Posts Tagged ‘criticism’
Tranquillum
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 pm, December 6th, 2020 - 134 comments
Don’t expect a jellyfish to grow a spine, they just bob along on the current and keep moving, gently, slowly, kindly.
- The Picnic Period: A sign of our Covid times
Auckland. For a long been it’s been known to Maori as Tamaki Makaurau, a place of ‘many lovers’. In the past fortnight, though, Auckland has shaken out the rug and grabbed a drink to become Tamaki Pikiniki, a place of many picnics. The humble picnic is now, in many ways, a ...11 hours ago - Are Covid vaccines becoming less effective?
A critical debate about Covid-19 vaccines is when does protection wane, by how much, why, and what does this mean for controlling the pandemic and the impacts of infections. Depending on the studies or headlines you read it can be confusing. Some report declining vaccine effectiveness, and others don’t. Some ...11 hours ago - NZ Politics Daily: 19 October 2021
Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative “There is a dearth of quality journalism in New Zealand, and so I am grateful to NZ Politics Daily for sifting through our media to discover the gems of reporting and opinion editorials. It is a valuable contribution to ...12 hours ago - The Entrust election
Auckland is holding elections for EnTrust, its local electricity trust. Entrust is important - it owns electricity and gas-supplier Vector, and so the decisions it makes around energy infrastructure could make a significant difference to greenhouse gas emissions. But the elections have traditionally been ignored, so its run by CitRats ...1 day ago - Argentina returns the favourIn the early 2000s, Argentinian victims of the Dirty War, denied justice due to a local amnesty, sought justice in Spanish courts, who obligingly convicted agents of that country's dictatorship of crimes against humanity under Spain's "universal jurisdiction" law. But Argentina wasn't the only country with a repressive dictatorship which ...1 day ago
- Climate Change: A good move, but not enoughThe government has announced that it will quadruple climate aid to developing nations, from $300 million to $1.3 billion over four years. This is good: "climate finance" - aid to developing nations to decarbonise and offset the damage caused by rich-country emissions - is going to be a flashpoint at ...1 day ago
- Too Much Say, Not Enough Do.
When The Green Party Co-Leader Speaks, Does He Make Any Sound? James Shaw must know that neither New Zealanders, nor the rest of humanity, will ever take the urgent and transformative action that Science now deems necessary to stave-off climate catastrophe.POOR JAMES SHAW: He’s the man this government sends out ...1 day ago - Gordon Campbell on the perils of declaring premature victory
Sure enough, Saturday’s Vaxathon was a barrel of fun and a throwback not merely to the Telethons of the past. It also revived memories of those distant days of early 2020, when we were all carefully wiping down our groceries, not touching our faces, washing our hands for 20 seconds ...1 day ago - NZ Politics Daily: 18 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Kim Gillespie, Editor NZME Newspapers Lower North Island & Communities “I find the daily email great for giving me an overview of each morning’s big issues across the media landscape, and really appreciate the huge amount of work that must go in to compiling it each day.” Anyone ...2 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Celebrating and critiquing 25 years of MMPOver the last week, MMP has been in the spotlight, given that it’s now been 25 years since the first general election was held under this proportional representation system. This has produced some important commentary and storytelling about the introduction of MMP and about the various pros and cons of ...2 days ago
- COVID-19 in Aotearoa: what does public health do now?Dr Belinda Loring, Dr Ruth Cunningham, Dr Polly Atatoa Carr* Public health activities have collectively made an incredible contribution to minimising the impact of COVID-19 in Aotearoa. But the work for public health is not over. As the situation in Auckland heralds a transition point in our approach to the ...2 days ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 10, 2021 through Sat, October 16, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: ‘This is a story that needs to be told’: BBC film tackles Climategate scandal, Why trust science?, ...2 days ago - Is injection technique contributing to the risk of post vaccine myocarditis?Recent misleading media headlines about vaccines being administered incorrectly in the absence of evidence do little to help public confidence in vaccines. Spoiler alert, vaccines are not being administered incorrectly. The topic of this blog is based on what could be an important scientific question – is one of the ...2 days ago
- A Māori health expert reports from the Super Saturday frontlinesRawiri Jansen, National Hauora Coalition I write this as I charge my car, getting ready to head home at the end of a pretty good Super Saturday. It started with coffee and checking the news feeds as any good day should. Between 9 and 10 am as I drove to ...2 days ago
- Weddings and Leopards
Could it be that the Herald is beginning to twig that an unremitting hostility to the government does not go down well with all its readers? The evidence for that is that, in today’s issue, two contributors (Bill Ralston and Steven Joyce) who usually enjoy sticking the knife in, take ...2 days ago - The Chronicles of Kregsmal and Krunch: Volume I
As noted previously, my weekly DND campaign with Annalax and Gertrude has been put on ice. I expect it to return eventually, but for now it is very much on hiatus. The remainder of the group have decided to run an entirely new campaign in the meantime. This ...3 days ago - Super Saturday recap: Patrick Gower doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do
It was Aotearoa’s first national day of action in over ten years, the first since 2010, when Prime Minister John Key tried to inspire us to clean up our nation’s berms. It didn’t work. Today, New Zealand’s berms are worse than ever. But history is not destiny, and other cliches. ...3 days ago - COVID-19 Worried about getting your vaccine or want a simple explanation?Worried about getting your vaccine? Let me tell you a secret. No-one likes getting a vaccine. People do it because they know they’re better off to. Let me tell you another secret, a weird one: the vaccine doesn’t really “do” anything. Confusing? Let me explain… Vaccines are a face at ...3 days ago
- Delta puts workers’ power under the spotlight
by Don Franks Foremost fighting the Delta virus are workers, especially in health, distribution, service and education sectors. Unionised members of these groups are centrally represented by the New Zealand Council of trade unions ( NZCTU). Political journalist Richard Harman recently noted:“Businesses are caught in a legal tangle if they ...3 days ago - Faster transitions to clean energy are also cheaperThis is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby blog Several clean energy technologies like solar panels have become consistently cheaper year after year as the industries have benefited from learning, experience and economies of scale. Falling solar costs are described by “Swanson’s Law,” much like Moore’s Law described the rapid and consistent ...4 days ago
- Abstraction and Reality in Economics
Sometimes high theory loses the human point of the exercise.One of the joys of teaching is you learn from your students. When fifty-odd years ago, I was at the University of Sussex, a student doing our first-year economics course, Jim, came to me, saying he was pulling out because it ...4 days ago - What Happened to the Team?Last year, in the early stages of the pandemic, the Prime Minister’s “team of five million” performed well; team discipline was maintained and we all worked well together. This year, however, has been a different story; team discipline has weakened, and many people have on numerous occasions behaved badly and ...4 days ago
- Climate Change: Another legal victoryAcross the world climate change activists have been going to court, seeking to make their governments act to protect future generations. And hot on the heels of victories in the Netherlands and Germany, there's been another one in France: A French court has ordered the government to make up ...4 days ago
- Invasion Of The (Covid) Body Snatchers.4 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 15 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Associate Professor Grant Duncan, Massey University, Auckland “The NZ Politics Daily email is very helpful in giving me a quick overview of current events and opinion. It allows me to pick out important or informative columns that I may otherwise have missed. I recommend NZ Politics Daily to anyone ...5 days ago
- Missing From The Anti-Covid Action.The Invisible Man: Where has the NZ Council of Trade Unions been during the Covid-19 Pandemic? Why hasn’t its current president, Richard Wagstaff (above) become a household name during the pandemic? Up there with Ashley Bloomfield, Michael Baker, Shaun Hendy and Siouxsie Wiles? WHERE HAVE THE UNIONS BEEN during the Covid-19 ...5 days ago
- “Go West, Young Virus”
The Auckland Coronavirus Outbreak potters along, not helped by the perception that the Government is disturbingly enthusiastic about “managing the virus” or loosening the border. Health Minister Andrew Little said today he envisages 90% vaccination rates (which we don’t have) eventually leading to 5,000 cases in Auckland a week… ...5 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #41, 2021How to fill a glass and thereby drink— from a fire hose So far this year, New Research has published listings for 3,291 papers concerning climate change from one aspect or another. Each edition includes two dozen or so articles describing freshly and directly observed effects of global waming. These ...5 days ago
- Climate Change: UKanians supports cutsThe Guardian reports a study on emissions reduction policy from the UK, which found that UKanians overwhelmingly support stronger action than their government: The UK public backs a carbon tax on polluting industries, higher levies on flying and grants for heat pumps in order to tackle the climate crisis, ...5 days ago
- Media Link: “A View from Afar” on PRC-Taiwan tensions.
