Posts Tagged ‘Raif Badawi’
Free Raif Badawi
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, January 17th, 2015 - 7 comments
Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi has been sentenced to 1000 lashes. The international outrage is growing.
- NZ Politics Daily: 17 May 2021
Newshub poll Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Judith Collins’ allegations of Māori separatism not working for National in Newshub-Reid Research Poll Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research Poll: The race relations debate – Kiwis think Judith Collins is being divisive Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Judith Collins being replaced as leader is now a matter of when, not if Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research Poll: Majority ...1 hour ago - The Very Model of a Modern Vampire General: Grumbles about Castlevania Season 4
So I have finally got around to watching the fourth and final season of Netflix’s Castlevania series (2017-2021). I have never played the games the series is based on, so I approach television’s Castlevania as a stand-alone animated Horror/Fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous seasons, and fully expected to ...8 hours ago - NZ lurches toward Budget 2021 amidst other difficulties ahead for Government
In the eyes of the public, one Party is perceived as on the one hand being too slow (still) to actually effect some of the big moves its “traditional voters” would have expected it to implement. On the other hand of course when they do announce something, it’s ...13 hours ago - 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #20
Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 9, 2021 through Sat, May 15, 2021 This week we seeded our Facebook queue well ahead of time to work around some organisational bottleneck. Which is why we mostly "Revisited some Analogies" and shared ...14 hours ago - Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Will the Government take the poverty crisis seriously?This week’s Budget is a chance for the Labour Government to take the crisis of poverty and inequality seriously. They can do this by delivering something serious or even transformational for those suffering at the bottom of the heap in New Zealand. In particular, a big increase in core benefit ...17 hours ago
- SARS-CoV-2 – a natural event or a lab escape?
In books and movies it is often a good plot point for a disease (or monster) to escape, accidentally or with assistance, from a government lab. There are also real cases of pathogens getting out of labs (but quickly being controlled). That’s also a discussion going on now about Covid-19. ...18 hours ago - Will Labour Defuse The “He Puapua” Time-Bomb?
Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s current political strategy of artful prevarication has a strictly limited lifespan. The time-bomb that is He Puapua continues to emit a relentless tick-tock, tick-tock. Sooner or later – and preferably before that ominously silent crowd massing outside the parliamentary arena lends its voice to ...2 days ago - Are We Really Serious about Child Poverty?
The poverty indicators are coming down but, oh, so slowly.We now have data for the first two years of the government’s program to reduce child poverty. The rates benchmarked against income are coming down but very slowly.* Indeed one could argue that the reductions are statistical noise (the sampling errors ...3 days ago - China’s 2060 climate pledge is ‘largely consistent’ with 1.5C goal, study findsThis is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Xiaoying You New research has found that China’s pledge to achieve “carbon neutrality” before 2060 is “largely consistent” with the Paris Agreement’s aim of limiting global warming to 1.5C. But, to stay below this level of warming, the country will need to aim higher ...3 days ago
- Climate Change: Reannouncements don’t reduce emissions
Road transport emissions make up ~18% of our annual total, and if we are to have any hope of reducing them, the government needs to start acting now. But rather than do that, they've reannounced their old policies, dressed up in a new discussion document: The Transport Ministry has ...3 days ago - Between appeasement and confrontation.
The worm has turned when it comes to the relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the West. Something has happened to sour the relationship beyond repair, and the strains are not limited to US-PRC, Australian-PRC or UK-PRC bilateral relations. Other countries, notably in the EU and Southeast ...3 days ago - Nurses to Labour: “fuck your pay freeze”Last week, the government froze public service pay for three years. This week, they tried to pretend it never happened (while leaving the pay guidance document still in force). So what did this desperate grab for a headline to appeal to National voters get them? A nurses strike: Nurses ...3 days ago
- How does the government still not know this?For the past two years the government has been trying to decarbonise the education sector, funding schools to replace dirty old coal boilers with heat pumps and solar panels. But according to Stuff this morning, they still don't know how many they need to replace: An estimated 1150 state ...3 days ago
- Watching Israel/Palestine Burn.3 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 14 May 2021Inequality and poverty Tess McClure (The Guardian): Ardern faces calls to boost child poverty spending in budget amid glacial progress Claire Achmad (RNZ): A brave and bold Budget 2021 is needed Anna Whyte (1News): Child poverty report ‘grim reading’, says action group Thomas Manch (Stuff): Child poverty report shows no measurable improvement in housing conditions, hospitalisations, food security Michael Neilson (Herald): Child ...3 days ago
