Posts Tagged ‘deregulation’
The Unitary Plan: Rodney’s Dream
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, August 7th, 2016 - 59 comments
Rodney Hide must be sleeping well, because Auckland’s proposed Unitary Plan will deliver all he and his NACT patrons ever hoped for. The Council should reject the Plan in its current form, cherry-pick those aspects consistent with a democratic and liveable city and sheet home the responsibility to those that created the mess.
Cheap and nasty
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, August 17th, 2013 - 36 comments
Having been burned by the cheapest tender and the leaky building fiasco, the Nats say that they have now worked out that the cheapest tender is not necessarily the best. (Brilliant eh?) If only it was true that they had really learned the lesson…
Key needs to get real on Fonterra crisis
Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, August 11th, 2013 - 128 comments
The Fonterra fiasco is turning into a genuine crisis and a huge risk to our economy. John Key needs to stop playing politics and get real. It’s urgent.
Fonterra scandal and deregulation
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, August 9th, 2013 - 72 comments
Stuff’s Pattrick Smellie makes the case that the Fonterra scandal is a product of deregulation. The lesson here is that Mike Joy and other scientists are right. To protect its environment, its brand, its exports and its economy, NZ needs to strengthen regulatory protections and clean up its act.
Cuts that could kill
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, April 26th, 2013 - 47 comments
DOC is being cut to the bone. DOC staff, Labour and the Greens have all warned that these cuts risk another Cave Creek disaster.
Another deregulation fiasco
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, July 14th, 2011 - 36 comments
A former chief inspector of coal mines yesterday told the Pike River inquiry that the underlying cause of the disaster was the weakening of mining regulations in the 1990s. Yet another example of the frequent and costly failures of deregulation. RIP the Pike River miners.
Leaky homes
Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, May 26th, 2010 - 44 comments
While it rains, thousands of homes are rotting, a legacy of the stupid deregulation of the building industry by National in the 1990s. The current government is proposing that huge costs be passed on to ratepayers, and tonight Wellington City Council votes on the plan. There are no good solutions to this mess.
- Introducing a new citizens initiative for carbon pricing in Europe
A new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) called “The fast, fair and effective solution to climate change” was launched on May 6. The proposal asks that the European Commission introduce a carbon-pricing policy known as Carbon Fee and Dividend at the ...1 hour ago - Let Fonterra die
Fonterra is complaining that the offshore oil exploration ban could impede its plans to switch from coal to gas. Basicly, they're worried about future gas supplies and whether they can switch to a fuel which may no longer be available. ...19 hours ago - The misogyny of the alt-Right.
Comments about Green MP Golriz Ghahraman by ACT MP David Seymour on a reactionary radio talk show, and the threats that followed and which the Police deemed serious enough to merit a security detail for her, got me to thinking ...21 hours ago - Member’s DayToday is a Member's Day. While it was originally expected to be the second reading of David Seymour's End of Life Choice Bill, National's bigots have successfully filibustered the past few Member's Days, so that now looks like it won't ...22 hours ago
- Climate Change: We are not prepared for thisA couple of years ago the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment warned us of a "slow-moving red zone" due to sea-level rise. According to their estimates, tens of thousands of homes and billions of dollars of infrastructure were at risk. ...22 hours ago
- The Game of Thrones finale: A review
A review of the last ever episode of Game of Thrones (Spoiler alert!) ...2 days ago - This is not acceptable in a democracyLast week, ACT leader David Seymour called Green MP Golriz Ghahraman "a real menace to freedom in this country" over her views on hate speech. He said this in an environment where Ghahraman regularly receives death threats. And now, thanks ...2 days ago
- A toxic workplaceThe report of the Independent External Review into Bullying and Harassment in the New Zealand Parliamentary Workplace was released today, and it paints a picture of a toxic workplace where bullying is rife. MP's bully staff, MP's bully each other, ...2 days ago
- Climate Change: More emergenciesLast week, ECan declared a climate change emergency, becoming the first local authority in New Zealand to do so. They were swiftly followed by Nelson, and Christchurch looks like it will follow suit this week. And from a report on ...2 days ago
- NZDF’s secret rules of engagementThere's been another dump of documents from the Operation Burnham "inquiry", this time about rules of engagement. In the past, NZDF has refused to release these due to "national security", on the odd theory that if it were publicly known ...2 days ago
- The Parting of the Ways
Perhaps it’s because of the sheer size – and therefore enormous potential – of their country, but Australians have always demonstrated a harder-edged nationalism than have Kiwis. And that tendency has become even more apparent in recent years, when they ...3 days ago - NZ National will use extreme Parties to appear “more reasonable” as a method of vote gathering i...
