Posts Tagged ‘community max’
Community Max, another Nat failure
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, February 16th, 2011 - 35 comments
Because it’s failed ideology prevents it from leading job creation, National came up with ‘Community Max’. Pointless make work schemes have flourished. At the end, more participants are back on the dole than would have been if they had never left. A waste of time and money. Just like boot camps with a higher reoffending rate than home detention.
A relentless focus on jobs
Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, August 31st, 2010 - 13 comments
The government is canning it’s already too-small and ill-directed Community Max programme. $40 million was a pathetic amount that created, at best, just 3,000 temporary jobs when quarter of a million Kiwis are jobless. And, due to lazy policy-making all the Key government probably ended up doing was subsidising jobs that would have been created anyway.
- 1pm health update for Saturday, September 18 2021
The following is a summary of today’s 1pm health update from the Ministry of Health Today there are 20 new cases of Covid-19 to report in the community, and 6 new cases of the Ebola virus. Please do not concern yourself with the Ebola; this will probably be fine. Of ...4 hours ago - Reading the Covid Tea-Leaves: 18th September
This past month’s blogging has really turned into an extended rant on the subject of the Coronavirus (primarily because I still haven’t got my hands on The Nature of Middle-earth, and there’s little update on the Amazon series). Auckland is still on Level 4, of course, and the rest ...6 hours ago - Experts warn exclusion from AUSUK pact could see New Zealand miss out on future catastrophic warsPICTURED: US President Joe Biden deep in thought as he searches his brain for any memory of the person on screen. New Zealand’s exclusion from a tripartite security pact between the United States, Australia and the UK may not come as a surprise to many kiwis, but experts warn that ...1 day ago
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The Herald continues to hitch its wagon to David Seymour’s coat-tails. They don’t seem to realise that Seymour is almost entirely an (inadvertent) creation of Judith Collins. If it weren’t for the fact that Collins is performing so badly as National leader, Seymour would not be noticed. For those interested ...1 day ago - Keep New Zealand Nuclear-Free – Stay Out of AUKUS!
1 day ago - Making the Most of Masks
Dr Nitasha Rimar, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Lesley Gray, Prof Michael Baker Masks and vaccination have a central role in minimising the health and economic impact of COVID-19, regardless of the long-term strategy we use against the pandemic. These interventions depend on both good performance and high ...2 days ago - NZ Politics Daily: 17 September 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Simon Bridges, Parliamentarian “NZ Politics Daily is an essential news service for me, enabling me to cut through the constant noise and quickly see what’s going on. Dr Bryce Edwards and NZ politics Daily are a big public good, keeping kiwis, even politicians, better informed.” Anyone can ...2 days ago - The 'team of five million' isn't all of us. Are we doing enough for the others?
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- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #37, 2021
Go with real guilt, or imaginatively hide? This week's New Research includes a couple of interesting papers exploring the confused, noisy marketplace of ideas, volitions and impulses we call "the human mind," in connection with thinking about climate change and our responsibility for causing harm and remedy. We're all (surely?) ...2 days ago - Gesta Gertrudis: Volume IV
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On Monday, in response to a refusal by HRPP MPs to accept the proper process for being sworn in, Samoa's speaker banned them from parliament. Because they'd also called for a mob, he took the unprecedented step of banning the public too. These decisions were reasonable at the time. MPs ...2 days ago - Racist from top to bottomBack in 2019, the government tweaked drug laws to encourage the use of police discretion. So did it work? well, charges are down, but the burden of prosecution is falling even more disproportionately on Māori: A 2019 change to drug laws has led to far fewer people being charged ...2 days ago
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- Climate Change: An excuse, not a justificationYesterday the government announced plans to delay its key Emissions Reduction Plan - currently due by law by 31 December - until next year. Its "justification"? Shaw said consultations on the plan would begin in early October. "It is only right to make sure everyone has the chance to ...2 days ago
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- Josh Van Veen: The Ghost of lockdowns PastJudith Collins may have led the New Zealand National Party to a catastrophic defeat in 2020. But the election result was not of her making. The real turning point for National came twelve weeks before Collins’ elevation to the leadership. In those days the Opposition could still boast of having ...3 days ago
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- The definition of my sex is not hate speech
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A graph of Auckland Delta cases since lockdown began: As one can see, we’ve been good at getting the adult cases under control – the recent daily spikes being disproportionately children. That suggests infections within families, rather than across families. So far, so good anyway, and sufficient to ...4 days ago - Submission on Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Bill
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- The Microbiologist, the Caretaker Leader, and some Nasty Germs. . (* Fiji’s death troll is likely to be under-reported.) . . . References ODT: Collins calls Dr Siouxsie Wiles ‘a big, fat hypocrite’ Stuff media: Covid-19 – Dr Siouxsie Wiles warns of ‘disinformation’ after claims she was caught breaking lockdown rules ODT: Dr Wiles hits back at ...5 days ago
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- Not Understood: Chris Trotter Replies To Susan St John.Wishful Thinker: While the people from the “leafy suburbs’” salaries, house-prices, social-status and children’s futures depend upon them not understanding either the economic disadvantages of unequal wealth distribution, or the sheer dehumanising agony of grinding poverty, then they will go on not understanding it. Do you not understand, Susan, even ...5 days ago
