Open mike 01/09/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, September 1st, 2024 - 8 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
In memory of Norm Kirk
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Date published: 4:11 pm, August 31st, 2024 - 16 comments
Today marks the day 50 years ago when former Labour Prime Minister Norm Kirk died.
About David Parker’s and Labour’s debate about taxation
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Date published: 10:58 am, August 31st, 2024 - 69 comments
Guest post by Nigel Haworth discussing recent publicity given to the Labour Party’s debate around tax reform.
Open mike 31/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 31st, 2024 - 26 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 30/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 30th, 2024 - 12 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Local Councils Defy Central Government Agenda
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Date published: 4:16 pm, August 30th, 2024 - 38 comments
94% of councils that have voted vote to retain Maori wards. Many of them are National background Councillors and previously urged Central Government to not push ahead with the legislation. The forced local referendums are now expected to cost ratepayers and take away from Council workloads
What Happened in the House (Videos)
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Date published: 12:24 pm, August 30th, 2024 - 8 comments
NZ Parliament sitting where Labour’s Kieran McAnulty implores the Coalition government to stop deceiving Kiwis, and Winston Peters and Louise Upton both get fired up. Meanwhile, Casey Costello still doesn’t know who wrote her tobacco Ministerial papers.
Open mike 30/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 30th, 2024 - 41 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 29/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 29th, 2024 - 8 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
National’s solution to the housing crisis
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Date published: 9:21 am, August 29th, 2024 - 14 comments
Dan Bidois has unwittingly exposed that National has a list of well honed talking points that are used and repeated ad mauseum. Normally within context, sometimes not.
Open mike 29/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 29th, 2024 - 92 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 28/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 28th, 2024 - 5 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
King Luxon Isn’t Wearing Any Clothes
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Date published: 10:45 am, August 28th, 2024 - 26 comments
While Luxon and Brown hand it to the Councils, a grassroots campaign is taking effect and the power is with the people. Warning: article contains satire.
Open mike 28/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 28th, 2024 - 29 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 27/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 27th, 2024 - 18 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Power and Speed
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Date published: 10:22 am, August 27th, 2024 - 17 comments
We are in a power crisis and the government has had to respond, but will their response make any difference?
Simeon Brown peddling porkies about gas shortage
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Date published: 9:00 am, August 27th, 2024 - 43 comments
Energy Minister Simeon Brown is peddling lies about a gas shortage. The country exports around 40 percent of its annual gas production as methanol. More is used to make synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, a nasty greenhouse emission source, for our farms. We don’t need expensive LNG distribution facilities while exporting the bulk of our own gas.
Open mike 27/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 27th, 2024 - 34 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 26/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 26th, 2024 - 17 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Is Casey Costello Corrupt?
Written By:
Date published: 3:15 pm, August 26th, 2024 - 27 comments
Casey Costello and the Coalition government have already halved tobacco excise at a cost of up to $216mn. Today RNZ reports there remain more questions on who wrote her Ministerial papers begging for tobacco industry benefits.
Where Does Labour Rebuild?
Written By:
Date published: 9:01 am, August 26th, 2024 - 48 comments
It won’t come from the working class. But we know where it will come from.
Open mike 26/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 26th, 2024 - 26 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Government contributes to developing homeless crisis
Written By:
Date published: 1:23 pm, August 25th, 2024 - 3 comments
There is increasing concern that recently introduced policy changes by National have made housing for the most needy amongst us more tenuous.
Roger Douglas Has a Lesson for the Left
Written By:
Date published: 12:33 pm, August 25th, 2024 - 28 comments
Roger Douglas, the most revolutionary minister in the postwar history of Aotearoa, knew how to exert change in three years. Rogernomics transformed the economy with dizzying speed, from protectionist welfare state to a neoliberal free market. Elliot Crossan argues that the left needs to take the same approach to end the era of neoliberalism.
Open mike 25/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 25th, 2024 - 22 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
And now for something completely different
Written By:
Date published: 5:16 pm, August 24th, 2024 - 9 comments
Ok that is different. So appropriate. And I wonder how the Royal Navy will respond.
Culture wars are a diversion from addressing class struggles
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Date published: 2:03 pm, August 24th, 2024 - 25 comments
Ditch the NZ culture wars if we really want challenge status quo.
Open mike 24/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 24th, 2024 - 18 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 23/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 23rd, 2024 - 5 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Open mike 23/08/2024
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Date published: 6:00 am, August 23rd, 2024 - 45 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 22/08/2024
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Date published: 5:30 pm, August 22nd, 2024 - 10 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
CommentsOpinions
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- Open Government: National reneges on beneficial ownership
One of the achievements of the New Zealand’s Open Government Partnership Fourth National Action Plan was a formal commitment from the government to establish a public beneficial ownership register. Such a register would allow the ultimate owners of companies to be identified - a vital measure in preventing corruption, money ...1 week ago - Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Excerpt One.
This project analyzes security politics in three peripheral democracies (Chile, New Zealand, Portugal) during the 30 years after the end of the Cold War. It argues that changes in the geopolitical landscape and geo-strategic context are interpreted differently by small … Continue reading ...1 week ago - Tea and Toast
When the skies are looking bad my dearAnd your heart's lost all its hopeAfter dawn there will be sunshineAnd all the dust will goThe skies will clear my darlingNow it's time for you to let goOur girl will wake you up in the mornin'With some tea and toastLyrics: Lucy Spraggan.Good ...1 week ago - NLTP 2024 released – destroying pipeline of shovel ready local projects
Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Waka Kotahi yesterday released the latest National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) for 2024-27. The NLTP sets out what transport projects will be funded for the next three years, including both central and local government projects. As expected given the government’s extremely ideological transport policy, it’s ...1 week ago - Can Brown deliver his roads
The Government’s unveiling of its road-building programme yesterday was ambitious and, many would say, long overdue. But the question will be whether it is too ambitious, whether it is affordable, and, if not, what might be dropped. The big ticket items will be the 17 so-called Roads of National Significance. ...1 week ago - New paper about detecting climate misinformation on Twitter/X
Together with Cristian Rojas, Frank Algra-Maschio, Mark Andrejevic, Travis Coan, and Yuan-Fang Li, I just published a paper in Nature Communications Earth & Environment where we use the Computer Assisted Recognition of Denial and Skepticism (CARDS) machine learning model to detect climate misinformation in 5 million climate tweets. We find over half ...1 week ago - Excerpting “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies.”