Current member of the National Party, List MP Alfred Ngaro, has declared he has an intent towards the possibility of setting up a Christian-oriented “values” party. Simon Bridges initially denied discussion, but we all know his denials are really never ...3 days ago - Australia votes for the same old shitAustralians went to the polls over the weekend, and have apparently re-elected the shit party to government. It was unexpected, but I guess that's what happens when you have a media landscape utterly dominated by a highly partisan monopoly. Meanwhile, ...3 days ago
- Don’t let industry crowd out student voice
New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations National President JamesRanstead argues student voice is crucial in the Reform of VocationalEducation ...3 days ago - Genesis clings to coalBack in 2015, SOE Genesis Energy committed to shutting down the last two coal-fired units at its Huntly power-plant by December 2018. Last year they pushed back that commitment to 2030. And now, they're weakening it still further:The country's largest ...3 days ago
- Equality (finally) comes to TaiwanBack in 2017, Taiwan's highest court ruled that violated “the people’s freedom of marriage” and “the people’s right to equality”, and gave the legislature to enact a marriage equality law. And over the weekend, just one week before the deadline ...3 days ago
- Ignoring the OmbudsmanBack in 2017, after then-Transport Minister Simon Bridges had been caught red-handed unlawfully interfering with an OIA request about Auckland rail upgrades, the Ombudsman recommended that government agencies develop formal protocols with Ministers to limit Ministerial interference. So how's that ...3 days ago
- 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #20
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, May 12 through Sat, May 18, 2019 Editor's Pick 12 excuses for climate inaction and how to refute them Using moral ...4 days ago - Anti-abortion arguments are increasingly secular, but remain unconvincing and misogynistic
While abortion laws in New Zealand are likely to be liberalised, in the US abortion rights are being rolled back. This article from Feminist Current looks at the way the anti abortion movement is reframing its arguments. by Karen Jolly ...5 days ago - New research, May 6-12, 2019
A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. This post has separate sections for: Climate Change, Climate Change Impacts, Climate Change Mitigation, and Other Papers. Climate change An example of principal component analysis application on climate change ...5 days ago - Workers increasingly less keen about British Labour Party
by Sean Kearns It appears that even in Britain, where a lot of unions remain affiliated to Labour, the working class itself is less attached to Labour. The bureaucratic leaderships keep unions chained to Labour, the workers are just not ...5 days ago - Valuing Xero again
In October 2013 I wrote about “Valuing Xero in one hour“, and (although it had a bug) came up with a forecast that justified the then $2.2 billion valuation of Xero with a Weighted Average Cost of Capital of 18%. ...6 days ago - Climate Change: Tweaking the ETSClimate Change Minister James Shaw has announced the latest decisions in the government's programme to tweak the Emissions Trading Scheme to make it actually discourage pollution rather than subsidise it. There's a commitment to begin auctioning units from late next ...6 days ago
- Neither socially not environmentally responsibleDunedin will play host to the New Zealand Minerals Forum at the end of the month, where the companies who dig up New Zealand and destroy our natural environment for private profit will conspire on how to pillage more effectively ...6 days ago
- Time to get out of IraqCabinet will be considering whether to pull out of Iraq this month. Meanwhile, thanks to the US openly threatening war with Iran, other countries with military forces there are withdrawing them:Germany and the Netherlands have suspended their military training programmes ...6 days ago
- A handmaid party?Earlier in the year, National helped failed Green leadership candidate Vernon Tava set up a "teal" astroturf party, sustainablenz. It seems to have sunk without a trace, without even registering a logo with the Electoral Commission, let alone applying for ...6 days ago
- Frustrations of an unreconstructed, unrepentant Keynesian
Those with a progressive agenda (and yes, I count myself as one) have been frustrated by our own inability and reluctance to engage head-on in the most important argument in political discourse – the role, function and objective of government.read ...6 days ago - What Do We Mean by Wellbeing?There is a story of a little old lady who woke up after a close election and was told that the result was a ‘hung parliament’. She responded that she did not know what that meant, but it sounded like ...7 days ago
- UK spies are not above the lawIn a major decision, the UK Supreme Court has ruled that that country's spies are not above the law:Government security decisions will in future be open to challenge in the courts after judges ruled that a secretive intelligence tribunal could ...7 days ago
- Ghostwriitng Unacceptable says TEU‘Cheating by university students paying ‘ghostwriters’ to write essays for them is totally unacceptable and requires a nationally co-ordinated response’, says the New Zealand Tertiary Education Union. ...7 days ago
- Climate Change: A climate emergency in CanterburyECan has just declared a climate emergency, becoming the first local authority in New Zealand to do so. But what does it mean? Their declaration included this:Environment Canterbury declares a climate emergency and commits to continue to: robustly and visibly ...7 days ago
- Beneficiaries are treated worse than criminalsAn investigation by the Privacy Commissioner has found that WINZ systematically misused its powers, conducting intrusive and illegal searches into beneficiaries' lives in violation of both the Social Security Act and Privacy Act. Searches like this:“In one instance, a beneficiary ...7 days ago
- International Support Personnel DayWith trade unions across the world, we are standing up as members of Education International to mark International Support Personnel Day. ...7 days ago
- Hard News: Rip It Up: A history of us, a history of me
I love the National's Library's Papers Past archive. I've used it many times for work and sometimes just for fun. The one thing I never thought I'd be able to do is vanity-search on it. And yet, here it is: ...7 days ago - Why is John Bolton constantly given power instead of a one-way ticket to a padded cell?