In this week’s podcast Selwyn Manning and I discuss the upsurge in tensions between the PRC and Taiwan and what are the backgrounds to and implications of them. You can check the conversation out here. ...5 days ago - Labour’s 2023 election manifestoThis morning Health Minister Andrew Little effectively unveiled Labour's 2023 election manifesto: 5,000 cases a week in Auckland alone: Thousands of people will be infected with Covid-19 every week even with vaccination levels at 90 per cent, and hospitals face being overwhelmed once restrictions are eased and borders opened, ...5 days ago
- Don't Blame James.5 days ago
- The “Pulpit of Strewth”Barry Soper is one half of one of one of those right-wing husband-and-wife duos in which the Herald seems to specialise. In today’s issue, he has a piece that doesn’t quite reach the heights (or depths) of a Hoskings-style anti-government hostility, but which does provide an interesting example of the ...5 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on the epic fails of Kris FaafoiEver since Winston Peters first breathed life into this government in 2018, its own branding has been all about social justice and how we all need to be “kind” to each other. Somehow, Kris Faafoi must have missed the memo. His performance in the immigration portfolio (in particular) has neither ...5 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 14 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Mike Treen, Advocate, Unite Union “Please continue your incredible work compiling these news digests. As someone operating in the fields of advocacy for workers and the broader social justice areas it is invaluable to be able to check what is happening in the media relating to the issues I have to deal ...6 days ago
- Overconfident Idiots: Why Incompetence Breeds CertaintyThis is a re-post 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. Please see this overview to find links to other reposts from Thinking is Power. ...6 days ago
- Climate Change: Abandoning ambitionWhen Labour was first elected to power in 2017, they promised us "[an] ambitious plan to take real action on climate change". Four years and a lot of foot-dragging later, they've finally released that plan. And its not what was promised. Where to begin? Firstly, they've taken the Climate Change ...6 days ago
- Many e-cigarette vaping liquids contain toxic chemicals: new Australian researchAlexander Larcombe, Telethon Kids Institute From October 1, it’s been illegal to buy e-liquids containing nicotine without a prescription from a doctor everywhere in Australia, except South Australia. But vaping with nicotine-free e-liquids is not illegal in Australia (though in some jurisdictions the e-cigarette devices themselves are illegal). Vaping ...6 days ago
- Young adults worldwide have blunt message for governments: ‘We don’t trust you.’This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Elizabeth Marks describes herself as “a psychologist who works on difficult problems.” Her past research aimed at helping people cope with challenging health conditions, apt training, it appears, for taking on climate change issues. A few years ago, she altered ...6 days ago
- Making ‘Second Age’ Hobbits Work: Amazon Series SpeculationTime for a good old-fashioned fandom furore. The Tolkien fandom hasn’t had a proper one of those since the Great Nudity Scandal of October 2020… so it clearly must be time to pontificate from on-high about a television series we still know vanishingly little about. This time the subject ...7 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 13 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Lara Greaves, Political scientist, University of Auckland: “I love the NZ Politics Daily emails as they help me to keep on top of current events. It’s incredibly easy to skim through and follow the links. I really appreciate these as it means that I am exposed to a ...7 days ago
- The Data and Statistics Bill and the OIAThe government introduced a new Data and Statistics Bill today to modernise and replace the 45-year old Statistics Act. Part of the Bill re-enacts the existing confidentiality regime (with one exception), which while a secrecy clause isn't an especially controversial one. Another part is aimed at removing "outdated" (inconvenient) limits ...1 week ago
- Graham Adams: The debate over the $55 million media fund erupts againRNZ’s Mediawatch and a video clip viewed 42,000 times keep the topic of the Public Interest Journalism Fund fizzing. Graham Adams reports. A week ago, the NZ Taxpayers’ Union posted a short video clip of the exchange in Parliament between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins in which the National ...1 week ago
- Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new studyScott Montgomery, UCL For most of the time since the first description of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1868, the causes of this disabling disease have remained uncertain. Genes have been identified as important, which is why having other family members with MS is associated with a greater risk of developing ...1 week ago
- Hit hard by the pandemic, researchers expect its impacts to linger for yearsSora Park, University of Canberra; Jennie Scarvell, University of Canberra, and Linda Botterill, University of Canberra The impacts of COVID-19 on Australian university researchers are likely to have consequences for research productivity and quality for many years to come. According to an online survey of academics at the University ...1 week ago
- Covid and free speechby Don Franks Some commentators have likened the struggle against Covid 19 to the world war experience. To those of us not alive in those times, that comparison can only be academic. What the anti virus battle reminds me of much more is an industrial strike. In my twenties and ...1 week ago
- “Angry Blowhards”In today’s Herald, their excellent columnist, Simon Wilson, takes to task those “shouty” people whom he further describes as “angry blowhards”. They are those whose prime reaction to the pandemic is anger – an anger they seamlessly (and perhaps unwittingly) transfer from the virus to the government. The basis for ...1 week ago
- Looking Forward To 2022.1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on Covid mandates, and the Covid pillThe cliché about “living with Covid” will not mean life as we’ve known it, Jim. Vaccination is fast becoming a condition of employment, and also a requirement to participate in aspects of social life, such as travel, attending bars, cafes, and concerts etc. These protective measures enjoy a high level ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 12 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Prof Alan Bollard, Professor of Practice at the School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington; Chair of the Infrastructure Commission: “NZ Politics Daily” provides a great public service – a quick and unbiased way to check policy announcements and analysis every morning.” Anyone can sign up to NZPD ...1 week ago
- Legal Beagle: A submission on the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill (No 2)
I have made a submission on the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill (No 2).In preparing it, I looked at the Hansard for the first reading debate, and got name-dropped as someone likely to make a submission. So, of course I did. I focus on a small bit of the ...1 week ago - Hard News: More tales from the Medicinal Cannabis SchemeYou may have read last week that two years after the publication of regulations for medicinal cannabis – and three years after the enabling legislation – two local products from a local manufacturer have finally met the minimum quality standards for prescription. You may also be interested to know that ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: Real action requires governmentOver the weekend someone pointed me at a journal article on "The Poverty of Theory: Public Problems, Instrument Choice, and the Climate Emergency". Its a US law journal article, so is a) very long; and b) half footnotes (different disciplines have different norms), but the core idea is that the ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: Not doing our bitLast month the US and EU announced they would push an agreement to cut methane emissions by 30% (from 2020 levels) by 2030 at the upcoming climate change conference in Glasgow. The good news is that New Zealand is looking at joining it. The bad news is that that won't ...1 week ago
