Search Results
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Cuts to Disability Services Are Part of a Class War
Written By: Elliot Crossan - Date published: 7:30 am, March 19th, 2025 - 14 comments
Categories: act, activism, benefits, Christopher Luxon, class, class war, Coalition NZ, coalition of chaos, david seymour, Debt, debt / deficit, disability, economy, health, housing, human rights, inequality, national, national/act government, nicola willis, Politics, poverty, Privatisation, public services, tax, treasury, welfare
Tags: austerity, cuts, Disabled community, End austerity, Flexible funding, Penny Simmonds, protest, resistance, Tax the rich, Top 1%, WhaikahaOver the last year, the Coalition has unleashed a series of cuts which have been devastating for the disabled community. These cuts are part of a class war — and it’s time to organise and fight back, writes Elliot Crossan.
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3 Things To Know About This Government – 8 Things We Should All Do Now
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 11:47 am, March 3rd, 2025 - 10 comments
Categories: uncategorized
Tags:This is an excerpt from a longer article: What Can We Do Again?
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Its the end of the Media as we know it …
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:42 am, February 28th, 2025 - 42 comments
Categories: capitalism, Deep stuff, Donald Trump, Media, Politics, us politics
Tags:Two recent media related stories made me wonder if there was now formal acknowledgement that the concept that media should fearlessly and impartially report the news is now dead.
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What does Trump have against Canada?
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:28 am, February 4th, 2025 - 50 comments
Categories: Donald Trump, Free Trade, International, trade, us politics
Tags:And why isn’t New Zealand backing Canada against Trump’s self declared trade war?
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David Farrar’s Curia Market Research Woes
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 12:01 pm, February 1st, 2025 - 16 comments
Categories: David Farrar, Dirty Politics, Media, media abuse, national, polls, same old national, spin, taxpayers union
Tags: academia, family first, Free Speech Union, jordan williams, nicky hager, RANZWhat happened to the Curia Market Research suspension? David Farrar responded after RANZ hired an independent sub-committee to investigate complaints about polling integrity
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Clearing the Decks: Government replaces half of the Waitangi Tribunal
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 10:07 pm, January 17th, 2025 - 33 comments
Categories: act, Maori Issues, national, national/act government, paul goldsmith
Tags: Maori Land Claims, philip crump, richard prebble, Tama Potaka, Thomas Cranmer, Treaty Principles Bill, waitangi tribunalThe government has replaced half of the Waitangi Tribunal, removing three of NZ’s most highly regarded experts in mātauranga Maori.
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The Los Angeles fires – could they happen here?
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:02 pm, January 11th, 2025 - 20 comments
Categories: climate change, Donald Trump, global warming, making shit up, Media, politicans, science, spin, uncategorized, you couldn't make this shit up
Tags:With large parts of Los Angeles burning and the right still trying to divert attention and blame the question arises, could the same thing happen here?
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Atlas Network in New Zealand
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 8:57 am, December 11th, 2024 - 11 comments
Categories: act, David Farrar, national/act government, spin, taxpayers union
Tags: Atlas Network, jordan williams, New Zealand Initiative, Project 2025The similarities between the Atlas Network modus operandi and our government’s policies appear strident and unsettling.
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END GAME
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 7:03 pm, November 24th, 2024 - 30 comments
Categories: Austerity, australian politics, Brexit, Dirty Politics, Donald Trump, Maori Issues, national, national/act government, nz first, Privatisation, same old national, thinktank
Tags: Atlas Network, Corporate, Red TapeWhat is the game plan for the Coalition government? What characteristics can we observe and what is the “end game?”
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The 2024 US Election: A No-Win Scenario
Written By: Elliot Crossan - Date published: 7:18 pm, November 4th, 2024 - 50 comments
Categories: climate change, Donald Trump, gaza, International, Kamala Harris, us politics
Tags: benjamin netanyahu, billionaires, fascism, MAGA, project2025Tuesday (Wednesday in NZ) is election day in the United States of America. Where billionaires buy elections, the President is not elected by popular vote, and the nominee of the Republican Party attempted to overturn the results after he was voted out of office four years ago. Somehow, despite his crimes, Donald Trump is a coin-toss away from taking back the White House.
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Luxon Promotes Wealthy & Foreign Interests
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 6:28 pm, October 30th, 2024 - 12 comments
Categories: chris bishop, Christopher Luxon, david seymour, Dirty Politics, national, national/act government, Privatisation, winston peters
Tags:Chris Luxon continues to talk up privatisation and wealthy foreign interests from the Middle East and elsewhere. Privatisation and PPP models have been shown to cost a country – but he and ACT and NZ First seem set on their course to sell NZ assets.
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Will This Be a One-Term Government?
Written By: Guest post - Date published: 12:21 pm, October 20th, 2024 - 24 comments
Categories: act, Austerity, coalition of chaos, Dirty Politics, national, nz first, Politics, polls, racism, uncategorized
Tags: hollow men, Treaty of waitangiElliot Crossan at System Change Aotearoa reviews the past year. Despite the tepid public support for this government’s problematic actions, he warns that ‘The Right Is United By Power — Don’t Underestimate Them’
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New Zealand treats the wealthy better than comparable nations
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:51 am, September 19th, 2024 - 26 comments
Categories: capital gains, capitalism, Economy, tax, uncategorized
Tags:A recently Tax Justice Aotearoa study suggests that the country could impse a capital gains tax or wealth tax and the wealthy would still be better off than they would be in similar countries.
