Posts Tagged ‘elon musk’
Battery power gets way more interesting
Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, September 27th, 2019 - 35 comments
Anyone who has been around tech for the last couple of decades will be aware of the liberating and industry disruptive effect of batteries. This caught my attention – “Tesla May Have Invented a Million-Mile Electric Car Battery”. It was well worth the read.
- Marama Fox on the Māori presence at the recent parliamentary protests
A Free Speech Union conversation Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to former Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox about the Māori presence at the recent parliamentary protests. Marama (who would be briefly trespassed by Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard) spent a number of days on the ground and ...9 hours ago - Does the group think?
Nina Power discusses the collective political subject – what does it mean? She poses questions such as does a crowd think? Does a mob think or does it just act? What does it mean when we bring a group together to discuss something? Discussing the concept of the autonomous individual ...10 hours ago - What about those Russian neo-Nazis?
Some defenders of Ukrainian neo-Nazis claim Nashi is a Russian neo-Nazi group or at least links the Kremlin to a neo-Nazi subculture. Image credit: Wikipedia Moving on in my critique of the article mentioned in the first post of this series (see Confusion about ...20 hours ago- Neo-Nazis in Ukraine – stages of denial
2 days ago- The Impact of the Jackson Movies on Tolkien Fandom: The Silmarillion Writers Guild
Dawn Felagund over at The Silmarillion Writers Guild has been putting together an interesting look at the ways in which Tolkien fandom changed as a result of the Peter Jackson movies. In addition to the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey, she has been getting direct feedback from fans who were around ...2 days ago- The Australian election
Australia went to the polls on Saturday, and while the preferences are still being counted, clearly voted for a change of government. Unfortunately, this being Australia, this meant swapping one coal-loving, refugee-hating racist for another. Which is perhaps why Labor's primary vote share decreased this election, with voters instead turning ...2 days ago- Gordon Campbell on the lessons from Australia’s election
Australia’s new PM Anthony Albanese faces an obvious dilemma, barely before he gets his feet under the desk. Australia is the world’s leading exporter of coal. Will the new Labor government prioritise the jobs for Queensland/NSW workers in its mining-dependent communities – or will Labor start to get serious about ...2 days ago- Out! Morrison Is Bowled.
From Public Housing To The Lodge: Anthony Albanese wins the Australian Federal Election, bringing the career of Scott Morrison and his boofhead Coalition government to an end. The defeat of the boofheads was the victory Australia had to have.CRIKEY! Those Aussies are pissed-off. To appreciate just how pissed-off they are ...2 days ago- Geoffrey Miller: Albanese’s Australian election victory and Biden’s trip to Asia set the scene f...
Jacinda Ardern’s trip to the United States this week has been months in the making. A stop in Washington DC is already locked in, but the Prime Minister’s recent positive test for Covid-19 has delayed the official announcement of a meeting with President Joe Biden. Reports now suggest Ardern is ...2 days ago- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #20
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 15, 2022 through Sat, May 21, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): Bad news for the 2022 hurricane season: The Loop Current, ...2 days ago- Confusion about neo-Nazis in Ukraine-Russia war
This post is a response to a request from Peter Baillie. I don’t know him from Adam and I suspect he was attempting sarcasm but I offered to give him a response. I would welcome any comments or discussion he could add – but that is up to him. ...3 days ago- Of Budgets and Borrowing: A Reply to Chris Trotter
In the wake of an otherwise unremarkable New Zealand Budget, I was not expecting to supply much in the way of political commentary. Why would I? The most notable aspect was Grant Robertson throwing a one-off $350 at anyone who earns less than $70,000 a year and who doesn’t ...4 days ago- Ukraine, Solomon Islands, and Palestine: what are we are missing? (5/rima)
Finland, Sweden, Novorossiya, and Incorrect AnalysesSince Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Putin has made much of NATO's supposed expansion to the east. As I wrote on 1 April:Much has been made of Putin's apparent anger that Ukraine was on the verge of joining NATO.However, this has been over-stated by both Western ...4 days ago- An Exercise In Basic Accountancy.
4 days ago- Blah Blah Blah – Is That All There Is?
Speaking Truth To Power: Greta Thunberg argues that the fine sounding phrases of well-meaning politicians changes nothing. The promises made, the targets set – and then re-set – are all too familiar to the younger generations she has encouraged to pay attention. They have heard it all before. Accordingly, she ...4 days ago- Breaking Through Twitter's Spiral of Silence with the #ClimateDaily Pledge
The Spiral of Silence Problem As climate communicator John Cook cleverly illustrates below, a big obstacle to raising awareness about climate change is the "spiral of silence," a reluctance to talk about it. There are many reasons for this reluctance we can speculate about. Perhaps people don't want to be ...4 days ago- Improving Taxing Income
The informed discussion on the next steps in tax policy is about improving the income tax base, not about taxing wealth directly.David Parker, the Minister for Inland Revenue, gave a clear indication that his talk on tax was to be ‘pointy-headed’ by choosing a university venue for his presentation. As ...4 days ago- A WTF moment in Samoa
In a democracy, laws are made by elected politicians. But apparently not in Samoa, where a highly controversial law was changed unilaterally by an HRPP cabal after it had been passed and signed: A parliamentary inquiry into anomalies discovered in constitutional amendments linked to the operations of the Land ...5 days ago- Not very proactive II
A couple of weeks ago, Newsroom reported that the government was failing to meet its proactive release obligations, with Ministers releasing less than a quarter of cabinet papers and in many cases failing to keep records. But Chris Hipkins was already on the case, and in a recent cabinet paper ...5 days ago- Media v. Government?
Why are the New Zealand media so hostile to the government – not just this government, but any government? The media I have in mind are not NZME-owned outlets like the Herald or Newstalk ZB, whose bias is overtly political and directed at getting rid of the current Labour government. ...5 days ago- The urgent need for a Covid-19 Action Plan for Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael Baker, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Andrew Dickson, Dr Julie Bennett, Carmen Timu-Parata, Prof Nick Wilson Kvalsvig A, Baker M, Summers J, Telfar Barnard L, Dickson A, Bennett J, Timu-Parata C, Wilson N. The urgent need for a Covid-19 Action Plan for ...5 days ago- Media Link: ” A View from Afar” podcast on post-conflict regional security architecture.
In this week’s “A View from Afar” podcast Selwyn Manning and I speculate on how the Ruso-Ukrainian War will shape future regional security dynamics. We start with NATO and work our way East to the Northern Pacific. It is not comprehensive but we outline some potential ramifications with regard to ...5 days ago- Gordon Campbell on Budget 2022
At base, the political biffo back and forth on the merits of Budget 2022 comes down to only one thing. Who is the better manager of the economy and better steward of social wellbeing – National or Labour? In its own quiet way, the Treasury has buried a fascinating answer ...5 days ago- Hot air to fill Labour’s sails
by Don Franks Poverty in New Zealand today has new ugly features. Adequate housing is beyond the reach of thousands. More and more people full time workers must beg food parcels from charities. Having no attainable prospects, young people lash out and steal. A response to poverty from The Daily ...5 days ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #20 2022
Drought: the past is no longer prologue Drought management in the United States (and elsewhere) is highly informed by events of the past, employing records extending 60 years or longer in order to plan for and cope with newly emerging meterorological water deficits. Water resource managers and agricultural concerns use ...5 days ago- A wasted opportunity
The government announced its budget today, with Finance Minister Grant Robertson giving the usual long speech about how much money they're spending. The big stuff was climate change and health, with the former being pre-announced, and most of the latter being writing off DHB's entirely fictional "debt" to the the ...6 days ago- Bryce Edwards: A Conservative Budget for volatile times
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has delivered a Budget that will many asking “Is that all there is?” There is a myriad of initiatives and there is increased spending, but strangely it doesn’t really add up to much at all for those hoping for a more traditional Labour-style Budget. The headline ...6 days ago- Cook Islands PM approves of corruption
Last year, Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister Robert Tapaitau stood down as a minister after being charged with conspiracy to defraud after an investigation into corruption in Infrastructure Cook Islands and the National Environment Service. He hasn't been tried yet, but this week he has been reinstated: The seven-month ...6 days ago- Drawn
A ballot for three member's bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Repeal of Good Friday and Easter Sunday as Restricted Trading Days (Shop Trading and Sale of Alcohol) Amendment Bill (Chris Baillie) Electoral (Strengthening Democracy) Amendment Bill (Golriz Ghahraman) Increased Penalties for ...6 days ago- Budget Morning.
