Posts Tagged ‘gerry brownlee’
Not even miners will dig Gerry out
Written By: - Date published: 2:42 pm, May 4th, 2010 - 25 comments
When you’re that far on the backfoot, it’s not hard to teeter further. The CTU has today come out against the Government’s mining plans; a position even Brownlee admits is “a bit of a surprise” given the union’s membership includes miners. What’s the score now? I say time for a quick tally. We’ve got the […]
Nats tie themselves in knots over mining
Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, April 29th, 2010 - 10 comments
Mr Brownlee, I have to confess, you’ve got me scratching my head. You’re saying that anyone can already prospect and even, to use your words, “dig to their heart’s content” on Schedule 4 land while your leader is saying we can’t mine or even know what is under the land until it is removed from Schedule 4. Which is it? Do.. do any of you clowns actually know?
Brownlee digs the Nats a deeper hole
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, April 27th, 2010 - 20 comments
On March 22, Gerry Brownlee took Mt Aspiring off his mad mining wish list saying “the government has decided, for reasons of its own, not to pursue mining potential in that areaâ€. But Brownlee was lying. The very same day, he signed an order temporarily blocking mining companies from prospecting in areas that would be subject to a $4 million government minerals survey. Mt Aspiring was included.
Xena and Sheryl do the dirty on Brownlee
Written By: - Date published: 11:22 am, April 26th, 2010 - 22 comments
Remember back in 2007 when Gerry Brownlee took some really bad PR advice and unfathomably released a video entitled “Sexy Coal”? It was bound to come back and bite him; it’s the 21st century after all. What’s particularly salacious is that Lucy Lawless is doing the biting….
Paying MPs’ court costs
Written By: - Date published: 11:23 am, April 7th, 2010 - 22 comments
I don’t have a problem with MPs being able to get public funding for court cases arising from their professional activities. You wouldn’t expect private sector employees who are taken to court over their actions in their job to be forced to pay their own way. But what a sense of entitlement Gerry Brownlee has.
Over-promise, under-deliver
Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, March 31st, 2010 - 7 comments
The Key Government is constantly promising us great results and actually do nothing that improves things for New Zealanders. English, Bennett, Brownlee, and Tolley are prime examples of this MO. While they promise great things and fail to deliver unemployment is rising, wages are falling, crime is up, and the government has no plan to move us forward.
Insight on mining
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 31st, 2010 - 2 comments
NatRad’s Insight has the best overview of the Brownlees mining proposal that I’ve seen (or rather heard) from the media to date.
Environmental issues reporter, Ian Telfer investigates the Government’s proposal in “Mining in National Parksâ€.
Mining secret agenda emerging
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 pm, March 29th, 2010 - 12 comments
It’s becoming clear that National had their policy to mine on protected land all planned before the election and hid the truth from the public because they feared it would make them unelectable. National needs to front up with the records of their pre-election discussions with the mining industry. Labour should challenge them to come clean in the House today.
Nats losing support over mining plan
Written By: - Date published: 10:18 am, March 28th, 2010 - 24 comments
According to a poll in the the Sunday Star Times, John Key’s mining plan has turned off one in six National voters. The government claims not to be worried by the negative public relation. John Key is starting to sound very out of touch on the mining issue, and that could be his biggest mistake yet.
Laissez-faire or fairly lazy?
Written By: - Date published: 3:33 pm, March 27th, 2010 - 5 comments
Fran O’Sullivan’s write: “Till now, Key has operated a rather laissez-faire approach to Cabinet management.” I think she meant “fairly lazy”. She points out that Gerry Brownlee and Paula Bennett have been allowed to go out and essentially lie to the public about their policies only to be embarrassingly exposed by an increasingly awake media (helped by the blogosphere) because Key isn’t paying attention.
The long game on mining
Written By: - Date published: 12:25 am, March 27th, 2010 - 20 comments
Beyond this opening gambit on mining, National clearly has a larger plan. It is going to back down over Great Barrier, whether or not that was never part of the plan all along. But it is lining up more areas for later on. Areas like Dun Mountain near Nelson. Supposedly there’s gold in that there hill. But it also happens to be the site of one section of the John Key Memorial Cycleway…
Oxymorons
Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, March 26th, 2010 - 29 comments
The Nats are flailing about desperately looking for an angle to convince Kiwis to trash their country and their heritage for 30 pieces of silver. Brownlee’s latest line is that mining is a green industry. Only ignorance could breed this government of oxymorons…
Gerry Brownlee’s date scone recipe
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, March 26th, 2010 - 15 comments
1. Decide that you are going to get rich out of selling dates.
2. No! Better! Get rich by having your mates sell your dates and clipping the ticket.
3. Take a dozen or so date scones.
4. Ignore all the dates sitting around that are not in scones…
Labour on mining. Brownlee on bullshit.
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, March 26th, 2010 - 33 comments
There has been considerable discussion about the message and targeting of Labours policy on mining around the conservation estate in OpenMike and some of the other blogs. This is obviously going to be a reasonable large policy platform in the upcoming election in about 18 months (how time flies). So Labour having a clear policy on it over the last decade pleases me greatly. It agrees broadly with my views of balancing the economics between exploitation of extraction and sustainable tourism.
I’m pretty much in agreement with Lew at Kiwipolitico who said “Labour’s campaign against mining Schedule 4 land looks strong, especially at the iconographic level.”
‘Dig & hope’ – Nats’ great plan
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, March 25th, 2010 - 43 comments
National’s mining policy is ‘dig and hope’. That’s the only conclusion one can draw after Gerry Brownlee and Nick Smith admitted National has no idea of the value of the minerals supposedly under the protected lands they want to dig up. Remember, this is National’s lynch-pin economic policy. They are we have dig up these protected lands for the sake of the economy but have no idea of what’s there.