In the late 2000s-early 2010s I was researching and writing a book titled “Security Politics in Peripheral Democracies: Chile, New Zealand and Portugal.” The book was a cross-regional Small-N qualitative comparison of the security strategies and postures of three small … Continue reading ...1 week ago
- Hating for the Wrong Reasons: Of Rings of Power, Orcs and Evil
A few months ago, my fellow countryman, HelloFutureMe, put out a giant YouTube video, dissecting what went wrong with the first season of Rings of Power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6FRUO0ui0&t=8376s). It’s an exceptionally good video, and though it spans some two and a half hours, it is well worth your time. But ...1 week ago - Climate Change: “Least cost” to who?
On Friday the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment released their submission on National's second Emissions Reduction Plan, ripping the shit out of it as a massive gamble based on wishful thinking. One of the specific issues he focused on was National's idea of "least cost" emissions reduction, pointing out that ...1 week ago
- Israeli Lives Matter
There is no monopoly on common senseOn either side of the political fenceWe share the same biology, regardless of ideologyBelieve me when I say to youI hope the Russians love their children tooLyrics: Sting. Read more ...1 week ago - Luxon Cries
Over the weekend, I found myself rather irritably reading up about the Treaty of Waitangi. “Do I need to do this?” It’s not my jurisdiction. In any other world, would this be something I choose to do?My answer - no.The Waitangi Tribunal, headed by some of our best legal minds, ...1 week ago
- Just one Wellington home being consented for every 10 in Auckland
A decade of under-building is coming home to roost in Wellington. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday September 2:Wellington’s leaders are wringing their hands over an exodus of skilled ...1 week ago - Container trucks on local streets: why take the risk?
This is a guest post by Charmaine Vaughan, who came to transport advocacy via her local Residents Association and a comms role at Bike Auckland. Her enthusiasm to make local streets safer for all is shared by her son Dylan Vaughan, a budding “urban nerd” who provided much of the ...1 week ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 25, 2024 thru Sat, August 31, 2024. Story of the week After another crammed week of climate news including updates on climate tipping points, increasing threats from rising ...2 weeks ago
- An Uncanny Valley of Improvement: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episodes 1-3 (Season ...
And thus we come to the second instalment of Amazon’s Rings of Power. The first season, in 2022, was underwhelming, even for someone like myself, who is by nature inclined to approach Tolkien adaptations with charity. The writing was poor, the plot made no sense on its own terms, and ...2 weeks ago - Alcohol debris and Crocodile Tears
I write to you this morning from scenes of carnage. Around the floor lie young men who only hours earlier were full of life, and cocktails, and now lie silent. Read more ...2 weeks ago - When Do We Look Away?
Hi,The first time I saw something that made me recoil on the internet was a visit to Rotten.com. The clue was in the name — but the internet was a new thing to me in the 90s, and no-one really knew what the hell was going on. But somehow I ...2 weeks ago - The decades just fly by
You turn your back for a moment and a city can completely transform itself. It was, oh, just the other day I was tripping up to Kuala Lumpur every few months to teach workshops and luxuriate in the tropical warmth and fill my face with Char Kway Teow.It has to ...2 weeks ago - 2024 Reading Summary: August
Completed reads for August: Aesop’s Fables (collection), by Aesop Berserk: Volume XXV (manga), by Kentaro Miura Benighted, by J.B. Priestly Berserk: Volume XXVI (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXVIII (manga), by Kentaro Miura Berserk: Volume XXIX (manga), by Kentaro Miura ...2 weeks ago - Is recent global warming part of a natural cycle?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is recent global warming part ...2 weeks ago
- White Noise
Now here we standWith our hearts in our handsSqueezing out the liesAll that I hearIs a message, unclearWhat else is there to decide?All that I'm hearing from youIs White NoiseLyrics: Christopher John CheneyIs the tide turning?Have we reached the high point of the racist hate and lies from Hobson’s Pledge, ...2 weeks ago - The Death Of “Big Norm” – Exactly 50 Years Ago Today.
2 weeks ago - Claims and Counter-Claims.
Whose Foreshore? Whose Seabed? When the Marine and Coastal Area Act was originally passed back in 2011, fears about the coastline becoming off-limits to Pakeha were routinely allayed by National Party politicians pointing out that the tests imposed were so stringent that only a modest percentage of claims (the then treaty ...2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
- The Principles of the Treaty
Hardly anyone says what are ‘the principles of the treaty’. The courts’ interpretation restrain the New Zealand Government. While they about protecting a particular community, those restraints apply equally to all community in a liberal democracy – including a single person.Treaty principles were introduced into the governance of New Zealand ...2 weeks ago - The Only Other Reliable Vehicle.
