Search Results
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Comment:Open mike 19/09/2022
Date published: 4:36 pm, September 19th, 2022Scotland is planning an Independence referendum on 19th October 2023. With Scotland exiting the Union, and Northern Ireland already half way out, the edifice that we call Britain and UK will become defunct. The argument to retain the Windsor monarchy as ...
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Comment:Open mike 17/09/2022
Date published: 3:37 pm, September 17th, 2022Suspension of Sanity over yet? When are we allowed to discuss Aotearoa having a new Head of State that does not live here, takes millions in cash as backhanders from despots, has appointed an even more corrupt brother his deputy, married a 19yr old for ...
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Comment:Open mike 16/09/2022
Date published: 3:09 pm, September 17th, 2022Suspension of Sanity over yet? When are we allowed to discuss Aotearoa having a new Head of State that does not live here, takes million in cash as back/handers from despots, has appointed an even more corrupt brother his deputy, married a 19yr old for ...
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Comment:Open mike 16/09/2022
Date published: 9:09 am, September 16th, 2022We’ve been told not to upset those who are in the 10 week mourning period for the late monarch. So I’ll focus on some interesting facts. I haven’t had a pint since the Elizabethan Period. Brian Tamaki was in Hotel Bonaparte in Paris during Elizabethan ...
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Comment:Open mike 13/09/2022
Date published: 10:57 am, September 14th, 2022Thanks for your thoughtful and rational contribution to debate. The pages of TheStandard wouldn’t be the same without you.
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Comment:Open mike 13/09/2022
Date published: 9:01 am, September 13th, 2022TVNZ have spent the last four days reinforcing the notion that Colonialism/Racism was/is a glorious endeavour and should be celebrated in glorious pageantry.
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Comment:Open mike 12/09/2022
Date published: 5:35 pm, September 12th, 2022The successful HoS model that is most often suggested for New Zealand is that of Ireland. Look it up on wiki.
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Comment:Open mike 12/09/2022
Date published: 5:31 pm, September 12th, 2022The Commonwealth org has a budget smaller than that of Invercargill council! What to we do through that org that we can’t do better directly?
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Comment:Open mike 12/09/2022
Date published: 2:01 pm, September 12th, 2022Thank you for that posting, Peter. There is a well informed and well considered debate going on around the world at this time. One of the English Queens’s roles at the time of here accession was to continue the benefits and influence they had as a colonial...
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Comment:Open mike 11/09/2022
Date published: 10:03 am, September 12th, 2022It is disappointing that after all this time many on the left feel uncomfortable with criticising Russia. It suggests to me that some of us lefties either have weak foundation to our values or that some of us with a Marxist Leninist bent are now warm ...
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Comment:Open mike 12/09/2022
Date published: 9:01 am, September 12th, 2022The Commonwealth. A term used a lot in the coverage of the monarchy change. Up to now I viewed it as a silly pretendy thing. I now see it as a pernicious tool to whitewash colonial history and to frame racism as benign behaviour. Aotearoa must now exit the...
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Comment:Open mike 26/07/2022
Date published: 9:59 am, July 26th, 2022Matt Robson, formerly Alliance/Progressives, is the only Kiwi on a Ukrainian Government list of people pushing pro Russian propaganda. Can anyone point me to what he was up to?
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Comment:Open mike 22/02/2022
Date published: 10:50 am, February 22nd, 2022vto is voicing Don Brash stuff. Not worth the effort, Molly.
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Comment:Why the Wellington protestors are wrong
Date published: 6:43 pm, February 20th, 2022I saw protestors (40+) up close today on both sides of the road by the lights in Silverdale around 1730 today. I know a Nat when I see one. These were not the faces we have seen on TV & SM. These were middle class pakeha with entitled faces. They are angry...
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Comment:What Do We Keep?
Date published: 11:55 am, February 7th, 2022Will I forgive the boards of all the professional medical bodies who did not stand up or speak up against the initial introduction of mandates on medical, scientific or ethical grounds? No. Will I forgive any person who acted as a "force multiplier" for ...
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Comment:What Do We Keep?
Date published: 11:47 am, February 7th, 2022The things we don’t regret keeping are a strong measure of what we don’t value. I won't regret letting go that last tiny vestige of respect I had for liberals. I won't regret letting go a capacity for empathy if (or more likely "when") people who ...
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Comment:How the Covid era changes us
Date published: 7:44 pm, February 5th, 2022And we will own nothing and be happy. ;-) Unless....
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 12:02 am, January 30th, 2022@ the unliving. Two words on vaccination rates and Covid spread. Ireland. Gibraltar. That aside, study showing no difference in infection rate across multiple countries and US states in relation to vaccine rates. But then, that's leaky vaccines for you. ...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 11:54 pm, January 29th, 2022@ weka I've lost your comment, but yes, they will be getting pulled up, and in no uncertain terms. Letter came out prior to Xmas asserting that proof of vaccination would be required to continue (in this instance) after school drama classes. And they knew ...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 9:40 pm, January 29th, 2022@ Weka. Actually. It appears school has been sending out bullshit info to parents around extracurricular activities and vaccination on the grounds (I guess) they reckoned they'd be able to ask for proof. So thank you for that.
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 8:58 pm, January 29th, 2022@Bill, children aren't covered by the ...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 8:45 pm, January 29th, 2022And before I go, on your graph and thanks to Belladonna below... The Health Ministry has confirmed that it counts any person in hospital with Covid as a hospitalisation, whether they’re there because of Covid symptoms or complications, or for something ...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 8:36 pm, January 29th, 2022I know this shit inside out. People who tell stories about their cousin's kid being vaccinated with MMR vax and then two weeks later having neurological issues. But they have zero competency to describe a mechanism for injury, and struggle with concepts of...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 6:58 pm, January 29th, 2022I was "invalidated" from the workforce some years back, so absolutely understand the limitations placed on the unemployed by lack of economic resource. And I'm not vaccinated. The shit that's come down with "traffic lights" bears no comparison to the ...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 6:43 pm, January 29th, 2022What the NZ government has done is pointlessly 'vaccinate' millions who were not vulnerable and so never going to wind up in hospital and exposed them to vaccine injury. And even I know a clutch of people who got hit hard in close proximity to injection (1...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 6:26 pm, January 29th, 2022Targeting with a leaky vaccine does not expose vulnerable people and is precisely the health response to other viral infections we only have leaky vaccines for.
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 6:16 pm, January 29th, 2022Here you argue that the government shouldn't have used a covid vaccination programme Nope. I've consistently argued that vaccinations should have been targeted.
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 4:08 pm, January 29th, 2022'lets treat vulnerable people as a separate class' argument astounding Just as well no-one is arguing that then. Would you give aspirin to everyone so a few heart attacks were avoided? No? Why treat those at risk from heart attacks as "a separate class" by...
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Comment:Open mike 29/01/2022
Date published: 4:04 pm, January 29th, 2022that you are arguing that vulnerable people shouldn't be protected via a widespread public health initiative. No Weka. That's a fucking absurd take. People being admitted to hospital were tested for covid, and if they returned a +ve result, they were Covid...
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Comment:Going cold turkey on Spotify
Date published: 3:47 pm, January 29th, 2022A good critique of their views is a better approach. I had quite a few amicable and constructive conversations in pub land before I was no longer allowed in pub land...food for thought on both sides. :-)
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Comment:Going cold turkey on Spotify
Date published: 3:44 pm, January 29th, 2022Chicken and egg. Are many people getting news(?) and info from him? Or does he simply have his finger on the pulse and so discuss topics people are interested in, in an engaging way and with interesting guests? Facebook, google, youtube and now twitter too...
- The police are out of control
On Friday, RNZ carried a story about the police use of Auror, a private surveillance network. Police use it to track people and vehicles using ANPR, washing their hands of any legal restrictions or privacy obligations because the actual surveillance is being done by a private company. That's bad enough, ...3 hours ago - Gordon Campbell on what Britain’s tax cutting spree means for us
Well, that didn’t take long. Briefly, the pageantry of the royal funeral had made Britain look like a world power again. But last Friday’s package of tax cuts and borrowing announced by the UK’s new Chancellor, Kwasi Karteng, has spooked investors, caused markets to tumble, and sent the pound crashing ...4 hours ago - Geoffrey Miller: Jacinda Ardern’s tilt towards the West continues at the UN
Jacinda Ardern intends to continue a more pro-Western foreign policy strategy, if her agenda from a hectic week of diplomacy is anything to go by. New Zealand’s Prime Minister met with four G7 leaders – Liz Truss, Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron – in various settings while she ...8 hours ago - Warming climate makes extreme hurricane rains more likely for Puerto Rico
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the southeast coast of Puerto Rico as a category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds, making it the strongest hurricane to make landfall on the island since 1928. Maria dumped ...10 hours ago - Old Prejudices In New Packages.