Government loses control of House
Written By: - Date published: 3:29 pm, March 23rd, 2010 - 51 comments
At the end of question time today, Trevor Mallard asked for leave to have a debate without notice congratulating Joyce on getting his degree conferred 21 years after leaving uni. To everyone’s surprise, Gerry Brownlee failed to object. Brownlee is so mad [Update: video added].
Mining our national parks for the US war-machine
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, March 23rd, 2010 - 23 comments
Most of the world’s supply of the key rare earth metals comes from China. That’s a strategic problem for the US, which needs rare earths for high-tech military equipment. They don’t want to be dependent on the world’s other superpower, and potential adversary, for their military hardware. Is it a coincidence that the Nats are so keen to let foreigners mine for rare earths in our national parks?
Key’s mining plan worse than Bush’s
Written By: - Date published: 6:14 am, March 23rd, 2010 - 51 comments
John Key’s mining plan released yesterday is true madness. It sacrifices New Zealand’s natural heritage to make a buck for a few multi-national mining companies. The full list of changes make it clear: Key is mounting an attack on our conservation areas on a scale that even George W Bush couldn’t stomach.
Hysteria in the government over mining
Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, March 20th, 2010 - 3 comments
The Herald has a editorial lambasting John Key about claiming this week that they were ‘hysterical’ writing about the plans to mine the conservation lands, and that there were no such plans. Later in the week, the government launched a probe to find out who leaked cabinet documents about mining the conservation lands. The irony of the two actions appears to have escaped John Key who appears more clueless than ever.
National Parks, not National’s parks
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, March 15th, 2010 - 82 comments
Forest and Bird has obtained information that Prime Minister John Key is looking to mine Paparoa National Park [pictured right], Great Barrier Island, and areas surrounding the Thames township. The final details of the discussion doc will be decided at Cabinet today. Mr Key, you’re in for a fight on this one.
World Cup TV fiasco
Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, March 4th, 2010 - 18 comments
How’s this for insanity: the finals in the World Cup will be broadcast live on four free to air channels as well as Sky. That’s pretty much the definition of overkill and it has got to have cost a bomb, thanks to the Government’s disastrous handling of the issue.
Heatley’s redherring cover for Brownlee
Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, February 27th, 2010 - 20 comments
Fran O’Sullivan agrees with my theory on the real reason for Phil Heatley’s resignation and the reason why an excuse was invented. The real reason was what amounts to Heatley’s theft of taxpayer money by using his ministerial credit card, and the receipt excuse was invented to protect Gerry Brownlee who had also misused his credit card
I don’t buy it for one second
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, February 25th, 2010 - 111 comments
Has Phil Heatley really resigned his ministerial portfolios over a bottle of wine?
Or is there more to this story than meets the eye?
Nats’ sense of entitlement behind credit card abuse
Written By: - Date published: 6:42 am, February 24th, 2010 - 40 comments
Yesterday the Dominion Post caught out National Party Ministers using their taxpayer funded credit cards for personal use. This was a gross betrayal of public trust. Housing Minister Phil Heatley knew what he was doing, but did it anyway. John Key should sack Heatley for turning his nose up at the Kiwi taxpayer.
Don’t take stock tips from Murray
Written By: - Date published: 10:18 pm, February 23rd, 2010 - 18 comments
Turns out McCully’s shares in Widespread Portfolios are worth 20 cents a pop. $31 total. He paid a grand for them at $5-odd each. Ouch. Are these guys really so good at business? Is mining really such a good bet for the country? And what is hidden away in the trusts?
John Key discovers new word. Country celebrates.
Written By: - Date published: 12:09 pm, February 23rd, 2010 - 17 comments
This morning the DomPost ran an article by Tracy Watkins about several ministers misusing their ministerial credit cards for personal entertainment. They obtained the information by doing OIAs (Official Information Act requests). Now I’ve come to expect that NACT ministers will do (in John Keys words) “stupid” things in office. But what I found significant was that John Key appears to have discovered the use of a new word “disappointment”. This is a major advance for the NACT political vocabulary.
Oram on the ‘step change’
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 pm, February 21st, 2010 - 25 comments
An excellent piece by Rod Oram in the SST. More sophisticated governments are focusing on smart and sustainable growth but National thinks wealth comes from more milk and selling off our irreplaceable natural resources as quickly as possible.
Conservation park ‘trimmed’ to suit mining interests
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 15th, 2010 - 40 comments
The Standard has been sent copies of documents (1,2,3,4) released under the Official Information Act which show that one of National’s first acts in government was to trim a Conservation Park at the request of a mining company, ignoring local concerns and official advice, to let the company dig up the land for coal.
Gerry’s gift to future generations
Written By: - Date published: 2:58 pm, February 11th, 2010 - 38 comments
Bully Brownlee forces SOE CEO to withdraw critical blog
Written By: - Date published: 11:26 am, January 12th, 2010 - 55 comments
Powershop is a subsidiary of Meridian Energy, an SOE. It is the most highly rated power retailer by its customers, with 92% satisfaction. On the Powershop website, there’s a blog. On this blog, the CEO of Powershop, Ari Sargent, wrote a post on the Government’s proposed electricity sector reforms. It’s insightful, adroit, politically neutral, and scathing […]
Experts: Power reforms wasteful, expensive
Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, December 11th, 2009 - 18 comments
Associate Professor Earl Bardsley, Waikato University: taking Tekapo A and B power stations from Meridian and giving them to Genesis means Meridian must now rely on a rival company, through some kind of protocol, to provide a significant amount of the water inflow to Lake Pukaki, which supplies Meridian’s line of Waitaki River power stations. […]
- Nearly a month of it
Hello! There has not been an omnibus for about three weeks because covid and bereavement got in the way.Here’s what you may have missed if you’re not a daily reader.Life’s Little Victories - I think I’ve dodged COVIDTwo Bar Blues - I haven’t Relentlessly Negative - Things seem to be ...2 weeks ago - Coastal court action flies under the radar
Graham Adams says NZ’s coastline may end up under iwi control. Former Attorney-General and Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Chris Finlayson is known for his forthright and sometimes combative language. In 2022, in discussing opposition to co-governance, he referred to “the sour right” and “the KKK brigade”. Last week, in ...2 weeks ago - Does a Fiscal Debt Target Make Sense?
