Shock horror, Ardern chooses to keeps her mask on
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9:37 am, November 11th, 2021 - 79 comments
Categories: covid-19, jacinda ardern, making shit up, Media, social media lolz, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, uncategorized, you couldn't make this shit up -
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The Deranged Ardren Syndrome vibe is strong today. But not from a UN Agenda 21 George Soros is funding a World Government takeover and Bill Gates is putting chips in your vaccine anti vaxxer, it is from a senior reporter with the Herald.
Dear Reader, Barry Soper has accused the Prime Minister of, wait for this, not taking her mask off when she was inside visiting a vaccination centre in South Auckland.
He said this:
At her chat with the media at a Pacific youth vaccination event yesterday she unusually chose to keep her mask on, saying she did it because she was indoors. With the media well out of spitting distance, I wondered what the caution was all about.
I won’t link to his column. It does not deserve the clicks.
Both times I was vaccinated thanks to the good people at Te Whanau o Waipareira everyone, and I mean everyone, in the vaccination centre wore a mask. If Jacinda did not wear a mask then no doubt Barry would have criticised her for it.
The rest of his article was a regurgitation of National and Act attacks on Ardern for not travelling to Auckland and criticism of her for catching an Air Force Flight and visiting an Avondale Engineering firm. He repeats the National attack line that Ardern does not understand what it has been like living in Auckland recently. He would prefer that she zoomed back and forth and went into lockdown continuously. Memo to Barry the Internet lets you know exactly and in real time what is happening throughout the nation. Four Cabinet Ministers stayed in Auckland during the lockdown. And I prefer that Ardern has the time and head space to guide the country through what is a particularly challenging time.
Soper has a major snitch with the Government right now. I wish that all reporters understood that their primary role is to report the news and not try and make the news.
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- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...2 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...3 weeks ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...13 hours ago - Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...16 hours ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...18 hours ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...19 hours ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...20 hours ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...21 hours ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...22 hours ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...1 day ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...1 day ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...2 days ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...2 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...2 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...2 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...2 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...3 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...3 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...3 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...3 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...4 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...5 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...6 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...6 days ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...7 days ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...7 days ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...7 days ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...7 days ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...7 days ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...1 week ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- Kiwi exporters win as NZ-EU FTA enters into forceKiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...1 week ago
- Mining resurgence a welcome signThere are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...1 week ago
- Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passes first readingThe return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...1 week ago
- Government to boost public EV charging networkEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...1 week ago
- Residential Property Managers Bill to not progressThe coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...1 week ago
- Independent review into disability support servicesThe Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...1 week ago
- 'Completely stupid' – ex-Tuvalu PM on Shane Jones' oil and gas comments
Enele Sopoaga - who still serves as an MP in Tuvalu - says the climate crisis is the "main enemy". ...45 mins ago - School lunch revamp: 'The biggest waiting list since 2018'Up to 10,000 more hungry children under five will become eligible for free lunches under the government's revised lunches in schools programme. ...1 hour ago
- Book of the Week: Ashleigh Young on an extinction event
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...1 hour ago - A ‘sponge city’ may be your home in 2050
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...1 hour ago - Tikanga is the first law of Aotearoa
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.” – Ani Mikaere ...2 hours ago - ‘Your agency is taken away’: When endometriosis treatment changes without your consentIn 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...2 hours ago
- Levels of litigation rising with economic hardshipOne of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...2 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- China challenges must be managed if opportunities are to be sustainedOpinion: A continuation of the previous Labour government’s ‘China-plus’ diversification strategy The post China challenges must be managed if opportunities are to be sustained appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- IRD chases decades-old student debt for woman who never went to universityWhen Clara Owen first received a debt notice from Inland Revenue in 2018 she wondered if it was a scam The post IRD chases decades-old student debt for woman who never went to university appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- Green shoots prunedComment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...2 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 9 MayThe post Daily crossword, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- How the Greens could be contendersOpinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- The ‘war on drugs’ is really a ‘war on people who use drugs’ – and it doesn’t workOpinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...2 hours ago