Charisma. Style. Fascism? The rest of Europe is looking on aghast at Italy’s electoral behaviour. Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) party traces its ideological lineage all the way back to Mussolini’s fascists. Indeed, she has been known to proclaim the original fascists’ slogan: “God, Country, Family”; at her party’s ...1 day ago - Crackpot Theory: The Real Sauron in The Rings of Power
The Rings of Power has yet to unveil Annatar. Or, as you might also know him, Sauron. As it currently stands, the invented Adar is the major on-screen villain, while the show has been gleefully dangling potential Annatar candidates in front of the viewer, to the point where “Everyone ...2 days ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #38A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Sep 18, 2022 thu Sat, Sep 24, 2022. Story of the Week Tipping points: How could they shape the world’s response to climate change? The Larsen Ice Shelf is situated along the ...3 days ago
- The power and privilege of the professional managerial class
Bryce Edwards examines how politics got captured by the middle class, and why it’s a problem (Reprinted from the Democracy Project, 8 September 2022) One of the world’s leading progressive political thinkers and journalists died last week. Barbara Ehrenreich was 81 years old, had written more than 20 books and ...3 days ago - A Crystal Mith Problem: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episode 5
Well. That was something else. Hot on the heels of The Rings of Power’s first unapologetically good episode, we now encounter its first unapologetically bad one. As you might have noticed, I have been generally positive – or at least charitable – about the show, but I cannot in ...3 days ago - Business as usual then? “Goodbye” Covid, Seymour rants, Uffindell is “cleared”… and Big Bu...
A pandemic is declared “over” by the US President (but let’s not fool ourselves because it’s not really), world leaders gather at the UN in person after zooming in over the last few years even as tensions escalate in Ukraine, extremism continues to rise worldwide and also locally, all ...3 days ago - Real royalty dying off
Jean Luc Godard and Hilary Mantel within a few days of each other?FFS, 2022. Juck fuck off already. ...3 days ago - Should We Be Relying On Storing Waste Carbon in Trees?
The carbon, energy and dollar cycles do not integrate well. The strategy of mitigating global warming by sequesting carbon in trees involves three separate cycles: a carbon cycle, an energy cycle and a dollar cycle. I am not sure they are well integrated. Our oil-based carbon cycle involves extracting underground ...4 days ago - Who to vote for in Palmerston North (2022)My local body voting papers arrived earlier in the week, so its time for the usual post in which I try and work out who I'm voting for. Essential tools for this have been Vote Climate, which looks at climate and public transport policy; Policy.nz, which gives a more general ...4 days ago
- Still striking for a futureIn 2017, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern said that climate change was "my generation's nuclear-free moment" and promised action. In 2019 and 2021 school students walked out of classrooms to demand she deliver. And today, they walked out again, because she still hasn't. The strikes are smaller today, because the movement ...4 days ago
- Fuck the economyStuff reports that bank economists are saying that 50,000 people need to be thrown out of work to control inflation: The current labour market was “very, very tight”, [ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner] said, and bringing down inflation required “some spare capacity” in the labour market. It was a ...4 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: The Political mood of the business eliteThe New Zealand Herald has released the results of its annual “Mood of the Boardroom” survey today. Should we care what businesses think of politics, the economy and society? There’s a good argument that we should be more concerned with the “Mood of the Foodbank” or “Mood of the workers”. ...4 days ago
- Labour: From disappointment to deceitIn the 1980's and 1990's, Aotearoa faced a succession of governments who brazenly lied to the public, promising one thing to get elected, then doing something completely different in office. As revenge, we inflicted MMP on politicians, to saddle them with coalition partners and deprive them of the absolute majorities ...4 days ago
- The Magic Of Monarchy4 days ago
- An American Colony?
The end of the Queen’s reign has provided us here in New Zealand with a powerful and prolonged reminder of the extent to which our heritage is bound up with that of the United Kingdom. It may, therefore, be an odd moment to register what is becoming a significant change ...4 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #38 2022"Was it something I did?" Not so long ago Skeptical Science received email from a reader, subject: "Myth: increased deaths, harm to health and and destruction of property cannot be attributed to global warming." As a matter of intuition and the evidence in front of us, this certainly seems ...5 days ago
- Owlbears in Valinor: D&D Silliness with The Silmarillion
Some weeks ago, I finished DMing a three-session D&D outing with my usual circle of acquaintances. I had never actually DMed before, so it was a fun learning experience. Overall, I think I’m pretty decent at serving up a vaguely engaging story… my biggest weakness being combats. I am ...5 days ago - Gordon Campbell on ram-raids as a policy outcome, not a causeNew British PM Liz Truss is giving us a useful foretaste of what a change of government here next year would deliver: tax cuts, welfare reductions, law and order crackdowns, and further handouts to banks. On Friday, the new British Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is expected to unveil a major “’fiscal ...5 days ago
- Hoist by his own petardIn 2017, in response to being criticised by anonymous bloggers, then-Samoan Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi restored the archaic colonial offence of criminal libel to Samoa's statute book, ramming it through parliament in under an hour. Now, he's being prosecuted under his own law [paywalled]: Police have perused a ...5 days ago
- DrawnA ballot for three member's bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill (Karen Chhour) Employment Relations (Restraint of Trade) Amendment Bill (Helen White) Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Cellar Door Tasting) Amendment Bill (Stuart Smith) ...5 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Labour has given up on the poorWhat will it take for this Labour Government to start paying attention to the worsening state of economic inequality in New Zealand? The evidence is mounting that, under Labour’s watch, the problem of wealth and income inequality is spiralling. But the signs are that Labour ministers have put this crisis ...5 days ago
- Patterns in the Sand: Guessing References in The Rings of Power Opening Sequence
It is now generally accepted that the peculiar opening sequence of The Rings of Power is an extended reference to the Ainulindalë, the Music of the Ainur, the Creation Myth of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium. Recall that this myth – the first chapter of the published Silmarillion – consists of ...6 days ago - Two Kings, One Country.A Meeting Of Minds On The Treaty: The ultimate irony of a radical Māori nationalist push for a republic would be an answering surge towards monarchical institutions. A Māori-Pakeha alliance forged between members of the Professional-Managerial Class in pursuit of a radically identarian republic may yet find itself opposed by ...6 days ago
- One country at a timeEquatorial Guinea has abolished the death penalty: Equatorial Guinea has abolished the death penalty, according to a new criminal code signed by veteran President Teodoro Obiang, adding to a growing list of African countries seeking to extinguish a vestige of colonial rule. The West African oil-producing country of 1.4 ...6 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Time for the Auditor General to investigate Mahuta contractsPressure is increasing on the Auditor General to undertake an inquiry into numerous contracts, appointments and grants awarded to members of Cabinet Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s family by various government departments she has had official responsibility for. Allegations and revelations are mounting up, meaning this issue can no longer be ignored. ...6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on Air New Zealand’s bumpy path to Covid recoveryAir New Zealand’s new non-stop service to JFK international airport in New York recently received a ton of free publicity, even though the airline’s mishandling of passenger baggage on the first New York to Auckland run was also an epic embarrassment. Since it was ordinary taxpayers who bailed out the ...6 days ago
- Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day. First up are two committee stages: Rachel Boyack's Plain Language Bill and Steph Lewis' Biosecurity (Information for Incoming Passengers) Amendment Bill. Once they're out of the way, the House will move on to the first readings of Damien Smith's Overseas Investment (Exempt Investment from OECD ...6 days ago
- This seems like a process we can have confidence inYesterday, National leader Christopher Luxon announced that the National caucus had voted to readmit MP Sam Uffindell - who had got together with his mates to beat a fellow student with bed-legs in the middle of the night in a cruel and pre-meditated attack while at school - after an ...7 days ago
- Climate Change: James Shaw pretends to be helplessRNZ this morning reports that Climate Change Minister James Shaw is open to another look at climate change rules to ensure that the Zero Carbon Act and its statutory target can actually be legally enforced: "If the temperature threshold is the point of the entire legislation, then surely it ...7 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: National’s unsatisfactory exoneration of Sam UffindellIt’s hard to have confidence in the National Party’s supposed exoneration of MP Sam Uffindell over allegations of ethical violations as an adult. The party’s processes have been far too opaque, which means there will always be a cloud over the integrity and character of their new MP for Tauranga. ...1 week ago
- A Song Of Iron And Blood.1 week ago
- 2022’s supercharged summer of climate extremes: How global warming and La Niña fueled disasters o...This article by Kevin Trenberth, Distinguished Scholar, NCAR; Affiliated Faculty, University of Auckland, is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. There’s an old joke about the fellow who has his left foot in a bucket of ice water and the right in a bucket ...1 week ago
- Who decides what we are allowed to say?