Do we treat the government finances with the common sense that household’s manage theirs?It is a commonly held view that we should treat the government as if it is a prudent household. We don’t when it comes to its debt. Currently the government says it wants to constrain its net ...2 weeks ago - Bryce Edwards: Why Shane Jones sunk the Kermadecs Marine Sanctuary
Did vested interests prevent New Zealand from establishing a world-leading environmental marine reserve? There are strong signs that in killing off the proposal for a Kermadec Islands Marine Sanctuary, Shane Jones has been doing the bidding of several industries and groups that he’s closely connected with. As Oceans and Fisheries ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: Spite destroys success
The clean car discount was a real policy success in pushing electrification of transport. It worked so well that EV adoption was running five years ahead of the Climate Commission's targets, giving us a real shot at decarbonising light transport. National killed it out of pure spite. And as expected, ...2 weeks ago - NCEA and truancy issues are high on the agenda for education ministers while progress is made in rep...
Buzz from the Beehive The Minister of Education today advised us the Government is to “rephase” the NCEA Change Programme. The coalition Government is making “significant changes” to the NCEA Change Programme and will delay its implementation by two years. At a time of public service culling, we might ask ...2 weeks ago - And can you tell me, was it worth it?
1. How long did it take Mr. Fixit Steven Joyce to fix Novopay?a. One day, for $4000 plus GSTb. One week for $20,000 plus GSTc. At least a year, seemed more like three lold. In the end they just sort of fixed it themselves 2. What has been Steven Joyce’s greatest contribution ...2 weeks ago - How is Luxon this out of touch?
Recently, at about this time, I’ve rated the week and looked at what Mike Hosking had to say with ratings. But I don’t want to waste time writing about his heartless, entitled reckons - they just seem a bit much today.For those interested, the things he rated highly were the ...2 weeks ago - A malevolent authoritarianOne of the fundamentals of the New Zealand government system is consultation. On a broad scale, policy proposals generally need to go through a consultation process with the public, or at least with key stakeholders. And within government, agencies are required to consult each other, with Cabinet requiring formal checks ...2 weeks ago
- Cuts will only scratch the surface
Lindsay Mitchell writes – While this morning’s news heralded 134 job losses at the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Development has just announced their own plan to achieve the 6.5% savings requested by the new government: We will begin by offering people in some parts of ...2 weeks ago - The affluent pathway to ParliamentBryce Edwards writes – Increasingly the New Zealand Parliament is becoming a place for the affluent. New research out today on the socioeconomic and occupational backgrounds of those in the current Parliament shows that MPs are becoming more and more homogenous. Despite diversifying demographics in terms of gender, ...2 weeks ago
- Support the climate strikeToday is school strike 4 climate day. There will be protests around the country in support of climate action and a lower voting age, which are expected to attract over a hundred thousand people. There's still a pandemic on, so I can't go (curse the pandemic!). But if you feel ...2 weeks ago
- Weekly Roundup 5-April-2024
It’s Friday again and here are some articles that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday we ran a post for April Fools that the government were banning walking. It seems it struck a nerve and is already our most viewed post – ...2 weeks ago - Dawn Chorus for Friday, April 5
2 weeks ago - The Worst Urban Myths Never Die
Hi,I really appreciated what José Andrés wrote in the New York Times this week:“In the worst conditions, after the worst terrorist attack in its history, it’s time for the best of Israel to show up. You cannot save the hostages by bombing every building in Gaza. You cannot win this ...2 weeks ago - The Hoon around the week to April 5Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Confidence in the Government, as measured by Roy Morgan’s ‘Right Track/Wrong Track’ survey, collapsed in March by ...2 weeks ago
- The Song of Saqua: Volume VI
Time for another D&D update, concerning my Dhampir Sorceror. Session XIII The party departed the tavern, somewhat hungover. Thence we travelled into a forest – home, apparently, of both a fortune-teller and various formidable creatures. Saqua’s experience with forests is of the kelp-variety, so this was all new ...2 weeks ago - Mr Peters goes to Washington
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is now going to Washington next week for talks with US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. He is currently in Brussels at a NATO summit. The visit, with programmes in New York and Washington D.C., will focus on major global and regional security challenges and includes ...2 weeks ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #14 2024
Open access notables We need a solid scientific basis for nature-based climate solutions in the United States, Novick et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (perspective): Ambitious NbCS [nature-based climate solutions] programs could deliver benefits for biodiversity, communities, and the climate. Unfortunately, a lack of evidence about specific benefits from specific ...2 weeks ago - The Treaty’s role in governance arrangements? Restoration of referendums on Māori wards will be h...Buzz from the Beehive There’s good news today for proponents of democracy, or democratic government. That excludes every MP who voted for the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, which enables the tribe’s rūnanga to appoint two councillors with full voting rights to the council. “Appoint” is the key word. ...2 weeks ago
- Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live
Photo by Anthony Duran on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...2 weeks ago - New oil and gas to quadruple by 2030, threatening climate goals2 weeks ago
- Let me tell you how I feel about COVID
Let me tell you how I feel about COVID which decked me three weeks ago and left me stuffed until just two days ago.Let me tell you how I feel about COVID, which has lately been leaving workplaces full of holes where their productive labour units should be.Let me tell ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: Making polluters payClimate change threatens human civilization. It threatens to kill a billion people. The costs of stopping it, and of adapting to the damage already done - of moving people and infrastructure to protect them from sea-level rise, and of dealing with the resulting floods, droughts, cyclones, heat-waves, and other extreme ...2 weeks ago
- Too complexMax Salmon writes – How complex is too complex? My new report for the New Zealand Initiative, Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a Ministerial Maze, poses this question with respect to the executive branch of New Zealand’s Government. New Zealand’s executive is incredibly powerful. Its members control the levers ...2 weeks ago
- A Parliament of office workersAlthough there are now more farmers than teachers in the country’s 54th Parliament, office work, politics and humanities education are the dominant backgrounds of MPs. Mark Blackham and Emily Mingins write – Research released today by Blackland, a PR consultancy, finds that the six most popular ...2 weeks ago
- Watching Television.
