Posts Tagged ‘authority’
Que CERRA, CERRA?
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 pm, September 29th, 2010 - 63 comments
After picking up my award for worst ever ‘Standard’ post title, I’d just like to say that there seems to a penchant these days to leave too many things up to higher powers, or perceived authorities. And authorities and those who are ideologically aligned with them or reliant upon them, naturally enough encourage such a giving away of agency. It’s not always deliberate. And it’s certainly not a conspiracy. It’s just the way it is and is borne of habit. This morning afforded a fairly clear example of it.
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- Wayne Wright Jr Celebrates His Increasing Political Fortunes with Sean Plunket – Who Does Your...
2 hours ago - Missive from the Fires
Hi,Right now the power is out, so I’m just relying on the laptop battery and tethering to my phone’s 5G which is dropping in and out. We’ll see how we go.First up — I’m fine. I can’t see any flames out the window. I live in the greater Hollywood area ...2 hours ago
- Mood of the Workforce Survey 2025
2024 was a tough year for working Kiwis. But together we’ve been able to fight back for a just and fair New Zealand and in 2025 we need to keep standing up for what’s right and having our voices heard. That starts with our Mood of the Workforce Survey. It’s your ...23 hours ago - Pumpkin Day
Time is never time at allYou can never ever leaveWithout leaving a piece of youthAnd our lives are forever changedWe will never be the sameThe more you change, the less you feelSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan.Babinden - Baba’s DayToday, January 8th, 2025, is Babinden, “The Day of the baba” or “The ...24 hours ago - How Do We Fight Back?
Hi,New Zealand multi-billionaire Nick Mowbray continues to tweet at me, seemingly still unhappy about my Webworm story covering his apparent enthusiasm for far right, anti-Islam campaigner Tommy Robinson.Mowbray can be a bit hard to follow at the best of times, but I think this is a billionaire sort of dangling ...1 day ago - Submission on Treaty Principles Bill
..I/We wish to make the following comments:I oppose the Treaty Principles Bill."5. Act binds the CrownThis Act binds the Crown."How does this Act "bind the Crown" when Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which the Act refers to, has been violated by the Crown on numerous occassions, resulting in massive loss of ...2 days ago - Sabin 33 #10 – Will utility-scale solar farms destroy the value of nearby homes?
On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...2 days ago - Q&A with Nick
Everything is good and brownI'm here againWith a sunshine smile upon my faceMy friends are close at handAnd all my inhibitions have disappeared without a traceI'm glad, oh, that I found oohSomebody who I can rely onSongwriter: Jay KayGood morning, all you lovely people. Today, I’ve got nothing except a ...2 days ago - 2025 – The Year Ahead
Welcome to 2025. After wrapping up 2024, here’s a look at some of the things we can expect to see this year along with a few predictions. Council and Elections Elections One of the biggest things this year will be local body elections in October. Will Mayor Wayne Brown ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell On Justin Trudeau’s Demise, In A Global Context
Canadians can take a while to get angry – but when they finally do, watch out. Canada has been falling out of love with Justin Trudeau for years, and his exit has to be the least surprising news event of the New Year. On recent polling, Trudeau’s Liberal party has ...2 days ago - Climate news to watch in 2025
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Much like 2023, many climate and energy records were broken in 2024. It was Earth’s hottest year on record by a wide margin, breaking the previous record that was set just last year by an even larger margin. Human-caused climate-warming pollution and ...3 days ago
- Submitted!