In this thoughtful piece Mark White from the left free speech site Plebity examines how we can reclaim the public square as a real Commons. Before we can have an honest debate over what speech should be allowed and what speech should be forbidden, we need to confront a more ...1 week ago - Elegy For A Queen.Elegy For A QueenThe media beast that must be fedOn human fodder hour-by-hour,Just for one second, checks its power.Elizabeth, the Queen, is dead.That this is news no one can doubt.The airwaves hum, the presses roll.And cellphones buzz from pole to poleTo get the information out.We see, we hear, the words ...1 week ago
- The Languages Of Sovereignty And Democracy.Leviathan: Reaching all the way back to the writings of the Sixteenth Century jurist and political philosopher, Jean Bodin, constitutional transformer Moana Jackson argues that the European concept of sovereignty is one of “the most high and perpetual power over citizens”. He would have done better to study Hobbes and Locke ...1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards: The Uninspiring Wellington mayoral electionWellingtonians are desperately unhappy with the politicians running their city, and a new poll out yesterday shows they’re not very impressed with their mayoral options either. The Wellington City Council’s own annual Residents Monitoring Survey shows plummeting levels of confidence in the politicians and the state of the city. When ...1 week ago
- Of Guilty Guilds: Addressing Anti-Immigration Populism in The Rings of Power, Episode 4
As per my Episode 4 review of The Rings of Power, I noted that the Men of Númenor objecting to Elves on a “they’ll steal our jobs!” basis feels a tad weird. Of all the things these people have to throw at their pointy-eared brethren, the show settles upon ...1 week ago - An Idle Ode to Adar the Elda: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power, Episode 4
Half-way through the first season of The Rings of Power, we have run into our first unapologetically good episode. Not merely one to feel positive about, whilst grumbling about perceived flaws real or imagined. No, I think the fourth episode is sufficiently good that hunting around for flaws to ...1 week ago - Gorbachev’s Legacy
The aim of a decent liberal Russia is still there; its achievement is likely to be a long way off. I was optimistic about the prospects for Russia when the Soviet Union – or, as I think of it, the Russian Empire – collapsed in the early 1990s. I never ...2 weeks ago - Hungary is no longer a democracySince his election in 2010, Viktor Orbán has shifted Hungary sharply away from democracy and the rule of law, changing the constitution to stack the electoral system and the courts against his opponents, while dismantling the independent media. And now, the European Parliament has recognised the truth: that one of ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Labour’s fraught battle to retain the Māori voteLabour’s poll results are trending down. Yesterday’s Curia poll put the party down two points to just 33 per cent, while National is up three points to 37 per cent. When it comes to next year’s election, a key constituency for Labour will be Māori voters, especially in the Māori ...2 weeks ago
- A King’s Grasp.Worst Case Scenario? Mike Bartlett’s teleplay, King Charles III, teases out the consequences of a constitutional monarch who makes the mistake of attempting to defend the rights of his subjects.WHILE MANY OF US pretended that Queen Elizabeth II would, somehow, live forever, others among us knew better. One of those ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the regal mourning marathonThe media coverage of the mourning process for Elizabeth II seems to be as endless as the lines of people waiting patiently to pay their respects. (The British are very good at standing in queues.) New Zealand’s official ten day mourning period ends on Monday, after the state funeral in ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37 2022Mutual assured stupefaction A plethora of investigations have found that come the clutch, ideology often wins over facts when it comes to uncomfortable truths. If the outcomes of facts disagree with ideological objectives, facts frequently lose. Why? If we look at the sharpest divergences of facts from wishful ideology, we find ...2 weeks ago
- Shouldn’t we make them pay for it?Yesterday a new report from Environment Southland found widespread environmental contamination at the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. Both the soil and groundwater has been contaminated with fluoride and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the stormwater drains are full of heavy metals. Worse, this is just what we know - the data ...2 weeks ago
- Democratic compromise as the mutual second-best.
For the first ten years of my former academic career I wrote a considerable amount about post-authoritarian democratisation thanks to the mentors that introduced me to the subject and my personal interest in Argentina and the Southern Cone. I alternated this interest with writing about various security related topics like ...2 weeks ago - Bryce Edwards: Fighting for cleaner and fairer electionsFrom this week the public can provide input into the Government’s review of electoral laws – a process which is supposed to make elections cleaner and fairer. Hopefully, public submissions and pressure applied to both the electoral review experts and the Government will force the consideration and implementation of progressive ...2 weeks ago
- Sweden falls to the NazisSwedes went to the polls over the weekend, and after a tight count, appear to have elected a Nazi-coalition government. The right-bloc has a three-seat majority, and the neo-Nazi Sweden Democrats are the largest party within that bloc. And to gain power of course the "moderate" centre-right parties are willing ...2 weeks ago
- Ag’s challenging future in a changing climateThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters Increased drought and extreme heat adversely affecting agriculture likely pose the highest threat to civilization over the next 40 years. The greatest danger: extreme droughts supercharged by climate change, affecting multiple grain-growing areas simultaneously, causing “food shock” events that could ...2 weeks ago
- Questions for Richard Wagstaffby Don Franks A tough strike and lockout struggle against their employer won Kawerau pulp and paper workers an increase to the company’s initial offer. In a welcome resurgence of working class solidarity, embattled Kawerau unionists were assisted by financial support from other workers. Instead of building on this positive ...2 weeks ago
- We need tougher penalties for electoral donation fraudWriting in Stuff, Max Rashbrooke Lisa Marriott examine the dismal history of election donation fraud in Aotearoa, and conclude that there are no real consequences for it. Prosecutions are rare, and the penalties derisory: It looks awfully like one law for the rich and one for the poor. At ...2 weeks ago
- Wellington’s user-pays “democracy”In the face of a rising tide of climate protest, governments are cracking down. In the UK, the only-partly-elected government has effectivley banned protests, just like they did in the eighteenth century. In Wellington, they're more subtle, simply imposing unaffordable costs for "traffic management fees": Wellington City Council left ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Why New Zealand’s shift to a republic will be thwartedThe death of Queen Elizabeth and the ascension to the throne of King Charles has reignited the debate on whether New Zealand should become a republic. But despite strong arguments in favour of shifting to a republic, such a move is unlikely to occur anytime soon. What will stop the ...2 weeks ago
- Not Since 1955: Bringing Serialisation to Middle-earth
A curious thought has occurred to me. Specifically about how The Rings of Power represents serialised storytelling in Middle-earth, and about how damned unusual that actually is. You see, in the Tolkien fandom, the books are there on the shelf, the story complete. Posthumous publications might provide ...2 weeks ago - Gordon Campbell on a fun summer, with Covid anxietyNo more traffic light alert system. No more vaccine mandates, even for those in healthcare. Masks are no longer mandatory in retail outlets or on public transport, and required only in healthcare settings, and for those caring for the sick and elderly. Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Virus? Not ...2 weeks ago
- The Bad Guys Are Winning.2 weeks ago
- Food supply and security concerns mount as impacts stress agricultureThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters Crops don’t like drought, extreme heat, extreme cold, flooding, and air pollution. While reducing the ill effects of extreme cold on agriculture in recent decades, the warming climate is increasing impacts of drought, extreme heat, and air pollution. These increased ...2 weeks ago
- The Ukrainian “People’s Storm” Lays Waste Putin’s Dreams.2 weeks ago
- Interview with Kobad Ghandy: Free Speech in Modi’s IndiaDaphna Whitmore interviewed Kobad Ghandy on 6 September for the Free Speech Union in New Zealand. This podcast looks at free speech and civil rights in India, the world’s most populous democracy. Kobad Ghandy was a political prisoner for ten years under both Congress and BJP regimes, and was just ...2 weeks ago
- The left is a big tent, but it must include belief in free speechRedline readers should check out Plebity. It is a left non-profit free speech organisation with articles and resources reclaiming free speech as the necessary foundation for achieving all other leftist ideals. Plebity stands for: ...2 weeks ago
- Don’t Let the Herald take You InThe omens are not good for Christopher Luxon. The polls tell a story that – as interpreted by the Herald – suggest that his failure to improve his personal polling means that he could deny National an election victory in 2023; and the conclusion? That Luxon is therefore dragging National ...2 weeks ago
- Political Roundup: 13 September 2022Items of interest and importance today COVID Luke Malpass (Stuff): PM Ardern’s last Covid live update draws a curtain down on a miserable couple of years Claire Trevett (Herald): PM bids a relieved farewell to Covid-19 rules (paywalled) Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Government seeking advice on ‘what form’ any Covid-19 inquiry ...2 weeks ago
- New study more than triples estimated costs of climate change damagesThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections A peer-reviewed analysis by two dozen experts more than triples – from $51 per ton of carbon dioxide to $185 per ton – the federal government’s estimate of the “social cost of carbon” (SCC). The climate science, economics, and statistics experts’ paper in ...2 weeks ago
- The British Royal Family and its contribution to humanityGearóid Ó Loingsigh The British monarch Elizabeth Windsor, formerly Saxe Coburg Gotha, has died at the grand old age of 96, thanks in no part to the subsidised lifestyle and medical care she enjoyed throughout her long life. Her death has produced the usual outpouring of manufactured grief from the ...2 weeks ago
- Labour abandons us to covidToday, the government has taken its long-signalled decision to repeal virtually all covid restrictions. From midnight tonight, there won't be traffic lights or mask requirements, and isolation rules will be further weakened. The few remaining vaccination requirements will disappear in a couple of weaks. Essentially, the virus will be free ...2 weeks ago
- No freedom of speech in the UKIn the eighteenth century, the British government waged a campaign of repression against those calling for democracy and an end to the monarchy. Over two hundred years later, nothing has really changed: A woman was arrested holding an anti-monarchy sign in Edinburgh today, before the Queen’s cortege arrived in ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on being co-dependent on the royalsFor those who do not regard King Charles III as their liege lord, these have been a difficult few days, with the promise of more to come. One of the reasons that republican sentiment has been so absent from the media coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II is ...2 weeks ago
- Following the war in Ukraine – an update
2 weeks ago- The Weight Of History.
