Posts Tagged ‘phil101’
Monbiot on the left
Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, May 8th, 2011 - 62 comments
George Monbiot on the psychology of political debate (and why we’re all screwed).
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- Australia’s food security needs national-security frameworks
Australia’s agriculture sector and food system have prospered under a global rules-based system influenced by Western liberal values. But the assumptions, policy approaches and economic frameworks that have traditionally supported Australia’s food security are no ...1 hour ago - Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the global economy, but NZ could win
Following Trump’s tariff announcement, US stock values fell by the most ever in value terms (US$6.6 trillion). Photo: Getty ImagesLong story shortest in Aotearoa’s political economy this morning: Donald Trump just detonated a neutron bomb under the globalised economy, but this time the Fed isn’t cutting interest rates to rescue ...2 hours ago - 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #14
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 30, 2025 thru Sat, April 5, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...11 hours ago - Trump’s Secret Sauce Spills Over
This is a longer read.Summary:Trump’s tariffs are reckless, disastrous and hurt the poorest countries deeply. It will stoke inflation, and may cause another recession. Funds/investments around the world have tanked.Trump’s actions emulate the anti-economic logic of another right wing libertarian politician - Liz Truss. She had her political career cut ...15 hours ago - Wouldn’t really go that far
We are all suckers for hope.He’s just being provocative, people will say, he wouldn’t really go that far. They wouldn’t really go that far.Germany in the 1920s and 30s was one of the world’s most educated, culturally sophisticated, and scientifically advanced societies.It had a strong democratic constitution with extensive civil ...1 day ago - Fact brief – Is Mars warming?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Mars warming? Mars’ climate varies due to completely different reasons than Earth’s, and available data indicates no temperature trends comparable to Earth’s ...2 days ago
- Maxing out – next steps for progressives
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...2 days ago - Maxing out – next steps for progressives
Max Harris and Max Rashbrooke discuss how we turn around the right wing slogans like nanny state, woke identity politics, and the inefficiency of the public sector – and how we build a progressive agenda. From Donald Trump to David Seymour, from Peter Dutton to Christopher Luxon, we are subject to a ...2 days ago
- FACT CHECKING DAVID SEYMOUR
I was interested in David Seymour's public presentation of the Justice Select Committee's report after the submissions to the Treaty Principles Bill.I noted the arguments he presented and fact checked him. I welcome corrections and additions to what I have written but want to keep the responses concise.The Treaty of ...2 days ago - It’s All Over Now
Well, he runs around with every racist in townHe spent all our money playing his pointless gameHe put us out; it was awful how he triedTables turn, and now his turn to cryWith apologies to writers Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack.Eight per cent, asshole, that’s all you got.Smiling?Let me re-phrase…Eight ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix on Saturday, April 5
In short this morning in our political economy:The S&P 500 fell another 5.6% this morning after China retaliated with tariffs of 34% on all US imports, and the Fed warned of stagflation without rate cut relief.Delays for heart surgeries and scans are costing lives, specialists have told Stuff’s Nicholas Jones.Meanwhile, ...2 days ago - Unlike China’s flotilla, the Great White Fleet came in friendship
When the US Navy’s Great White Fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour in 1908, it was an unmistakeable signal of imperial might, a flexing of America’s newfound naval muscle. More than a century later, the Chinese ...2 days ago
- Resource Management and Property Rights
While there have been decades of complaints – from all sides – about the workings of the Resource Management Act (RMA), replacing is proving difficult. The Coalition Government is making another attempt.To help answer the question, I am going to use the economic lens of the Coase Theorem, set out ...3 days ago - Bookshelf: the evolution and future of amphibious warfare
2027 may still not be the year of war it’s been prophesised as, but we only have two years left to prepare. Regardless, any war this decade in the Indo-Pacific will be fought with the ...3 days ago
- Parliament’s secret “transparency” regime
When the Parliament Bill Committee rejected calls for Parliamentary agencies to be subject to the Official Information Act last month, their excuse was interesting: Parliament didn't need the transparency of the OIA because it already had its own transparency regime! Which came as rather a surprise to everyone working in ...3 days ago - Centring people of colour to close the climate justice gap
Australia must do more to empower communities of colour in its response to climate change. In late February, the Multicultural Leadership Initiative hosted its Our Common Future summits in Sydney and Melbourne. These summits focused ...3 days ago
- Presidency of doom
Questions 1. In his godawful decree, what tariff rate was imposed by Trump upon the EU?a. 10% same as New Zealandb. 20%, along with a sneer about themc. 40%, along with an outright lie about France d. 69% except for the town Melania comes from2. The justice select committee has ...3 days ago - The ideology of grovelling to Trump