Submissions on National's racist, white supremacist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill are due tomorrow! So today, after a good long holiday from all that bullshit, I finally got my shit together to submit on it. As I noted here, people should write their own submissions in their own ...3 days ago - The Treaty Principles Bill
My submission - made at the last moment because I'm a neurodivergent millennial - on David Seymour's terrible legislation. ...3 days ago - Rich Opinions
Ooh, baby (ooh, baby)It's making me crazy (it's making me crazy)Every time I look around (look around)Every time I look around (every time I look around)Every time I look aroundIt's in my faceSongwriters: Alan Leo Jansson / Paul Lawrence L. Fuemana.Today, I’ll be talking about rich, middle-aged men who’ve made ...3 days ago - 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #01
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 29, 2024 thru Sat, January 4, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...4 days ago
- “It’s Sad Watching Desperate Dave”
Hi,The thing that stood out at me while shopping for Christmas presents in New Zealand was how hard it was to avoid Zuru products. Toy manufacturer Zuru is a bit like Netflix, in that it has so much data on what people want they can flood the market with so ...4 days ago - RIP Dame Tariana Turia
And when a child is born into this worldIt has no conceptOf the tone of skin it's living inAnd there's a million voicesAnd there's a million voicesTo tell you what you should be thinkingSong by Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour.The moment you see that face, you can hear her voice; ...5 days ago - Quality Ministers
While we may not always have quality political leadership, a couple of recently published autobiographies indicate sometimes we strike it lucky. When ranking our prime ministers, retired professor of history Erik Olssen commented that ‘neither Holland nor Nash was especially effective as prime minister – even his private secretary thought ...6 days ago - Tennis Court
Baby, be the class clownI'll be the beauty queen in tearsIt's a new art form, showin' people how little we care (yeah)We're so happy, even when we're smilin' out of fearLet's go down to the tennis court and talk it up like, yeah (yeah)Songwriters: Joel Little / Ella Yelich O ...6 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #1 2025
Open access notables Why Misinformation Must Not Be Ignored, Ecker et al., American Psychologist: Recent academic debate has seen the emergence of the claim that misinformation is not a significant societal problem. We argue that the arguments used to support this minimizing position are flawed, particularly if interpreted (e.g., by policymakers or the public) as suggesting ...7 days ago
- My Year In Recall
What I’ve Been Doing: I buried a close family member.What I’ve Been Watching: Andor, Jack Reacher, Xmas movies.What I’ve Been Reflecting On: The Usefulness of Writing and the Worthiness of Doing So — especially as things become more transparent on their own.I also hate competing on any day, and if ...7 days ago - The forgotten story of Jimmy Carter’s White House solar panels
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by John Wihbey. A version of this article first appeared on Yale Climate Connections on Nov. 11, 2008. (Image credits: The White House, Jonathan Cutrer / CC BY 2.0; President Jimmy Carter, Trikosko/Library of Congress; Solar dedication, Bill Fitz-Patrick / Jimmy Carter Library; Solar ...7 days ago
- Medley
Morena folks,We’re having a good break, recharging the batteries. Hope you’re enjoying the holiday period. I’m not feeling terribly inspired by much at the moment, I’m afraid—not from a writing point of view, anyway.So, today, we’re travelling back in time. You’ll have to imagine the wavy lines and sci-fi sound ...1 week ago - 2024 Reading Summary: The List
Completed reads for 2024: Oration on the Dignity of Man, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola A Platonic Discourse Upon Love, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola Of Being and Unity, by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola The Life of Pico della Mirandola, by Giovanni Francesco Pico Three Letters Written by Pico ...1 week ago - New Year Resolution: 2025 cannot simply be a repeat of what made 2024 an intolerable farce.
Welcome to 2025, Aotearoa. Well… what can one really say? 2024 was a story of a bad beginning, an infernal middle and an indescribably farcical end. But to chart a course for a real future, it does pay to know where we’ve been… so we know where we need ...1 week ago - 2024 – Blog views by country
Welcome to the official half-way point of the 2020s. Anyway, as per my New Years tradition, here’s where A Phuulish Fellow’s blog traffic came from in 2024: United States United Kingdom New Zealand Canada Sweden Australia Germany Spain Brazil Finland The top four are the same as 2023, ...1 week ago
- 2024 Reading Summary: December (+ Writing Update)
Completed reads for December: Be A Wolf!, by Brian Strickland The Magic Flute [libretto], by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Emanuel Schikaneder The Invisible Eye, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Owl’s Ear, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Waters of Death, by Erckmann-Chatrian The Spider, by Hanns Heinz Ewers Who Knows?, by Guy de Maupassant ...1 week ago
- 2024 – A Year in Review
Well, it’s the last day of the year, so it’s time for a quick wrap-up of the most important things that happened in 2024 for urbanism and transport in our city. A huge thank you to everyone who has visited the blog and supported us in our mission to make ...1 week ago
- Nick’s Awards – 2024
Leave your office, run past your funeralLeave your home, car, leave your pulpitJoin us in the streets where weJoin us in the streets where weDon't belong, don't belongHere under the starsThrowing light…Song: Jeffery BuckleyToday, I’ll discuss the standout politicians of the last 12 months. Each party will receive three awards, ...1 week ago - Webworm’s 2024 Year In Review
Hi,A lot’s happened this year in the world of Webworm, and as 2024 comes to an end I thought I’d look back at a few of the things that popped. Maybe you missed them, or you might want to revisit some of these essay and podcast episodes over your break ...1 week ago - Those Metal Motherfuckers: Cinema in the Year of AI
Hi,I wanted to share this piece by film editor Dan Kircher about what cinema has been up to in 2024.Dan edited my documentary Mister Organ, as well as this year’s excellent crowd-pleasing Bookworm.Dan adores movies. He gets the language of cinema, he knows what he loves, and writes accordingly. And ...1 week ago - Xmas then and now.