Bolton has never conceded that invading Iraq was a mistake, in fact he considers it to this day still as a roaring success. His history in public life is that of an unrepentant, ignorant thug of a politician, a persona ...1 week ago - Above the lawA big myth in this country is that we are all equal under the law. If someone commits a crime, they get prosecuted, regardless of who they are. We already know that that's a myth when it comes to race ...1 week ago
- Britain wants its troops to commit war crimesThat's the only conclusion that can be drawn from its "vow" to introduce an amnesty for crimes committed by soldiers and to derogate from the ECHR:The new defence secretary has promised to introduce an amnesty on historical prosecutions for military ...1 week ago
- Left Network for Free SpeechHate speech’ laws are being considered in New Zealand. We believe it is important to defend free speech. This is an important issue that the left should take up. If you’d like to be a part of the Left Network ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: The Zero Carbon Bill and the ETSOne of the criticisms of the government's Zero Carbon Bill is that it is toothless: the independent Climate Change Commission can set budgets and advise on plans, but has no power to implement anything. Greenpeace for example wanted the Commission ...1 week ago
- Highway to Hell!
(fire, California)Some time ago Jeanette Fitzsimons described our action on climate change like a car driving rapidly to a precipice while the occupants argue about whether they should maybe change down a gear. If we are to continue with this ...1 week ago - Defending Privilege“Business as usual” is always the catch-cry of those who are happy with the way things are. “Let’s not change anything” makes sense to those who are doing well and see no reason to run any risks in case that ...1 week ago
- IPCC Updates Methodology for Greenhouse Gas InventoriesKYOTO, Japan, May 13 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released on Monday an update to its methodology used by governments to estimate their greenhouse gas emissions and removals. Governments are required to report their national greenhouse gas ...1 week ago
- Does international chemical watchdog cherry-pick evidence to confirm a bias?
Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons headquarters in The Hague. Image credit: Prensa Latina Ready Syria to Cooperate with Organization Against Chemical Weapons Multinational bodies, like ... 1 week ago - Rotuman Language Week 12 – 19 May 2019Rotuman bisikete: reactivating forgotten words ...1 week ago
- Money for Reform Vocational EducationThe Tertiary Education Union Te Hautū Kahurangi welcomes the pre-budget announcement of $197 million for the reform of vocational education saying it’s a step in the right direction. ...1 week ago
- Is Donald Trump Really A Deal-Maker?As Donald Trump surveys the current state of his relationships with China, Iran and North Korea, with all of whom he has recently engaged in a somewhat confrontational way, even someone as resistant to self-doubt as the US President might ...1 week ago
- Netanyahu does a BerlusconiIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being prosecuted for corruption. So how is he planning to avoid it? A law granting him immunity would not survive judicial scrutiny. So, he plans to remove that scrutiny entirely:The new far-reaching bill would ...1 week ago
- Chipping away at the OIALast week I highlighted an odious secrecy clause in the government's Zero Carbon Bill, which unnecessarily exempted information from the Official Information Act, undermining transparency and accountability. The government's Equal Pay Amendment Bill is back from select committee today, and ...1 week ago
- Over 600,000 views on RedlineEarlier today Redline reached a total of 600,000 views since we began in June 2011. This is a modest total, but not bad for a hardcore marxist blog at the arse-end of the world, and based in perhaps the most ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: Shifting the groundThe UK's Climate Change Committee has recommended toughening their target to net zero emissions by 2050. And the change has the overwhelming support of the UK public:A majority of voters would support radical action to slash greenhouse gases to nearly ...1 week ago
- New Fisk1 week ago
- CapturedWhy is MBIE so supportive of the oil industry, why do they come up with outrageous estimates of the value of the oil industry to New Zealand, and why do they see environmentalists as a threat to be suppressed by ...1 week ago
- Teachers have had enoughSo, its on. On May 29, the day before Labour's "wellbeing budget", the centrepiece of its political year when it tries to send a good news message about what its doing, the teachers are going on strike. They've been overworked ...1 week ago
- Sharing With Our Feathered FriendsMy wife grew up in suburban London – not an environment that was conducive, one might think, to developing an interest in wild life. But her father was a bird lover and he helped her, too, to develop a love ...1 week ago
- Access: You just need a sense of humour“You just need a sense of humour”. I heard this patronising and unhelpful advice from a panellist at an Autism New Zealand Conference many years ago. What about access to education and services, understanding, financial and other support?These words came ...1 week ago
- The Giddens Project: New Times, the Third Way and the future of politicsThe Giddens Project has its origins in my association with 'Third Way' politics during my time as a member of the New Zealand parliament between 1990 and 2008.read more ...1 week ago
- 2019 International Solidarity Conference in Cubaby Jon Flanders Once again this year I traveled to Cuba on a delegation that visited many interesting sites on the island, once of them being the huge May Day march in Havana. Cuba celebrates May Day as a national ...2 weeks ago
- 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, May 5 through Sat, May 11, 2019 Editor's Pick Proposal to spend 25% of EU budget on climate change Schoolchildren ...2 weeks ago - All is trueFilm review by Don Franks All is not true but lots is good in the Shakespeare movie now showing in Wellington. In “All is true” , Ben Elton’s script combines, happily to this viewer, the little that’s known of historical Shakespeare ...2 weeks ago