Yesterday the Trump regime in America began a global trade war, imposing punitive tariffs in an effort to extort political and economic concessions from other countries and US companies and constituencies. Trump's tariffs will make kiwis nearly a billion dollars poorer every year, but Luxon has decided to do nothing ...3 days ago
- $6m later, 90% against, 8% for, Treaty Principles Bill Committee recommends Bill be shelved
Here’s 7 updates from this morning’s news:90% of submissions opposed the TPBNZ’s EV market tanked by Coalition policies, down ~70% year on yearTrump showFossil fuel money driving conservative policiesSimeon Brown won’t say that abortion is healthcarePhil Goff stands by comments and makes a case for speaking upBrian Tamaki cleared of ...3 days ago - Thanks, Folks: Mountain Tūī Hits A Milesone
3 days ago - The people have spoken
The Justice Committee has reported back on National's racist Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, and recommended by majority that it not proceed. So hopefully it will now rapidly go to second reading and be voted down. As for submissions, it turns out that around 380,000 people submitted on ...3 days ago
- To fight disinformation, treat it as an insurgency
We need to treat disinformation as we deal with insurgencies, preventing the spreaders of lies from entrenching themselves in the host population through capture of infrastructure—in this case, the social media outlets. Combining targeted action ...3 days ago
- The surprise of the Independent Intelligence Review: economic security
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...3 days ago
- The surprise of the Independent Intelligence Review: economic security
After copping criticism for not releasing the report for nearly eight months, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released the Independent Intelligence Review on 28 March. It makes for a heck of a read. The review makes ...3 days ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Friday, April 4
In short this morning in our political economy:Donald Trump has shocked the global economy and markets with the biggest tariffs since the Smoot Hawley Act of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression.Global stocks slumped 4-5% overnight and key US bond yields briefly fell below 4% as investors fear a recession ...3 days ago - I Hope I Never Send This Webworm
Hi,I’ve been imagining a scenario where I am walking along the pavement in the United States. It’s dusk, I am off to get a dirty burrito from my favourite place, and I see three men in hoodies approaching.Anther two men appear from around a corner, and this whole thing feels ...3 days ago - Australia’s plan for acquiring nuclear-powered submarines is on track
Since the announcement in September 2021 that Australia intended to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with Britain and the United States, the plan has received significant media attention, scepticism and criticism. There are four major ...3 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 04-April-2025
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...3 days ago - Weekly Roundup 04-April-2025
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...3 days ago
- The Hoon around the week to April 4
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s tariff shock yesterday; and,Labour’s Disarmament and Associate ...3 days ago
- Stranger Days
I'm gonna try real goodSwear that I'm gonna try from now on and for the rest of my lifeI'm gonna power on, I'm gonna enjoy the highsAnd the lows will come and goAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreams never dieSongwriters: Ben Reed.These are Stranger Days than ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #14 2025
Open access notables A pronounced decline in northern vegetation resistance to flash droughts from 2001 to 2022, Zhang et al., Nature Communications: Here we show that vegetation resistance to flash droughts declines by up to 27% (±5%) over the Northern Hemisphere hotspots during 2001-2022, including eastern Asia, western North America, ...4 days ago
- Trump’s tariffs: Australia’s worry is the effect on its trading partners
With the execution of global reciprocal tariffs, US President Donald Trump has issued his ‘declaration of economic independence for America’. The immediate direct effect on the Australian economy will likely be small, with more risk ...4 days ago
- In national security, governments still struggle to work with startups
AUKUS governments began 25 years ago trying to draw in a greater range of possible defence suppliers beyond the traditional big contractors. It is an important objective, and some progress has been made, but governments ...4 days ago
- What I saw at liberation day
I approach fresh Trump news reluctantly. It never holds the remotest promise of pleasure. I had the very, very least of expectations for his Rumble in the Jungle, his Thriller in Manila, his Liberation Day.God May 1945 is becoming the bitterest of jokes isn’t it?Whatever. Liberation Day he declared it ...4 days ago - Open Australia versus closed United States
Beyond trade and tariff turmoil, Donald Trump pushes at the three core elements of Australia’s international policy: the US alliance, the region and multilateralism. What Kevin Rudd called the ‘three fundamental pillars’ are the heart ...4 days ago
- The fix is in