- Phasing out smoking: The Tobacco-Free Generation policyJude Ball, Jon Berrick, Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Frederieke Petrovic-van der Deen* The NZ Government has published a discussion document outlining an Action Plan for achieving the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal and invited submissions. This blog is one of a series examining key aspects of the plan to help inform ...3 days ago
- The He Puapua Revolution.Bastion Point, 25 May 1978: Even when it became obvious that New Zealand’s indigenous population was not going to disappear quietly into history, the sort of political and cultural concessions so clearly required to construct a bi-cultural nation failed to eventuate. If this country is to have a peaceful and ...3 days ago
- Another captive agencyThe Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 requires leaseholders to obtain permission before conducting certain activities, such as burning vegetation or disturbing the soil (which includes clearing vegetation, planting trees, draining wetlands, and applying fertiliser, as well as going wild with a bulldozer). It allows the Commissioner of Crown Lands to ...4 days ago
- When the Line Between Life and Death Is ‘A Little Bit Fuzzy’May 10, 2021 by Lola Butcher Until Sept. 17, 2020, Sharon Frederick was an ostensibly healthy 63-year-old woman who spent her days caring for her disabled sister and going to church. That evening, she was praying the rosary over the telephone with a friend when she began slurring her ...4 days ago
- Border techMarc Daalder tallies a few of the failures in getting better tech rolled out at the border. On Sunday, National Party Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop revealed that a voluntary rollout of saliva-based testing of border workers had seen just 339 saliva tests performed since it began in January. “Public ...4 days ago
- The Adventures of Annalax: Volume XXIII
Session forty-seven. No-one trusted these mirrors. Nor should anyone. A collection of mirrors, just conveniently sitting in the middle of a Nightmare Forest? Clearly dangerous. The party made a point of burying them face-down in the dirt. Then three bears and eight wolves turned up. Again, these were ...4 days ago - Union worker: Pay freeze was an attempt at intimidation by a government scared of strikesWhy on earth did the Government announce a “pay freeze” for public sector workers? Writing anonymously*, a public sector union worker argues that the Government’s goal was to drive down the pay expectations of the nurses who are currently set to strike, which the Government fears could lead to others ...4 days ago
- Labour: Dirty and corruptThe Serious Fraud Office has laid charges over illicit donations to the Labour party in 2017: The Serious Fraud Office has charged six people in relation to a donation made to the Labour Party. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said on Thursday the defendants are entitled to seek name ...4 days ago
- COVID-19 vaccines prevent spread of the virus tooMany people seem to be reading that our COVID-19 vaccine won’t prevent the spread of COVID-19 from one person to the next.1 If you’re worried about this, this one is for you. We now have evidence the vaccine reduces transmission, and a rough idea of by how much.2 Science is ...4 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 13 May 2021Parliamentary debates on race Jane Patterson (RNZ): Policies can be called racist but not MPs, Speaker rules Tess McClure (The Guardian): Māori party co-leader ejected from parliament after performing haka in racism row Richard Harman: Behind Parliament’s “racist” row (paywalled) Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi ejected from Parliament Anna Whyte (1News): Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi performs haka in ...4 days ago
- SARS-CoV-2: A modern Greek Tragedy?By Dr Matt Boyd, Blog Syndicated from Adapt Research Despite a WHO-led investigation, compelling evidence on the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remains inconclusive. The WHO investigation concluded in favour of a natural origin, being satisfied that ‘asking whatever questions we wanted’ and obtaining answers to these questions ruled out a ...4 days ago
- The National Party: Regressing to 19th Century “values”? It sure seems so…
The National Party undertook its usual round of introspection at the Northern Retreat. That is to say, obviously none at all. And if Judith Collins destroys the National Party “brand” permanently, it really only has itself to blame. But she is not alone. Other former Leaders, still in the ...5 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19, 2021Putting a price tag on upcoming atmospheric rivers The Clausius-Clapeyron equation isn't complicated— once somebody has thought of the concept and mathematically tamed it. However, the deceptively meek and harmless looking caged expression of the idea in combination with an entire planet's atmosphere heating up in the presence of an ample water ...5 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Have billions been incorrectly paid out in the wage subsidy sch...The Government’s wage subsidy scheme may have incorrectly paid out billions of dollars to ineligible businesses, and this is not being audited. That’s the conclusion to be taken from the Auditor General’s report, released yesterday. It is highly critical about the lack of checks and balances on a scheme that ...5 days ago
- Vaccine patentsThis week’s Newsroom column covered some of the arguments around increasing vaccination rates in poor countries by voiding patents. It won’t work. A snippet: Fundamentally, voiding patents is an unserious way of dealing with a serious problem. The world needs substantial expansions in vaccine manufacturing capabilities as quickly as possible. ...5 days ago
- Another English war crimeFifty years ago, the British army murdered ten people in the Ballymurphy massacre in Northern Ireland. In what has become a common tactic for the British establishment, they immediately tried to cover up their crime by smearing the victims as IRA members. Now, a UK coroner has ruled the killings ...5 days ago