Receiving The Burden Of Sovereignty: The weight of royal ritual and tradition, and all the gilt machinery of monarchical government, is crushing. THE SHEER WEIGHT of it takes your breath away. On display in St James’s Palace on Saturday night (10/9/22) were rituals and traditions dating back centuries. To say the weight ...2 weeks ago- Political Roundup: 12 September 2022
MONARCHY Kevin Norquay (Stuff): Parting ways with the monarchy ‘an eventuality that will happen’ now Queen has gone Richard Harman: This could be the last time (paywalled) Liz Gordon (Insight Aotearoa): A proud and independent nation, Aotearoa Calida Stuart-Menteath and Hamish McNicol (NBR): Does King Charles represent New Zealand? (paywalled) ...2 weeks ago- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #36
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, September 4, 2022 through Sat, September 10, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): CNN Exclusive: Scientists make major breakthrough in race to save ...2 weeks ago - The Weight Of History.
- Crown closes the door for Waimana Housing programme
The Green Party is calling out the Government for its role in Te Waimana Kaaku whānau losing their deposits and the homes they were promised. ...7 hours ago - Swimmable rivers and healthy lakes could soon be out of reachThe Green Party is calling on the Government to tighten the rules on synthetic fertiliser use and intensive land use, including intensive winter grazing, after new monitoring data revealed almost two-thirds of monitored rivers and streams are in poor health. ...2 days ago
- Green Party backs School Strike demandsThe Green Party backs the demands of the School Strike for Climate. ...4 days ago
- Report shows urgent need to fix wealth inequalityA new report out today provides all evidence the Government needs to start addressing runaway inequality and rebalance Aotearoa to work for everyone. ...5 days ago
- No excuses, Minister: we need mandatory pay gap reporting right nowThe message is loud and clear: the Government must introduce mandatory pay gap reporting ...5 days ago
- Greens will keep fighting to strengthen democracyThe Green Party once again put electoral reform on the political agenda with the first reading of Golriz Ghahraman’s Strengthening Democracy member’s bill - only for it to be voted down by Labour. ...6 days ago
- Moratorium on deep sea mining a step closerFollowing months of pressure from the Green Party and environmental NGO and the public, the Minister for Foreign Affairs today confirmed that she is taking advice on whether the Government should support a moratorium on deep sea mining in international waters. ...6 days ago
- Green Party welcomes landmark commitments from health sector for ADHD progressGreen Party spokesperson for Mental Health, Chlöe Swarbrick, welcomes commitments from the Minister of Health to six key areas of progress for the ADHD community, which would together represent one of the largest changes for the ADHD community in a generation. ...1 week ago
- Govt must reunite Afghan refugees with their familiesThe Green Party is once again calling on the Government to support victims of war, oppression, and violence to reunite with their families and put down roots in Aotearoa New Zealand. ...1 week ago
- New Zealand’s economy and the case for optimism
If you missed Grant Robertson’s recent speech on New Zealand’s economy, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Here’s a super quick overview of what the Minister of Finance said about the Government’s economic plan, as well as the latest figures that show how New Zealand’s economy is tracking. ...2 weeks ago - Government handing Fonterra a free passMinister O’Connor should immediately pause the Government’s proposed Fonterra Bill and review its potential impact on the climate, the Green Party says. ...2 weeks ago
- Time to support te reo Māori as a core subject and as a medium of instructionOn the 50th anniversary of the Māori language petition, the Green Party is calling on the Government to make te reo Māori a core curriculum subject in mainstream schools and to support Kaupapa Māori education groups. ...2 weeks ago
- Celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo MāoriKia ora e te whānau! It’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori once again – an opportunity for all of us, no matter where we are on our te reo journey, to give te reo Māori a go. This year, as we celebrate Māori Language Week, we are also marking ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent need for more food supportThe Green Party is calling on the Government to urgently increase the support available for people who are struggling to afford to put food on the table. ...2 weeks ago
- Serious questions for Govt to answer following decision to allow deep-sea miningThe Government has questions to answer following a recent decision by international regulators to give the green-light to a potentially destructive deep-sea mining project in the Pacific. ...2 weeks ago
- Vital public health measures still missing from COVID responseStrong public health measures are more vital than ever, the Green Party says as the Government removes many longstanding COVID-19 restrictions. ...2 weeks ago
- James Shaw re-elected as Co-leader of the Green PartyMembers of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand have re-elected James Shaw as Co-leader, alongside Marama Davidson. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party statement on the death of Queen Elizabeth IIOn behalf of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, I would like to send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II,” says co-leader of the Green Party, Marama Davidson. ...3 weeks ago
- If the Government is going to close one donations loophole, let’s close them allClosing the New Zealand First Foundation loophole is a good step towards a more transparent political donations regime, but it’s not the only loophole that needs closing, the Green Party says. ...3 weeks ago
- Helping young people into better and brighter futuresOur Government wants every New Zealander to have the chance to succeed – and that includes young people who need a little bit of extra support to get back on the right track. That’s why we’re stepping up pathways to better opportunities, by supporting more young people into jobs and ...3 weeks ago
- New Principal Youth Court Judge appointed
Judge Ida Malosi, District Court Judge of Wellington, has been appointed as the new Principal Youth Court Judge, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Born and raised in Southland, Judge Malosi graduated from Victoria University of Wellington and spent her legal career in South Auckland. She was a founding partner of ...34 mins ago - Visitor arrivals highest since pandemic beganOverseas visitor arrivals exceeded 100,000 in July, for the first time since the borders closed in March 2020 Strong ski season lifts arrivals to Queenstown to at least 90% of the same period in 2019 Australia holiday recovery has continued to trend upwards New Zealand’s tourism recovery is on its ...44 mins ago
- Language provides hope for TuvaluClimate change continues to present a major risk for the island nation of Tuvalu, which means sustaining te gana Tuvalu, both on home soil and in New Zealand Aotearoa, has never been more important, Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio said. The Tuvalu Auckland Community Trust and wider Tuvalu ...2 days ago
- Minister Sio to attend Asian Development Bank meeting in ManilaAssociate Foreign Affairs Minister Aupito William Sio travels to the Philippines this weekend to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors in Manila. “The ADB Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to engage with other ADB member countries, including those ...3 days ago
- United Nations General Assembly National StatementE ngā Mana, e ngā Reo, Rau Rangatira mā kua huihui mai nei i tēnei Whare Nui o te Ao Ngā mihi maioha ki a koutou katoa, mai i tōku Whenua o Aotearoa Tuia ki runga, Tuia ki raro, ka Rongo to pō ka rongo te ao Nō reira, tēnā ...3 days ago
- New strategy unifies all-of-Government approach to help Pacific languages thriveA united approach across all-of-Government underpins the new Pacific Language Strategy, announced by the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio at Parliament today. “The cornerstone of our Pacific cultures, identities and place in Aotearoa, New Zealand are our Pacific languages. They are at the heart of our wellbeing,” Aupito ...4 days ago
- Upgrades for sporting facilities ahead of FIFA Women’s World CupCommunities across the country will benefit from newly upgraded sporting facilities as a result of New Zealand co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. The Government is investing around $19 million to support upgrades at 30 of the 32 potential sporting facilities earmarked for the tournament, including pitch, lighting and ...4 days ago
- Partnership supports climate action in Latin America and CaribbeanAotearoa New Zealand is extending the reach of its support for climate action to a new agriculture initiative with partners in Latin America and the Caribbean. Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced a NZ$10 million contribution to build resilience, enhance food security and address the ...4 days ago
- Landmark agreement for Māori fisheries celebrates 30th yearThe 30th anniversary of the Fisheries Deed of Settlement is a time to celebrate a truly historic partnership that has helped transform communities, says Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Rino Tirikatene. “The agreement between the Crown and Māori righted past wrongs, delivered on the Crown’s treaty ...4 days ago
- Government backs initiatives to cut environmental impact of plastic wasteThe Government has today announced funding for projects that will cut plastic waste and reduce its impact on the environment. “Today I am announcing the first four investments to be made from the $50 million Plastics Innovation Fund, which was set last year and implemented a 2020 election promise,” Environment ...4 days ago