Some of you might’ve guessed what today’s song is already. As the top comment on YouTube says, “one of the most important records ever made by one of the most underrated bands of all time. Just as relevant today as it was when it was released.”I’d agree with that, I’ve ...2 weeks ago - Confidence in Government collapsesA new poll shows women see the country on the wrong track more dramatically than other cohorts, especially older men, and overall confidence collapsed in March. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items of note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy on Thursday, April 4 included:A Roy Morgan poll ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: The Affluent pathway to ParliamentIncreasingly the New Zealand Parliament is becoming a place for the affluent. New research out today on the socioeconomic and occupational backgrounds of those in the current Parliament shows that MPs are becoming more and more homogenous. Despite diversifying demographics in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexuality and so forth, our ...2 weeks ago
- How can I make my retirement plan climate-friendly?This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Barbara Grady If you’re worried that your retirement plan might include investments in fossil fuels, here’s what you can do. The first thing you’ll want to do is research what’s in your 401(k). Which stocks and bonds are in the mutual ...2 weeks ago
- The Maddest March since COVIDMarch is now over and so too is March Madness – though public transport will likely stay busy at least until school holidays in a few weeks. So how did PT perform in March …. pretty well it turned out. Just prior to March I wrote about how average weekday ...2 weeks ago
- Mark Blackham and Emily Mingins: A Parliament of office workersAlthough there’s now more farmers than teachers in the in the 54th Parliament, office work, politics and humanities education are the dominant backgrounds of MPs. Research released today by Blackland, a PR consultancy, finds that the six most popular careers for MPs are (in descending order) managers, elected representatives, ...2 weeks ago
- Chalk marks the position of the body
Try as he might to dazzle us with his CEO mad skillz, there is no way this lacklustre Prime Minister can conceal the awkward reality that he is but the goofy grinning front end of a horse costume, the monkey who fancies himself the organ grinder, the sad awkward cuck ...2 weeks ago - “Efficiency” is no reason to violate human rightsThe right to trial by jury is affirmed in the Bill of Rights Act. The National Party wants to take it off you: Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is considering ways to reduce the number of jury trials, saying an increase in defendants choosing them is contributing to delays. Data ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Govt welcomes the lifting of an injunction (to protect the Maui dolphin) which banned some fish i...Buzz from the Beehive The lifting of a temporary ban on some New Zealand fish exports to the United States was hailed by two New Zealand ministers as a win for commonsense. Sea Shepherd spokesperson Michael Lawry, on the other hand, told RNZ “politics and power” had won over science. ...2 weeks ago
- Why Do We Love True Crime?Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Read more ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the death of library browsingFor many of us, the word “library” has comfortable connotations. It suggests rows of books in which to browse, make discoveries and pass them on to friends and family. Beyond being a resource centre for culture and practical information, a typical library is also a community meeting ground and a ...2 weeks ago
- I'm not a cynic.
I'm just bein' realistic, bein' honest with myselfI've tried bein' optimistic but it doesn't seem to helpSo I'll just have to admit this is the hand that I've been dealtI'm not bein' pessimistic, just bein' honest with myselfI remember a family outing at lake Rotoiti, near Rotorua. It always felt ...2 weeks ago - Success CityPatrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the Council’s City Centre Advisory Panel. On the back of the latest Infometrics data release, the Council through its economist Gary Blick has been publishing a whole lot of great numbers: For the second year in a row, Auckland’s high-achieving city centre has ...2 weeks ago
- Dawn Chorus for Wednesday, April 3These homes in Mt Cook, Wellington were demolished but the large rebuild project is now paused and the site sits idle, along with other social housing projects around the country. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six newsy things of note to me in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 7:06 ...2 weeks ago
- Beehive bloatWhile the new Government repeatedly vows to cut waste from within the Government, it has created seven new ministries and abolished only two left over from the Labour Government. A new study says that the more Ministers a government has, the more it will spend and the more difficult it ...2 weeks ago
- At a glance – Global warming and the El Niño Southern OscillationOn February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...2 weeks ago
- Criminal enterprisesIt was easter over the weekend, which meant the annual "debate" over relic easter trading laws, and various businesses deliberately flouting them for profit. I'd prefer those out-dated laws to be reformed - my preference is to make easter Sunday a public holiday, which solves all the problems other than ...2 weeks ago
- Tax relief is included in the next stage of Government Action Plan – but hospital staff could do ...Buzz from the Beehive Uh, oh. Maybe we are in the PM’s Naughty Book. We received a press statement from Green Party co-leader Chloe Swarbrick to tell us the Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months “is as pointless as it is hollow”. She was more than somewhat ...2 weeks ago
- You’re welcome, renters
More Than A Feilding: Good afternoon Prime Minister, thanks for making the time to talk to this little newsletter.Old Mate Grabaseat: You’re welcome mate! How’s it all going in Friendly Feilding, 14-time winner of NZ’s Most Beautiful Town?MTAF: Oh, I’m not actually in Feilding, that's just a reference to…OMG: I’m ...2 weeks ago - Fair Enough!
