Posts Tagged ‘iraq’
Why UK Labour lost? Part 1: historical context
Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, January 12th, 2020 - 2 comments
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s blog
Qasem Soleimani murdered by the United States.
Written By: - Date published: 2:04 am, January 8th, 2020 - 11 comments
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s blog
Australia’s war
Written By: - Date published: 12:52 pm, February 25th, 2017 - 5 comments
Surprising no one: “A newly declassified report obtained by Fairfax Media reveals Australia’s role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq was undertaken solely to enhance our alliance with the US.”
Special Relationship 2
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, January 27th, 2017 - 58 comments
The Bush Blair “special relationship” was a geopolitical disaster of epic proportions. Get ready for Round 2, Trump May.
ISIS Crisis
Written By: - Date published: 5:10 pm, October 27th, 2016 - 84 comments
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee says our training mission to Iraq is undergoing a transformation. We were warned when the troops first went that the mission was always intended to be looser than Brownlee publicly claimed at the time. And so it has turned out to be.
Chilcot report – Blair’s bad week
Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, July 5th, 2016 - 44 comments
Even before its release the Chilcot report is drawing attention to the hubristic warmongering that will forever stain Blair’s time in office.
Chilcot, Corbyn and the UK Labour Party caucus.
Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, June 29th, 2016 - 62 comments
Three dots.
Updated
Mission Creep
Written By: - Date published: 7:06 pm, June 20th, 2016 - 50 comments
The military mission to Iraq is to be extended by another 18 months, much to nobody’s surprise. John Key has put the creep into the mission.
What Possibility a Mid Winter Celebration?
Written By: - Date published: 2:21 pm, May 15th, 2016 - 8 comments
According to the Herald on Sunday, some people aren’t just sitting back waiting for the Chilcot report to be released before deciding what to do. Some people are getting geared up.
Little just visited NZ troops in Iraq
Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, April 28th, 2016 - 11 comments
“Opposition Leader Andrew Little has visited New Zealand troops at Camp Taji, Iraq. Mr Little also met with Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled Al-Obedih and senior military officials from the Coalition forces in Iraq. He now heads to Jordan to see the unfolding refugee crisis first hand.”
Collision course Syria
Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, December 5th, 2015 - 81 comments
Russia is backing anti-Islamist Kurds in Northern Syria to control their own territory, and acting directly against the interests of the jihadist groups that Turkey, a NATO member, is supporting. The temperature will only rise from here.
Ground troops to Iraq – PM please explain
Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, November 19th, 2015 - 26 comments
PM please explain, what the hell good would sending a few Kiwi ground troops to the ongoing disaster of the Middle East achieve? Is it the whole cost of being in the club thing again?
Just another coverup
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, October 14th, 2015 - 7 comments
The Nats changing lines on the Taji report look like just another routine coverup of just another routine lie. At least, I hope so, because not knowing / caring about the report would be worse.
The Taji report
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, October 13th, 2015 - 17 comments
An American report which came out shortly before Key’s visit to our troops at Taji camp in Iraq is strongly critical of conditions there, and of the efficacy of the training process. Key claims he didn’t know, yet another of his outbreaks of “convenient ignorance”.
A double standard for Saudi Arabia
Written By: - Date published: 7:06 am, April 28th, 2015 - 119 comments
If Saudi Arabia’s justice system and human rights record is as bad as Amnesty says it is, then this is not a country that we should be seeking closer economic ties with. Why the double standard?
The decontextualisation of ANZAC Day
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, April 21st, 2015 - 69 comments
Everyone else is giving their reckons on the treatment of ANZAC Day this year, as we commemorate the centenary of the first year of World War I. So here are mine.
Our Iraq war policy explained
Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, April 16th, 2015 - 32 comments
The government is doing a poor job at explaining our Iraq war policy, but never fear, we have the answers.
Public support for the Iraq deployment (In which the insightful and knowledgable Mike Hosking springs to the defence of the embattled PM!)
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, February 27th, 2015 - 89 comments
Despite the best efforts of Mike Hosking, the poll numbers tell us that Kiwis have lost their historical appetite for this kind of misadventure.
Petition – Not In My Name
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, February 26th, 2015 - 5 comments
A petition to oppose sending troops to Iraq has gained over 9,000 signatures in its first 24 hours. You can sign the petition here.
Three speeches on going to war
Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, February 25th, 2015 - 109 comments
The first three speeches from yesterdays session in Parliament on sending troops to Iraq – John Key, Andrew Little, Russel Norman. Little’s speech is cogent, Norman’s is brilliant.
The price of the club?
Written By: - Date published: 4:15 pm, February 24th, 2015 - 105 comments
Back in 2003, John Key had an interesting take on whether it was appropriate to send troops to Iraq.
ISIS. Crowdsourcing a solution.
Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, February 24th, 2015 - 172 comments
So, we’re off to Iraq. If the answer to ISIS isn’t sending Kiwi troops, what do Standardistas think practical alternatives might be?
EDIT: Key announces 143 troops to go to Iraq and support staff.
NZ sending troops to Iraq
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 23rd, 2015 - 227 comments
New Zealand will be sending troops to Iraq, and you read it first on The Standard. Or in other words, why are we still pretending that the decision hasn’t been made?
Mission Accomplished
Written By: - Date published: 7:19 am, February 14th, 2015 - 55 comments
“You gotta hand it to John Key: the timing is perfect. On a slow-news Friday at a time when the media is falling over itself to hype the cricket world cup, the last veil drops to reveal al Jaafari and his request for assistance.”
A concise description of the problems in the Middle East
Written By: - Date published: 5:18 pm, February 7th, 2015 - 40 comments
The complexity of the current Middle East situation explained in a single letter to the editor.
So now it’s a family not a club
Written By: - Date published: 3:48 pm, February 4th, 2015 - 114 comments
John Key wanted to be in the Five Eyes “club”, but I guess that didn’t focus group well, so now we’re being fed a new line – “family”.
NZ troops to Iraq?
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, October 1st, 2014 - 109 comments
Key’s public position on sending troops to Iraq has (surprise!) changed since the election. His private position on the topic probably hasn’t changed since 2003.
Key on Iraq
Written By: - Date published: 6:54 am, June 18th, 2014 - 52 comments
John Key on Iraq in the Herald today:
“We are not a country out there looking for a fight.”
John Key in Iraq in 2003…
Hager: Uncomfortable truths
Written By: - Date published: 7:53 am, May 5th, 2013 - 7 comments
Phil Twyford on Nicky Hager’s Capt Jack Lyon Memorial Lecture Uncomfortable truths, NZ foreign policy in the ‘war on terror’. As Phil notes: “I think it is a cautionary tale for any future Labour-led government with a progressive, independent foreign policy”.