Without delving into personal details but in order to give readers a sense of the year that was, I thought I would offer the study in contrasts that are Xmas 2023 and Xmas 2024: Xmas 2023 in Starship Children’s Hospital (after third of four surgeries). Even opening presents was an ...1 week ago - a/b/o and worldbuilding
Heavy disclaimer: Alpha/beta/omega dynamics is a popular trope that’s used in a wide range of stories and my thoughts on it do not apply to all cases. I’m most familiar with it through the lens of male-focused fanfic, typically m/m but sometimes also featuring m/f and that’s the situation I’m ...1 week ago - YouTube’s Biggest Star “Mr Beast” Has Made a Massive Turd
Hi,Webworm has been pretty heavy this year — mainly because the world is pretty heavy. But as we sprint (or limp, you choose) through the final days of 2024, I wanted to keep Webworm a little lighter.So today I wanted to look at one of the biggest and weirdest elements ...1 week ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #52
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 22, 2024 thru Sat, December 28, 2024. This week's roundup is the second one published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, ...2 weeks ago
- The End of the Horrifying Chris Luxon Painting Saga
Hi,Webworm has been following occasional artist (and Webworm writer) Josh Drummond’s unnerving portrait of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon since he first listed it on TradeMe.Back on October 1, Webworm broke the news that the painting had been removed from online auction site TradeMe for reasons that included not ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change Christmas
We’ll have a climate change ChristmasFrom now until foreverWarming our hearts and mindsAnd planet all togetherSpirits high and oceans higherChestnuts roast on wildfiresIf coal is on your wishlistMerry Climate Change ChristmasSong by Ian McConnellReindeer emissions are not something I’d thought about in terms of climate change. I guess some significant ...2 weeks ago - KP 2024 year end review.
KP continues to putt-putt along as a tiny niche blog that offers a NZ perspective on international affairs with a few observations about NZ domestic politics thrown in. In 2024 there was also some personal posts given that my son was in the last four months of a nine month ...2 weeks ago
- Madman Across the Water
I can see very wellThere's a boat on the reef with a broken backAnd I can see it very wellThere's a joke and I know it very wellIt's one of those that I told you long agoTake my word I'm a madman, don't you knowSongwriters: Bernie Taupin / Elton JohnIt ...2 weeks ago - Nikki Noboats adrift – have the wheels finally fallen off this inept government?
.Acknowledgement: Tim PrebbleThanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work..With each passing day of bad headlines, squandering tax revenue to enrich the rich, deep cuts to our social services and a government struggling to keep the lipstick on its neo-liberal pig ...2 weeks ago - A turn to the Big Stick.