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On 3 September, New Zealand Police shot and killed Ahamed Samsudeen, shortly after he commenced a knife attack in an Auckland supermarket. Considering him to be highly dangerous, he was under close surveillance. His death meant, that in the days following, the Government and the Courts were able to release ...5 days ago - Furedi on corporate backing for Cancel Culture
Professor Frank Furedi, British academic, author, and commentator, discusses the speed with which the corporate world has internalised the customs/practices/language of the university- and what can be done about it. ...5 days ago - The hottest summer most Americans have ever lived throughThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson An 85-year-old record for summer heat set during the Dust Bowl has met its match. In 2021, the contiguous U.S. had its warmest meteorological summer (June-August) on record, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Records going back ...5 days ago
- Childish bullshit continues in SamoaSamoa's parliament will sit tomorrow, for the first time since it was sworn in in May. But that first sitting only included FAST party MPs. As for the HRPP, they will not be allowed to attend tomorrow. The context here is that the HRPP - or at least the tyrant ...5 days ago
- Another one bites the dustAnother offshore energy permit was surrendered on Friday: permit 60094, owned by Todd Energy: The permit covered an area of Māui dolphin habitat, so its surrender is good news on that front too. According to NZPAM's map, there are now only six offshore exploration permits remaining: one owned by ...5 days ago
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- Support accurate birth certificate for trans and non-binary people
Content note: suicide, transphobia I’d wanted to get this done a lot earlier, but we bought a house in the middle of lockdown and that has a tendency to throw every other plan out the window. It’s definitely not perfect and I apologise for anything I’ve missed or messed up ...6 days ago - NZ Politics Daily: 13 September 2021NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: Today, we’re continuing with the NZ Politics Daily subscriber drive – please see the testimonial below from Andrew Geddis. Unfortunately, just as the subscriber drive kicked off on Friday, our website went down for the first time. So, if anyone tried to subscribe they would have found ...6 days ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, September 5, 2021 through Sat, September 11, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: Climate change deniers are as slippery as those who justified the slave trade, People don’t know what ...6 days ago
- Liam Hehir: The authenticity of Simon BridgesSimon Bridges may not have exuded authenticity when he was Leader of the Opposition, but his new book, National Identity, is exactly that according to reviewer Liam Hehir. He says “It is not a book about conservatism, but it is an honourably conservative book.” I had no expectation of ...6 days ago
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- Reposted articles from Thinking is PowerIn early August 2021 we started to repost selected articles from the Thinking is Power website maintained by Melanie Trecek-King where she regularly writes about many aspects of critical thinking in an effort to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public. This page lists the reposted articles in ...7 days ago
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Commentator Bernard Hickey has a pretty astute piece on New Zealand’s predicament in a Coronavirus world: https://thekaka.substack.com/p/dawn-chorus-time-to-stop-kidding The core of Hickey’s argument is that New Zealand can’t re-open its borders, because our health system would be shortly overwhelmed by the virus. Ergo, the borders must remain closed for ...1 week ago - Renting in New Zealand, a sick jokeby Don Franks Everything seemed right with the world yesterday. Sun shining and in Wellington level 2 we can emerge from our bubble and visit friends. While enjoying that freedom, I noticed two doors down from where we were, quite a lot of activity. An estate agent was carefully marshalling ...1 week ago
- Bile and HostilityMike Hosking is a professional journalist and, as such, he presumably wants to be read – and not only read, but taken seriously and believed. It is surprising, therefore, that he seems not to have grasped a basic principle – that someone whose every utterance is obviously coloured by an ...1 week ago
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This guide will help you with that big decision ...1 week ago - Liberal-Conservatives and Social Democrats: The Future of MāoriMichael Cullen set out his political philosophy in his autobiography. So has Chris Finlayson. His is having significant impact on Māori development. Chris Finlayson was Minister for Treaty Negotiations (and Attorney General) between 2008 and 2017. (Alas, he was Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage for only six of those ...1 week ago
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- The world is desperate for new antibiotics, and New Zealand’s unique fungi are a source of promisi...Siouxsie Wiles, University of Auckland While we’re all rightly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic at the moment, the SARS-CoV-2 virus isn’t the only microbial threat we face. Back in 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that within a decade, antibiotic-resistant bacteria could make routine surgery, organ transplantation and ...1 week ago
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- New members appointed to KāpuiaThe Government is adding four additional members to Kāpuia, the Ministerial Advisory Group on the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques. “I’m looking forward to having Pamela MacNeill, Huia Bramley, Melani Anae and Katherine Dedo join Kāpuia and contribute to this group’s ...3 days ago
- Timeline confirmed for Emissions Reductions PlanCabinet has agreed to begin consulting on the Emissions Reduction Plan in early October and require that the final plan be released by the end of May next year in line with the 2022 Budget, the Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw confirmed today. “Cabinet’s decision allows organisations and communities ...3 days ago
- Pay parity pathway for early learning teachers confirmedPay parity conditions and higher funding rates for education and care services will come into force on 1 January, 2022, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins confirmed today. The Government signalled this work in Budget 2021. “From 1 January, 2022, centres opting into the scheme will receive government funding and be ...3 days ago