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- No Enemies To The Left – Or The Right.
Wrong Turn: Labour and National can only reduce the toxic influence of their electoral competitors by rejecting their extremism.“NO ENEMIES TO THE LEFT” has always been Labour’s rule-of-thumb. What, after all, does a moderate, left-of-centre party gain by allowing its electoral rivals to become repositories for every radical (i.e. congenitally dissatisfied) ...1 hour ago - All the tools we need
Off I went yesterday, me and my little ear robots, to a workshop.Did I hear every word? Reader, I most surely did. Did I have to ask anyone to repeat themselves? I did not, not one single time.Ironically, the subject of the workshop was one that prompts many to cover ...1 hour ago - Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live at 5pm
1 hour ago - An Unending Nightmare.
Hate Will Find A Way: Historians divide into those who see Zionism as the only sane answer to the Jews’ historic vulnerability; and those who regard the Zionist “entity” as a purely colonial construct, founded in racism and shrouded in mythology. The moralists of both camps, meanwhile, demonstrate a capacity for ...2 hours ago
- A Fast-Track Backwards.
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- Waiting By The River.
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WorkSafe’s announcement that it is planning even further restructuring and cuts just months after losing 15% of its staff has alarmed the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi. “Our health and safety regulator is a critical component of our health and safety system, and we know it already has an undercooked capacity ...5 hours ago - Member’s morning
Today the House is in an extended sitting, devoted to Member's Business as a catch-up for time stolen by the government in urgency. First up was the second reading of the Restoring Citizenship Removed By Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill, soon to be known as the Citizenship (Western Samoa) ...6 hours ago
- Thursday 24 October 2024
The CTU’s Fight Back Together hui received widespread coverage across national and local media, with consistent framing about the Government’s attacks on workers’ rights. In other union news, St John ambulance staff have accepted a pay offer following a Government back down on increased funding for the service. In other ...8 hours ago
- Maranga Ake – Fight Back Together
My newsletter took a bit longer than I thought yesterday. I sent it at 11 am, and the protest was starting in the city at midday. Bollocks, I can still make it, I thought. I kissed the dog goodbye, gave Mrs Rockel a pat on the head and headed out ...8 hours ago - Health NZ eyed charging for ED visits
8 hours ago - What if Instagram girlies planned Auckland?
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12 hours ago - South Island population boom suggests it’s time for a larger Parliament
The South Island’s population is booming and is growing faster than the North and that suggests it may be time to increase the size of Parliament.. Yesterday’s announcement by Statistics NZ about the number and size of electorate seats for the next election confirms that. The announcement calculates seat size ...13 hours ago - Gordon Campbell on dissing Wellington, and Porridge Radio
National has never forgiven Wellington – or its public servants – for voting for Labour and the Greens. (Red-blooded Kiwis work in the private sector.) No surprise then to find a right wing central government being willing to kick the Capital when it’s down. (See “Wellington is dying and we ...18 hours ago - Why widening highways doesn’t reduce traffic congestion
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah Wesseler California prides itself on its climate leadership. And the state’s work on transportation – its largest source of emissions – is no exception; its electric vehicle policies have been adopted by other states across the country. Sacramento lawmakers have also taken ambitious ...1 day ago - Mild! she replies
Do you find it frustrating — exasperating even — when in conversation someone asks you to repeat yourself, and then says: sorry can you say that again?And then: really sorry, again? And then: once more?Do you find it frustrating — exasperating even — when it keeps happening all the way ...1 day ago - Workers demonstrate strength of union power
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is celebrating a strong turnout of workers across the country who stood together in opposition to the Government’s anti-worker agenda, with more than 10,000 working people attending hui from Whangārei to Invercargill. “Today workers from a wide range of sectors and industries came together and demonstrated ...1 day ago
- Your Key Political Summary – PLUS: Luxon Defends Andrew Bayly in Parliament
1/ Proposed gun firearms law change will endanger publicA director of the Firearms Safety Authority says separating the Firearms Safety Authority from police - as the government is proposing - will be "horrible" and raise the risk to the public Note: ACT Party Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee is a ...1 day ago - The cooker government
We know that the current National government is basically a government of and for antivaxxers and cookers, the people who rioted at Parliament and burned the grounds. But so far they've generally avoided explicitly identifying themselves as such. Until today, when Workplace Relations Minister dropped (or rather refused to wear) ...1 day ago
- Guilty
Take back those tears and turn your head around′Cause there's every reason to smile from ear to ear - YeahAll those tricks and devices you used to turn onThey make you guilty - Guilty through neglectLyrics: Dave Dobbyn.A few things happened yesterday. Darleen Tana finally became an ex-MP, and Andrew ...1 day ago - Notice: Protest Locations Today
1 day ago - Woman of the Hour
2023, directed by Anna Kendrick Woman of the Hour is… such a weird movie. It’s based on the real life story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, but it’s not a documentary – it’s described as a crime thriller. It’s been criticised by one of his surviving victims as taking liberties ...1 day ago - Climate Risk
This is a re-post from And Then There's Physics I realise that I haven’t written anything for a while and am unlikely to become particularly prolific again anytime soon. However, there’s something I’ve been thinking about and thought that I would write a post. It relates to something Alex Trembath has ...1 day ago
- Is the Isthmus becoming a retirement village?