- David Seymour – not the associate education minister you expectedAnalysis: David Seymour’s school lunches programme goes further than Labour’s The post David Seymour – not the associate education minister you expected appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- Wayne Brown’s port deal seeks to end five years of dramaSeeking a mandated shift for Port of Auckland before he was mayor, Wayne Brown has tried demanding huge returns and leasing operations The post Wayne Brown’s port deal seeks to end five years of drama appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 hours ago
- DoC set to cut permanent jobs on Chatham IslandsIn the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...2 hours ago
- Gas is good until 2050 and beyond, under Albanese gas strategySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...6 hours ago
- Politics with Michelle Grattan: James Paterson on prospects for passage of the government’s deport...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...11 hours ago
- NZCTU Launch Project To Set Out Alternative Vision For Aotearoa
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...13 hours ago - Yes, Australia’s big supermarkets have been price gouging. But fixing the problem won’t be easySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...13 hours ago
- The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...13 hours ago
- Senate report on lobbying passes the buck on improving transparency or legislationSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...13 hours ago
- Ngāti Toa rallies against Fast Track Approvals BillIwi would not allow the government to degrade its whenua, moana or awa for the purpose of urban development, ministers were told. ...14 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Labour MP apologises over 'offensive' Hamas tweet to SeymourDuncan Webb had queried if the ACT leader did not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas. ...14 hours ago
- Australia’s Eurovision entry this year is the first to sing in First Nations language: meet Electr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...15 hours ago
- Labour claims win as govt commits to new free school lunches modelThe Labour Party is claiming a win for its campaign that the government commit to keeping and funding free school lunches. ...15 hours ago
- A definitive list of woke and non-woke foodsIn announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...16 hours ago
- Future of the planet more important than the Greens survival, former co-leader James Shaw saysFormer Green Party co-leader James Shaw calls out tribalism and hyper-partisanship - including in his own party. ...16 hours ago
- Fourth urgent inquiry by the Waitangi Tribunal, this time on Māori wardsThe Tribunal is conducting another urgent inquiry into plans to require councils to hold a binding referendum on Māori wards. ...17 hours ago
- NCSC Briefs IPAC Representatives On Response To Malicious Cyber ActivityThe Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...17 hours ago
- How is China being taught at Australian universities? And why does this matter? Here’s what our re...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...17 hours ago
- Saving the Mary River turtle: how the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic speciesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...17 hours ago
- Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...17 hours ago
- Neuroaffirming care values the strengths and differences of autistic people, those with ADHD or othe...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...17 hours ago
- ‘Reckless’ kina devaluation spells disaster for PNG, says NomanePNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...17 hours ago
- Modernising Census – Stats NZFrom today, members of the public can have their say on what Aotearoa New Zealand’s census could look like in the future. ...17 hours ago
- ‘I do love a good funnysad novel’: Jane Arthur on her favourite booksWelcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books. The book I wish I’d written I have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...17 hours ago
- RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildingsCouncil did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says. ...18 hours ago
- War for Wellington: Minister approves sweeping upzoning, rejects heritage changesThe final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...18 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards Analysis – Following the political moneyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz) Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...19 hours ago
- Free school lunches: Year 7 students and above to shift to alternative modelA new interim delivery model will kick in next year to allow time for a full redesign of the scheme before any more money is dedicated. ...19 hours ago
- Rafah ‘last place of safety’ in Gaza, UN aid boss warnsRNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...19 hours ago
- Foreign Affairs minister to lead Pacific delegationThe Foreign Affairs minister is heading on a five-stop Pacific tour, which he says will strengthen New Zealand's engagement in the region. ...19 hours ago
- Why we’re fighting to save Te Huia, the Hamilton-Auckland trainWith funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...19 hours ago
- Greens Call On Government To Keep Same-day Election Enrolment And VotingOn Radio New Zealand this morning, the Justice Minister stated the Government was considering ending election day enrolments. ...20 hours ago
- Many people are feeling ecological grief. How can we help those whose work puts them at risk?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...20 hours ago
- Revitalizing Toronto’s downtown core after COVID-19 greatly benefits the city and the regionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown. (Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...20 hours ago
- Government quiet on costs, building plan for Waikato prison expansionThe extra beds would take longer than the four-years covered in this week's budget announcement to deliver, the Corrections Minister told RNZ. ...20 hours ago
- Chief Electoral Officer Needs To Fall On His SwordResponding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...21 hours ago
- How many productivity apps do I have to use to become more productive?Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations? Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...21 hours ago
- Government considers removing election day voter enrolmentJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith says very few countries allow it, and New Zealand should consider changing the rules. ...21 hours ago
- Beehive Need To Lead By ExampleThe Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...22 hours ago
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Mr Soper was a burnt out hack years ago–a rather bilious type–which NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB seem to specialise in.