- Speech to the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Conference 2021Kia Ora tatau katoa. Ka tuku mihi ki nga nēhi, He pou Hauora o Aotearoa, E ora ai tatou. Whakatau mai I runga i te kaupapa o te ra Te NZNO conference. Tena koutou tena koutou Tena tatou katoa Good morning, and thank you inviting me ...4 days ago
- Government investment in farmer-led catchment groups sweeps past 150 mark171 catchment groups have now been invested in by the Government 31 catchment groups in the Lower North Island are receiving new support More than 5,000 farmers are focussed on restoring freshwater within a generation through involvement in catchment groups Government investment in on-the-ground efforts by farmers to improve land ...4 days ago
- Fight to protect kauri on trackThe Government is pitching in to help vital work to protect nationally significant kauri forests in Auckland, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says. “Ensuring the survival of these iconic trees for future generations means doing everything we can to prevent the potential spread of kauri dieback disease,” Kiri Allan said. ...4 days ago
- Joint statement of Mr Bernard Monk; Hon Andrew Little, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry,...[Note: The Parties have agreed on terms to fully and finally settle the proceeding and will jointly issue the below statement.] At the heart of this litigation are the lives of the 29 men tragically lost at the Pike River mine on 19 November 2010 and to whom we pay ...5 days ago
- More financial support for businessesToday’s decision to keep Auckland in a higher COVID Alert Level triggers a third round of the Wage Subsidy Scheme which will open for applications at 9am this Friday. “The revenue test period for this payment will be the 14th to the 27th of September. A reminder that this is ...5 days ago
- Aotearoa New Zealand provides further humanitarian support for AfghanistanAotearoa New Zealand is providing a further $3 million in humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced today. “There is significant humanitarian need in Afghanistan, with the crisis disproportionately affecting women and girls,” said Nanaia Mahuta. The UN has estimated that 80% of the quarter of a million ...5 days ago
- Innovative te reo prediction tool announced in Te Wiki o Te Reo MāoriA new Māori language prediction tool will play a key role in tracking our te reo Māori revitalisation efforts, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson announced today. He Ara Poutama mō te reo Māori (He Ara Poutama) can forecast the number of conversational and fluent speakers of te reo Māori ...6 days ago
- Further Government support for people to access food and essential itemsThe Government is responding to need for support in Auckland and has committed a further $10 million to help people access ongoing food and other essential items, Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni announced today. This latest tranche is targeted at the Auckland region, helping providers and organisations to distribute ...6 days ago
- Half a million Pfizer vaccines from DenmarkThe Government has secured an extra half a million doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines from Denmark that will start arriving in New Zealand within days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “This is the second and larger agreement the Government has entered into to purchase additional vaccines to meet the ...6 days ago
- Inland Revenue providing essential COVID support for businessesInland Revenue is seeing increased demand for Resurgence Support Payments and other assistance schemes that it administers, but is processing applications quickly, Revenue Minister David Parker said today. David Parker said the Resurgence Support Payment, the Small Business Cashflow (loan) Scheme and the Wage Subsidy are available at the same ...1 week ago
- New Zealand marks 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacksNew Zealand is expressing unity with all victims, families and loved ones affected by the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks, and all terrorist attacks around the world since, including in New Zealand. “Saturday marks twenty years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people ...1 week ago
- Speech to SPREP Environment MinistersTalofa Honourable Ulu of Tokelau Faipule Kelihiano Kalolo Tēnā koutou katoa and warm Pacific greetings from Aotearoa to your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. The new science released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on 8 August paints an alarming picture of the projected impacts of climate change on the ...1 week ago
- Additional Resurgence Support Payments to support businessBusinesses affected by higher Alert Levels will be able to apply for further Resurgence Support Payments (RSP). “The Government’s RSP was initially intended as a one-off payment to help businesses with their fixed costs, such as rent. Ministers have agreed to provide additional payments to recognise the effects of an ...1 week ago
- More Dawn Raids scholarships announcedDetails of the ‘Manaaki New Zealand Short Term Training Scholarships’, a goodwill gesture that follows the Government’s apology for the Dawn Raids of the 1970s, were released today by Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio. “These scholarships that are targeted to the Pacific will support the kaupapa of the Dawn Raids’ ...1 week ago
- One-way quarantine-free travel for RSE workers starting in OctoberOne-way quarantine-free travel for Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers from Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu starts in October New requirement for RSE workers to have received their first vaccination pre-departure, undertake Day 0 and Day 5 tests, and complete a self-isolation period of seven days, pending a negative Day 5 ...1 week ago
- Govt boosts Pacific suicide prevention supportApplications have opened for the Pacific Suicide Prevention Community Fund as the Government acts to boost support amid the COVID delta outbreak. “We know strong and connected families and communities are the most important protective factor against suicide and this $900,000 fund will help to support this work,” Health Minister ...1 week ago
- Govt parks the expiry of licenses, WoFs and regosAs a result of the Delta outbreak, driver licences, Warrants of Fitness (WoFs), Certificates of Fitness (CoFs), vehicle licences (‘regos’) and licence endorsements that expired on or after 21 July 2021 will be valid until 30 November 2021, Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced today. “While this extension won’t officially ...1 week ago