An Elite Leader Awaiting Rotation? Hipkins’ give-National-nothing-to-aim-at strategy will only succeed if the Coalition becomes as unpopular in three years as the British Tories became in fourteen.THE SHAPE OF CHRIS HIPKINS’ THINKING on Labour’s optimum pathway to re-election is emerging steadily. At the core of his strategy is Hipkins’ view ...2 weeks ago
- A Big F U to this Right Wing Government
Open to all - deep thanks to those who support and subscribe.One of the things that has got me interested recently is updates about Māori wards.In April, Stuff’s Karanama Ruru reported that ~ 2/3 of our 78 councils had adopted Māori wards in NZ.That meant that under the Coalition repeal ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: James Shaw’s legacy keeps paying off
One of the central planks of the previous Labour-Green government's emissions reduction policy was GIDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry). This was basically using ETS revenue to pay polluters to clean up production, reducing emissions while protecting jobs. Corporate welfare, but it got the job done, and was often a ...2 weeks ago
- Gravity
Oh twice as much ain't twice as goodAnd can't sustain like one half couldIt's wanting moreThat's gonna send me to my kneesSong: John MayerSome ups and downs from the last week of August ‘24. The good and bad, happy and sad, funny and mad, heroes and cads. The week that ...2 weeks ago - Ditch the climate double speak and get real
Long stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer:The Government announced changes to the Fast-Track Approvals Bill on Sunday, backing off from the contentious proposal to give ...2 weeks ago
- The Hoon around the week to August 30
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest science of changing sea temperatures and which emissions policies actually work; on the latest from Ukraine, Gaza and ...2 weeks ago
- This Govt’s infrastructure strategy depends on capital gains taxes & new road taxes
Billions of dollars in value uplift was identified around the Transmission Gully project, but that was captured 100% by landowners and not shared to pay for the project. Now National is saying value capture should be used for similar projects. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/ Getty ImagesMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...2 weeks ago - Weekly Roundup 30-August-2024
Kia ora and welcome to the end of another week. Here’s our regular Friday roundup of things that caught our eye, in the realm of cities and transport. If you enjoy these roundups, feel free to join our growing ranks of supporters by making a recurring donation to keep the ...2 weeks ago
- Table Talk: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
“That’s the sort of constitutional reform he favours: conceived in secret; revolutionary in intent; implemented incrementally without fanfare; and under no circumstances to be placed before the electorate for democratic ratification.”TO SAY IT WAS RAINING would have understated seriously the meteorological conditions. Simply put, it was pissing down. One of ...2 weeks ago
- Big Norm and Chris Hipkins
It’s 50 years ago today that “Big Norm” Kirk died of a heart attack in Wellington’s Home of Compassion. Home of Compassion. Although he was Prime Minister for only 623 days, he has an iconic place in New Zealand history, particularly Labour history. When Labour leaders like Jacinda Ardern recite ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35 2024
Open access notables Arctic glacier snowline altitudes rise 150 m over the last 4 decades, Larocca et al., The Cryosphere: We mapped the snowline (SL) on a subset of 269 land-terminating glaciers above 60° N latitude in the latest available summer, clear-sky Landsat satellite image between 1984 and 2022. The mean SLA was extracted ...2 weeks ago
- Unravelling the String of State: New Zealand Sovereignty and the Treaty of Waitangi
Oh dear. Sometimes people just need to prod the sleeping dog. We currently have a parliamentary dispute over the nature of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, as signed between the British Crown and New Zealand Maori: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/526451/sovereignty-debate-split-on-party-lines Specifically, the National Government takes the traditional view that Maori ceded sovereignty ...2 weeks ago - Rigour, PLEASE
You may have noticed I have been taking my time getting home. You may have wondered if that might have anything to do with our brave little nation being constitutionally and morally abused by this woeful excuse for a government. It does. I have enjoyed being able to turn the ...2 weeks ago - Making A Difference.
The Jacinda and Ashley Show: Before the neoliberals could come up with a plausible reason for letting thousands of their fellow citizens perish, the Ardern-led government, backed by the almost forgotten power of an unapologetically interventionist state, was producing changes in the real world – changes that were, very obviously, saving ...2 weeks ago
- As expected
Back in May, we learned that National MP David MacLeod had "forgotten" to declare $178,000 in electoral donations. Filing a donation return which is false in any material particular is a crime, and the Electoral Commission has now referred MacLeod to police, since they're the only people who are allowed ...2 weeks ago
- Councils reject National’s racism
Last month, National passed a racist law requiring local councils to remove their Māori wards, or hold a referendum on them at the 2025 local body election. The government was clearly hoping that, despite all their prior opposition, local authorities would bow down, obey, and vote to disenfranchise Māori. But ...2 weeks ago
- What austerity actually means and how it pays for $10 billion of tax cuts for the richest 40%
This is an opinion piece I’ve written after publishing my morning email, which includes many of the details informing it, as have the dozens I’ve written in recent weeks detailing the policies mentioned. This piece is being sent to all subscribers in full immediately and is fully open to the ...2 weeks ago - Like She Said
If it could have been like she saidI'd be loving you nowWouldn't have to dream of tonightAs August moves onIf it could have been like she wroteOur truth would be trueWatching the storm disappearYeah, watch it goSong: Jordan Luck.Today in Nick’s Kōrero - things said that should be discussed. From ...2 weeks ago - Disabled now have to commit crime, be insane or in crisis to access residential care
Social Development Minister Louise Upston has described the drastic changes as "ripping off the scab to deal with the mess underneath". Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, August 29:A quietly-administered and arbitrary ...2 weeks ago - Throwback Thursday: The Great Auckland Transport Debate
Ten years ago this week in August 2014, with an election on the horizon, Greater Auckland (then known as Transportblog) co-hosted a transport-themed debate with the Campaign for Better Transport and Generation Zero – inviting speakers from the political parties to share their transport visions for our city. Matt’s report ...2 weeks ago
- A Tale of Anonymity and Appreciation
A beautiful illustration by Substack artist Jean KaiyouYesterday, someone told me that as I comment on the government, it was only right that I should reveal my identity. If I didn’t do so, they said, they would not stay.And my first reaction was surprise, followed by small tinges of reactivity ...2 weeks ago - “Our people are, frankly, pissed off”
Even a Labour MP was asking yesterday whether the country’s polytechnics were still a going concern. At the Education Select Committee, Deborah Russell asked Jeremy Morley, a Te Kupenga Council member, whether the polytechnics, grouped together as Te Kupenga and which lost $37.9 million in 2022 and are forecast to ...2 weeks ago
- Can The Left Assemble A Winning Coalition?
