Search Results
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Comment:Daily review 04/03/2021
Date published: 9:12 am, March 5th, 2021Weren't there actually five Labour prime ministers. Ramsay MacDonald, Clement Atlee, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan and Tony Blair. Gordon Brown was not an elected PM.
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 8:40 am, March 1st, 2021Standing alone is fine, unless one is some crazy obsessive.
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Comment:Open mike 27/02/2021
Date published: 11:39 pm, February 27th, 2021A capital gain does not really increase the community's aggregate income, because the seller's gain is offset buy the buyers loss
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Comment:Open mike 27/02/2021
Date published: 11:30 pm, February 27th, 2021The government should put a stop to the creation, out of nothing, of credit by the privately owned banks.
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Comment:Open mike 27/02/2021
Date published: 11:17 pm, February 27th, 2021Not everybody who rents actually wants to own a house. but the trouble is that there are too many landlords for this relatively small market. A further problem is that many are mortgaged to the hilt and are able to avoid paying tax on their net income ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 10:55 pm, February 27th, 2021If your property is boarded up because you are tired of "playing landlord", then none of your expenses are deductible. And the loss of of income is certainly not deductible. the Income Tax Act is pretty clear: An expense is deductible if it is incurred for...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 10:22 pm, February 27th, 2021The cost to the landlord is what it is. The cost to the business is nil.
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 10:30 am, February 27th, 2021I see that someone seems to agree with me regarding interest deductibility: There could be a change soon so that “rental property investors can’t claim interest on the mortgage as a taxable expense”, Hickey said. https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 10:11 am, February 27th, 2021Interest is the payment you have to make in order to own the property and without that you would have nothing to rent out. In that case the problem would not arise. The Tax Department certainly allows you to deduct them from your rental interest. I do know...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 9:47 am, February 27th, 2021I think you are missing the point. By offering accommodation a landlord is providing a service. and he should charge whatever that accommodation is worth. But whether or not that charge is sufficient to cover mortgage payments as well has his normal ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 9:38 am, February 27th, 2021I have never made any claims regarding Putin, so I don't see why I should provide "evidence". I accept that Putin is pretty ruthless when it comes to retaining power, but I also see this as rather beside the point.
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 9:28 am, February 27th, 2021Should we punish innocent Russian citizens by declaring war on Russia, imposing trade sanctions, or whatever, simply because we disapprove of its government's alleged crimes. Or are the people to be considered simply as collateral damage. The "Russians", ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 6:07 pm, February 26th, 2021He should not be deducting interest. Interest is part of the cost of owning the property, not a part of the rental process. It is the renting out of the property that earns taxable income. Interest does not contribute to that.
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 6:02 pm, February 26th, 2021A lot of landlords have mortgage payments higher than the rent they receive. It is not the tenant's job to pay his landlord's mortgage. It's not the tenant who will own the house after the final mortgage payment is made. The landlord is already benefiting ...
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 5:35 pm, February 26th, 2021The confession of a closed mind. All credit to you for your willingness to admit it.
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 5:00 pm, February 26th, 2021Metaphorically speaking, ethnocentricity is a form of blindness. Incidentally, I see the British have now passed a law authorising their agents to commit crimes without having to face prosecution.
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Comment:Open mike 26/02/2021
Date published: 11:09 am, February 26th, 2021"So what's your deal? Why circulate Putin's side of every story? Isn't a genocide and the poisonings and assassinations of multiple political opponents and journalists enough to make you reflect even briefly on your invariable choice to repeat his ...
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Comment:Open mike 22/02/2021
Date published: 12:34 pm, February 22nd, 2021I don't demonize landlords - I just call them silly buggers for borrowing too much, and then acting surprised when they find that interest is gobbling up all their profits. Make interest non deductible and they would then be looking at a much improved ...
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Comment:V for vaccine
Date published: 9:35 am, February 22nd, 2021I don't think Bishop's suggestion that a dedicated facility could be used for housing, once a pandemic was over, is a good one. Such a facility could be used for other purposes in between pandemics, but we wouldn't want to see a whole lot of tenants being ...
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Comment:Open mike 15/02/2021
Date published: 12:23 pm, February 15th, 2021I'm inclined to agree. Shortages are simply an intractable backdrop against which interest, and monetary policy generally, serve to exacerbate the problems that shortages cause.
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Comment:Open mike 13/02/2021
Date published: 3:29 pm, February 14th, 2021Plentiful credit will probably give rise to low interest rates, but the latter are more visible. People will invest when they see that interest rates are low. They may also "jump on the bandwagon" when they see house prices rising, but something has to be ...
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Comment:Open mike 13/02/2021
Date published: 3:18 pm, February 14th, 2021Sorry. However I have now fixed the problem at my end.
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Comment:Open mike 13/02/2021
Date published: 1:10 pm, February 14th, 2021When my wife and I purchased our house, about forty years ago, interest rates were high - typically around 20 % or so - and property prices were low. Our property is now "worth" around six or seven times what we paid for it. It may well be that the present...
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Comment:Open mike 13/02/2021
Date published: 4:09 pm, February 13th, 2021From the graph it looks as though house prices are rising much faster than rents and wages. This ought be acting as a disincentive to investing in rental properties, though falling interest rates, and the prospects for capital gain, may be offsetting this ...
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Comment:Open mike 21/01/2021
Date published: 4:39 pm, January 22nd, 2021If subsidies were not being paid then many tenants would not be able to afford the rent being asked. However, in that case, landlords may have difficulty finding tenants with sufficient incomes, and rents may fall.
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Comment:Open mike 21/01/2021
Date published: 7:25 pm, January 21st, 2021If he has to increase the rent to pay the mortgage then, on the face of it, it looks like an unsound investment; unless the rent was well below the going rate originally. The tenant should not be expected to pay the landlord's mortgage. We badly need rent ...
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Comment:BluffGeld
Date published: 9:01 am, January 17th, 2021I assume NZ does not have a built in supply of bauxite.
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Comment:No Right Turn: One way of fixing the housing crisis
Date published: 8:46 am, January 17th, 2021Selling a leasehold property would not be difficult if leasehold was the norm.
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Comment:No Right Turn: One way of fixing the housing crisis
Date published: 8:38 am, January 17th, 2021We certainly need to take a sword to the "gordian knot". The new regulations are a start, but we also need to get rid of accommodation supplements, and make interest non deductible for tax purposes. The latter measure would hit landlords who have borrowed ...
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Comment:No Right Turn: One way of fixing the housing crisis
Date published: 8:25 am, January 17th, 2021The land doesn't belong to the queen. The queen has sovereignty but that doesn't equate with ownership of the land. Ultimately I think the land should be regarded as belonging to the people jointly, and anyone claiming private ownership should pay for that...
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Comment:No Right Turn: One way of fixing the housing crisis
Date published: 11:00 pm, January 14th, 2021I also have considered the option of nationalization of all land, but it would be expensive since they would need to compensate all landowners. The government however could effect the takeover gradually - they could stipulate, for example, that land could ...
- Are We Really Budgeting for Wellbeing?
How Can We Make Wellbeing at the Centre of Public Policy If We Dont Measure It?When the Minister of Finance announced in the 2018 budget that in the future economic policy would focus more on wellbeing, many saw a glimmer of hope that we were moving away from the mechanical ...15 hours ago - North America: new Lesbian, Gay Bisexual Fightback group organises Valentines Day protests against a...
Below is a statement we received from LGB Fight Back in the States, a new group that advocates for LGB rights under vicious, homophobic attack by trans ideology activists. LGB Fight Back, a US-based organization that represents the interests of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people, launched on February 14, ...17 hours ago - ‘Knowledge is power’
Mā te mōhiotanga, ka mārama – mā te māramatanga, ka ora. (Through awareness comes understanding, and enlightenment empowers well-being) Dr Tahu Kukutai embodies this whakataukī (proverb), a wahine (woman) who is driven by a purpose to unveil the stories behind population statistics. Tahu specialises in Māori population research, Indigenous ...18 hours ago - Driven to reconnect Māori with te taiaoMihi mai ki a Jade Rangiwhiua Hyslop whose area of research is river restoration and kaupapa Māori. Passionate about the outdoors, learning and improving the environment in socially-just and innovative ways, she works at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton). A budding researcher in its Manaaki Taiao Māori research ...18 hours ago
- More evidence that UBIs work
The report is back on another Universal Basic Income trial, this time in the USA. And as with the others, it shows that this policy works: After getting $500 per month for two years without rules on how to spend it, 125 people in California paid off debt, got ...19 hours ago - The Revolution All Around Us.