We’re continuing to look at the recently released census data. A few weeks ago I looked at how travel to work and education had changed and John looked at how our cities have grown over the last 130 years. Today I wanted to look some of that growth in a ...1 day ago
- Fake Seizure Guy
Hi,When you make a documentary about Competitive Endurance Tickling, people tend to contact you about their strange encounters — which is how, eight months ago, I came upon Fake Seizure Guy.“So we’re standing there and I just notice this very thin, sort of gaunt looking younger gentleman who was clearly ...1 day ago - Government stops water cleanup plans
Hostilities have resumed in one of politics’ longest-running battles. The question of how clean fresh waterways should be has occupied hours of political time as farmers and environmentalists have battled over the issue since back in the Key Government. Yesterday, the debate resumed in Parliament after the Government proposed a ...2 days ago
- Brighter days
Something exciting happened to me yesterday. Life-changing even. A few of you already know what it is, but I don't want to say too much too soon. I want to be sure it's as good as it appears to be on first impression. Perhaps tomorrow, then, perhaps later in the week. ...2 days ago - Stomping on democracy
That's the only way to describe National's actions in appointing a crown observer to the Wellington City Council. Wellington didn't vote for National. They elected a council which supports public transport, housing intensification, and making Wellington a nicer place for people to live (rather than landlords and house hoarders to ...2 days ago
- A violation of law, justice, and decency
This morning, in a desperate effort to distract attention from the suppurating sore of contempt that is Andrew Bayly, National announced that it would be bringing back its "three strikes" regime. The policy never worked and had no significant quantifiable benefits; but National doesn't care, despite a commitment in both ...2 days ago
- What’s driving the exodus of workers to Australia
2 days ago - Safer, Smarter, Sooner: about these concrete tim tams…
This is a cross-post from Bike Auckland, shared here with kind permission. It assesses progress on Auckland Transport’s November 2021 promise to install 70 km of quick, robust protection across 60 painted bike routes around Tāmaki Makaurau over a three-year time span. According to that original plan, right now ...2 days ago
- Money’s Just Cash
Money makes open case, closeMoney bend law, make war, make ghostsMoney gives a poor man hopeMoney saves lives, takes lives, money bothMoney is, money isn't, money's just thatMoney's just a concept people attractTax up the poor man, feed up the fatMoney's just, money's just, money's just cashSong: Ren GillIt’s money, ...2 days ago - Luxon boasts a unique insight
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed yesterday that he is looking for big cuts in next year’s Budget. In part, that quest is driven by the Health NZ Budget blow-out plus what he claims is his own unique insight coming from outside the political process. To accommodate the cuts Finance Minister ...3 days ago
- Welcome to the world of personal air conditioning
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- Gordon Campbell on the Three Strikes cycle of failure
We all know the “tough on crime” approach is only a stop gap measure at best, and that a justice model based on incarceration doesn’t work. Our prisons are already overcrowded and under-staffed. More often than not, they function as training centres for young offenders, and as sites for gang ...3 days ago
- Luxon Shows The World Andrew Bayly Lied
In today’s press conference, Christopher Luxon re-affirmed his government’s commitment to bringing back the live animal export ban: claiming that National will do it to a “gold standard”.Heard of that term before?Well lobbyists spent $1m to help with the National-ACT-NZF reversal of Labour’s ban and the marketing term “gold standard” ...3 days ago - Going West
Yesterday in the quiet of Sunday morning we went out West. Here you will find native rainforest, here you will find Kauri — and dieback, here you will find trails, beautiful trails, here you will find others out walking, here on the dusty road you will find a stream of ...3 days ago - The Enemy Within – Maire Leadbeater & Nicky Hager
Like so many others involved in social justice movements, Maire Leadbeater was subjected to state surveillance during a long life of activism. With the help of archival material, released SIS files, and other formerly secret material, she has been able to examine the depth of stateintrusion into the lives of ...3 days ago - Monday 21 October 2024
In union news, the Postal Workers Union is worried a scam that has conned New Zealanders out of millions of dollars is circulating for a fourth time, while FIRST are working with Woolworths to redeploy staff following the announced closure of a store in Tauranga. Latest SEEK data shows that ...3 days ago
- DTIs set to restrain housing-debt-led economic rebound
Many thanks to subscribers for your patience and support while I’ve been off work. My mum died in Melbourne last Sunday, and her funeral was held there on Friday. I appreciated being able to spend time with my mum before she died, and with my family and Lynn over the ...3 days ago - Time for a Transfer of Power in Entrust
What if I told you that if you pay for electricity in Auckland’s Isthmus, South Auckland, East Auckland, or Waiheke Island, you have a say in how a $3.76b company is run? What if I told you that one group has been in control of this resource on your behalf ...3 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, October 13, 2024 thru Sat, October 19, 2024. Story of the week Here's another week of stories describing how our species has become a force of nature by creating ...4 days ago
- Electrifying
I went on the radio this week to talk economic gloom. My starting point was this very good piece by Geoff Bertram in The Conversation exploring the question: Does the government know what it is doing? Answer: very possibly not. Their austerity measures, which they’ve touted as getting the car ...4 days ago - Empire of the Ants
Windows, releasing 7 November 2024 After those first few super chill games I’ve had bad luck getting Next Fest demos to run on my Steam Deck (no shade – none of them claimed they would and they’re not even finished games yet) but of the couple that have I really ...5 days ago
- Why should Andrew Bayly get a pass?
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedCome in with the Big L sign plastered on your voice.Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMake fun of the worker doing his pace.Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedWho am I?Text ...5 days ago - Take This Bottle, Loser.
Cuz I've done wrongAnd I'm a little afraidAnd I ain't too strongAnd this ain't easy to say:Take this bottleTake this bottleAnd just walk away - the both of youAnd let me feel the pain - I've done to youSongwriters: Michael Allen Patton / Bill Gould / Michael Andrew BordinIn case ...5 days ago - The hospital that still should have been, set on fire.
5 days ago - Still giving it a go
5 days ago - The Major Conspiracy Theories of This Election Cycle
Hi,It seems like a very, very long time ago now — but Webworm basically started as a newsletter about conspiracy theories (tending to debunk rather than spread, don’t worry). It’s almost alarming how much I wrote about them, a look through the archive the weirdest trip down memory lane.Today, with ...6 days ago - Healthcare is Not in Crisis; Financing it Is.
Healthcare sector management needs to break away from its obsession with financial information and focus on funding for access. Health New Zealand recently ‘proactively released’ 454 pages about its financial performance to July 2024. Here is a letter it did not release. Hon Dr Shane Reti, Minister of Health. Dear ...6 days ago - What National thinks of us
A "what the fuck" moment for National: Andrew Bayly went round calling a worker a "loser" on an official visit: The worker explained their interaction with Bayly, and said once the pair were introduced, Bayly asked them why they were still at work. “Take a bottle of wine and ...6 days ago
- Give New Zealand a go!