- New research, April 29 – May 5, 2019A selection of new climate related research articles is shown below. This post has separate sections for: Climate Change, Climate Change Impacts, Climate Change Mitigation, and Other Papers. Climate change mitigation Climate change communication Climate change and educational attainment in ...2 weeks ago
- Ngā piki, ngā heke – Ten years togetherThis week Tertiary Update reviews the major speeches of the 2019 AnnualConference so that all members have a chance to engage with our largest ...2 weeks ago
- National Secretary’s ReportAddress of the National Secretary, Sharn Riggs, to TEU’s 2019 Conference.Following another fantastic turnout at our tenth annual conference ...2 weeks ago
- Sending out an SOS – 130 take the pledge so far130 general and academic staff from community tertiary education providers,polytechnics, universities, and wānanga pledged to get their ...2 weeks ago
- British government wants impunity for its crimesImagine if a government argued that murderers and rapists should not be "pursued unfairly for events that took place decades ago". That's exactly what the British Minister of Defence is arguing for soldiers:The new defence secretary, Penny Mordaunt, declared that ...2 weeks ago
- Awhi atu, awhi mai – Fighting Islamophobia, hate, and racismIbrahim Omer, union organiser at E Tū and Chair of Change Makers Resettlement Forum,reflects on his journey in New Zealand as a refugee, and ...2 weeks ago
- From the conference floor and beyondTEU’s annual conference was two days of mahi, debate, fun, and planning for 130 TEU members and the staff who support them. ...2 weeks ago
- TEU Awards 2019Two new members of the TEU were inducted as life members at the Annual Conference 2019 – Carol Soal, Ara Aoraki, and Sandra Grey, Victoria Uni ...2 weeks ago
- Government’s climate change plan does not go far enoughNew Zealand’s lead author on the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC) report has said the ...2 weeks ago
- Hard News: Music: Some deep beliefThere's a strange thing about having songwriters as longtime friends. On the one hand there are years when you're mates getting in the same scrapes; they're smoking your weed and you're drinking their riders; you're all fitfully growing up, not ...2 weeks ago
- “Pure sophistic bollocks”That's how normally mild-mannered ex-MP Peter Dunne describes the government's excuses on its "binding" cannabis referendum:The Minister tries to justify his position by saying that no Parliament can bind its successor Parliaments. This is, to put it politely, pure sophistic ...2 weeks ago
- Why do MPs hate capital gains taxes?Just look at all the houses they own. Parliament's Register of Pecuniary Interests was released yesterday, showing all the pies our MPs said they have their fingers in. And their favourite pie is houses. NewsHub has a list here, and ...2 weeks ago
- Ireland declares a climate emergencyLast week, the UK Parliament became the first in the world to recognise the seriousness and urgency of the environmental situation by declaring a climate emergency. And last night, Ireland followed suit:Ireland has become only the second country in the ...2 weeks ago
- A New Crime of EcocideTwo developments over the past week or so demonstrate how serious is the existential crisis we now face, in terms of the damage we are doing to our planet, and how far we are from facing up to our responsibilities. ...2 weeks ago
- Psychology of Russiagate – an adult discussion for a changeThis is a fascinating interview – and not only because it is a highly respected independent journalist, Aaron Maté, interviewing his highly respected mental health expert father, Dr. Gabor Maté. It is fascinating because it is objective and adult ...2 weeks ago
- Hubbard Bubble: Toil and TroubleAt the core of a successful economy is ‘trust’. Buy a can of beans and your decision depends on trusting a whole chain of suppliers. Admittedly, you also trust that the law is working in your favour too; it usually ...2 weeks ago
- Safety focus in improved drug driver testing
Improving the safety of all road users is the focus of a new public consultation document on the issue of drug driver testing. Plans for public consultation on options to improve the drug driver testing process have been announced by ...7 days ago - Making it easier to get help from PolicePolice Minister Stuart Nash says calling a cop suddenly got a whole lot easier with the launch of a ground-breaking new service for non-emergency calls. “The single non-emergency number ‘ten-five’ is designed to provide better service for the public and ...1 week ago
- More Police deployed to the regionsFrontline Police numbers have been boosted with today’s deployment of 77 new officers to the regions. Police Minister Stuart Nash today congratulated the recruits of Wing 325 who graduated at a formal ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Police College. ...2 weeks ago
- Access Community Health Returning to the bargaining table
The PSA and E tū bargaining team are hopeful for an improved offer from Access Community Health as they resume mediation today, following a week of nationwide strike actions by Access coordinators, administration, and call centre workers. ...24 mins ago - Business and parliament need to step upBusiness and parliament need to step up to stronger integrity systems says TINZ roadmap It is beyond time for serious and urgent action to protect and extend integrity in New Zealand The National Integrity System Assessment 2018 update (NIS 2018) ...13 hours ago
- Targets overlook the 174000 children living in worst povertyChild Poverty Action Group is pleased to see the Government set ambitious 10-year targets for child poverty reduction , but we are disappointed not to see a target set for improving thousands of young lives where the worst of poverty ...16 hours ago
- ANZASW on funding to tackle family and sexual violenceThe Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) strongly welcomes the government’s pledge to increase funding to tackle family and sexual violence. The government estimates that around a million people including 300,000 children ...17 hours ago
- Hurunui well placed to meet newly released standardsThe Government has recently released mandatory planning standards for councils to meet. The new standards address the structure and form of plans, as well as setting national definitions and requiring plans to be accessible and interactive online ...18 hours ago