Revolutionary Formula: A new Aotearoa is on the rise. Tangata Whenua (Māori) + Tangata Tiriti (all other ethnicities who are committed to a tiriti centric Aotearoa) = the Aotearoa I believe in fighting for. - Rawiri Waititi, Co-Leader of the Maori Party.NEW ZEALAND is in the early stages of a revolution. ...21 hours ago - NZ Politics Daily: 5 March 2021
Covid Chris Trotter: Atavistic urges Matthew Hooton (Herald): Lockdown 4 sparks Jacinda Ardern’s wrath (paywalled) Peter Dunne: The government urgently needs to upgrade its Covid19 strategy Michael Morrah (Newshub): Information contradicting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on KFC worker came from Ministry of Health Emile Donovan (Stuff): The Detail: NZ’s Covid-19 communications response has been hailed the world over, but is ...1 day ago - Atavistic Urges.Mob Psychology: Deep down inside us dwell all manner of dark and violent impulses. In times of social stress and/or crisis, these “atavistic” urges have a nasty habit of rising to the surface like an insufficiently weighted corpse – and unleashing mayhem.ARE WE AS SAVAGE as our forebears? Would we ...1 day ago
- Peter Brannen's Paleo Proxy Twitter Thread
Recently, award-winning science journalist, Peter Brannen penned an informative twitter thread (Figure 1) on how Earth scientists know what they know about Earth's deep-past climates. He wrote it as an addendum to his recent article in The Atlantic, The Terrifying Warning Lurking in the Earth’s Ancient Rock Record, which offers a backwards ...2 days ago - Labour’s organic secrecyOver the past few years there's been a growing trend for bespoke secrecy clauses in legislation, excluding specific types of information (or even whole agencies) from the coverage of the Official Information Act. These pop up in all sorts of unusual places, sometimes when introduced, sometimes put there by select ...2 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” podcast on the private military-security industry and NZ’s role...
In this week’s podcast Selwyn Manning and I discuss the ethics and practicalities involved in the so-called “conflict industry.” It includes a discussion of the who and what of the “kill chain” and the implications of Rocket Lab’s position as a major US military logistical provider. You can find it ...2 days ago - The Biden Administration Increases the Social Cost of CarbonRamin Skibba To turn the tide against climate change, on the day of his inauguration President Joe Biden signed an executive order instituting a raft of policy changes and initiatives. One directed his team to reassess the social cost of carbon. This seemingly obscure concept puts a number on how ...2 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 4 March 2021Covid: Govt messaging, blame, compliance Chris Trotter (The Daily Blog): When It Comes to Covid, the “Little People” Cast a Big Shadow Claire Trevett (Herald): The Prime Minister, Case L and the pickle of confusion (paywalled) Michael Morrah (Newshub): Growing calls for an apology after Unite Against Covid-19 post contradicts Jacinda Ardern Jo Moir (Newsroom): Prime minister’s ‘kindness’ must extend ...2 days ago
- When It Comes to Covid, the “Little People” Cast a Big Shadow.All Out Of Kindness: At her post-Cabinet media conference on Monday, the Prime Minister demonstrated conclusively that she could be cruel as well as kind. Those revealed to have breached the self-isolation protocols felt the full force of Jacinda Ardern’s displeasure – and the nation lapped it up.JACINDA ARDERN KNOWS ...2 days ago
- The Adventures of Annalax: Volume XVIII
Session Thirty-Seven… our last full session in the Dreamland. So the Fae Queen was after a rematch. To the extent that she was literally willing to destroy her own forest in order to replenish her forces. I imagine one of her advisers pointed out that “destroying something in ...2 days ago - So, I was right about paid character assassin Carrick Graham, eh?
Today the shabby little train of denial ran out of smoke. Payment, apology in Dirty Politics case — Newsroom Crushing defeat for Dirty Politics PR man with apology to defamed academics — The Spinoff Here’s the apology wording, below. It’s ruined only by the clearly bullshit implication that there was ...2 days ago - Illusions of certainty are causing collective stupidity on a monumental scale…
It’s always tempting to reach for the easiest “answers” to make sense of an uncertain world. It’s a tendency that has been there for a long time, but in the time of COVID, a lot of it seems to be on steroids. Desperate people do desperate things. In ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #9, 2021Why New Research? Skeptical Science exists for the purpose of improving public capacity for critical thinking about anthropogenic climate change. Effective critical analysis requires a basis of information, and for our purpose the wellsprings of fundamental understanding are found in peer-reviewed academic literature, our best grasp of how Earth's climate operates and ...3 days ago
- Problematique: Hi Folxs
This column will be calling it out. There’s so much folx need to educate ourselves about and DO BETTER. From cis privilege to white privilege, whether it’s how to decolonise, how to handle the pronoun illiterates, this column will be an inclusive space, for ALL GENDERS and ALL IDENTITIES. It ...3 days ago - Keeping males out of women’s prisonsby Gearóid Ó Loingsigh, Colombia, 26 February 2021 The recent decision taken in California to place men and women in the same wings of prisons as a response to the violence meted out to trans prisoners is a nascent issue in Colombia, but sooner or later it will get here. ...3 days ago
- We Should leave 'Be Kind' for the cushion covers
About 10 years ago there was a proliferation of home wares promoting ‘Keep calm and carry on’. This adage came from World War 2 posters produced by the British Government in an effort to boost the morale of its citizens. Typically printed as white lettering on a red background you ...3 days ago - A sensible idea from NationalHaving spent most of the pandemic alternately calling for mass-death by relaxing lockdowns "for the economy", and for those who breach lockdowns to face harsher and harsher punishments, the National Party has finally made a useful contribution by calling for people told to self-isolate to be paid directly: The ...3 days ago
- Time for a new OmbudsmanThe Ombudsman is supposed to be our core watchdog on administrative decision-making. Their central job is to review decisions by public agencies to ensure they are fair and reasonable and followed a proper process. So its more than a little embarrassing that they've been called to account by the courts ...3 days ago
- The internet's big carbon footprint need not doom the climateThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Samantha Harrington For many, people life moved online in 2020. From preschool to dissertation defenses, first dates to weddings, video calls brought us together. To entertain ourselves, we streamed concerts and movies, played video games, and scrolled social media. Demand for internet ...3 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 3 March 2021Covid: Govt messaging, blame, compliance Branko Marcetic (Democracy Project): We’ve cut the Govt slack for its own Covid missteps, so let’s do the same for workers Josie Pagani (Stuff): Let’s stop this lockdown blame game, finger-wagging won’t get you anywhere Josh Van Veen (Democracy Project): Bloomfieldian Optimism – The Tragedy of Case M Chris Trotter (Interest): Sunday services Alex ...3 days ago
- Branko Marcetic: We’ve cut the Govt slack for its own Covid missteps, so let’s do the same for w...The Government has made a litany of mistakes over Covid, and we have been more than willing to forgive Labour these missteps and give them some leeway. Branko Marcetic says that when members of the public also make mistakes, we should be focusing on designing a wider system that insulates ...4 days ago
- Josh Van Veen: Bloomfieldian Optimism – The Tragedy of Case MNaïve optimism has been blinding everyone from Ashley Bloomfield to Case M. Josh Van Veen argues we need to be more aware of our biases in dealing with Covid – but especially the authorities. In the United States, naive optimism was at the heart of the Trump Administration’s failed ...4 days ago
- Border CostsCecile Meier walks us through some of the costs of a border system that has neither been able to safely scale up to meet need, nor able to find any reasonable way of prioritising entry into those scarce MIQ spaces. When Zane Gillbee hugged his family goodbye in South Africa ...4 days ago
- Technology listicles, deep tech, and social systemsTechnology lists, what’s this thing called “Deep Tech”, and thinking beyond the tech. Top “x” lists of technology developments, breakthroughs and trends aren’t hard to find. But how useful are they? MIT’s “Breakthrough Technologies” This time every year MIT’s Technology Review magazine produces a “10 breakthrough technologies” list. This ...4 days ago
- US capitalists as political saviours.Having watched and read about the Conference of the Paranoid, Angry and just plain Crazy (CPAC), including the Orange Merkin’s return to the political centre stage, I am more convinced then ever that if US conservatism, and indeed the US itself, is to find its way back to some semblance ...4 days ago
- A toxic organisationBack in 2019, following media revelations that bullying was widespread within the police, the Independent Police Conduct Authority announced that it would be investigating the issue. Today, they reported back, and found the police to be a completely toxic organisation: An independent report into police culture has described a ...4 days ago
- How to best prioritise Covid-19 Vaccination in Aotearoa/New ZealandDr Ben Gray* New Zealand has begun to roll out its Covid-19 vaccination programme, starting with those working at the border, including in the Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facilities. There have been calls for prioritising other groups such as those in South Auckland [1] and meat industry workers ...4 days ago
- Blessed are they that have not seen the model, and yet have believedThe Climate Change Commission’s recommendations span the breadth of the economy. They are required to come up with sector-by-sector climate budgets consistent with getting New Zealand with net zero emissions under the Zero Carbon Act. The sector-by-sector budgets rest on underlying models. The models build predictions about what will happen ...4 days ago
- How best to get COVID-19 contacts to do the right thing?
