertising illegal or legal in New Zealand?
I nearly choked on my tea the other day. The leery face of John Key popped out at me, taking up most of the television screen. He added nothing to the item I was watching and therefore fulfilled the criteria of subliminal advertising. It happened again tonight. A split second.
Everyone is commenting that whenever they turn on the tv all they get is John Key. Is this the new criminal activity that NAct is indulging in without using campaign monies.
John Key may find that this sort of behaviour may achieve the opposite result.
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Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
Yesterday marked 10 years since the first electric train carried passengers in Auckland so it’s a good time to look back at it and the impact it has had. A brief history The first proposals for rail electrification in Auckland came in the 1920’s alongside the plans for earlier ...
Right now, in Aotearoa-NZ, our ‘animal spirits’ are darkening towards a winter of discontent, thanks at least partly to a chorus of negative comments and actions from the Government Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on ...
You make people evil to punish the paststuck inside a sequel with a rotating castThe following photos haven’t been generated with AI, or modified in any way. They are flesh and blood, human beings. On the left is Galatea Young, a young mum, and her daughter Fiadh who has Angelman ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
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 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Monash University Ken stocker/Shutterstock In the wake of numerous killings of women allegedly by men’s violence in 2024, thousands of Australians have joined rallies across the country to demand action ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Henry Cutler, Professor and Director, Macquarie University Centre for the Health Economy, Macquarie University Oleg Ivanov IL/Shutterstock Waiting times for public hospital elective surgery have been in the news ahead of this year’s federal budget. That’s the type of non-emergency surgery ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, McKenzie Postdoctoral Fellow, Historical and Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne Amna Artist/Shutterstock One of the earliest descriptions of someone with cancer comes from the fourth century BC. Satyrus, tyrant of the city of Heracleia on the Black Sea, ...
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http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings
Todays remaining sessions at the Toronto Hearings in NZ time
05:00-06:30 David Ray Griffin: Inadequacies of the 9/11 Commission’s Report
06:30-08:30 Kevin Ryan: Inadequacies of the Reports by the National
Institute of Standards and Technology
08:15-09:00 Audience Question and Answer
Cheers, You beat me to it!!! LOL
For those of you wanting to hear earlier testimonies they are posted on the same page.
Are you recording? I missed the first hours and would love to see them. I’ll send you my Skype contact!
they have all earlier sessions recorded and available on the page, youtube is happening as we speak,
i am downloading as i go and recording on audiotape
Ferdinando Imposimato calling for an International Tribunal to investigate 9/11 was astounding
The Italian judge?
yeah, He is quietly sitting there with his translator, whom he hardly uses, busy explaining the framework required to build a case to take a lot of very powerful people to International Court, and then continues to lay out the best way to make it happen.
It was an incredible first day. The quality of the speakers is well balanced with the considered time they each get to present. The long Q&A sessions from the panel and the audience, including on line contributions, are already showing their worth.
Day two starts 1am tomorrow nzt
“The Italian judge?”
Yes and the honest one know-doubt!
Kevin Ryan discussing NIST report ‘innaccuracies’ till 8:30am NZT
Standard, please get the Weekend column up earlier, we want to discuss gardening and such like with my RWNJ annd LWNJ horticultural mates. Plus the rugger head stuff.
LOL,That sounds soo cute!
I want to ask that someone who has a lead into what sounds like an awesome firework display for tonight in Auckland to post it, in the Weekend fun column.
I will be playing on my cycle in the countryside from this evening and have no desire to participate in watching a minority sport developed at a public (toff’s) school, by people who couldn’t play proper football, played by colonial nations and appealing to farmers and red necks.
There, got that off my chest!
🙂
I shall be doing my level best to avoid it, but man it’s difficult! Some person has decided that Mt Albert (where I have the misfortune to live) has “adopted” the USA as “our team” and the suburb is festooned with the flag I least like to see… There are a million questions – not least, who decided that “we” care?
Our good friend Ianupnorth clambered up high on his high horse, looked down on the plebs (he sneeringly dismisses them as “red necks”) and disdainfully opined that rugby football is “played by colonial nations and appealing to farmers and red necks.”
It’s really just too silly and pathetic to merit much comment, but one thing in Ian’s Olympian dismissal of the game demands clarification: in what way is France a colonial nation?
I am interested in the treatment of “Taugate” by the left and the right.
On the left a few comments, no posts in any of the major left blogs that I know of and a couple of tweets.