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About Karen Chhour’s future
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:06 am, August 3rd, 2024 - 27 comments
Categories: act, crime, Maori Issues, maori party, Parliament, political parties, Social issues, uncategorized
Tags: karen chhourAct minister Karen Chhour has recently adopted the mantle of victimhood and claimed that she has been under attack and feels unsafe in Parliament. But the attacks are not personal and are motivated by the damage her party is causing to Oranga Tamariki as well as to the country’s race relations.
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Mountain Tui: Trump’s shooting reveals a hidden danger for New Zealand too
Written By: Mountain Tui - Date published: 10:00 am, July 15th, 2024 - 73 comments
Categories: corruption, Donald Trump, spin, taxpayers union
Tags: dirty politics, Misinformation, national, USATrump’s shooting has left the world shocked and bewildered. But what, if anything, does it mean for us here in New Zealand?
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The political centre has moved, someone should tell the strategists.
Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 9:39 am, July 2nd, 2024 - 13 comments
Categories: Austerity, telecommunications, uk politics, Unions, workers' rights
Tags: employment, labour, nick kelly, strategy, tax, the centre, tory, triangulation30 years ago, we had Dot Matrix printers, Windows 95 and brick cell phones. Today we live in a world of AI, Tik Tok and 5G. While technology changes have been embraced, including in political campaigns, strategies and methods to connect with voters seem stuck in the MS-DOSS era.
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NATO escalation danger
Written By: Guest post - Date published: 3:17 am, June 8th, 2024 - 26 comments
Categories: nuclear war, Peace, Russia, Ukraine, war
Tags:The destruction on 23 May of a key part of Russia’s nuclear defence means the Doomsday clock is ticking closer to midnight. A Ukrainian/NATO drone attack on the Armavir radar station north of Georgia attcked a Voronezh-DM radar which is designed to detect incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles.
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National’s irksome incompetence is inexcusable
Written By: Incognito - Date published: 6:05 am, June 5th, 2024 - 11 comments
Categories: budget 2024, Christopher Luxon, election 2023, nicola willis, same old national, Shane Reti
Tags: broken promises, cancer treatment, lies, Medsafe, pharmacWhen the fabric of lies unravels the gaslighting increases.
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At least Chris Bishop sleeps in a well made bed
Written By: weka - Date published: 8:26 am, April 17th, 2024 - 85 comments
Categories: national, national/act government, tenants' rights
Tags: blam blam blam, rentingHaving a decent home is a human right
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CANA: Shane Jones, Chris Bishop, and Simeon Brown want the power to authorise mines and motorways on behalf of their mates with the click of a pen. Here’s how to fight back.
Written By: notices and features - Date published: 6:05 am, March 27th, 2024 - 29 comments
Categories: Abuse of power, chris bishop, disaster, Environment
Tags: CANA, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Fast-Track Approvals BillIn reality, the Government knows that New Zealanders will be even more outraged if they see the list of environment- and climate-wrecking projects that these Ministers and their donor & industry mates have cooked up.
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Chris Hipkins – Values Matter
Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:59 pm, March 24th, 2024 - 94 comments
Categories: chris hipkins, labour
Tags:Text of the speech delivered by Chris Hipkins delivered in Auckland today.
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Get ready for your water to be privatised
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:39 am, February 17th, 2024 - 124 comments
Categories: assets, Environment, Privatisation, privatisation, simeon brown, uk politics, uncategorized, water
Tags:The National Government’s repeal of the Three Waters Legislation and its pursuit of “new forms of infrastructure funding and financing” suggests that privatisation of water is on the drawing board.
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John Pilger, RIP
Written By: Guest post - Date published: 8:43 am, January 2nd, 2024 - 8 comments
Categories: australian politics, China, Disarmament, journalism, Peace, Propaganda, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, us politics, war
Tags:A bright star in the firmament of justice has gone out. One of the greatest journalists of our era has passed away. John Pilger was always on the side of the oppressed.
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The Left Do Not Own Maori
Written By: advantage - Date published: 11:52 am, November 26th, 2023 - 52 comments
Categories: greens, labour, Maori Issues, maori party, Maori seats, uncategorized
Tags:Labour, the Greens and liberal parts of the media have not adjusted to the fact that liberal and Maori are different things.
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Tax or quality public services – which is more important to NZ voters?
Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 10:31 pm, September 27th, 2023 - 16 comments
Categories: budget 2023, capital gains, chris hipkins, Economy, economy, election 2023, elections, grant robertson, greens, gst, health, labour, Long Read, maori party, tax
Tags: capital gains tax, chris trotter, green party, GST, Labour Party, Quality Public Services, taxEarlier this year Andrew Marr wrote in the New Statesmen, that Britain’s problem was that it wanted Scandinavian levels of Public Services and North American levels of taxation. His view was that Britain was overdue for an honest debate about tax and public spending. In New Zealand, there is a similar challenge.
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NZ Election: National’s tax policy
Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 9:07 am, September 21st, 2023 - 7 comments
Categories: business, conservatives, economy, Economy, election 2023, national, tax, uk politics
Tags: Christopher luxon, Liz Truss, nicola willis, NZ National Party, taxA year ago this month, the Liz Truss/Kwasi Kwarteng mini-budget destroyed once and for all the myth that the Tories are better at managing the economy. The New Zealand National Party could not even wait until they were in government to prove the same applies to them.
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Understanding the New Zealand General Election 2023: Historical trends and perspectives.
Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 6:01 am, September 20th, 2023 - 15 comments
Categories: act, campaigning, chris hipkins, Christopher Luxon, economy, election 2023, elections, First Past the Post, greens, inequality, labour, leadership, Long Read, maori party, MMP, national, national/act government, nz first
Tags: act, chris hipkins, Christopher luxon, green party, Labour Party, maori party, national party, NZ General Election 2023From the outside, the New Zealand 2023 General Election seems both lacklustre and slightly strange. The Labour Government, having won a huge majority in 2020 is now fighting for its political life. Yet National, the main centre-right opposition party is still on average polling significantly worse now than they were when it lost power in 2017.
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This Election we need to talk About China
Written By: advantage - Date published: 11:05 am, September 4th, 2023 - 70 comments
Categories: act, China, Christopher Luxon, International, john key, national, trade, uncategorized
Tags:Yes we could do the next five weeks on teeth and taxes, but actually China is pulling us down and our political parties need to make it an election issue.
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Self-destructive stupidity, New Zealand style
Written By: Guest post - Date published: 5:51 am, August 27th, 2023 - 25 comments
Categories: Andrew Little, China, defence, FiveEyes, helen clark, Iran, Japan, Korea, Peace, Peace, Russia, Spying, trade, uk politics, war
Tags:Belief in capricious gods would explain the perplexing habit of governments with intelligent and informed people to embrace policies which are manifestly an example of self-destructive stupidity. Clever people doing stupid things.
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The other cost of living crisis
Written By: weka - Date published: 6:05 am, August 18th, 2023 - 7 comments
Categories: climate change, cost of living, disaster, election 2023
Tags: Cyclone Gabrielle, transition, wildfiresOur descendants will curse us
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Helen Clark thinks the Government should review commitment to AUKUS
Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:23 am, August 7th, 2023 - 44 comments
Categories: chris hipkins, helen clark, International, military, war
Tags:Last week the Government released a document titled the Defence Policy Strategy Statement. Helen Clark has expressed the concern that the strategy suggests that as a country New Zealand is abandoning its capacity to think for itself.
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- Amateur Hour!
Overnight, Donald J. Trump, America’s 47th President, and only the second President since 1893 to win non-consecutive terms, rolled back more of his “no exemptions, no negotiations” & “no big deal” tariffs.Smartphones, computers, and other electronics1 are now exempt from the 125% levies imposed on imports from China; they retain ...5 days ago - 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 6, 2025 thru Sat, April 12, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...5 days ago - World Domination
Just one year of loveIs better than a lifetime aloneOne sentimental moment in your armsIs like a shooting star right through my heartIt's always a rainy day without youI'm a prisoner of love inside youI'm falling apart all around you, yeahSongwriter: John Deacon.Morena folks, it feels like it’s been quite ...6 days ago - “I think I was, at that time, the only girl in Taranaki who ever wrote a line”
“It's a history of colonial ruin, not a history of colonial progress,” says Michele Leggott, of the Harris family.We’re talking about Groundwork: The Art and Writing of Emily Cumming Harris, in which she and Catherine Field-Dodgson recall a near-forgotten and fascinating life, the female speck in the history of texts.Emily’s ...6 days ago - Fact brief – Is the sun responsible for global warming?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is the sun responsible for global warming? Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, not solar variability, is responsible for the global warming observed ...6 days ago
- A Baptism in the Forest: Accepted
Hitherto, 2025 has not been great in terms of luck on the short story front (or on the personal front. Several acquaintances have sadly passed away in the last few days). But I can report one story acceptance today. In fact, it’s quite the impressive acceptance, being my second ‘professional ...6 days ago - Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to April 12
Six long stories short from our political economy in the week to Saturday, April 12:Donald Trump exploded a neutron bomb under 80 years of globalisation, but Nicola Willis said the Government would cut operational and capital spending even more to achieve a Budget surplus by 2027/28. That even tighter fiscal ...7 days ago - Budget 2025: delivering for whom?
On 22 May, the coalition government will release its budget for 2025, which it says will focus on "boosting economic growth, improving social outcomes, controlling government spending, and investing in long-term infrastructure.” But who, really, is this budget designed to serve? What values and visions for Aotearoa New Zealand lie ...7 days ago - The Other Side
Lovin' you has go to be (Take me to the other side)Like the devil and the deep blue sea (Take me to the other side)Forget about your foolish pride (Take me to the other side)Oh, take me to the other side (Take me to the other side)Songwriters: Steven Tyler, Jim ...7 days ago - It’s (past) time to get serious about funding Australia’s defence and security
In the week of Australia’s 3 May election, ASPI will release Agenda for Change 2025: preparedness and resilience in an uncertain world, a report promoting public debate and understanding on issues of strategic importance to ...7 days ago - The Downward Spiral of Arise Church: Part 4
Hi,Back in 2022 I spent a year reporting on New Zealand’s then-biggest megachurch, Arise, revealing the widespread abuse of hundreds of interns.That series led to a harrowing review (leaked by Webworm) and the resignation of its founders and leaders John and Gillian Cameron, who fled to Australia where they now ...7 days ago - Whatever the CCP says, regimes don’t have the rights of nations
All nation states have a right to defend themselves. But do regimes enjoy an equal right to self-defence? Is the security of a particular party-in-power a fundamental right of nations? The Chinese government is asking ...1 week ago
- Countervailing Trumpian Sense
A modest attempt to analyse Donald Trump’s tariff policies.Alfred Marshall, whose text book was still in use 40 years after he died wrote ‘every short statement about economics is misleading with the possible exception of my present one.’ (The text book is 719 pages.) It’s a timely reminder that any ...1 week ago - Uncertainty, Hierarchy and the Dilemma of Democracy.