The revelation that Auckland’s new level three lockdown was triggered by infectious individuals failing to properly self-isolate has awakened some people’s vengeful angels. The rules must be tightened, it’s claimed. The police must prosecute, it’s argued. Even Jacinda Ardern came as close to leading out a torches-and-pitchfork mob as we’re ever likely to see from her: “No one ...4 days ago - NZ Politics Daily: 2 March 2021Covid: Auckland community outbreak Crystal Wu (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern refuses to apologise to KFC worker, says family was told to self-isolate 1News: Auckland KFC worker with Covid-19 says she was never told to isolate, wants apology from PM Mandy Te (Stuff): Questions raised over whether people are being told they must self-isolate following Covid-19 tests ...4 days ago
- The Long March From The Bottom To The Top.Revolution From Below: The original “Long March” was, of course, undertaken by Mao Zedong and what was left of his communist military forces. They did not, however, head off for the nearest school or university, government office or medical clinic. Their goal was not to infiltrate the institutions of capitalism, but ...4 days ago
- Yelling at the Clouds: Philip Pullman on Tolkien and Lewis
There are some genre authors who like to demonstrate their edgy, iconoclastic credentials by sticking the boot into J.R.R. Tolkien. Michael Moorcock springs to mind, with the much-beaten dead horse that is the Epic Pooh essay. Each to their own, I suppose, though seeing as Epic Pooh really boils ...4 days ago - Book Review: The Unintended Consequences of Taming NatureJohn Schwartz Elizabeth Kolbert lives her stories. In the course of reporting her new book, “Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future,” she got hit by a leaping carp near Ottawa, Illinois (“It felt like someone had slammed me in the shin with a Wiffle-ball bat”) and visited ...5 days ago
- For a bigger carbon dividendNew Zealand has an excellent Emissions Trading Scheme covering everything except agriculture – a non-trivial exclusion, but we can come back to that later. The ETS has a cap. Net emissions from the covered sector cannot exceed the cap. So any other regulations that affect sectors covered by the cap ...5 days ago
- Can Cult Studies Offer Help With QAnon? The Science Is ThinMichael Schulson Days before the inauguration of President Joe Biden, at a time when some Americans were animated by the false conviction that former President Donald J. Trump had actually won the November election, a man in Colorado began texting warnings to his family. The coming days, he wrote, would ...5 days ago
- Climate Change: Even dodgier accountingLast year, Beef and Lamb New Zealand produced a bought-and-paid-for report claiming that their industry was already carbon neutral, so didn't need to do anything to reduce emissions. The report was full of obviously dodgy accounting - basicly, it didn't bother to follow international carbon accounting rules, because they would ...5 days ago
- Why are we paying for MPI again?Last year, the government chickened out on clean rivers, setting "water standards" that failed to properly control poisonous nitrates. So who was to blame? MPI: The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) opposed introducing a tough bottom line for nitrogen levels in rivers over concerns the economic impact would outweigh ...5 days ago
- How did NASA’s Martian rover come to land in a crater named after a tiny Balkan village?Robert Greenberg, University of Auckland The world was excited by the news last week that NASA’s Perseverance rover had successfully landed in a Martian crater. The rover will now set about collecting samples from what scientists say was an ancient lake fed by a river. The name of this exotic ...5 days ago
- Sunday Services.Faith In The Essentials: Fenced-in, almost literally, by motorways. Located, seemingly permanently, at the bottom of politicians’ priority-lists. Heaped with praise for their cultural vibrancy, but not rewarded for it by the presence of white pupils in their public schools, South Aucklanders (like people of colour everywhere) provide their paler ...5 days ago
- February ’21 – NZ blogs sitemeter ranking
5 days ago - More tyranny in the UKSince the pandemic began, the UK government has restricted protests in an effort to contain the plague. But of course, they're plotting to make these restrictions permanent: Concern over the government’s limitation of the right to protest during lockdown continues to mount after it emerged that the home secretary, ...5 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 1 March 2021Covid: Auckland community outbreak Richard Harman: Ardern’s new tough talk Claire Trevett (Herald): When will Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s patience with rule-breakers wear thin?(paywalled) Thomas Manch (Stuff): Blame and fear for the team of five million, as PM pleads for compliance Michael Baker (Herald): Why government is right to yo-yo between alert levels Joel Maxwell and Thomas Manch ...5 days ago
- 2021 Reading Log: February (+ Writing Update)
Completed reads for February: The Dream of Scipio, by CiceroThe Dragon Masters, by Jack Vance The Dream of Scipio is Pearman’s translation. A very quiet month in the reading department… but a truly excellent one in the writing department. Better yet, this was not merely short stories, but solid ...5 days ago - Colombia: The ELN and what the release of two captured soldiers has shownby Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (Colombia, 18 February 2020) Two soldiers, Jhony Andrés Castillo Ospino and Jesús Alberto Muñoz Segovia, fell into the hands of the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN; National Liberation Army). Their capture produced the usual reactions that they had been kidnapped when in fact they were prisoners ...6 days ago
- Lockdowns: Sweden was the ‘control group’
As much of the world is still implementing lockdowns, including New Zealand, it is a good time to see how Sweden has fared. After being demonised for a year for having relatively moderate restrictions the Swedish death toll is rather much in line with other years. Sweden followed the standard ...6 days ago - Suffer The Little Children: Neoliberalism’s Attack On Local Democracy Intensifies.Under The Influence Of The "Governance" Kool-Aid: The furore surrounding Mayor Andy Foster's "review" of the Wellington City Council's "governance" is but the latest example of the quite conscious delegitimization, and sinister re-framing, of spirited political opposition and debate as irresponsible, immature and “dysfunctional”. It shows how very far from ...6 days ago
- David Seymour speaks about stuff
Hello there everybody. I’ve been asked by Mr Thinks to come on his blog today and speak my mind about stuff. The government has a lot to answer for. I was sitting there last week as Auckland came out of it’s latest lockdown and I knew the government was making ...6 days ago - We Must Avoid Treating Māori As Living Fossils.