- Delta’s Week Of Doom.Classic Shot: Are the Prime Minister’s formidable communication skills equal to the task of getting her government’s anti-Covid campaign back on track?IF JACINDA ARDERN thought last week was bad, the week ahead promises to be even worse. Sixty community cases of Covid-19, one of the highest daily totals so far ...1 week ago
- Urgent measures needed to allow the safe re-opening of Auckland schoolsDr Rachel Webb, Dr Jin Russell, Dr Pip Anderson, Dr Emma Best, Dr Alison Leversha and Dr Subha Rajanaidu* In this blog we describe the range of urgent measures that are needed to facilitate a safe return to schools in Auckland and other regions of the country where there is ...1 week ago
- Children live online more than ever – we need better definitions of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ scree...Kathryn MacCallum, University of Canterbury and Cheryl Brown, University of Canterbury The pandemic has fundamentally altered every part of our lives, not least the time we spend on digital devices. For young people in particular, the blurred line between recreational and educational screen time presents new challenges we are ...1 week ago
- Putting Aotearoa on the map: New Zealand has changed its name before, why not again?Claire Breen, University of Waikato; Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato; Robert Joseph, University of Waikato, and Valmaine Toki, University of Waikato Our names are a critical part of our identity. They are a personal and social anchor tying us to our families, our culture, our history and place in ...1 week ago
- Speaker: Yes, of course festival organisers will follow the law on vaccinationOn Tuesday 5 October the New Zealand Government announced that proof of COVID-19 vaccination would be a requirement to attend large events this summer.It took a few days for event owners to absorb the information and understand the implications. By the end of the working week, most of the big ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 11 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Jim Hubbard, Cartoonist “NZ Politics daily is a go to for cartoonists, or should be. Political reporting enmasse like this gives cartoonists and political junkies a smorgasbord to get their teeth into. Essential and I daresay vital reading for those who care about the future of NZ.” Anyone can sign ...1 week ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #41Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 3, 2021 through Sat, October 9, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: VFX Artist Reveals how Many Solar Panels are Needed to Power the ENTIRE World, Will you fall ...1 week ago
- The Night of Parmenides: accepted
A bit of good news on the writing front. My 3900-word short story, The Night of Parmenides, has been accepted by SpecFicNZ for their upcoming Aftermath anthology, to be published in early 2022. This is my first published short story to be explicitly set in my home-town of ...1 week ago - The Virus, the Politician, and the gang member
. . . . . References Newshub Nation: Gang leader Harry Tam denies Winston Peters’ claims he helped infected woman breach COVID boundary, sparking Northland lockdown Te Ao News: ‘Apologise!’ Mob leader slams Peters’ Covid, Northland allegations Stuff media: Covid-19 – Search for contact of Northland case ‘extraordinarily frustrating’ CNBC: ...1 week ago - Rapid kits, responses, and openings: watch motivations, or catch something worse with Covid…
Last week was probably a high point for many armchair “experts”, fresh from their high after some deep inhaling of the various musings and fumings, of an actually very smug, and very insualted John “Things all work for me…” Key, former Prime Minister and FOREX trader, had blitzed the ...1 week ago - Bollocks
It would appear we have an unwelcome presence in town.Positive wastewater results had been detected in Hamilton and Palmerston North on October 6 and 7. There are 26 cases in hospital, seven of these are in ICU or high dependency units (HDU).One of the people in hospital is in Palmerston ...1 week ago - World-leading?So, the Herald has found someone, as we can see from today’s issue, who is able to explain why we should not claim to have been “world-leading” in our response to the covid epidemic. It seems that we have been kidding ourselves when we celebrated our low total number of ...1 week ago
- Why Is Labour So Frightened Of “Mr Stick”?Force Multiplier: Why are Ardern and her ministers so loathe to put a bit of stick about? The “emergency” legislation eventually enacted to authorise the measures needed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic failed to confer upon the New Zealand Government the unequivocal authority that subsequent events showed to be so ...1 week ago
- The Need for an Updated Strategic Approach to Covid-19 Control in Aotearoa NZProf Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker* The NZ Government appears to have drifted into an unclear strategic approach to Covid-19 control. In this blog we outline one potential way forward: a regional strategic approach that considers “regional suppression” and “regional elimination”. To maximise the success of this ...2 weeks ago
- Mairon: The Actual Source for the Blasted Name
Long-time Tolkien geeks – or those bemused enough to run across a certain internet phenomenon – might know that ‘Sauron’ is not actually the real name of the Lord of the Ring. ‘Sauron’ is just an abusive Elvish nickname, meaning ‘the Abhorred.’ Sauron’s actual name, at least originally, ...2 weeks ago - Forced Re-entry
The elimination of Covid strategy is not so much defeated but changing circumstances means that policy has to evolve. Our elimination stance was never sustainable or at least it would not be until the rest of the world also eliminated Covid-19. Elimination of the virus was a strategy we adopted ...2 weeks ago - Repeal this unjust lawYesterday the Supreme Court ruled on National's unjust "three strikes" law, and found that the sentence it required was (in the case in question) so disproportionate as to "shock the conscience" and violate the Bill of Rights Act ban on disproportionately severe treatment or punishment: The Supreme Court has ...2 weeks ago
- Climate Change: Preparing for the floodThe Christchurch City Council has published new "coastal hazards" data, indicating which places are under threat from sea-level rise. And its not good news: Parts of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula are likely to become unhabitable [sic] as the city council figures out how to adapt to sea level ...2 weeks ago
- The Virus, Not The GovernmentI wonder if Mike Hosking ever reads the paper in which he appears so regularly? If he does, he might have noticed a report in today’s Herald about the problem that could face churches in Auckland if a vaccine passport becomes mandatory for those wishing to attend church services. The ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 8 October 2021Today’s NZPD testimonial from Bill Ralston, Media consultant and columnist: “NZ Politics Daily provides an invaluable service for journalists, politicians, businesspeople, decision makers and the public at large by providing an easily accessible, exhaustive, link to every significant political story in the country’s media that day. It’s a gem of a service ...2 weeks ago
- Open letter to Michael Barnett, Julie White, et al. . Congratulations, Mr Barnett, Ms White, and your business colleagues. It appears that we will end up having to “live” (ie, get sick, end up in hospital, perhaps in ICU, intubated on ventilators, and possibly dying as our lungs fail) with covid19. But at least businesses will open up. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Mātāwaka: Greens call for the Government to listen to Māori health experts
Te Mātāwaka caucus support the call from iwi leaders, and Māori providers for a COVID-19 vaccination rate of 95 percent for Māori, Pasifika and other marginalised communities before further lifting COVID-19 restrictions. ...7 hours ago - Govt must build on foundation of planning rule changes to solve housing crisisFamilies looking for their first home will welcome a bipartisan commitment to increase housing supply, but will be asking what more can be done. ...9 hours ago
- Equitable financial support urgently needed to combat COVID outbreakThe Green Party is calling for a broader and more equitable financial support package to slow the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure everyone in Alert Level 3 can make ends meet, following the announcement that Alert Level 3 has been extended for at least two more weeks in Auckland and at ...1 day ago