No Jesus Here.She rises, unrested, and stepsOnto the narrow balconyTo find the day. To greetThe Sunday God she sings to.But this morning His face is clouded.Grey and wet as a corpseWashed by tears.Behind her, in the tangled bedding,the children bicker and whine.Worrying the cheap furnitureLike hungry puppies.They clutch at her ...6 days ago- EGU22 – Cranky Uncle is going to Vienna!
After two years of Corona-induced online meetings in 2020 and 2021, this year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) will take place as a hybrid conference in both Vienna and online from May 23 to 27. To take hybrid and necessary hygiene restrictions into account, there (unfortunately) will be no ...7 days ago- Matariki – Te whetū tapu o te taū
“Māori star lore was, and still remains, a blending together of both astronomy and astrology, and while there is undoubtedly robust science within the Māori study of the night sky, the spiritual component has always been of equal importance” writes Professor Rangi Matamua in his book Matariki – Te whetū tapu ...7 days ago- Gordon Campbell on the Australian election toss-up
The foibles of the Aussie electoral system are pretty well-known. The Lucky Country doesn’t have proportional representation. Voting for everyone over 18 is compulsory, but within a preferential system. This means that in the relatively few key seats that decide the final result, it can be the voters’ second, third ...7 days ago- Member’s Day: Finally, some first readings
Today is a Member's Day, and finally we are getting some first readings. First, though, the House has to complete the third reading of Tangi Utikere's Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) Amendment Bill. After that, it will finish the first reading debate on Tāmati Coffey's Improving Arrangements for Surrogacy Bill. ...7 days ago- The kids are not OK
Julia Steinberger is an ecological economist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. She first posted this piece at Medium.com, and it was reposted on Yale Climate Connections with her permission. Today I went to give a climate talk at my old high school in Geneva – and was given a ...7 days ago- Government funding of interpreters in Primary Care is needed to ensure quality care
A/Prof Ben Gray* Gray B. Government funding of interpreters in Primary Care is needed to ensure quality care. Public Health Expert Blog.17 May 2022. The pandemic has highlighted many problems in the NZ health system. This blog will address the question of availability of interpreters for people with limited English ...1 week ago- Media ramming crime down our throats?
Remember all the endless whinge stories during the last two years, from whining business lobbyists to opportunistic Opposition politicians to tourist town mayors hysterical that our closed borders were hurting tourist profitability? Remember all the demands for "certainty"? To open up before most New Zealanders were vaccinated? To close down ...1 week ago- To Be in Arda Or Not To Be in Arda: Surveying Suicide in Tolkien
I have suggested previously that sometimes Tolkien’s writer-instincts get the better of him. Sometimes he departs from his own cherished metaphysics, in favour of the demands of story – and I dare say, that is a good thing. Laws and Customs of the Eldar might be an interesting insight ...1 week ago- Climate Change: “Corporate welfare”
One of the key planks of yesterday's Emissions Reduction Plan is a $650 million fund to help decarbonise industry by subsidising replacement of dirty technologies with clean ones. But National leader Chris Luxon derides this as "corporate welfare". Which probably sounds great to the business ideologues in the Koru club. ...1 week ago- Describing The Katipo.
1 week ago- The Truth Prevails.
“The truth prevails, but it’s a chore.” – Jan Masaryk: The intensification of ideological pressures is bearable for only so-long before ordinary men and women reassert the virtues of tolerance and common sense.ON 10 MARCH 1948, Jan Masaryk, the Foreign Minister of Czechoslovakia, was found dead below his bathroom window. ...1 week ago- Gordon Campbell on the Emissions Reduction Plan non-event
Clearly, the attempt to take the politics out of climate change has itself been a political decision, and one meant to remove much of the heat from the global warming issue before next year’s election. What we got from yesterday’s $2.9 billion Emissions Reduction Plan was a largely aspirational multi-party ...1 week ago- The woke misrepresentation of Māori culture
Michelle Uriarau (Mana Wāhine Kōrero) talks to Dane Giraud of the Free Speech Union LISTEN HERE Michelle Uriarau is a founding member of Mana Wāhine Kōrero – an advocacy group of and for Māori women who took strong positions against the ‘Self ID’ and ‘Conversion Practises Bills’. One of the ...1 week ago- Climate Change: Craven, status quo policy
The government released its Emissions Reduction Plan today. The plan is required under the Zero Carbon Act and must specify how exactly the government plans to meet its carbon budget (which was announced last week). Which means they need to find another 11.5 million tons of reductions by 2025 - ...1 week ago- Where’s the Self-Respect?
If we needed any confirmation, we have it in spades in today’s edition of the Herald; our supposedly leading daily newspaper is determined to do what it can to decide the outcome of the next election – to act, that is, not as a newspaper but as the mouthpiece for ...1 week ago- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 8, 2022 through Sat, May 14, 2022. The following articles sparked above average interest during the week (bolded articles are from SkS authors): The secret world beneath our feet is mind-blowing – and ...1 week ago- Who's a snowflake now?
Sean Plunkett, founding editor of the new media outlet, The Platform, was interviewed on RNZ's highly regarded flagship programme "Mediawatch".Mr Plunkett has made much about "cancel culture" and "de-platforming". On his website promoting The Platform, he outlines his mission statement thusly:The Platform is for everyone; we’re not into cancelling or ...1 week ago- History Lessons.
“That’s a C- for History, Kelvin!” While it is certainly understandable that Māori-Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis was not anxious to castigate every Pakeha member of the House of Representatives for the crimes committed against his people by their ancestors; crimes from which his Labour colleagues continue to draw enormous benefits; the ...1 week ago- Bryce Edwards: What happened to the big “immigration reset”?
The Government promised a major reform of New Zealand’s immigration system, but when it was announced this week, many asked “is that it?” Over the last two years Covid has turned the immigration tap off, and the Government argued this produced the perfect opportunity to reassess decades of “unbalanced immigration”. ...2 weeks ago- New Rules for Government Budget Management
While the new fiscal rules may not be contentious, what they mean for macroeconomic management is not explained.In a pre-budget speech on 3 May 2022, the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson, made some policy announcements which will frame both this budget and future ones. (The Treasury advice underpinning them is ...2 weeks ago- Our unrepresentative parliament
Under MMP, Parliament was meant to look like New Zealand. And, in a lot of ways, it does now, with better representation for Māori, tangata moana, women, and the rainbow community replacing the old dictatorship of dead white males. But there's one area where "our" parliament remains completely unrepresentative: housing: ...2 weeks ago- Stats NZ’s contempt for privacy, transparency, democracy, and parliament
The Governance and Administration Committee reported back on the Data and Statistics Bill on Monday. The bill ought to have been boring, but Stats NZ's move to a "collect it all" posture indistinguishable from that of the NSA, combined with enhanced secrecy, caused significant concerns from the Privacy Commissioner, Ombudsman, ...2 weeks ago- Struggling Upwards For America’s Soul.