1. Who was the first woman to serve as Governor-General of New Zealand?a. Mother of the Nation Judy Bailey b. Vivacious and astute Cath Tizardc. Calm and perceptive Sylvia Cartwright d. Sovereign Citizen Liz “Unloaded” Gunn2. The formation of the National Party in 1936 was a merger of the United and Reform ...6 days ago - Government must support workers following Smithfield closure
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to show leadership following the announced closure of the Smithfield meat works, and the continued loss of regional manufacturing jobs, by putting in place policies to support workers with retraining and income insurance. “The loss of 600 jobs ...6 days ago
- Aotearoa’s Big Lie
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Ten years from now, I will almost certainly be dead. But, if I were to live that long, I would be constantly challenged with the question, “Why did you not warn us about what was surely already apparent – that the globe was heating at an ever-increasing rate, and that ...6 days ago - Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2022, directed by Sam Raimi It’s a bold artistic choice on Marvel’s part to spend the entire two hour runtime of the guy’s own movie telling us how literally every version of him is fucking terrible and this one’s only the hero because Wanda managed to be even worse. I’d ...6 days ago
- Train in Vain
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Happy Friday, and welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42 2024
Open access notables The influence of partisan news on climate mitigation support: An investigation into the mediating role of perceived risk and efficacy, Choi & Hart, Risk Analysis: Perceptions of efficacy play a central role in motivating people to engage in climate actions. However, there has been little investigation into how different climate efficacy ...7 days ago
- The usual suspect
Economic woes for Wellington continued today with news that yet more longstanding enterprises were going out of business. Capital One Hour Photos; Courtenay Place Video Rentals; CDs on Cuba and Kumar’s Smokefree No-Cigarettes Dairy all said they would be closed by the end of the month, and they all had ...1 week ago - Unexpected support
When the Education and Workforce Committee reported back on Camilla Belich's Crimes (Theft by Employer) Amendment Bill and recommended that it not be passed, I'd assumed it was doomed. The right-wing coalition government supports employer exploitation of workers, and certainly doesn't see why intentionally and systematically conspiring to not pay ...1 week ago
- Your Thursday Politics Roundup
For paid subscribers1. Tory Whanau says “No thanks” to Local Government Minister Simeon Brown (RNZ)Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says there was no talk of government intervention during her talk this morning with the Local Government Minister.Following the meeting, Whanau said the conversation was polite and friendly and was mainly about ...1 week ago - Inspiration and Gratitude
You grew on me like a tumourAnd you spread through me like malignant melanomaAnd now you’re in my heartI should’ve cut you out back at the startSong by Tim MinchinTim Minchin has a song about cheese; one clever dick in the audience yelled it out to him last night. I ...1 week ago - Thursday 17 October 2024
Inflation has fallen to its lowest point in the last 3.5 years, but many costs remain high, and unemployment is expected to get worse. An OIA response received by the Green Party has revealed that Brooke van Velden’s contractor proposals are almost word for word from an Uber proposal. TEU ...1 week ago
- Wanted: Better housing to help people stay cool on a hotter planet
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Peter Graham and Mili Majumdar Apartments on the outskirts of New Delhi, India. (Photo credit: Adam Cohn / CC BY-NC 2.0) It was 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47°C) in Tunisia in July, yet our colleague Manel Ben Khelifa could not turn on ...1 week ago
- Why are economists giving this government the benefit of the doubt?
This National government came to power on the promise of tax cuts it hadn’t costed out and immediately scrapped an essential infrastructure project ten years in the making with no backup plan because global cost inflation pushed the price into mildly uncomfortable territory. It would be only a matter of ...1 week ago - Auckland Harbour Bridge is collapsing*
This guest post by Tim Adriaansen, an advocate for accessibility and sustainable transport, is an expanded version of a recent post on LinkedIn. Auckland Harbour Bridge is collapsing.* A new report investigating the health of the bridge shows that without rapid and significant changes to how the asset is managed, ...1 week ago
- The battle over Tikanga in the courts, a contemporary challenge
As Parliament girds itself for the introduction next month of David Seymour’s Treaty Principles’ Bill, a Select Committee yesterday grappled with another collision between Te Ao Maori and our British-based legal system. This time, it was ostensibly about whether University law schools should compel students to study Tikanga Maori. But ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on the language of healthcare, and Mink DeVille
So far, the Great Multi-lingual Healthcare Crisis has passed by without any damage to life, or to limbs. To date, no-one appears to have mistaken the Hindi word for “lunch-break” for the Filipino word for “tracheotomy.” But then, the risk of bad clinical outcomes was never really the point, was ...1 week ago
- The Why ACC’s $7.2 billion deficit is not what it seems
The revelation of ACC’s $7.2 billion dollar deficit is coming at an amazing time for Luxon, Seymour, and Winnie. To start with, two of the three of them are engaging in a subtle war with the judiciary, in which ACT and New Zealand First have decided to prey on the ...1 week ago - Three chill games
Once again it’s Steam’s Next Fest, the regularly occurring event that highlights demos for upcoming games. It’s always a favourite of mine and I try to always participate by playing through several interesting looking titles. Today I tried three that were all extremely relaxed with no real time pressures involved. ...1 week ago
- We fixed it for youse
To the garage, to get a WOF. I think the tires might need replacing, you say.Leave it with us, they say.When you return, you notice the tyres are the same.In fact nothing appears to have been done.We fixed your birdshit problem, they tell you.My what, now? you ask.Your birdshit problem. ...1 week ago - Vijay Prashad – New Zealand’s Role in US Military Imperialism: NATO, AUKUS & 5 Eyes
Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian and journalist. Prashad is the author of forty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World. His latest book The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power (2022) was ...1 week ago
- Another step towards Pasifika justice
The Green Party acknowledges the historical importance of MP Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, Restoring Citizenship Removed By Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 Bill, passing its second reading in Parliament today. ...6 hours ago - Sanctions Soar, Jobs Vanish – National’s Cruelty Exposed
Te Pāti Māori is enraged at the National government’s ruthless punishment of beneficiaries, all while jobs are disappearing. MSD data shows a 133% increase in sanctions over the past year, with over 14,000 sanctions in just three months. The kicker? The jobs this government insists people should find are nowhere ...1 day ago
- Police Perpetuate Siege on Ōpōtiki
Te Pāti Māori MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi, says today’s police-sponsored terrorism in Ōpōtiki is a continuation of the State’s predatory behaviour towards the iwi of Te Whakatōhea. "Ōpōtiki is once again being intentionally targeted and is the direct byproduct of this Government’s 'tough on crime' legislative changes,” said MP ...1 day ago
- Release: Govt cuts school lunches even further
The Government has gone back on its word and cut the full school lunch programme in primary schools after saying it wouldn’t. ...2 days ago - Time to shut down failed Youth Justice Residences
The Green Party is calling for Youth Justice Residences to close, following a protest in which a group of young people spent the night on the roof of an Oranga Tamariki justice facility. ...2 days ago
- Release: Appalling process on three strikes law
The Government is subverting parliamentary process on laws the evidence already shows don’t work. ...2 days ago
- Release: Labour calls for investigation into tobacco tax cut
The Government’s decision to award a $216 million tax break for Philip Morris’ heated tobacco products reeks of tobacco industry interference and needs to be thoroughly investigated. ...2 days ago
- Release: Delay to retirement village review won’t help residents
The National Government is treading water on a much-needed review of the Retirement Villages Act, kicking any amendments down the road till the next parliamentary term in 2027. ...3 days ago
- Release: Serious concerns ignored in Govt’s fast track bill
National’s fast track bill enables the most radical and unbalanced consenting regime in living memory. ...6 days ago