Voting Together? Collectively, Māori and Pasifika workers, professionals and managers employed by the state, and “progressive” Baby-Boomer superannuitants, possess the electoral clout to defeat the Coalition Government. But will they?TO WIN THE NEXT ELECTION, “The Left”, as we still rather hopefully refer to it, needs three key demographics. Voting together, the ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Adam: Can Coral Reefs survive Climate Change?
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Coral reefs are in hot water... literally. Climate change is ramping up temperatures, causing increasing bleaching of reefs across the world. ...2 weeks ago
- Health NZ is calling for voluntary redundancies
After deliberately under-funding Health NZ, and asking Kiwis to personally pray for him, Dr Lester Levy couldn’t help but show his hand today.Health NZ is now calling for voluntary redundancies, and who do you think will leave first? The most qualified or not?But that won’t be all - we all ...2 weeks ago - This Roar is from the Bottom
Cartoon credit: Emma CookeMaori WardsNo Right Turn reports that only 2 of 19 councils who have made a decision on Māori wards will be getting rid of them.Remember, per the government’s legislation, all councils which want to keep them will be forced now to send it to referendum and bear ...2 weeks ago - The bold plan to save coral reefs
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Osha Davidson For 20 years now, Ken Nedimyer has been strapping on his scuba gear and diving into the waters off the Florida coast in a desperate effort to restore coral reefs that have been decimated by climate change ...2 weeks ago
- The Policy and Memory Vortex
When you start doing research into transport and urban topics and policies, one thing you realise is how messy and chaotic many government websites are. Given that these are (in theory) the most accessible version of the official archive, that’s a challenge. Anyone who has tried to look something up ...2 weeks ago
- Land tax among Labour’s wealth tax options
Labour is looking at various types and structures of wealth and capital income taxes, including a land tax. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, August 28:Chris Hipkins has confirmed ...2 weeks ago - Finding the energy
2 weeks ago - Flightless Bird Update + AMA
Hi,I just wanted to give you a brief update on the weekly podcast that I make, Flightless Bird, which sees me examining parts of American culture I find strange, amusing, and sometimes terrifying.(If you don’t care about Flightless Bird that is totally fine — I will keep making weird podcast ...2 weeks ago - Ask Me… Anything.
Read more ...2 weeks ago - Fix the Economy, Stupid + What the Godfather of ACT Told ACT To Do
The Goverment That’s Pushing NZ BackwardsI’ve been musing about a topic and its name is “The Anti-Productivity Coalition.” The degree and scope of contradictory policies by Luxon’s government is quite baffling, and it’s not only the economy.Example: We are strong on crime - so -Let’s build a mega prison that ...2 weeks ago - Jurors are being ripped off
I had to do a morning of jury service this week, and was fortunate to not get selected for what sounded like an unpleasant and psychologically damaging case. I still have to check whether I have to go back tomorrow (hopefully not), but in the meantime I've begun thinking about ...2 weeks ago
- Starting The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)
Kia ora.The Sunday before last I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections. ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell On How “fast Track” Steamrolls The Public Good
New Zealand has a habit of creating official posts – the Overseas Investment Office, the Banking Ombudsman, the Grocery Commissioner – as a sop to public concerns, but where the terms of reference guarantee that such posts won’t interfere unduly with the conduct of business-as-usual. Recently, the Grocery Commissioner gave ...2 weeks ago
- Learning from our Past
Our government is in the course – before our very eyes – of declaring that it has lost confidence in, and is accordingly abandoning, the founding concept of New Zealand. It apparently prefers the path trodden by others. The world is not short of countries in which an invading population ...2 weeks ago - Northwest Busway Next Steps
Auckland has a long history transport mistakes and one of the big recent ones was to not build a Northwest busway at the same time as we were rebuilding most of the Northwestern motorway a decade ago. One of the few areas where we’re in strong agreement with the government ...2 weeks ago
- Labour revisiting 30/30 fiscal rules. Good.
Hipkins seems to be rethinking the long-held doctrine that Governments must aim to keep spending and debt below 30% of GDP - a doctrine that has led to a massive intergenerational wealth transfer and a ballooning infrastructure deficit. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short; here’s my ...2 weeks ago - Luxon’s first crisis
Transpower has begun “creative” work on an electricity conservation campaign that it fears could be needed by late January if it does not get substantial water inflows into its hydro lakes. Meanwhile, the Government announced yesterday that it would take a suite of measures to deal with the electricity crisis, ...2 weeks ago
- Not a solution
Aotearoa is currently suffering from one of its regular electricity crises, thanks to systematic underinvestment by the power cartel. Today. driven by business outrage over high power prices, the government announced its response to this, consisting of: a thing which won't lower electricity prices at all (but will ...2 weeks ago
- China and India are so big. Do my country’s climate actions even matter?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections At a Republican presidential debate in 2023, several candidates articulated a common sentiment about whose climate policies really matter. “If you want to go and really change the environment, then we need to start telling China and India that they have to lower their emissions,” ...2 weeks ago
- What’s Far Is Close & What’s Close Has Already Arrived
Open to allText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedIt’s hard to describe it all. I mean, most people don’t even care. They don’t understand. It’s too opaque and theoretical. But my gut screeches.OPINIONLast week, I realised there’s only 70 + days left until the US Election ...2 weeks ago
- Simply not credible
RNZ has more information this morning on Phillip Morris Minister Casey Costello's mysterious tobacco policy document, and it just gets worse and worse. Costello has consistently claimed to have no idea who authored the document; now she's saying she has no idea how it even got into her office: ...2 weeks ago
- Māori Seabed, For Shore!