- Media statement by Retirement Commissioner Diane MaxwellStatement by Retirement Commissioner Diane Maxwell in response to the report of the investigation into allegations made against her of bullying: ...18 hours ago
- Budget needs to close the community social worker pay gapSocial workers employed by community organisations are hoping next week’s wellbeing budget will help bridge the pay gap with their colleagues in Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children. ...19 hours ago
- Directors personally liable for $100,000 owed to cabbiesThe Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has determined that former Dunedin taxi company directors are personally liable for leaving former employees nearly $100,000 out of pocket by treating them as contractors. ...19 hours ago
- Protesters disrupt petroleum meetingTwelve activists from climate action group 350 Aotearoa have disrupted a Petroleum Club meeting in New Plymouth. The group targeted event sponsors, ANZ, in a bid to highlight the discrepancies between the bank’s public statements on climate change ...19 hours ago
- Over 11,000 calls to 105 non-emergency number in 12 daysOn Friday 15 May Commissioner of Police Mike Bush launched 105 (“ten five”), Police’s new number for reporting non-emergency situations. ...20 hours ago
- Zero Carbon BillYesterday was the first reading of the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill in Parliament. ...20 hours ago
- The CHANGE ONE ChallengeThe Change One Challenge is your chance to join a community of change makers. This annual event challenges Kiwis to 'change one thing' in their daily lives to reduce waste and live more sustainably. ...21 hours ago
- Wellbeing Budget Could Be a Breath of Fresh AirThe Wellbeing budget could be a turning point for community health NGOs, says Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ CE Letitia O’Dwyer. ARFNZ has provided resources, education, and support for the 700,000 New Zealanders living with respiratory conditions ...23 hours ago
- No surprises in threat to sue Oranga TamarikiA man’s threat to sue Government children’s agency Oranga Tamariki over false claims by department staff comes as no surprise to new action group Whanau First. ...2 days ago
- The Zero Carbon Bill passes its first reading 119 votes to 1The Zero Carbon Bill has passed its first reading in Parliament today, and Forest & Bird is welcoming the progress on this landmark legislation to make Aotearoa carbon neutral. "We're very pleased to see the Zero Carbon Bill pass its ...2 days ago
- Successful first reading a critical step for climate billSuccessful first reading a critical first step to creating effective Zero Carbon Bill ...2 days ago
- Statement on behalf of E tū members employed at ParliamentWe broadly support the findings and recommendations of Debbie Francis’ independent review into Bullying and Harassment in the New Zealand Parliamentary Workplace. We want to thank staff for taking the difficult and brave step of making their voices ...2 days ago
- Minister Not Listening Say Northland Principals"The Minister is talking in platitudes but saying nothing new!" according to Leanne Otene, Principal of Manaia View School in Whangarei and executive member of Te Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association. ...2 days ago
- Pike Families welcome opening of drift<The group representing 29 of the Pike River Families - the Pike River Family Reference Group - has welcomed the unsealing of the mine at a private family event this morning. ...2 days ago
- Forfeiture of assets leads to $620,000 recoveredA Police Asset Recovery Unit investigation into the misappropriation of funds from a government department is leading to the recovery of about $620,000. ...2 days ago
- Ambitious plan to secure Maori jobs in the economyRobots are taking Maori jobs: New Zealand Maori Council releases ambitious plan to secure Maori jobs in the economy: ā mua mahi; Future of Work ...2 days ago
- Funding and reform needed to make a kinder workplaceThe PSA is saddened but not surprised by the Francis Review’s findings of ‘systemic’ bullying and harassment in the Parliamentary workplace. ...2 days ago
- Survivor Advisory Group appointedThe Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in Care has announced the appointment of a Survivor Advisory Group. The group will represent survivors of abuse in State care and those from faith-based institutions. Commission Chair Sir Anand ...2 days ago
- ITF condemns suspension of union members in AucklandThe International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) strongly condemns the 30-day suspension without pay of union members by the Spanish employer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) in Auckland, New Zealand. ...2 days ago
- #DefendNZ representatives arrive in WellingtonWe all have a stake in the End of Life Choice Bill conversation, but for some people, this Bill is more than a thought experiment – it is a clear and present danger. For this reason, some of the people ...2 days ago
- Public transport reform welcomedWellington bus drivers are welcoming reform of the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) says their union. ...2 days ago
- Rabbit numbers in red zone require pest controlLand Information New Zealand will release calicivirus K5 in some areas of the Residential Red Zone to manage a significant increase in rabbit numbers. ...2 days ago
- PTOM fix a welcome reform of a ridiculous systemMinister Twyford’s announcement this morning of reform of the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM) will be a timely fix for bad legislation that has cost jobs and pay for drivers and left public transport systems broken says New Zealand Council ...2 days ago
- Perceived conflicts should not undermine Predator Free NZA report claiming that Predator Free NZ could be derailed by conflict over how to maintain biodiversity should not discourage New Zealanders from getting involved in conservation, says Game Animal Council Chair Don Hammond. ...2 days ago
- Deepfake and the law – Expert ReactionDeepfake and other 'synthetic media' will be the next wave of online content causing concern, but there's no need to rush to create new laws to cope. ...2 days ago
- Duck left to die a slow and painful deathA Paradise duck was the victim of stray shotgun pellets this weekend and required urgent veterinary treatment to prevent further suffering. ...2 days ago