- COVID-19 community fund to provide support for vulnerable women and girlsMinister for Women Jan Tinetti today announced a $2 million community fund that will provide support for women and girls adversely affected by COVID-19. “We know that women, particularly those who are already vulnerable, are disproportionally affected by the kind of economic disruption caused by COVID-19,” Jan Tinetti said. ...1 week ago
- Next phase of support for Fiji’s COVID-19 response announcedA further NZ$12 million of support for Fiji’s COVID-19 response has been announced by Foreign Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta today. The package builds on previous tranches of assistance Aotearoa New Zealand has provided to Fiji, totalling over NZ$50 million. “Fiji remains in a very challenging position in their response to ...1 week ago
- Robotic asparagus harvester aimed at addressing industry challengesThe Government is backing a $5 million project to develop a commercial-scale autonomous robotic asparagus harvester, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. The Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund (SFF Futures) is contributing $2.6 million to the project. Project partner Robotics Plus Limited (RPL) will build on a prototype asparagus ...1 week ago
- Additional Pfizer vaccines to arrive tomorrowMore than a quarter of a million additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine are on their way from Spain to New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. The additional doses will arrive in Auckland on Friday morning to help meet the current surge in demand for vaccination. “It’s been ...1 week ago
- Young people to have their voices heard in Youth Parliament 2022The dates and details for Youth Parliament 2022 have been announced today by Minister for Youth Priyanca Radhakrishnan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Youth Parliament is an opportunity for 141 young people from across Aotearoa New Zealand to experience the political process and learn how government works. ...2 weeks ago
- Boosting support for tertiary students affected by COVID-19Students facing a hard time as a result of COVID-19 restrictions will continue to be supported,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. The Government is putting a further $20 million into the Hardship Fund for Learners, which will help around 15,000 students to stay connected to their studies and learning. ...2 weeks ago
- COVID-19: Immediate relief available for Māori and iwi organisationsThe Government has reprioritised up to $5 million to provide immediate relief to vulnerable whānau Māori and communities during the current COVID-19 outbreak Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson announced today. The COVID-19 2021 Whānau Recovery Fund will support community-driven, local responses to gaps in access and provision of critical ...2 weeks ago
- New beef genetics programme to deliver cows with smaller environmental hoof-printThe Government is backing a genetics programme to lower the beef sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by delivering cows with a smaller environmental hoof-print, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. Informing New Zealand Beef is a seven-year partnership with Beef + Lamb New Zealand that is expected to result in more ...2 weeks ago
- Appointments to the New Zealand Qualifications AuthorityEducation Minister Chris Hipkins today announced new appointments to the board of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). Former Associate Minister of Education, Hon Tracey Martin, has been appointed as the new Chair for NZQA, replacing the outgoing Acting and Deputy Chair Professor Neil Quigley after an 11-year tenure on ...2 weeks ago
- Govt supports residential house building by allowing manufacture of building suppliesThe Government has agreed to allow some building product manufacturing to take place in Auckland during Covid lockdown to support continued residential construction activity across New Zealand. “There are supply chain issues that arise from Alert Level 4 as building products that are manufactured domestically are mostly manufactured in Auckland. ...2 weeks ago
- Government invests in scientific research to boost economy, address climate change and enhance wellb...Research, Science and Innovation Minister Hon Dr Megan Woods has today announced the recipients of this year’s Endeavour Fund to help tackle the big issues that New Zealanders care about, like boosting economic performance, climate change, transport infrastructure and wellbeing. In total, 69 new scientific research projects were awarded over ...2 weeks ago
- Transport to drive economic recoveryThe Government is investing a record amount in transport services and infrastructure to get New Zealand moving, reduce emissions and support the economic recovery, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. The 2021-24 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) was released today which outlines the planned investments Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency ...2 weeks ago
- Curia political poll is grim news for the Nats – but its measure of enthusiasm for “Aotearoa” ...
The New Zealand Herald was not alone in reporting on the discomforting results for National in the latest Curia opinion poll and the petition mounted by Maori Party leaders to have the name ... 10 hours ago - Live updates, September 18: Pākehā discharged without conviction more often than Māori
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for September 18. Auckland is currently at alert level four, the rest of NZ level two. Our coverage of the Covid response depends on members’ contributions. Click here to learn more.Coming up today The latest delta outbreak case numbers will be released via a ...14 hours ago - Protecting the people, East Coast styleNgāti Porou and Te Whānau-a-Apanui led the way at the beginning of the pandemic by drawing the line at their borders to protect the people within. They weren’t just fighting to keep Covid out – they were battling bureaucracy, racism and hunger too.Click here to read this story in te ...14 hours ago
- Hei tā te Tairāwhiti tiaki tangataI mua kē a Ngāti Porou me Te Whānau-a-Apanui e ārahi ana i te tīmatanga o te mate urutā i tā rātou aukati i te huarahi whakaroto ki ō rātou rohe hei tiaki i te hunga o roto. Ehara i te mea i whawhai noa iho rātou i te Kowheori ...14 hours ago
- When will NZ stop honouring this genocidal dictator?