No one owns the waterNo one owns the landsNo one owns the oceansNo one owns the sandsThese are given by our motherThe planet provides for freeOnly at the hands of the greedyDoes the Earth require a fee, eyeah (ooh-ooh-ooh)You hear me singing (ah-ah-ah)Song - Ria Hall.“This is going to blow ...2 weeks ago - Neurodiversity in urbanism
This is a guest post by Shaun Baker. It originally appeared on his blog Multimodal Adventures and is shared here by kind permission. A necessary component of creating an inclusive and equitable city is accessibility. Designing our cities with accessibility in mind is important so everyone, particularly our disabled ...2 weeks ago
- How covenants trumped density in court
Mōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, August 26:A precedent-setting series of court decisions appear to have weaponised old covenants in suburb development plans to block the push for density from the Beehive. It may ...2 weeks ago - Spaceman Barry
Today’s podcast episode contains distressing descriptions of events. Please don’t listen with your kids in the car. There are signposts along the way where you can switch off or pause if you need to. Please take care when listening. Read more ...2 weeks ago - Fast track to more electricity generation
The Government is now pulling out all the legislative stops as it attempts to deal with the energy crisis. There is intense pressure on it to provide assurances that there will be sufficient power to keep industry working. POLITIK has learned that one Asian ambassador has warned Ministers that plants ...2 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #34
A listing of 30 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 18, 2024 thru Sat, August 24, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is another stab at "connecting the dots," drawing a line between not ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Climate denial is an insult to Pacific leaders
Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago - Govt must end solitary confinement
The Green Party is urging the Government to end the use of solitary confinement within our prisons after new research revealed some prisoners have been held in confinement for more than 900 days. ...2 weeks ago - Fossil fuels never the answer in climate crisis
The Government’s moves to enable the import of Liquefied Natural Gas is another step away from the sustainable and affordable energy network that this country needs. ...2 weeks ago
- Government must respect Court’s Uber employee decision
Today’s court ruling upholding the rights of Uber drivers is a message to the Government that it must not tamper with employment protections. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Uber court decision recognises workers’ rights
The Court of Appeal decision that Uber drivers are entitled to employee rights such as minimum wage, sick leave, holiday pay and collective bargaining is welcome news for the drivers involved and their unions. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to divest from illegal settlements
The Labour Party is calling on the Government to tell the two major wealth funds, the NZ Super Fund and ACC, to withdraw investments from companies listed by the United Nations as complicit in Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt backtrack on fast-track still not enough
Labour welcomes news that the National Government is backing down on its reckless proposal to give Ministers final sign-off on significant projects, but it’s still not enough. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast track still on track to environmental destruction
Our environment remains at risk despite the Government's proposed changes to its controversial fast-track legislation. ...3 weeks ago
- Ohinemuri River pollution highlights mining risks
The harrowing images of the severely polluted Ohinemuri River caused by an old mining shaft could become a more common occurrence under the mining regime the Government is looking to roll out. ...3 weeks ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
“The Government is empowering women in the horticulture industry by funding an initiative that will support networking and career progression,” Associate Minister of Agriculture, Nicola Grigg says. “Women currently make up around half of the horticulture workforce, but only 20 per cent of leadership roles which is why initiatives like this ...1 week ago - Government to pause freshwater farm plan rollout
The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...1 week ago
- Milestone reached for fixing the Holidays Act 2003
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden says yesterday Cabinet reached another milestone on fixing the Holidays Act with approval of the consultation exposure draft of the Bill ready for release next week to participants. “This Government will improve the Holidays Act with the help of businesses, workers, and ...1 week ago
- New priorities to protect future of conservation
Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...1 week ago
- Faster 110km/h speed limit to accelerate Kāpiti
A new 110km/h speed limit for the Kāpiti Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) has been approved to reduce travel times for Kiwis travelling in and out of Wellington, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy. ...1 week ago
- IVL increase to ensure visitors contribute more to New Zealand
The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) will be raised to $100 to ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting New Zealand, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey and Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka say. “The Government is serious about enabling the tourism sector ...1 week ago
- Delivering priority connections for the West Coast
A record $255 million for transport investment on the West Coast through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s road and rail links to keep people connected and support the region’s economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Government is committed to making sure that every ...1 week ago
- Road and rail reliability a focus for Wellington
A record $3.3 billion of transport investment in Greater Wellington through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will increase productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. We're focused on delivering transport projects ...1 week ago
- Record investment to boost economic and housing growth in the Waikato
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Waikato through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more efficient, safe, and resilient roading network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With almost a third of the country’s freight travelling into, out ...1 week ago
- Building reliable and efficient roading for Taranaki
A record $808 million for transport investment in Taranaki through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Taranaki’s roads carry a high volume of freight from primary industries and it’s critical we maintain efficient connections across the region to ...1 week ago
- Supporting growth and resilience in Otago and Southland
A record $1.4 billion for transport investment in Otago and Southland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more resilient and efficient network that supports economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in Otago ...1 week ago
- Delivering connected and resilient roading for Northland
A record $991 million for transport investment in Northland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s connections and support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that every transport dollar is spent wisely on the projects and ...1 week ago
- Top of the South to benefit from reliable transport infrastructure
A record $479 million for transport investment across the top of the South Island through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will build a stronger road network that supports primary industries and grows the economy, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We’re committed to making sure that every dollar is ...1 week ago
- Government delivering reliable roads for Manawatū-Whanganui
A record $1.6 billion for transport investment in Manawatū-Whanganui through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will strengthen the region’s importance as a strategic freight hub that boosts economic growth, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Delivering infrastructure to increase productivity and economic growth is a priority for our Government. ...1 week ago
- Restoring connections in Hawke’s Bay