- 3 days to go until thousands of students strike from schoolThere are now only three days until May 24th, when thousands of school students across the country and the world will strike from school to demand the Government treat climate change as the crisis that it is. ...2 days ago
- Israel Institute says NZ taxpayers are funding extremismIsrael Institute of New Zealand co-director, Dr David Cumin, is calling for a moratorium on any further Kiwi taxpayer funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) until serious issues of corruption, antisemitism and extremism within that ...2 days ago
- Over 1,000 prisoners sign voting petitionThe Wellington Howard League's "Let Prisoners Vote" petition, presented to Parliament by Wellington Central MP, the Hon. Grant Robertson, will be tabled in the House on Tuesday 21 May before question time. ...2 days ago
- Resist rushing to new “deepfake” law, study findsGovernment should be cautious about moving to new law for “deepfake” audio and video, a new Law Foundation-backed study released today says. ...2 days ago
- Over 65s should receive KiwiSaver employer contributionsChair of the Summer KiwiSaver Investment Committee Martin Hawes has urged the Government to change the law so that employers are required to continue to make KiwiSaver contributions to workers over 65 years old. ...2 days ago
- Q+A: Louisa Wall and David Seymour interviewed by Jack TameLabour MP Louisa Wall believes tighter hate speech laws could have prevented the Christchurch mosque attacks. ...2 days ago
- Millennial and Gen Z confidence in the economy declinesWellington, 21 May 2019 – Facing continuous technological and societal disruption, millennials and Gen Zs are disillusioned with traditional institutions, skeptical of business’ motives and pessimistic about economic and social progress, according ...2 days ago
- Trout Farming Rears its Ugly Head at TaupoThe spectre of trout farming has reared up from the murky shadows of the previous National government’s treaty deals. Māori owners of Lake Rotoaira near Turangi are reported to be backing an attempt to allow trout farming. ...3 days ago
- Free Press, 20 May 2019Our education system is a slowly unfolding disaster. Too many kids leave school without basic literacy and numeracy skills. In 2014, the Tertiary Education Commission found about half of Year 11 students achieved the international reading and numeracy benchmarks. ...3 days ago
- Q + A – Monday May 20Free speech or hate speech? When do words go too far? We debate whether New Zealand needs new hate speech laws with ACT leader David Seymour and Labour MP Louisa Wall. ...3 days ago
- Hauraki Gulf Forum votes to increase marine park protectionThe Hauraki Gulf Forum, the statutory body tasked with progressing integrated management of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, today recommended two significant goals for the important and much-loved marine park. ...3 days ago
- Minister talks in Platitudes but says nothing new!“I was very disappointed that last night all my Minister could do when confronted with the reality of teaching, was to mouth the same old clichés and platitudes. ...3 days ago
- Children’s Commissioner slammed for Colonialism commentsThe Sensible Sentencing Trust say the Children’s Commissioner is guilty of riding the ‘Colonialism’ bandwagon by blaming racism and colonialism after Oranga Tamariki removed a child from its mother’s care. Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew ...3 days ago
- Barnardos welcomes new gov family and sexual violence budgetBarnardos welcomes new government family and sexual violence Wellbeing Budget package ...3 days ago
- Dual names proposed for Fiordland’s sounds and inletsThe New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) is inviting submissions on proposals to create dual Māori–English names for 16 sounds and inlets in Fiordland. The NZGB says restoring traditional Ngāi Tahu names alongside ...3 days ago
- Who would you trust?Few of us want to think about something happening to us that might impact on our ability to make sound decisions. The reality is, we can’t predict what’s going to happen in life that may impact on our health or ...3 days ago
- Racism Underpins the Prisoner Voting Blanket BanFormer retired Probation officer Tom Hemopo and Māori Climate Commissioner, Donna Awatere-Huata are due to give evidence this afternoon at the Māori Prisoner’s Voting Inquiry at the Waitangi Trbunal in Wellington. ...3 days ago
- National sticks to bob-each-way on US-China relationsMay 20 (BusinessDesk) - The National Party proposes ambitious new trade targets for New Zealand's relations with both China and the United States in a foreign affairs discussion document released this morning for public consultation. ...3 days ago
- NZ Jewish Council criticizes Christchurch Central MPChristchurch Central Labour MP Dr Duncan Webb has been criticized by the NZ Jewish Council for his promotion of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement directed at Israel. ...3 days ago
- How we solved the mystery of Libyan desert glass
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Cavosie, Senior research fellow, Curtin University In the remote desert of western Egypt, near the Libyan border, lie clues to an ancient cosmic cataclysm. Libyan desert glass is the name ...1 hour ago - Why the 2019 election was more like 2004 than 1993 – and Labor has some reason to hope
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University I recently had cause to look at a large file of material I collected about Mark Latham ...1 hour ago - Aboriginal Australians want care after brain injury. But it must consider their cultural needs
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Beth Armstrong, Foundation Chair in Speech Pathology, Edith Cowan University This article is the fourth part in a series, Where culture meets health. Aboriginal Australians continue to face serious health challenges. Life ...1 hour ago - Eastern China pinpointed as source of rogue ozone-depleting emissions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Krummel, Research Group Leader, CSIRO A mysterious rebound in the emissions of ozone-depleting chemicals – despite a global ban stretching back almost a decade – has been traced to eastern China. ...1 hour ago - Rethinking tourism so the locals actually benefit from hosting visitors