So, having broken its promise to the nation, and dumped 85% of submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill in the trash, National's stooges on the Justice Committee have decided to end their "consideration" of the bill, and report back a full month early: Labour says the Justice Select Committee ...4 days ago
- Intelligence review is strong on workforce issues. Implementation may be harder
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review offers a mature and sophisticated understanding of workforce challenges facing Australia’s National Intelligence Community (NIC). It provides a thoughtful roadmap for modernising that workforce and enhancing cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration. ...4 days ago
- Corruption Tsunami
OPINION AND ANALYSIS:Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier’s comments singling out Health NZ for “acting contrary to the law” couldn’t be clearer. If you find my work of value, do consider subscribing and/or supporting me. Thank you.Health NZ has been acting a law unto itself. That includes putting its management under extraordinary ...4 days ago - Sharing security interests, ASEAN’s big three step up cooperation
Southeast Asia’s three most populous countries are tightening their security relationships, evidently in response to China’s aggression in the South China Sea. This is most obvious in increased cooperation between the coast guards of the ...4 days ago
- Technology can make Team Australia fit for strategic competition
In the late 1970s Australian sport underwent institutional innovation propelling it to new heights. Today, Australia must urgently adapt to a contested and confronting strategic environment. Contributing to this, a new ASPI research project will ...4 days ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Thursday, April 3
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital waiting list crisis just gets worse, including compelling interviews with an over-worked surgeon who is leaving, and a patient who discovered after 19 months of waiting for a referral that her bowel and ovaries were fused together with scar tissue ...4 days ago - Gordon Campbell On The Clash Between Auckland Airport And Air New Zealand
Plainly, the claims being tossed around in the media last year that the new terminal envisaged by Auckland International Airport was a gold-plated “Taj Mahal” extravagance were false. With one notable exception, the Commerce Commission’s comprehensive investigation has ended up endorsing every other aspect of the airport’s building programme (and ...4 days ago - Just what does drive so much of this global, Right-wing populism we all see at present?
Movements clustered around the Right, and Far Right as well, are rising globally. Despite the recent defeats we’ve seen in the last day or so with the win of a Democrat-backed challenger, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, over her Republican counterpart, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, in the battle for ...5 days ago - Two-part webinar about the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming
In February 2025, John Cook gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. 20 February 2025: republicEN webinar part 1 - BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change In the first webinar, Cook explained the history of the 20-year scientific consensus on climate change. How do ...5 days ago
- Bookshelf: ‘Vampire state: The rise and fall of the Chinese economy’
After three decades of record-breaking growth, at about the same time as Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, China’s economy started the long decline to its current state of stagnation. The Chinese Communist Party ...5 days ago
- Too complacent, too greedy
The Pike River Coal mine was a ticking time bomb.Ventilation systems designed to prevent methane buildup were incomplete or neglected.Gas detectors that might warn of danger were absent or broken.Rock bolting was skipped, old tunnels left unsealed, communication systems failed during emergencies.Employees and engineers kept warning management about the … ...5 days ago - It’s time to imagine how China would act as regional hegemon
Regional hegemons come in different shapes and sizes. Australia needs to think about what kind of hegemon China would be, and become, should it succeed in displacing the United States in Asia. It’s time to ...5 days ago
- We don’t need the fast track to kill fossil fuels
RNZ has a story this morning about the expansion of solar farms in Aotearoa, driven by today's ground-breaking ceremony at the Tauhei solar farm in Te Aroha: From starting out as a tiny player in the electricity system, solar power generated more electricity than coal and gas combined for ...5 days ago
- How world order changes
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and almost a year before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, US President George H W Bush proclaimed a ‘new world order’. Now, just two months ...5 days ago
- Social Contracts Are Breaking
Warning: Some images may be distressing. Thank you for those who support my work. It means a lot.A shopfront in Australia shows Liberal leader Peter Dutton and mining magnate Gina Rinehart depicted with Nazi imageryUS Government Seeks Death Penalty for Luigi MangioneMangione was publicly walked in front of media in ...5 days ago - Wednesday 2 April
Aged care workers rallying against potential roster changes say Bupa, which runs retirement homes across the country, needs to focus on care instead of money. More than half of New Zealand workers wish they had chosen a different career according to a new survey. Consumers are likely to see a ...5 days ago - The Green’s Identity Bubble Problem.