- Call for expressions of interest in appointment to the High Court BenchAttorney-General David Parker today called for nominations and expressions of interest in appointment to the High Court Bench. This is a process conducted at least every three years and ensures the Attorney-General has up to date information from which to make High Court appointments. “It is important that when appointments ...5 days ago
- Depositor compensation scheme protects Kiwis’ moneyNew Zealanders will have up to $100,000 of their deposits in any eligible institution guaranteed in the event that institution fails, under legislation introduced in Parliament today. The Deposit Takers Bill is the third piece of legislation in a comprehensive review of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act and ...5 days ago
- New fund to help more Pacific aiga into their own homesThe Government has launched a new housing fund that will help more Pacific aiga achieve the dream of home ownership. “The Pacific Building Affordable Homes Fund will help organisations, private developers, Māori/iwi, and NGOs build affordable housing for Pacific families and establish better pathways to home ownership within Pacific communities. ...5 days ago
- More than 100,000 new Kiwis as halfway point reachedOver 100,000 new Kiwis can now call New Zealand ‘home’ after the 2021 Resident Visa reached the halfway point of approvals, Minister of Immigration Michael Wood announced today. “This is another important milestone, highlighting the positive impact our responsive and streamlined immigration system is having by providing comfort to migrant ...5 days ago
- Maniapoto Claims Settlement Bill passes third reading – He mea pāhi te Maniapoto Claims Settl...Nā te Minita mō ngā Take Tiriti o Waitangi, nā Andrew Little, te iwi o Maniapoto i rāhiri i tēnei rā ki te mātakitaki i te pānuitanga tuatoru o te Maniapoto Claims Settlement Bill - te pikinga whakamutunga o tā rātou whakataunga Tiriti o Waitangi o mua. "Me mihi ka ...5 days ago
- 50,000 more kids to benefit from equity-based programmes next yearAnother 47,000 students will be able to access additional support through the school donations scheme, and a further 3,000 kids will be able to get free and healthy school lunches as a result of the Equity Index. That’s on top of nearly 90% of schools that will also see a ...5 days ago
- Healthy Active Learning now in 40 percent of schools across New ZealandA total of 800 schools and kura nationwide are now benefitting from a physical activity and nutrition initiative aimed at improving the wellbeing of children and young people. Healthy Active Learning was funded for the first time in the inaugural Wellbeing Budget and was launched in 2020. It gets regional ...5 days ago
- Speech at 10th meeting of the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban TreatyKia Ora. It is a pleasure to join you here today at this 10th meeting of the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty. This gathering provides an important opportunity to reiterate our unwavering commitment to achieving a world without nuclear weapons, for which the entry into force of this ...5 days ago
- Speech for Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit 2022Kia ora koutou katoa Thank you for the invitation to join you. It’s a real pleasure to be here, and to be in such fine company. I want to begin today by acknowledging His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Sir David Attenborough in creating what is becoming akin ...5 days ago
- New accreditation builds capacity for Emergency Management VolunteersEmergency Management Minister Kieran McAnulty has recognised the first team to complete a newly launched National Accreditation Process for New Zealand Response Team (NZ-RT) volunteers. “NZ-RT volunteers play a crucial role in our emergency response system, supporting response and recovery efforts on the ground. This new accreditation makes sure our ...6 days ago
- Govt strengthens trans-Tasman emergency management cooperationAotearoa New Zealand continues to strengthen global emergency management capability with a new agreement between New Zealand and Australia, says Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty. “The Government is committed to improving our global and national emergency management system, and the Memorandum of Cooperation signed is another positive step towards ...6 days ago
- Christchurch Call Initiative on Algorithmic OutcomesToday New Zealand, the USA, Twitter, and Microsoft, announced investment in a technology innovation initiative under the banner of the Christchurch Call. This initiative will support the creation of new technology to understand the impacts of algorithms on people’s online experiences. Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms play a growing role in ...6 days ago
- JOINT PR: Trans-Tasman Cooperation on disaster managementHon Kieran McAnulty, New Zealand Minister for Emergency Management Senator The Hon Murray Watt, Federal Minister for Emergency Management Strengthening Trans-Tasman cooperation on disaster management issues was a key area of focus when Australia and New Zealand’s disaster management ministers met this week on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on ...6 days ago
- More transparency, less red-tape for modernised charities sectorThe Charities Amendment Bill has been introduced today which will modernise the charities sector by increasing transparency, improving access to justice services and reducing the red-tape that smaller charities face, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Priyanca Radhakrishnan said. “These changes will make a meaningful difference to over 28,000 ...6 days ago
- Pacific visas reopened to help boost workforceWork continues on delivering on a responsive and streamlined immigration system to help relieve workforce shortages, with the reopening of longstanding visa categories, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has announced. From 3 October 2022, registrations for the Samoan Quota will reopen, and from 5 October registrations for the Pacific Access Category ...6 days ago
- Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day Bill passes into lawThe Bill establishing Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day has passed its third reading. “As Queen of Aotearoa New Zealand, Her Majesty was loved for her grace, calmness, dedication, and public service. Her affection for New Zealand and its people was clear, and it was a fondness that was shared,” Michael ...7 days ago
- New investor migrant visa opensThe new Active Investor Plus visa category created to attract high-value investors, has officially opened marking a key milestone in the Government’s Immigration Rebalance strategy, Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash and Immigration Minister Michael Wood have announced. “The new Active Investor Plus visa replaces the previous investor visa categories, which ...7 days ago
- New wharekura continues commitment to Māori educationA new Year 1-13 designated character wharekura will be established in Feilding, Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis announced today. To be known as Te Kura o Kauwhata, the wharekura will cater for the expected growth in Feilding for years to come. “The Government has a goal of strengthening Māori ...1 week ago
- National minute of silence for Queen Elizabeth IIA national minute of silence will be observed at the start of New Zealand’s State Memorial Service for Queen Elizabeth II, at 2pm on Monday 26 September. The one-hour service will be held at the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, during a one-off public holiday to mark the Queen’s death. ...1 week ago
- Speech to the Climate Change and Business ConferenceTēnā koutou i tēnei ata. Good morning. Recently I had cause to say to my friends in the media that I consider that my job is only half done. So I’m going to take the opportunity of this year’s Climate and Business Conference to offer you a mid-point review. A ...1 week ago
- Government enhances protection for our most-productive land Enhanced protection for Aotearoa New Zealand’s most productive land Councils required to identify, map, and manage highly productive land Helping ensure Kiwis’ access to leafy greens and other healthy foods Subdivision for housing on highly-productive land could still be possible in limited circumstances The Government has today released a National ...1 week ago
- Kieran McAnulty to attend Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk ReductionMinister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty will travel to Brisbane this week to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. “This conference is one of the most important meetings in the Asia-Pacific region to progress disaster risk reduction efforts and increase cooperation between ...1 week ago
- Trade and Agriculture Minister to travel to India and IndonesiaMinister of Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor will travel tomorrow to India and Indonesia for trade and agricultural meetings to further accelerate the Government’s growing trade agenda. “Exploring ways we can connect globally and build on our trading relationships is a priority for the Government, ...1 week ago
- Poroporoaki: Cletus Maanu Paul (ONZM)E te rangatira Maanu, takoto mai ra, i tō marae i Wairaka, te marae o te wahine nāna I inoi kia Whakatānea ia kia tae ae ia ki te hopu i te waka Mātaatua kia kore ai i riro i te moana. Ko koe anō tēnā he pukumahi koe mō ...2 weeks ago
- Pacific Wellbeing Strategy sets clear path to improve outcomes for Pacific AotearoaStrengthening partnerships with Pacific communities is at the heart of the Government’s new Pacific Wellbeing Strategy, Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio announced today. “Working alongside communities to ensure more of our aiga and families have access to the staples of life like, housing, education, training and job opportunities ...2 weeks ago