There are times when tikanga needs to be broken for tikanga to survive.I recently gave a presentation on Māori economic history based on my Not in Narrow Seas. Its most important message was that Māori proved to be a very adaptable people continually evolving as new opportunities arose. The European ...1 week ago - Teaming up with Facebook to fight misinformationSome of you may remember our blog post "A conundrum: our continued presence on Facebook" in which we detailed our misgivings about and decision to stick with Facebook for the time being. So these latest developments - reposted from the Cranky Uncle homepage - might come as a bit of surprise! ...1 week ago
- Data dredging, p-hacking and motivated discussion in anti-fluoride paperImage credit: Quick Data Lessons: Data Dredging Oh dear – another scientific paper claiming evidence of toxic effects from fluoridation. But a critical look at the paper shows evidence of p-hacking, data dredging and motivated reasoning to derive their conclusions. And it was published in a journal shown to be ...1 week ago
- The central problem with housing policyWe've had a housing crisis for the past decade, and successive governments have done nothing to solve it. Why not? Bernard Hickey gets it right when he says its all about protecting the rich: The Government is reluctant to push down house prices fearing they'll loses the support of ...1 week ago
- The Obama legacy contd.There’s more of the Obama legacy here and Deporter in Chief: Obama chucks out 2,000,000 and Can Trump really deport more people than Obama? and Obama, gay rights and the killing drones ...1 week ago
- NZ’s smoking rates dropped dramatically thanks to a hard-hitting campaign. Could we do the same to...Caroline Shaw, University of Otago New Zealand has the highest per capita car ownership in the OECD, and reducing emissions from the transport sector is seen as a wicked problem. As part of its recently released advice for the government’s first emissions reduction plan, the Climate Change Commission is calling ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 26 February 2021Housing Luke Malpass (Stuff): Government’s slow crawl on housing continues Jason Walls (Herald): ‘Kiwis can’t outbid Kāinga Ora:’ Government grilled over $750 million house-buying bill Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Auditor-General investigates MSD scheme which paid landlords $3k per week for ‘uninhabitable’ houses Stuff Editorial: A clue from the Aussies for Ardern Joel Maxwell (Stuff): Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr warns against ‘the ...1 week ago
- Correcting Corrections – And Its Minister.My Department Right Or Wrong: Far from “politicians involving themselves in some Corrections matters” being a bad thing, their involvement – along with that of the Ombudsman – constitutes a necessary check upon the unreasonable and unlawful exercise of authority over prison inmates by prison staff. A Corrections Minister who ...1 week ago
- A failure of enforcementYesterday, Silver Fern Farms was fined $337,000 over a potentially lethal ammonia leak. Today RNZ reports that they've subcontracted some of their waste business to Whanganui's Tasman Tanning, which has an appalling environmental record: Tasman Tanning's plant in Whanganui was already the country's leader in breaching trade wastewater consents ...1 week ago
- Give the Rangitata backBack in 2018, National's unelected Canterbury dictatorship issued a resource consent to take water from the Rangitata river for irrigation, in violation of its Water Conservation Order. Now, after two years of legal battles, the company has "voluntarily" surrendered it: An irrigation company's decision to relinquish its consent to ...1 week ago
- The rich should pay their fair shareNew Zealand is supposed to have a progressive tax system, which taxes people according to their ability to pay. But it turns out that the rich are cheating: The wealthiest New Zealanders pay just 12 per cent of their total income in tax on average, according to research from ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 25 February 2021Housing Richard Harman: Government has little to say about housing crisis Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Govt set to bring out big tools to manage housing pressure Miriam Bell (Stuff): Housing affordability at worst point in ‘at least 17 years’ Adam Jacobson (RNZ): New Zealand housing affordability plummets to historically low levels Zane Small (Newshub): National’s Nicola Willis in disbelief as Megan ...1 week ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #8, 2021Ground truths on warming When we think about rapid climate change of the kind we've accidentally unleashed and the warming of Earth systems inherent in the process, we tend to focus on phenomena in order of their immediate tangibility, their drama. Sea ice loss in the Arctic, atmospheric and ocean ...1 week ago
- Government threatening free speech rights over prison protest leafletby Daphna Whitmore The Department of Corrections has called in the police over a pamphlet that supports protests at Waikeria Prison, saying the material might incite another riot. The group People Against Prisons Aotearoa denies it advocates for riots and has said it “encourages persistent, peaceful protest action such as striking from ...1 week ago
- The tyranny of the dishonest and stupid.One theme in the literature dedicated to democratic theory is the notion of a “tyranny of the minority.” This is where the desire to protect the interests of and give voice to electoral minorities leads to a tail wagging the dog syndrome whereby minorities wind up having disproportionate influence in ...1 week ago
- One way of fixing the OIAI've just lodged my fourth complaint to the Ombudsman for deemed refusal of an OIA request by police this year. That brings their total to four for four - every request I have sent them has not been answered within the legal timeframe, even when they extend it to give ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 24 February 2021Child poverty report and inequality Janet McAllister (Spinoff): What the new child poverty stats tells us – and what they don’t Claire Trevett (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s do-or-die child poverty promise (paywalled) Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Poverty figures a sigh of relief for PM – but will it last? Branko Marcetic (Democracy Project): NZ’s economic “bounce-back” is a myth – ...1 week ago
- Ian Powell: Rescuing Simpson from SimpsonWill the health reforms proposed for the Labour Government make the system better or worse? Health commentator Ian Powell (formerly the Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists) gives his analysis of what change is most necessary, and what should be avoided. The review of the Health ...1 week ago
- Climate lessons from Texas' frozen power outagesThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections An off-course polar vortex meandered toward the Mexican border, bringing with it frigid Arctic air rarely seen as far south as Texas. Frozen equipment rendered power generation systems in the state inoperable, forcing grid operators to begin rolling blackouts to customers then left to fend ...2 weeks ago
- Branko Marcetic: NZ’s economic “bounce-back” is a myth – but lifting benefits would bring it...Just as National once produced a “rock star economy” that Grant Robertson rejected as being only for the rich, the Labour Government has produced an economic “bounce back” that leaves out the poor. Branko Marcetic argues for a rise in benefit levels to give the poor a real bounce back. ...2 weeks ago
- One state at a timeVirginia has voted to abolish the death penalty: State lawmakers gave final approval on Monday to a bill that will end capital punishment in Virginia, a dramatic turnaround for a state that has executed more people than any other. The legislation repealing the death penalty now heads to the ...2 weeks ago
- A captive MinisterYesterday a New Zealand Judge issued a formal finding that the Department of Corrections had treated prisoners in a cruel, degrading and inhumane manner, illegally detaining them, using excessive force, denying them basic necessities unless they performed degrading rituals of submission first. Some of the conduct appears to be criminal: ...2 weeks ago
- Climate sea-lioningThe Herald reports that there is a "storm brewing for the Climate Change Commission". The "problem"? Polluters are unhappy with its economic projections saying that action will not be as costly as they have previously claimed: Last week a coalition of over a dozen New Zealand business and industry ...2 weeks ago
- A push to remove the Pasifika poverty status quo
The Green Party will push for better wages and fair pay agreements to help tackle poverty within our Pasifika Communities. ...4 days ago - Government must keep improving COVID-19 support scheme so New Zealanders can self-isolate: GreensThe Green Party are calling on the Government to assess how the COVID-19 leave support scheme can be better improved, distributed and enforced so that workers can properly take leave when self-isolating. ...4 days ago
- What’s Labour doing for rural New Zealand?
We know that when our rural communities do well, all of New Zealand benefits. Labour is committed to supporting our regions so that, together, we can achieve even more. Here are just some of the ways we’re backing rural communities. ...1 week ago - A win for Pasifika Communities to have a stable homeThe Green Party welcome the Government announcement to support Pasifika peoples to become Community Housing Providers. ...1 week ago
- Tax data exposes gross inequity between the wealthiest and poorest New ZealandersGovernment data today shows that the wealthiest New Zealanders aren’t paying their fair share of tax, whilst everyone else chips in, Green Party spokesperson on Finance Julie Anne Genter said today. ...1 week ago
- Government action to cool house prices still needed despite Reserve Bank changeThe Green Party welcomes the change in the Reserve Bank’s remit to consider the impacts on housing when making financial decisions, but housing affordability shouldn’t be left to the Reserve Bank, Green Party Co-leader and Housing spokesperson Marama Davidson said today. ...1 week ago
- Māori now have a seat at the local government tableThe Green Party welcomes the passing of the Local Electorate Act Māori Wards Amendment Bill which ensures Māori have a say on local issues across Aotearoa New Zealand. ...1 week ago
- Child poverty data shows disabled children, Māori and Pasifika being left behindThe Green Party is disappointed that disabled children and Māori and Pasifika children are still more likely to be living in poverty. ...2 weeks ago
- Research shows New Zealanders want income support increasedNew UMR research reveals that 69 percent of New Zealanders agree that the government should increase the amount if income support paid to those on low incomes or not in paid work. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party celebrate fast tracked timeline for banning conversion therapy, will push for best bill ...The Green Party are celebrating the Labour Government bringing forward the timeline to ban conversion therapy, and will push to ensure any draft bill properly protects all of our Rainbow communities. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party welcomes PCE report that calls for more sustainable tourismThe Green Party welcomes the report that calls for more sustainable tourism by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party echoes calls for ‘brave’ action on rising inequalityThe Green Party is joining the call for ‘brave policy action’ to address rapidly increasing inequality in New Zealand, which is likely to be exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. ...2 weeks ago
- Petition calling for ban on conversion therapy gains huge momentumAotearoa New Zealand is getting on board in record numbers to call for an urgent ban on conversion therapy. ...3 weeks ago
