Search Results
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Comment:Open mike 15/01/2023
Date published: 11:02 am, January 16th, 2023Who are these "super-confident hoards", and can you give references to the "pro 5-eyes propaganda our media so fervently feed us."? I do not recall seeing any such propaganda, but perhaps I do not follow the same sources as you . . .
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Comment:Daily review 22/12/2022
Date published: 8:45 pm, December 22nd, 2022Is there a setting that would enable me to see the whole width of the cartoons?
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Comment:The rise and rise of David Seymour's ACT
Date published: 2:43 pm, December 20th, 2022There is a tendency to see any party as being totally represented by the leader, but for larger and older parties there are expectations built on the past. Most of the comments above are based on left / right differences, but other factors can impact on ...
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Comment:Open mike 16/12/2022
Date published: 2:44 pm, December 16th, 2022Sabine, we have quite a complex system, and what may appear simple could have unintended consequences. If a certain level of income was free of tax, that would benefit all who earn above that amount, but may also mean that benefits for example would be ...
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Comment:Much ado about nothing
Date published: 10:32 am, December 16th, 2022I thought the initial reports said that Ardern had texted Seymour to apologise when it was brought to her attention in Hansard, and that was the first MPs had heard of the comment as it was only audible to Hansard. He then went out of his way to repeat the...
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Comment:Open mike 23/11/2022
Date published: 8:08 am, November 23rd, 20225 years may be just enough time to have a small number more specialists completing training in mental health than had been arranged by the previous government, but other health workers are in short supply - we do keep forgetting that Covid is still with us...
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Comment:Open mike 16/11/2022
Date published: 8:28 am, November 16th, 2022A while ago there was talk of how hard it is to get positive messages through in a world of highly partisan politics, disinformation, and the usual problems of gotcha media going for cheap shots and false balance . . . I suspect we get a lot of news and ...
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Comment:Open mike 17/10/2022
Date published: 2:55 pm, October 17th, 2022There was a suggestion on radio NZ (possibly a throw-away comment!) that both NZF and ACT are in favour of seeking to do away with the Treaty of Waitangi. Sorry I was driving and cannot recall the time when the comment was made.
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Comment:Open mike 06/10/2022
Date published: 2:39 pm, October 6th, 2022Thanks for the replies and links. I am better informed; and I suspect Farrar was "fermenting stinky mischief" again . . .
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Comment:Open mike 06/10/2022
Date published: 11:59 am, October 6th, 2022Is it time that some restrictions were imposed on departing Ministers? I am sure that Kris Faafoi is not the only Minister to get into lobbying for pay, but if there ever is a time to require a delay surely it is when it is a Minister from the current ...
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Comment:Open mike 02/10/2022
Date published: 3:31 pm, October 2nd, 2022Vancouver has just such a tax, see: https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/empty-homes-tax.aspx There is a report available for the 2020 year. It seems to be a well thought out which is working - raising money to both cover costs and assist non-...
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Comment:Open mike 26/09/2022
Date published: 3:24 pm, September 26th, 2022Today seems a good day to fill out a voting form. Any suggestions for information about candidates in addition to: https://policy.nz/2022 https://thespinoff.co.nz/local-elections-2022/19-09-2022/a-first-time-voters-guide-to-voting-for-the-first-time https...
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Comment:Open mike 25/09/2022
Date published: 3:27 pm, September 25th, 2022Comparisons with previous administrations are not always easy; I am aware that there was hospital building during the time of the National Government; in Wellington a new Block was built at Bowen Hospital, and I think there was substantial work done at ...
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Comment:Open mike 21/09/2022
Date published: 11:33 am, September 21st, 2022If you were asked to vote on an issue (as the National caucus apparently was) do you think you should have been able to know something more than a decision by The Leader?
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Comment:Re-Nationalise Electricity Generators Now
Date published: 10:10 am, September 8th, 2022Would that it was the entire system. There are some large private providers - perhaps easy to dismiss as providing cosmetic services that should not be paid for by government, but they clearly do more than that. At times they lead the public sector - MRI ...
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Comment:Open mike 01/09/2022
Date published: 8:35 am, September 1st, 2022There was a website for the last local body elections that analysed candidates for political orientation - the blatant National Party candidates all say that they will keep rate rises low, but that does not catch all of them. Labour has endorsed candidates...
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Comment:Open mike 29/08/2022
Date published: 3:21 pm, August 29th, 2022rarely?
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Comment:Open mike 29/08/2022
Date published: 3:18 pm, August 29th, 2022I am intrigued at the number of people who seem to have a bizarre view that our government (a) is somehow able to and should be tracking NZ citizens that go abroad, perhaps particularly if they are on leave from the Defence Force, and (b) are somehow ...
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Comment:Open mike 22/08/2022
Date published: 11:02 am, August 22nd, 2022The real Bank for the NZ Government is the Reserve Bank - all Westpac does is link to the system for making payments to all the entities that government departments pay each day - and make sure that this is done at the lowest cost to the government.
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Comment:Open mike 22/08/2022
Date published: 10:59 am, August 22nd, 2022Yes, a failure by successive governments to fund it at similar rates to the capital raising by the other trading banks. National never regarded funding the Bank as more desirable than almost anything else - but they knew they could not afford to be seen to...
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Comment:Open mike 22/08/2022
Date published: 10:48 am, August 22nd, 2022The Government accounts being with Westpac is largely an accounting exercise. Think about a customer that has a current account that they keep only enough money in to cover payments out - they pay off their credit card every month so never pay penalty ...
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Comment:Daily review 18/08/2022
Date published: 8:44 pm, August 18th, 2022Is there a commitment to publish the report, or to give the terms of reference?
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Comment:The weird arrangement for MP’s staffers
Date published: 2:38 pm, August 15th, 2022Thank you for that. I had assumed a legal employer still would have some responsibilities, and that a "break down in the relationship'' should be able to be seen in both directions. A Good Secretary (whether in Wellington or in the electorate) should be ...
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Comment:The weird arrangement for MP’s staffers
Date published: 9:54 pm, August 14th, 2022I can understand the need for 'break down in relationship' provisions - some staff will want to stay with a particular party when a government changes, others will be happy to work for another party, but that should be a two way process. New MPs presumably...
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Comment:Open mike 10/08/2022
Date published: 7:47 am, August 10th, 2022Uffindell had used some strange words about whether there was anything else he should have disclosed - something like "there is nothing else the public needs to know" - we now know of another incident. A future question may be if they choose another of the...
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Comment:Socialist economic views on current inflation
Date published: 9:36 am, August 6th, 2022For more than 20 years. There have been stories of New Zealanders getting ''work from home'' contracts to work for USA companies doing IT work; some of our companies employ workers from Bangalore - as well as the huge ''outsourcing'' firms that operate ...
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Comment:Why stick more fingers in the donations dyke?
Date published: 7:53 am, August 3rd, 2022National/ACT appear to be moving towards the USA model of substantial political effort going through cut-out organisations such as The Taxpayers Union etc - they can espouse underlying policy that is technically deniable by the political party. How would ...
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Comment:How Can Labour Win in 2023?
Date published: 10:18 am, July 7th, 2022Bring back child benefit - and the ability to capitalise it to pay a deposit on a home. Bring back State Advances loans at slightly lower than market rates, but with a payment commitment of a percentage of income. There could also be rent to buy ...