On the right an attack by the slithery one on the complainant backed up by one of those echo posts by Farrar, you know the ones where Slater does the disgusting stuff and Farrar “only” reports that Slater has reported it.
Is this that different to the speeding cop car that Helen was not actually driving but which provided RWNJs with years of abuse and conspiracy theories on here?
Does the left actually weigh up the seriousness of an incident before commenting whereas the right just relish the opportunity to attack?
You must ne kidding.
There’s been a mixture of attacks and support for Henare on KB.
And if you think “the left actually weigh up the seriousness of an incident before commenting” then you mustn’t actually read anything in posts or comments here, or you must suffer from severe blinkeritis..
In my own narrow experience here I’ve been attacked by numerous people sometimes based only on the presumption I must be bad because I’ve been active on “bad” blogs, or as someone admitted recently, based on attacks on me they’ve seen by people like you.
Did you weigh up anything before accusing me of working for CT or the Beehive?
“Did you weigh up anything before accusing me of working for CT or the Beehive?”
I personally find these sorts of allegations, no matter who they’re levelled at, pretty pathetic.
It’s like the worst thing in the world a primary school kid can come up with: “I’m going to tell my mum on you!”.
Did you weigh up anything before accusing me of working for CT or the Beehive?
Have I ever done that? I thought from the start you were a fan of the coiffured one rather than a CT clone. The attacks on you are a response to the quality of your comments more than anything else.
You frequently throw the CT squeak here MS. Eg:
http://thestandard.org.nz/ready-for-round-two/#comment-361062
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-29072011/#comment-357829
Ehm in one of them I accused Herodotus of having the CT songbook out. I accused you of linkwhoring, not understanding the country’s financial state, taking the piss, trolling, being a waste of bandwidth, walking around with your wyes deliberately closed, and always insisting on having the last word.
In the other one I asked if you had “[b]een going to “how to muck up a thread” lessons with CT?” because you show an unusual ability to do so.
Which, BTW, you are doing right now.
herm… http://thestandard.org.nz/?s=mickysavage+CT&isopen=none&search_posts=true&search_comments=true&search_sortby=date
Case closed.
Not really. Your search is quite inefficient use – @author. It shows Mickey using it occasionally with long intervals between. Your search in it’s first page went back to mid 2010. If you looked at the squirrel in his several identities and ran queries on moderate or balance or centre you’d find he was eternally repetitive on those in the short time he has been here.
but I also looked for myself using an occasional phrase of jerk…
http://thestandard.org.nz/?s=Centre+%40Author%22Pete+George%22&isopen=none&search_posts=true&search_comments=true&search_sortby=date
And that is back to mid 2010 on about half the total number of comments..
Basically you can get largish numbers of the same phrase for anyone who leaves large numbers of comments. If you left more then I could analyze your phrases as well. I suppose I could look at the IPs….
Essentially you’re just being a bit of irritating dickhead – roughly the intelligence level of the drunken ugly rugby louts staggering somewhere outside my house. Noisy, loud and stupid…
Snippet in Business news on RNZ this morning about building consents at their lowest since World War 2. This is doing a time of major housing crisis and a year after of major earthquakes. Of course not picked up as a story to investigate (let alone asking the minister for some accountability).
I must of missed it in between all the news about RWC. This is going to drive me to distraction …
+1
A month of BBC and Al J me thinks. NZ media now inhabits a parralell universe where nothing but a bunch of gladiators running round a paddock after a ball exists.
Ahhhhhhh!!!!
Yep, noticed that. In fact a closer inspection would reveal that there is less building going on than any time since the 1970s. Down 24% on last year – that is a colossal drop.
That is really something major. It tells a big story about what the people of NZ are doing at the moment.
It is also worth noting another example in tourism. On the west coast this year numbers are down well below 50% of last years. And last years were dismally down on the previous too.
It is like we have run off a cliff like a road runner cartoon and are currently suspended in mid-air in realisation of the drop about to occur …..
Never fear. A Mighty Minister Of Tourism is here!
National are not a business party with the interests of NZ business at heart.
They are second hand salesman, they talk up and then sell cheap.
They reflect the NZ economy and culture. If you can do it now for
next to nothing then best get it done because there’s no come back,
and everyone is doing it so where would they start with anyway.
If you want a world class economy we need a world class parliament.
Limiting our nation to 100 MPs and no upper chamber, is the bottle
neck. If you want better policy you need to pay for more people to
produce better policy.