A record $657 million for transport investment in the Hawke’s Bay through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support recovery from cyclone damage and build greater resilience into the network to support economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “We are committed to making sure that ...1 week ago
- Transport resilience a priority for Gisborne
A record $255 million for transport investment in Gisborne through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will support economic growth and restore the cyclone-damaged network, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “With $255 million of investment over the next three years, we are committed to making sure that every transport ...1 week ago
- Prioritising growth and reduced travel times in Canterbury
A record $1.8 billion for transport investment Canterbury through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and productivity and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and ...1 week ago
- Supporting growth and freight in the Bay of Plenty
A record $1.9 billion for transport investment in the Bay of Plenty through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will boost economic growth and unlock land for thousands of houses, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity in the Bay of ...1 week ago
- Getting transport back on track in Auckland
A record $8.4 billion for transport investment in Auckland through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will deliver the infrastructure our rapidly growing region needs to support economic growth and reduce travel times, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Aucklanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, phantoms projects, ...1 week ago
- Record investment to get transport back on track
A record $32.9 billion investment in New Zealand’s transport network through the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) will create a more reliable and efficient transport network that boosts economic growth and productivity, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealanders rejected the previous government’s transport policies which resulted in non-delivery, ...1 week ago
- Consultation is open on gambling harm strategy
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has welcomed the start of Gambling Harm Awareness Week by encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on the next three-year strategy to prevent and minimise gambling harm. “While many New Zealanders enjoy gambling as a pastime without issue, the statistics are clear that ...1 week ago
- JOINT STATEMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON
1. Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim hosted Prime Minister Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon on an Official Visit to Malaysia from 1 to 3 September 2024. Both leaders expressed appreciation for enduring and warm bilateral ties over 67 years of diplomatic relations. The Malaysia – New Zealand Strategic Partnership 2. The ...1 week ago
- PM meets Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Malaysian counterpart, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, have today released a Joint Statement emphasising both countries’ commitment to the bilateral Strategic Partnership. The Joint Statement was released at the conclusion of a meeting during the Prime Minister’s first official visit to Malaysia, with both leaders ...1 week ago
- ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ a step closer
Greater competition and lower prices for Kiwi consumers are a step closer today as consultation begins on ‘open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Energy Minister Simeon Brown say. “Every New Zealander relies on banking and electricity – these are foundational services for our ...1 week ago
- Turning rubber into resources
New Zealand’s first national tyre recycling scheme is now fully operational with free collections starting today, says Environment Minister Penny Simmonds. “The first priority product stewardship scheme for end-of-life tyres marks a significant step toward addressing a long-standing issue for our country,” Ms Simmonds says. “Every year, New Zealand imports ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand and Canada strengthen emergency management cooperation
An agreement signed on Thursday between New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Public Safety Canada will strengthen international cooperation on emergency management matters says Emergency Management and Recovery Minister, Mark Mitchell. “With the frequency and severity of emergencies increasing globally, it’s important, now more than ever, that countries ...2 weeks ago
- 110km/h speed limit proposed from Orewa to Warkworth
Proposed speed limit increases of 110km/h on State Highway 1 from Orewa to Warkworth will mean faster journey times for Kiwis travelling between Auckland and Northland and has been welcomed by Transport Minister Simeon Brown. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the ...2 weeks ago
- He poroporoaki ki a Kīngi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII
Whekuwheku ana te whenua i te tāhekenga o roimata, haehae ana te manawa i te ngau o te aroha, hotuhotu ana te ngākau i te kaponga ōu e te kupenga a Taramainuku. Kei konei mātou, kua taka a roto i te rongotanga ake i te hinganga ōu. Ka tangihia tonutia ...2 weeks ago
- Waikato Regional Summit postponed
A Waikato Regional Growth Summit planned for next Tuesday in Hamilton has been postponed following the passing of Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “I join the many voices already that have expressed sorrow at this news and offer my condolences and aroha to ...2 weeks ago
- Sport & Rec Minister to attend Paralympics
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Paris to support the New Zealand Paralympic Team during the 2024 Paralympic Games – the first time a New Zealand Sport & Recreation Minister has ever attended a Paralympics. “The Paralympic Games are the third-largest sporting event in the world and ...2 weeks ago
- Making it easier to verify your identity online
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is making it easier to verify your identity online by rolling out RealMe Identity Verification Service [RealMe] access to an additional seven private sector organisations. “The Government is now expanding this service to further organisations including financial service companies and ...2 weeks ago
- New approach to mental health calls welcomed
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and Police Minister Mark Mitchell have welcomed the announcement by Health NZ and NZ Police on their transition to a stronger mental health-led response for those requiring crisis mental health support. Health NZ and NZ Police have announced that from November 2024 agencies will streamline ...2 weeks ago
- Government’s condolences on passing of Kīngi Tūheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII
Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters has expressed the Government’s condolences on the passing of Kīngi Tūheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII. “It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of the King, and we express sympathies and prayers to the Kingitanga family and Tainui people. “Kīngi ...2 weeks ago
- Bill strengthening Firearm Prohibition Orders passes
An important milestone in the Coalition Government’s commitment to restoring law and order was reached with the passing of the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill today, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “The Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill was part of this Government’s 100-day plan and committed ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to strengthen the economy passes first reading
The Government continues to introduce measures that will strengthen the economy and ensure New Zealand businesses and individuals have a more secure future, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency Response, and Remedial Measures) Bill, which passed its first reading today, proposes several measures aimed ...2 weeks ago
- Speech to Building Nations 2024 – Modernising New Zealand’s PPP Model
INTRODUCTION What an honour to be running the anchor leg of this incredible conference, and to be able to update you on some of the work I’ve had the privilege of doing across two of the best portfolios for a civil engineer – Infrastructure and RMA Reform. New Zealand’s infrastructure ...2 weeks ago
- Victims to benefit from Remote Participation Bill
Court participants, particularly victims, will benefit from the passing of a bill today that will enable greater use of audio and audiovisual technology in court proceedings, Courts Minister Nicole McKee says. The Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill which makes targeted amendments to the Courts (Remote Participation) Act 2010 and ...2 weeks ago