- Waste strategy needs to learn from natureAnything less than a transformational national waste strategy and waste legislation will not be enough, the Green Party said today. ...4 days ago
- 5 ways you can help New Zealand get vaccinated
Getting vaccinated is the best thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people we care about from COVID-19. It means we’ll all be able to do more of what we love this summer, while keeping each other safe. ...5 days ago - Te Mātāwaka: Greens support iwi led housing solutionsThe Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka Caucus welcome the Government’s investment into iwi Māori-led housing initiatives. ...5 days ago
- Greens call for expanded protection for renters, overseas voting for COVID-19 billThe Green Party is calling for expanded protections for renters and extended eligibility for overseas voters for the COVID-19 Response Management Measures Legislation Bill, which is currently before select committee. ...1 week ago
- One-off residency scheme needs to include working holiday and seasonal workersThe Green Party says the Government needs to extend the one-off residency scheme to all workers, instead of keeping them in limbo with visa extensions every 6 months. ...1 week ago
- Camping, concerts, cuddles: Kiwis tell us why they’re vaccinatedRight now, the single most important thing New Zealanders can do in the fight against COVID-19 is get vaccinated. More and more of us are stepping up, with more than two million people now fully vaccinated. ...1 week ago
- Green Party deeply concerned space launches may be breaching nuclear-free lawsThe Green Party is deeply concerned that space launches by Rocket Lab may be breaching New Zealand’s long-standing nuclear-free position and legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens welcome work on electoral reform, but call for recommendations of previous reviews to be impl...The Green Party welcomes the review of New Zealand’s electoral laws as chance to make elections fairer and more accessible. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt plan risks vulnerable communitiesThe Green Party says the Government’s planned roadmap for Auckland risks the safety of vulnerable communities and children. ...2 weeks ago
- Climate crisis demands better transport optionsThe Green Party said the Government’s decision to scrap the Northern Pathway highlights the need for urgent, people-centred transport options. ...2 weeks ago
- Seabed mining application rejected, moratorium necessary next stepThe Supreme Court decision to decline an application by Trans-Tasman Resources will help protect the seabed, marine mammals, fish and other marine life off the South Taranaki coast from seabed mining. ...3 weeks ago
- Extend transitional medicinal cannabis standards to ease patients’ sufferingThe Green Party is calling on the Minister of Health, Andrew Little to extend ‘transitional standards’ for medicinal cannabis to prevent thousands of patients being cut off from their medicine. ...3 weeks ago
- Pathways to residency a win for Green PartyA one-off broad residency pathway will ensure tens of thousands of migrants who have made Aotearoa New Zealand their home can settle here and thrive into the future. ...3 weeks ago
- Red tape cut to boost housing supply
New building intensification rules will mean up to three homes of up to three storeys can be built on most sites without the need for a resource consent New rules will result in at least 48,200 and as many as 105,500 new homes built in next 5-8 years Bringing forward ...9 hours ago - Nationwide business partnership grows conservation jobsFurther Government support for New Zealand’s longest-standing sustainable business organisation will open up opportunities for dozens of workers impacted by COVID-19 to jump start a nature-based career, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. Partnering to Plant Aotearoa, led by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN), is a collaboration with iwi, hapū and ...1 day ago
- New Zealand increases climate aid contributionGovernment commits $1.3 billion over four years to support countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change At least 50 percent of funding will go to the Pacific as it adapts to the impacts of climate change The increase means New Zealand now meets its fair share of global ...2 days ago
- Super Māori turnout for Super SaturdayMāori have put a superb effort into mobilising to get vaccinated over Super Saturday, with thousands rolling up their sleeves to protect themselves, their whānau and communities from COVID-19, Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare says. “It was absolutely outstanding that 21,702 Māori got vaccinated on this one day alone with 10,825 ...2 days ago
- Language assists Tagata Niue to thriveDespite the uncertain times we face with the challenges of COVID-19, our cultural knowledge, values and language remain constant, helping us progress towards goals in life, said the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. This year, the Niuean community in New Zealand decided on the theme, “Kia tupuolaola e ...2 days ago
- New Zealand Ambassador to France announcedForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Caroline Bilkey as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to France and the OECD. “Aotearoa New Zealand and France have a shared history, and enjoy a strong, collaborative partnership. This includes a strong trade and economic relationship, a shared commitment to support ...4 days ago
- Govt welcomes nurses’ pay settlementThe Government is welcoming news that a new employment agreement for nurses working in public hospitals has been settled. “I am very pleased that the hard work of the Nurses Organisation and District Health Boards has led to a settlement that both can support,” Health Minister Andrew Little said today. ...4 days ago
- Judge of the High Court appointedMāori Land Court Judge Layne Harvey has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Harvey graduated with an LLB from the University of Auckland in 1992 and commenced employment as a law clerk with Simpson Grierson in Auckland that same year. In 1997 ...4 days ago
- Kiwis to have their say on plan to reduce wasteNew Zealanders are invited to have their say on proposals for a new waste strategy and options for new waste legislation. “Reducing waste is one of the issues all New Zealanders – especially younger Kiwis - care deeply about,” Environment Minister David Parker said today “New Zealand is one of ...4 days ago
- Next steps in action plan for indigenous rights kicks offMinister for Māori Development Willie Jackson has today meet with more than 30 national Māori organisations in an online hui, kicking off the process to develop a plan for New Zealand to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration). The previous National Government signed ...5 days ago
- Iwi-led housing solutions build homes for the futureWhai Kāinga, Whai Oranga will open on 20 October, to receive applications for investment through Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Te Puni Kōkiri The $730m fund combines investment from Budget 2021 ($380m) and the Māori Infrastructure Fund ($350m) - the largest investment seen ...5 days ago
- E whakarite ana Te Kāwanatanga i ngā tūāpapa mō twhakamaumahara ki Te Petihana Reo Māori ka t...I te rā nei, i pānuihia e te Minita mō Manatū Taonga, ko Carmel Sepuloni, rāua ko te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, ko Willie Jackson, ā tērā tau, ka whakanuia rawatia te 50 o ngā tau mai i te whakatakotoranga o te petihana mō te Reo Māori me te huanga mai ...5 days ago
- E whakarite ana Te Kāwanatanga i ngā tūāpapa mō tewhakamaumahara ki Te Petihana Reo Māori ka t...I te rā nei, i pānuihia e te Minita mō Manatū Taonga, ko Carmel Sepuloni, rāua ko te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, ko Willie Jackson, ā tērā tau, ka whakanuia rawatia te 50 o ngā tau mai i te whakatakotoranga o te petihana mō te Reo Māori me te huanga mai ...5 days ago
- Government green lights rapid antigen testingSome of the country’s largest businesses have put in an order for 300,000 approved rapid antigen tests for their workforce, after working at pace with the Government on a new scheme unveiled by Associate Minister of Health and Research, Science and Innovation Ayesha Verrall. A coalition of around 25 businesses ...5 days ago
- Government lays foundations as Māori Language Petition commemorations take shape for 2022Taiaha hā! Taiaha hā! - Te kairangi o te reo hoki mai ki taku tikanga, ki taku taumata, ki taku reo, ki taku ao. He reo whai tikanga, he reo whai mana, he reo whai tangata koe. Ki te whāngaihia te reo Māori he ao tēnā, ki te kore he ...5 days ago