Addressing the Imbalance
A month ago there was a little bit of media coverage concerning the wage difference between males and females in New Zealand. The impetus for that reporting was to highlight the defunct thought process of Alasdair Thompson who was dismissed from the EMA for his sexist remarks. Although slowly declining, wage inequality is still a problem that disproportionately attributes wealth based on a male dominated hierarchical system…
It may pay for Goff to refrain from commenting on what should be happenning in Christchurch until such time as he and Labour have worked out what they think should be happenning in Christchurch.
Labour has completely failed in not coming up with a Christchurch policy. Speaking about it merely highlights that lack of policy. Is this not simple politics?
I think they’re in a position where they don’t want to make any promises, especially anything that National could rake them over the coals with (which they surely would).
Afraid to mention policies?
If they had confidence in their policies they would put them out there.
Pete, it’s pretty obvious that Labour will win this election on policies, not personality. So the timing of policy releases is pretty important and I would say there is very little point releasing anything till the thugby finishes, because it’ll be swamped by the RWC coverage. In short, expect a short, sharp campaign from Labour starting immediately after the final, with actual policies and plans for the future.
And, anyway, isn’t a policy free zone like United Future a strange place to be complaining from? The last 4 elections, UF’s only go has been to grovel for a job from whoever is best placed to form a Government.
Pete, it’s pretty obvious that Labour will win this election on policies, not personality.
Labour stalwarts seem to be convinced of that, but few give them a show.
UnitedFuture have openly published a wide range of policies so people have a chance to check them out in plenty of time rather than trying a risky last minute last hope onslaught.
VoR, you won’t look because you’e just trying to spread lies, but there’s plenty here: http://www.unitedfuture.org.nz/our-policies/
Gee, sorry if I wasn’t clear, Pete. Despite being in various parties and Governments for what feels like forever, Dunne has failed to implement anything other than his vision of himself sitting in the back seat of a ministerial limo. Is that better?
You are dead right that UF have a website with ‘policy’ on it. So did that party you were a member of a month ago, as I recall. It’s the ability to translate that policy into action that counts and Dunne has failed miserably to achieve anything other than personal enrichment and regular hair, scalp and ego massaging.
Also, UF “policy” seemed to me to be more a collection of banal platitudes that could bend any way in any weather.
Hardly a declaration of goals.
Also on the United Future website is the Successes section. The only “success” (sic) listed over the last three years appears to be signing a confidence and supply agreement with National. Whoopee!
And which one has he even pushed in the years of sucking on the public teat??? Oh yes the so called Kronic law. What else??? big hair day?
So, TVOR, if Labour lose the election, it will be because the Nats personality won, not a rejection of Labours policies? And as soon as the public stops falling for ther JK smile and wave act all will be right (well, left) because the current polling has absolutly nothing to do with Labours policies and all with JK!?!?!?!?
Know where you’re coming from Sweetd, but it would be fair to say that Labour cannot win a personality contest, so it has to be superior policies that get them over the line. And I don’t think the public has rejected Labour’s previous policies, anyway. National simply adopted them and put up a fresh face to spruik for them.
This time around though, there will be a more substantial difference between the left and right and I hope that the debate will be about which direction NZ goes in, not who’d be more fun at a BBQ.
Agreed, its MMP applied; that is the main parties fight for the middle ground, and whoever holds the middle ground becomes govt, therefore the main parties end up looking very similar in terms of policies.
So which way is Dunne the wig gonna jump this election Pete?
Pete Dunno, kris.
So just what are the National / ACT policies, Pete George?
Further up there is talk about building consents being at a record low – is that consistent with getting Christchurch going again? Or have all the builders left to help out Queensland after their floods?
What is National / ACT doing about the building sector?
You could ask someone from National and ACt, or look at their websites, they both have some policies last time I looked.
If i was a super rich saffa who wanted to win the rubber wool cup. I’d pay a dodgy Tongan hit man to hobble Carter and McCaw…
…wouldn’t put it past those dodgy muthafuckas. Tongans and Saffas 🙂
yep, in fact if we get through this tournament without at least one controversial cheating incident then I will eat my chocolate hat.
saffa’s for sure. think ’76 referees in their pockets. think food poisoning in ’95.
there aint no rules.
I think I might jump in and mention that the South African Rugby Board offered to have neutral referees in the 1976 series but the NZ Rugby Union declined. Apparently ‘Pole’ Whiting retired on the spot when he was told that.
Chroist Porly, stop givin them oidears…finis and klaar.