- Green Party to take precautions with COVID-19 responseGreen MPs currently in Auckland, Marama Davidson, Chlöe Swarbrick and Golriz Ghahraman, will remain in Auckland for the next 72 hours. Those in Auckland today for Big Gay Out who have flown home will self-isolate for 72 hours. These decisions will be subject to any new information that may arise ...3 weeks ago
- Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission report shows progress
Health Minister Andrew Little welcomes the Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission’s assessment that transformation of New Zealand’s approach to mental health and addiction is underway. “This is an important step in the Government’s work to provide better and equitable mental health and wellbeing outcomes for all people in New ...23 hours ago - Over $300m returned to COVID-hit travellersThe Government’s Consumer Travel Reimbursement Scheme has helped return over $352 million of refunds and credits to New Zealanders who had overseas travel cancelled due to COVID-19, Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark says. “Working with the travel sector, we are helping New Zealanders retrieve the money owed to them by ...2 days ago
- Hundreds more schools join free lunches programmeAn additional 88,000 students in 322 schools and kura across the country have started the school year with a regular lunch on the menu, thanks to the Government’s Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme. They join 42,000 students already receiving weekday lunches under the scheme, which launched last ...2 days ago
- Govt’s balanced economic approach reflected in Crown accountsNew Zealand’s economic recovery has again been reflected in the Government’s books, which are in better shape than expected. The Crown accounts for the seven months to the end of January 2021 were better than forecast in the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU). The operating balance before gains ...2 days ago
- Over half of border workforce receive first vaccinationsMore than half of New Zealand’s estimated 12,000 border workforce have now received their first vaccinations, as a third batch of vaccines arrive in the country, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. As of midnight Tuesday, a total of 9,431 people had received their first doses. More than 70 percent ...3 days ago
- Boost in funding to deliver jobs while restoring Central Otago’s lakes and waterwaysThe Government is significantly increasing its investment in restoring Central Otago’s waterways while at the same time delivering jobs to the region hard-hit by the economic impact of Covid-19, says Land Information Minister, Damien O’Connor. Mr O’Connor says two new community projects under the Jobs for Nature funding programme will ...3 days ago
- Next stage of COVID-19 support for business and workersThe Government has confirmed details of COVID-19 support for business and workers following the increased alert levels due to a resurgence of the virus over the weekend. Following two new community cases of COVID-19, Auckland moved to Alert Level 3 and the rest of New Zealand moved to Alert Level ...3 days ago
- Govt committed to hosting Rugby World CupThe Government remains committed to hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2022 should a decision be made by World Rugby this weekend to postpone this year’s tournament. World Rugby is recommending the event be postponed until next year due to COVID-19, with a final decision to ...3 days ago
- Support Available for Communities affected by COVID-19Community and social service support providers have again swung into action to help people and families affected by the current COVID-19 alert levels. “The Government recognises that in many instances social service, community, iwi and Whānau Ora organisations are best placed to provide vital support to the communities impacted by ...4 days ago
- Govt announces review into PHARMACThe Government is following through on an election promise to conduct an independent review into PHARMAC, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Andrew Little announced today. The Review will focus on two areas: How well PHARMAC performs against its current objectives and whether and how its performance against these ...4 days ago
- Impressive response to DOC scholarship programmeSome of the country’s most forward-thinking early-career conservationists are among recipients of a new scholarship aimed at supporting a new generation of biodiversity champions, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. The Department of Conservation (DOC) has awarded one-year postgraduate research scholarships of $15,000 to ten Masters students in the natural ...4 days ago
- Speech to ANZLF Virtual Indigenous Business Trade and Connections EventI acknowledge our whānau overseas, joining us from Te Whenua Moemoeā, and I wish to pay respects to their elders past, present, and emerging. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you all today. I am very pleased to be part of the conversation on Indigenous business, and part ...5 days ago
- Main benefits to increase in line with wagesSocial Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced today that main benefits will increase by 3.1 percent on 1 April, in line with the rise in the average wage. The Government announced changes to the annual adjustment of main benefits in Budget 2019, indexing main benefit increases to the average ...6 days ago
- Deed of Settlement signed with Ngāti Maru (Taranaki)A Deed of Settlement has been signed between Ngāti Maru and the Crown settling the iwi’s historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little announced today. The Ngāti Maru rohe is centred on the inland Waitara River valley, east to the Whanganui River and its ...7 days ago
- Support in place for people connected to Auckland COVID-19 casesWith a suite of Government income support packages available, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni is encouraging people, and businesses, connected to the recent Auckland COVID-19 cases to check the Work and Income website if they’ve been impacted by the need to self-isolate. “If you are required to ...7 days ago
- Statement on passing of former PNG PM Sir Michael SomarePrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed her condolences at the passing of long-serving former Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. “Our thoughts are with Lady Veronica Somare and family, Prime Minister James Marape and the people of Papua New Guinea during this time of great ...1 week ago
- Speech to the National Māori Housing Conference 2021E te tī, e te tā Tēnei te mihi maioha ki a koutou Ki te whenua e takoto nei Ki te rangi e tū iho nei Ki a tātou e tau nei Tēnā tātou. It’s great to be with you today, along with some of the ministerial housing team; Hon Peeni Henare, the ...1 week ago
- Drone project to aid protection of Māui dolphinThe Government is backing a new project to use drone technology to transform our understanding and protection of the Māui dolphin, Aotearoa’s most endangered dolphin. “The project is just one part of the Government’s plan to save the Māui dolphin. We are committed to protecting this treasure,” Oceans and Fisheries ...1 week ago
- New water regulator board announced as major Government reform moves forwardMajor water reform has taken a step closer with the appointment of the inaugural board of the Taumata Arowai water services regulator, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says. Former Director General of Health and respected public health specialist Dame Karen Poutasi will chair the inaugural board of Crown agency Taumata Arowai. “Dame ...1 week ago
- North Auckland gets public transport upgradeThe newly completed Hibiscus Coast Bus Station will help people make better transport choices to help ease congestion and benefit the environment, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said today. Michael Wood and Phil Goff officially opened the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station which sits just off the ...1 week ago
- Supporting work to protect Northland reserveNew funding announced by Conservation Minister Kiri Allan today will provide work and help protect the unique values of Northland’s Te Ārai Nature Reserve for future generations. Te Ārai is culturally important to Te Aupōuri as the last resting place of the spirits before they depart to Te Rerenga Wairua. ...1 week ago
- Critical step to new housing deal for Pacific communitiesToday the Government has taken a key step to support Pacific people to becoming Community Housing providers, says the Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. “This will be great news for Pacific communities with the decision to provide Pacific Financial Capability Grant funding and a tender process to ...1 week ago
- Consultation opens on proposed Bay of Islands marine mammal sanctuaryConservation Minister Kiri Allan is encouraging New Zealanders to have their say on a proposed marine mammal sanctuary to address the rapid decline of bottlenose dolphins in Te Pēwhairangi, the Bay of Islands. The proposal, developed jointly with Ngā Hapū o te Pēwhairangi, would protect all marine mammals of the ...1 week ago
- Three District Court Judges appointedAttorney-General David Parker today announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges. Two of the appointees will take up their roles on 1 April, replacing sitting Judges who have reached retirement age. Kirsten Lummis, lawyer of Auckland has been appointed as a District Court Judge with jury jurisdiction to ...1 week ago
- Government announces list of life-shortening conditions guaranteeing early KiwiSaver accessGovernment announces list of life-shortening conditions guaranteeing early KiwiSaver access The Government changed the KiwiSaver rules in 2019 so people with life-shortening congenital conditions can withdraw their savings early The four conditions guaranteed early access are – down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Huntington’s disease and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder An alternative ...1 week ago
- Reserve Bank to take account of housing in decision makingThe Reserve Bank is now required to consider the impact on housing when making monetary and financial policy decisions, Grant Robertson announced today. Changes have been made to the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee’s remit requiring it to take into account government policy relating to more sustainable house prices, while working ...1 week ago
- Investment to reduce cochlear implant waitlistThe Labour Government will invest $6 million for 70 additional adult cochlear implants this year to significantly reduce the historical waitlist, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “Cochlear implants are life changing for kiwis who suffer from severe hearing loss. As well as improving an individual’s hearing, they open doors to ...1 week ago
- Māori wards Bill passes third readingThe Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill passed its third reading today and will become law, Minister of Local Government Hon Nanaia Mahuta says. “This is a significant step forward for Māori representation in local government. We know how important it is to have diversity around ...1 week ago
- Government delivers 1,000 more transitional housing placesThe Government has added 1,000 more transitional housing places as promised under the Aotearoa New Zealand Homelessness Action Plan (HAP), launched one year ago. Minister of Housing Megan Woods says the milestone supports the Government’s priority to ensure every New Zealander has warm, dry, secure housing. “Transitional housing provides people ...1 week ago
- Second batch of Pfizer/BioNTech doses arrives safely – as the first vaccinations take place in the...A second batch of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines arrived safely yesterday at Auckland International Airport, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says. “This shipment contained about 76,000 doses, and follows our first shipment of 60,000 doses that arrived last week. We expect further shipments of vaccine over the coming weeks,” Chris Hipkins said. ...1 week ago