Sounds About Right: It would seem that the realities of practical politics makes utilitarians of us all.DOING THE GREATEST GOOD for the greatest number has long been the ethical rule-of-thumb for New Zealand politicians. At least, that is how they would argue if challenged to justify their own, or their ...2 weeks ago - Climate Change: The wrong directionToday the government released its "action plan" for the next three months - basically, the list of what it wants to get done. Yes, its government by KPI, with all the bullshit that that entails. But contempt for management culture aside, what about the substance? And in particular, the substance ...2 weeks ago
- The complex and bloated ExecutiveDavid Farrar writes – The NZ Initiative has published a research note comparing our Executive Government to others. They note: We have 44% more Ministers, 282% more portfolios and 156% more departments than countries of similar size NZ has 41 departments NZ has 27 crown agencies NZ has ...2 weeks ago
- Steven Joyce’s revolving door entry into a $4000/day govt appointmentBryce Edwards writes – Former National Government Finance Minister Steven Joyce is being paid $4000 a day to chair the new Government’s “expert advisory panel” on infrastructure. That’s over twice what Prime Minister Christopher Luxon gets, and makes Joyce New Zealand’s highest-paid public servant. At the same time, ...2 weeks ago
- The debt rules being used to strangle NZIn reality, there is far too little ‘future proofing’ being undertaken by councils, mainly because of the fear of the perceptions of councillors, officials, mayors (and Government ministers) that they’ll be punished for being ‘fiscally reckless’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six news items of note on ...2 weeks ago
- A data scientist’s case for ‘cautious optimism’ about climate changeThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Michael Svoboda Against the regular drumbeat of negative news on climate and the environment, a positive note can be both startling and therapeutic. To keep pressing forward, we need to know that progress has been — and still can be — made. ...2 weeks ago
- Suddenly Seymour.
I know Seymour's the greatestBut I'm dating a semi-sadistSo I've got a black eyeAnd my arm's in a cast.Still, that Seymour's a cutieWell, if not, he's got inner beautyAnd I dream of a placeWhere we could be together at last..How are you feeling about David Seymour, six months after the ...2 weeks ago - The Kaka’s diary for the week to April 8 and beyond
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 8 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-cabinet news conference at 4pm today.Parliament is not sittingBuilding consents data is due on Thursday.Photo by Marissa Grootes on UnsplashThe Kaka’s diary for the week to ...2 weeks ago - Daughters of Derbyshire: Published
My 4300-word historical fiction piece, Daughters of Derbyshire, is now out, via The Lesbian Historical Motif Podcast. Print format: https://alpennia.com/blog/lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283-daughters-derbyshire-daniel-stride Audio format: https://lesbianhistoricmotif.podbean.com/e/daughters-of-derbyshire-by-daniel-stride-the-lesbian-historic-motif-podcast-episode-283/ It concerns seventeenth century English Puritans – at once alien to modernity, and yet also a story written in the grim shadow of 2020. ...3 weeks ago - A moment of friction.
In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), … Continue reading ...3 weeks ago - Spotlight on the CourtsMuriel Newman writes – “Houston, we have a problem!” New Zealand’s Supreme Court – the highest court in our land – has been captured by activist judges. What is heartening, is the emergence of a wide range of eminent legal voices all openly criticising the Court and calling ...3 weeks ago
- NZ Government announces ban on walkingRNZ reports: As part of their ‘100 Day Plan – Phase 2’, the government today announced a ban on walking on streets and in most public spaces. Transport Minister Simeon Brown says the move is part of the Government’s plan to boost economic growth and productivity. “Walking is just too ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 Reading Summary (+ Writing Update)Completed reads for March: Lamia (poem), by John Keats The Moon Pool, by Abraham Merritt A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking Inverted World, by Christopher Priest Fugue for a Darkening Island, by Christopher Priest The Secrets of Dr John Taverner (collection), by Dion Fortune St Benedict’s Rule ...3 weeks ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #13A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 24, 2024 thru Sat, March 30, 2024. Story of the week When it comes to polar sea ice appearances can be deceptive, trends may be obvious ...3 weeks ago
- Love is Love.
There are three comedians I particularly like. One Scottish, one American, and one Australian. No walking into a bar in this joke, they’re all at various stage of alcoholism - funny how that works. They’re all liberal more than necessarily left - although the Scottish one is typically socialist. It’s ...3 weeks ago - In journalism facts should be verifiable
Fact-Checkers’ personal biases will often lead to presenting fake news as factual, or facts as fake news. Image credit: “The Psychology of Fact-Checking.” I ... 3 weeks ago- The Origins of Rage
Hi,I dyed my hair pink* this week. If I was being pretentious I’d say it was an art project. I’d used a pink-hair filter on social media earlier this month, which had people evenly split between “Oh my God you dyed your hair!” to “That’s clearly a filter!”At some point ...3 weeks ago- The Missing Body.
“And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” – Matthew 27:2“THIS COURT OF INQUIRY will come to order!”The Presiding Officer surveyed the room. The tables arranged to form a hollow square. The soldiers in their dress uniforms. The evidence folders placed neatly ...3 weeks ago- National’s Governing For (Crony) Capitalists – Not Capitalism.
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! The late Bruce Jesson used to say that while National governed for capitalists, Labour governed for Capitalism. Jesson’s suggestion: that National was so firmly locked inside the individualist logic of the private sector that it struggled to see the broader capitalist picture; was a shrewd one.WHY IS THE ...3 weeks ago- Rapture and Rage.
When Push Came To Shove: If Jacinda Ardern’s government struggled to contain 3,000 angry Kiwis in 2022, how will Christopher Luxon’s cope with 300,000 in 2025?THE OCCUPATION OF PARLIAMENT GROUNDS stands as one of the oddest moments in New Zealand political history. Not the least of its oddities was the mixture ...3 weeks ago - The Origins of Rage
- Government continues to deliver for New Zealand
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has launched the Government’s next action plan to deliver for New Zealand – setting out key steps to be taken by June 30 to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and improve public services. “I am proud to lead a government of action. We are ...2 weeks ago - NZ announces humanitarian assistance to Gaza, SudanForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced $6 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected by conflict in Gaza and Sudan during his ongoing visit to Egypt. “There are huge and urgent humanitarian needs in both Gaza and Sudan, and it is important that New Zealand continues to make its ...3 weeks ago
- Jones backs super snapper for economic growthA new project to breed ‘super’ snapper that are more resistant to disease, grow faster, and can thrive in warmer water could help drive more economic growth through aquaculture, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The potential here goes far beyond growing a better and more resilient breed of ...3 weeks ago
- Why aren’t vulnerable babies being protected from RSV in Aotearoa?