Anything has to be an improvement on the Nats policy- demolish the CBD and two suburbs, bleed the EQC dry, blame everything on the earthquake….
There is plenty to criticize in this shameful display of disaster politics and no reason to be quiet about it.
Just read over on Red Alert on the question of unemployment, “They told us there was to be absolutely no discussion of anything to the media. If anyone spoke to the media it could be a code of conduct issue,” an employee told the Taranaki Daily News on condition of anonymity. Penalties for breaching the code of conduct could include being sacked, they said.
Could this be true? Ominous. Reminds me of the news blackout during the wharfies strike in the 50s.
I wish that Owen Glenn would just piss off – nakedly partisan PR bullshit puffery and the dirty money that he is trying to bribe the country with has no place in NZ Politics
+1
but then political parties be broke as us lol
where would national be? and labour and the whole lot of them
its the richest who decide elections cos they harp on and on and on re their spin until people believe it and they have the $ to back em up
The elections of old are long gone
this election like the last one esp in nationals case is that clown key is the only thing they have apart from brash hahahahha
this is about image rather than substance or policies
wot an eyesore the rwc is and then election following behind it full of smile and mince
pass
Owen had a couple of things that drove him. He wanted respect, ergo the desire to have a diplomatic passport and be a mover and shaker, and he just wanted to be loved.
In some respects he is a very simple man. Give someone like this a few billion dollars and this is what you get.
yeah pity people like him didnt actually stay in the country and invest those few billion and create a few jobs BUT NO………………………
but nah
frakers like him, seem to think we owe them something cos they’re rich??
C L – On Owen Glenn – Might have been better to give him the consul’s job that he so wanted – get him out of our hair. He might have used up his money at European casinos instead of playing roulette wheel with us.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/5592034/Graham-Capill-out-on-parole
Capill was released weeks ago. I saw him walking through the underpass between the Beehive and Bowen House. Question is, who in government was he visiting?
that **ucking ahole should not have been released
i do not like kid **ukers and society has no place for em
Surly he doesnt expect to have any Government job?
New rugby world cup mascot ?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/5593291/Seemingly-drunk-moose-found-stuck-in-tree
Tuis are known to get drunk on fermenting fruit. Saw a photo once of four tuis hanging in a row upside down on the branch of a tree.
Oh glorious! That really made me smile… 😀
“Johansson said the moose appeared to be sick, drunk or half-stupid.”
I wonder if the moose is available to stand in for John Key in question time?
Lol
Apparently not as he’s recently been seconded to the labour campaign strategy team.
On the Stuff news web site yesterday there was an intriguing story headed “NZDF may have covered up abuse allegations- Ferguson.” It was from an interveiw with former head of the NZDF, Bruce Ferguson screened on Media 7 last night. Ferguson had admitted that whistleblowing by Kiwi soldiers about the prisoner abuse in Afghanistan could have been covered up by their superiors on his watch.
In the light of Hagar’s revelations, I made a point of watching the interview. I heard no such admission. In case I missed it, I also watched it online a short time later. Now, one of two things must have happened:
a) my cognitive abilities were not the best at the time (?) or
b) the segment containing that admission was removed before it went on air.
If it was the latter, then it has to be concluded that an instruction was sent to TVNZ (probably from the PM’s Office) to remove the segment from the interview. Surely politicians – or an official on their behalf – are not allowed to interfere with day to day programming like that?
The Stuff item was still online an hour or so ago.
sorry, should have included link
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5590432/NZDF-may-have-covered-up-abuse-allegations-Ferguson
Anne, the comments were made in an after show discussion, thankfully recorded though. Details here:
http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/towards-the-truth/
Aha… thanks for that Pb. Gripping stuff!
The Stuff story gave the impression it was included in the on air interview.
I had a few dealings with Bruce Ferguson back in the days when he was a RNZAF Squadron Leader. He came across to me as a well rounded, highly intelligent and astute person. I have no qualms in believing him when he says he knew nothing about the mistreatment of the prisoners for example. In fact, he was a very good choice by the Labour Govt. to lead the Defence Forces during that period.
It’s bullshit that the CHch rebuild will give a boost to the building industry. Even if as many as 30,000 houses are to be rebuilt at say 6000 a year ( conservative ) it will still not take the number a houses built in the country to anywhere near the average starts per annum for the last 20 years. We don’t need imported labour from Ireland or anywhere else for that matter. Why was this fuckwit idea floated, because indentured labour is strike proof and can be easily ripped and if you complain about anything you’re on the next plane out of here. Wasn’t the Irish building boom built by Poles and Czechs ?