- $18 million for creative spaces to make arts more accessibleThe Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni has today announced $18 million to support creative spaces. Creative spaces are places in the community where people with mental health needs, disabled people, and those looking for social connection, are welcomed and supported to practice and participate in the arts ...1 week ago
- Moriori Claims Settlement Bill passes first readingTreaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little today welcomed Moriori to Parliament to witness the first reading of the Moriori Claims Settlement Bill. “This bill is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work from all the parties involved. “I am delighted to reach this significant milestone today,” Andrew ...2 weeks ago
- Government action reduces child poverty22,400 fewer children experiencing material hardship 45,400 fewer children in low income households on after-housing costs measure After-housing costs target achieved a year ahead of schedule Government action has seen child poverty reduce against all nine official measures compared to the baseline year, Prime Minister and Minister for Child Poverty ...2 weeks ago
- Entries open for the 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence AwardsIt’s time to recognise the outstanding work early learning services, kōhanga reo, schools and kura do to support children and young people to succeed, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins says. The 2021 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards are now open through until April 16. “The past year has reminded us ...2 weeks ago
- Jobs for Nature benefits three projectsThree new Jobs for Nature projects will help nature thrive in the Bay of Plenty and keep local people in work says Conservation Minister Kiri Allan. “Up to 30 people will be employed in the projects, which are aimed at boosting local conservation efforts, enhancing some of the region’s most ...2 weeks ago
- Improvements to the Holidays Act on the wayThe Government has accepted all of the Holidays Act Taskforce’s recommended changes, which will provide certainty to employers and help employees receive their leave entitlements, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood said the Government established the Holidays Act Taskforce to help address challenges with the ...2 weeks ago
- NZ’s credit rating lifted as economy recoversThe Government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and faster than expected economic recovery has been acknowledged in today’s credit rating upgrade. Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) today raised New Zealand’s local currency credit rating to AAA with a stable outlook. This follows Fitch reaffirming its AA+ rating last ...2 weeks ago
- Speech to National Remembrance Service on the 10th anniversary of the Christchurch earthquakeTena koutou e nga Maata Waka Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngai Tahu whanui, Tena koutou. Nau mai whakatau mai ki tenei ra maumahara i te Ru Whenua Apiti hono tatai hono, Te hunga mate ki te hunga mate Apiti hono tatai hono, Te hunga ora ki te hunga ora Tena koutou, Tena ...2 weeks ago
- Government reaffirms urgent commitment to ban harmful conversion practicesThe Minister of Justice has reaffirmed the Government’s urgent commitment, as stated in its 2020 Election Manifesto, to ban conversion practices in New Zealand by this time next year. “The Government has work underway to develop policy which will bring legislation to Parliament by the middle of this year and ...2 weeks ago
- New creative service aims to benefit 1,000 peoples’ careersMinister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and Social Development Hon Carmel Sepuloni today launched a new Creative Careers Service, which is expected to support up to 1,000 creatives, across three regions over the next two years. The new service builds on the most successful aspects of the former Pathways to ...2 weeks ago
- Live updates, March 6: Last full day of lockdown for Auckland; remainder of NZ readies for level one
All the major news events, which will hopefully not be too many. Get in touch at info@thespinoff.co.nz Help keep The Spinoff alive and kicking. Click here to learn how you can support The Spinoff from as little as $1.8.00am: The day aheadThere are a couple of things we’ll be looking out ...1 hour ago - A dark anti-Jacinda
In this week's Critic's Choice review, Guy Somerset watches I Care a Lot on Amazon Prime and wonders if kindness has its limits Do you think Jacinda Ardern has been watching I Care a Lot? It would explain a lot, As Newsroom political editor Jo Moir wrote earlier this week, ...1 hour ago - Ready To Work With Netanyahu: Mansour Abbas Splinters Arab Vote In Israel
By Ramzy Baroud At a glance, it may appear that the split of Arab political parties in Israel is consistent with a typical pattern of political and ideological divisions which have afflicted the Arab body politic for many years. This time, however, the ...2 hours ago - Ice with red wine: is it ever OK?Discovering that her favourite summer drink is apparently an offence against wine, Charlotte Muru-Lanning sets out to uncover whether it’s actually so awful to serve red wine on the rocks.After many summers spent pouring red wine over ice without much thought, it recently struck me that maybe this combination was, ...3 hours ago
- Can Silver Ferns finally seize Con Cup?
LISTEN: Extra Time examines two big issues in women's sport this week - postponing the Rugby World Cup and the Silver Ferns' battle for the crown that eludes them. Poised at one game a piece, can the Silver Ferns overcome a spirited young Australian Diamonds side and end a nine-year drought without netball's ...4 hours ago - Short story: The Feud, by Shani Naylor
"If Maggie said she was going to bake a cake, Lois always turned up with one that was bigger, more chocolatey and with fancier icing": a shaggy cake story by Shani Naylor. It was 2am. Maggie opened her eyes and lay still in bed. She could hear her husband Ken's ...4 hours ago - The future is here, and it’s $450,000 gifs of Nyan CatThe art world is being bombarded with something called ‘non-fungible tokens’. We asked artist and crypto expert Simon Denny to help us explain what they are.At first glimpse, a gif of Nyan Cat is nothing special. It’s a bit cute, a bit nostalgic. So why did one sell for US$450,000? ...4 hours ago
- An interview with the most feared man in New Zealand mediaJournalists avoid his calls, editors loathe it when he highlights mistakes. But he reckons he’s not scary at all. Chris Schulz meets RNZ’s Mr Mediawatch, Colin Peacock. Over his summer holidays, Colin Peacock tried to switch off. For much of the previous 12 months, the 52-year-old host of Radio ...8 hours ago
- All the things Michael Bassett got wrong in his hideous, noxious articleWhile it has since been deleted and apologised for, an op-ed by former Labour MP Michael Bassett published by the Northland Age and the NZ Herald this week caused an uproar for its racist cherry-picking and false reporting of historical facts. Historian Scott Hamilton sets the record straight.Michael Bassett is ...8 hours ago
- Keith Rankin Chart Analysis – Covid-19: Europe still a matter of concern, one year on
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Deaths, West Europe still not “out of the woods”. Chart by Keith Rankin. Deaths, East Europe remains a major concern. Chart by Keith Rankin. At first glance through our rear-vision mirror, western Europe had a substantial spring outbreak of Covid19, and further outbreaks in spring and ...12 hours ago - The most cursed objects in New Zealand sportA starter’s list for the national Aotearoa museum of the sporting damned. Richard Irvine confronts the demons.The sunGenerally it’s hard to make an argument against the giver of all life, as it provides photosynthesis, vitamin D and enables a wide range of recreational activities. But when it runs rampant around ...14 hours ago
- Government looks to plug holes in Covid response
Auckland can breathe a sigh relief knowing at 6am on Sunday the region will move down to Alert Level 2 after another seven long days in lockdown. Government and health officials are now turning their minds to lessons learnt, following a week of mixed messaging, rule-breaking and blame and shame, writes political ...15 hours ago - Three big quakes impacted NZ this morning. What are the risks in the hours and days ahead?Three future scenarios after today’s large offshore earthquakes.A trio of serious earthquakes saw parts of Aotearoa shaken, tsunami threats triggered, and tens of thousands of people heading inland after evacuation instructions.Of the magnitude-7-plus events, the first, shortly before 2.30am, was centered off East Cape. Measuring 7.1, it was felt across ...15 hours ago
- Week in politics: Confusion and frustration over Covid-19 messaging
Analysis - The prime minister came down hard on lockdown rule-breakers but were they clearly told what they had to do? Peter Wilson looks into the reports as another crisis lurks in the background. ...15 hours ago - Yes, export bans on vaccines are a problem, but why is the supply of vaccines so limited in the firs...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Gleeson, Associate professor, La Trobe University News of the blockage of a shipment of 250,000 COVID-19 vaccines from Europe to Australia has caused concern and outrage. The immediate problem will probably be quickly solved through diplomatic channels. Even if it is ...15 hours ago
- Following 3 major quakes off New Zealand, questions remain about how they might be linkedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Stern, Professor of Geophysics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The Tonga Kermadec subduction zone stretches between New Zealand and south of Samoa. USGS, CC BY-SA A sequence of three major offshore earthquakes, including a magnitude 8.1 quake near ...17 hours ago
- VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on the royal commission into aged care, Christian Porter and Linda ReynoldsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and Director of the Institute for Governance & Policy Analysis Dr Laine Dare discuss the week in politics. This week the pair discuss some of the 148 recommendations ...17 hours ago
- Threat to Christchurch mosques: Andrew Little defends security agenciesThe minister responsible for the country's spy agencies says they can't constantly monitor the internet to identify terror threats and instead rely on the public to raise the alarm. ...17 hours ago
- Thinking about trying collagen supplements for your skin? A healthy diet is better value for moneySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle Celebrity testimonials abound for pills, potions and creams that purport to make you look younger. This time collagen supplements are in the spotlight, after Jennifer Aniston became the face of one ...18 hours ago
- Getting the message through: How are South Aucklanders staying informed about Covid? Have the government’s Covid-related messages been getting through to Pacific and non-Pacific ethnic communities in South Auckland? Justin Latif tried to find out.John Pulu is one of the best-known television and radio personalities in New Zealand’s Pacific community. He not only fronts TVNZ’s Tagata Pasifika Saturday morning show, but also hosts ...18 hours ago
- Hosking & Tamaki couldn't give a monkey's
James Elliott tries to work out what made Mike Hosking and Brian Tamaki tick everyone off this week. The week started with Aucklanders back under Alert level 3 and Mike Hosking on Alert Level 6. “Mike’s Minute” on NewstalkZB on Monday, which as usual lasted significantly longer than a minute, ...19 hours ago - Fonterra milk price forecasts give a fillip to farmers and the regions – the co-op has become an N...