Justice Denied: At the heart of the “Pro-Life” cause was something much darker than conservative religious dogma, or even the oppressive designs of “The Patriarchy”. The enduring motivation – which dares not declare itself openly – is the paranoid conviction of male white supremacists that if “their” women are given ...2 weeks ago- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2022
In case of emergency break glass— but glass can cut Fire extinguishers, safety belts, first aid kits, insurance policies, geoengineering: we never enjoy using them. But given our demonstrated, deep empirical record of proclivity for creating hazards and risk we'd obviously be foolish not to include emergency responses in our inventory. ...2 weeks ago- Climate Change: Betting on disaster
Last year, the International Energy Agency warned us that the world needed to cease all new fossil fuel development immediately if we wanted to reach net-zero by 2050. It was a call repeated this year by the UN Secretary General, who called new fossil fuel investment "moral and economic madness". ...2 weeks ago- Media Link: “A View from Afar” podcast returns.
After a brief hiatus, the “A View from Afar” podcast is back on air with Selwyn Manning leading the Q&A with me. This week is a grab bag of topics: Russian V-Day celebrations, Asian and European elections, and the impact of the PRC-Solomon Islands on the regional strategic balance. Plus ...2 weeks ago- No freedom of speech in Vanuatu
Last year, Vanuatu passed a "cyber-libel" law. And predictably, its first targets are those trying to hold the government to account: A police crackdown in Vanuatu that has seen people arrested for allegedly posting comments on social media speculating politicians were responsible for the country’s current Covid outbreak has ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: How long until National wants Simon Bridges back?
Could it be a case of not appreciating what you’ve got until it’s gone? The National Party lost Simon Bridges last week, which has reinforced the notion that the party still has some serious deficits of talent and diversity. The major factor in Bridges’ decision to leave was his failed ...2 weeks ago- Getting On With Co-Governance – Without Debate.
Who’s Missing From This Picture? The re-birth of the co-governance concept cannot be attributed to the institutions of Pakeha rule, at least, not in the sense that the massive constitutional revisions it entails have been presented to and endorsed by the House of Representatives, and then ratified by the citizens of New ...2 weeks ago- Gordon Campbell on Rabuka’s possible return in Fiji
Fiji signed onto China’s Belt and Road initiative in 2018, along with a separate agreement on economic co-operation and aid. Yet it took the recent security deal between China and the Solomon Islands to get the belated attention of the US and its helpmates in Canberra and Wellington, and the ...2 weeks ago- Why a tool for reversing Trump era rules is seldom used
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Lexi Smith and Bud Ward “CRA” It’s one of those acronyms even many-a-veteran environmental policy geek may not recognize. Amidst the scores and scores of acronyms in the field – CERCLA, IPCC, SARA, LUST, NPDES, NDCs, FIFRA, NEPA and scores more – ...2 weeks ago- Only fools make deals with liars
Northern Ireland went to the polls last week, resulting in Sinn Féin becoming the largest party, the first time an Irish party has done so. Naturally, the unionists are not taking this well, and are threatening to use their minority-veto to prevent any government being formed. They're also demanding the ...2 weeks ago- Of Tin and Tintagel: Published
In a nice bit of news in a World Gone Mad, I can report that Of Tin and Tintagel, my 5,800-word story about tin (and political scheming), is now out as part of the Spring 2022 edition of New Maps Magazine (https://www.new-maps.com/). As noted previously, this one owes a ...2 weeks ago- Covid-19 Case-Fatality Risk & Infection-Fatality Risk – important measures to help guide the p...
Dr Jennifer Summers, Professor Michael Baker, Professor Nick Wilson* Summers J, Baker M, Wilson N. Covid-19 Case-Fatality Risk & Infection-Fatality Risk: important measures to help guide the pandemic response. Public Health Expert Blog. 11 May 2022. In this blog we explore two useful mortality indicators: Case-Fatality Risk (CFR) and Infection-Fatality ...2 weeks ago- It’s a Friday night in Invercargill for eastern moa during the Ice Age
In the depths of winter, most people from southern New Zealand head to warmer climes for a much-needed dose of Vitamin D. Yet during the height of the last Ice Age, one species of moa did just the opposite. I’m reminded of Bill Bailey’s En Route to Normal tour that visited ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Massive Wage Subsidy and Covid spending is under scrutinised
In the lead-up to the Budget, the Government has been on an offensive to promote the efficiency and quality of its $74 billion Covid Response and Recovery Fund -especially the Wage Subsidy Scheme component. This comes after criticisms and concerns from across the political spectrum over poor-quality spending, and suggestions ...2 weeks ago- Bringing the tūī back to town – how native birds are returning to NZ’s restored urban forests
Elizabeth Elliot Noe, Lincoln University, New Zealand; Andrew D. Barnes, University of Waikato; Bruce Clarkson, University of Waikato, and John Innes, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Urbanisation, and the destruction of habitat it entails, is a major threat to native bird populations. But as our new research shows, restored ...2 weeks ago- Nothing to celebrate
The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill passed its third reading this afternoon. The government and the Ombudsman are both celebrating this "significant improvement" in whistleblower protection, but as I pointed out when the bill was introduced, it is nothing of the sort. The law still sets the bar for ...2 weeks ago- Not very proactive
A couple of weeks ago, Stuff broke the news that the government was planning a significant boost to proactive release of official information, with almost all advice to Ministers expected to be proactively released. Which sounds great, but as I pointed out, there's real reason for concern in the way ...2 weeks ago- Staying Inside The Lines.
Unfinished: Always, gnawing away at this government’s confidence and empathy, is the dictum that seriously challenging the economic and social status-quo is the surest route to electoral death. Labour’s colouring-in book, and National’s, have to look the same. All that matters is which party is better at staying inside the lines.DOES ...2 weeks ago- The First Rule Of Radicalism.