- Fast-Track, off the rails: Submitters show strong opposition to Bill
Despite resounding public opposition, the fast-track legislation is being pushed through Parliament with provisions that could have real consequences for people and planet. ...6 days ago
- Release: Labour supports continuing fight for dairy access
Labour welcomes the National Government’s decision to further pursue our access to the Canadian dairy market under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) ...6 days ago
- Release: Job losses devastating for Timaru
Confirmed news that the Smithfield meatworks will close is devastating for the hundreds of people who work there, Timaru and the wider region. ...6 days ago
- New Zealand First Member’s Bill to Improve Access to Palliative Care
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill which aims to improve access to palliative care for all New Zealanders, ensuring kiwis have better access to the compassionate palliative support they may need. The ‘Improving Access to Palliative Care Bill’ seeks to guarantee that every New Zealander has the right ...6 days ago - Release: Further uncertainty for Kiwirail as jobs set to go
KiwiRail offering voluntary redundancy to all its staff is hugely concerning given the future of New Zealand’s rail system is under threat. ...1 week ago
- ASA Declares Hobson’s Pledge Advertising Misleading and Socially Irresponsible
Te Pāti Māori Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer welcome today’s ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which found that a Hobson's Pledge advertisement regarding customary marine titles was misleading and socially irresponsible. The two-page wraparound ad, published in The New Zealand Herald, suggested that nearly the entire coastline ...1 week ago
- Release: Benefit numbers continue to soar under National
National’s all pain approach to beneficiaries has yielded no gain as benefit numbers continue to surge past projected figures. ...1 week ago
- Soaring benefit sanctions push more into poverty
Sanctions on beneficiaries have sky-rocketed since the Coalition Government came to power, pushing more families into poverty. ...1 week ago
- International Energy Agency issues wake-up call on climate action
Today’s report from the International Energy Agency highlights how far this Government’s actions are dragging us backwards in the fight against climate change. ...1 week ago
- Release: Lack of funding puts pressure on frontline Police
News that 173 roles are being cut at Police will only put more pressure on the frontline. ...1 week ago
- Release: Bipartisan agreement on outdated marriage law
Changes to outdated relationships legislation has passed its third reading giving family violence survivors the power to quickly dissolve abusive marriages. ...1 week ago
- Release: Cuts to Apprenticeship Boost will fail future NZ
The Government’s cuts to the Apprenticeship Boost programme will leave New Zealand without the workforce it needs to build homes, schools and hospitals. ...1 week ago
- Release: Sluggish economy means struggles ahead for Kiwis
While today’s inflation numbers are good news for Kiwis, there are still struggles ahead with rising rents, rates, insurance and high unemployment. ...1 week ago
- CPI figures show rents continuing to soar
Stats NZ has confirmed that higher rent prices were the biggest contributor to the annual inflation rate. Almost a fifth of the 2.2 per cent annual increase in the CPI was due to rent prices. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt changes threaten depleted Hauraki Gulf
The National Government has sneakily reneged on protecting the Hauraki Gulf, reducing the protected area of the marine park and inviting commercial fishing in the depleted seascape. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt’s shameful backtrack on marine conservation
The Green Party has condemned the Government’s late change to allow commercial fishing in protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: No time to slow-down on disaster response
Labour welcomes the release of the Government’s response to the report into the North Island weather events but urges it to push forward with legislative change this term. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Where are the 100,000 families?
Nicola Willis has once again shown her promises are based on ghost families, with less than half registering for the FamilyBoost payments. ...2 weeks ago
- Significant step forward for Pasifika justice in Aotearoa
The Green Party has welcomed news that MP Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill has moved forward with unanimous support from the select committee. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Bill restoring Samoan Citizenship progresses
Labour is pleased the Samoan Citizenship Bill has unanimous support as it enters second reading. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National bent the rules to keep coalition commitment
The National Government bent all sorts of rules to give $24 million to Gumboot Friday just to fulfil a coalition agreement. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens support call for divestment from illegal Israeli settlements
The Green Party echoes a call for banks to divest from entities linked to Israel’s illegal settlements in Palestine, and says Crown Financial Institutions should follow suit. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National’s deficit stories don’t hold up
Te Whatu Ora’s finances have deteriorated under the National Government, turning a surplus into a deficit, and breaking promises made to New Zealanders to pay for it. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Politics over police safety puts shame on PM
The Prime Minister’s decision to back his firearms minister on gun law changes despite multiple warnings shows his political judgement has failed him yet again. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Gambling Safety of our Moana
Yesterday the government announced the list of 149 projects selected for fast-tracking across Aotearoa. Trans-Tasman Resources’ plan to mine the seabed off the coast of Taranaki was one of these projects. “We are disgusted but not surprised with the government’s decision to fast-track the decimation of our seabed,” said Te ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt takes the scalpel to regional health budgets
At Labour’s insistence, Te Whatu Ora financial documents have been released by the Health Select Committee today showing more cuts are on the way for our health system. ...2 weeks ago
- Trojan Horse approach to fast-track projects threatens environment
The Government’s fast-track list is another example of its reckless approach to the environment and disregard for due process. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Fast track list reveals Govt’s backroom deals
The coalition Government’s backroom deals with coal and ironsands mining companies have finally been revealed – and it’s not pretty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicole McKee unfit for firearms portfolio
Fresh questions have been raised about the conduct of the Firearms Minister after revelations she misled New Zealanders about her role in stopping gun reforms prior to the mosque shootings. ...2 weeks ago
- New members appointed to the Waitangi Tribunal
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka today confirmed the appointment of two new members to the Waitangi Tribunal, as well as the reappointment of Kevin Prime. The members appointed and reappointed are: Hon Richard Prebble (CBE). Mr Prebble is a former Cabinet Minister where he held a broad range of portfolios. ...1 hour ago - New appointments to the Local Government Commission
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has today announced the reappointment of the current Chair and the appointment of a temporary member to the Local Government Commission.Current Chair Brendan Duffy ONZM has been reappointed as Chair for a one-year term ending 23 October 2025, while Gwen Bull CNZM will be joining ...2 hours ago
- New Electoral Commission Chair appointed
Today the House agreed to Justice Simon Moore KC being appointed chair of the Electoral Commission, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Justice Moore brings with him a high level of legal acumen and decision-making ability, strategic planning skills and unquestionable personal integrity and independence. “He retired from the High Court ...2 hours ago
- Education Minister attending conference in Australia
The Education Minister is travelling to Australia today to attend the 23rd edition of public policy conference, Consilium. “New Zealand and Australia share common challenges and aspirations for education. New South Wales has recently introduced a new curriculum that is explicit, sequenced and knowledge based while Victoria is requiring structured ...4 hours ago
- Launching VisAble to enable safer lives
The launch of new community advocacy group VisAble signals an important development in community advocacy to achieve more focus on the needs and rights of disabled people in the family violence and sexual violence system. Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, and Disabilities Issues Minister, ...5 hours ago
- $100m NZ-Brazil trade boost through 13 key partnerships