Absent-mindedly paying tribute to murderous Turkish dictator Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is a stain on this country's integrity. It's time we did something about it, writes Maria Armoudian. Last week, in what once seemed to many an impossibility, the towering tribute to a racist champion of the American Confederacy, General Robert E. Lee, ...17 hours ago - Short story: Beatrice’s visit, by Carol Aru
"She had spent roughly thirty thousand vatu on a whole cow": a story about money, set in Vanuatu Tina was daydreaming as she raked the newly trimmed grass around their house. Beatrice, whom she had not seen for ten years, was coming to visit today. They’d been best friends. Tina ...17 hours ago - Nicola Legat on the poleaxing of New Zealand booksSelling books during lockdown can be safe and we were told doing so would be considered essential. So why are we in this shambles again? The publisher of Massey University Press makes her case. Most evenings after dinner in this interminable lockdown I find myself up on sad, shuttered Ponsonby Road ...18 hours ago
- Wellington And Dunedin Feminists Rally For Disappearing Rights
Local feminists are marching for their rights in Wellington and Dunedin on New Zealand Suffrage Day, this Sunday, in protest against two bills before Parliament that the women say will erode their rights; the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships ...18 hours ago - ‘Either you cave in, or you fight back’: The Christchurch family fundraising for AfghanistanA Christchurch couple who fundraised to create a ‘living memorial’ for the victims of March 15 are calling for more government support for young Afghans affected by the war. When Kabul fell to the Taliban last month, Christchurch couple Bariz Shah and his wife Saba Afrasyabi watched on anxiously, glued ...18 hours ago
- Siouxsie Wiles: Should I get vaccinated if I’m pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding?I know from personal experience the anxiety, the nausea, the uncertainty that can surround decisions at such sensitive times, writes Siouxsie Wiles.I’ve been inundated with emails and messages from people worried about getting vaccinated if they are trying for a baby, or pregnant, or breastfeeding. Before I tell you what ...18 hours ago
- Gasson giving it her all in global swim league
She may have missed the cut to swim at her second Olympics in Tokyo, but now Helena Gasson is the only Kiwi breaking records on the international stage, Dave Crampton reports. Helena Gasson has no idea when she will be back in New Zealand. She’s one of many Kiwi athletes competing ...18 hours ago - Women’s police stations in Australia: would they work for ‘all’ women?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Porter, Senior Fellow (Indigenous Programs), The University of Melbourne Proposals to expand police powers, to criminalise coercive control and to establish specialist women’s police stations have all occupied a prominent place in Australia’s recent debate about responses to violence against women. ...1 day ago - Forget nose spray, good sex clears a stuffy nose just as effectively — and is a lot more funSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of Queensland Shutterstock Medical news is full of stories about promising new treatments for challenging conditions, or for additional health benefits of routine behaviours and habits. Who doesn’t want to feel ...1 day ago
- ‘Bloody fool!’: why Ripper the musk duck, and many other talkative Aussie birds, are exciting bi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Dalziell, Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University shutterstock Recently, two native Australian birds have stolen the limelight with their impressive vocal imitations. A superb lyrebird called Echo at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo has produced a painfully realistic vocal ...1 day ago
- The Week in Politics: Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate
Analysis - The government makes a big push to get as many people as possible vaccinated, the polls are bleak for Judith Collins and MIQ bookings are set to re-open, writes Peter Wilson. ...1 day ago - VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on the Anglosphere’s reassertion in the Indo-PacificSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professorial Fellow Michelle Grattan and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paddy Nixon discuss the week in politics. This week Michelle and Paddy discuss the revelation that anonymous donors covered some ...1 day ago
- Why does my internet connection feel slow and jumpy, even when my internet speed is high?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vijay Sivaraman, Professor of Telecommunications and Internet Technologies, UNSW Jeshoots.com/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Of the 8.2 million homes and businesses active on Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) in July 2021, 77% are now reported to be on a broadband plan that ...1 day ago
- ECE relief teachers present COVID pay petition to GovernmentA union-backed petition to ensure ECE relief teachers are paid during lockdown, signed by nearly 5,000 teachers and supporters, was delivered to Government via Zoom this afternoon. The petition, addressed to Education Minister Chris Hipkins and received ...1 day ago
- Come on, Joel – more research should show that classism and the pox weren’t the only exports sen...ACT leader David Seymour (who is doing nicely in opinion polls) irked many people when he sent out priority vaccination access codes intended for Māori. The critics (no surprises here) included Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who said the move was “despicable” and she would be writing to Speaker ...1 day ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 17The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.The Auckland store remains benched but we have fingers crossed for an imminent move to level three, at ...1 day ago