This is from the 36th Parallel social media account (as brief food for thought). We know that Trump is ahistorical at best but he seems to think that he is Teddy Roosevelt and can use the threat of invoking the Monroe Doctrine and “Big Stick” gunboat diplomacy against Panama and ...2 weeks ago
- Time is an illusion
Don't you cry tonightI still love you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightDon't you cry tonightThere's a heaven above you, babyAnd don't you cry tonightSong: Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin“Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so”, said possibly the greatest philosopher ever to walk this earth, Douglas Adams.We have entered the ...2 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #52 2024
Open access notables Trends in Oceanic Precipitation Characteristics Inferred From Shipboard Present-Weather Reports, 1950–2019, Tran & Petty, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres: Although ship reports are susceptible to subjective interpretation, the inferred distributions of these phenomena are consistent with observations from other platforms such as satellites and coastal surface stations. ...2 weeks ago
- Todd Stephenson and Stephen Rainbow: David Farrar’s Ideological Plant In The Human Rights Commissi...
In 2018, David Farrar wrote a series of suggestions on Kiwiblog as to how the far right might best promote freedom of speech as a method of limiting other civil rights (in this particular case, academic freedom, a campaign that has just paid off this this month as David Seymour ...2 weeks ago - A Magical Time of Year
Because you're magicYou're magic people to meSong: Dave Para/Molly Para.Morena all, I hope you had a good day yesterday, however you spent it. Today, a few words about our celebration and a look at the various messages from our politicians.A Rockel XmasChristmas morning was spent with the five of us ...2 weeks ago - Climate Adam: 2024 Through the Eyes of a Climate Scientist
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). 2024 has been a series of bad news for climate change. From scorching global temperatures leading to devastating ...2 weeks ago
- Merry Christmas To All Bowalley Road Readers.
Ríu Ríu ChíuRíu Ríu Chíu is a Spanish Christmas song from the 16th Century. The traditional carol would likely have passed unnoticed by the English-speaking world had the made-for-television American band The Monkees not performed the song as part of their special Christmas show back in 1967. The show's ...2 weeks ago - Merry Christmas: 2024
Dunedin’s summer thus far has been warm and humid… and it looks like we’re in for a grey Christmas. But it is now officially Christmas Day in this time zone, so never mind. This year, I’ve stumbled across an Old English version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: It has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and boasts a glorious soccer reputation with two World ...2 weeks ago
- Meri Kirihimete 2024
Morena all,In my paywalled newsletter yesterday, I signed off for Christmas and wished readers well, but I thought I’d send everyone a quick note this morning.This hasn’t been a good year for our small country. The divisions caused by the Treaty Principles Bill, the cuts to our public sector, increased ...2 weeks ago - Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tues, Dec 24
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30 am include:Kāinga Ora is quietly planning to sell over $1 billion worth of state-owned land under 300 state homes in Auckland’s wealthiest suburbs, including around Bastion Point, to give the Government more fiscal room to pay for tax cuts and reduce borrowing.A ...2 weeks ago - A Birthday Wish!
Hi,It’s my birthday on Christmas Day, and I have a favour to ask.A birthday wish.I would love you to share one Webworm story you’ve liked this year.The simple fact is: apart from paying for a Webworm membership (thank you!), sharing and telling others about this place is the most important ...2 weeks ago - Love, happiness, blur
The last few days have been a bit too much of a whirl for me to manage a fresh edition each day. It's been that kind of year. Hope you don't mind.I’ve been coming around to thinking that it doesn't really matter if you don't have something to say every ...2 weeks ago - All I Want For Christmas
The worms will live in every hostIt's hard to pick which one they eat the mostThe horrible people, the horrible peopleIt's as anatomic as the size of your steepleCapitalism has made it this wayOld-fashioned fascism will take it awaySongwriter: Twiggy Ramirez Read more ...2 weeks ago - The 1 Good Thing Left In Journalism
Hi,It’s almost Christmas Day which means it is almost my birthday, where you will find me whimpering in the corner clutching a warm bottle of Baileys.If you’re out of ideas for presents (and truly desperate) then it is possible to gift a full Webworm subscription to a friend (or enemy) ...2 weeks ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Monday, December 23
This morning’s six standouts for me at 6.30am include:Rachel Helyer Donaldson’s scoop via RNZ last night of cuts to maternity jobs in the health system;Maddy Croad’s scoop via The Press-$ this morning on funding cuts for Christchurch’s biggest food rescue charity;Benedict Collins’ scoop last night via 1News on a last-minute ...2 weeks ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...3 weeks ago
- Dance Magic
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...3 weeks ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...3 weeks ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Are we heading ...3 weeks ago
- As Our Power Lessens: Published
So the Solstice has arrived – Summer in this part of the world, Winter for the Northern Hemisphere. And with it, the publication my new Norse dark-fantasy piece, As Our Power Lessens at Eternal Haunted Summer: https://eternalhauntedsummer.com/issues/winter-solstice-2024/as-our-power-lessens/ As previously noted, this one is very ‘wyrd’, and Northern Theory of Courage. ...3 weeks ago - By Any Other Name.