Minister for Trade Todd McClay, today announced the signing of 13 Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) between New Zealand and Brazilian companies as part of the New Zealand Trade Mission to São Paulo this week. “These partnerships mark a significant step in strengthening the trade relationship between the two nations and are ...5 hours ago
- 30,000 households get FamilyBoost payments
Almost 30,000 households have now received their first payments under the FamilyBoost childcare payment scheme and thousands more will receive them soon, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. “In total, $11.5 million has been paid out to 29,805 households after only three weeks of claims being open,” Nicola Willis says. “High ...6 hours ago
- 1,452 children into better homes from emergency housing
Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish. Almost 1,500 tamariki that were growing up in emergency housing motels have been supported into better homes under the government’s Priority One mahi, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “The total number of ...6 hours ago
- Suspension of new SNAs passes its third reading
The three-year suspension of identification of new significant natural areas (SNAs) has passed its third reading. “We’ve made this change via the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act because we’ve heard concerns from some stakeholders that the approach to identifying new SNAs was too broad, capturing areas with ...6 hours ago
- Government funds food for additional 10,000 children in ECE
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that KidsCan Charitable Trust will be delivering the new Early Childhood Education (ECE) Food Programme, starting in February 2025. “I would like to acknowledge KidsCan for their amazing work supporting children’s learning since 2005. In 2019 they launched a national early childhood ...7 hours ago
- Attorney-General to deliver law lecture in Sydney
Attorney-General Judith Collins is travelling to Sydney to speak at Western Sydney University on the constitutional and rule of law challenges in the current uncertain global environment. “It is timely to take the opportunity to discuss constitutional and rule of law challenges,” Ms Collins says. “We find ourselves in increasingly ...7 hours ago
- Speeding up flood protection works in Māngere
An Order in Council to speed up flood mitigation works for hundreds of at-risk properties in Mangere, Auckland, has been approved, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “The Auckland Anniversary weekend floods and Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023 had a devastating impact ...9 hours ago
- Gisborne leads New Zealand in national drill
ShakeOut, our national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi, is happening today with over 665,000 people around New Zealand taking part in the drill,” says Mark Mitchell, Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery. “ShakeOut is a great opportunity for all of us to put our preparedness to the test. “Gisborne is ...10 hours ago
- Speech to Institute of Public Administration New Zealand
Good morning, kia ora koutou. Thank you, Liz, for your introduction, and to you all for the opportunity to speak to you today. It’s a pleasure to be here. And it’s a particular pleasure to continue a tradition that was started by one of my predecessors Sir Bill English. I’m ...10 hours ago
- Bill to improve charity lotteries passes third reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries run by charities such as Pet Refuge and the Heart Foundation can now operate and advertise online permanently. “Temporary legislation that allowed lotteries for non-commercial to operate online was due to expire at the end of October, which would have forced ...21 hours ago
- Bill to improve charity lotteries passes third reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries run by charities such as Pet Refuge and the Heart Foundation can now operate and advertise online permanently. “Temporary legislation that allowed lotteries for non-commercial to operate online was due to expire at the end of October, which would have forced ...21 hours ago
- Mental Health Bill passes first reading
A bill that will repeal the current Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “As New Zealand’s first Mental Health Minister I am very pleased to introduce this Bill to the House. This Bill will modernise ...22 hours ago
- Mental Health Bill passes first reading
A bill that will repeal the current Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “As New Zealand’s first Mental Health Minister I am very pleased to introduce this Bill to the House. This Bill will modernise ...22 hours ago
- Minister clears up incident information
Minister for Children Karen Chhour wants to clarify the facts following Chloe Swarbrick’s questions in Parliament this afternoon about the incident at Korowai Manaaki this week. “Claims that young people there didn’t have access to food, are false,” Children’s Minister Karen Chhour says. “Claims that young people there didn’t have ...24 hours ago
- White paper on increasing access to medicines accepted
Associate Health Minister David Seymour is pleased to accept the Valuing Life Medicines Access Summit White Paper delivered by Patient Voice Aotearoa (PVA). PVA gives patients a unified voice to help inform better health policy and improve access to healthcare, while fiercely advocating for their rights. “We welcome the White ...1 day ago
- Coalition Government’s reforms give workers the best chance to succeed and prosper
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden responds to NZCTU’s protest across the country and says this Government is delivering for all workers, including the over 85 percent of New Zealand’s labour force who are not union members. “This coalition Government is focused on delivering for all hardworking ...1 day ago
- NZ joins UK initiative for AI safety
The Government is joining the UK’s Bletchley Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, and for Digitising Government Judith Collins says. “AI used responsibly can be a game changer for New Zealand, supporting productivity, innovation, and economic development,” Ms Collins says “The UK’s Bletchley Declaration ...1 day ago
- Government to overhaul anti-money laundering regime
The Government will introduce a single supervisor and a new funding model in a major overhaul of New Zealand’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “Cabinet has approved an AML/CFT reform work programme which will change the supervisor structure that monitors ...1 day ago
- First RMA Amendment Bill passes third reading
The coalition Government’s Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament, delivering on the Government’s commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to councils and consent applicants, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds ...1 day ago
- Government reduces Forestry ETS annual charge by 50 per cent
The Government has today started consultation on a 50 per cent reduction to the annual charge for forest owners participating in the Forestry Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Registry, Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. “Following an independent review released last week we are proposing to lower the per-hectare annual charge to ...1 day ago
- Open work rights return for partners of high skilled migrants
The Government is ensuring New Zealand attracts and retains the workers and skills it needs by returning open work rights to partners of high-skilled migrants. “We are committed to growing the economy and our immigration system is critical to that. From 2 December, open work rights will be available to ...1 day ago
- Funding boost for Hato Hone St John
Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello and Minister for ACC Matt Doocey have announced today that the Government has invested over $21 million in additional funding into Hato Hone St John. “Hato Hone St John provides an essential service by ensuring people receive timely treatment in an emergency. This is ...1 day ago
- Police deliver clear message to gangs
Today, Police dealt a significant blow to the Mongrel Mob Barbarians in Opotiki with the execution of over thirty search warrants across the North Island, and sent a clear message that the misery and violence that they cause will not be tolerated, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “I want to ...2 days ago
- Rooftop youth will face consequences
“The young offenders involved in the rooftop incident at an Oranga Tamariki youth justice residence in Auckland need to know there will be consequences for their actions, Children’s Minister Karen Chhour says. “Last night, 13 young people gained access to the roof of the Korowai Manaaki residence at about 6.30pm. ...2 days ago
- Government to appoint Crown Observer to Wellington City Council
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has today announced his intention to appoint a Crown Observer to Wellington City Council, following news that the Council will now be required to rewrite its 2024-34 Long Term Plan. “I have been concerned about the Council’s ability to manage their Long Term Plan amendment ...2 days ago
- Government provides clarity to farmers and councils on freshwater plans