- On the money: Kate Sheppard and the making of a New Zealand feminist iconSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Pickles, Professor of History, University of Canterbury Shutterstock In 1992 four New Zealand icons (and the queen) appeared on new banknotes. Part of creating national identity, these notable citizens were chosen to represent the pinnacles of achievement. Āpirana ...1 day ago
- PSA Nurses and MERAS Midwives settle pay talksDistrict Health Boards are pleased to announce settlements have been reached in bargaining with PSA Nurses and with midwives covered by the MERAS – the Midwifery Employee Representation & Advisory Service. ...1 day ago
- C’est fini: can the Australia-France relationship be salvaged after scrapping the sub deal?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Romain Fathi, Senior Lecturer, History, Flinders University YOAN VALAT/EPA French diplomatic language can be subtle. When Canberra announced its abrupt foreign policy change and unilateral decision to walk away from its contract with French submarine builder Naval Group, the French ...1 day ago
- It’s official: The AM Show has gone just as bonkers as BreakfastHow has Auckland’s long lockdown affected The AM Show? Tara Ward tuned in this morning to find out.Two weeks ago, Magic Talk radio host Ryan Bridge was announced as the new host of Three’s The AM Show, following the departure of long time presenter Duncan Garner. While TVNZ1’s Breakfast spends ...1 day ago
- Yesterdaze: A vacation of interest
An equestrian, a judge and a lawyer united the Team of Five Million, as Judith Collins doth projected too much. James Elliott has the news of the week. About 70 percent of us have now had one dose of the Pfizer vaccine. About 35 percent of us have had both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. And ...1 day ago - Minister of Police is engaged in a relentless crackdown on the gangs – but look at how seized mon...Your Point of Order team delighted at the words chosen by Police Minister Poto Williams to brandish the government’s law-and-order colours. Her statement was headed Government continues crackdown on gangs and organised crime and kicked off by advising us that … Operation Tauwhiro (did you know anything about it?) ...1 day ago
- ORC team places second in Trans-Tasman competitionThe Otago Regional Council (ORC) Team, ‘In Our Element’, won the New Zealand leg of the Australasian Management Challenge in May and competed remotely in the finals on 24 August, during alert level 4. ...1 day ago
- Covid-19 briefing: Trans-Tasman bubble burst for another eight weeksThe trans-Tasman bubble is being suspended for a further eight weeks, the New Zealand government has confirmed today. Watch the latest government briefing here. ...1 day ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – September 17 2021Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. You can sign up to NZ Politics Daily as well as New Zealand Political Roundup columns for free here. Today’s content AUKUS Pact, Afghanistan, China Tess McClure (Guardian): Aukus ...1 day ago
- Fitzgibbon is quitting politics but this doesn’t mean Albanese can partySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University Joel Fitzgibbon and Anthony Albanese in parliament in 2018. Mick Tsikas/AAP One imagines the retirement of Joel Fitzgibbon at the next election simplifies things for Anthony Albanese, as he crafts a climate change ...1 day ago
- Govt warned of dangers if US and China seek to join CPTPPIt’s Our Future is reminding the Labour Government that it opposed the original Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), in light of reports the United States may consider joining the successor Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership ...1 day ago
- Keith Rankin Analysis – Indo-Pacific: The World’s New Geopolitical BuzzwordAnalysis by Keith Rankin, Keith Rankin. I have been watching the sudden rise to prominence of the word ‘Indo-Pacific’ these last couple of months. These last couple of days it may have been the most repeated word on Radio New Zealand. According to Wikipedia today, Indo-Pacific is “biogeographic region”, although ...1 day ago
- Te reo Māori and Welsh: Two indigenous languages, two stories of revivalBeaten for speaking the language; shame around speaking it; suppressed and ridiculed by the British. Sound familiar?Welsh is a dead language.This is what I’ve been hearing my entire life.I’ve always been aware of the comparison between my language and te reo Māori. Both, I knew, shared the precarious position of ...1 day ago
- Covid-19 update: Govt gives latest details on current Delta outbreakDeputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay are providing a media update on the Covid-19 outbreak. ...1 day ago
- How The Beths made lockdown movie magicNo one can go to a big gig right now, but a 2020 concert by The Beths has become the lockdown movie experience the country needs. How’d that happen?It was designed to be a brilliant night. After 12 shows around the country, The Beths were in some of the best ...1 day ago
- When COVID patients are intubated in ICU, the trauma can stay with them long after this breathing em...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deb Massey, Associate Professor, Faculty of Health, School of Nursing, Southern Cross University Shutterstock The current wave of COVID cases is leading to more hospital and intensive care (ICU) admissions. Frontline health workers and experts use the term “intubation” for ...1 day ago
- Back to the Rafters review: series reboot is full of heart and reflects changing timesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Sparkes, Senior Lecturer (Media Studies and Production), University of Southern Queensland Brook Rushton/Amazon Prime Soap operas have been around since television was invented. Often involving outlandish plots, exaggerated storylines and hyperbolic characters and dialogue, they labour each moment on ...1 day ago