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Comment:Open mike 23/06/2022
Date published: 9:40 pm, June 23rd, 2022Not super profits perhaps but certainly very good - an extra $5 or so per sheet over the cost of buying overseas and getting it shipped here? Perhaps not as good the Christchurch Quake work, but still fairly good. Still it seems to be coming to an end for ...
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Comment:Open mike 23/06/2022
Date published: 3:40 pm, June 23rd, 2022Other countries have similar approval processes, based on local use, and products normally used. Requirements for nailing Gib Board changed here due to longer term problems being identified; fire requirements led to different types of board on some walls. ...
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Comment:Open mike 23/06/2022
Date published: 3:36 pm, June 23rd, 2022And some of that was done, with some urgency, when samples of imported material were submitted for approval, and went through the testing and approval process. There may be more international suppliers (I gather there are at least three in Australia, and ...
- Hipkins clears the decks and crouches down low5 hours ago
- Getting to know Old Mate Grabaseat
A deeply-statistically-flawed poll the other day reported that 43.8 percent do not trust the National Party leader. I say deeply-statistically-flawed because it can be empirically proven that this data is non-correct.Let me show my working.The Newshub-Reid Research poll asks 1,000 random New Zealanders what they reckon. Thus we can infer ...6 hours ago - Climate Change: Labour abandons the carbon budget
Hipkins held his expected bonfire of the policies today, ditching the RNZ/TVNZ merger, punting hate speech legislation to the Law Commission (which basicly means it will never happen), and dumping the "bougie dole" social insurance scheme. But along the way, he also shitcanned a key part of the government's emissions ...7 hours ago - Relief for dairy farmers as prices rebound at latest GDT auction, with buyers chasing product across...
Fonterra’s farmers will be relieved that prices in the Global Dairy Trade auction this week have rebounded – up 3.2% across the board. It is the first rise since December 6 The index had fallen 2.8% on January 3 and 0.1% on January 17, to kick off 2023 on a ...7 hours ago - Media stick with “Turkey” but Mahuta diplomatically announces $1.5m aid using the language autho...
Buzz from the Beehive Announcements on the provision of aid – to Auckland, Turkey and Syria – are recorded on the Beehive website today along with a statement from the PM about his flying visit to Australia. This was Chris Hipkins’ first overseas visit since he took office, enabling him ...7 hours ago - We need to fund foodbanks, but they shouldn’t existFormer Labour MP Iain Lees-Galloway has a piece in Stuff today pleading for continued government funding for foodbanks and food-rescue organisations, pointing out the high return on investment and the valuable work they've done during the pandemic: Demand for food relief is at record levels. We’re all experiencing the ...8 hours ago
- Gordon Campbell on National’s selling of its “social investment” policy
There’s a 19th century flavour to National’s “social investment” strategy, in that it aims to seek capital from philanthropists and charitable organisations – some of them having their own religious agendas- to fund and deliver the provision of social services. Beyond that point, the details are remarkably scarce. Regardless, “social ...11 hours ago - Karl du Fresne: What New Zealanders (that is to say, ordinary New Zealanders) think about the name ...
Karl du Fresne writes – The jury has returned its verdict, and it’s emphatic. New Zealanders want the country’s name left as it is. In a Newshub-Reid Research poll, respondents were asked what they thought New Zealand should be known as. Fifty-two percent wanted the country to be ...11 hours ago - When a $5 fee costs us all $2.65 billion
Poorly-managed diabetes results in amputations and other expensive hospital treatments – an example of how charging patients to access their medication ends up costing more in the long run. Photo: Getty ImagesTLDR: The phrase ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ is one that applies across much of the Government’s approach to ...12 hours ago - Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Labour’s reorientation to working class Māori* Dr Bryce Edwards writes- In recent decades the Labour Party has lost its traditional connection with working-class voters, becoming more of a middle-class party of liberalism. This is especially true of Labour’s historic connection with working-class Māori. This is a constituency that the party used to monopolise. ...12 hours ago
- Climate change is increasing the risk of a California megaflood
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters Asequence of nine atmospheric rivers hammered California during a three-week period in January 2023, bringing over 700 landslides, power outages affecting more than 500,000 people, and heavy rains that triggered flooding and levee breaches. On a statewide basis, about 11 inches of rain ...12 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Labour’s reorientation to working class Māori
In recent decades the Labour Party has lost its traditional connection with working class voters, becoming more of a middle class party of liberalism. This is especially true of Labour’s historic connection with working class Māori. This is a constituency that the party used to monopolise. But ever since the ...13 hours ago - The Cult of Self-Improvement
Hi,I wanted to thank everyone who responded to A New Day, a New Cease & Desist over the last five days or so. So many readers have brushed up against MLMs — and they’re something I want to push further into. Did I hear from good old Jonathan Callinan, the ...15 hours ago - Waterproofing the City
As the planet continues to cook, extreme weather events like those we experienced over the last two weeks are set to become more frequent. How we plan our cities to mitigate the risks of climate change will inevitably be more salient going forward, and that will only increase over time. ...15 hours ago - Wednesday's pick 'o the links
TLDR: For paying subscribers, here’s the key scoops, breaking news and key links I’ve picked up this morning, as at 6.40 am, including:the Reserve Bank of Australia hiked its official cash rate to a 10-year high and warned of more hikes to come, which was more hawkish than expected; RBABP ...16 hours ago - What a difference a year makes.
A year ago this week we saw the headline “Mask-wearing 17-year-old egged by aggressive convoy protesters”. As the protestors settled in for their long campout in opposition to vaccination requirements they demonstrated their commitment to standing up for the rights of the individual by verbally abusing, and throwing eggs at, ...16 hours ago - Harry Robson: Hipkins’ opportunity to bring Labour back to its rootsChris Hipkins has become New Zealand’s 41st prime minister following Ardern’s unexpected resignation—perhaps the bold and unpredictable move Labour needed to improve its election chances. Just six days into his premiership and Labour had its first lead over National in thirteen weeks. National has had a largely uninterrupted run of ...1 day ago
- Tribute
Good people can come into your life imperceptibly. It can seem they’re just there one day being remarkable. Nat Torkington, for instance.We were both online from the early days, I’m assuming that’s where we first connected; maybe in the UseNet newsgroups, or maybe later through Public Address.But it was when ...1 day ago - Genesis’ go-ahead for big solar farm in Canterbury has wider significance than just heating 10,00...One of New Zealand’s biggest electricity generators, Genesis Energy, has given the go-ahead for a large solar farm near Lauriston on the Canterbury Plains, an hour’s drive south of Christchurch. It is part of Genesis’ strategy of replacing thermal baseload with renewable generation – a mix of wind and solar. ...1 day ago
- Buzz from the Beehive We found just one fresh announcement on the Beehive website this morning, when we made our first visit since 4 February. It was posted in the name of Nanaia Mahuta, our Minister of Foreign Affairs, and explained why she was not at Waitangi at the weekend. ...1 day ago
- Political Roundup: 7 February 2023WAITANGI, CO-GOVERNANCE, THREE WATERS Thomas Cranmer: Waitangi Day and the quiet revolution Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Waitangi in 2023: Plenty of networking, little sign of protest Tim Watkin (Pundit): Aotearoa New Zealand As A “Little Experiment”. The Rights, Wrongs & Other Wrongs Of Christoper Luxon Audrey Young (Herald): Such a good ...2 days ago
- Monday's Dawn Chorus: The escape valveHipkins is doing the right thing for New Zealanders already living in Australia, but there’s now a growing risk of a fresh surge of net emigration of frustrated young Kiwis across the Tasman. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Employers here in Aotearoa are desperate to keep their best-trained, most-productive ...2 days ago
- Managing our stormwaterThis post contains two guest posts from readers, both of which were sent to us after the flooding on Friday 27 January, both of which discuss how we handle our stormwater. This is a guest post from Ed Clayton, who’s written for us before about Auckland’s relationship with freshwater, ...2 days ago
- Monday’s pick ‘o the links
TLDR: For paying subscribers, here’s the key breaking news, scoops and links I’ve found since 4 am this morning, as of 7 am, including:A 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed more than 2,200 in Turkey near its border with Syria; ReutersMetService has warned a new cyclone is forming north of Aotearoa that ...2 days ago - The politics of the Treaty move onThe politics of Waitangi and the Treaty evident over the weekend have moved into a new space. The politics of Waitangi and the Treaty evident over the weekend have moved into a new space. There is a new wave of Maori activism, which sees the Treaty as a living ...2 days ago
- Clean energy permitting reform needed to boost economy, protect climate and burn less coalOriginally published by The Hill After decades of failure to pass major federal climate legislation, Congress finally broke through last year with the Inflation Reduction Act and its close to $400 billion in clean energy investments. Energy modeling experts estimated that these provisions would help the U.S. cut its carbon pollution ...2 days ago
- A Sorry State Of Affairs.