The Government will move to add an amendment to the Resource Management Act Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, which will restrict councils’ ability to notify freshwater plans before the gazettal of the replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Environment ...2 days ago
- Smarter healthy school lunches programme serves up $130m in savings
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the government has worked with businesses to transform the school lunch programme, delivering for children and saving for taxpayers. “We have embraced commercial expertise, used government buying power, and generated supply chain efficiencies to realise over $130m of annual cost ...2 days ago
- Govt confirms details of abuse in care national apology
The Government has confirmed further details about the national apology to survivors of abuse in care. “On November 12 Parliament will apologise on behalf of the nation for the failures of the State across many governments. Following a mihi whakatau, proceedings will begin mid-morning with survivor voices and apologies from ...2 days ago
- Improvements to protect children in schools
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] is taking action to better protect children and young people from harmful child offenders working in schools. “The Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Teaching Council to improve information sharing ...2 days ago
- Government to toughen Three Strikes Bill
The Government is listening to New Zealanders and Cabinet has agreed to recommend modifications to the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “This Government is committed to restoring law and order. The Bill to reinstate the Three Strikes law makes it clear that ...3 days ago
- Breaking ground on the first new Road of National Significance
Work has kicked off on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) as the Government continues to move at pace to deliver infrastructure that enables Kiwis and freight to get to where they want to go quickly and safely, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“The Government is keeping its ...3 days ago
- NZ heads to Samoa for Commonwealth talks
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will be among world leaders travelling to Apia this week for a meeting of the 56-nation Commonwealth. This is the first time the two-yearly Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is hosted by Samoa, representing a great opportunity to profile the ...3 days ago
- Government to Clarify s70 Discharge Consent to Provide Certainty for Councils and Primary Sector
The Government has announced its intention to provide certainty on discharge rules under section 70 of the Resource Management Act (RMA) for primary producers, and councils – enabling permitted discharge activities to be managed in a practical way, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay confirmed today. “The clarification will be introduced via ...3 days ago
- New Zealand celebrates epic sporting weekend
New Zealanders have a huge amount to be proud about after five national sporting teams celebrated historic wins over the weekend, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop says. “In New Zealand’s history there haven’t been too many sporting weekends like the one we’ve just seen, with epic wins from Team ...3 days ago
- Foreign Minister represents NZ at Indonesian Presidential inauguration
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a visit to Indonesia, where he attended the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto. “It was a pleasure meeting President Prabowo in Jakarta for the second time this year,” Mr Peters says. “Indonesia is a key partner for New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific, ...3 days ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks from CHOGM in Samoa
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, in Samoa for this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, is set to speak to the media. ...1 hour ago - Andrew Bayly complainant condemns minister’s behaviour in unredacted letter
"I did not dedicate five years of my life to the NZDF only to be belittled by an ambassador of the very government I served." ...2 hours ago
- Indigenous Economics Focus Of Final National Hui For Māori Unity
More than 2000 people attended Te Pūnuiotoka hosted by Ngāi Tahu. ...3 hours ago - With 7 states deciding everything, can Trump and Harris reach the remaining swing voters – without...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina. In a repetitive, anxiety-inducing mantra, media coverage of the US presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President ...3 hours ago - Lee Miller helped shape our understanding of war. Her life as a photojournalist echo in those workin...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Jean Baker, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Monash University STUDIOCANAL This story contains spoilers. Lee, the feature film debut from director Ellen Kuras, explores the rawness of authentic image making and the impact of gender in war reporting. Kate Winslet stars ...3 hours ago
- With one electorate set for the chop, could Epsom’s days be numbered?
One of the North Island’s electorates will be abolished for the 2026 election. Andrew Geddis explains why the Act Party’s long-term parliamentary lifeline, the Auckland seat of Epsom, might be the unlucky loser. Apparently you think that the Epsom electorate is going to be abolished at the 2026 election. Are ...4 hours ago - We tried a different preschool curriculum to prevent youth crime. Checking in 20 years later, it wor...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqueline Allen, Senior Lecturer, Griffith University Shutterstock There’s been an increased political and media focus recently on so-called youth crime waves, particularly in Queensland and the Northern Territory. This has unfortunately led to crackdowns from governments and police. Young people ...4 hours ago
- ‘Series of failures’: Watchdog slams Oranga Tamariki, again
Peter Boshier said the agency didn't appropriately respond to reports of abuse against pre-school and primary-aged children. ...4 hours ago
- Govt accused of ‘overreach’ with late changes to RMA legisalation
One councillor says it's a "significant undermining of local democracy". ...5 hours ago
- Regional council fumes over late changes to RMA
One councillor says it's a "significant undermining of local democracy". ...5 hours ago
- Indonesia to offer ‘amnesty’ for West Papuans contesting Jakarta’s rule
The National, PNG Indonesia will offer amnesty to West Papuans who have contested Jakarta’s sovereignty over the Melanesian region resulting in conflicts and clashes with law enforcement agencies, says Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape. He arrived in Port Moresby on Monday night from Indonesia where he attended the ...5 hours ago
- How do genes shape the structures in our brains? We studied 70,000 people and found new links to ADH...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luis M. García Marín, Postdoctoral Researcher, Brain & Mental Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute SeanidStudio/Shutterstock The human brain is a marvel of complexity. It contains specialised and interconnected structures controlling our thoughts, personality and behaviour. The size and shape ...6 hours ago
- Want to built healthier cities? Make room for bird and tree diversity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Buxton, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Carleton University More than five million Canadians — approximately one in eight of us — are living with a mood, anxiety or substance use disorder. The prevalence of mental disorders is on the rise, with ...6 hours ago
- Homeschooling vs unschooling: The language of home education
Most of us go to school and learn without learning much about how or why we’re taught. Many home educators don’t simply follow a pre-set curriculum at home. They decide which approach (or mix of approaches) best suits their students. This means they’ve done a bit of research, and speak ...6 hours ago
- Offshore wind developer pulls out of NZ amid seabed mining concerns
Spanish offshore wind developer BlueFloat Energy is cancelling plans for wind farms off the coast of Taranaki and Waikato, citing “key uncertainties” about the route to market and the competition for allocation of the seabed.The move comes after a controversial seabed mining plan was revealed to be among the 149 ...6 hours ago - King Charles arrives in Samoa for ‘resilient environment’ CHOGM
By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist in Apia King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla have landed in Apia, Samoa. The monarch has been greeted by a guard of honour at the airport before being escorted to his accommodation in Siumu. Local villagers have lined the roadsides with lanterns ...6 hours ago
- Media job cuts: How many roles have gone and where
Cuts continue at most of the country's major media outlets and there is a warning new legislation could be a killer blow for many. ...7 hours ago
- Nicola Willis asks public servants for their ‘best and boldest ideas’
The finance minister has implored public servants to bring new ideas to the table, while acknowledging she was "asking a lot" at an "unsettling" time. ...7 hours ago
- Help Me Hera: How do I disagree with my mother without offending her?