The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...3 weeks ago
- Bernard’s last Saturday Soliloquy for 2024
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...3 weeks ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on UnsplashEvery morning I get up at 3am to go around the traps of news sites in Aotearoa and globally. I pick out the top ones from my point of view and have been putting them into my Dawn Chorus email, which goes out with a podcast. ...3 weeks ago - 2024 OIA stats
Over on Kikorangi Newsroom's Marc Daalder has published his annual OIA stats. So I thought I'd do mine: 82 OIA requests sent in 2024 7 posts based on those requests 20 average working days to receive a response Ministry of Justice was my most-requested entity, ...3 weeks ago
- Climate Change: A perverse incentive
The government published its first Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement yesterday, and the media has correctly noted that it is missing any plan to actually meet our target. While it hypes domestic emissions reductions so far - which have been good, but will likely get worse thanks to ...3 weeks ago
- Economic Bulletin December 2024
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury and the Budget Policy Statement from the Minister of Finance tell us about the fiscal position and what to ...3 weeks ago
- NZCTU make submission in opposition to Treaty Principles Bill
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have submitted against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, slamming the Bill as a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an attack on tino rangatiratanga and the collective rights of Tangata Whenua. “This Bill seeks to legislate for Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles that are ...3 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2024
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...3 weeks ago
- National’s Greatest Misses 2023-4
National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...3 weeks ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 weeks ago
- 80% reduction in building determination wait times
The time it takes to process building determinations has improved significantly over the last year which means fewer delays in homes being built, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “New Zealand has a persistent shortage of houses. Making it easier and quicker for new homes to be built will ...23 hours ago - Top baby names for 2024
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the annual list of New Zealand’s most popular baby names for 2024. “For the second consecutive year, Noah has claimed the top spot for boys with 250 babies sharing the name, while Isla has returned to the most popular ...24 hours ago
- Enabling works to begin on Westgate Bus Station
Work is set to get underway on a new bus station at Westgate this week. A contract has been awarded to HEB Construction to start a package of enabling works to get the site ready in advance of main construction beginning in mid-2025, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“A new Westgate ...2 days ago
- A nationwide shift towards acting together to stop family and sexual violence
Minister for Children and for Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour is encouraging people to use the resources available to them to get help, and to report instances of family and sexual violence amongst their friends, families, and loved ones who are in need. “The death of a ...2 days ago
- He poroporoaki ki a Kahurangi Tariana Turia
Uia te pō, rangahaua te pō, whakamāramatia mai he aha tō tango, he aha tō kāwhaki? Whitirere ki te ao, tirotiro kau au, kei hea taku rātā whakamarumaru i te au o te pakanga mo te mana motuhake? Au te pō, ngū te pō, ue hā! E te kahurangi māreikura, ...6 days ago
- New qualification a step forward for diabetes care
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says people with diabetes and other painful conditions will benefit from a significant new qualification to boost training in foot care. “It sounds simple, but quality and regular foot and nail care is vital in preventing potentially serious complications from diabetes, like blisters or sores, which can take a long time to heal ...6 days ago
- New year, new medicines
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour is pleased to see Pharmac continue to increase availability of medicines for Kiwis with the government’s largest ever investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the government,” says Mr Seymour. “When this government assumed ...1 week ago
- Māori excel in New Year Honours 2025
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora e mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead. Māori recipients in the New Year 2025 Honours list show comprehensive dedication to improving communities across the motu that ...1 week ago
- Stay fire safe this summer in 2025
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is wishing all New Zealanders a great holiday season as Kiwis prepare for gatherings with friends and families to see in the New Year. It is a great time of year to remind everyone to stay fire safe over the summer. “I know ...1 week ago
- Final-year Fees Free kicks off 1 January 2025
From 1 January 2025, first-time tertiary learners will have access to a new Fees Free entitlement of up to $12,000 for their final year of provider-based study or final two years of work-based learning, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Targeting funding to the final year of study ...2 weeks ago
- Act on family violence and sexual violence over the summer season