- The Friday Poem: Whāngai, by Jessie PuruA new poem from Tāmaki Makaurau poet Jessie Puru.WhāngaiKoro picked him up from the office they moved him to still wet from the womb sucking on his tongue waiting for mīraka, mother still being stitched and sedated.Koro wanted to slap the social worker’s hand away from him he took him ...1 day ago
- Do you think most people are trustworthy and helpful? How we measured ‘social cohesion’ and why ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Biddle, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Shutterstock COVID-19 has upended so many aspects of our lives in Australia, it can be hard to remember what life was like ...1 day ago
- Power plan regulations change aims to ensure fairnessAbout 60 percent of homes can expect lower power bills as the government announces a plan to phase out regulations on "low-use" electricity plans, the minister says. ...1 day ago
- Human Rights Commission says “Te Reo Māori is a right”The Human Rights Commission will no longer consider individual complaints over the use of te reo Māori or the term Pākehā. ...1 day ago
- ‘It has nothing to do with Lorde’Lorde’s te reo Māori mini-album Te Ao Mārama has prompted passionate conversation in Māori communities, and exposed the complex layers of hurt and intergenerational trauma being carried by those without their language. Writer and poet Rangimarie Sophie Jolley explains it’s about more than pop music – it’s personal.Te Reo Māori ...1 day ago
- Rules restricting boatingto stop spread of pest seaweedBiosecurity New Zealand is placing legal controls on parts of Aotea Great Barrier Island in a bid to contain the invasive seaweed Caulerpa brachypus , while the local Mana Whenua governance group on Aotea are supporting a dual response by imposing ...2 days ago
- Authorities told to throw out flawed sea level estimatesCoastal property groups are recommending the government urgently update its faulty advice to local authorities on sea level rise. ...2 days ago
- Commissioner warns against paper-based contact tracingPrivacy Commissioner John Edwards is concerned that people are gaining access to personal information from paper-based contact tracing registers and using it in ways that breach peoples’ privacy. The Government’s introduction of mandatory record ...2 days ago
- Greenpeace appalled by nightmarish waste to energy proposalA new proposal to build a waste to energy incinerator in Waimate to burn 350,000 tonnes of plastic, toxic sludge, nappies and other waste, is facing strong opposition from Greenpeace Aotearoa. ...2 days ago
- Low fixed charge regulation removal good for Kiwis in need“The Government’s decision to remove the low fixed charge regulation is a positive move which will stop many low-income households subsidising the electricity of better-off families,” Electricity Retailers’ Association Chief Executive Cameron Burrows ...2 days ago
- New Conservative supports rights of Defence force personnelRecently, the NZDF (New Zealand Defence Force) mandated that all personnel take the COVID-19 vaccine as a part of the baseline medical requirements for deployment in NZ and overseas. This decision has a far-reaching impact on service men and women ...2 days ago
- Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries on the increaseBlazes have become more common in recent times due to the sheer number of lithium-Ion batteries simply being discarded in household bins. ...2 days ago
- Commission supports legislation to ban conversion therapyThe Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission (the Commission) appeared in front of the Justice Select Committee yesterday to speak to its written submission on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill (the Bill). ...2 days ago
- Why NZ is unlikely to follow Australia’s lead on social media defamation lawSome key differences in existing law mean that New Zealand media organisations remain generally safe from liability for comments posted under their content, writes Otago University law lecturer Alex Patu.Let’s face it, there’s a reason people say “never read the comments”: most commentary below social media posts is just the ...2 days ago
- QLD police will use AI to ‘predict’ domestic violence before it happens. Beware the unintended c...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Douglas, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is expected to begin a trial using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the future risk posed by known domestic violence perpetrators. Perpetrators identified as ...2 days ago
- Chief health officers are in the spotlight like never before. Here’s what goes on behind the scene...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Harris, Senior Research Fellow, Deputy Director, CHETRE, UNSW Until COVID-19, few people knew anything about Australia’s chief medical officer or the state and territories’ chief health officers. Now they are front and centre of the news cycle. But media coverage misses ...2 days ago
- Tasmania’s salmon industry detonates underwater bombs to scare away seals – but at what cost?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Richardson, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Tasmania Shutterstock Australians consume a lot of salmon – much of it farmed in Tasmania. But as Richard Flanagan’s new book Toxic shows, concern about the industry’s environmental damage is growing. ...2 days ago
- Destroying vegetation along fences and roads could worsen our extinction crisis — yet the NSW gove...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Shutterstock What do koalas, barking owls, greater gliders, southern rainbow skinks, native bees, and regent honeyeaters all have in common? ...2 days ago
- Local, face-to-face support offers a lifeline for uni students in regional and remote AustraliaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cathy Stone, Conjoint Associate Professor, School of Humanities & Social Science, University of Newcastle CUC Far West, Author provided For university students living out of reach of a campus and studying online, the growing presence of Regional University Centres is ...2 days ago