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, University of South Australia Tourism today has a problem and needs an entire rethink. Pundits are debating overtourism, peak tourism and tourismphobia. Cities such as ...1 hour ago - Where to now for unions and ‘change the rules’?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Forsyth, Professor of Workplace Law, RMIT University Very few people saw the Coalition’s win coming. If it was, as opposition leader Bill Shorten contended, “a referendum on wages” then it follows ...1 hour ago - Five aspects of Pentecostalism that shed light on Scott Morrison’s politics
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philip Almond, Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland Prime Minister Scott Morrison began his victory speech on Saturday with the words, “I have always believed in ...1 hour ago - The Bulletin: Christian and Conservative party field gets crowded
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Brian Tamaki announces launch of Destiny party, whopping share of PGF money going to govt departments, and Auckland Harbour Bridge bike plans released.Christian political parties are like Wellington buses – you ...2 hours ago - Speaker accepts some responsibility for chaotic way rape allegations emerged
The Speaker of the House has accepted some responsibility for the way in which rape allegations played out at Parliament yesterday. ...3 hours ago - ‘Mitigation plan’ for Maxwell as bullying claims not met
An SSC investigation clears the Retirement Commissioner but acknowledges concerns about her "abrasive, unpleasant" approach. ...4 hours ago - Shane Jones apologises again for ‘moaning farmers’ commentCabinet Minister Shane Jones has apologised - for a second time - for calling farmers a bunch of bleaters. ...4 hours ago
- This really hurts: An Australian on the devastating election result
On Saturday night, Australia defied the pollsters and re-elected its widely despised right wing government. Is it any wonder that Sydney resident Nick Snelling is feeling pretty devvo right now?Dear New Zealand,We’re really sorry. It wasn’t meant to go down ...4 hours ago - Take it from a Christian conservative: a Ngaro splinter party is a terrible idea
Rather than stacking up policy wins, an overtly conservative Christian party seems more likely to lead to the complete political marginalisation of conservative Christianity within New Zealand politics, writes Liam HehirThere is talk about National MP Alfred Ngaro breaking away ...4 hours ago - When my nephew got arrested again, I joined him in court. He proved me wrong
Neil Miller was sceptical about the value of Dave’s direct action on climate change. But when he joined him in a London court room, he changed his mind.Dave is 25 and he’s a bit of a worry. He’s been arrested ...4 hours ago - A death in Japan with no resolution in sight
The family of a NZ man who died in a psychiatric hospital in Japan has hit a brick wall when it comes to getting answers over his death. ...4 hours ago - Wind in Albanese’s sails as Chalmers weighs optionsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has pulled out of Labor’s leadership race, increasing the pressure for an uncontested run for Anthony Albanese, which would prevent an ...10 hours ago
- With the LNP returned to power, is there anything left in Adani’s way?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University After months of “start” and “stop” Adani campaigning, the coalmine is poised to go ahead ...14 hours ago - Church leader Brian Tamaki to launch political partyDestiny Church leader Brian Tamaki will tomorrow launch a political party after weighing up a move into politics for "a number of months". ...14 hours ago
- New data shows sex offenders in Victoria are going to prison for longer
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul McGorrery, PhD Candidate in Criminal Law, Deakin University Sentences for most sex offences are getting harsher in Victoria, according to new data released on Wednesday by the Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council. ...14 hours ago - Chaos as Parliament staffer stood down
A member of the Parliamentary Service staff has been stood down following a historical allegation of assault. ...15 hours ago - Government stands by targets to reduce child povertyThe government has confirmed its official targets for reducing child poverty by half within 10 years. ...16 hours ago
- ‘Mitigation plan’ for Maxwell after bullying claims dismissedAn SSC investigation clears the Retirement Commissioner but acknowledges concerns about her "abrasive, unpleasant" approach. ...16 hours ago
- Queensland to all those #Quexiteers: don’t judge, try to understand us
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Tiernan, Professor of Politics. Dean (Engagement) Griffith Business School, Griffith University “What the hell is wrong with Queensland?” Such comments are at the polite end of social media responses from progressive ...16 hours ago - Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Trevor Mallard – the bullying, biased boss of ParliamentShould Trevor Mallard remain as Speaker of Parliament? It’s a legitimate question, given the current accumulation of concerns about his bullying and bias, and the heightened public concern about the health of this important democratic institution. Certainly some of his ...16 hours ago
- Politicians respond to Parliament rape claimsPolitical party leaders held a meeting with Speaker Trevor Mallard this afternoon, following his comments to RNZ this morning that he believed there was a rapist on the premises. ...16 hours ago
- Charging the Christchurch attacker with terrorism is risky but important
The addition of terrorism to the litany of charges facing the Christchurch gunman will make no difference to the severity of his sentence. It still matters, writes criminologist Keiran Hardy.On Tuesday, the gunman in the Christchurch mosque shootings was charged ...17 hours ago - In a notoriously sexist art form, Australian women composers are making their voices heard
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karen Cummings, Lecturer in Singing, University of Wollongong Classical music has traditionally not been a welcoming environment for women composers. Opera Australia’s 2019 season, for instance, features just one work by a ...17 hours ago - Diane Maxwell cleared of bullying allegationsRetirement Commissioner Diane Maxwell has been cleared of bullying allegations and will return to work tomorrow. ...17 hours ago