Radical As: Māori healers recall a time when “words had power”. The words that give substance to ideas, no matter how radical, still do. If our representatives rediscover the courage to speak them out loud.THERE ARE RULES for radicalism. Or, at least, there are rules for the presentation of radical ...2 weeks ago- India and Pakistan’s brutal heat wave poised to resurge
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters A brutal, record-intensity heat wave that has engulfed much of India and Pakistan since March eased somewhat this week, but is poised to roar back in the coming week with inferno-like temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F). The ...2 weeks ago- Defending George R.R. Martin: A Reply to Reading Tolkien
The good people at the Reading Tolkien podcast have put out a new piece, which spends some time comparing the underlying moral positions of George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien: (The relevant discussion starts about twenty-seven minutes in. It’s a long podcast). In the interests of fairness, ...2 weeks ago- Bryce Edwards: Politicians talk tough on law and order
Crime is becoming a key debate between Labour and National. This week they are both keen to show that they are tough on law and order. It’s an issue that National has a traditional advantage on, and is one that they’re currently getting good traction from. In response, Labour is ...2 weeks ago- Climate Change: The new emissions budget
The government today released its first three emissions budgets, covering the periods 2022-25, 2026-30, and 2031-35. The good news? They've reversed their ridiculous proposal to increase the first period budget because we were planting too many trees and soaking up too much carbon (no, it doesn't make sense, and MPI ...2 weeks ago - Neo-Nazis in Ukraine – stages of denial
- Green Party urges Labour to support electoral reform member’s bill despite review
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is welcoming the Government’s latest step toward electoral reform, which begins to fulfil an important part of the Co-operation Agreement between the two parties. ...19 hours ago - Schools need COVID-19 plan for winterThe Green Party is calling for a Government COVID-19 Action Plan for schools, following expert advice about a possible winter COVID-19 peak. ...22 hours ago
- Green Party urges Labour to provide support to those who need it mostThe Green Party is calling on Labour to expand the temporary cost of living payment to those most in need. ...5 days ago
- Budget 2020: James Shaw Budget SpeechCHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Mr Speaker, It has taken four-and-a-half years to even start to turn the legacy of inaction and neglect from the last time they were in Government together. And we have a long journey in front of us! ...6 days ago
- Greens MP Dr Elizabeth Kerekere says wins for health not enough for Māori or RainbowToday Greens Te Mātāwaka Chair and Health Spokesperson, Dr Elizabeth Kerekere, said “The Greens have long campaigned for an independent Māori Health Authority and pathways for Takatāpui and Rainbow healthcare. “We welcome the substantial funding going into the new health system, Pae Ora, particularly for the Māori Health Authority, Iwi-Partnership ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022: Greens call for urgency with nature-first climate investmentsBudget 2022 shows progress on conservation commitments in the Green Party’s cooperation agreement Green Party achievements in the last Government continue to drive investment in nature protection Urgent action needed on nature-based solutions to climate change Future budget decisions must reflect the role nature plays in helping reduce emissions ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022: Greens celebrate landmark investment in climate actionLandmark week for climate action concludes with climate budget Largest ever investment in climate action one of many Green Party wins throughout Budget 2022 Budget 2022 delivers progress on every part of the cooperation agreement with Labour Budget 2022 is a climate budget that caps a landmark week ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022: Govt must build on half price fare extension and make public transport freeGreen Party welcomes extension to half price fares Permanent half price fares for Community Services Card holders includes many students, which helps implement a Green Party policy Work to reduce public transport fares for Community Services Card holders started by Greens in the last Government Budget 2022 should be ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022: Greens welcome winter energy support and funding for community energyNew cost of living payment closely aligned to Green Party policy to expand the Winter Energy Payment Extension and improvement of Warmer Kiwi Homes builds on Green Party progress in Government Community energy fund welcomed The Green Party welcomes the investment in Budget 2022 to expand Warmer Kiwi ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022: Greens welcome support to address youth homelessnessBudget 2022 support to reduce homelessness delivers on the Green Party’s cooperation agreement Bespoke support for rangatahi with higher, more complex needs The Green Party welcomes the additional investment in Budget 2022 for kaupapa Māori support services, homelessness outreach services, the expansion of transitional housing, and a new ...6 days ago
- Green Party PR – Budget 2022: Greens call for greater ambition to address inequality crisisGreen Party reaffirms call for liveable incomes and wealth tax Calls on Government to cancel debt owed to MSD for hardship assistance such as benefit advances, and for over-payments The Green Party welcomes the support for people on low incomes Budget 2022 but says more must be done ...6 days ago
- Extra support with the cost of living
At the heart of this year’s Budget is our cost of living package, designed to ease the pressure on New Zealanders in the face of global inflation. ...6 days ago - 13 highlights of Budget 2022Our Government has just released this year’s Budget, which sets out the next steps in our plan to build a high wage, low carbon economy that gives economic security in good times and in bad. It’s full of initiatives that speed up our economic recovery and ease cost pressures for ...6 days ago
- Strengthening Democracy Bill pulled from biscuit tinA stronger democracy is on the horizon, as Golriz Ghahraman’s Electoral (Strengthening Democracy) Amendment Bill was pulled from the biscuit tin today. ...6 days ago
- What to expect in Budget 2022Tomorrow, the Government will release this year’s Budget, setting out the next steps in our plan to build a high wage, low carbon economy that gives economic security in good times and in bad. While the full details will be kept under wraps until Thursday afternoon, we’ve announced a few ...7 days ago
- Next steps in our plan to address climate changeAs a Government, we made it clear to New Zealanders that we’d take meaningful action on climate change, and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Earlier today, we released our next steps with our Emissions Reduction Plan – which will meet the Climate Commission’s independent science-based emissions reduction targets, and new ...1 week ago
- Landmark climate plan secures path to net zeroEmissions Reduction Plan prepares New Zealand for the future, ensuring country is on track to meet first emissions budget, securing jobs, and unlocking new investment ...1 week ago
- Supercharging decarbonisation & transforming the energy system...1 week ago
- Pasifika communities must be part of immigration rebalanceThe Greens are calling for the Government to reconsider the immigration reset so that it better reflects our relationship with our Pacific neighbours. ...2 weeks ago
- More support for Alcohol Harm Minimisation BillHamilton City Council and Whanganui District Council have both joined a growing list of Local Authorities to pass a motion in support of Green Party Drug Reform Spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick’s Members’ bill to minimise alcohol harm. ...2 weeks ago
- The next steps in our plan to speed up New Zealand’s economic growthToday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a major package of reforms to address the immediate skill shortages in New Zealand and speed up our economic growth. These include an early reopening to the world, a major milestone for international education, and a simplification of immigration settings to ensure New Zealand ...2 weeks ago
- Immigration reset entrenches discrimination towards low-waged migrantsProposed immigration changes by the Government fail to guarantee pathways to residency to workers in the types of jobs deemed essential throughout the pandemic, by prioritising high income earners - instead of focusing on the wellbeing of workers and enabling migrants to put down roots. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party supports nurses’ ERA decisionThe Green Party supports nurses’ continued push for pay equity and calls on the Government to deliver the back pay they had expected. ...2 weeks ago
- Budget 2022 Speech: Investing to eliminate violence in our homes and communitiesEhara taku toa i te toa takatahi, engari taku toa he toa takimano – my strength is not mine alone but the strength of many (working together to ensure safe, caring respectful responses). We are striving for change. We want all people in Aotearoa New Zealand thriving; their wellbeing enhanced ...2 weeks ago
- Allied health workers deserve better conditionsThe Green Party is throwing its support behind the 10,000 allied health workers taking work-to-rule industrial action today because of unfair pay and working conditions. ...2 weeks ago
- SPEECH: Building a low-carbon futureTēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi o te ata. Good morning ...2 weeks ago
- Celebrating Gasav Ne Fäeag Rotuạm Ta – Rotuman Language WeekToday marks the first celebration for Pacific Language Weeks 2022 with Gasav Ne Fäeag Rotuạm Ta – Rotuman Language Week. ...2 weeks ago
- Six ways we’re reducing cost pressures for New ZealandersSince the day we came into Government, we’ve worked hard to lift wages and reduce cost pressures facing New Zealanders. But we know the rising cost of living, driven by worldwide inflation and the war in Ukraine, is making things particularly tough right now. That’s why we’ve stepped up our ...3 weeks ago
- Government investment boosts coastal shipping in Aotearoa
New Zealand is a step closer to a more resilient, competitive, and sustainable coastal shipping sector following the selection of preferred suppliers for new and enhanced coastal shipping services, Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced today. “Coastal shipping is a small but important part of the New Zealand freight system, ...15 hours ago - Speech on RM Reform to the Thomson Reuters Environmental Law and Policy Conference: 24 May 2022Tēnā koutou katoa It’s a pleasure to speak to you today on how we are tracking with the resource management reforms. It is timely, given that in last week’s Budget the Government announced significant funding to ensure an efficient transition to the future resource management system. There is broad consensus ...16 hours ago