How do Govt. MPs put up with him and his reactionary crap? yeah, yeah part of the job and all that–which is why I am not a politician, I’d let him have it.
He was regarded as a bit of an idiot in his press gallery days working for Radio Pacific, prancing about wearing a bow-tie.
Yes, He has taken over from John Armstrong. There will be a bottle of wine soon!!
When churnalists(thanks Gezza) attack the person with molehills…..
From the post:
“Soper has a major snitch with the Government right now.”
………………….
That’s not new. He’s in his sunshine years, reporting to an ever-ageing audience, always looking for relevance & seemingly finding only things to moan & grizzle about. A rather tired-sounding old hack who’s slowing down while other more recent models are racing past him in the glitzy fast lanes.
” I wish that all reporters understood that their primary role is to report the news and not try and make the news.”
…………………..
Forelorn hope, I’m afraid. That horse has well & truly bolted. Some years back.
It’s not just reporters either. It’s news anchors, sports presenters, weather forecastpersons, invetigative journalists, breakfast tv hosts, magazine-style current affairs & after-news short-documentary-harvesting & compilation shows.
Everybody in the public eye in msm online, print, tv & internet media is now promoted as a star in their own right. Pisses me right off. The quality of their work & news analyses seems to dive down in direct proportion to the amount of ego they display or the promotion their employers give them.
Other than that, they’re great❗️
Just go to their annual awards shows & ask them. 💪🏼 🙄 😀
I didn't realise that we have "investigative journalists", or indeed, any sort of journalists any more.
We do, Christopher.
They tend to be described as such by their msm media companies.
And they do produce rare articles & tv docos that look into & report on matters of interest or importance that folk may be unaware of – like slave labour in NZ, sexual harassment in workplaces, “P” etc.
But there are not that many of them, & some of them (eg Patrick Gower) are over-promoted as media stars, imo.
Please please Tiger Mountain, since the passing of Sir Paul Holmes Old Barely has been 'Father and Protector of the Nation'…….do not cast snide upon this venerable whatever he is.
Don't you worry about 'Bazza' …about to become a father again @70!
The man from Gore is still ….potent!
Soper is suffering Right Wing born to rule envy.
The few right wing supporters are crying in their beersies screeching Jacinda this Jacinda that. When the best their leader can do is muster support from Brian Tamaki ,bike gangs,the Mongrel Mob and Gloriavale.
Question MS
Why did the PM bother coming to Auckland?
It was a waste of time, failed as a PR exercise.
I just don't see the point.
Last week bossy boots Collins was telling Jacinda she should be in Auckland now the minions are moaning.
Maybe go see the areas that her government policies are affecting the most rather than a factory still working
JA was finally able to fit Auckland into her schedule. Her electorate is there.
I heard she lived in Auckland.
If Ardern had been in Auckland he would have been complaining she was in Wellington. Not only that, no doubt he would have had it as her "running away."
I saw his column headed "Paranoid' PM " and realised it was probably another opportunity for him to show the world that more of his marbles had been lost.
His claims are bullshit about the flights too
Air NZ is only operating a skeleton service between Wellington Auckland, just 2 flights per day …all in the morning
So no hope of getting back after a day of engagements in Auckland.
Sounds like the Air Force is doing a shuttle service for defence MIQ people ..coming back from Auckland too.
He doesnt understand how flights operate. But then hes been in full bullshit mode for some time.
In his story list going back into last year . Barely a word about Judith Collins leadership of national and its road to nowhere
Except :"Soper: Collins should have been elected Nats leader two years ago
Thats often a sign to me that hes got Collins as a source for his stories. First rule of political journos is – dont burn your sources
There has got to be more ways to keep the news interesting than this.
Bad luck Ad, Barry does not deal in news, just bile.
Soper is in a bind. He has to continue his attack on Jacinda because she is doing pretty well in trying circumstances. He has to invent "failure" to "bring her down." Wonder if they threw tennis balls at him?
Imo . Soper has never recovered from having his supercilious arse handed to him by Jacinda in her first press conference as leader.
Gone from front row- barking out the first question .- Soper has been reduced to bitching to Hosking about not being chosen to ask a question.