“As we head into one of the busiest times of the year for Police, and family violence and sexual violence response services, it’s a good time to remind everyone what to do if they experience violence or are worried about others,” Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence ...2 weeks ago
- Be wise around water this summer
Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the ...2 weeks ago
- Drive safely this summer
The Government is urging Kiwis to drive safely this summer and reminding motorists that Police will be out in force to enforce the road rules, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“This time of year can be stressful and result in poor decision-making on our roads. Whether you are travelling to see ...2 weeks ago
- Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...3 weeks ago
- PM appoints business leader to APEC Business Advisory Council
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...3 weeks ago
- New intelligence oversight appointments
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced four appointments to New Zealand’s intelligence oversight functions. The Honourable Robert Dobson KC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, and the Honourable Brendan Brown KC has been appointed as a Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants. The appointments of Hon Robert Dobson and Hon ...3 weeks ago
- New housing developments able to progress more quickly
Improvements in the average time it takes to process survey and title applications means housing developments can progress more quickly, Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says. “The government is resolutely focused on improving the building and construction pipeline,” Mr Penk says. “Applications to issue titles and subdivide land are ...3 weeks ago
- Actions to speed up air travel delivering results
The Government’s measures to reduce airport wait times, and better transparency around flight disruptions is delivering encouraging early results for passengers ahead of the busy summer period, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Improving the efficiency of air travel is a priority for the Government to give passengers a smoother, more reliable ...3 weeks ago
- Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua
The Government today announced the intended closure of the Apollo Hotel as Contracted Emergency Housing (CEH) in Rotorua, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. This follows a 30 per cent reduction in the number of households in CEH in Rotorua since National came into Government. “Our focus is on ending CEH in the Whakarewarewa area starting ...3 weeks ago
- Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions
The Government will reshape vocational education and training to return decision making to regions and enable greater industry input into work-based learning Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds says. “The redesigned system will better meet the needs of learners, industry, and the economy. It includes re-establishing regional polytechnics that ...3 weeks ago
- Travelling through the UK? You might need to apply for this before you leave
"You don't want to be arriving at the airport and stressing out while you're trying to check in." ...21 minutes ago - Five days to sort your finances: Day 3 – Get rid of debt
In part three of this five-part series, Money Correspondent Susan Edmunds guides you through the basics of getting rid of debt. ...1 hour ago
- Research suggests those who use buy-now-pay-later services end up spending more
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ashish Kumar, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University Przemek Klos/Shutterstock Once, borrowing money to make a purchase was a relatively tedious process, not a spur-of-the-moment thing. True, some stores offered lay-by plans that would let you pay for goods in instalments. But ...1 hour ago - Limit coffee-drinking to this time window to lower early death risk, study suggests
The benefits of coffee consumption on your health could depend on when you drink it, new research has found. ...2 hours ago
- Trump card looms large for foreign policy in 2025
Optimism can sometimes feel in short supply for observers of international relations.With high-profile wars in Ukraine and Gaza (not to mention lesser-heralded conflicts in Myanmar, Sudan and western Africa), ongoing tensions between rival superpowers China and the United States, and a swell of populist and protectionist sentiment, there are no ...4 hours ago - Success comes in small packages after a stroke
In December 2023 I had what now appears to have been a brain seizure. This was followed some months later by three TIAs (mini strokes). Then I had a stroke and after superb diagnosis at Christchurch Hospital I was admitted to Burwood Hospital unable to stand or walk. I had another brain seizure six ...4 hours ago
- NZ has a lot to lose from a polluted orbit
Opinion: The number of satellites and other objects sent into Earth’s orbit is increasing like never before. Before space ends up awash with debris like the ocean, scientists are calling for global agreements to protect orbital space.The United States and China are in a space race, sending thousands of satellites into ...4 hours ago
- How Asia is redefining sports – and why NZ should care
Opinion: Much of my year is spent with academics and policymakers, talking about shifting tectonics across Asia and how New Zealand is responding to changes in demographics, political and economic order, technology, regional security and so on.But one item sometimes left off the list is the immense contribution our sportspeople ...4 hours ago
- Where do Wellington’s top chefs eat on their day off?