- Vision for Māori success in tertiary education takes another stepEducation Minister Chris Hipkins and Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis have welcomed the release of a paper from independent advisory group, Taumata Aronui, outlining the group’s vision for Māori success in the tertiary education system. “Manu Kōkiri – Māori Success and Tertiary Education: Towards a Comprehensive Vision – is the ...16 hours ago
- Whānau Resilience focuses on wāhine and rangatahiThe best way to have economic security in New Zealand is by investing in wāhine and our rangatahi says Minister for Māori Development. Budget 2022, is allocating $28.5 million over the next two years to strengthen whānau resilience through developing leadership within key cohorts of whānau leaders, wāhine and rangatahi ...18 hours ago
- Increase in funding secures future for Whānau OraWhānau Ora Commissioning Agencies will receive $166.5 million over four years to help whānau maintain and build their resilience as Aotearoa moves forward from COVID-19, Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare announced today. “Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies and partners will remain a key feature of the Government’s support for whānau ...19 hours ago
- Govt invests in sustainable food producerThe development of sustainable, plant-based foods and meat alternatives is getting new government backing, with investment from a dedicated regional economic development fund. “The investment in Sustainable Foods Ltd is part of a wider government strategy to develop a low-emissions, highly-skilled economy that responds to global demands,” said Stuart Nash. ...19 hours ago
- New Zealand to stay at Orange for nowWith New Zealand expecting to see Omicron cases rise during the winter, the Orange setting remains appropriate for managing this stage of the outbreak, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “While daily cases numbers have flattened nationally, they are again beginning to increase in the Northern region and hospitalisation ...20 hours ago
- Independent panel appointed to review electoral lawJustice Minister Kris Faafoi today announced appointments to the independent panel that will lead a review of New Zealand’s electoral law. “This panel, appointed by an independent panel of experts, aim to make election rules clearer and fairer, to build more trust in the system and better support people to ...20 hours ago
- Board appointed for Auckland’s most transformational projectHonourable Dame Fran Wilde will lead the board overseeing the design and construction of Auckland’s largest, most transformational project of a generation – Auckland Light Rail, which will connect hundreds of thousands of people across the city, Minister of Transport Michael Wood announced today. “Auckland Light Rail is New Zealand’s ...21 hours ago
- Government continues record Māori Education investmentBoost to Māori Medium property that will improve and redevelop kura, purchase land and build new facilities Scholarships and mentoring to grow and expand the Māori teaching workforce Funding to continue to grow the Māori language The Government’s commitment to the growth and development of te reo Māori has ...21 hours ago
- PM attends Indo-Pacific Economic Framework talks ahead of US travelOn the eve of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s trade mission to the United States, New Zealand has joined with partner governments from across the Indo-Pacific region to begin the next phase of discussions towards an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). The Framework, initially proposed by US President Biden in ...1 day ago
- NZ to provide additional deployment to support UkraineAs part of New Zealand’s ongoing response to the war in Ukraine, New Zealand is providing further support and personnel to assist Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. “We have been clear throughout Russia’s assault on Ukraine, that such a ...2 days ago
- Stubbing out tobacco smugglingBudget 2022 is providing investment to crackdown on tobacco smuggling into New Zealand. “Customs has seen a significant increase in the smuggling of tobacco products into New Zealand over recent years,” Minister of Customs Meka Whaitiri says. This trend is also showing that tobacco smuggling operations are now often very ...2 days ago
- Prime Minister to visit United StatesPrime Minister to lead trade mission to the United States this week to support export growth and the return of tourists post COVID-19. Business delegation to promote trade and tourism opportunities in New Zealand’s third largest export and visitor market Deliver Harvard University commencement address Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ...2 days ago
- Prime Minister congratulates Anthony AlbanesePrime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party on winning the Australian Federal election, and has acknowledged outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison. "I spoke to Anthony Albanese early this morning as he was preparing to address his supporters. It was a warm conversation and I’m ...3 days ago
- Poroporoaki: Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts DNZM CBE JPTiwhatiwha te pō, tiwhatiwha te ao. Tiwhatiwha te pō, tiwhatiwha te ao. Matariki Tapuapua, He roimata ua, he roimata tangata. He roimata e wairurutu nei, e wairurutu nei. Te Māreikura mārohirohi o Ihoa o ngā Mano, takoto Te ringa mākohakoha o Rongo, takoto. Te mātauranga o Tūāhuriri o Ngai Tahu ...4 days ago
- Boost for tourism networks as borders openThree core networks within the tourism sector are receiving new investment to gear up for the return of international tourists and business travellers, as the country fully reconnects to the world. “Our wider tourism sector is on the way to recovery. As visitor numbers scale up, our established tourism networks ...4 days ago
- Law changes passed stopping tax evasion on water-pipe tobaccoThe Minister of Customs has welcomed legislation being passed which will prevent millions of dollars in potential tax evasion on water-pipe tobacco products. The Customs and Excise (Tobacco Products) Amendment Act 2022 changes the way excise and excise-equivalent duty is calculated on these tobacco products. Water-pipe tobacco is also known ...5 days ago
- Government support for Levin community hit by tornadoThe Government is contributing $100,000 to a Mayoral Relief Fund to help the Levin community following this morning’s tornado, Minister for Emergency Management Kiri Allan says. “My thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by severe weather events in Levin and across the country. “I know the tornado has ...5 days ago
- Statement from the Quintet of Attorneys General in support of Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova a...The Quintet of Attorneys General have issued the following statement of support for the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and investigations and prosecutions for crimes committed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine: “The Attorneys General of the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand join in ...5 days ago
- Andrew Little Budget 2022 post-Budget health speech, Auckland, 20 May 2022Morena tatou katoa. Kua tae mai i runga i te kaupapa o te rā. Thank you all for being here today. Yesterday my colleague, the Minister of Finance Grant Robertson, delivered the Wellbeing Budget 2022 – for a secure future for New Zealand. I’m the Minister of Health, and this was ...5 days ago
- Govt helps supermarket shoppers get a fair dealUrgent Budget night legislation to stop major supermarkets blocking competitors from accessing land for new stores has been introduced today, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Dr David Clark said. The Commerce (Grocery Sector Covenants) Amendment Bill amends the Commerce Act 1986, banning restrictive covenants on land, and exclusive covenants ...6 days ago
- Prime Minister: Wellbeing Budget 2022 speechIt is a pleasure to speak to this Budget. The 5th we have had the privilege of delivering, and in no less extraordinary circumstances. Mr Speaker, the business and cycle of Government is, in some ways, no different to life itself. Navigating difficult times, while also making necessary progress. Dealing ...6 days ago
- Future resource management system implementation fundingBudget 2022 provides funding to implement the new resource management system, building on progress made since the reform was announced just over a year ago. The inadequate funding for the implementation of the Resource Management Act in 1992 almost guaranteed its failure. There was a lack of national direction about ...6 days ago
- Funding certainty for quality public mediaThe Government is substantially increasing the amount of funding for public media to ensure New Zealanders can continue to access quality local content and trusted news. “Our decision to create a new independent and future-focused public media entity is about achieving this objective, and we will support it with a ...6 days ago
- Funding boost secures Defence capabilities$662.5 million to maintain existing defence capabilities NZDF lower-paid staff will receive a salary increase to help meet cost-of living pressures. Budget 2022 sees significant resources made available for the Defence Force to maintain existing defence capabilities as it looks to the future delivery of these new investments. “Since ...6 days ago
- Budget 2022 supports resilient and sustainable cultural sectorMore than $185 million to help build a resilient cultural sector as it continues to adapt to the challenges coming out of COVID-19. Support cultural sector agencies to continue to offer their important services to New Zealanders. Strengthen support for Māori arts, culture and heritage. The Government is investing in a ...6 days ago
- Minister of Finance: Wellbeing Budget 2022 SpeechIt is my great pleasure to present New Zealand’s fourth Wellbeing Budget. In each of this Government’s three previous Wellbeing Budgets we have not only considered the performance of our economy and finances, but also the wellbeing of our people, the health of our environment and the strength of our communities. In Budget ...6 days ago
- Wellbeing Budget 2022 SpeechIt is my great pleasure to present New Zealand’s fourth Wellbeing Budget. In each of this Government’s three previous Wellbeing Budgets we have not only considered the performance of our economy and finances, but also the wellbeing of our people, the health of our environment and the strength of our communities. In Budget ...6 days ago
- Coronial delays addressed by Budget 2022Four new permanent Coroners to be appointed Seven Coronial Registrar roles and four Clinical Advisor roles are planned to ease workload pressures Budget 2022 delivers a package of investment to improve the coronial system and reduce delays for grieving families and whānau. “Operating funding of $28.5 million over four ...6 days ago
- Paving the way for better outcomes for disabled peopleEstablishment of Ministry for Disabled People Progressing the rollout of the Enabling Good Lives approach to Disability Support Services to provide self-determination for disabled people Extra funding for disability support services “Budget 2022 demonstrates the Government’s commitment to deliver change for the disability community with the establishment of a ...6 days ago