Archetypal bully boy / sook.
Isn't "bring her down" treason?
this is the guy who is fixated with questions about people using toilets under alert level 3.2 yeah?
seems like he is providing a continuing supply of toilet paper anyway
People may like to read my comment on Open Mike today regarding my personal witnessing of Barry Soper's atrocious behaviour at Parliament some years ago. I have viewed him with contempt ever since.
Yes Reality, Conversations in that home must be colourful indeed.
He was particularly incoherent at a late 4pm press conference last week, does anyone here know how early he starts drinking?
It's his belligerent behavior where he shouts over the response to his loaded questions.
Not going your way Baz….diddums.
It would be a waste of time IF the rest weren’t doing the gotcha game but that’s the low bar we have in the MSM
Does Soper have a 3 year old at home to consider?
Maybe Soper needs a Covid test incase his pregnant partner is at risk of getting Covid.
I really do not like to comment on the private life of people when they have a public profile, however Covid has no boundaries.
" I wish that all reporters understood that their primary role is to report the news and not try and make the news."
I agree with that comment. Can you please let Tova O'Brien know.
It’s way more people than just Tova, imo:
.https://thestandard.org.nz/shock-horror-ardern-chooses-to-keeps-her-mask-on/#comment-1832570
The Herald keep trying to get me to buy their newspaper,
Sops Hosk Preeble and a few others are reasons why
I won’t contemplate it.
The sad thing… once upon a time (i.e. a good twenty years ago or more), Soper wasn't like this, and actually behaved like a proper journalist. Goodness knows what has got into him.
His employer.
They want extreme opinions now as it 'drives listener engagement' or other such corporate double speak
Prime Minister Adern is welcome to keep her mask on. It is her choice.
However, a fucking air force jet in and out and only visiting one cultural exhibition and one business?
Why not a walk down queen st? or through the viaduct? too scary for her after the misery she's forced down Aucklands gullet?
It's more apparent everyday there is no leadership in this government. Just weak willed, spineless meandering. plain ordinary my grandmother would say.
Took a weee while for everyone else to catch on.. Auckland is very angry.
Middle class people who are now vaccinated and feel bullet proof want to resume their privileged life and their one sided class war on the poor, we get it.
Of course this Delta shit is entirely optional as is all that gullet intubation and tortured struggling for breath and grave digging and cremation. Oh yes. Entirely optional. Do your research !
Yes agree totally. Either of your suggestions would have made the trip more worthwhile.
Rubbish! The only thing that would have satisfied you Righties would have been a walk of shame the length of Queen Street. You’re actually out of touch with most Aucklanders, let alone NZers.
I'm in Auckland and very much in touch. Being locked down for 3 months tends to turn many people against the person who has locked them down.
Interesting that you refer to a 'walk of shame' as that does sum it up nicely. Would be interesting if she had met with a hairdresser, beautician, restaurant owner, cafe owner or bar / nightclub owner. rather than an engineering firm that had traded through…and it sounds like even that CEO gave her some interesting words of advice on MIQ.
Even Shane Reti had to admit that the majority in his electorate wanted to keep the Auckland border closed.
Even though it is costing us money without Aucklanders spending.
The only words spoken about Jacinda must be grateful and pleasing? Most aucklanders have quietly given up on the rules, and this vocally given up on this government.
The fear of facing that is what kept jacinda off queen st.
The acknowledgement they've lost it's what giving aucklanders a summer holiday.
What is the point of a rule that no one every obeys.
I'm jabbed, i'll wear a mask and i'll sign in. But i'll also go to bbq's and have drinks with my friends and generally get on with my life as best i can. And if you have a problem with that, then fuck you. You obviously haven't lived in lock down for three months.
Apparently there are many Aucklanders who are actually getting about, managing to get to west coast beaches for healthy walks and coping well in the circumstances. Actually getting on with life. It would be interesting to know how many of these "failing" businesses really exist and how many are just creations to fit a narrative. Plenty of subsidies to see them through to better times. Seems European countries that followed the "let's get back to normal" approach are having to double down now.
Odd from Barry… pick your battles mate.