- Jobs on the horizon for more than 1,000 rangatahiFollowing on from last week’s Better Pathways Package announcement and Apprenticeship Boost 50,000th apprentice milestone, the Government is continuing momentum, supporting over 1,000 more rangatahi into employment, through new funding for He Poutama Rangatahi. “Our Government remains laser focused on supporting young people to become work ready and tackle the ...2 weeks ago
- NZ/AU partnership to bring world-class satellite positioning servicesLand Information Minister Damien O’Connor today announced a joint Trans-Tasman partnership which will provide Australasia with world-leading satellite positioning services that are up to 50 times more accurate, boosting future economic productivity, sustainability and safety. New Zealand and Australia have partnered to deliver the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN), with ...2 weeks ago
- Govt helps small businesses get paid on timeThe Government is adding to the support it has offered New Zealand’s small businesses by introducing new measures to help ensure they get paid on time. A Business Payment Practices disclosure regime is being established to improve information and transparency around business-to-business payment practices across the economy, Small Business Minister ...2 weeks ago
- Economy grows as tourism and exports reboundThe economy has rebounded strongly in the June quarter as the easing of restrictions and reopening of the border boosted economic activity, meaning New Zealand is well placed to meet the next set of challenges confronting the global economy. GDP rose 1.7 percent in the June quarter following a decline ...2 weeks ago
- New Ambassador to China announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Grahame Morton as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to China. “Aotearoa New Zealand and China share a long and important relationship,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “As we mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between our nations, we are connected by people-to-people links, ...2 weeks ago
- The PM has basked in the glow of approving publicity overseas – but the dollar’s dive should bri...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has won lots of favourable publicity, while attending the Queen’s funeral in London and the UN General Assembly in New York. It was a sombre mission in London, less so but no less tiring in New York (although the nuclear threat from Russia was sobering). On ...53 mins ago - NZCTU Calls For Clarity On How National’s Housing Promise Will Be Paid For
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions President Richard Wagstaff has today called for clarity from National about how their promise to end the state housing waitlist will be delivered. Chris Bishop told RNZ this morning that National will “build ...1 hour ago - Vodafone Warriors And Best Foods Tackle Food WasteFood waste is a major issue both in New Zealand and across the world and Best Foods is helping Kiwis to take on the challenge of reducing food waste to save money and the planet. <img src="https://img.scoop.co.nz/stories/images/2209/4fd523eb00d004126825.jpeg" ...2 hours ago
- Political Roundup: Jacinda Ardern’s tilt towards the West continues at the UN
Political Roundup: Jacinda Ardern’s tilt towards the West continues at the UN Analysis by Geoffrey Miller Jacinda Ardern intends to continue a more pro-Western foreign policy strategy, if her agenda from a hectic week of diplomacy is anything to go by. New Zealand’s Prime Minister met with four G7 leaders ...2 hours ago - Three waters opponents vying for council likely powerless to stop it – mayors
With polls closing in less than a fortnight, some council candidates are focusing on opposition to three waters reforms - but will have little ability to stop it. ...2 hours ago - Consultants Make A Fortune Out Of Timaru RatepayersThe New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Chief Executive of Timaru District Council to explain what his staff actually do, given that so much of their work is outsourced. According to a report published in The Timaru Herald yesterday, Timaru ...3 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards draws attention to the time the PM has devoted (it’s not much, apparently) to her Ch...
A reader of Lindsay Mitchell’s blog has prompted an article– headed PM spends 0.2 percent of her time on Child Poverty Reduction? – which draws attention to the time Jacinda Ardern apparently devotes to her child poverty portfolio. The blog reader seized on something Bryce Edwards wrote for The Democracy ...3 hours ago - Hutt City Residents Unsatisfied With Council ServicesHutt City Council has published the draft Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2022. The results are very grim reading and will alarm residents. Mayoral candidate Tony Stallinger says “I have never seen anything like it. Of the 87 key performance ...4 hours ago
- Global financial uncertainty 'challenging' for NZ economy – Grant RobertsonNew Zealand is "well positioned" to weather a turbulent time as the dollar falls and inflation stays up, the finance minister says. ...5 hours ago
- Hindu Organisations, Temples And Associations Forum Hosts Meeting After 2 Years Of InterruptionsHindu Organisations, Temples and Associations (HOTA) Forum hosted a meeting of over 20 organisation executives and representatives on Sunday 25th September 2022 after being postponed due to Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021. An invitation only meeting, it ...5 hours ago
- Study finds famous Australian caves are up to 500,000 years older than we thought – and it could h...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rieneke Weij, Postdoctoral researcher in Geochemistry/Palaeoclimatology, University of Cape Town Steve Bourne, Author provided, Author provided South Australia’s Naracoorte Caves is one of the world’s best fossil sites, containing a record spanning more than half a million years. Among the ...5 hours ago
- Dora Maar and Françoise Gilot were much more than Picasso’s muses or lovers. They are important a...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa French, Professor & Dean, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University Among Picasso’s partners were two formidable female artists: Dora Maar (1907–97) and Françoise Gilot (1921-). For a long time, these women were known primarily as his muse or lover, ...5 hours ago
- Avoiding a surveillance society: how better rules can rein in facial recognition techSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Davis, Industry Professor of Emerging Technology and Co-Director, Human Technology Institute, University of Technology Sydney JR Korpa / Unsplash The human face is special. It is simultaneously public and personal. Our faces reveal sensitive information about us: who we are, ...6 hours ago
- We asked over 700 teens where they bought their vapes. Here’s what they saidSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina Watts, Research fellow, tobacco control, University of Sydney Mushtaq Hussain/Pexels, CC BY-SA Teen vaping has been in the news, with reports of rapidly increasing use and illegal sales of e-cigarettes. As a Four Corners documentary on ABC TV earlier this ...6 hours ago
- After the Voice, climate change commitments should be the next urgent constitutional reformsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ron Levy, Associate professor, Australian National University After decades of foot-dragging on climate change, Australia has finally put significant commitments in national legislation. It joins other countries such as Canada and the United States that also recently took big new legal steps. ...6 hours ago
- Watch: Christchurch mayoral candidates debate housing rules, water reforms and the stadiumChristchurch mayoral hopefuls go head-to-head in a Morning Report debate hosted by Corin Dann. ...7 hours ago
- Employers will have positive duty to prevent sexual harassment in workplaces, under new legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Editor Employers will have duty “to take reasonable and proportionate measures” to eliminate sex discrimination, sexual harassment and victimisation as far as possible in workplaces, under legislation to be introduced on Tuesday. The Albanese government is moving to implement ...13 hours ago
- Marshall Islands calls off talks after no US response on nuclear legacy planBy Giff Johnson, editor of the Marshall Islands Journal and RNZ Pacific correspondent On the eve of the US Pacific Islands Summit in Washington, a key ally in the region called off a scheduled negotiating session for a treaty Washington views as an essential hedge against China in the region. ...16 hours ago
- Petition calls for monarchy to be replaced on New Zealand moneyA Wellington tauira (scholar) has launched a petition calling for Aotearoa New Zealand’s Reserve Bank to replace the monarch in the next redesign of coins and notes, with images that better represent the country. Rangatahi Māori, Te Matahiapo Safari Hynes (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu) said it was a chance for New ...16 hours ago
- What will its first far-right leader since WWII mean for Italy?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, PhD researcher, Griffith University “Una vittoria storica” – a historic victory. That’s how the website of one of Italy’s major newspapers, the Corriere della Sera, reacted to the exit polls released after voting closed in Italy’s general election on Sunday ...19 hours ago
- As winter approaches, will Putin’s ‘partial mobilisation’ help Russia win the war in Ukraine?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sussex, Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent announcement of a “partial mobilisation” of 300,000 Russian personnel to fight in Ukraine sounded decisive. It isn’t. The official position, fleshed out by Defence Minister Sergei ...20 hours ago