- Investing in education so all Kiwis can succeedFairer Equity Funding system to replace school deciles The largest step yet towards Pay Parity in early learning Local support for schools to improve teaching and learning A unified funding system to underpin the Reform of Vocational Education Boost for schools and early learning centres to help with cost ...6 days ago
- Primary sector backed to grow and innovate$118.4 million for advisory services to support farmers, foresters, growers and whenua Māori owners to accelerate sustainable land use changes and lift productivity $40 million to help transformation in the forestry, wood processing, food and beverage and fisheries sectors $31.6 million to help maintain and lift animal welfare practices across Aotearoa New Zealand A total food and ...6 days ago
- More support for first home buyers and rentersHouse price caps for First Home Grants increased in many parts of the country House price caps for First Home Loans removed entirely Kāinga Whenua Loan cap will also be increased from $200,000 to $500,000 The Affordable Housing Fund to initially provide support for not-for-profit rental providers Significant additional ...6 days ago
- Budget lifts up to 14,000 children out of povertyChild Support rules to be reformed lifting an estimated 6,000 to 14,000 children out of poverty Support for immediate and essential dental care lifted from $300 to $1,000 per year Increased income levels for hardship assistance to extend eligibility Budget 2022 takes further action to reduce child poverty and ...6 days ago
- A booster for RNA research and developmentMore support for RNA research through to pilot manufacturing RNA technology platform to be created to facilitate engagement between research and industry partners Researchers and businesses working in the rapidly developing field of RNA technology will benefit from a new research and development platform, funded in Budget 2022. “RNA ...6 days ago
- Unleashing business potential across NZA new Business Growth Fund to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow Fully funding the Regional Strategic Partnership Fund to unleash regional economic development opportunities Tourism Innovation Programme to promote sustainable recovery Eight Industry Transformation Plans progressed to work with industries, workers and iwi to transition ...6 days ago
- Securing the wellbeing of Pacific communitiesBudget 2022 further strengthens the economic foundations and wellbeing outcomes for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa, as the recovery from COVID-19 continues. “The priorities we set for Budget 2022 will support the continued delivery of our commitments for Pacific peoples through the Pacific Wellbeing Strategy, a 2020 manifesto commitment for Pacific ...6 days ago
- Government delivers timely support for whānauBoost for Māori economic and employment initiatives. More funding for Māori health and wellbeing initiatives Further support towards growing language, culture and identity initiatives to deliver on our commitment to Te Reo Māori in Education Funding for natural environment and climate change initiatives to help farmers, growers and whenua ...6 days ago
- Government delivers critical infrastructureNew hospital funding for Whangārei, Nelson and Hillmorton 280 more classrooms over 40 schools, and money for new kura $349 million for more rolling stock and rail network investment The completion of feasibility studies for a Northland dry dock and a new port in the Manukau Harbour Increased infrastructure ...6 days ago
- QUAD praises Albanese government’s higher ambition on climate
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The QUAD summit in Tokyo has praised Australia raising its ambition on climate change, after Anthony Albanese told fellow leaders his government would do more to assist Pacific countries address it. Albanese stressed Australia’s ...8 hours ago - Word from The Hill: Biden impressed by Albanese’s energy (even if the Liberals weren’t)Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and ...11 hours ago
- Below the Line: Has Australia’s political landscape changed forever? – podcastSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Clark, Deputy Engagement Editor, The Conversation Politics can be slow-moving, until all of a sudden it isn’t. As political scientist Simon Jackman says in today’s episode of Below the Line, “politics is very non-linear. You get these steady, secular ...12 hours ago
- Halsey’s record label won’t release a new song until it goes viral on TikTok. Is this the future...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By D. Bondy Valdovinos Kaye, Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology On Sunday, popular American singer songwriter Halsey shared a video on TikTok with tinny music in the background, the on-screen text reading: Basically I have a song that I love that ...13 hours ago
- Good timing and hard work: behind the election’s ‘Greenslide’Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania During Saturday’s election, 31.5% of the voters deserted the major parties, with a swag of female teal independents tipping Liberal MPs out of their heartland urban seats. By contrast, ...13 hours ago
- Pay ‘with a smile or a wave’: why Mastercard’s new face recognition payment system raises conc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rita Matulionyte, Senior Lecturer in Law, Macquarie University Shutterstock Mastercard’s “smile to pay” system, announced last week, is supposed to save time for customers at checkouts. It is being trialled in Brazil, with future pilots planned for the Middle East ...13 hours ago
- Lifting the minimum wage is anything but reckless – it’s what low earners needSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Stand by for something “reckless and dangerous”. That’s what former prime minister Scott Morrison said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would be if he asked the Fair Work Commission ...13 hours ago
- Buzz from the Beehive – lots of spending, some foreign affairs initiatives and (be nervous, reader...
Just in case the affected voters and constituencies haven’t bothered to check how much funding they are being given in Budget 2022 (or how much they have lost in some cases), ministers have been letting them know in post-Budget press statements. At least, they have been letting them know when ...15 hours ago - Tukaki Calls On Inquiry After New Zealand Mother Of Two Dies In Australian Immigration Custody
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has called the way a New Zealand mother of two died in custody awaiting deportation from Australia was a disgrace and further evidence that the system is not just broken but responsible ...16 hours ago - Why do my armpits smell? And would using glycolic acid on them really work?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Moro, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University Shutterstock You showered this morning, are wearing fresh clothes and having an otherwise normal day, when suddenly you notice that stench. Why do our armpits smell, and why more ...16 hours ago
- Writing for our (digital) lives: war, social media and the urgent need to update how we teach Englis...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucinda McKnight, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy and Curriculum, Deakin University Pixabay The war in Ukraine is being described as the first social media war, even as “the TikTok war”. Memes, tweets, videos and blog posts communicate both vital information and ...16 hours ago
- Wages and women top Albanese’s IR agenda: the big question is how Labor keeps its promisesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Stewart, John Bray Professor of Law, University of Adelaide Industrial relations issues were front and centre when federal Labor last won office from opposition in 2007. The backlash against John Howard’s “Work Choices” reforms cost both his government and his own ...16 hours ago
- We’re about to have Australia’s most diverse parliament yet – but there’s still a long way t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Soutphommasane, Acting Director, Sydney Policy Lab & Professor of Practice (Sociology and Political Theory), University of Sydney The message from Saturday’s election result was clear: Australians want a political reset. And not just about issues such as government integrity and climate ...17 hours ago
- Have Your Say On The Employment Relations (Extended Time For Personal Grievance For Sexual Harassmen...The Education and Workforce Committee is calling for submissions on the Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill. This bill would extend the period of time available to raise a personal grievance ...17 hours ago
- Attention managers: if you expect First Nations’ staff to do all your ‘Indigenous stuff’, this...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Menzel, Assistant Professor – First Nations Health, Bond University GettyImages Workplaces can be hostile, overwhelming and unwelcoming places for many First Nations Peoples. My research has explored how this is the case in many organisations, including universities. White organisations ...17 hours ago
- To protect vulnerable Australians from COVID this winter, we need to pick up the pace on third dosesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute CDC/Unsplash Anthony Albanese campaigned on better pandemic management. Giving the vaccination program a shot in the arm will be his first test. Not long ago, every shipment of vaccines was ...17 hours ago
- Don’t believe the backlash – the benefits of NZ investing more in cycling will far outweigh the ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Kingham, Professor, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/Tanya NZ The Dutch have long been recognised as leaders in cycling. Denmark is not far behind, with more bikes than cars in its capital Copenhagen. This is the result of many years of ...17 hours ago
- Orange Is The New Green And Let's Business Get On With ItRemaining in the orange traffic light setting is not a constraint or handbrake to accelerating business recovery, rebuilding, and planning for growth, says Auckland Business Chamber CEO Michael Barnett. “Businesses can do everything under Orange, ...18 hours ago
- To protect vulnerable Australians from COVID this winter, we need pick up the pace on third dosesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Breadon, Program Director, Health and Aged Care, Grattan Institute CDC/Unsplash Anthony Albanese campaigned on better pandemic management. Giving the vaccination program a shot in the arm will be his first test. Not long ago, every shipment of vaccines was ...18 hours ago
- New Zealand must get over its obsession with big cars and go smaller or electric to cut emissionsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Purdie, Senior Research Fellow, University of Otago Getty Images If your next car is not electric, then it must be much smaller than your last one. Scientists have warned that the world needs to halve emissions every decade to ...19 hours ago
- Why exporters should consider decoupling from China and focus more on opportunities provided by Indi...