Soper sums up much of what I have been pondering about aging lately. Much as it sounds horrible, we have to start thinking as a society about the social and cultural consequences of so many boomers remaining physically healthy far past the age where their intellectual capacity starts to fade. Sure, you can be seventy and fathering kids but while our physical shape can vary wildly most seventy years old are, well, seventy years old mentally. Sure, there are exceptions but generally anyone with a modicum of self awareness will know at seventy they are not the man they were at fifty in the cognitive department. Cognitive decline sets in from your late fifties and becomes rapid after seventy.
It is hard – especially when you've had a glittering carrer – to admit you've had your day when you health is good and you remember Muldoon. Who else remembers the sad, stumbling old man Brian Edwards became on the panel, pushed around and bullied by Michelle Boag? I was so pleased when he gave it away, and last year I heard him being interviewed on RNZ as a man who has lived a great and interesting life should be – gently, warmly and responding with humour and wisdom. I smiled and listened and enjoyed that, something better to remember a good man by. But let us all just pause and consider that Soper has been around since the mid-1970s, yet Jason Walls wasn't even born until the 1990s. The intellectual landscape/world view of Walls is as incomprensible to Soper and Sopers is to Walls. The bottom line is Soper is well past his prime and now approaching just being past it.
The issue of a boomer gerontocracy is important, because gerontocracy is a cousin to plutocracy. Power concentrated in the hands of old people who usually are also rich by little more than luck of birth will predictably lead to policies that benefit the old and rich. The young are unlikely to get much of a sympathetic hearing or notch up many policy wins from the entrenched wealth and privilege of the boomer generation, just ask Jacinda Ardern and Greta Thunberg! And of course, we all know how the stumbling old men of the Kremlin (and now it seems the ancient congresspeople, senators and presidents of the USA) send clear external signals about the morbidity of the political system they preside over.
Soper used to be great listening – a quarter of a century ago. Now, he is just – in the words of Al Pacino – too old, too slow and too fucking blind.
I think that the time is fast approaching for laws that set in place compulsory retirement ages across industries. No 70 year old has a right to use his position to rail against someone just for being thirty years younger and having the temerity to be the prime minister. I guess that contains an element of ageism, but I guess a bit of ageism is better than watching a bunch of rich and healthy septugenarians, octogenerians and even nonagenarians wreck the place just because they don't want admit they are no longer forty.
Happy Birthday Patricia! And many more.
Cool. The decade ones are always special & worth having a family & friends party over.
Will you hint to us what day it is, on the day, if it’s not already been traversed?
Hi Gezza I have been hoping our son Ross could come from Waikato for it (Sat.) That does not look likely. We have a group of friends we used to golf and travel with who are coming, family can not.
I was not brave enough to go out, as Lakes has low vaccination rates, so I'm doing a lunch here for 8 of us
All the naughty things and the trimmings.
I like to cook, and we are great talkers. Norm and John play all the "good old songs" on the guitars though we need a few buck
s fizz to sing in tune these days. Looking forward to it Cheers Gezza,
(Just sad my brother in NSW can't come, neither can our son in Queensland and Norm's brother in Auckland plus Ross in Waikato but we will zoom and all singalong. Only turn 80 once.)
Sounds awesome. Bet the food’s to die for,
I’ll BE THERE in spirit when someone gives the best speech, Patricia.
Will also raise a glass of something alcoholic to you down here, lass. Probably kahlua & milk, with ice.
Patricia you do not need to be 80 to have a cognitive slip, I have them all the time, I am in my early 60's.
Wishing you all the best for your 80th birthday. I thought you were about 70.
Oh Treetop you have made my day
I feel blessed.
When I had my 50th birthday, my siblings sent me a beautiful bouquet of flowers with a card saying happy birthday Anne you don't look a day over 60.
Ratbags.
Siblings are always bastards like that.
Me n mine can call each other the most outlandish things dating back our sins & embarrassments as babies.
But, as the old adage goes:
Me against my brother & my sister
Me, my brother, & my sister, against our cuzzies,
Me, my brother, & my sister, & my cuzzies, against every other bastard
Yes, I had my 80th birthday recently Patricia and am well aware my brain does not function in the manner it did 20 plus years ago.
One cautionary word. We "septuagenarians and octogenarians " do have historical knowledge and experiences which can be useful to the young ones if they are willing to listen.
Agree with all of you… Would just add that I (only 75) have met a number of 90+ people who seemed to have lost none of their mental sharpness at all. (Unless I have already lost all mine…)
Well-written Sanctuary, and live it up Patricia
True Anne, I often reflect on the wonderful people I had in my life, many now passed away. That is the painful bit.