- What does the Optus data breach mean for you and how can you protect yourself? A step-by-step guideSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer J. Williams, PhD Candidate, Macquarie University Optus, Australia’s second largest telecommunications company, announced on September 22 that identifying details of up to 9.8 million customers were stolen from their customer database. The details, dating back to 2017, include names, birth dates, ...20 hours ago
- ‘They treat you like a person, they ask you what you want’: what NDIS participants value in supp...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan Topping, PhD Candidate, La Trobe University Shutterstock When the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was established almost a decade ago, it was envisaged people with disability would be empowered consumers. It was hoped their customer insights would shape new ...22 hours ago
- Australia violated the rights of Torres Strait Islanders by failing to act on climate change, the UN...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristen Lyons, Professor, Environment and Development Sociology, The University of Queensland Shutterstock In a landmark decision, a United Nations committee on Friday found Australia’s former Coalition government violated the human rights of Torres Strait Islanders by failing to adequately respond ...22 hours ago
- “Voodoo economics” is among Seymour’s objections to public holiday – Waititi’s grouches ar...Have all members of Parliament taken the day off, on this Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day? We ask because there were some objections to the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Day Bill, when all stages were passed under urgency into law last Tuesday. The legislation created a one-off public holiday to ...1 day ago
- Manila-bound Sio issues one statement with a translation (of Tuvalu words) and another with no trans...Buzz from the Beehive Aupito William Sio is the only Minister to have made an official announcement, since our previous Buzz report – and he issued two press statements. Climate change was mentioned in both statements. As Associate Foreign Affairs Minister, Sio has headed to the Philippines to represent New ...1 day ago
- Is selective school right for your child? Here are 7 questions to help you decideSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel X. Harris, Professor and Associate Dean, Research & Innovation, RMIT University CHUTTERSNAP/Unsplash, CC BY Parents and students are currently making big decisions about next year. Some will have just received or be about to receive offers of a ...1 day ago
- In a world first, NASA’s DART mission is about to smash into an asteroid. What will we learn?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Tingay, John Curtin Distinguished Professor (Radio Astronomy), Curtin University Illustration of DART before impact. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben On September 26 at 11.15pm UTC, NASA’s DART mission (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) will be the first to deliberately and measurably change the ...1 day ago
- We studied 309,544 patent applications – and found inventing is still a man’s worldSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vicki Huang, Senior Lecturer, Intellectual Property, Deakin University Shutterstock Are women as successful as men in securing a patent for their invention? We set out to investigate gender bias in patent outcomes at IP Australia – the government agency ...1 day ago
- Omicron-specific vaccines may give slightly better COVID protection – but getting boosted promptl...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Bartlett, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle Vaccines (predominantly mRNA vaccines) have been our front-line defence against COVID and have saved millions of lives. Despite the emergence of genetically distinct COVID variants throughout the pandemic, we’ve ...1 day ago
- Backcountry visitors are leaving poo piles in the Australian Alps – and it’s a problemSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pascal Scherrer, Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Tourism, Southern Cross University Spring has arrived in Australia’s Snowy Mountains. The snow is starting to melt. Wildflowers are emerging in a variety of colours: blues, yellows, whites … hang on. Those aren’t white ...1 day ago
- Is selective school right for your child? Here 7 questions to help you decideSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel X. Harris, Professor and Associate Dean, Research & Innovation, RMIT University CHUTTERSNAP/Unsplash, CC BY Parents and students are currently making big decisions about next year. Some will have just received or be about to receive offers of a ...1 day ago
- Why the Reserve Bank’s record loss of $37 billion was actually good for AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University Mick Tsikas/AAP The Reserve Bank has just reported a loss of A$37 billion, the biggest in its history, and it says it will be unable to pay the government dividends for some time. ...1 day ago
- ‘Like walking into a crystal’: our first preview of the Art Gallery of NSW’s new Sydney ModernSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Honorary (Senior Fellow) School of Culture and Communication University of Melbourne. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne Aerial photograph of the Sydney Modern Project construction site, taken on September 7 2022. ...1 day ago
- Crossbenchers seek assurances as anti-corruption bill is introduced this weekSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Crossbenchers have issued a list of demands on the anti-corruption commission and say they “won’t be rushed” to a vote, ahead of the much-anticipated legislation being introduced into parliament this week. The government aims to ...2 days ago
- Did the Morrison government change the relationship between religion and politics in Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elenie Poulos, Honorary Postdoctoral Associate, Macquarie University Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images The ABC recently reported on the “infiltration” of Liberal Party branches in regional Victoria by Pentecostals, on a mission to influence Liberal Party positions on so-called morality issues such as abortion ...2 days ago
- Mayoral Candidate Says Public Are Sitting DucksAuckland Mayoral candidate John Lehmann says he has been shocked and horrified, discovering the nonexistence of rules, and laws surrounding, misrepresentations, lies, and hidden agendas, not being disclosed to the lead up at election time. Lehmann ...2 days ago
- VIDEO: Albanese to attend Abe funeral; integrity legislation to go to parliamentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Paddy Nixon discuss the week in politics. While the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and a memorial service in Canberra dominated the news ...2 days ago
- Jacinda Ardern at the UN: 'We don't need to lose sight of hope and optimism'After a two-year Covid-induced hiatus, the United Nations' leaders' summit returned with gusto this week, but against a far darker backdrop than Jacinda Ardern's last time there. ...2 days ago
- Politician keeps promise – markets fall
They suspected that they might be electing a radical, but to their great surprise, Britain’s Conservative party members found out on Friday that they had also elected a party leader who meant what she said. British politics may take a little while to recover. New finance chief Kwasi Kwarteng ...3 days ago - Fate of Papua’s Governor Enembe – the ‘son of Koteka’ – lies in balance amid allegationsSPECIAL REPORT: By Yamin Kogoya Alleged corruption involving Governor Lukas Enembe has dominated both Papuan and Indonesian media outlets and social media groups over the past two weeks. The Indonesian media is rife with allegations and accusations against the governor who is suspected of spending of billions in rupiahs. These ...3 days ago
- Ardern greets UN General Assembly in te reo before stating NZ’s stance on the big issues – inclu...Buzz from the Beehive The Beehive website treats us today to the speech – or “national statement – which our PM has delivered to the United Nations General Assembly. The speech has been posted along with news about the government … investing around $19 million to support upgrades at ...3 days ago
- Focus on Politics: Three waters on the boil as elections loomWater management is shaping up as a major political battleground ahead of local and general elections, Political Journalist Russell Palmer finds. ...3 days ago
- Tackle Housing Affordability, Efeso Collins SaysLet's tackle housing affordability so we don't lock a generation out of the market, Efeso Collins says. Auckland mayoral candidate Efeso Collins says the Council he leads will be laser-focused on housing affordability. “Too many ...3 days ago
- Ukraine war to end – but what then?With every pause in the Ukrainian counteroffensive, talk of stalemate pops up. But pay more attention to the currents, than the surface froth. So nice to get some quality thinking in the Hoover Institution’s Strategika publication. First, Niall Ferguson with a typically thought-provoking insight into war as a continuation ...3 days ago
- Aucklander Inspires Demonstration Around British Parliament To Free Julian Assange, October 8thAucklander Matt Ó Branáin has inspired a historic demonstration in London on October 8th , to free jailed Australian journalist Julian Assange . Matt’s proposal to #HugBelmarsh prison with a Human Chain of 1,100 people went viral. Due to some difficulties, ...3 days ago
- New Zealand's 'strong and firm' stance on nuclear weapons more important than ever &#...Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand has an important role to play in continuing international efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation. Watch her latest media stand-up here. ...3 days ago
- NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemns Russia, calls for ban on nuclear weapons in UN speechJust days after the Kremlin threatened nuclear warfare, Jacinda Ardern has taken to the United Nations podium to condemn Russia and call for a complete ban on all nuclear weapons. ...3 days ago