Not many New Zealanders may have noticed what is happening in China or India – but their economies appear to be tracking in opposite directions. Those movements could have a powerful impact in turn on NZ’s economic fortunes. Point of Order is indebted to two remarkable pieces of journalism for ...19 hours ago - Dame Fran Wilde to lead Auckland light rail board – Minister Wood
A board overseeing Auckland's light rail design and construction will be led by Dame Fran Wilde, Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced. ...20 hours ago - Covid-19: New Zealand to stay at orange traffic light setting – GovernmentNew Zealand will stay in the 'orange' traffic light setting ahead of the Omicron winter spike, the government has announced. ...20 hours ago
- Police agree with IPCA findingsNorthland District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill: Police agree with the findings of an IPCA report, which concluded a Police officer was justified in using force against a man during an arrest in Northland. On 27 May 2021, Police were witness ...21 hours ago
- Budget 2022: NZ’s Dementia Sector: “Hardly A Wellbeing Budget For Us”Napier man, Alister Robertson, says the lack of any proper funding in the Budget for the proposed Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan is really disappointing and concerning. “This Budget announcement is very underwhelming. It’s hardly a wellbeing Budget ...21 hours ago
- Police Justified In Use Of Dog To Prevent Man From Attempting To Escape...21 hours ago
- Misalignment Of Government Agencies And Legislation Concerns CommissionersTauranga City Council’s commissioners have resolved to write directly to Government Ministers to detail their concerns that a lack of alignment between agencies and legislation is impacting the planning and funding of urban development in New Zealand’s ...21 hours ago
- New Guide Helps Create Urban Spaces For Older New ZealandersThe Office for Seniors has released a new guide that will help inform the best urban design practices to benefit older people. The Age friendly urban places guide is a technical resource targeted at local and central government urban planning practice ...21 hours ago
- Commemoration held in Tahiti for politicians on a ‘vanished’ flightRNZ Pacific A commemoration has been held in French Polynesia to mark the 20th anniversary of the disappearance of a leading opposition politician in the Tuamotus. Boris Léontieff, who headed the Fetia Api party, was among four politicians travelling in a small plane on a campaign trip when it disappeared ...21 hours ago
- Insurance Policyholder Protection Consultation Helps Shape Future PolicyFeedback from our consultation on the rules governing policyholder security in our insurance legislation will help to shape the final policy. An important purpose of New Zealand’s insurance legislation is to promote a financially sound insurance ...21 hours ago
- Care And Support Workers Deliver Thousands Of Messages To Government Pleading For Better PayE tū/NZNO/PSA media release After rallying around Aotearoa for a better pay offer, care and support workers and their unions are delivering their messages to Parliament in a petition signed by thousands in just 10 days. They will hand over the petition, ...21 hours ago
- Ardern’s Visit Should Focus On Peace, Decolonisation“Jacinda Ardern’s visit comes immediately on the heels of Joe Biden’s trip to Japan for a meeting of the ‘Quad’ - the US, Australia, India and Japan - that intends to dramatically increase militarisation of the Pacific region. Ardern’s ...21 hours ago
- Tauranga by-election: Candidates debate roads, health reformsRoads and health reforms got the most attention at the first candidates debate ahead of next month's Tauranga by-election. ...21 hours ago
- Meet Auckland's wildcard mayoral candidatesAuckland's lesser known mayoral candidates give their view on the pressing issues facing the supercity and their potential solutions. ...22 hours ago
- Curious Kids: what would happen if someone moved at twice the speed of light?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Baron, Associate professor, Australian Catholic University Shutterstock I’m curious about what will happen if, hypothetically, someone moves with speed (that is) twice the speed of light? – Devanshi, age 13, Mumbai Hi Devanshi! Thanks for this ...23 hours ago
- Did Australia just make a move to the left?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Wes Mountain/The Conversation, CC BY-ND Political commentators often use the idea of a political spectrum from left to right as shorthand for understanding political ideologies, ...23 hours ago
- On the Pacific, the new government must be bold and go big. Here’s how the repair work could beginSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patricia A. O’Brien, Faculty Member, Asian Studies Program, Georgetown University; Visiting Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University; Adjunct Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC., Georgetown University The federal election has delivered a monumental win for Australia’s relations ...23 hours ago
- COVID made things taste weird, now ‘Paxlovid mouth’ sounds disgusting. What causes dysgeusia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Hellewell, Research Fellow, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, and The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Curtin University Shutterstock Loss or alteration of taste (dysgeusia) is a common symptom of COVID. It’s also a side effect of ...23 hours ago
- Into the ocean twilight zone: how new technology is revealing the secrets of an under-researched und...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Bell, Professor of Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Despite New Zealanders’ close connection with the oceans, very few will have heard of “temperate mesophotic ecosystems” (TMEs). Even fewer will appreciate their importance for coastal fisheries, and ...23 hours ago
- ‘It’s almost like a second home’: why students want schools to do more about mental healthSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Grové, Fulbright Scholar and Adjunct Senior Lecturer, School of Educational Psychology & Counselling, Monash University Shutterstock Psychological distress is on the rise among young people in Australia. The implications of COVID-19 and the strain on the training and availability ...23 hours ago
- Ancient Rome didn’t have specific domestic violence legislation – but the laws they had give us ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eleanor Cowan, Lecturer in Ancient History, University of Sydney Francesco Solimena, Death of Messalina (about 1704/1712) The Getty Readers are advised this story includes depictions of domestic violence and violence against women. Domestic violence was endemic in the Roman world. Rome ...23 hours ago
- Academic Calls For A White Paper To Assess NZ’s Options Instead Of Sleepwalking Into IPEF23 May US President Biden unveiled his long-awaited Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in Tokyo tonight, supported by a small group of allies, including New Zealand’s Prime Minister Arden by zoom. “The low-key event was overshadowed by the elephant ...1 day ago
- New Zealand joins world powers in Indo-Pacific economic allianceNew Zealand has joined an alliance of Indo-Pacific nations aimed at countering China's influence in the region. ...1 day ago
- Why Labor is likely to win a House of Representatives majority despite a 33% primary voteSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne AAP/Lukas Coch With 73% of enrolled voters counted, the ABC is calling 73 of the 151 House of Representatives seats for Labor, 54 for the Coalition, 15 Others ...1 day ago
- View from The Hill: Government exits amid shredding snowstorm, Labor ministers make staged entrySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The transition from one government to another involves a democratic miracle and a physical mess. In parliament house’s ministerial wing on Monday, shredding machines were working flat out, fragments of their massive output leaving ...1 day ago
- OP-ED: Reclaiming our futureOP-ED by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). ...1 day ago
- How will the Australia-New Zealand relationship change?Australia has a new political leader at the helm after nine years governed by conservatives but what does the change of hands mean for New Zealand? ...1 day ago
- Women MPs vital for PNG’s future, says campaigning Somare-BrashRNZ Pacific A female candidate in the Papua New Guinea elections believes it is more important than ever that the country has women MPs in Parliament. Dulciana Somare-Brash is the daughter of the late Sir Michael Somare and she unsuccessfully stood in the East Sepik regional seat in 2017, finishing ...2 days ago
- We identified the 63 animals most likely to go extinct by 2041. We can’t give up on them yetSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Gilbert’s potoroo, a marsupial that may be extinct in 20 years. Shutterstock It feels a bit strange to publish a paper that we want proved wrong – we have identified the ...2 days ago