- Major contract awarded to power NZ Battery investigationA consortium of specialist firms has been awarded a major contract to advance the New Zealand Battery Project’s feasibility investigation into a pumped hydro storage scheme at Lake Onslow, the Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods has announced. “This contract represents a major milestone as it begins the targeted ...6 days ago
- Additional Funding for Foodbanks and Social AgenciesThe Government has approved $13.55m from the Covid Response and Recovery Fund to support foodbanks and social sector agencies, Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni has announced. “Foodbanks and social agencies across Auckland are doing a great job supporting their communities and the Government is today providing them with more ...6 days ago
- Generating a new generation of guardiansThe Government is supporting a Whakatōhea-led project undertaking landscape scale restoration in forests and around vulnerable rivers within the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says. “The Whakatōhea Tiaki Taiao project will employ four people to undertake pest and weed control, ecosystem restoration and monitoring over three ...6 days ago
- Parts of Waikato, Northland staying at Alert Level 3The parts of Waikato that have been in Alert Level 3 and Northland will remain in Alert Level 3 for a few more days, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. Auckland remains at Alert Level 3, Step 1. “Based on the latest public health information, ministers have decided that ...6 days ago
- New courthouses for Tauranga and WhanganuiThe Government is moving ahead with new courthouses in Tauranga and Whanganui, which the Justice Minister says provide an opportunity to redesign court facilities that help put victims at the heart of the justice system. “These courthouses are part of the 10-year infrastructure investment plan to restore and modernise Ministry ...6 days ago
- Speech on the launch of the consultation on the development of the Emissions Reduction PlanTēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi o te ata. Earlier this month Save the Children wrote to me with their most up to date analysis on the impact of climate change. What they said was that children born in Aotearoa today will experience up to five times as many heatwaves and ...6 days ago
- Opportunity to shape NZ’s first Emissions Reduction PlanThe Government is inviting New Zealanders to inform the country’s first Emissions Reduction Plan with the release of a consultation document containing a range of policy ideas to decrease the country’s emissions, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced today. The Emissions Reduction Plan will set ...6 days ago
- Convention on Biological Diversity COP 15, Virtual High-Level SegmentKia ora koutou katoa. I want to thank China for hosting this critically important Conference of the Parties. We are all here for the same reason. Biodiversity loss, and the ongoing degradation of nature, are accelerating at an unprecedented rate. These losses are causing irreparable harm to our planet’s ability ...7 days ago
- Government books show resilient and strong economyThe end of year audited Crown accounts released today show the Government’s health led approach to the COVID-19 pandemic has protected New Zealand’s economy. “On almost every indicator the accounts show that the New Zealand economy has performed better than forecast, even as recently as the Budget in May. It ...1 week ago
- Health system is ready for assisted-dying lawThe health system is ready for the implementation of the End of Life Choice Act when it takes effect next month, making assisted dying legal in New Zealand, Health Minister Andrew Little said today. The law received 65.1 per cent support in a public referendum held alongside last year’s general ...1 week ago
- Taking a lead in threat to curious keaReducing lead poisoning of kea, the world’s only alpine parrot and one-time New Zealand bird of the year winner, is the goal of a two year project being backed by the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme, Minister of Conservation Kiri Allan says. “Lead poisoning is a serious threat to this ...1 week ago
- Government provides certainty to working holiday and seasonal visa holders and employers for summerThe Government will extend Working Holiday visas and Supplementary Seasonal Employment (SSE) work visas for six months to provide more certainty to employers and visa holders over the coming summer period, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi has announced. “This offers employers and visa holders the certainty they’ve been asking for going ...1 week ago
- Lower card fees good for businesses, consumersThe Bill to help lower the cost of the fees retailers get charged for offering contactless and debit payment options is another step closer to becoming law, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark said today. “COVID-19 has changed the way we spend our money, with online and contactless ...1 week ago
- Mandatory vaccination for two workforcesHigh-risk workers in the health and disability sector to be fully vaccinated by 1 December, 2021, and to receive their first dose by 30 October School and early learning staff and support people who have contact with children and students to be fully vaccinated by 1 January, 2022, and to ...1 week ago
- Fund allows more Pacific community led vaccinationsThe Government has made $1.1 million available through ‘The Prepare Pacific Community Vaccination Fund’ to directly support Pacific community-led initiatives towards increasing vaccinations, said Associate Minister of Health, Aupito William Sio. “The best way to protect our communities from COVID-19 is through vaccination. “We need to explore every avenue to ...1 week ago
- Small business at heart of economic recovery across APEC regionThe Minister for Small Business says support for small and medium enterprises will remain ongoing as the Asia-Pacific region moves through response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Stuart Nash today chaired a virtual summit from Wellington for the APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting (SMEMM). “APEC Ministers responsible ...1 week ago
- Restrictions on abortion medication lifted for health practitionersAbortion services can now be provided in primary care, meaning people can access this care from someone like their trusted GP and in a familiar setting, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. “By lifting some restrictions on the funded medications used for early medical abortions, more health ...1 week ago
- Record day for Māori vaccinationsMore than 10,000 vaccinations were administered to Māori yesterday, the highest number in the vaccine campaign so far, Associate Minister of Health (Maori Health) Peeni Henare announced. There were 10,145 doses administered across the motu yesterday this is almost equivalent to the population of Hāwera. The doses are made up ...1 week ago
- Statement on Joint Cooperation in Agriculture between Ireland and New Zealand8 October 2021 - Dublin, Ireland Agriculture plays an important role in the economic, social, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of Ireland and New Zealand. We are focused on increasing the productivity, inclusivity, and resilience of our respective primary sectors. As agri-food exporting nations, we also share a commitment to a ...2 weeks ago
- Northland to move to Alert Level 3 tonightNorthland will move to Alert Level 3 restrictions from 11:59pm tonight following recent information on the risk presented by the positive case initially tested in Whangarei earlier this week and confirmed in Auckland yesterday, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said. The person is now in an Auckland Managed Isolation Quarantine ...2 weeks ago
- Prime Minister's Christmas Card CompetitionIt’s that time of year again! If you’d like to help design the Prime Minister’s official Christmas card, here’s how to take part: Draw, paint, sketch or craft an image you’d like to see on the front of this year’s Christmas card. It can be anything you want – a traditional ...2 weeks ago
- Speech : Pacific Public Sector Fono – Friday 8th October 2021Greetings and Acknowledgements and Warm Pacific Greetings to one and all. It’s a privilege to be able to join with you this afternoon and share some remarks on how important you are to our communities throughout Aotearoa, and across the Pacific region. COVID-19 has been described as a one in ...2 weeks ago