The scurrilous attacks on Benjamin Doyle, a list Green MP, over his supposed inappropriate behaviour towards children has dominated headlines and social media this past week, led by frothing Rightwing agitators clutching their pearls and fanning the flames of moral panic over pedophiles and and perverts. Winston Peter decided that ...5 days ago - Fabian Fundraiser – Twilight Time
Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...5 days ago
- That’s Democracy?
The landedAnd the wealthyAnd the piousAnd the healthyAnd the straight onesAnd the pale onesAnd we only mean the male ones!If you're all of the above, then you're ok!As we build a new tomorrow here today!Lyrics Glenn Slater and Allan Menken.Ah, Democracy - can you smell it?It's presently a sulphurous odour, ...5 days ago - Think laterally: government air and shipping services can boost Australian defence
US President Donald Trump’s unconventional methods of conducting international relations will compel the next federal government to reassess whether the United States’ presence in the region and its security assurances provide a reliable basis for ...5 days ago
- Reserve Bank, bank capital etc
Things seem to be at a pretty low ebb in and around the Reserve Bank. There was, in particular, the mysterious, sudden, and as-yet unexplained resignation of the Governor (we’ve had four Governors since the Bank was given its operational autonomy 35 years ago, and only two have completed their ...5 days ago - Luxon’s ‘going for growth’ actually means ‘going for debt reduction’
Long story short: PM Christopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...5 days ago - Luxon’s ‘going for growth’ actually means ‘going for debt reduction’
Long story short: PM Christopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...5 days ago
- Life after D-notices: Australia can learn from Britain’s updated system
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...5 days ago
- Life after D-notices: Australia can learn from Britain’s updated system
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...5 days ago
- Should Auckland demolish Spaghetti Junction?
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...5 days ago
- Should Auckland demolish Spaghetti Junction?
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission. In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...5 days ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Wednesday, April 2
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’ Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...5 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Wednesday, April 2
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’ Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...5 days ago
- Diplomacy is the newest front in the Russia-Ukraine war
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...6 days ago
- The wettest choppiest part
This was my first thought about yesterday's announcement from Winston Peters, ferry-whisperer. Read more ...6 days ago - How to deal with a kangaroo court
In November last year, Te Pāti Māori's Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke spoke for all of us when she led a haka against National's racist Treaty Principles Bill. National and its parliamentary patsies did not like that, so after kicking her out of the house for a day, they sought to drag her ...6 days ago
- AusAID can take USAID’s place in the Pacific islands
One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the ...6 days ago
- The US alliance is precious, but Australia should plan for more self-reliance
If our strategic position was already challenging, it just got worse. Reliability of the US as an ally is in question, amid such actions by the Trump administration as calling for annexation of Canada, threating ...6 days ago
- Monday 1 April
Small businesses will be exempt from complying with some of the requirements of health and safety legislation under new reforms proposed by the Government. The living wage will be increased to $28.95 per hour from September, a $1.15 increase from the current $27.80. A poll has shown large opposition to ...6 days ago
- Not Aprils’ Fools: Government Prioritises Road Cones Over Health & Safety, 6 Nelson Senior...