Apology Accepted? “I dropped the ball on Friday, I was too slow to be seen …The communications weren’t fast enough – including mine. I’m sorry for that.”– Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.HOW OFTEN do politicians apologise? Sincerely apologise? Not offer voters the weasel words: “If my actions have offended anyone, then I ...2 days ago - Aotearoa New Zealand as a “little experiment”. The rights, wrongs & other wrongs of ...
At first blush, Christopher Luxon’s comment at the parliamentary powhiri at Waitangi this year sounded tone deaf. The Leader of the Opposition in talking about the Treaty of Waitangi described New Zealand as “a little experiment”. It seemed to diminish the treaty and the very idea of our nation. Yet ...2 days ago - Brian Easton: Co-GovernanceTHE (new) Prime Minister said nobody understands what co-governance means, later modified to that there were so many varying interpretations that there was no common understanding. BRIAN EASTON writes: Co-governance cannot be derived from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It does not use the word. It ...2 days ago
- Waitangi before dawn.
A brief postscript to yesterday’s newsletter…Watching the predawn speeches just now, the reverence of those speaking and the respectful nature of those listening under umbrellas in the dark. I felt a great sadness at the words from Christopher Luxon last evening still in my head. The singing in the dark accompanied ...3 days ago - Industrial marvel, bought with blood
by Don Franks While on holiday,I stayed a few days in Scotland with a friend who showed me one of the country’s great working-class achievements. It was a few miles out of central Edinburgh, a huge cantilever bridge across the river Forth. The Forth Bridge was the first major structure ...3 days ago - Chris Trotter: Blowing off the froth – why Chris Hipkins must ditch Three WatersTime To Call A Halt: Chris Hipkins knows that iwi leaders possess the means to make life very difficult for his government. Notwithstanding their objections, however, the Prime Minister’s direction of travel – already clearly signalled by his very public demotion of Nanaia Mahuta – must be confirmed by an emphatic and ...3 days ago
- 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #5A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 29, 2023 thru Sat, Feb 4, 2023. Story of the Week Social change more important than physical tipping points 1.5-degree Goal not plausible Photo: CLICCS / Universität Hamburg Limiting global ...4 days ago
- Making It Look Easy.So Long - And Thanks For All The Fish: In the two-and-a-bit years since Jacinda Ardern’s electoral triumph of 2020, virtually every decision she made had gone politically awry. In the minds of many thousands of voters a chilling metamorphosis had taken place. The Faerie Queen had become the Wicked ...4 days ago
- Who's afraid of co-governance?
Look at us here on our beautiful islands in the South Pacific at the start of 2023, we have come so far.Ten days ago we saw a Māori Governor General swearing in our new PM and our first Pasifika Deputy PM, ahead of this year’s parliament where they will be ...4 days ago - Misleading Headlines
The Herald’s headline writers are at it again! A sensible and balanced piece by Liam Dann on the battle against inflation carries a headline that suggests that NZ is doing worse than the rest of the world. Check it out and see for yourself if I am right. Is this ...4 days ago - My weekend reading and listening
Photo by Anna Demianenko on UnsplashTLDR: Here’s my longer reads and listens for the weekend for sharing with The Kaka’s paying subscribers. I’ve opened this one up for all to give everyone a taste of the sorts of extras you get as a full paying subscriber.Subscribe nowDeeper reads and listens ...4 days ago - Something for the long weekend
Hello from the middle of a long weekend where I’m letting the last few days unspool, not ready, not yet, to give words to the hardest of what we heard.Instead, today, here are some good words from other people.Mother CourageWhen I wrote last year about Mum and Dad’s move to ...4 days ago - The people behind Workers Now
Workers Now is a new slate of candidates contesting this year’s general election. James Robb and Don Franks are the people behind this initiative and they are hoping to put the spotlight on working people’s interests. Both are seasoned activists who have campaigned for workers’ rights over many decades. Here is ...4 days ago - Govt is safeguarding Treaty grounds (for $3m) but Hipkins may be embroiled in spat about when he can...Buzz from the Beehive Politicians keen to curry favour with Māori tribal leaders have headed north for Waitangi weekend. More than a few million dollars of public funding are headed north, too. Not all of this money is being trumpeted on the Beehive website, the Government’s official website. ...4 days ago
- The week that was to Feb 4Insurers face claims of over $500 million for cars, homes and property damaged in the floods. They are already putting up premiums and pulling insurance from properties deemed at high risk of flooding. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTLDR: This week in the podcast of our weekly hoon webinar for paying subscribers, ...5 days ago
- Cranky Uncle could use your help to learn more languages!Our Cranky Uncle Game can already be played in eight languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. About 15 more languages are in the works at various stages of completion or have been offered to be done. To kick off the new year, we checked with how ...5 days ago
- 2022 updates to model-observation comparisons
Our annual post related to the comparisons between long standing records and climate models. As frequent readers will know, we maintain a page of comparisons between climate model projections and the relevant observational records, and since they are mostly for the global mean numbers, these get updated once ...5 days ago - Co-governance
The (new) Prime Minister said nobody understands what co-governance means, later modified to that there were so many varying interpretations that there was no common understanding.Co-governance cannot be derived from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It does not use the word. It refers to ‘government’ on ...5 days ago - Jump onto the weekly hoon at 5pm
It’s that time of the week again when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump on this link for our chat about the week’s news with special guests Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick and Auckland City Councillor Julie Fairey, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which ...5 days ago - Climate Change: The emissions deficitIn March last year, in a panic over rising petrol prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government made a poor decision, "temporarily" cutting fuel excise tax by 25 cents a litre. Of course, it turned out not to be temporary at all, having been extended in May, July, ...5 days ago
- Unforced variations: Feb 2023This month’s open thread for climate related topics. Please be constructive, polite, and succinct. The post Unforced variations: Feb 2023 first appeared on RealClimate. ...5 days ago
- Kelvin Davis takes us back to a battle in which the Brits took a beating but we are left bewildered ...Buzz from the Beehive Two fresh press releases had been posted when we checked the Beehive website at noon, both of them posted yesterday. In one statement, in the runup to Waitangi Day, Maori Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis drew attention to happenings on a Northland battle site in 1845. ...5 days ago
- Ask Me Anything about the week to Feb 3It’s that time of the week again when I’m on the site for an hour for a chat in an Ask Me Anything with paying subscribers to The Kaka. Jump in for a chat on anything, including:Auckland’s catastrophic floods, which are set to cost insurers and the Government well over ...5 days ago
- Political Roundup: 3 February 2023CO-GOVERNANCE, WAITANGI, THREE WATERS Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Blowing Off The Froth: Why Chris Hipkins Must Ditch Three Waters Audrey Young (Herald): What iwi leaders will tell Chris Hipkins about co-governance(paywalled) Michael Neilson (Herald): Waitangi 2023: PM Chris Hipkins and National’s Christopher Luxon to be tested by Māori leaders in ...6 days ago
- The stagnant debates in our hermit kingdom of a political economyAustralia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers (left) has published a 6,000 word manifesto called ‘Capitalism after the Crises’ arguing for ‘values-based capitalism’. Yet here in NZ we hear the same stale old rhetoric unchanged from the 1990s and early 2000s. Photo: Getty ImagesTLDR: The rest of the world is talking about inflation ...6 days ago
- Lies, damned lies, and political polls.