- Vital Signs: we’re doing well despite Delta, but 3 major economic challenges loomSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW This week the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development published its first “Economic Survey of Australia” since 2018. It gives Australia good marks for a remarkably good economic response to the COVID pandemic, but warns ...2 days ago
- Friday essay: Nevermind 30 years on – how Nirvana’s second album tilted the world on its axisSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dean Biron, PhD in Cultural Studies; teaches in School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology For many of us back in 1991, it felt as if the planet tilted slightly further on its axis when Smells Like Teen Spirit — the lead ...2 days ago
- ANZUS without NZ? Why the new security pact between Australia, the UK and US might not be all it see...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato We live, to borrow a phrase, in interesting times. The pandemic aside, relations between the superpowers are tense. The sudden arrival of the new AUKUS security agreement between Australia, the US and UK simply ...2 days ago
- Live updates, September 17: ‘Trajectory of horror’ – What National MPs are saying about their...Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for September 17, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Say hello at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. 8.00am: ‘Trajectory of horror’ – What National MPs are saying about their own partyNational MPs have started leaking again after a horror few weeks for party leader Judith Collins.Newshub’s Tova O’Brien has heard from several ...2 days ago
- NZ’s weapon against vaccine misinformationThe Covid-19 minister says New Zealanders aren’t falling for misinformation like people overseas and an expert reveals why, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.There’s nothing holding back New Zealand’s vaccine campaign. That’s the message from Covid-19 minister Chris Hipkins after hundreds of thousands of extra Pfizer doses arrived in Auckland this ...2 days ago
- Auckland has sold out of doughnutsStuck in level four, Aucklanders are smashing deep-fried dough balls into their faces like never before. Chris Schulz tries to get his hands on one.When Daniel Black begins listing flavours of his filled doughnuts, I tell him to shut up. He doesn’t listen. “We do a Belgian chocolate mousse and ...2 days ago
- Undisclosed problem shifting billions in water debts from councils
Government officials admit they can't easily take over billions in ratepayers' water debts ...2 days ago - Scepticism as government watchdogs launch review into LynnMall terror attackACT is calling the review of key agencies' actions "prejudiced" before it starts while the Greens are concerned about its scope and independence. ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 17 September2 days ago
- Newsroom daily crossword, Friday 17 September2 days ago
- Normal feelings, or ADHD, ASD or PTSD? Social media is here to diagnose youPsychologists say more and more New Zealanders are self-diagnosing as neurodivergent or mentally ill. Josie Adams explores the social media communities encouraging them to do so. Put a finger down if you regularly: touch your face, make impulse purchases, have more than four tabs open on your browser, ignore texts, lose ...2 days ago
- Bernard Hickey: Is a kinder, gentler sort of capitalism really possible?Many of the world’s top business figures claim they’ve had an ethical epiphany – but one that won’t stop them continuing to make huge profits. Bernard Hickey, who worked among many of these ‘masters of the universe’ for years, is sceptical.Follow When the Facts Change on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or ...2 days ago
- The weird and wonderful world of Trade Me’s ‘fresh produce’ sectionFrom rude fruit and veg to past-its-best fast food, you’ll find it in this dusty corner of the internet. Olivia Sisson rounds up some recent highlights. When New Zealanders want to buy or sell something, Trade Me is the first port of call.In America, my home country, it’s Craigslist. While Trade Me ...2 days ago
- Hundreds of the dead wait to be farewelled
Funeral directors are calling for a change of heart from Government when it comes to funeral and tangihanga restrictions as Auckland faces its extended lockdown Michele Murphy lost her father a week into lockdown. After two weeks in Auckland Hospital, 94-year old Bob passed away with only one family ...2 days ago - Why New Zealand's being targeted for DDoS attacks
A recent spate of cyberattacks on NZ organisations almost feels like someone's out to get us. Ian Welch looks at why we might be being targeted - and what we can do to prepare. We have recently experienced repeated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on high-profile Aotearoa organisations such as Kiwibank, ANZ, ...2 days ago - Government dropping ball on impact investment
The Australian government has put $8 million into getting social enterprises ready for investment funding. New Zealand must follow its lead, says impact investment expert ...2 days ago - Collins the master of her own death spiral
The National Party looks to be kicking a leadership spill down the road, for now. That means Judith Collins has time on her side to stop her death spiral, writes political editor Jo Moir Two polls on Wednesday got National MPs’ phones ringing hot over the past 24 hours. Half ...2 days ago - Rod Oram: Govt lacks integrity, skill and will on climate
The Ardern Government has two months to prove to New Zealanders and the world that it's serious about climate change, writes Rod Oram ...2 days ago - AUKUS deal's awkwardness for New Zealand
A new defence partnership between the US, UK and Australia may not be as revolutionary as some are suggesting – but the push to contain China could still have significant consequences for New Zealand, Sam Sachdeva reports Into the alphabet soup of international groupings comes a new ingredient. Hyped in advance ...2 days ago
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