- Parliamentary service staffer stood down after sexual assault allegationParliamentary service staffer stood down after historic sexual assault allegation. An employment investigation is underway. More to come. ...18 hours ago
- Who should win the Women’s Prize for Fiction: An authoritative ranking
Petition for superfreak Scarlett Cayford to judge the Women’s Prize for Fiction next year: she read her way through the entire 2019 longlist, for fun. Here are her reckons on the top six. Sally Rooney’s Normal People, which has been subject ...18 hours ago - Auckland Harbour Bridge cycling and walking path design released
The preferred design for a walking and cycling route across Auckland's Harbour Bridge is a 5m-wide path flanking the southbound traffic side, linking Westhaven to Northcote Point. ...18 hours ago - There are lessons for NZ from the Aussie election miracle, and they’re mostly bleakWhat happened with the polls, and what does the shock Coalition victory tell us about attitudes to climate change and the power of vested interests? Political analyst and pollster Stephen Mills writesThe re-election of the Australian Coalition government was a shock ...19 hours ago
- Third chair for Parliament’s foreign interference inquiry
National's Maggie Barry is leaving the Justice Select Committee, and her post as acting chair, amid the inquiry into foreign interference. ...19 hours ago - National urges Mallard to involve police in Parliament rape claimsNational's deputy leader Paula Bennett has called for Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard to involve the police immediately if he believes there is a rapist in the parliamentary precinct. ...19 hours ago
- Sex trafficking’s tragic paradox: when victims become perpetrators
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Baxter, Researcher/PhD Candidate, criminology and human trafficking, Flinders University Born in rural Thailand, Watcharaporn Nantahkhum gave birth to her first child at the age of 17. Her father killed himself when ...19 hours ago - The ‘fatshion’ label making ethical clothes for fat people
Most labels for bigger people aren’t plus-size enough and the larger price tags that go them are “bullshit”, a new Wellington business owner says.A Wellington fashion entrepreneur says the “fat tax” charged on larger sizes is one of the drivers ...19 hours ago - Charging the Christchurch mosque attacker with terrorism could be risky – but it’s important
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keiran Hardy, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University On Tuesday, the gunman in the Christchurch mosque shootings was charged with committing a terrorist act. The new charge came more than ...19 hours ago - The three guitar assault of hard rock supergroup City of SoulsThe six members of City of Souls previously played in some of NZ’s heaviest and most beloved guitar bands – Blindspott, Blacklistt, and 8 Foot Sativa, to name a few. Guitarist Trajan Schwencke tells Gareth Shute why they’re just as ...20 hours ago
- The new Auckland Harbour Bridge crossing: what you need to know
Is this the Harbour Bridge crossing breakthrough Auckland has been waiting for? And what does it mean for SkyPath? This post was first published on Bike Auckland. Today the NZ Transport Agency unveiled its preferred design for a walking ...21 hours ago - AFT Pharmaceuticals slims its losses
Drug maker AFT Pharmaceuticals has reduced its losses after cutting its research and development spend and selling more of its over the counter pain relief products overseas. ...22 hours ago - Abortion debate: Does Crimes Act make women feel like criminals?National MP Alfred Ngaro says having abortion in the Crimes Act doesn't make women feel like criminals so no law change is necessary. ...22 hours ago
- OCR cut may not be needed- Westpac
House prices may get a shot in the arm from current low interest rates and the government's decision to scrap any chance of a capital gains tax. ...22 hours ago - SkyCity ignores government, signs deal to open online casinoSkyCity has entered the online gambling fray, announcing a deal to open an online casino later this year. SkyCity has signed a landmark deal to offer online gambling to New Zealanders, partnering with a Malta-based company just weeks after minister for ...22 hours ago
- The perfect dish: Tahdig, the crispy, crunchy, life-affirming Persian soul food
Think rice is nothing special? Try tahdig, the golden, crispy rice crust that’s a way of life for Iranians.As Iranians, we are obsessed with the crunchy bits. The oily, crispy bits. The layers upon layers of starch. True love is at ...22 hours ago - Cutting interest rates is just the start. It’s about to become much, much easier to borrow
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Warren Hogan, Industry Professor, University of Technology Sydney Australia’s lowest ever Reserve Bank cash rate – 1.5% – is about to be consigned to history. On Tuesday Governor Philip Lowe made it ...23 hours ago - Canberra cannot ignore Manus Island suicide attempt crisis, warns advocate
By RNZ Pacific The Australian election result has precipitated a wave of suicide attempts among Manus Island refugees that the government can no longer ignore, warns a refugee advocate. The Liberal Party-led Coalition was returned to power on Saturday. ...23 hours ago - Police lay terrorism charge against man accused of mosque shootings
By RNZ New Zealand police have laid a terrorism charge against the man accused of murdering 51 people in Christchurch in deadly terror attacks on two Christchurch mosques on March 15. In addition to the murder charges, Brenton Tarrant ...23 hours ago - Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – May 22 201923 hours ago
- Creatives are struggling to make a living, and it’s hurting our creative industriesCreative professionals struggle to make a living in New Zealand, according to new research by Creative New Zealand and NZ On Air. Is it hurting the country’s creative future?Just two months after releasing his critically-acclaimed album Avantdale Bowling Club, Auckland ...24 hours ago
- Ministers miss deadline to release diariesFive ministers, including Greens co-leader James Shaw, have missed the deadline to release their diaries and meet their commitment to more transparency in government. ...1 day ago
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