A couple of weeks ago, after NCEA results came out, my son’s enrolment at Auckland Uni for this year was confirmed - he is doing a BSc majoring in Statistics. Well that is the plan now, who knows what will take his interest once he starts.I spent a bit of ...6 days ago - Weekly Roundup 03-February-2023Kia ora. What a week! We hope you’ve all come through last weekend’s extreme weather event relatively dry and safe. Header image: stormwater ponds at Hobsonville Point. Image via Twitter. The week in Greater Auckland There’s been a storm of information and debate since the worst of the flooding ...6 days ago
- A New Day, a New Cease & Desist
Hi,At 4.43pm yesterday it arrived — a cease and desist letter from the guy I mentioned in my last newsletter. I’d written an article about “WEWE”, a global multi-level marketing scam making in-roads into New Zealand. MLMs are terrible for many of the same reasons megachurches are terrible, and I ...6 days ago - Blowing Off The Froth: Why Chris Hipkins Must Ditch Three Waters.Time To Call A Halt: Chris Hipkins knows that iwi leaders possess the means to make life very difficult for his government. Notwithstanding their objections, however, the Prime Minister’s direction of travel – already clearly signalled by his very public demotion of Nanaia Mahuta – must be confirmed by an emphatic ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #5 2023Open access notables Via PNAS, Ceylan, Anderson & Wood present a paper squarely in the center of the Skeptical Science wheelhouse: Sharing of misinformation is habitual, not just lazy or biased. The signficance statement is obvious catnip: Misinformation is a worldwide concern carrying socioeconomic and political consequences. What drives ...6 days ago
- Universities that punish reading – even of books from their own librariesMark White from the Left free speech organisation Plebity looks at the disturbing trend of ‘book burning’ on US campuses In the abstract, people mostly agree that book banning is a bad thing. The Nazis did us the favor of being very clear about it and literally burning books, but ...6 days ago
- Hipkins has a chance to show he is more effective in getting results than Ardern in his Canberra t...Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has undergone a stern baptisim of fire in his first week in his new job, but it doesn’t get any easier. Next week, he has a vital meeting in Canberra with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, where he has to establish ...6 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on extending the fuel/public transport subsidiesAs PM Chris Hipkins says, it’s a “no brainer” to extend the fuel tax cut, half price public subsidy and the cut to the road user levy until mid-year. A no braoner if the prime purpose is to ease the burden on people struggling to cope with the cost of ...6 days ago
- U-turn on fuel taxes could pump up poll support for Hipkins and Co but the poor – perhaps – won...Buzz from the Beehive Cost-of-living pressures loomed large in Beehive announcements over the past 24 hours. The PM was obviously keen to announce further measures to keep those costs in check and demonstrate he means business when he talks of focusing his government on bread-and-butter issues. His statement was headed ...6 days ago
- Mike’s Cracked RecordPoor Mike Hosking. He has revealed himself in his most recent diatribe to be one of those public figures who is defined, not by who he is, but by who he isn’t, or at least not by what he is for, but by what he is against. Jacinda’s departure has ...6 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Chris Hipkins hires a lobbyist to run the BeehiveNew Zealand is the second least corrupt country on earth according to the latest Corruption Perception Index published yesterday by Transparency International. But how much does this reflect reality? The problem with being continually feted for world-leading political integrity – which the Beehive and government departments love to boast about ...7 days ago
- Pick o’ the links: Brown vs Fish; Brown vs everyone
TLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...7 days ago - Pick o’ the links: Brown vs Fish; Brown vs everyoneTLDR: Including my pick of the news and other links in my checks around the news sites since 4am. Paying subscribers can see them all below the fold.In Aotearoa’s political economyBrown vs Fish Read more ...7 days ago
- Dawn Chorus: Classic middle class welfare to win 'Ford Ranger Man'In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...7 days ago
- Dawn Chorus: Classic middle class welfare to win 'Ford Ranger Man'In other countries, the target-rich cohorts of swinging voters are given labels such as ‘Mondeo Man’, ‘White Van Man,’ ‘Soccer Moms’ and ‘Little Aussie Battlers.’ Here, the easiest shorthand is ‘Ford Ranger Man’ – as seen here parked outside a Herne Bay restaurant, inbetween two SUVs. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / ...7 days ago
- Government confirms a light rail rethink possibleTransport Minister and now also Minister for Auckland, Michael Wood has confirmed that the light rail project is part of the government’s policy refocus. Wood said the light rail project was under review as part of a ministerial refocus on key Government projects. “We are undertaking a stocktake about how ...7 days ago
- Why Nicola Willis is door-knocking in JohnsonvilleSometime before the new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced that this year would be about “bread and butter issues”, National’s finance spokesperson Nicola Willis decided to move from Wellington Central and stand for Ohariu, which spreads across north Wellington from the central city to Johnsonville and Tawa. It’s an ...7 days ago
- “With great power comes great responsibility”: we’ve all heard that, but stepping up to it is ...