I really feel for the people in lockdown. That is hard. I spent 6 months in a hospital and was not allowed visitors because we were considered infectious when I had Polio at age 6 in 1947. I was also in an iron lung for a period, so to get to 80 still reasonably well is downright amazing. Yes Anne we have lived the history.
Anne I do not know if my brain will be functioning at 80. I might be worse than Soper.
I thought you were 70 max.
Thanks Treetop.
It'll be a while yet before you need to 'step aside' Patricia
Your eloquence and intelligence is well appreciated.
I hope you have a glorious birthday and
May the road rise up to meet you..
Thank you Brigid. My Irish Granny is smiling.
Soper has problems, but it's not his age. After all, Mike Hosking is in his mid-50s.
One's age is irrelevant to the value of one's opinions (c.f. Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn), and the notion that one has nothing to offer once they turn 70 is absurd and offensive.
Much food for thought. 66 years old, & reasonably tech savvy, wiv me iPad & Galaxy A30 smartphone, using mobile data & free hospital patient wifi, was well connected with the world, pretty well as normal.
Found myself in a shared hospital room for two days with two different older gentlemen. One, 73, spent most of his life in Oz but retired back in Levin. Didn’t know how to use a laptop or smartphone, his 2nd wife in her 60s does that sort of stuff for him. I texted her to get her to call the hospital so he could chat & make arrangements with her to meet him when he was discharged, via Palmy North Hospital, after a 3 hour ambo ride on bumpy roads that he was dreading, the next day
2nd chap I did a double take when I overheard him give his birth year to the nurse as 1924! Yep, he’s 97, still pretty independently mobile, & mentally sharp enuf to query the single dose of his meds that should have been a double, & to hold intelligent conversations with docs & me about anything – except modern comms tech. Another chap who is right out of date & doesn’t use the internet unless someone can do it for him.
They were effectively lost to their whanau while I was chatting & texting & emailng away to my 3 siblings nearly every day.
Yes, so families without that did it hard.
Adults pass through three major phases of their life – a physical prime, an intellectual prime and finally a spiritual prime.
All indigenous societies understood this.
Nice comment RL.
The AirForce jet thing has another dimension, while it was relocating people to Auckland and took along the PM and back to Welly it only had to do another 100 kms back to Ohakea, all well and good but it probably does a lot of kms with nobody on board other than crew as the crew needs to do a fixed number of hours every month to maintain skills etc. So probably nothing wasted or better still, 2 jobs for the price of one. That Jacinda eh, always careful with the money. Good on you JA
Not based at Ohakea
MIQ hotels mostly In Auckland, but Army has bases at Trentham in wellington and Linton outside Palmerston North
Take defence force staff to Auckland( with Ardern) , turn around fly back to Wellington ( with personel finishing their 2 week stint and Ardern ) and return to Auckland where its based. The timing is to suit Arderns timetable
The idea of flying that way to avoid covid is absurd , as Ardern has flown commercial to other cities in level 2.
Replying to Sanctuary , I love telling my cohort when they complain about the young having fun or doing anything, and “ as for Marri being spoken every bloody where! “ It’s not your world now it is theirs, and the ones I know are far more tolerant, accepting and inclusive than we ever were so just STFU and relax, drink your beer, if you can keep it down and, watch them make a better world than we left them.
Absolutely Adrian!
Grammatical quibble MickySavage.
The phrase "Deranged Ardren Syndrome" should probably be rearranged/corrected to "Ardern Derangement Syndrome" (ADS).
Or maybe IMHOA (irrational misogynistic hatred of Ardern)??
Haley Wotsherface on 1Ewes at 6 just announced that Kimberly Downs, their “cricket tragic” “has been up since before sparrow’s fart” (& then something about the Black Caps who -.unless they’re playing rugger for a benefit, or some kind of amplified musical instrument – I generally pay no attention to).
“Sparrow’s fart”? Is THIS the kind of language we now need to expect from our tv sportscaster stars❓
I always knew that dog saying “Bugger” on the Hi-lux ad was the start of a slippery slope. 😠 😀
There are sprtscaster "stars"?
OBTW my dog often swears at me using other words as well. I will not repeat them.
I have no idea how she learnt them.
At least hayley was an Olympian.