Each year, hundreds of New Zealand babies are hospitalised with this common respiratory virus, and health experts are concerned that preventative drugs used overseas are not being funded here. As winter approaches and people spend more time indoors, respiratory viruses start circulating. One common bug is RSV, or respiratory syncytial ...2 days ago - Olympic sailor doubles as Am Cup gamer
As a kid, Erica Dawson never owned one of those annoying little Tamagotchi digital pets. As a teen, she wasn’t the slightest bit interested in home video games and wasn’t addicted to playing Angry Birds on her phone, either. But now, on the cusp of entering her 30s, Dawson has ...2 days ago - Daily crossword, Wednesday 17 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Wednesday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 17 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- From colour to climate change – a scientist’s journeyOpinion: I find myself now spending most of my academic retirement period explaining the science behind climate change to my local communities. What was the life journey that brought me to this role? As a young child I remember being fascinated first thing in the morning by the pure blues ...2 days ago
- The dark side of the beauty industryThere is nothing to stop someone from buying a laser machine online and setting up a shop offering treatments for skin. Or injecting derma filler into a client’s face. No qualifications are needed for either treatment, but when it goes wrong the results can be life changing, even life threatening. ...2 days ago
- Govt urged to protect seabirds on the brink of extinctionAlbatross are being accidentally caught and killed by NZ fishing vessels at a rate 350 percent higher than previously reported The post Govt urged to protect seabirds on the brink of extinction appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Australia’s cash availability crisis creating an NZ monopolyHit by low demand for physical money, Australian cash-in-transit giant Armaguard is selling its NZ wing after rejecting an A$26m bailout The post Australia’s cash availability crisis creating an NZ monopoly appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- What the Post Office scandal can teach the Christchurch attacks inquiryOpinion: It only needs one person to stand up against injustice, but it requires a culture of inquiry for the truth to come out The post What the Post Office scandal can teach the Christchurch attacks inquiry appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- Health education contracts on the chopping blockPharmac has opted not the renew the contract for educational resource He Ako Hiringa The post Health education contracts on the chopping block appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 days ago
- 14 (!) crucial questions about Stuff replacing Newshub, asked and (mostly) answeredBased on interviews with the heads of Stuff and Warner Bros Discovery, along with staff across both organisations, Duncan Greive presents an in-depth primer on the biggest news media deal in years. With additional reporting by Stewart Sowman-Lund Why did Stuff win out over NZME? This is in many ways ...2 days ago
- Critical minerals receive multi-million dollar support under Future Made in Australia policy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two major critical minerals projects in Queensland and South Australia are to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government loans as part of the Albanese government’s new Future Made in Australia policy. ...2 days ago - Water theft laws and penalties in the Murray-Darling Basin are a dog’s breakfast. Here’s how we ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam James Loch, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Water is one of Australia’s most valuable commodities. Rights to take water from our nation’s largest river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, are worth almost A$100 billion. These rights can be bought and sold or ...3 days ago
- Massey University signs agreement confirming plan to set up Singapore branch
Massey University says its Singapore campus will provide education services to students who do not want to study in New Zealand. ...3 days ago - After a second knife attack in Sydney, how can parents talk to their kids and help them feel safe?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University In the space of three days, there have been two devastating knife attacks in Sydney. Your child may have seen these on the news or social media. Or they might be hearing about it ...3 days ago
- Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Just days after the deadly Westfield Bondi attacks, a second knife attack in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an ...3 days ago
- Masses of scalloped hammerheads have returned to one of Australia’s busiest beaches. But we don’...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science and Manager Whales & Climate Program, Griffith University A juvenile hammerhead at Burleigh Beach, watched by snorkellers Olaf Meynecke, CC BY-NC-ND For the second year in a row, over 100 hammerheads have gathered at one ...3 days ago
- Have New Zealanders been misled about AUKUS, is involvement a foregone conclusion?Analysis - New Zealand involvement in pillar two of the military deal would represent a seismic shift. ...3 days ago
- How the Lehrmann v Channel 10 defamation case shone an unflattering light on commercial news gatheri...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson’s victory in the defamation action brought against them by Bruce Lehrmann is the second big win inside a year for the Australian media using ...3 days ago
- Pharmacists should be able to dispense nicotine vapes without a prescription. Here’s whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Coral Gartner, Director, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, The University of Queensland Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock The Australian government is currently considering a bill to implement the next stage of reforms to vaping regulation. At present, vaping products ...3 days ago
- For 600 years the Voynich manuscript has remained a mystery. Now we think it’s partly about sexSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keagan Brewer, Macquarie University Research Fellow, Macquarie University Yale University Library The Voynich manuscript has long puzzled and fascinated historians and the public. This late-medieval document is covered in illustrations of stars and planets, plants, zodiac symbols, naked women, and blue ...3 days ago
- Can AI read our minds? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be worriedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Baron, Associate Professor, Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne Iconic Bestiary / Shutterstock Earlier this year, Neuralink implanted a chip inside the brain of 29-year-old US man Noland Arbaugh, who is paralysed from the shoulders down. The chip has ...3 days ago
- 5 reasons why the Fast-track Approvals Bill threatens NZ’s already fragile ecosystemsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Stanley, Professor of Ecology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Conservation “good news” stories – the release of native birds into new habitats, for example – are always welcome. They recognise the work of conservation staff and volunteers ...3 days ago
- Stuff to provide news bulletins to replace Newshub on ThreeBy Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch presenter Warner Bros Discovery has done a deal with Stuff to provide news to replace Newshub. It will keep news on TV channel Three from July 6 and help Three retain some viewers. It also means important income for Stuff, but it will also stretch ...3 days ago