- Pacific Public Sector Fono – Friday 8th October 2021Greetings and Acknowledgements and Warm Pacific Greetings to one and all. It’s a privilege to be able to join with you this afternoon and share some remarks on how important you are to our communities throughout Aotearoa, and across the Pacific region. COVID-19 has been described as a one in ...2 weeks ago
- Ruapehu social housing pilot, providing value for generations to comeHousing Minister Hon Dr Megan Woods today announced the development of six social housing units funded by the Government’s Covid response infrastructure fund, to help work toward resolving Ruapehu's lack of social housing. “The Crown’s investment of $2.1 million in this project will provide value to the community for generations ...2 weeks ago
- New Children’s Commissioner AppointedSocial Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni has announced Judge Frances Eivers’ appointment as the new Children’s Commissioner. Judge Eivers, who is currently a District Court Judge in Manukau, will take up the role on 1 November 2021. She has been appointed for two years. The Children’s Commissioner is an ...2 weeks ago
- Follow a natural health philosophy? Vaccination may have more in common with it than you think
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Wardle, Professor of Public Health, Southern Cross University The natural or “alternative” health community is often held up as being vaccine hesitant. Yet, the relationship between the natural health community and vaccination is complex. Stories such as the Adelaide naturopath ...1 hour ago - Minister says he should have had a 'closer eye' on DHBs
Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare has told several DHBs they need to do better in their vaccine rollout to Māori. ...1 hour ago - Politics with Michelle Grattan: Mustering the government’s rural rump into the 2050 tentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as Michelle Grattan’s usual interviews with experts and politicians about the news of the day, Politics with Michelle Grattan now includes “Word from The Hill”, where all things political will be ...2 hours ago
- The easy way to rein in Facebook and Google: stop them gobbling up competitorsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Few of us who have survived the last year aren’t grateful for technology. Zoom, email, connected workplaces and solid internet connections at home have made it possible to work, shop, ...4 hours ago
- Geographical Indications are among the sensitive issues for NZ in free-trade talks with EU
Trade Minister Damien O’Connor has revived hopes that New Zealand can land a free trade agreement with the UK this year and another one subsequently with the EU, following his just- concluded mission to European capitals. Farm lobbies had not been confident when he set out. In the case of ...4 hours ago - Red Tape Cut For High Density Housing – Expert Reaction
People will be able to build up to three homes of up to three storeys on most sites without the need for a resource consent, according to a newly introduced Bill with bipartisan support. Currently, district plans typically only allow for ...4 hours ago - Medium density housing law proposal greeted with tentative supportResidents and political parties appear cautiously supportive of moves to allow higher-density housing, but also raise concerns about government overreach and regulatory confusion. ...4 hours ago
- Nats and govt get cosy on housing-density rules – but Collins vows to pull the plug on Three Water...
Just one new post had been posted on the Beehive website, when we checked this afternoon. But it was a significant announcement, triggering media headlines such as RNZ’s Housing density to increase across New Zealand under rare bipartisan solution. In a nutshell, National and ...4 hours ago - Emma is hanging up the yellow skivvy: how the ‘first girl Wiggle’ created a powerful legacySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Giuffre, Senior Lecturer in Communication, University of Technology Sydney The Wiggles When Emma Watkins took over as “The Yellow Wiggle” in 2012 there were huge headlines. Her casting was a seismic shift for those who grew up loving her ...4 hours ago
- City Will ‘irrevocably Change’Hamilton City Council is warning that sweeping changes to planning rules announced by the Government have the potential to fundamentally change the face of the city. Minister of Housing Megan Woods and Minister for the Environment David Parker unveiled ...4 hours ago
- Winston Peters StatementOn 9 October 2021 I gave an interview to Newshub on the issue of people who had crossed the Auckland Alert Level 3 border improperly using essential worker credentials. These people were understood to be associated with a member of an organised criminal ...5 hours ago
- OnlyFans has a split identity – it needs to declare its support for adult content creatorsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emily van der Nagel, Lecturer in Social Media, Monash University www.shutterstock.com Have you heard of OnlyFans? It’s a social media platform – like YouTube or Instagram. Access isn’t open to everyone, however. Only subscribers (“fans”) can see the photos ...5 hours ago
- The critically endangered Māui dolphin is a conservation priority — we shouldn’t let uncertaint...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rochelle Constantine, Associate Professor of Marine Biology, University of Auckland University of Auckland Department of Conservation, Author provided The world’s rarest marine dolphin, Māui, is found only along the west coast of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. ...5 hours ago
- Children deserve answers to their questions about climate change. Here’s how universities can helpSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabi Mocatta, Research Fellow in Climate Change Communication, Climate Futures Program, University of Tasmania, and Lecturer in Communication – Journalism, Deakin University Our children are growing up in a volatile climate. It’s already damaging their health, wealth and well-being. Universities can be ...5 hours ago
- Loop Tracks: a novel about choice, consequence and male control
Catherine Robertson reviews Sue Orr’s latest book, billed as a ‘major New Zealand novel’. In Sue Orr’s last novel, The Party Line (Vintage, 2015), a rural community in the 1970s conspires to ignore that a fellow farmer is beating his wife. When she is finally free of him, the men close ...5 hours ago - Bipartisan Housing Bill Good News For WellingtonThe Wellington Chamber of Commerce has welcomed today’s announcement of a bipartisan housing plan. "The bipartisan approach places business at the heart of housing policy," said Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Simon Arcus. "By cutting ...6 hours ago
- Master Plumbers Joins Call For Mandatory Vaccination In Construction SectorMaster Plumbers is adding its voice to industry demands for compulsory vaccination in the building and construction sector, and is asking the Government to act with urgency. Building industry membership group Registered Master Builders yesterday ...6 hours ago
- The Coalition For More Homes Welcomes Today’s Housing AnnouncementThe Coalition for More Homes welcomes the announcement of the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, which will accelerate and build upon the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. It is a major ...7 hours ago
- Delay calculating Māori health services compensation risks compounding prejudices – Waitangi ...The Waitangi Tribunal says it is taking far too long to calculate how much compensation Māori health services should get to make up for years of underfunding. ...7 hours ago
- Albanese asks finance department whether Byrne breached official rules over staffSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese has referred Labor MP Anthony Bryne to the finance department to investigate his employment of taxpayer-funded staff who didn’t turn up to his office. Albanese said he had first spoken to Byrne about ...7 hours ago
- Te Pūtahitanga O Te Waipounamu Announces New Fund To Encourage Innovation And ResilienceTe Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is proud to announce the Whānau Ora Innovation and Improvement Fund, which last week approved $626,000 of funding to 13 agencies across Te Waipounamu. Pouārahi/CE Helen Leahy says that the fund was co-designed ...7 hours ago
- Nature doesn’t recognise borders but countries can collaborate to save species. The Escazú Agreem...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca K. Runting, Lecturer in Spatial Sciences and ARC DECRA Fellow, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Nature rarely recognises national borders. Many Australian birds, for example, are annual visitors, splitting their time between Southeast Asia, Russia, and Pacific Islands. ...7 hours ago