They say a week is a long time in politics. For Mayor Wayne Brown, turns out 24 hours was long enough for many of us to see, quite obviously, “something isn’t right here…”. That in fact, a lot was going wrong. Very wrong indeed. Mainly because it turns ...1 week ago - The escalator rises againOne of the most effective, and successful, graphics developed by Skeptical Science is the escalator. The escalator shows how global surface temperature anomalies vary with time, and illustrates how "contrarians" tend to cherry-pick short time intervals so as to argue that there has been no recent warming, while "realists" recognise ...1 week ago
- Dusk Chorus: ‘Bread and butter’ chosen over cutting emissions
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...1 week ago - Dusk Chorus: ‘Bread and butter’ chosen over cutting emissionsPhoto: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTLDR: Here’s a quick roundup of the news today for paying subscribers on a slightly frantic, very wet, and then very warm day. In Aotearoa’s political economy today Read more ...1 week ago
- We never get to feel one thing at a time, us grownups
Tomorrow we have a funeral, and thank you all of you for your very kind words and thoughts — flowers, even.Our friend Michèle messaged: we never get to feel one thing at a time, us grownups, and oh boy is that ever the truth. Tomorrow we have the funeral, and ...1 week ago - Garrick Tremain’s view…
... 1 week ago - Isn't this the rainy day we're supposed to be saving up for?Lynn and I have just returned from a news conference where Hipkins, fresh from visiting a relief centre in Mangere, was repeatedly challenged to justify the extension of subsidies to create more climate emissions when the effects of climate change had just proved so disastrous. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The ...1 week ago
- Scrapping biofuels means Government must do better for people and climate
The Green Party supports the decision to stop work on the biofuels mandate. ...6 hours ago - Government must refocus on bold solutionsIt’s good to see the Government refocus on helping with the day to day pressures facing New Zealanders, but we need bolder solutions. ...6 hours ago
- Greens call for Civil Defence Payment to be doubledThe Green Party is today calling on the Government to double the maximum Civil Defence Payment for Aucklanders affected by flooding. ...14 hours ago
- Waitangi Day – a time to reflect and learn
Kia ora e te whānau. Today, we mark the anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi - and our commitment to working in partnership with Māori to deliver better outcomes and tackle the big issues, together. ...3 days ago - Greens call on the government to end perpetual leasesThe Green Party calls on the Government to end perpetual leases over Māori land so that Māori landowners can directly control their lands. ...4 days ago
- Thousands more homes under LabourWe’ve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, we’re making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...5 days ago
- Time for Labour to deliver on No New MinesThe Green Party is today welcoming reports of Government progress towards having no new mines on conservation land. ...6 days ago
- Time for Labour to deliver on No New MinesThe Green Party is today welcoming reports of Government progress towards having no new mines on conservation land. ...6 days ago
- Greens join call for immediate rent freeze after floodsThe Green Party is joining more than 20 community organisations to call for an immediate rent freeze in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, after reports of landlords intending to hike rents after flooding. ...6 days ago
- Extra cost of living support for New ZealandersWhen Chris Hipkins took on the job of Prime Minister, he said bread and butter issues like the cost of living would be the Government’s top priority – and this week, we’ve set out extra support for families and businesses. ...6 days ago
- Greens not on board with fossil fuel subsidyThe Green Party is calling on the Government to provide direct support to low-income households and to stop subsidising fossil fuels during a climate crisis. ...1 week ago
- Urgent action needed to support familiesThe tools exist to help families with surging costs – and as costs continue to rise it is more urgent than ever that we use them, the Green Party says. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party writes to new Prime MinisterThe Green Party has written to Prime Minister Chris Hipkins outlining a plan for a fairer Aotearoa. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party looks forward to working with Chris HipkinsThe Green Party welcomes Chris Hipkins as the sole nominee for leader of the Labour Party, and the next Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand. ...3 weeks ago
- Government takes new direction with policy refocus
Work on the TVNZ/RNZ public media entity to stop; Radio NZ and NZ on Air to receive additional funding Social insurance scheme will not proceed this term The Human Rights (Incitement on Ground of Religious Belief) Amendment Bill to be withdrawn and not progressed this term. The matter to be ...8 hours ago - $5 million support package for flood affected Auckland businessesThe Government is providing a $5 million package of emergency support to help businesses significantly affected by the recent flooding in Auckland. This includes: $3 million for flood recovery payments to help significantly affected businesses $1 million for mental wellbeing support through a boost to the First Steps programme $1 ...8 hours ago
- Temporary Accommodation Service activated to help flood affected AucklandersThe Government’s Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated to support people displaced by the severe flooding and landslips in the Auckland region, Housing Minister Megan Woods says. “TAS is now accepting registrations for people who cannot return to their homes and need assistance finding temporary accommodation. The team will work ...13 hours ago
- Prime Ministers’ meeting reaffirms close trans-Tasman relationshipPrime Minister Chris Hipkins and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today held their first bilateral meeting in Canberra. It was Chris Hipkins’ first overseas visit since he took office, reflecting the close relationship between New Zealand and Australia. “New Zealand has no closer partner than Australia. I was pleased to ...1 day ago
- Immediate humanitarian support to Türkiye and Syria following earthquakesNew Zealand will immediately provide humanitarian support to those affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “Aotearoa New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by these earthquakes. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones affected,” ...1 day ago
- Pākinga Pā site to be gifted back to local hapūAn historic Northland pā site with links to Ngāpuhi chief Hongi Hika is to be handed back to iwi, after collaboration by government, private landowners and local hapū. “It is fitting that the ceremony for the return of the Pākinga Pā site is during Waitangi weekend,” said Regional Development Minister ...1 day ago
- New initiatives to unlock Māori science and research resourcesThe Government is investing in a suite of initiatives to unlock Māori and Pacific resources, talent and knowledge across the science and research sector, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Two new funds – He tipu ka hua and He aka ka toro – set to ...1 day ago
- Advancing our relationship in IndiaForeign Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for India tomorrow as she continues to reconnect Aotearoa New Zealand to the world. The visit will begin in New Delhi where the Foreign Minister will meet with the Vice President Hon Jagdeep Dhankar and her Indian Government counterparts, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and ...3 days ago
- Government Northland housing investment to spark transformational changeOver $10 million infrastructure funding to unlock housing in Whangārei The purchase of a 3.279 hectare site in Kerikeri to enable 56 new homes Northland becomes eligible for $100 million scheme for affordable rentals Multiple Northland communities will benefit from multiple Government housing investments, delivering thousands of new homes for ...5 days ago
- Government investment safeguards Waitangi Treaty GroundsThe Government is supporting one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most significant historic sites, the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, as it continues to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. “The Waitangi Treaty Grounds are a taonga that we should protect and look after. This additional support will mean people can continue to ...6 days ago
- Battle of Ohaeawai rememberedA memorial event at a key battle site in the New Zealand land wars is an important event to mark the progress in relations between Māori and the Crown as we head towards Waitangi Day, Minister for Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis said. The Battle of Ohaeawai in June 1845 saw ...6 days ago
- More Police deployed to the frontlineMore Police officers are being deployed to the frontline with the graduation of 54 new constables from the Royal New Zealand Police College today. The graduation ceremony for Recruit Wing 362 at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua was the first official event for Stuart Nash since his reappointment as Police ...6 days ago
- Further support for upper North Island regions hit by significant weatherThe Government is unlocking an additional $700,000 in support for regions that have been badly hit by the recent flooding and storm damage in the upper North Island. “We’re supporting the response and recovery of Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, Northland, and Bay of Plenty regions, through activating Enhanced Taskforce Green to ...6 days ago