- Stuck in fight-or-flight mode? 5 ways to complete the ‘stress cycle’ and avoid burnout or depres...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theresa Larkin, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong Shutterstock Can you remember a time when you felt stressed leading up to a big life event and then afterwards felt like a weight had been lifted? This process – the ...3 days ago
- Ministry of Education job cuts may affect school lunch programmeThere is concern the team delivering the programme could be halved, while RNZ has also been told it will be "decimated". ...3 days ago
- From forced kisses to power imbalances, violence against women in sport is endemicSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona Giles, Research Fellow, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University Former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales may face significant consequences for his non-consensual kiss of Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso. But this is not the norm for perpetrators ...3 days ago
- As China’s influence on Pacific media intensifies, Australia can’t afford to lose the region’s...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Morieson, Lecturer in Politics and Communication , RMIT University When the people of Solomon Islands go to the polls on Wednesday, they will be voting for more than just a new prime minister. The election will also be a referendum on ...3 days ago
- The best moments from the outrageous final episodes of MAFS AUFrom the Jono and Ellie bombshell to the return of Collins, we look at back at the final episodes of Married at First Sight Australia 2024. When John Aiken told us back in February that we were in for a “quite shocking” season of Married at First Sight Australia, little ...3 days ago
- Expanding Coal Mining In 21st Century An “absurd, Selfish Decision” Says WWF
Resources Minister Shane Jones announced today that the Government will ease the consenting process for setting up new coal mines or expanding existing ones. ...3 days ago - The Boy in the Water nominated for best podcastNewsroom has received five nominations for the 2024 Voyager Media Awards, including best podcast for Melanie Reid’s popular nine-part in depth investigation The Boy in the Water. ReadingRoom’s Steve Braunias has been nominated for best columnist, opinion or critique, and Aaron Smale is up for the Te Tohu Kairangi award. ...3 days ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon faces questions in SingaporeThe Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...3 days ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions in SingaporeThe Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...3 days ago
- How The Lost Boys of Dilworth brought a ‘horrendous nightmare’ to lifeAlex Casey talks to the makers of TVNZ’s new docudrama retelling the stories of Dilworth survivors. This story contains reference to sexual abuse, please take care. When she first saw the child actors that would be playing the young versions of Dilworth survivors, Mary Durham nearly burst into tears on ...3 days ago
- Pro-independence activist issues dire warning to France over Kanaky New CaledoniaBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A pro-independence activist in New Caledonia is warning France to immediately halt its planned constitution amendments or face “war”. The call for a u-turn follows proposed constitutional changes to voting rights which could push the number of eligible anti-independence voters up. Pacific Independence Movement ...3 days ago
- The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park Raceway | Checkered Flag | The SpinoffIn the final months of the Pukekohe Park Raceway, the father and daughter duo managing the grassroots racecourse want to give everyone a last chance to go fast. This asphalt has been a part of New Zealand’s motorsport community and history for 60 years. Checkered Flag is made with the ...3 days ago
- Watch: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesACT's leader read to children while sitting next to a book featuring Jacinda Ardern, before telling reporters the former prime minister was an authoritarian. ...3 days ago
- Smaller agencies cutting deepest into staffing, data to date showsSmaller agencies are making deepest cuts as they look to save costs, RNZ data shows. ...3 days ago
- The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park RacewayIn Checkered Flag, the father and daughter duo managing the Pukekohe Park Raceway want to give everyone one last chance to go fast before its closure. Since it opened in 1962, the Pukekohe Park Raceway has hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Tasman Series, and Supercar Championships as ...3 days ago
- Labour Productivity Falls 0.9 PercentLabour productivity fell 0.9 percent in the year ended March 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The 0.9 percent fall in labour productivity was the largest fall since 2009. It follows a rise of 1.0 percent in the year ended March ...3 days ago
- Shane Jones Throws A Lump Of Coal To The Mining LobbyistsCoal Action Network Aotearoa (CANA), the national organisation campaigning for an end to coal mining and coal use, says Resources Minister Shane Jones needs to understand the world has moved on from the industrial revolution, and coal - and siding with ...3 days ago
- Jeepers creepers: the climbing cost of climate change compoundsKiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr explains what effect climate change will have on inflation, housing and policy – and whether there’s a way out. Climate change. It’s a gigantic force and it’s coming into play at a time when New Zealand is already struggling with inflation. We’ve gone from a ...3 days ago
- New deal intends to make trade with Singapore simplerCustoms has signed a cooperation agreement with its Singaporean counterpart. ...3 days ago
- Will pet bonds really be a win-win? I’m not holding my breathMaking it easier for people with pets to find rentals is a good thing. But the pet bonds policy is just one proposal in a suite of many that overwhelmingly favour landlords’ rights, argues Kristin Kelly. Renting in New Zealand, generally speaking, sucks. At the time of the last census, ...3 days ago
- Shane Jones announces easier coal mine consentingThe Resources Minister says changes to coal mine consenting will reduce barriers to extraction. ...3 days ago
- How a global crisis, drift racing and Memphis hip-hop gave us phonk – the music of the TikTok gene...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Ward, Senior Lecturer in Music, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the Sunshine Coast Shutterstock What’s that sound you hear – a combination of down-tempo hip-hop, menacing bass, distorted drums and plucky synths? It’s phonk! Still ...3 days ago
- Watch live: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changesThe government has announced changes to the ECE sector, which it says will make it easier for new centres to be set up. ...3 days ago
- The cost of being: A skint student waiting anxiously to start a new jobAs part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 30-year-old who’s just finished his studies will be breathing a sigh of relief when that first paycheck comes in. Gender: Male Age: 30 Ethnicity: Māori/European Role: Student/trainee, volunteer for a youth organisation. Salary/income/assets: Me: $400pw ...3 days ago