Fonterra has confirmed what most analysts had been predicting and lifted its 2020/21 forecast farmgate milk price range to $7.30 – $7.90 kg/MS, up from $6.90 – $7.50. This should send a further surge of confidence across NZ’s rural regions, hopefully in a wave strong enough to encourage farmers to ...19 hours ago - Financial Times chips in with some advice to our Finance Minister on the folly of adding housing to ...
A Financial Times leader delivers advice that Finance Minister Grant Robertson should (but probably won’t) consider. Essentially, the advice is to resist the temptation to involve the central bank in the challenge of slowing the rise in house prices. Changing regulation and reforming planning law is a smarter way to ...20 hours ago - NZ Super Fund drops Israeli banks for funding settlements in PalestineThe NZ Superannuation Fund has divested from five Israeli banks due to their suspected involvement in illegal settlement construction. Michael Andrew reports.The Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation, an autonomous crown entity and manager of the multi-billion NZ Super Fund, has divested from five Israeli banks due to their funding of ...20 hours ago
- Bachelor NZ contestant ‘regrets’ calling mask wearing ‘slavery’, questioning Covid-19 scienc...A contestant on the new season of The Bachelor has apologised for ‘controversial’ social media posts comparing mask wearing to ‘slavery’ and for questioning the scientific consensus around Covid-19. Stewart Sowman-Lund reports.Shivani Pragji is – according to her LinkedIn profile – a solicitor working for the Ministry of Business, Innovation ...21 hours ago
- NFTs explained: what they are, why rock stars are using them, and why they’re selling for millions...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, PhD, Media and Politics, Deakin University A couple of days ago, the musician Grimes sold some animations she made with her brother Mac on a website called Nifty Gateway. Some were one-offs, while others were limited editions of a few ...21 hours ago
- Communities step up to tsunami threat, as authorities dither
Analysis: We are able to send a blaring alert to the phone of every New Zealanders to warn of Covid lockdowns, yet we still struggle to warn them of the danger of a tsunami This coming week, it will be 10 years since Japan was hit by the Tohoku earthquake, one ...22 hours ago - The old marketing ‘made me sick’, says Moa’s new ownerMoa brewery sold in February for $1.9m, leaving behind an unsavoury legacy. Michael Andrew speaks to the new owner about how the brewery plans to move forward, while at the same time returning to its Marlborough roots.Moa Brewing Company’s new owner Stephen Smith has criticised the company’s old marketing strategy, ...22 hours ago
- Major 8.0 quake at Kermadecs, NZ warning for people to move higherBy RNZ News An 8.0 earthquake has struck near the Kermadec Islands, hours after a 7.4 quake near the Kermadecs and a 7.1 off the North Island coast, A 7.4 quake struck near the Kermadec Islands earlier this morning. The islands are 800km to 1000km from New Zealand. National Emergency ...23 hours ago
- Fallow Deer Being Bombarded With 1080 PoisonNational Parks are being closed off to allow fallow deer to be bombarded with 1080 poison. The proposal has drawn strong criticism from the Australian hunting public and also New Zealand’s Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust. Laurie Collins, spokesman ...23 hours ago
- Implausible deniability in Whale Oil case
In the fallout from the Dirty Politics defamation hearing, how can the Food and Grocery Council and its chief continue to deny involvement in attacks on public health academics? Tim Murphy explains its stance. The middleman has 'fessed up. So where does that leave the two prominent players on either side ...23 hours ago - On two wheels through the Shaky Isles
Rod Oram sends dispatches from a bike trail through the regions. ...24 hours ago - I watched three months of Mike’s Minute in a single day and this is what happenedMike Hosking is a king of breakfast radio, a lover of blazers, and deliverer of opinions via his long-running online video series, Mike’s Minute. José Barbosa absorbed three months’ worth of those opinions in one go, and lived to tell the tale. Just. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending March 5The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Bloomsbury, $25)This 2011 bestseller set during the Trojan War has ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: I have heard, by Grace YeeA new poem from Melbourne-based poet Grace Yee.I have heardthat the price of a pound of gold has gone grey over the last couple of monthsthat the first sovereign lord beheaded his grandsonthat chinese market gardeners in suburbia shipped out after decades of fastingand purificationthat evil-intentioned hooligans penetrated the palace ...1 day ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – March 05 2021Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Today’s content Covid Chris Trotter: Atavistic urges Matthew Hooton (Herald): Lockdown 4 sparks Jacinda Ardern’s wrath (paywalled) Peter Dunne: The government urgently needs to upgrade its Covid19 strategy Michael Morrah (Newshub): Information contradicting Prime Minister ...1 day ago
- How would digital COVID vaccine passports work? And what’s stopping people from faking them?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dave Parry, Professor of Computer Science, Auckland University of Technology Although international travel restrictions for Australia have been extended to at least June, there may still be potential for a trans-Tasman bubble with New Zealand (and maybe some other countries), according to ...1 day ago
- Why we’ll get COVID booster vaccines quickly and how we know they’re safeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jamie Triccas, Professor of Medical Microbiology, University of Sydney The United States’ drug regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said last week COVID vaccines updated for variants won’t need to go through full randomised controlled clinical trials. The booster shots will ...1 day ago
- 50% of Australians are prepared to pay more tax to improve aged care workers’ pay, survey showsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Milte, Matthew Flinders Senior Research Fellow, Flinders University The final report from the aged care royal commission this week was damning. Speaking of a system in crisis, it calls for an urgent overhaul. The Morrison government has been facing difficult questions ...1 day ago
- Dig this: a tiny echidna moves 8 trailer-loads of soil a year, helping tackle climate changeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David John Eldridge, Professor of Dryland Ecology, UNSW After 200 years of European farming practices, Australian soils are in bad shape – depleted of nutrients and organic matter, including carbon. This is bad news for both soil health and efforts to address ...1 day ago
- Half of our unis don’t have bullying policies for students. This is what they need to protect themSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zoe Vaill, PhD Candidate Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology Students are heading off to universities around Australia, whether for the first time or as returning students, with expectations of a year of learning, making friends and enjoyable socialising. For some ...1 day ago
- Honouring Te Tiriti means ‘getting into the stream together’ — so this vice-chancellor has bec...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jan Thomas, Vice-Chancellor, Massey University As first-year students flooded onto campuses around the country this week, gripped with uncertainty and curiosity about their new lives, I too returned to university to learn. For the first time since what feels like forever, but ...1 day ago
- Vital Signs: In the battle over interest rates, it’d be unwise to bet against the RBASource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW After years of repeatedly missing its inflation target through too timid monetary policy, in the past week the Reserve Bank has decided to get tough. Not only did it hold its closely watched cash rate target ...1 day ago
- Friday essay: hidden in plain sight — Australian queer men and women before gay liberationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McNeil, Distinguished Professor of Design History, UTS, University of Technology Sydney It’s Sydney Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras festival time. LGBTQI people are enjoying what some call “gay or lesbian Christmas”. It’s not quite the same in the era of COVID, ...1 day ago
- Multiple challenges in mandating Covid-19 tracer app – tech expertA tech expert is warning the government could face multiple stumbling blocks if it makes QR code scanning mandatory - in particular when dealing with tech giants like Apple and Google. ...1 day ago
- Live: Tsunami alert issued after 7.4 quake near the Kermadec Islands
*This story first appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. A tsunami alert has been issued after a 7.4 earthquake near the Kermadec Islands. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it expects strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore. It says the threat is from ...1 day ago - Live updates, March 4: Two major earthquakes prompt tsunami warning for east coastLive coverage of the snap lockdown and the search for a source of the latest infection. Auckland is now at alert level three, NZ at level two. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz 7.50am: Two major earthquakes strike; tsunami warning in placeTwo major earthquakes have struck off the coast of New Zealand ...1 day ago