- The Princess Royal to visit New ZealandPrime Minister Chris Hipkins has welcomed the announcement that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, will visit New Zealand this month. “Princess Anne is travelling to Aotearoa at the request of the NZ Army’s Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals, of which she is Colonel in Chief, to ...6 days ago
- Government and horticulture sector target $12b in exports by 2035A new Government and industry strategy launched today has its sights on growing the value of New Zealand’s horticultural production to $12 billion by 2035, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “Our food and fibre exports are vital to New Zealand’s economic security. We’re focussed on long-term strategies that build on ...1 week ago
- Cost of living support extended for families and businesses25 cents per litre petrol excise duty cut extended to 30 June 2023 – reducing an average 60 litre tank of petrol by $17.25 Road User Charge discount will be re-introduced and continue through until 30 June Half price public transport fares extended to the end of June 2023 saving ...1 week ago
- More Kiwis in work as rising wages match inflationThe strong economy has attracted more people into the workforce, with a record number of New Zealanders in paid work and wages rising to help with cost of living pressures. “The Government’s economic plan is delivering on more better-paid jobs, growing wages and creating more opportunities for more New Zealanders,” ...1 week ago
- Government boosts fund for Auckland floodingThe Government is providing a further $1 million to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced today. “Cabinet today agreed that, given the severity of the event, a further $1 million contribution be made. Cabinet wishes to be proactive ...1 week ago
- New Cabinet focused on bread and butter issuesThe new Cabinet will be focused on core bread and butter issues like the cost of living, education, health, housing and keeping communities and businesses safe, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced. “We need a greater focus on what’s in front of New Zealanders right now. The new Cabinet line ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister to meet with PM AlbanesePrime Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to Canberra next week for an in person meeting with Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. “The trans-Tasman relationship is New Zealand’s closest and most important, and it was crucial to me that my first overseas trip as Prime Minister was to Australia,” Chris Hipkins ...1 week ago
- Government makes first payment to Auckland Flooding fundThe Government is providing establishment funding of $100,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund to help communities in Auckland following flooding, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty announced. “We moved quickly to make available this funding to support Aucklanders while the full extent of the damage is being assessed,” Kieran McAnulty ...2 weeks ago
- Government steps up to assist Auckland during floodingAs the Mayor of Auckland has announced a state of emergency, the Government, through NEMA, is able to step up support for those affected by flooding in Auckland. “I’d urge people to follow the advice of authorities and check Auckland Emergency Management for the latest information. As always, the Government ...2 weeks ago
- Poroporoaki: Titewhai Te Huia Hinewhare HarawiraKa papā te whatitiri, Hikohiko ana te uira, wāhi rua mai ana rā runga mai o Huruiki maunga Kua hinga te māreikura o te Nota, a Titewhai Harawira Nā reira, e te kahurangi, takoto, e moe Ka mōwai koa a Whakapara, kua uhia te Tai Tokerau e te kapua pōuri ...2 weeks ago
- Enhanced Task Force Green Approved following Cyclone HaleCarmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment, has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding and damaged caused by Cyclone Hale in the Tairāwhiti region. Up to $500,000 will be made available to employ job seekers to support the clean-up. We are still investigating whether other parts ...2 weeks ago
- Christopher Luxon hijacked by anti-vaxxers, conspiracists at packed public meeting
A crowd packed the Rangiora Town Hall to listen to Christopher Luxon - it was not a lovefest with the party faithful, however. ...2 hours ago - PM axes Ardern's projects, takes wind out of Nats' sails
Chris Hipkins’ policy purge gives far more insight into how he will govern than the reshuffle he announced last week. Hate speech, biofuels, media mergers and social insurance have been dumped in the worthy, but not important bin, writes political editor Jo Moir. The front bench under Chris Hipkins’ leadership ...3 hours ago - Govt announces $5m support package for flood-affected businesses in AucklandBusinesses which face closure or a significant impact on their operations since the floods can draw on a new fund, the prime minister says. ...4 hours ago
- Chris Hipkins’ policy purge and the cost-of-explaining crisis
You might be able to solve a delivery problem by cutting the number of packages you send. But is that enough, wonders Toby Manhire. If there’s one thing Chris Hipkins isn’t afraid of, it’s repeating himself to make the point. The first three sentences of his statement unveiling the policy ...4 hours ago - Haven’t had COVID or a vaccine dose in the past six months? Consider getting a booster
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sathana Dushyanthen, Academic Specialist & Lecturer in Cancer Sciences & Digital Health| Superstar of STEM| Science Communicator, The University of Melbourne CDC/Unsplash Australians aged 18 and over will be eligible for a COVID booster from February 20 if they have ...4 hours ago - Gone by prime time -a puzzling merger
The state-owned radio broadcaster will keep its independence and get a cash injection after the Government scrapped the proposal to merge it with TVNZ Normal transmission has resumed for the country’s media industry. RNZ and TVNZ will remain as separate entities and the bogeyman of a monolithic public media entity ...5 hours ago - Relief At $5m For Business But Minimum Wage Increase Problematic
The EMA is relieved the Government has dedicated $5m to support Auckland businesses impacted by the recent flooding. Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says that is consistent with discussions the EMA and the Auckland Business Roundtable had been having with ...6 hours ago - Chris Hipkins sets fire to Labour’s policy programmeThe prime minister has unveiled what he calls a ‘new direction’ for the Labour government, and it involves launching a wrecking ball into Jacinda Ardern’s extensive policy programme. Stewart Sowman-Lund reports from parliament. We knew something was coming, but we perhaps weren’t expecting quite so much policy carnage at parliament ...6 hours ago
- TVNZ, RNZ and NZ On Air respond to purging of mergingOrganisations directly affected by this afternoon’s announcement that the media merger will not go ahead have issued statements in response, with a common thread of welcoming clarity after months of uncertainty and speculation. RNZ chair Jim Mather said: “Media in New Zealand is being challenged by rapidly changing commercial models, the ...6 hours ago
- Scrapping Biofuels Mandate Helps Out Households...6 hours ago
- ‘Deeply disappointed and frustrated’ – Amnesty on hate speech stallThe decision to halt legislation that would bring religious grounds into existing hate speech rules, pending a referral to the Law Commission, has been rebuked by Amnesty International NZ. “We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that the government is taking so long to strengthen the country’s legislation against incitement to ...6 hours ago
- Workers Need Income Insurance NowThe biggest private sector union in Aotearoa New Zealand, E tū, is concerned by the Prime Minister’s announcement today that the New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme (NZIIS) will be delayed indefinitely. The announcement was part of the new Prime ...6 hours ago
- Taxpayer Victory! Government Scraps Jobs Tax (for Now)The Taxpayers’ Union has welcomed the Government’s decision to take the proposed social insurance scheme off the table for the rest of this parliament but has warned against bringing back similar proposals in future. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, ...6 hours ago
- Minimum wage set to increase by $1.50 an hourThe minimum wage is set to increase by $1.50 an hour with the government saying the impact on inflation will be "negligible". ...6 hours ago
- Who is perpetrating domestic, sexual and family violence?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Flood, Professor of Sociology, Queensland University of Technology shutterstock Some 1.6 million women (17%) and 548,000 men (6.1%) in Australia aged 15 or older have experienced physical or sexual violence from a current or previous cohabiting partner. This means ...7 hours ago
- NZ On Air Ready To Respond To Change Of Direction On Public MediaNZ On Air welcomes the decision from Cabinet today providing certainty for the public media sector. “Our funding strategy is flexible and future-focused, and we are able to quickly respond both to audience and media environment changes, without being ...7 hours ago
- ‘We injected our energy and expertise’ – RNZ CEO email to staffIn an email to staff distributed shortly after Chris Hipkins’ announcement that the media merger will be scrapped, RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson has said: “It is good to have clarity after recent uncertainty.” The boost in funding for RNZ, details of which are to be determined, was “an endorsement ...7 hours ago