More rich listers ripping off the less fortunate
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10750402
and
35,000 are out on strike and marching in Sydney, due to NSW State Public Service cuts:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/this-is-just-the-start-strikers-warn-ofarrell-20110908-1jzz1.html
An idea. May have been proposed before on The Standard, I don’t know.
Among the various resources we squander in New Zealand is “waste”.
In most cities, shit not only undergoes an expensive treatment process to render it benign but is discarded by pumping the filtered sewage into the sea. (A few places try to recycle: I believe they do or did create biogas for council vehicles at the Chch sewage works.) This is a crazy waste of money and of a valuable resource. People in China, Africa, and other places, would simply shake their heads and wonder why we do all this.
The alternative system would be for each home – where practical – to have a small biogas plant. Essentially a biogas digestor would be similar to the old-school septic tank, but have several side-benefits: producing gas for heating and cooking, and compost for the garden.
In this way, we would (a) save society sewage treatment costs; (b) save households on energy costs; (c) make households more food self-sufficient; (d) avoid the need for industrial gas extraction like “fracking” (banned in the EU, but coming to a NZ town near you, real soon!).
There is work being done on this in Rotorua; they already make compost form poo and they are looking at some form of oil (http://www.rdc.govt.nz/YourCouncil/LatestNews/Innovative-technology-piloted-at-Rotorua.aspx)
Thanks Ianupnorth. Sounds like an excellent scheme, although it still involves expensive centralised infrastructure. Here are some pull quotes from the link:
So, you lose 44% of the companies value and get the biggest pay cheque ever ($5.2 million per annum, or $100K per week) because you have met short term and long term objectives? Go figure
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10750548
Can I get a job like that?
It has been noted on this site recently that as you scan Fairfax’s media offerings the widespread use of comments is always more interesting for what articles qualify for the opportunity of public response and which fall short. No prizes this weekend if guessing which topics are muted. There are over a dozen well aligned 9/11 articles on Stuff this weekend but only the riveting Gwenyth Paltrow piece has comments switched on, and that single article has not been updated since Thursday.
Just saying is all
torontohearings.org
live stream Day Two/ videos of Day One here
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/thetorontohearings
NZ times for Toronto Hearings Day2 (note: schedule was accurate on Day One)
10/09/11 nzt
01:00 – 01:15 Moderators: Overview of the Day’s Testimony
01:15 – 02:30 Jay Kolar: The Alleged 9/11 Hijackers
02:45 – 04:00 Paul Zarembka: Evidence of Insider Trading Before 9/11
04:00 – 04:35 Barbara Honegger:
Eyewitnesses and Evidence of Explosions at the Pentagon
4:35 – 6:10 Richard Gage: Evidence of the Demolition of WTC:
An Overview
06:30 – 07:45 Michel Chossudovsky: Global Consequences of 9/11
07:45 – 08:25 Cynthia McKinney: Attempts to Raise Questions about 9/11
08:45 – 9:30 Audience Question and Answer
Then there’s this
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10750653
Good on her for being brave enough to stick up for herself against a dodgy employer.
And thanks to Helen Clark for jacking up the world cup.
Onya mate.
Auckland’s large scale event management plans fail:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/fan-central/5598538/Police-tell-rugby-fans-to-stay-out-of-CBD
Good luck if we’re in the finals 😀 This symbolically is like the practice run just as it was for the ABs tonight, the more serious stuff has yet to come.
It’s a big exciting event so going beyond capacity of public services is too be expected for the latecomers etc, but it’s pretty shitty how they are getting all draconian now and advising people not to join the party in whatever area. I remember being in London and no matter how busy public transport got ‘from people excited about some sporting/whatever thing’ but the public servants never really tried to put the dampners on it in real time like this, we’d simply get neutral reports and updates on the delays to expect using whatever forms of public transport, and let people make decisions for themselves, like adults do.
Is subliminal advertising illegal or legal in New Zealand?
I nearly choked on my tea the other day. The leery face of John Key popped out at me, taking up most of the television screen. He added nothing to the item I was watching and therefore fulfilled the criteria of subliminal advertising. It happened again tonight. A split second.
Everyone is commenting that whenever they turn on the tv all they get is John Key. Is this the new criminal activity that NAct is indulging in without using campaign monies.
John Key may find that this sort of behaviour may achieve the opposite result.