Summary A group of senior doctors in Nelson have spoken up, specifically stating that hospitals have never been as bad as in the last year.Patients are waiting up to 50 hours and 1 death is directly attributable to the situation: "I've never seen that number of patients waiting to be ...6 days ago
- The US has many chip vulnerabilities
Although semiconductor chips are ubiquitous nowadays, their production is concentrated in just a few countries, and this has left the US economy and military highly vulnerable at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. While the ...6 days ago
- Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology
Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New ...6 days ago
- Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Tuesday, April 1
In short in our political economy this morning:Fletcher Building is closing its pre-fabricated house-building factory in Auckland due to a lack of demand, particularly from the Government.Health NZ is sending a crisis management team to Nelson Hospital after a 1News investigation exposed doctors’ fears that nearly 500 patients are overdue ...6 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori Urges Governor-General to Block Repeal of 7AA
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...4 days ago
- Release: Abortion care quietly shelved amid staff shortage
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...4 days ago - Release: Govt guts Kāinga Ora, third of workforce under axe
The gutting of Kāinga Ora shows public housing is not a priority for this Government as it removes a third of the roles at the housing agency. ...4 days ago
- Release: Thousands of submissions excluded from Treaty Principles Bill report
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...4 days ago
- Release: Uncertainty remains over the impact of tariffs
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...4 days ago
- Release: Worst February for building consents in over a decade
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour supports Willie Apiata’s selfless act
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...5 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori MPs Denied Fundamental Rights in Privileges Committee Hearing
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt health and safety changes put workers at risk
Changes to New Zealand’s health and safety laws will strip back key protections for small businesses and put working Kiwis at greater risk. ...7 days ago
- Release: Kiwis worse off this April thanks to Govt choices
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...7 days ago
- Release: Three more years for Interislander ferries
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...7 days ago
- Release: Myanmar junta must stop the airstrikes
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...7 days ago
- Release: National failing to deliver on supermarkets
National is paying lip service to its promises to bring down the cost of living, failing to make any meaningful change in the grocery sector. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour backs farmers’ call for better process on GE
Labour shares farmers’ concerns that the Gene Technology Bill is moving too fast. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Bar still too high for small mental health providers
Small mental health providers will still be locked out of co-funding from the Mental Health Innovation Fund despite a lower threshold. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for Govt to scrap proposed ECE changes
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...2 weeks ago - NZ First Introduces Bill That Gives Democracy Back To The People
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...2 weeks ago - Speech: Navigating the New World (Dis)order in Turbulent Times
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori Call for Mandatory Police Body Cameras
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Kiwis lose faith in job market
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens question Govt commitment to environmental protection with RMA reform
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt must tackle meth use crisis
New data shows methamphetamine use is spiralling out of control while the Government sits on its hands. ...2 weeks ago
- “Make New Zealand First Again”
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt’s continued lack of action on Gaza condemned
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National at sea over Defence jobs
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: National standards returning by stealth
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Kiwis still struggling as economy stumbles along
Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens call for compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...3 weeks ago
- Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility
The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Luxon quick to give away principled position on nukes
Christopher Luxon seems to have thrown New Zealand’s principled anti-nuclear advocacy under a bus. ...3 weeks ago
- NZ must act on Israel’s slaughter of children
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Still no certainty for disability communities
One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds. ...3 weeks ago
- Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...3 weeks ago
- New planning laws to end the culture of ‘no’
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...2 weeks ago - New Zealand & India Comprehensive FTA consultation begins
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...2 weeks ago
- Cost of living support coming for 1.5 million New Zealanders
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...2 weeks ago
- Iwi join discussion on geothermal potential
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...2 weeks ago
- Building consent data shows need for bold reforms
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...2 weeks ago
- Reining in water price increases for Aucklanders
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...3 weeks ago
- Strong interest in modernising biosecurity law
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...3 weeks ago
- New independent review function for civil aviation decisions
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...3 weeks ago
- Enhanced urgent care service for Napier
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...3 weeks ago
- Construction begins on new adult mental health building in Christchurch
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...3 weeks ago