If nothing else, we have learned that the economic and geopolitical turmoil caused by the Trump tariff see-saw raises a fundamental issue of the human condition that extends beyond trade wars and “the markets.” That issue is uncertainty and its centrality to individual and collective life. It extends further into ...1 week ago - Strengthening South Korea’s national security by adopting the cloud
To improve its national security, South Korea must improve its ICT infrastructure. Knowing this, the government has begun to move towards cloud computing. The public and private sectors are now taking a holistic national-security approach ...1 week ago
- Workers’ Memorial Day 2025
28 April 2025 Mournfor theDead FightFor theLiving Every week in New Zealand 18 workers are killed as a consequence of work. Every 15 minutes, a worker suffers ...1 week ago - Reset Pax Americana: the West needs a grand accord
The world is trying to make sense of the Trump tariffs. Is there a grand design and strategy, or is it all instinct and improvisation? But much more important is the question of what will ...1 week ago
- Poisoning The Well – It’s Not Just ACT
OPINION:Yesterday was a triumphant moment in Parliament House.The “divisive”, “disingenous”, “unfair”, “discriminatory” and “dishonest” Treaty Principles Bill, advanced by the right wing ACT Party, failed.Spectacularly.11 MP votes for (ACT).112 MP votes against (All Other Parties).As the wonderful Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke said: We are not divided, but united.Green ...1 week ago - The Pacific Response Group is making pleasing progress but needs more buy-in
The Pacific Response Group (PRG), a new disaster coordination organisation, has operated through its first high-risk weather season. But as representatives from each Pacific military leave Brisbane to return to their home countries for the ...1 week ago
- Friday 11 April
The Treaty Principles Bill has been defeated in Parliament with 112 votes in opposition and 11 in favour, but the debate about Te Tiriti and Māori rights looks set to stay high on the political agenda. Supermarket giant Woolworths has confirmed a new operating model that Workers First say will ...1 week ago
- A few wins, for now
1 week ago - Aotearoa Wins!
And this is what I'm gonna doI'm gonna put a call to you'Cause I feel good tonightAnd everything's gonna beRight-right-rightI'm gonna have a good time tonightRock and roll music gonna play all nightCome on, baby, it won't take longOnly take a minute just to sing my songSongwriters: Kirk Pengilly / ...1 week ago - Indonesia’s cyber soldiers: armed without a compass
The Indonesian military has a new role in cybersecurity but, worryingly, no clear doctrine on what to do with it nor safeguards against human rights abuses. Assignment of cyber responsibility to the military is part ...1 week ago
- Weekly Roundup 11-April-2025
Another Friday, another roundup. Autumn is starting to set in, certainly getting darker earlier but we hope you enjoy some of the stories we found interesting this week. This week in Greater Auckland On Tuesday we ran a guest post from the wonderful Darren Davis about what’s happening ...1 week ago - Bernard’s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix Six for Friday, April 11
Long stories shortest: The White House confirms Donald Trump’s total tariffs now on China are 145%, not 125%. US stocks slump again. Gold hits a record high. PM Christopher Luxon joins a push for a new rules-based trading system based around CPTPP and EU, rather than US-led WTO. Winston Peters ...1 week ago - The Hoon around the week to April 11
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s shock and (partial) backflip; and,Health Coalition Aotearoa Chair ...1 week ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #15 2025
Open access notables Global and regional drivers for exceptional climate extremes in 2023-2024: beyond the new normal, Minobe et al., npj Climate and Atmospheric Science: Climate records have been broken with alarming regularity in recent years, but the events of 2023–2024 were exceptional even when accounting for recent climatic trends. ...1 week ago
- The US harms its image in the Pacific with aid cuts and tariffs
USAID cuts and tariffs will harm the United States’ reputation in the Pacific more than they will harm the region itself. The resilient region will adjust to the economic challenges and other partners will fill ...1 week ago
- Good fucking riddance
National's racist and divisive Treaty Principles Bill was just voted down by the House, 112 to 11. Good fucking riddance. The bill was not a good-faith effort at legislating, or at starting a "constitutional conversation". Instead it was a bad faith attempt to stoke division and incite racial hatred - ...1 week ago - Join us at 5pm for this week’s Hoon
Photo by Beth Macdonald on UnsplashKia oraCome and join us for our weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm today.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat with myself, and regular guests climate correspondent and on climate ...1 week ago - The threat spectrum
Democracy watch Indonesia’s parliament passed revisions to the country’s military law, which pro-democracy and human rights groups view as a threat to the country’s democracy. One of the revisions seeks to expand the number of ...1 week ago
- Australia needs a civilian cyber reserve. State emergency services are the model
Australia should follow international examples and develop a civilian cyber reserve as part of a whole-of-society approach to national defence. By setting up such a reserve, the federal government can overcome a shortage of expertise ...1 week ago
- Drawn
A ballot for three Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill (Cameron Brewer) Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Restrictions on Issue of Off-Licences and Low and No Alcohol Products) Amendment Bill (Mike Butterick) Crown ...1 week ago
- Thursday 10 April
Te Whatu Ora is proposing to slash jobs from a department that brings in millions of dollars a year and ensures safety in hospitals, rest homes and other community health providers. The Treaty Principles Bill is back in Parliament this evening and is expected to be voted down by all parties, ...1 week ago
- Paying For Small Indignities
Hi,The piece I wrote last week about the chances of being rounded up and evicted (and/or detained) by the United States seems more… pressing.To be clear: antisemitism is fucking horrible — and in that same breath I also wonder what today’s statement from The Department of Homeland security means for ...1 week ago - Joint naval exercises with Russia undermine Indonesia’s commitment to international law