- Jacinda Ardern 'treated New Zealanders like children' – Judith CollinsNational Party leader Judith Collins has attacked Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's approach to the Auckland lockdown, saying she is treating New Zealanders like children. ...7 hours ago
- Why The Jaquie Brown Diaries needs another seasonIt’s been 12 years since Jaquie Brown’s classic comedy show ended on a cliffhanger. Devoted fan Stewart Sowman-Lund argues it’s time for a resolution. We stare at screens all day and all night. Is this good for us? We’re going to talk about that. Read more Screen Week content here. Jaquie Brown ...7 hours ago
- Ardern, Henare on Covid-19 cases and vaccination in Māori communitiesThe Associate Minister of Health is encouraging people to get vaccinated and says if you need support to make your decision, get your information from official sources. ...7 hours ago
- Auditor-General's Annual Report 2020/21...7 hours ago
- 2023 Census First To Collect Gender And Sexual Identity From Everyone In Aotearoa New ZealandThe 2023 Census will be the first to ask everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand about their gender, sexual identity, and whether they have any variations of sex characteristics (also known as intersex status), Stats NZ said today. The confirmation came through ...7 hours ago
- Can’t Fix Housing Without Addressing FundingLocal Government New Zealand says today’s announcement of yet more planning reform is unlikely to fix the housing crisis without addressing how we sustainably fund infrastructure. “As place-makers, council have worked closely with the Government ...8 hours ago
- Group think: Succession’s back, baby!The best drama about bad people returned triumphantly to our screens last night. Here’s what The Spinoff’s resident Succession fans thought about the new episodes.It was the moment when, after several awkward interactions full of divorcee tension, Kendall’s ex-wife Rava finally explodes, unleashing a torrent of abuse at the stammering ...8 hours ago
- Watch live: Ardern, Henare on Covid-19 cases and vaccination in Māori communitiesThe prime minister will be joined by Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare to talk about work being done to lift Māori vaccination rates. ...8 hours ago
- Housing density to increase across NZ under rare bipartisan solution
*This story was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission* National and the Government have worked together to design new housing density rules that would allow three homes, three storeys tall to be built on most sites without a consent. In a rare show of bipartisanship, Labour government ...9 hours ago - Housing, Environmental Groups Celebrate Cross-partisan Reform Of Urban Planning RulesA City for People, Generation Zero, and Renters United welcome the cross-partisan announcement today that the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) will be strengthened with a fast-tracked medium-density zone and its implementation ...9 hours ago
- Improved Housing Policy Enthusiastically WelcomedWellington (Tuesday, 19 October 2021) – Today, the Government took a significant step toward restoring housing affordability. The New Zealand Initiative enthusiastically welcomed the announcement, supported by Labour and National, of a broad upzoning ...9 hours ago
- Housing density to increase across New Zealand under rare bipartisan solutionNational and the government have worked together to design new housing density rules that would allow three homes three storeys tall without a consent. Watch live here. ...9 hours ago
- Rare show of cross-party unity paves way for housing density breakthroughLabour and National have shared a stage to announce major changes to turbocharge urban density rules, laying down the gauntlet to councils and raising hopes for first-time buyers.In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, ministers of New Zealand’s two biggest parties joined forces at the Beehive Theatrette today to announce ...9 hours ago
- The app that’s ‘gamifying’ reading to help improve kids’ literacyChildren learn best when they’re having fun. Ben Fahy spoke to the founder of an app that’s helping kids break through learning barriers. On Paul Blackman’s first day of school in Grey Lynn in the 1950s – “before Grey Lynn was so flash” – he sat in a class with 54 ...10 hours ago
- Inflation shock: Rising prices likely to stay for a while – economistClaims a spike in inflation would be short-lived are being discarded as economists warn rising prices are here to stay. ...11 hours ago
- A dog reviews Barkley Manor, TVNZ’s new doggy daycare reality showResident Spinoff pooch and one-time Barkley Manor pupil Stanley gives his verdict. As told to Alice NevilleI got accepted into Barkley Manor last year, which is kind of a big deal. There’s a massive waiting list; my mum says other dogs would kill to get in there and I’m an ungrateful ...11 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – October 19 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 Govt Covid strategy, expert warnings Luke Malpass ...12 hours ago
- How to talk to your kids about screensIt’s a tricky conversation, but a necessary one. If you’re ready to talk to your kids about digital safety, you should read this first. We stare at screens all day and all night. Is this good for us? We’re going to talk about that. Read more Screen Week content here.Kids ...12 hours ago
- Liveable Incomes Needed As Part Of The Health Response To Covid-19The government announced yesterday that Tāmaki Makaurau would remain at alert level 3 for an extra two weeks, while people on benefits struggle to make ends meet with what little support they’ve been given this lockdown. “This lockdown has been ...13 hours ago
- Everyday activities won't be available to the unvaccinated – Jacinda ArdernIf you are not vaccinated, there will be everyday things you will miss out on, the prime minister says. ...13 hours ago
- This is why Australia may be powerless to force tech giants to regulate harmful contentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien Spry, Lecturer, University of South Australia Andrew Harnik/AP If some anonymous troll went after one of my children, I’d be livid. And if my colleagues supported me, I’d thank them. So, on some level, I can sympathise with Deputy ...13 hours ago
- NSW scraps home quarantine for returnees. What are the risks, and what does this mean for the rest o...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amalie Dyda, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced that from November 1, quarantine will no longer be required for international arrivals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The federal government, which makes decisions about ...13 hours ago
- Who’s who in Glasgow: 5 countries that could make or break the planet’s future under climate cha...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The climate talks in Glasgow are just days away, and may be the last chance to coordinate global efforts to stop the planet warming beyond 1.5℃ this century. ...13 hours ago
- COVID-19 cases rise when schools open – but more so when teachers and students don’t wear masksSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zoë Hyde, Epidemiologist, The University of Western Australia Shutterstock As students return to schools in Victoria and New South Wales after months of lockdowns, many people may be worried about the risks to their kids – and transmission overall. The ...13 hours ago
- What is an ETF? And why is it driving Bitcoin back to record high prices?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society and NATSEM, University of Canberra The Bitcoin bulls are racing again. A year ago the cryptocurrency was valued at less than US$12,000. Now it has passed the symbolic milestone of US$60,000, ...13 hours ago
- New research finds a growing appetite for Australian books overseas, with increased demand in ChinaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Crosby, Lecturer, Department of Economics, Macquarie University Actor Nicole Kidman and Big Little Lies’ Australian author Liane Moriarty at the Emmys in 2017. Peter Mitchell/AAP Many authors dream of overseas success for their work, but how Australian books find publication in ...13 hours ago