- ‘I’m ready – energised,’ Port Moresby’s Parkop pledges to huge crowdPNG Post-Courier “Powes! Powes! Powes!” The city of Port Moresby was ringing with chants of support for its governor for the past 15 years — Powes Parkop. Hundreds of men, women and children from the settlements to the suburbs flocked at the weekend in support of the three-term politician who ...2 days ago
- How well does the new Australian Curriculum prepare young people for climate change?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Beasy, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of Tasmania You’d be forgiven for not having heard about the long-awaited new Australian Curriculum, which was released with little fanfare in the midst of the election campaign. But this update to the national ...2 days ago
- Cases are high and winter is coming. We need to stop ignoring COVIDSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nancy Baxter, Professor and Head of Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, The University of Melbourne In a poll conducted by the Guardian in August of 2021 about the number of deaths Australians would be willing to accept as restrictions eased, ...2 days ago
- The election showed Australia’s huge appetite for stronger climate action. What levers can the new...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock As the polls closed on Saturday night, most election commentary focused on the dispiriting campaign where both major parties avoided any substantial division on policy issues and instead focused on ...2 days ago
- Environment Committee’s Examination Of Emissions Budgets Published In 2022, And The First Emission...The Environment Committee Komiti Taiao invites public submissions on Aotearoa New Zealand’s emissions budgets and the emissions reduction plan, Te Hau mārohi ki anamata Towards a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy—Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...2 days ago
- Budget Funding For 300 Affordable Homes Will Be Transformational, Says Central Pacific CollectiveThe announcement in Budget 2022 to build 300 affordable homes for Pasefika families in Porirua will be transformational, says the Central Pacific Collective (CPC). The homes will be built over 10 years through “Our Whare Our Fale” – ...2 days ago
- Did NASA find a mysterious doorway on Mars? No, but that’s no reason to stop lookingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ray Norris, Professor, School of Science, Western Sydney University NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS For the past ten years, NASA’s Curiosity rover has been trundling around the surface of Mars, taking photos in its quest to understand the history and geology of the red ...2 days ago
- Legalise Cannabis Australia did well at the ballot box – but reform is most likely to come from a ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jarryd Bartle, Sessional Lecturer, RMIT University Shutterstock One of the surprising results from the federal election was a record vote for Legalise Cannabis Australia, a minor party previously known as the Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) party. The party ...2 days ago
- Investors are digesting My Food Bag’s performance data – but Stuff is still feeding off Simon H...Stuff business writer John Anthony was still focused on businessman Simon Henry’s widely reported remarks about My Food Bag co-founder Nadia Lim, a day after the company posted its latest annual results. His report on Saturday began with news that – according to its chief executive – My Food Bag’s ...2 days ago
- Bus Driver Pay And ConditionsThe Bus and Coach Association welcomes the recent budget announcement by the Labour Government to invest $61 million over the next four years towards ensuring a sustainable, skilled workforce of bus drivers nationwide. “This is great news” says CEO Ben ...2 days ago
- NZ woman's death in custody should help drive change in Australia's deportation policy ...A refugee activist is hopeful a New Zealand woman's death in an Australian detention centre will be a catalyst for change. ...2 days ago
- ‘Mutual respect and genuine partnership’: how a Labor government could revamp our relationship w...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Strating, Director, La Trobe Asia and Associate Professor, La Trobe University, La Trobe University During the election campaign, Anthony Albanese singled out Indonesia as a key regional partner. The new prime minister made a point of declaring he intended his first ...2 days ago
- Watch: Jacinda Ardern details Ukraine deployment, US trip in post-Cabinet briefingCabinet has confirmed New Zealand will send a further 30 NZ Defence Force personnel to the UK to train Ukrainian in using a light artillery gun. ...2 days ago
- Watch live: Jacinda Ardern provides post-Cabinet updateCabinet has confirmed New Zealand will send a further 30 NZ Defence Force personnel to the UK to train Ukrainian in using a light artillery gun. ...2 days ago
- Here’s hoping Ardern gets to meet Biden during US trade visit – and O’Connor finds time to che...New Zealand’s export industries are looking to a new era in the wake of life returning to something like normal in international markets. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, will head a mission to the US to promote trade and tourism opportunities in our third largest export and visitor market, saying this ...2 days ago
- $5m For COVID-19 Participation Awards Is Pure IndulgenceBudget 2022’s multi-million dollar spend on “service recognition” awards exemplifies the growing fiscal indulgence of the public sector, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union . The Budget’s Summary of Initiatives reveals the Department of Prime Minister ...2 days ago
- Winston Peters: Address To Otago University NZ Foreign Policy ClassThank you for your invitation to close this semester for your class. There was a time when foreign policy was nonpolitical and when politicians held the view, that offshore, we would face the world as one people. Sadly, that is not the case today ...2 days ago
- Alcohol marketing has crossed borders and entered the metaverse – how do we regulate the new digit...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sally Casswell, Professor of public health policy, Massey University Getty Images The World Health Organization’s newly released report on regulating cross-border alcohol marketing raises the alarm for countries like Australia and New Zealand, given their light touch towards alcohol advertising. ...2 days ago
- Buzz from the Beehive: Aussie PM is congratulated, US trade mission is announced, and a quintet giv...The country’s international relationships have loomed large in Beehive announcements since Friday. One press statement – from the PM – congratulated Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party on winning the Australian Federal election. Jacinda Ardern said: “Australia is our most important partner, our only official ally and single economic ...2 days ago
- We Are One – But Really We Are Not...2 days ago
- New Caledonia’s Frogier pulls out of French National Assembly raceRNZ News A New Caledonian anti-independence candidate has withdrawn from the race for a seat in the French National Assembly just hours before nominations closed. Vaea Frogier pulled out, citing concern about the splits in the anti-independence camp. Seventeen candidates in New Caledonia are standing in next month’s election, with ...2 days ago
- Christopher Luxon Is Not Truly Pro-lifeRight to Life requests that Christopher Luxon becomes the truly pro-life leader that National and our nation desperately needs, by seeking the repeal of the Abortion Legislation Act 2019 and legislating for the recognition of the humanity of unborn ...2 days ago
- PM's US trip: Trade and Ukraine war on the agenda if Biden meeting goes ahead – Jacinda A...The prime minister says there is goodwill on both sides to make a White House visit happen while she's in the United States. ...2 days ago
- Australian voters have elected their government. Now the Labor Party has to make them believe they w...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Carney, Vice-Chancellor’s professorial fellow, Monash University Elections are a test – the ultimate test, really – of those who serve as parliamentarians and those who aspire to serve. Scott Morrison asserted quite absurdly early in the 2022 campaign that the election ...2 days ago
- Morrison’s ‘great electoral bungle’ leaves the Liberals decimated and heading in the wrong dir...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University AAP/James Ross It is pretty human to crave the approval of peers and to hope for more of the same, even if unconsciously. But for political parties selling themselves as unifying ...2 days ago
- As Albanese heads to the Quad, what are the security challenges facing Australia’s new government?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Lukas Coch/AAP Extreme weather events are the new normal. The use of nuclear weapons by Vladimir Putin’s Russian military is now an unthinkable possibility. And ...2 days ago
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