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly asserted the country’s commitment to a non-aligned foreign policy. But can Indonesia still credibly claim neutrality while tacitly engaging with Russia? Holding an unprecedented bilateral naval drills with Moscow ...1 week ago
- Wednesday 9 April
The NZCTU have launched a new policy programme and are calling on political parties to adopt bold policies in the lead up to the next election. The Government is scrapping the 30-day rule that automatically signs an employee up to the collective agreement when they sign on to a new ...1 week ago
- Anticipating what Trump wants: Taiwan puts money in America first
Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te must have been on his toes. The island’s trade and defence policy has snapped into a new direction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. The government was almost ...1 week ago
- Auckland’s Big Easter Rail Shutdown
Auckland’s ongoing rail pain will intensify again from this weekend as Kiwirail shut down the network for two weeks as part of their push to get the network ready for the City Rail Link. KiwiRail will progress upgrade and renewal projects across Auckland’s rail network over the Easter holiday period ...1 week ago
- Renewables allow us to pay less, not twice
This is a re-post from The Electrotech Revolution by Daan Walter Last week, UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch took the stage to advocate for slowing the rollout of renewables, arguing that they ultimately lead to higher costs: “Huge amounts are being spent on switching round how we distribute electricity ...1 week ago
- Refusing to Disappear
That there, that's not meI go where I pleaseI walk through wallsI float down the LiffeyI'm not hereThis isn't happeningI'm not hereI'm not hereSongwriters: Philip James Selway / Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood / Edward John O'Brien / Thomas Edward Yorke / Colin Charles Greenwood.I had mixed views when the first ...1 week ago - Bernard’s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix Six
(A note to subscribers: I’m going to keep these daily curated news updates shorter in future to ensure an earlier and more regular delivery. Expect this format and delivery around 7 am Monday to Friday from now on. My apologies for not delivering yesterday. There was too much news… This ...1 week ago - Gordon Campbell On Marketing The Military Threat Posed By China
As Donald Trump zigs and zags on tariffs and trashes America’s reputation as a safe and stable place to invest, China has a big gun that it could bring to this tariff knife fight. Behind Japan, China has the world’s second largest holdings of American debt. As a huge US ...1 week ago - Seabed sensors and mapping: what China’s survey ship could be up to
Civilian exploration may be the official mission of a Chinese deep-sea research ship that sailed clockwise around Australia over the past week and is now loitering west of the continent. But maybe it’s also attending ...1 week ago
- South Korea must move beyond partisan division to tackle security threats
South Korea’s internal political instability leaves it vulnerable to rising security threats including North Korea’s military alliance with Russia, China’s growing regional influence and the United States’ unpredictability under President Donald Trump. South Korea needs ...1 week ago
- Billionaire Bust-Ups
Here are 5 updates that you may be interested in today:Speed kills and costs - so why does National want more of it?James (Jim) Grenon Board Takeover Gets Shaky - As Canadian Calls An Australian Shareholder a “Flake” Billionaire Bust-ups -The World’s Richest Men Are UncomfortableOver 3,500 Australian doctors on ...1 week ago - Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day, and its all first readings. First up is Laura McClure's Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill, followed by Carl Bates' Juries (Age of Excusal) Amendment Bill, Adrian Rurawhe's Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill and then Kieran McAnulty's Sale ...1 week ago
- Australia’s cyber strategy needs a vulnerability disclosure upgrade
Australia is in a race against time. Cyber adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities faster than we can identify and patch them. Both national security and economic considerations demand policy action. According to IBM’s Data Breach Report, ...1 week ago
- The Comparative Notebook on Trump’s Tariffs.
The ever brilliant Kate Nicholls has kindly agreed to allow me to re-publish her substack offering some under-examined backdrop to Trump’s tariff madness. The essay is not meant to be a full scholarly article but instead an insight into the thinking (if that is the correct word) behind the current ...1 week ago
- Humanitarian assistance in the Pacific should be led by Pacific countries
In the Pacific, the rush among partner countries to be seen as the first to assist after disasters has become heated as part of ongoing geopolitical contest. As partners compete for strategic influence in the ...1 week ago
- Tariff madness and monetary policy
We’ve seen this morning the latest step up in the Trump-initiated trade war, with the additional 50 per cent tariffs imposed on imports from China. If the tariff madness persists – but in fact even if were wound back in some places (eg some of the particularly absurd tariffs on ...1 week ago - Weak
Weak as I am, no tears for youWeak as I am, no tears for youDeep as I am, I'm no one's foolWeak as I amSongwriters: Deborah Ann Dyer / Richard Keith Lewis / Martin Ivor Kent / Robert Arnold FranceMorena.
This morning, I couldn’t settle on a single topic. Too ... 1 week ago - Getting Cross with AT’s awful last minute re-designs of Project K
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post extensively detailing the scandal of what happened with the Upper Mercury Lane part of the Karanga-a-Hape Station precinct integration project (also known by its cool title, Project K). It was a prime example of Auckland Transport’s habitual failure to follow through on ...1 week ago
- Climate risks to security in the Indo-Pacific: Indonesia in 2035
Australian policy makers are vastly underestimating how climate change will disrupt national security and regional stability across the Indo-Pacific. A new ASPI report assesses the ways climate impacts could threaten Indonesia’s economic and security interests ...1 week ago
- Brace position
So here we are in London again because we’re now at the do-it-while-you-still-can stage of life. More warm wide-armed hugs, more long talks and long walks and drinks in lovely old pubs with our lovely daughter.And meanwhile the world is once more in one of its assume-the-brace-position stages.We turned on ...1 week ago - To Dire Wolf Or Not To Dire Wolf?