Summer reissue: The capital’s best chefs and restaurateurs share their favourite local eateries and hidden gems. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. I have ...4 hours ago - Auckland’s secondhand bookshops, ranked and reviewed
Summer reissue: Shanti Mathias visits and ranks the crème de la crème of Auckland’s secondhand bookshops. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be a member today. From Ponsonby ...5 hours ago
- Celebrating the lynchpin of our democracy, parliament’s online petitions page
Summer reissue: Ban all fireworks. Give everyone fireworks. Rewrite the national anthem. Stop politicians blocking me on social media: parliament’s online petitions page is a trip inside the nation’s raw, unfiltered political id. The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds ...5 hours ago
- Parliament website issues could be cost-cutting – tech experts
People have expressed frustration and outrage this week, after persisent technical issues stopped them from submitting on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...5 hours ago
- Dreaming of my not-wedding day
Summer reissue: What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? The Spinoff needs to double the number of paying members we have to continue telling these kinds of stories. Please read our open letter and sign up to be ...5 hours ago
- ‘It’s insidious and dangerous’: The kids fighting wrinkles before their 10th birthday
Summer reissue: Some of the most passionate consumers of anti-ageing skincare are children. How did the beauty industry get under their skin? The Spinoff Cover Story is our premier long-form feature offering, made with the generous support of our members. Read our other cover stories here. It’s Mother’s Day ...5 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 9 January
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 9 January appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 January
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. .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title { font-size: 1.2em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; margin-top: 0.5em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta { font-size: 0.8em; } .wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar { height: 25px; width: ...5 hours ago
- An indictment of NZ’s settler colonial and ‘Five Eyes’ spy paranoia over political critics
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – REVIEW: By David Robie Three months ago, a group of lawyers in Aotearoa New Zealand called for a first-of-its-kind inquiry into New Zealand spy agencies over whether they have been helping Israel’s war in Gaza. In a letter to the ...11 hours ago
- New Zealand still considering sharing criminal offending info with Five Eyes nations
They already work together on broad issues, but may even share details of their citizens' criminal offending. ...12 hours ago
- Hate Speech Masquerades As Free Speech
Freedom of Speech is not a license to say anything you like. ...16 hours ago - Meta is abandoning fact checking – this doesn’t bode well for the fight against misinformation
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ned Watt, PhD Candidate, Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology Meta has announced it will abandon its fact-checking program, starting in the United States. It was aimed at preventing the spread of online lies among more than 3 billion people ...17 hours ago
- Green Party MP urges public to keep momentum for bill submissions
Tamatha Paul is urging New Zealanders to continue to make bill submissions, specifically on the Bootcamp and Anti-Stalking bills. ...18 hours ago
- (Literally) moving house: how home relocations can help address the housing crisis
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johari Amar, Lecturer in Property, Bond University Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock Australia’s housing crisis represents a fundamental market imbalance where undersupply meets excess demand. In major cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the dream of home ownership is slipping away from many ...19 hours ago
- Large Scale Public Engagement Should Be Celebrated, Not Seen As A Hindrance By Select Committee
The large number of New Zealanders sharing their thoughts on the Bill means that the select committee needs to take the appropriate time to process all submissions and not be tempted to arbitrarily dismiss submissions that have come via a third ...19 hours ago
- PETA To Minister McClay: Mandate Webcams In All Shearing Sheds
Despite recent footage revealing extreme cruelty and violence, the wool industry has failed to stop this rampant abuse, even on so-called “sustainable” and “responsible” farms. ...19 hours ago
- Beach shacks are an iconic part of Australian summer. Yet, they also have a hidden, more complex his...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Clark, Professor in Public History, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock/Nils Versemann From the Torres Strait to Tasmania, and from the east coast to the west, beach shacks are an iconic part of Australian coastal history. Beach shacks have a ...20 hours ago
- ‘Cold violence’ – a hidden form of elder abuse in New Zealand’s Chinese community