- It’s official: Kiwis can look forward to better days
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...3 weeks ago
- Sealing improves safety on Forgotten World Highway
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...3 weeks ago
- NZ – US relations on strong footing
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...3 weeks ago
- International Anti-Money Laundering rule changes support government reforms
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...3 weeks ago
- New electronic system to support pharmacy efficiency
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...3 weeks ago
- RIF delivering for regional NZ, more to come
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...3 weeks ago
- Comments following bilateral with US Secretary of State Rubio
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...3 weeks ago
- New State Highway 2 roundabout to improve road safety in Eastern Bay of Plenty
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...3 weeks ago
- Ocean Race returning to Auckland
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...3 weeks ago
- New associate psychology role to grow the mental health workforce
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...3 weeks ago
- First stage of Manukau Health Park expansion open to patients
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...3 weeks ago
- Proceeds of crime to fund safety measures in central Auckland
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...3 weeks ago
- Government considers u-turn on baby formula rules after industry shift
The formula companies wanted the government to opt out of tougher regulation, but now they want back in. ...24 minutes ago - Poets and perfume: In praise of themed street names
Shanti Mathias scrolls through council archives and Papers Past to discover where street names come from. In Sydenham, a suburb south of Christchurch’s CBD, there are some familiar names on the road signs. Milton Street. Coleridge Street. Wordsworth Street, which, naturally branches into Shakespeare Road. There’s Tennyson Street, of course, ...27 minutes ago - Live: ‘Not true’ – Christopher Luxon pushes back on US tariff claims
The PM says New Zealand only has a real tariff rate of about 1.9% against the US. ...48 minutes ago
- Police taking formal statement over alleged assault on Shane Jones’ wife
The incident has reignited concerns about the threats MPs and their families face. ...48 minutes ago
- Government says first quarterly action plan on track – second may surprise
The government says it's ticked off 37 out of 40 goals in its last plan - but there's some big milestones in the next. ...2 hours ago
- Treaty Principles Bill enters its death throes
A record-breaking consultation process ends with the select committee recommending the Treaty Principles Bill be scrapped – and Act claiming victory anyway, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Recommended for the bin It was always going to ...2 hours ago
- Live: Markets brace as Trump tariff chaos deepens
Donald Trump says more than 50 nations have asked to begin trade talks since his announcement. ...2 hours ago
- NZDF drops entry requirements in bid to boost numbers
The Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply, and it's seeing a surge of applicants. ...2 hours ago
- NZDF removes entry requirements in bid to boost numbers
The Defence Force has made it easier for people to apply, and it's seeing a surge of applicants. ...2 hours ago
- Waikato medical school needs to go back to tender process – Greens
The Greens are urging the government to go back and carry out a competitive tender process as Cabinet considers whether to push ahead with a new Waikato medical school. ...3 hours ago
- Pine planting: Ministers ‘dreaming’ about amount of suitable land, say green groups
The government's claim to be on track for net zero emissions by 2050 relies on private companies planting pine on 280,000ha of crown land, official modelling shows. ...4 hours ago
- Call for PM to step in over minister’s carbon trading conflict of interest
Minister Mark Patterson was the director of a farming and forestry company while participating in Cabinet decisions about carbon market settings The post Call for PM to step in over minister’s carbon trading conflict of interest appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago - Auckland’s place in global cities group at risk
Auckland’s continued membership of a global network of cities tackling climate action is in question, as new emissions reduction action in the city appears to be on the back-burner.Emissions reductions have gone from the council’s top priority, to a “barely-mentioned” since Wayne Brown was elected mayor in 2022, and he ...4 hours ago
- Benjamin Doyle’s bookcase
“The books on peoples bookshelves always tell a story of the owner, something that they are interested in or passionate about,” someone who goes by the name of Holyhekatuiteka posted on X this weekend.The valuable insight was posted alongside a screenshot of the bookcase in the home of Green MP ...4 hours ago
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The government says it has achieved 37 out of 40 items on its quarterly action plan - and its next one has a few new goals and milestones that may surprise. ...4 hours ago
- Where does your recycling end up – and who bears the brunt of ‘waste colonialism’?
New Zealand sends most of its recycling offshore, to places like Indonesia and Malaysia. Michael Neilson visits the communities dealing with the consequences. In a tiny village in East Java, Indonesia, two children laugh as they tumble down small piles of what could easily be autumn leaves in New Zealand, ...4 hours ago
- Why midwives won’t support a bill for increased postnatal care
The government is working to pass a bill extending the time parents can access free postnatal support — but the health workers who would have to provide the care say it would overwhelm an already under pressure system. The Pae Ora (Healthy Future) (3 Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill, introduced ...4 hours ago
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Comment: Now is not the time to let the sun set on US influence in the world order The post The world still needs America appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 5 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('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, Monday 5 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- The New Zealand institution heralding change
It’s a grand old lady, 162 years old, and a proud tradition of being Auckland’s – and the nation’s – journal of record.The New Zealand Herald has taken on advertising slumps, changes of ownership and all the same issues that have seen other media organisations collapse or shrink.But now there ...4 hours ago