- Pāmu Commits To Ambitious Sustainability Targets With A Second Sustainability-linked LoanPāmu is committed to reducing its climate impact through emissions reduction and strengthening climate resilience through adaption. Doubling down on its commitment , the state-owned enterprise has now signed a second sustainability-linked loan, ...7 hours ago
- Policy Victory For The Taxpayers’ Union: Hipkins Scraps The Media Merger No One WantedThe Taxpayers’ Union is delighted at the news that the TVNZ/RNZ media merger is to be scrapped. Taxpayers' Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said: “Our former Chairman, a former TVNZ board member, Barrie Saunders was among the first ...7 hours ago
- A story for every place, not jobs and growth: Revive reflects global trends in policy – cultural a...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin O’Connor, Professor of Cultural Economy, University of South Australia Federal Labor is engaged in urgent reform, making up for the “lost decade” under the Coalition. The Voice, industrial relations, climate change, universities, health, Asian-Pacific diplomacy, research and development are all undergoing ...7 hours ago
- Watch: TVNZ/RNZ merger scrapped, income insurance and hate speech laws delayedPrime Minister Chris Hipkins Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed the TVNZ/RNZ merger will be scrapped. Watch live. ...8 hours ago
- Confirmed: Media merger dumped, social insurance scheme and hate speech laws on holdPrime minister Chris Hipkins has announced the end of the planned merger of TVNZ and RNZ. It’s been in the works for more than three years and was set to be up and running this year. However, speaking at a post-cabinet press conference this afternoon, Hipkins confirmed it would not ...8 hours ago
- It’s near impossible to get good data on water use in New Zealand. This raises questions about pub...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Talbot-Jones, Senior lecturer, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Shutterstock/Dr Ajay Kumar Singh As New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins embarks on reprioritising policies to focus on “bread and butter issues”, the details of the contentious ...8 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Labour’s reorientation to working class MāoriAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Labour’s reorientation to working class Māori Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. In recent decades the Labour Party has lost its traditional connection with working class voters, becoming more of a middle class party of liberalism. This is especially true of Labour’s historic connection with ...8 hours ago
- ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare. If you’ve ever posted online, you ought to be concernedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney Shutterstock ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. Within two months of its release it reached 100 million active users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application ever launched. Users are ...8 hours ago
- How can the health regulator better protect patients from sexual misconduct?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Madden, Adjunct Professor, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology Shutterstock This week’s ABC Four Corners investigation revealed the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), or tribunals determining such complaints, allowed a number ...8 hours ago
- Media merger poised to be scrapped – reportIt appears the proposed merger of TVNZ and RNZ will indeed be scrapped in under an hour’s time. A source from within the media industry has told Te Ao Māori News that the planned entity has been abandoned by the government as new prime minister Chris Hipkins attempts to reign ...8 hours ago
- NSW pokies reforms will do much to limit problem gambling and money launderingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University Bianca de Marchi/AAP The New South Wales government has embraced a sweeping set of reforms to the state’s massive poker machine business. These reforms are centred on ...9 hours ago
- Turkey-Syria earthquakes: a seismologist explains what happenedAt a magnitude of 7.8, this week’s horrific earthquake near the Turkish border was 177 times stronger than Christchurch’s in 2011. This week an extremely large earthquake occurred in the southeast of Turkey, near the border with Syria. Data from seismometers which measure shaking of the ground caused by ...9 hours ago
- The Unity Books children’s bestseller chart for JanuaryIn the life-cycle of a reader we bet it’s the childhood reading memories that matter most. Here are Unity’s bestselling books for January. AUCKLAND 1 Sleepy Kiwi by Kat Quin (Tikitibu, $20, babies) A bold, black and white board book for newborns and up. 2 Midnight Adventures of Ruru and ...9 hours ago
- Albanese government tackles housing crisis on 3 fronts, but there’s still more to doSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hal Pawson, Professor of Housing Research and Policy, and Associate Director, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The Albanese government’s housing package moved a step closer to delivery with the recent release of draft legislation. The bills are expected ...9 hours ago
- Could the media merger be dumped today?It’s Wednesday, February 8 and welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates – coming to you today from Wellington. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, reach me on [email protected] What you need to know Chris Hipkins will chair the first meeting of his new cabinet. He will front a post-cabinet press ...10 hours ago
- After the flood: a Māngere evacuee recalls that terrible Friday, and what happened nextIt’s been a rough ride since Louisa Opeteia hopped out of bed to find herself standing in a rising tide, but she’s grateful for the little things: a hot meal and the helping hands of friends, family and kind strangers. Friday morning, January 27. Louisa Opetaia of Māngere noticed the ...10 hours ago
- Auckland’s ferocious floods took the city back in timePaved-over rivers, covered-up shorelines and filled-in wetlands reemerged during Auckland’s devastating deluge – taking the city 200 years back into the past. Tāmaki Makaurau’s recent flooding has stirred up plenty of kōrero about our biggest city. Architecture and urban planning professor Timothy Welch reminded us that we built Auckland in ...11 hours ago
- Chris Hipkins ready for first meeting of his new cabinetPM Chris Hipkins is back in Wellington after his big day in Canberra. He’s chairing the first meeting of his new cabinet after last week’s reshuffle. That reshuffle saw ministers like Andrew Little and Peeni Henare demoted, while newer players like Ayesha Verrall soared up the ranks. According to the ...11 hours ago
- Ed Sheeran choccie up for auction to help Auckland flood reliefWhittaker’s are putting five special “Ed-ition” blocks of their classic milk chocolate on Trade Me, with all proceeds going to help the Auckland flood relief. What makes it a special Ed-ition? The fact that pop star Ed Sheeran has come onboard, providing a selfie for the packaging and signing the ...11 hours ago
- How technology could help address our family violence problemIn the digital age, online activity can be a conduit for abusive behaviours. But secure digital tools can also offer a lifeline for victims. It’s no secret that New Zealand has a family violence epidemic, with one third of women physically or sexually assaulted by a partner over their lifetimes. ...12 hours ago
- ‘Far from ideal’: PM says incorrect living cost payments should be returnedThousands of people mistakenly paid the government’s cost of living payment have chosen not to repay it. And while the department responsible for sending out that money won’t say whether it’s disappointed by the lack of repayments, the prime minister was happy to express his views. Stuff has today revealed ...12 hours ago
- The truth about new housing and the Auckland floodsA pair of Auckland councillors have leveraged the city’s flood disaster to protest government’s legislation enabling more medium density housing. Hayden Donnell says our elected representatives would be better off pointing the finger at themselves. As residents across her ward worked to clean out their waterlogged houses, Mt Eden-Puketāpapa councillor ...12 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Removal of prescription fee could significantly improve health of NZersResearchers from the University of Otago are “strongly” recommending the $5 fee to get a prescription filled be removed as a “simple way to reduce health inequities”. A new study has found removing the fee could significantly reduce the number of hospital admissions and length of hospital stays. The findings, published ...12 hours ago
- Policy chops to start from today, signals PMWe’ve known since the earliest moments of Chris Hipkins’ premiership that some of the unwieldy policy agenda of Jacinda Ardern was up for the chop. And now, about two weeks since being sworn in, the prime minister has confirmed the chopping block will be on display at today’s 3pm post-cabinet ...12 hours ago
- No need for truth and reconciliation commission 'at this point' – Chris HipkinsChris Hipkins says the mechanism already exists through the existing Treaty settlement process. ...13 hours ago
- Quake could be one of deadliest in last 100 yearsThe death toll for the quake that hit Turkey and Northern Syria may reach 20,000. For Syrians, the quake has struck a population already overwhelmed by the impacts of war, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full ...13 hours ago
- One-quarter Of Kiwi Adults Have Fallen Victim To Online Dating Or Romance ScamsNorton, a leading Cyber Safety brand of Gen, today published the New Zealand findings from a global study about online dating, associated scams, and attitudes about online stalking. The 2023 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report (NCSIR), conducted online ...14 hours ago