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ágnes Szabó, Senior Lecturer, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Elder abuse is prevalent in New Zealand, with one in ten people aged 65 and older experiencing some form of it and only one in 14 abuse ...20 hours ago
- Blood, urine and other bodily fluids: how your leftover pathology samples can be used for medical re...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Carson, Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia Kaboompics.com/Pexels A doctor’s visit often ends with you leaving with a pathology request form in hand. The request form soon has you filling a sample pot, having blood ...20 hours ago
- MBIE’s Spine-Chilling $500k Bill For Spine-Straightening Consultants
Over half a million dollars has been wasted by one government department alone teaching bureaucrats how to use a desk and chair, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager James Ross said. ...21 hours ago
- No confidence: Iwi reps call out Taranaki regional councillors
Iwi representatives lost confidence after councillors blocked debate on the contentious Treaty Principles Bill. ...21 hours ago
- Huge if true – dark energy doesn’t exist, claims new study on supernovas
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rossana Ruggeri, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, The University of Queensland An illustration of the death of a massive star. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Dana Berry By looking at light from distant exploding stars called supernovas, in 1998 astronomers discovered the universe isn’t ...21 hours ago
- Beach shacks are an iconic part of Australian summer. Yet, they have also have a hidden, more comple...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Clark, Professor in Public History, University of Technology Sydney Shutterstock/Nils Versemann From the Torres Strait to Tasmania, and from the east coast to the west, beach shacks are an iconic part of Australian coastal history. Beach shacks have a ...21 hours ago
- Businesses can’t escape the AI revolution – so here’s how to build a culture of safe and respo...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Davis, Industry Professor of Emerging Technology and Co-Director, Human Technology Institute, University of Technology Sydney Oselote/Shutterstock In November 2023, the estates of two now-deceased policyholders sued the US health insurer, United Healthcare, for deploying what they allege is a flawed ...21 hours ago
- New excavation of ‘rings of mystery’ in Victoria reveals rich Aboriginal history
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caroline Spry, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe University Earth ring on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country, near Sunbury, Victoria. David Mullins On the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, there is a series of large rings which rise mysteriously out ...22 hours ago
- Pompeii comes to Australia, and ancient and contemporary stories of disaster and loss converge
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities and Director of the ANU Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University National Museum of Australia Pompeii: Inside a Lost City at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra depicts life in the flourishing Roman city ...22 hours ago
- Extension for Treaty Principles Bill submissions ‘likely’ after website woes
Parliament's justice select committee will meet to discuss what to do about website problems that meant people couldn't meet the deadline. ...22 hours ago
- Mounting calls for submissions extension on Treaty Principles Bill
Complaints have poured in from people who say they couldn't get their submission in because of problems with the website, and parties are weighing in. ...23 hours ago
- New Zealand Government, Opposition Parties Glorify Deceased Māori Party Founder
The chorus of praise for Turia underscores the fact that TPM does not represent any real alternative to the political establishment. It is a right-wing party that for the past two decades has represented the interests of indigenous capitalists, who ...1 day ago
- A single, $80m shot the last piece of the pest eradication puzzle
“This is a massive project,” says Stephen Horn, of a plan to eradicate introduced pests from Auckland Island/Maukahuka. The manager of the Department of Conservation’s national eradication team says that’s something a feasibility project, published in 2021, unearthed – “that the scale is enormous, and it’s complex”.The scale and complexity ...1 day ago
- Around the world in 200 pages
Opinion: Let’s face it. Sitting on a beach or by the lake with a dry text on economic theory is hardly what you would describe as compelling summer reading, perhaps except if you happen to be the Reserve Bank governor!For the rest of us, economics is probably off our holiday ...1 day ago
- Tide going out on good news for oceans
Analysis: According to three vital global metrics for ocean temperatures, 2024 was the warmest year on record. The coincidence of all three global metrics being highest on record is unusual. The last time was 2016. The three metrics are the global mean surface temperature (GMST), the global sea surface temperatures (SST), ...1 day ago
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