Hi,Back in September of 2023, I got pitched an interview:David -Thanks for the quick response to the DM! Means the world. Re-stating some of the DM below for your team’s reference -I run a business called Animal Capital - we are a venture capital fund advised by Noah Beck, Paris ...1 week ago - A Bit Of Nuance Would Be Nice: Some Thoughts on the Trump Tariffs
I didn’t want to write about this – but, alas, the 2020s have forced my hand. I am going to talk about the Trump Tariffs… and in the process probably irritate nearly everyone. You see, alone on the Internet, I am one of those people who think we need a ...1 week ago - No, it’s not new. Russia and China have been best buddies for decades
Maybe people are only just beginning to notice the close alignment of Russia and China. It’s discussed as a sudden new phenomenon in world affairs, but in fact it’s not new at all. The two ...1 week ago
- The dishonest crown
The High Court has just ruled that the government has been violating one of the oldest Treaty settlements, the Sealord deal: The High Court has found the Crown has breached one of New Zealand's oldest Treaty Settlements by appropriating Māori fishing quota without compensation. It relates to the 1992 ...1 week ago
- Middle Arm project: the infrastructure enabler for Northern Territory development
Darwin’s proposed Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct is set to be the heart of a new integrated infrastructure network in the Northern Territory, larger and better than what currently exists in northern Australia. However, the ...1 week ago
- Grooming us for identity theft
1 week ago
- As tensions grow, an Australian AI safety institute is a no-brainer
Australia needs to deliver its commitment under the Seoul Declaration to create an Australian AI safety, or security, institute. Australia is the only signatory to the declaration that has yet to meet its commitments. Given ...2 weeks ago
- Hine Ruhi (Slice Of Heaven)
Ko kōpū ka rere i te paeMe ko Hine RuhiTīaho mai tō arohaMe ko Hine RuhiDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da da da da daDa da da ba du da da ba du da da da ba du da da ...2 weeks ago - ‘We can afford more drones, but not more homes’
Army, Navy and AirForce personnel in ceremonial dress: an ongoing staffing exodus means we may get more ships, drones and planes but not have enough ‘boots on the ground’ to use them. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning: PM Christopher Luxon says the Government can ...2 weeks ago - Oliver’s struggle: a case study in the frustration of trying to join the ADF
If you’re a qualified individual looking to join the Australian Army, prepare for a world of frustration over the next 12 to 18 months. While thorough vetting is essential, the inefficiency of the Australian Defence ...2 weeks ago
- NZD Freefall, Winston Peters Linked To Green Party Attack Ads & More
I’ve inserted a tidbit and rumours section1. Colonoscopy wait times increase, procedures drop under NationalWait times for urgent, non-urgent and surveillance colonoscopies all progressively worsened last year. Health NZ data shows the total number of publicly-funded colonoscopies dropped by more than 7 percent.Health NZ chief medical officer Helen Stokes-Lampard blamed ...2 weeks ago - Tuesday 8 April
Three billion dollars has been wiped off the value of New Zealand’s share market as the rout of global financial markets caught up with the local market. A Sāmoan national has been sentenced for migrant exploitation and corruption following a five-year investigation that highlights the serious consequences of immigration fraud ...2 weeks ago
- Wherefore now with Kiwirail
This is a guest post by Darren Davis. It originally appeared on his excellent blog, Adventures in Transitland, which we encourage you to check out. It is shared by kind permission. Rail Network Investment Plan quietly dropped While much media attention focused on the 31st March 2025 announcement that the replacement Cook ...2 weeks ago
- More unneeded officers, more military influence. Indonesia’s law revision is a mistake
Amendments to Indonesia’s military law risk undermining civilian supremacy and the country’s defence capabilities. Passed by the House of Representatives on 20 March, the main changes include raising the retirement age and allowing military officers ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell On Peter Dutton’s Fading Election Prospects.