- The Bulletin: Will lockdown lift this weekend?Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Cabinet to decide on lifting lockdown today, questions raised about the stability of the housing market, and people instinctively respond to tsunami threat after earthquake.A decision will be made today on whether or not Auckland will come out of level ...1 day ago
- Synlait shares drop as forward guidance withdrawn
Business & Investing: Synlait Milk won't make even half last year's profit, Plus Will My Food Bag bounce after its sharemarket listing today? ...1 day ago - Synlait shares drop as forward guidance withdrawnBusiness & Investing: Synlait Milk won't make even half last year's profit, Plus Will My Food Bag bounce after its sharemarket listing today? ...1 day ago
- Myanmar presents a united resistance to junta
The military is showing little sign of backing down, but the coup could have the unintended consequence of unifying Myanmar society in opposition, across significant ethnic divisions. A month ago, citing dubious claims of electoral fraud in the November 2020 election, Myanmar’s military deposed the country’s democratically elected National League for Democracy ...1 day ago - This week's best-selling books
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve Braunias FICTION 1 Auē by Becky Manawatu (Makaro Press, $35) "She wrote a lot of Auē in a family friend’s house at the moody mouth of the Mokihunui River, 20km ...1 day ago - Holding the Government to account on housing
Kiwis want solutions, not politicians blaming each other, Nicola Willis says. ...1 day ago - Harvard professor alien claims a disservice to science
A Harvard professor presenting his opinions on alien life as fact when the field at large doesn't agree is misrepresenting science, argues Dr Heloise Stevance For years now Abraham (Avi) Loeb has been a rather passionate advocate for what I call 'The Alien Hypothesis' 一 the idea that extraterrestrial lifeforms are the source of ...1 day ago - Anna Rawhiti-Connell: Angry nausea over broken housing promises
Anna Rawhiti-Connell doesn't want an investment or an asset, but a home. Yet because of last century’s broken promises, she feels like an idiot fish, destined to swim against a current with other idiot fish who think their life savings and lifelong debt will guarantee them a house. We went to some open homes ...1 day ago - Getting the vaccine to the most vulnerable communities
All eyes are on the Prime Minister to schedule the rollout – or flyout – to the more remote corners of NZ and the Pacific There is growing anticipation about the announcement of the Covid vaccine rollout to New Zealand's general population and the Pacific realm countries. The schedule is close ...1 day ago - Covid-19: Our 'bad luck' lockdown
Were we right to leave lockdown so early after the Valentine's Day cluster was first discovered? And was our return to lockdown a result of anything more than bad luck? Marc Daalder reports Ashley Bloomfield and Jacinda Ardern fronted a press conference on February 17, three days after Auckland plunged ...1 day ago - Who is the best America's Cup helmsman?
With the America's Cup first-to-seven showdown about to begin, Suzanne McFadden asks a six-time winner how much could it come down to the helmsmen? Murray Jones knows the exact essence of what makes an America’s Cup helmsman great. A phenomenal Kiwi sailor in his own right, Jones has worked alongside ...1 day ago - Gasson goes on record smashing spree in pool
Rio Olympian Helena Gasson may be one of the oldest Kiwi swimmers still at the top of their game, but she's found a new gear - breaking 20 NZ records in the past 18 months. Even in the year of Covid, with her plans abruptly changed and her training schedule interrupted, Helena ...1 day ago - You can stop arguing now, we’ve ranked every bean we could think ofAfter literally thousands of requests, we’ve finally caved. We’ve decided to rank beans in an arbitrary yet unequivocally correct fashion.A-mung the current chaos of the world we live in, there’s an inherent desire to create order. Some found that order in the first lockdown by cleaning their house or exercising ...1 day ago
- He was ejected from MAFS NZ due to domestic violence charges. Now he wants to open a bar on K RdA bar planned for Auckland’s St Kevin’s Arcade is facing opposition from locals concerned about the character of the owner, former Married at First Sight contestant Chris Mansfield, who still faces outstanding domestic violence charges in the US.The two lots inside St Kevin’s Arcade where Chris Mansfield plans to open ...1 day ago
- High Court judge sends message in a plastic bottle
Putting te wai Aoteoroa in a plastic bottle and distributing it around the globe is not the most beneficial use ...1 day ago - Rules, messages, Covid and confusion
We thought the Covid messages were clear - but the latest Auckland lockdown has muddied the message. One political strategist says it's been like "putting tomato sauce on ice cream". New Zealand's Covid-19 communications response has been hailed the world over. Its success has catapulted us into the pages ...1 day ago - Alcohol sales review would target 'irresponsible' promos
Amid new concerns about the marketing of alcohol, the Justice Minister wants to ensure liquor regulation is fit for purpose. ...1 day ago - Grattan on Friday: Scott Morrison can’t get circuit breaker while Porter remainsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison has a near obsession with control. But suddenly – in the course of only weeks – he has found himself presiding over a government in a shambles, where he is reacting rather than ...1 day ago
- Where do we go from here with the allegations about Christian Porter?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia A great deal has been written and said in the last few days about the next steps in the historic claim of rape against Attorney-General Christian Porter. There are ...1 day ago
- Kathleen Folbigg’s children likely died of natural causes, not murder. Here’s the evidence my te...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carola Garcia de Vinuesa, Professor and Co-Director, Centre for Personalised Immunology, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence, Australian National University Some 90 prominent scientists, including Nobel laureates and other leading Australian and international researchers, today called for convicted child murderer Kathleen Folbigg to ...1 day ago
- Threats To Christchurch MosquesThe threats to use car bombs at the two mosques that were attacked on 15 March 2019 are especially cruel as we come up to the second anniversary of those attacks. It shows the need for a strong national security system, with clear leadership and direction ...1 day ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: Patricia Sparrow on the Royal Commission into Aged CareSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Royal Commission into Aged Care has now delivered its final report, and its findings are an indictment of the inadequacies of the present system. The report calls for a refocus within the aged care ...2 days ago
- Two arrested after car bomb threat
Police have arrested two people following an online threat against two Christchurch mosques, Marc Daalder reports Christchurch police say two people arrested over an online threat against two mosques are being cooperative. One of the people arrested, a 27-year-old man, has been charged with threatening to kill. On Sunday, a ...2 days ago - This week’s news has put sexual assault survivors at risk of ‘secondary trauma’. Here’s how ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mary Iliadis, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Deakin University The continuing media coverage of rape and sexual assault allegations faced by current and former political figures has put many sexual abuse survivors at risk of being traumatised all over again. Widespread media attention ...2 days ago
- Can Scott Morrison’s rhetorical style cut through the rising tide of anger?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annabelle Lukin, Associate Professor in Linguistics, Macquarie University The word “sophistry” – defined as “the use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving” – comes from Ancient Greek. For more than 2,500 years, politicians have understood language is ...2 days ago
- Covicrat Civil War Means Time For A Reset“Thanks to Labour’s bungling bureaucracy, hardworking New Zealanders are locked down with their livelihoods threatened, and the Prime Minister still isn’t telling the truth. It is time for a reset. We need a purpose built, Taiwan-style, Epidemic ...2 days ago
- Rise For Lives-New Zealand Youth Standing Up For Yemen!On the 27 th of February, youth across 7 cities in New Zealand came out in full force to join city-wide marches organized by Rise for Lives (RFL), a youth movement focused on bringing awareness and action for humanitarian causes. Youth members of ...2 days ago
- Enchanted voices: A Midsummer Night’s Dream transports audiences to a place of wonderSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Peterson, Associate Professor, Flinders University Review: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by Benjamin Britten, directed by Neil Armfield, Adelaide Festival. Transfixed, Transported. Transfigured. Three hours pass in the blink of an eye. How did this happen, or was it all just a ...2 days ago
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