- Two major announcements about Australia’s defence force are imminent. Here’s what to expectSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University The United States’ shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina over the weekend points to international security affairs being on a knife edge. It follows ...14 hours ago
- The TGA has approved certain psychedelic treatments: the response from experts is mixedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Liknaitzky, Head of Clinical Psychedelic Research, Monash University Collaborative care teams will need to be established for safe treatment. Author provided A few days ago, the Australian drug regulator – the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) – surprised experts around the world ...14 hours ago
- ‘We need to restore the land’: as coal mines close, here’s a community blueprint to sustain th...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley Crofts, Doctoral Student, School of Design, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock The decline of the coal industry means 17 mines in the New South Wales Hunter Valley will close over the next two decades. More than 130,000 hectares of ...14 hours ago
- Whether it’s a new teacher or class – here’s what to do when your child is not loving itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Jefferson, Senior Lecturer in Education, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock The first signs were the half-eaten lunches coming home from high school. This was in stark contrast to the primary school years, where the box looked as if a demolition ...14 hours ago
- Titanic at 25: like the ship itself, James Cameron’s film is a bit of a wreckSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Sparkes, Senior Lecturer (Media Studies and Production), University of Southern Queensland Disney When it was released 25 years ago, James Cameron’s Titanic was enormous. It made stars of its two leads, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Reviews overwhelmingly heaped ...14 hours ago
- How worried are universities about ChatGPT?AI writing tools are free, easy to use and already everywhere. But is it cheating to use them to help write an essay? Shanti Mathias spoke to New Zealand academics about AI’s place in education. When California company Open AI released its ChatGPT tool to the public last November, social ...15 hours ago
- When Chippy met Albo: The PM’s six-hour whirlwind tour of CanberraChris Hipkins’ first overseas trip as prime minister heralded few surprises. But, as Stewart Sowman-Lund reports from Canberra, that’s exactly what he will have wanted. It’s been just two weeks since Chris Hipkins was sworn in as prime minister, a fortnight that has seen him deal with devastating flooding, formalise ...15 hours ago
- Govt payments to help flood-hit Aucklanders inadequate for many, Greens sayThe Green Party wants the government to double the maximum amount it is paying out to flood-affected Aucklanders, through the Civil Defence payments. ...16 hours ago
- IRD wants visibility of crypto assets
Greater visibility over who in NZ owns cryptocurrency would reduce tax avoidance, tax officials told the Revenue Minister. ...18 hours ago - Covid-19 health funding quietly halved
The money the health system has to fight Covid-19 in the first half of 2023 is less than half of what it had in the second half of 2022, Marc Daalder reports Staff on the Covid-19 response have been terminated or quietly reassigned to other health issues as funding to ...18 hours ago - To kill a pig
Bow and arrow hunting There was a certain time of year I really used to live for: camping over the Christmas break. I was 15 in the Christmas of 1976 and up to that point I'd shot a heap of goats and smaller game, but the thought of maybe getting ...18 hours ago - Are foreign students coming back?
International education used to be a massive earner for New Zealand. With the borders finally open, are foreign students returning? Macleans College in East Auckland used to have more international students than any other school in the country. Then, the pandemic hit and turned it upside down. Principal Steve Hargreaves doesn't ...18 hours ago - Climate risk in an unfair world
Meg Parsons and Iresh Jayawardena explain why managing climate risk is a complex social justice issue Commentary and coverage of the floods in Auckland has so far focused on the severity of the flood, loss of life and injuries, damage to buildings, homes, roads and other infrastructure, on the number of people ...18 hours ago - Auckland was struggling even before the historic flooding
A successful Minister for Auckland could foreshadow a substantially revised Cities and Regions government focus Opinion: There’s little doubt Auckland is in need of substantial ministering. It’s not just the biblical-scale deluge and resulting significant damage the region has experienced. It’s the historical sins of omission and some of commission ...18 hours ago - Hipkins' energy – and inexperience – on display in Australia visit
Chris Hipkins’ first offshore trip as leader went without a hitch, albeit with a low bar to clear. The challenge now is ensuring that Australian rhetoric around expat rights becomes reality, while Hipkins himself needs to figure out his own foreign policy agenda. Sam Sachdeva reports, in Canberra. Given the ...18 hours ago - Christchurch offers waterlogged Auckland three brutal lessons in resilience
Former Chch mayor Lianne Dalziel tells the lessons they learnt the hard way ...18 hours ago - Bringing banks to social account
It’s time banks stop assuming everyone can manage technology, ...18 hours ago - Battle over funding infrastructure for 60,000-person housing project
Funding massive growth is a tall order for a cash-strapped Auckland Council, but developers warn hefty contributions push up house prices. ...18 hours ago - When abortion swayed elections
Felicity Goodyear-Smith looks back at just how political the issue of abortion was in New Zealand On Wednesday March 25, 2020 New Zealand moved to nationwide self-isolation in response to the Covid 19 pandemic. Unless essential, there were to be no face-to-face primary care consultations. I work full-time as a professor of general ...18 hours ago - Possum hunter leaves bush for Blues
From purging possums and saving kiwi, to leading the Tui and turning out for the Blues, rugby record breaker Krysten Cottrell has a fascinating combination of careers, Suzanne McFadden discovers. Krysten Cottrell spends her week deep in the bush of the Kaweka Range, searching for dead rats and possums - and then ...18 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 8 February
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...19 hours ago - Former FBC head’s pay package – ‘We have proof’, says AmritBy Ian Chute in Suva Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) board chairman Ajay Bhai Amrit says he has receipts to prove former FBC chief executive officer Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum received an annual package of $387,790 including benefits and entitlements. He said this worked out to $32,315 a month and that the board ...23 hours ago
- PNG military ‘won’t sit back’ after soldiers ambushed, warns chiefPNG Post-Courier PNG Defence Force Commander Major-General Mark Goina says “appropriate force” will be dealt to the gunmen who ambushed and wounded two soldiers in Saugurap, Enga Province, last week. In a statement Major-General Goina said: “A section from the PNGDF contingent deployed in Enga Province were on routine duty, ...23 hours ago
- Word from The Hill: Government should set date for Voice to start talkingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation’s politics team. In this podcast Michelle and ...1 day ago
- RBA warns of at least 2 more interest rate rises in coming months, as the economic outlook worsensSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe. Lukas Coch/AAP Australia’s cash rate has hit 3.35%, after the Reserve Bank raised interest rates for the ninth time in a row – and signalled ...1 day ago
- The new climate denial? Using wealth to insulate yourself from discomfort and changeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Della Bosca, PhD Candidate and Research Assistant at Sydney Environment Institute, University of Sydney Shutterstock While the days of overt climate denial are mostly over, there’s a distinct form of denial emerging in its stead. You may have experienced ...1 day ago
- Government to donate $1.5m to help Türkiye and Syria with disaster responseNew Zealand will provide the aid to Türkiye and Syria following devastating earthquakes in both countries. ...1 day ago
- Cyclone due to hit North Island set to form a day earlierA potential cyclone that could bring more severe wet weather to the upper North Island is now forecast to form a day earlier, Stuff reports. Due to ideal cyclone-formation conditions over the Coral Sea, a low south of the Solomon Islands has a high chance of turning into a cyclone ...1 day ago
- Why the second It movie compelled me to write my first novelAuthor I.S. Belle reveals the top five influences on her debut LGBT horror/paranormal YA novel, Zombabe. Zombabe is a LGBT found family horror/paranormal YA about a group of friends putting down an ancient evil inextricably linked to their sleepy town of Bulldeen, Maine. Does all of that bring anything to ...1 day ago
- Watch live: PMs Hipkins and Albanese hold joint press conferenceNew Zealand prime minister Chris Hipkins and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese are holding a joint press conference in Canberra. Watch live here. ...1 day ago
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