- Live updates, October 19: North Shore partygoer dobs himself into policeWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 19, by Stewart Sowman-Lund. Reach me on stewart@thespinoff.co.nz. Help support our Covid coverage – join Members today.8.00am: North Shore partygoer dobs himself into policeA man who attended a party on Auckland’s North Shore in breach of Covid-19 restrictions has apologised for his ...13 hours ago
- Ongoing mysteries of the delta outbreakOnce a footnote in daily health updates, the number of cases that can’t be linked to the greater outbreak has grown worryingly in recent weeks, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.The mystery count is rising rapidly. One of the numbers that underlines the scale of the delta outbreak and the challenge ...14 hours ago
- Newsroom daily crossword, Tuesday 19 October
...16 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 October16 hours ago
- If streaming services won’t make NZ TV on their own, NZ should force them toLast week, Duncan Greive wrote about the cancellation of ‘groundbreaking, critically acclaimed, super-diverse’ series Head High. Here the man who first conceived of the show explains the near-impossible task of creating a high-rating local drama on network TV.We stare at screens all day and all night. Is this good for ...16 hours ago
- The golden drool: What makes saliva testing special in the fight against Covid-19New Zealand has begun to introduce saliva testing, but it’s been slow in coming. Dr Anne Wyllie, a research scientist at Yale who led development of the SalivaDirect test, the protocol for which is openly shared and available to all at no cost, explains the value of such an approach ...16 hours ago
- Why lockdown will accelerate NZ's 'big quit'
NZ’s longest Covid constraints are fast-tracking worker’s motivation to quit their jobs ...16 hours ago - Why a fast but faulty Covid test is a useful tool to have
Rapid antigen tests have finally been approved for use in New Zealand. Critics say they're not accurate enough, but as we wave goodbye to an elimination strategy, we're going to need fast results. Hundreds of thousands of rapid antigen Covid-19 tests are now winging their way to New Zealand. Last ...16 hours ago - Afghanistan evacuation: from 'not feasible' to underway within days
An evacuation mission went from "not feasible" to underway within days. ...16 hours ago - Liquor advertising a blight on society
Auckland Council is currently seeking public feedback on signs and advertising at liquor stores. Dr Nicki Jackson outlines the compelling reasons to have your say. There are more than 1000 off-licence businesses in Auckland that sell takeaway alcohol. More than half of these are standalone bottle stores, inequitably distributed to ...16 hours ago - Teen angel about to don her Black Fern wings
She's already made rugby history, but teenager Liana Mikaele-Tu'u is just beginning her career with the Black Ferns, preparing for their 100th test match. In her day job, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u is an ‘angel’, helping keep troubled teenagers coming to school. In lockdown, she pushes her car down a suburban Auckland street to ...16 hours ago - Lockdown double-edged sword for students heading into exam season
High school students facing the upcoming exam season from lockdown are tackling a whole new gamut of challenges as they are forced to learn from home Kiwi teenagers are used to learning from home by now. Last April, more than 800,000 students around the country pulled up chairs at ...16 hours ago - Ardern's circuit-breaker balancing act
Public health teams on the frontline in Auckland say Level 4 won't make a difference but as case numbers rise, pressure for a "circuit-breaker" measure will follow, Marc Daalder reports Analysis: In less than a week, a move to Level 4 in Auckland has gone from "not something the Government is considering" to ...16 hours ago - Independent journalism under threat, not just in Russia
A cosy deal between Austria's former leader and a media business prompted his downfall, and big questions over media independence, writes Oliver Hartwich ...16 hours ago - Time for Cabinet to wake up on Māori vaccination
Some Māori health providers find their local DHB more hindrance than help in the race to get double-dosed ...16 hours ago - Book industry 'shocked' by $500,000 grant
A matchmaking books site gets $500,000 from the Government. Why? A start-up headed by an American wedding celebrant with close to zero knowledge of New Zealand literature has been given a massive $500,000 grant from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage to "help Aotearoa audiences access books". The grant was ...16 hours ago - Tauranga iwi's big foreshore and seabed win
A High Court decision granting customary title to part of Tauranga Harbour is the latest in a series of cases giving legal backing to tikanga Māori. Ben Leonard reports. It’s been a long and costly journey for the iwi and hapū of Te Tāhuna O Rangataua (Rangataua Bay). After years ...16 hours ago - Taking RNA technology into NZ's future
New Zealand has the opportunity to establish itself at the cutting edge of RNA technology. We already possess the scientific expertise to solve problems unique to our nation and globally – we just need the investment, writes Dr Nicki Jackson. Comment: When the novel coronavirus first came into the spotlight in early 2020, development of ...16 hours ago - View from The Hill: A small step for everyone else is a big leap for the NationalsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Nationals appear to be inching towards accepting the net zero 2050 climate target, wrapped in a protective layer of cotton wool and of course accompanied by expensive sweeteners. After all they’ve said over the ...21 hours ago
- Government ‘in control’. For how long?
The first year of Covid rattled confidence in governments round the globe. The 2021 energy price surge is exposing a swathe of vainglory and folly in policymaking. Yet looking back over the last fifteen years or so, it seems remarkable how ‘hands on’ government has confounded its critics. Global ...21 hours ago - Risk of ‘unequal outbreak’ hurting Māori, Pasifika, says top NZ epidemiologistPodcast: RNZ Checkpoint “We hear a lot of anecdotal reports of that. Also, the rules were relaxed a bit in terms of more social gathering outdoors and outdoor gatherings on the face of it should be relatively low risk because there’s better ventilation, but of course, it does provide more ...22 hours ago
- Aftershocks of covid-19 threaten to undo gains across Pacific, says reportBy Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific deputy news editor Experts are warning that development gains across the Pacific region over the past 10 years could be undone due to the challenges of the covid-19 pandemic. The aid organisation World Vision wants a once in a life time multinational effort to rebuild ...22 hours ago
- ‘Ground Zero’ in Goroka where the gloom of death hangs in the airSPECIAL REPORT: By Gorethy Kenneth of the PNG Post-Courier in Goroka, Papua New Guinea The flowers outside the building are in full bloom — green, red and yellow, sparkling with hope. You are welcomed by the usual cool mist in Kol Ples Goroka. But that welcoming coolness dissipates fast when ...22 hours ago
- Government to announce new Covid-19 approach on FridayThe government will announce a new 'Covid-19 protection framework' on Friday for when the country is at a higher vaccination rate. ...1 day ago
- Aged care staff urgently need training to report and prevent sexual assaultSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joseph Ibrahim, Professor, Health Law and Ageing Research Unit, Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University Shutterstock An estimated 50 sexual assaults occur nationally every week in Australian residential aged care facilities. Despite this shocking figure, none of the Aged Care ...1 day ago
- The kids who’d get the most out of extracurricular activities are missing out – here’s how to ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander William O’Donnell, Research Associate, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University Shutterstock One-third of Australian children aged 12 to 13 in low-income suburbs do not take part in any extracurricular activities. That’s 2.5 times as many as those ...1 day ago
- The North Shore lockdown party, reviewed by someone who didn’t attendThe infamous North Shore house party on Saturday has attracted nationwide criticism. But was the party any good?There are many things that might tempt Aucklanders to breach lockdown rules. Funerals, births, sick loved ones, a partner in another bubble. The list is long and varied. A really good party is ...1 day ago
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