So New Zealand is about to spend $12 billion on our defence forces over the next four years – with $9 million of it being new money that is not being spent on pressing needs here at home. Somehow this lavish spend-up on Defence is “affordable,” says PM Christopher Luxon, ...2 weeks ago
- A letter to America from an appreciative ally
Donald Trump’s philosophy about the United States’ place in the world is historically selfish and will impoverish his country’s spirit. While he claimed last week to be ‘liberating’ Americans from the exploiters and freeloaders who’ve ...2 weeks ago
- Myanmar’s scam centres demand ASEAN-Australia collaboration
China’s crackdown on cyber-scam centres on the Thailand-Myanmar border may cause a shift away from Mandarin, towards English-speaking victims. Scammers also used the 28 March earthquake to scam international victims. Australia, with its proven capabilities ...2 weeks ago
- The return of dirty politics
At the 2005 election campaign, the National Party colluded with a weirdo cult, the Exclusive Brethren, to run a secret hate campaign against the Greens. It was the first really big example of the rich using dark money to interfere in our democracy. And unfortunately, it seems that they're trying ...2 weeks ago
- Our MOOC Denial101x has run its course
Many of you will know that in collaboration with the University of Queensland we created and ran the massive open online course (MOOC) "Denial101x - Making sense of climate science denial" on the edX platform. Within nine years - between April 2015 and February 2024 - we offered 15 runs ...2 weeks ago
- In trade, nothing can replace the US consumer. Still, Asian countries look to each other
How will the US assault on trade affect geopolitical relations within Asia? Will nations turn to China and seek protection by trading with each other? The happy snaps a week ago of the trade ministers ...2 weeks ago
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- Event noticeboard: folk in a church hall, whimsical sculpture and a 1995 party
The Spinoff’s top picks of events from around the motu. This week some sad research landed in my inbox. A report found that 75% of New Zealanders are tightening their purse strings when it comes to socialising. The casualties are dining out, going to cafes, weekend getaways and going to ...2 days ago - Hone Harawira criticises Te Pāti Māori candidate Pere Huriwai-Seger for confronting Casey Costello
The activist and MP has criticised Pere Huriwai-Seger, who ran on Te Pāti Māori's list in 2023 for after exchange with the NZ First MP. ...2 days ago - Does hollow chocolate taste better than solid chocolate? A definitive ruling
The same ingredients with a wildly different outcome. I’m at the ready to answer life’s big questions. Should you dump him? Yes. What happens when we die? Worms. What is time? Quick. Will I ever be happy? Yes. Do Easter eggs taste better than a block of chocolate? Yes. No. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand To Nearly Double Military Spending
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made clear that even more money will be made available, telling the media the $12 billion figure “is the floor, not the ceiling, of funding for our defence force.” ...2 days ago - ‘Best farmers in the world’: Christopher Luxon praises New Zealand’s agriculture s...
"We are the best farmers in the world," the prime miister says. ...2 days ago
- ‘I’ll dedicate it to David Seymour’: Taite Music Prize winner Mokotron on what comes next
The day after winning the Taite Music Prize, Tiopira McDowell aka Mokotron tells Lyric Waiwiri-Smith about his dreams of turning his ‘meth lab’ looking garage into a studio, and why he might dedicate his next record to the leader of the Act Party. A music awards ceremony one day, a ...2 days ago
- What mould means: exploring the connection between housing and health
Housing is one of the main determinants of health, but it’s not always straightforward to fix. Keeping our houses dry, warm and draught-free may not be something that, when the sun is high in the sky and our winter clothing is packed away, many of us are busy thinking about. ...2 days ago
- Help Me Hera: How do I come out as a ‘Disney Millennial’?
I’m sick of feeling ashamed of something that brings me so much joy. Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera, When I think of my childhood, I think of Disney. One of my earliest memories was getting dressed up as Snow White and prancing around for my ...2 days ago
- Govt considers compensating Chathams for ‘confiscated’ fishing quota
Islanders have long memories of Wellington politicians denying them their land, their autonomy, even their vote – but the modern-day seizure of their fisheries is a raw wound The post Govt considers compensating Chathams for ‘confiscated’ fishing quota appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago - ‘They are like my children’: research reveals 4 types of indoor plant owners. Which one are you?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brianna Le Busque, Lecturer in Environmental Science, University of South Australia maramorosz/Shutterstock Walk into any home or workplace today, and you’re likely to find an array of indoor plants. The global market for indoor plants is growing fast – projected to ...2 days ago - Finance Minister Nicola Willis tells Reserve Bank to ‘show some restraint’ as budget sla...
The budget has been slashed by about 25 percent. ...2 days ago
- Cracks in social cohesion – the major parties must commit to reinvigorating multiculturalism
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Jakubowicz, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Technology Sydney In the run up to the May 3 election, questions are being raised about the value of multiculturalism as a public policy in Australia. They’ve been prompted by community tensions arising from ...2 days ago
- State of the states: six experts on how the campaign is playing out around Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney The federal election campaign has passed the halfway mark, with politicians zig-zagging across the country to spruik their policies and achievements. Where politicians choose to visit (and not visit) give us ...2 days ago
- People are ‘microdosing’ weight-loss drugs. A GP explains what to watch out for
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University MillaF/Shutterstock Injectable medications originally developed for the treatment of diabetes are also effective for weight loss, and have surged in popularity for this purpose around the world. In Australia, Ozempic is approved for ...2 days ago
- With the end of Flybuys NZ, what happens to the personal data of nearly 3 million Kiwis?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Katerina Asher, Doctoral Candidate, Business School, University of Sydney JuSun/Getty Images After almost three decades in New Zealand, loyalty programme Flybuys announced it would be closing in 2024. The company behind the scheme, Loyalty New Zealand, has since entered ...2 days ago
- New Aussie film The Correspondent is an extraordinary retelling of Peter Greste’s story
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Jean Baker, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Monash University Maslow Entertainment The Correspondent is a film every journalist should see. There are no spoiler alerts. It is based on the globally-publicised jailing in Cairo in 2013 of Australian journalist Peter ...2 days ago
- Health NZ report admits poor management of hospital facilities
A Health NZ report says it "cannot effectively plan for asset renewals, replacements or optimise maintenance strategies". ...2 days ago
- Hospitals to be rebuilt in four stages under new $20b plan
Hospitals nationwide are set for upgrades – though at a more sedate pace than some might have hoped, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A blueprint for rebuilding After years of warnings and stocktakes, the government has ...2 days ago
- NZ First donor launches airline war on Chatham Islands
Visiting government and business leaders, disembarking an Air Force Hercules, were met this week by the unexpected sight of a big fresh-painted Boeing 737 freighter unloading at Chatham Island’s tiny airport.The growing trans-Tasman freight firm Texel Air took delivery of the 737-800 jet last month, taking its fleet to six ...2 days ago
- Defunding the police is good policy, actually
Suggestions of defunding the police have sparked uproar but it’s a sensible and noble goal, argue two crime researchers. When we both first saw the “attack” ads put up by some combination of the Sensible Sentencing Trust and the Campaign Company, we couldn’t fully grasp the framing of an “attack” ...2 days ago
- The Beehive is lauding a big drop in violent crime. But what do the stats really say?