- Business confidence rises under new economic management
Today’s ANZ Business Outlook shows businesses are feeling a whole lot better about the future, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. “It’s so pleasing to see business confidence is the highest in a decade, and firms’ outlook for their own activity, looking 12 months into the future, is the highest ...2 weeks ago
- Minister appoints new chair and members to Water Services Authority
Minister of Local Government Simeon Brown has announced new appointments to the Board of the Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai (the Authority), including a new chair, and has reappointed two members of the Authority’s Māori Advisory Group for a further three-year term. Former Watercare chief executive Raveen Jaduram is ...2 weeks ago
- Refreshed health research to drive better outcomes
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says updated guidance provided to the Health Research Council (HRC) means future projects will have an increased focus on Government priorities and improved health for New Zealanders when being considered for funding. The refreshed guidance for applicants is included in the two HRC funding opportunities ...2 weeks ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 12 September
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 12 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago - Daily crossword, Thursday 12 September
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 12 September appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
- Qantas warns of 1.5 million annual passenger drop for Auckland if fees continue
Substantial price increases at New Zealand’s largest airport generate excess profits according to the Commerce Commission The post Qantas warns of 1.5 million annual passenger drop for Auckland if fees continue appeared first on Newsroom. ...9 hours ago
- Book of the Week: She wrote about all her lovers
When I was a much younger woman I wrote letters each week to my mother. I had moved away from one town to another, leaving her behind, and the almost daily conversations I had had with her all my married life had become toll calls. I was ashamed of the ...9 hours ago
- Paedophile priests dumped in the Pacific
The legacy of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy and the tactic of moving abusers to new dioceses without addressing the problem has been well-documented for decades. But the latest story is close to home – Catholic clergy or missionaries accused of sexual abuse, who were transferred to the Pacific Islands.Some ...9 hours ago
- Wins and pitfalls for lenders in CCCFA overhaul
Simplifying lending laws proposes opportunities for the financial sector, but also potential pitfalls for lenders.Last week Commerce Minister Andrew Bayly released more details on the scope of his second stage of reforms to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 (better known as the CCCFA).Once legislated, these changes will ...9 hours ago
- Greens accuse Australian police of ‘excessive force’ against anti-war protesters at arms expo
Asia Pacific Report The Victorian Greens have demanded an independent inquiry into Australian police tactics and alleged excessive use of force today against antiwar protesters at the Land Forces expo in Melbourne. State Greens leader Ellen Sandell said her party had lodged a formal protest to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption ...14 hours ago - Government funding schools up to $5000 for structured literacy resources
The money will be for purchasing structured literacy resources such as decodable books and games, on top of the free resources already available from the Ministry of Education ...16 hours ago - Celebrity Treasure Island power rankings: A cheating scandal rocks the beach
Tara Ward power ranks week one of Celebrity Treasure Island. Spring has sprung, the sun is shining and Celebrity Treasure Island is back on our screens. A brand new season of the New Zealand reality series began this week, with 18 brave celebrities washing up on an isolated Coromandel beach ...17 hours ago - Ngāti Whātua challenges Kaipara District Council over decision to abolish Māori ward
The iwi has launched a legal challenge against the Kaipara District Council, which last month voted to abolish its Māori ward. ...18 hours ago
- Six National Anti-Corruption Commission probes involve current or former parliamentarians
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Six of the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s current investigations involve the conduct of current or former parliamentarians, according to statistics about its work released on Wednesday. While the NACC refers to six corruption investigations, it ...18 hours ago
- Minister has ‘constructive’ meeting with group concerned about trans women in sport
More than 50 former Olympians signed an open letter where they say principles of fairness and safety in sport have been disrespected by Sports New Zealand's principles on inclusion. ...18 hours ago
- Parliament votes to extend gift card expiry dates
An estimated one in five gift cards expire before their use-by dates, with New Zealanders losing $10 million a year by forgetting to use them. ...18 hours ago
- What is reproductive health leave and why do we need it?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University LightField Studios/Shutterstock Time off work to deal with IVF, menopause, gender transition treatments, vasectomies and other reproductive health issues would be enshrined in all workplace awards if a national union campaign ...19 hours ago
- Trump and Harris trade insults and competing visions: 3 experts give their verdicts on the US presid...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University Judging debates usually comes down to picking a winner or loser. Seeking a more nuanced approach to the first presidential debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat ...19 hours ago
- The Queen’s Nanny: an entertaining, timely and informative play about Elizabeth II’s governess
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Phil Erbacher/Ensemble Theatre Born in East Ayrshire in 1909, the Scottish educator and governess Marion Crawford, who trained as a child psychologist, is best remembered – if she is ...20 hours ago
- Māori wards: Councils resentful about funding a binding poll
All but three of 45 councils which established the seats without a public referendum elected to retain the wards. ...20 hours ago
- Trump and Harris trade insults and competing visions: our experts give their verdicts on the US pres...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University Emma Shortis is senior researcher in international and security affairs at The Australia Institute, an independent think tank. Matthew Ricketson does not work for, consult, own shares ...20 hours ago
- ‘It’s okay to poo at work’: new health campaign highlights a common source of anxiety
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Robert Knowles, Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Swinburne University of Technology Queensland Health/Instagram For most people, the daily or near-daily ritual of having a bowel motion is not something we give a great deal of thought to. But for some ...20 hours ago
- The Princess of Wales wants to stay cancer-free. What does this mean?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amali Cooray, PhD Candidate in Genetic Engineering and Cancer, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) Pete Hancock/Shutterstock Catherine, Princess of Wales, has announced she has now completed a course of preventive chemotherapy. The news comes nine months after ...20 hours ago
- With a million home batteries, we could build far fewer power lines. We just need the right incentiv...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott Hamilton, Adjunct associate professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University It’s no secret Australia has abundant and cheap renewable energy, especially wind and solar power. But yes, there are times when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t ...20 hours ago
- Should parents be worried about social media? We asked 5 experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Judith Ireland, Education Editor, The Conversation, Australia Trock.kc/Shutterstock , CC BY The Albanese government has announced it will introduce a social media ban for children. The government has not yet nominated a minimum age but is trialling age-assurance mechanisms for ...20 hours ago
- X account posing as an ‘MFAT insider’ likely a disgruntled former employee – minis...
Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Winston Peters confirmed he had been briefed about it. ...21 hours ago
- Buried treasures: how seeds help us learn about fire in the Australian landscape
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ella Plumanns Pouton, Researcher in Ecology, The University of Melbourne Fire is a natural part of Australian ecosystems. Many plants have developed ways to adapt and even thrive after fire. They may store their seeds in the soil, ready to sprout after ...21 hours ago
- Athletes’ bodies are supposedly temples. So why do so many consume ultra-processed foods?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Evangeline Mantzioris, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, University of South Australia Even the most casual sports fan would have seen athletes gulping down sports drinks after a contest or even snacking on something like a protein ball ...22 hours ago
- As cities axe shared e-scooters, the many more personally owned ones are in a blind spot
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ferdinand Balfoort, PhD Candidate in Law, Charles Darwin University Recent decisions by the Melbourne City and Sunshine Coast councils to end contracts with operators of shared e-scooters have reignited debate around this form of transport. It ticks many sustainability boxes, yet continues ...24 hours ago
- Labour is talking about a wealth tax again – what are its options and what might work?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Barrett, Associate Professor in Commercial Law and Taxation, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins recently revealed the party is looking once again at it’s tax policy, including a possible wealth tax or a “capital ...24 hours ago
- It’s a big deal if Australia and the Pacific are chosen to host UN climate talks. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney chinasong/Shutterstock It’s now very likely Australia will be announced as the host of the COP31 global climate talks in 2026 alongside Pacific nations. This would be a very big ...24 hours ago
- Spark’s inaugural gaming festival was for the kids, and kids at heart
Last weekend, Spark Arena hosted Aotearoa’s largest gaming festival. Sam Brooks attended to see what all the fuss was about. “ALL YOUR LIVES HAVE LED TO THIS.” This slogan was emblazoned across multiple screens inside Spark Arena this past Saturday, as a couple thousand people attended the country’s “largest gaming ...24 hours ago
- Rightwing astroturfers infiltrate Australian local councils, fire up unrest over Israel
With similar Israel divestment motions having been passed at City of Sydney and Canterbury/Bankstown Councils, many had expected the motion to pass in what is supposed to be one of the most progressive areas of Sydney. Wendy Bacon reports on what went wrong. INVESTIGATION: By Wendy Bacon Israel’s genocidal war ...1 day ago
- ACC proposes rises in levies to fund future injury costs
It says the number of injuries has been rising, as has the cost of treating them and rehabilitation. ...1 day ago
- Treaty Principles Bill: Officials advise government against redefining principles
The Ministry of Justice told the coalition the bill isn't "grounded in the Treaty" and isn't supported by evidence. ...1 day ago
- You won’t believe what happened on Shortland Street on 9/11
In the midst of the most shocking news event of the 21st century, Shortland Street was trying out one of its most bizarre and ambitious storylines ever. There’s a psychological phenomenon around 9/11, where tonnes of people have misremembered where they were when they first heard that a plane hit ...1 day ago
- Government to launch AI chatbot called Gov-GPT
Judith Collins says it will help people find information about government agencies. ...1 day ago
- Commerce Minister plays down rift between National, ACT over supermarkets
It comes as the coalition partners dig in on their opposing positions on whether or not to ramp-up regulation. ...1 day ago
- New Caledonia crisis: Unrest-hit Air Calédonie in search of new markets
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s domestic carrier Air Calédonie is set to launch a biweekly international connection to neighbouring Vanuatu. The new link is set to start operating from October 3 with two return flights, one on Mondays and the other on Thursdays. The ...1 day ago
- How can everyone be part of the AI revolution?
AI technology is an increasingly common part of many people’s working lives – but not everyone has the opportunity to benefit equally. Dr Jade Brooks tells Alice Webb Liddall about her research into how workplaces can bridge the digital divide. The vision “that all of us have what we need ...1 day ago
- Is it possible to keep your voice and your soul while writing for an international market?
Sascha Stronach (Kāi Tahu), author of The Dawnhounds and The Sunforge, on fighting US editors on matters of New Zealand slang. I had two knockdown dragout fights with my US publisher: they wanted to call me “a bold and important voice in Māori fiction”; they thought “moggy” sounded like ...1 day ago
- Fuel shortages and bare pharmacies: we need to talk about what a possible war with China could look ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William A. Stoltz, Lecturer and expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University Jenari/Shutterstock The intensifying great power competition between the People’s Republic of China and the United States has meant the possibility of future war in the Indo-Pacific region has ...1 day ago
- Meningococcal: what to know about this potentially deadly disease affecting Australian children
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Williams, Paediatrician & Infectious Diseases Physician; Senior Lecturer & NHMRC Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock Three children in far north Queensland have recently become unwell with meningococcal disease, a life-threatening infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. ...1 day ago
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