I feel it’s my duty to call out blatant misinformation, but it’s hurting our relationship. Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera, I know the idea of an echo chamber isn’t new. I will happily put up my hand and say that as a young, university-educated, female progressive living in ...7 hours ago
- ‘Middle finger to localism’ as freshwater plan blocked
A last-minute amendment was a 'specific attack on the Otago Regional Council', who can no longer pass planned freshwater protections. ...8 hours ago
- Luxon Rolling In The Mud With Fed Farmers Lobbyists
More than twenty thousand people have signed a Greenpeace petition calling on the Government to leave the current freshwater protections in place, and Greenpeace says more resistance will come. ...8 hours ago
- The top 100 NZ TV shows of the 21st Century (40-21)
Every morning this week we’re counting down the top 100 New Zealand TV shows of the 21st century so far. Today, numbers 40-21. My watchlistWatched: 0To watch: 0go to list Welcome to The Top 100, a week-long celebration of the most significant local television of the last quarter ...9 hours ago
- Abortion is back in the headlines in Australia. The debates in the United States tell us why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University The 2022 news that the US Supreme Court had overturned Roe v Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion sent shockwaves around the world. For ...9 hours ago
- Being mentally flexible might influence our attitudes to vaccination, a new study shows
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Making decisions about our health is a complex and sometimes difficult process. On top of our own attitudes, experiences and perspectives, we are inundated with information from other people ...9 hours ago
- Cultural burning isn’t just important to Indigenous culture – it’s essential to Australia’s...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bhiamie Williamson, Research Fellow, Monash University Toa55/Shutterstock Last month, Australia’s newly appointed minister for emergency management, Senator Jenny McAllister, and Senator Tony Sheldon, special envoy for disaster recovery, took part in a cultural burn outside Lismore in New South Wales, as ...9 hours ago
- If a Year 12 student gets an early offer for uni, does it mean they stop trying?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney Ground Picture/Shutterstock Early entry schemes for university – where students get an offer before their final exams – are increasingly popular. For example, more than 27,000 students ...9 hours ago
- Unemployment’s up, house prices are stagnating. But is the Victorian economy doing as badly as it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The early 1990s in Victoria were tough. The economy was contracting severely, the population was shrinking, employment was collapsing and the unemployment rate skyrocketed to the highest in the land. A long-term Labor ...9 hours ago
- Netflix’s Territory is a Succession-like drama packed with family rivalry and betrayal, set in Aus...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexa Scarlata, Research Fellow, Media & Communication, RMIT University Netflix The Australian commissioning team at Netflix has had a pretty good run over the past 12 months. In January, the adaptation of Trent Dalton’s novel Boy Swallows Universe proved to ...9 hours ago
- Police Minister rejects claim police raid on gangs ‘state-sponsored terrorism’
The raid was part of the police's bid to stem organised crime and Te Pāti Māori's response was "emotive and ridiculous", Mark Mitchell says. ...10 hours ago
- Luxon to meet King as Commonwealth heads gather
Climate change, Commonwealth power, slavery reparations and the small matter of our naval shipwreck will be on the agenda as leaders gather in Samoa, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Luxon and Peters head to Samoa Prime minister ...10 hours ago
- Health minister eyes immigration changes for healthcare staff
The government is looking at changes to immigration policies that had rolled out the welcoming mat for healthcare workers. ...10 hours ago
- Why do GPs charge different amounts?
There can be a huge difference in what your local doctor costs - even just across the street. ...10 hours ago
- Auckland bus attack: Hunt continues for person who fatally stabbed woman
A person who fatally stabbed a woman multiple times on a bus in Auckland's Onehunga on Wednesday is still on the run. ...11 hours ago
- All parties support Samoan citizenship Bill
A Bill that aims to restore citizenship to a group of Samoans born between 1924 and 1949 is set to pass its second reading later this morning, with all parties saying they will vote it through. ...12 hours ago
- Boris Johnson to speak at exclusive Auckland ‘long lunch’
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be the keynote speaker at an exclusive 'long lunch' event in Auckland this December, with tickets costing about $500 a head. ...12 hours ago
- How the Commonwealth could pressure the US over Gaza
Climate change, the Middle East, and the importance of small nations on the world stage are being picked as major talking points for the Commonwealth meeting in Samoa. ...12 hours ago
- Public sector cuts: $80m spent on redundancies since govt took office
Government agencies and ministries have had to fork out at least $80 million in redundancy payments to public servants since the coalition took office. ...12 hours ago
- A push to make stalking illegal in New Zealand
The Detail: A new bill to criminalise stalking could be here by the end of the year. Here's what it might look like. ...12 hours ago
- Debt-strapped councils feel chill Wellington wind
Analysis: Wellington City’s financiers are watching nervously, to assure themselves the council won’t breach its financial covenants The post Debt-strapped councils feel chill Wellington wind appeared first on Newsroom. ...13 hours ago
- A new suspect in the case of New Zealand’s property investment obsession
When did New Zealanders start pinning their retirement hopes on a big tax-free capital gain? Analysis by Max Rashbrookes suggests one driver was the decline of corporate pensions during the pro-market revolution of the 1980s. A few years ago I wrote a column arguing that, over a generation, house prices ...13 hours ago
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