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Comment: We must not let joy, inclusivity and pride be defeated The post The good and positive things are real but they are vulnerable appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- Reserve Bank to issue verdict following Liberation Day shockwave
Economists are labelling last week’s tariff announcements as the biggest shock to the global trade system in more than a century The post Reserve Bank to issue verdict following Liberation Day shockwave appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- Trading wine, cigarettes and jet engines with The Don
Analysis: NZ does charge a few high duties – but the easiest way to eliminate the US trade imbalance would be to buy more planes The post Trading wine, cigarettes and jet engines with The Don appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Monday 7 April
The post Daily crossword, Monday 7 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...4 hours ago
- The graver Israel’s atrocities in Gaza, the quieter the BBC grows
ANALYSIS: By Jonathan Cook The BBC’s news verification service, Verify, digitally reconstructed a residential tower block in Mandalay earlier this week to show how it had collapsed in a huge earthquake on March 28 in Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia largely cut off from the outside world. The broadcaster ...8 hours ago - Election Diary: Dutton backs down on working-from-home crackdown after outcry threatens to cost vote...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Peter Dutton has raised the white flag on his controversial attempt to force Canberra public servants back into the office, with the opposition now saying there will be no change in current arrangements. The ...8 hours ago
- Labor gains 52–48 lead in Newspoll and Redbridge as poll trend to Labor continues
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted March 31 to April 4 from a sample of 1,250, gave Labor a 52–48 lead, a one-point gain ...10 hours ago
- The Coalition has announced an even more radical plan to cut international students than Labor. Here...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University Last year, the Coalition made the surprise decision to oppose Labor’s plans for new international student caps. On Sunday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton proposed an even more radical policy of his own ...12 hours ago
- Ian Powell: When apartheid met Zionism – the case for NZ recognising Palestine as a state
COMMENTARY: By Ian Powell The 1981 Springbok Tour was one of the most controversial events in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history. For 56 days, between July and September, more than 150,000 people took part in more than 200 demonstrations in 28 centres. It was the largest protest in the country’s history. ...13 hours ago
- Fiji solidarity group condemns Rabuka plans for embassy in Jerusalem
Asia Pacific Report A Fiji-based Pacific solidarity group supporting the indigenous Palestine struggle for survival against the Israeli settler colonial state has today issued a statement condemning Fiji backing for Israel. In an open letter to the “people of Fiji”, the Fijians for Palestine Solidarity Network (F4P) has warned “your ...16 hours ago
- Trump funding cuts on media impacts on independent Asia Pacific outlet
Pacific Media Watch One of the many casualties of the Trump administration’s crackdown on “soft power” that enabled many democratic media and truth to power global editorial initiatives has been BenarNews, a welcome contribution to the Asia-Pacific region. BenarNews had been producing a growing range of insightful on powerful articles ...17 hours ago
- Petition supporting change to volunteer firefighters ACC eligibility reaches 30,000
The petition calls for volunteer firefighters to get the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid colleagues. ...17 hours ago
- Behind the door at a parliamentary privilege hearing
Parliament's Privileges Committee has been a major source of news over the last few weeks. What is privilege, and how does the committee typically work? ...1 day ago
- An Ode to .. King Lux
Trade Delegation to the Galactic EmpireGalactic Emperor Trump lounges in his throneIn the High Court of Orange, far, far, across the wild seas.The Court Trumpeters blow a desultory toot on their trumpets.“Small King Lux of Zealandia comes before the CourtOn a special mission for market access!”Announces J.D., the Galactic Emperor’s ...1 day ago
- Election Diary: Albanese promises 30% discount on household batteries in latest energy bill help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the government’s latest initiative on energy prices, Anthony Albanese on Sunday will promise that if re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home battery by 30% from July 1. This would ...1 day ago
- 100 children killed or wounded every day since Gaza ceasefire broken
Asia Pacific Report The chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has described Gaza as “no land” for children, as two rallies were held in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland today to mark Palestine Children’s Day. Citing the UN agency for children UNICEF, Phillipe Lazzarini said that “at least ...1 day ago
- Election Diary: Albanese promises 30% discount on solar batteries, in latest energy bill help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the government’s latest initiative on energy prices, Anthony Albanese on Sunday will promise that if re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home solar battery by 30% from July 1. This ...1 day ago
- Government to allow bigger granny flats to be built without consents
It's part of changes to be introduced to make it easier for people to build standalone dwellings on their properties. ...2 days ago
- With US bombers at the ready, can Trump cut a deal with Iran and avoid a war?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University The United States and Iran are once again on a collision course over the Iranian nuclear program. In a letter ...2 days ago
- Consumers are boycotting US goods around the world. Should Trump be worried?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Bradshaw, Professor of Marketing, Royal Holloway University of London US alcohol has been removed from sale in the Canadian province of British Columbia. lenic/Shutterstock As politicians around the world scramble to respond to US “liberation day” tariffs, consumers have also begun ...2 days ago
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