This week, a dramatic dip in the number of victims of violent crime was revealed, a remarkable turnaround in just eight months that the government was quick to take credit for. But, as Alice Neville explains, crime data is far from clear-cut. In September last year, the government announced a ...2 days ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 17 April
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Act left out of loop on PM’s tariff alliance plans
As Christopher Luxon disputes claims of tariff plan disagreement, another coalition partner says it was in the dark The post Act left out of loop on PM’s tariff alliance plans appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 17 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.Keep playing
Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 17 April 2 days ago - Faith, hope and chocolate eggs
Chocolate eggs. Debates over shop opening hours. Traffic congestion as Kiwis take advantage of four days off in a row. Often it’s the last of the summer weather, or the first of the winter blast.This is the Easter break in New Zealand that most people recognise.But it’s not the same ...2 days ago
- Get ready for even more Shein and Temu ads as Trump tariffs bite
Hefty charges will apply to cheap packages heading into the US from China from May 2, disrupting some of the world’s largest retailers The post Get ready for even more Shein and Temu ads as Trump tariffs bite appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Peters’ desperation is PM’s gain
Comment: Treaty Principles Bill defeat and global campaign against Trump’s tariffs have given PM chance to assert himself over coalition The post Peters’ desperation is PM’s gain appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Act’s ‘happy Māori’ AI image sparks internal change
An Act Party ad celebrating household savings under its Government used an AI-generated image titled ‘Happy Maori couple sits comfortably in a cozy living light room, generated ai’.There is nothing to stop a party from using an artificial image without disclosing it, per the Electoral Commission, and this is not ...2 days ago
- Seymour seeks to spark a new ‘culture war’
After months of dealing with protesters in their masses, David Seymour is almost disappointed when his critics don’t show up in sufficient volume.Speaking at a lunchtime event, the Act Party leader says there has been “at least a 95 percent reduction in Gaza protesters since the last time I spoke ...2 days ago
- Book of the Week: Naomi walks the earth
Down at the local hall a 50-strong community meeting had just finished and the crowd was milling around, catching up, pouring itself a last glass of wine, before home to bed. Two women came up to me wanting a conversation about Te Araroa, and I mentioned I’d just then finished ...2 days ago
- Fiji defence minister draws flak for six-week trip to meet peacekeepers
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs is facing a backlash after announcing that he was undertaking a multi-country, six-week “official travel overseas” to visit Fijian peacekeepers in the Middle East. Pio Tikoduadua’s supporters say he should “disregard critics” for his commitment to Fijian peacekeepers, which “highlights a ...2 days ago
- Election Diary: there were a couple of ‘moments’ in second Albanese-Dutton encounter
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two “moments” stuck out in Wednesday’s leaders’ debate, the second head-to-head of the campaign. Peter Dutton cut his losses over his faux pas this week when he wrongly named Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto as having ...2 days ago
- Second leaders’ debate is a tame affair befitting a ‘deeply uninspiring’ campaign
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Marks, Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships, Western Sydney University Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have had their second showdown of the 2025 federal election campaign. The debate, hosted by the ABC, was moderated by David Speers in ...2 days ago
- Poll shows Australians hate Trump policies and have lost trust in US, but still strongly believe in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australians strongly disagree with key policies of US President Donald Trump, and have overwhelmingly lost trust in the United States to act responsibly in the world, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2025 poll. Despite ...2 days ago
- NZ’s Palestine Forum calls on Luxon to take ‘firm stand’ over Israeli atrocities with temporar...
Asia Pacific Report A Palestinian advocacy group has called on NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters to take a firm stand for international law and human rights by following the Maldives with a ban on visiting Israelis. Maher Nazzal, chair of the Palestine Forum of New ...2 days ago
- Bipartisanship On The Field And In The House
MPs from across the political spectrum reveal they're a surprisingly collegial bunch. ...2 days ago
- Callaghan Innovation confirms 67 more potential job cuts as it disestablishes
The entity confirmed consultation had begun to disestablish another 67 roles, bringing the total number of roles that could be axed to 107. ...2 days ago
- Global Push Back Against Gender Equality A Growing Crisis In Aotearoa
Barriers to gender equality exist in many forms and in New Zealand, these barriers are worse for Māori, Pasifika, Asian, migrant, refugee, disabled, LGBTQIA+ and rural women, and Government action is required. ...2 days ago
- We compared the Labor and Coalition’s income tax proposals to see who benefits most
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra Shutterstock We now have the competing bids for our votes by the alternative governments on income tax policy. From Labor, future cuts to the lowest marginal ...2 days ago
- Half of Australian landlords sell their investments after 2 years, adding to renters’ insecurity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjodh B. Singh, Senior Economics and Finance Lecturer, Curtin University Marc Bruxelle/Shutterstock Australia’s renters have to battle rising rents and a lack of available properties. They also face ongoing instability. Our new research suggests half of all landlords sell their investment ...2 days ago
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