- Breaking: Stuff wins race to replace Newshub with a new 6pm bulletin for ThreeSources familiar with the deal say the print news giant has beaten out NZME to create a 6pm bulletin to replace Newshub at Three. Less than a week after Three confirmed that its proposal to completely shutter Newshub will be going ahead, it will today confirm that Stuff has won ...3 days ago
- Can playing Tetris help prevent PTSD if you’ve witnessed something traumatic?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Bressington, Professor in Mental Health, Charles Darwin University In the wake of witnessing tragic events, many people turn to online communities such as Reddit to discuss and process their experiences. A common bit of advice users give each other is to ...3 days ago
- Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, foreign minister ...3 days ago
- With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s electio...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Chacko, Associate Professor, International Politics, University of Adelaide India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is favoured to win reelection when India’s 970 million voters start heading to the polls on April 19 in the country’s massive, six-week general election. Modi, who has ...3 days ago
- What happens when I stop taking a drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University Diva Plavalaguna/Pexels Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversation’s experts explore their rise, ...3 days ago
- Climate change is causing marine ‘coldwaves’ too, killing wildlifeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Benjamin Lubitz, Researcher in marine ecology, James Cook University Ryan Daly The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Surface temperatures ...3 days ago
- Our research suggests eating an unhealthy breakfast could have a similar effect on your child’s sc...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney Haley Owens/Unsplash, CC BY Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant ...3 days ago
- NZ joins call for Israel not to escalate tensions with IranForeign Minister Winston Peters says now is not the time escalation, but rather for calmness. ...3 days ago
- China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committeeA report sheds new light on NZ residents pressured into returning to China to face its legal system The post China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Mega tunnel idea prompts anger and satire but finds a couple of championsOne proponent has suggested the minister give Elon Musk a call about the newly resurrected mega tunnel idea for Wellington, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ‘We’re having a really good look ...3 days ago
- Costs of Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway not to be finalised until 2025The divvying up of costs for the billion-dollar Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will not be finalised until next year. ...3 days ago
- Air NZ calls for Govt mandates to help drive sustainable aviation fuel useNew Zealand’s national carrier has taken a leap towards its net zero 2050 goal, with its biggest ever purchase of sustainable aviation fuel. But Air NZ chair Dame Therese Walsh said it was now time for the Government to step in with policies that would help level the playing field ...3 days ago
- Public service cuts: $6.3m in payouts at one ministry so farThe total cost of redundancies across the public service is not yet known and the Finance Minister has not asked for an estimated price tag. ...3 days ago
- A flagpole, a failed space, and a confused history of white fragilityWellington’s Flagstaff Hill has a strange, dark history…. or does it? Max Rashbrooke uncovers the truth about a historical myth. I pass it almost every day, yet never see it used. The flagpole, placed on a grassy hill above Wellington’s CBD, surrounded by trees and houses, and accessible only by ...3 days ago
- A series of alternative, equally ambitious, transport options for WellingtonYou want to build a giant underground tunnel? Dream a little bigger. On Monday, news broke that the government is investigating the prospect of a mega-tunnel, running from Wellington’s The Terrace to Kilbirnie, designed to reduce the car load on State Highway 1 and speed trips up by an astounding ...3 days ago
- Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appealThe court found the ‘clear benefits’ of continuing to take sand from Pākiri didn’t outweigh environmental concerns The post Environment Court shuts down Pākiri sand mining appeal appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Man in the middleIt’s no easy task leading a company that supplies fossil fuels in this day and age, and no one gives Z Energy chief executive Lindis Jones a harder time about it than his own kids. His work skating the friction zone – maintaining steady fuel supply while supporting the transition ...3 days ago
- Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiascoCarers want to use their funding as they see fit The post Carers want out from disability ministry over funding fiasco appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Swiss climate ruling full of holesOpinion: European Court of Human Rights rules that Switzerland’s climate policy violates human rights of its citizens The post Swiss climate ruling full of holes appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 AprilLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Rhapsody in feijoaThe greatest book ever written about the feijoa may well be the only book ever written about the feijoa but there is no doubting that the recently published Feijoa by Kate Evans qualifies as a New Zealand natual history classic, a deep and knowledgeable dive into the life story of ...3 days ago
- Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Tuesday 16 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- Principals on the truth behind truancyBad parenting – or are there a million other reasons that a child might not make it to school? Ask Ash Maindonald, the principal of Western Heights School, a primary school in West Auckland. He’ll tell you that every principal he speaks to has a litany of war stories they ...3 days ago
- Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’Losing staff is just the beginning of a coming storm for the Department of Conservation, environmental groups warn The post Beyond the DoC job cuts: ‘The worst is yet to come’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago
- ‘Reverse uplift’ foster parents still waiting to hear from OTThe foster couple at the centre of a Newsroom video investigation ordered removed from our website by the High Court are hopeful a Court of Appeal ruling means they finally hear back from Oranga Tamariki, who have been giving the couple the “silent treatment”. “We’re still in limbo. Our lives ...3 days ago
- Security steals focus in Luxon’s Singapore swingOne of New Zealand’s closest defence partners has warned of the possibility of “calamity” if countries didn’t come together to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict. “It is a very troubled world. And in particular, it is a very very troubled Middle East,” said Singapore Prime Minister ...4 days ago
- Rideshare giant Ola has abruptly exited the Australian market. What does this mean for the future of...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil G Sipe, Honorary Professor of Planning, The University of Queensland Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock Last week, Indian rideshare giant Ola announced that it would abruptly cease operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. A competitor to Uber, the company ...4 days ago
Recent Comments