- The merger of TVNZ and RNZ needs to build trust in public media – 3 things the law change must get...ANALYSIS: By Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato and Claire Breen, University of Waikato With only six days left for submissions to the select committee examining the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill, it is becoming clear this crucial piece of legislation has some significant shortcomings. These will need attention before ...3 days ago
- 5 suspects arrested as probe continues into killing of PNG Ports chiefBy Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Papua New Guinea police have arrested five men in Goroka over their alleged involvement in the killing of PNG Ports managing director Fego Kiniafa. Provincial Police Commander Chief Superintendent Michael Welly said the men were in police custody and were now being questioned over ...4 days ago
- Tunoa – house arrest – on Tokelau family ends after more than a yearRNZ Pacific The Taupulega, or council, on the Tokelau atoll of Nukunonu, has lifted a house arrest order on a family which had refused to get vaccinated against covid-19. The family was placed under tunoa in August 2021. A council meeting on Wednesday told family member Mahelino Patelesio that the ...4 days ago
- Michael Field: Freedom at midday – stories from Facebook prisonCOMMENTARY: By Michael Field Just the other day a robot guard came along a corridor in a special digital prison, consulted his flatscreen embedded on its wrist and then pressed his thumb on a door, which sprang open. For the fourth time, I was being released from Facebook prison having ...4 days ago
- $100m apartment complex coming to Manukau – but you’ll have to be 55 to get inBy Stephen Forbes of Local Government Reporting A new $100 million apartment complex is coming to Manukau — Auckland’s heart of Pacific communities. But you’ll have to be aged at least 55 to get in. Kāinga Ora is expected to start construction of the 123 apartments in Osterley Way in ...4 days ago
- How not to tell customers their data is at risk: the perils of the Optus approachSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edwina Luck, Senior Lecturer QUT Business School, Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, Queensland University of Technology Optus fears data on up to 9.8 million of its customers has been accessed in a sophisticated cyberattack – including, for some customers, passport and drivers ...4 days ago
- Threats, rates and mullets in spotlight at feisty mayoral debateOne New Plymouth mayoral candidate was banned from today's debate for allegedly making threats against the media, while another has dropped out of the contentious race. ...4 days ago
- VIDEO: Albanese to attend Abe funeral next week; integrity legislation to go to parliamentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Paddy Nixon discuss the week in politics. While the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and a memorial service in Canberra dominated the news ...4 days ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: The Political mood of the business eliteAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: The Political mood of the business elite Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. The New Zealand Herald has released the results of its annual “Mood of the Boardroom” survey today. Should we care what businesses think of politics, the economy and society? There’s a good ...4 days ago
- Indigenous Issues, Climate Change, And Artificial Intelligence On The Agenda For Canadian Political ...A cross-party delegation of Members of Parliament (MPs) is heading to Canada for a week-long political exchange. The purpose of the delegation is for members to gain a better understanding of the bilateral relationship between the two countries, and ...4 days ago
- Government announces $5m fund to help reduce reliance on plasticsThe government says the country needs to be doing more to match recycling practices in other parts of the world. ...4 days ago
- Mahuta’s husband and the Public Service Commission inquiry: how Chris Hipkins ineptly played the r...We intended alerting our readers (if they had not already noticed) to how Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins played the race card in the matter of the Public Service Commission deciding to look into the propriety of government contracts awarded to Nanaia Mahuta’s husband. We have taken a short cut ...4 days ago
- Week in Politics: Sam Uffindell cleared but it's a bleak week for NationalAnalysis - Uffindell is back in National's fold but Luxon's refusal to release the report on his behaviour creates uncertainty over its findings, Foreign Minister Mahuta is embroiled in a conflict of interest investigation and there's a warning ...4 days ago
- ‘No body, no parole’ laws could be disastrous for the wrongfully convictedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jarryd Bartle, Associate Lecturer, RMIT University The New South Wales government is set to introduce new “no body, no parole” laws, which will deny parole for homicide offenders who refuse to provide information or assistance to locate their victim’s remains. This follows ...4 days ago
- No, we are not a member of the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty – but we are o...We reported yesterday on the speech – a short one of around 500 words – which the PM delivered to the 10th meeting of the Friends of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty. She said the gathering provided an important opportunity to reiterate New Zealand’s unwavering commitment to achieving a world ...4 days ago
- Cowardly Government Needs To Keep Its Promise On No New MinesThe Government's decision not to support Green MP Eugenie Sage's members bill to ban new mines on conservation land shows how little it truly cares about conservation, and keeping promises, says Ours Not Mines spokesperson Morgan Donoghue. "When ...4 days ago
- Ukraine ambassador urges Australian embassy in Kyiv to reopen ASAPSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Ukraine conflict has escalated this week, with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin announcing a partial military mobilisation and once again raising the threat of nuclear weapons. Meanwhile Ukraine has been pressing Australia to provide ...4 days ago
- A UN-backed tribunal on Khmer Rouge crimes just confirmed the conviction of key leader Khieu Samphan...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosemary Grey, Lecturer in Law, University of Sydney Nhet Sok Heng/Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia via AP A United Nations-backed tribunal in Cambodia has just concluded its largest trial, concerning crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime. The ...4 days ago
- Should I give my teen alcohol? Just a sip, the whole can, or none at all?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Aiken, Adjunct Associate Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Kindel Media/Pexels, CC BY-SA You’re at a barbecue and the adults are enjoying a few drinks. Everyone is relaxed and having a great time. One of your friends has just given their teen ...4 days ago
- High Court sits vac – it looks like we don’t qualify but (while we live off our nest eggs) our b...Latest from the Beehive The Government opened up a great career opportunity yesterday at much the same time as it announced an initiative to protect – within limits – our savings. The job opportunity (which excited us here, at Point of Order, until we were alerted to the age limit ...4 days ago
- Want noisy miners to be less despotic? Think twice before filling your garden with nectar-rich flowe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Fountain, PhD Student, University of Adelaide Photo by Vlad Kutepov/Pexels, CC BY Noisy miners are complicated creatures. These Australian native honeyeaters live in large cooperative groups, use alarm calls to target specific predators, and sometimes help raise the young ...4 days ago
- Government commits nearly $19m to sporting upgrades ahead of 2023 FIFA World CupThe money will pay for upgrades at potential sporting facilities earmarked for the tournament, including pitch, lighting and facility enhancements. ...4 days ago
- Small communities could be buying, selling and saving money on electric power right now – here’s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Soheil Mohseni, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sustainable Energy Systems, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Shutterstock/Riccio da favola Globally, the electricity sector is shifting from large, centralised grids powered by fossil fuels to smaller and smarter renewable local ...4 days ago
- Not Invisible – Let’s Celebrate The Resilience And Contribution Of Older WomenInternational Day of Older Persons on 1 October each year is a day to celebrate older people – to highlight the value of all older people and to promote dignity and respect. This year the United Nations (UN) theme is “The Resilience and Contributions ...4 days ago
- Labour Kills Green Members Bill On MiningCoromandel Watchdog of Hauraki are furious that Labour have announced they will not support the Green Member Eugenie Sage’s Bill which would have advanced Labour’s own mining policy. “It’s ridiculous that Labour wouldn’t allow the “Crown ...4 days ago
- NZ Announces Funding For Glorification Of TerrorNew Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Hon Minister Mahuta, has moved NZ further from its 5 eyes allies by rewarding incitement to terror via her announcement on Twitter that New Zealand will provide UNWRA with“ $3 million over 3 years” and that “Aotearoa ...4 days ago
- EU Protects Deep Sea Life From Bottom Trawling, As New Science Shows Up NZ Industry ProposalThe European Union has agreed new measures to protect seamounts from bottom trawling, showing up the New Zealand government’s inaction on the issue, environment groups said today. Meanwhile, a NIWA study released this week has revealed that there are ...4 days ago
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