- Members Day: Second readingsToday is a members day, and it looks like it will be wall-to-wall second readings left over from last term. First up is Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki's District Court (Protection of Judgment Debtors with Disabilities) Amendment Bill, followed by Louise Upston's Rights for Victims of Insane Offenders Bill. Both of these have ...5 days ago
- The future finally arrivesOver the past few years I've been watching the price of solar energy fall, to the point where it now outcompetes fossil fuels, and wondering when it is finally going to take off in New Zealand and give us the clean, green future we need to survive. And now it ...5 days ago
- Falling Between Two Treaties: A Reply To Dr Emily Beausoleil.5 days ago
- Australia’s Quarantine Systems Failures: Lessons for NZDr Leah Grout, Ameera Katar, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Nick Wilson (*Author details) Aotearoa NZ and Australian states have successfully eliminated community transmission of COVID-19, albeit with occasional outbreaks from imported cases. Both countries have primarily used hotel-based quarantine for returning travellers, but still do not have optimal border ...5 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 12 May 2021Public sector pay freeze Claire Trevett (Herald): PM steps in, the melting of the pay freeze begins (paywalled) Jordan Bond (RNZ): Public sector pay freeze: Nurses warming to strike action plan – union Henry Cooke (Stuff): Thawing freeze: Jacinda Ardern says Government is open to introducing step-based pay for more public servants Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Is there a noble method to ...5 days ago
- Graham Adams: Will He Puapua propel Winston Peters back into politics?The NZ First leader once described the UN Declaration as the “road to Zimbabwe”. Graham Adams asks how long he will sit on the sidelines as the debate over Maori sovereignty rages. The controversial report He Puapua has been seized upon by National and Act as evidence of a covert ...5 days ago
- The same question again and againThe Independent Police Conduct authority has found police were unjustified in using an attack dog against a fleeing child: Police were not justified in using a police dog to bite a young offender following a pursuit, according to an Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report. The 14-year-old was bitten ...6 days ago
- Samoa tries to gag its peopleSamoa's dodgy dissolution will be challenged in court this Thursday, which should provide some certainty over whether they are having an election next week. Meanwhile samoa's caretaker government is reportedly planning to ban Facebook for the election. Their reason? “The disrespectful, repulsive and obscene language towards our leaders; not ...6 days ago
- Labour’s divide and rule pay freeze
by Don Franks Last week, on the anniversary of Karl Marx’s birthday,Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins had good and bad news for workers. His good news – twenty-five per cent of public servants can expect pay rises. His bad news – for the next three years, public servants earning more than $60,000 will only get rises under ...6 days ago - NZ Politics Daily: 11 May 2021Public sector pay freeze Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Ardern and Robertson say public sector wage freeze is ‘misreporting’. But is it? Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Grant Robertson schedules union crisis meetings after failing to communicate public pay freeze properly Chris Trotter (Interest): Playing by a new set of rules RNZ: Government urged to rethink public sector pay freeze decision Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government in ...6 days ago
- Overshooting 2C risks rapid and unstoppable sea level rise from AntarcticaThis is a re-post from Carbon Brief by: Dr Robert M. DeConto, professor of geosciences and co-director of the School of Earth and Sustainability at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, lead author on IPCC’s special report on the ocean and cryosphere in a changing climate, and a recipient of the Tinker-Muse Prize for Science and ...6 days ago
- On the Parnassus Plays and Shakespeare Authorship
Yesterday, I read the Parnassus Plays (1598-1602): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parnassus_plays These are three late Elizabethan university plays, put on by Cambridge students, for Cambridge students. They’re primarily known because of their extensive references to contemporary English writers, including William Shakespeare. And, certainly, we’ll get to that – there are interesting implications ...7 days ago - Climate Change: “Least cost” means “do nothing”The National Party is trying to sabotage the struggle against climate change again, with a bill in the member's ballot to force the Climate Change Commission to allow our domestic targets and international commitments to be met with "offshore mitigation". What does "offshore mitigation" mean? From past experience, it means ...7 days ago
- Incoherent 2Last week, the government froze public service pay for three years in a return to the economy-strangling austerity politics of the National era. But today, suddenly they're rolling in money: There’ll be more spending and lower debt levels in the 2021 Budget than expected, the Finance Minister, Grant Robertson ...7 days ago
- The Scots deserve their referendumScotland went to the polls on Friday in national elections, and delivered another thumping victory for the Scottish National Party. Once again, it fell just short of an absolute majority, but has an easy majority with the Scottish Greens. Both parties campaigned explicitly for Scottish independence, and in a democratic ...7 days ago
- Playing By A New Set Of RulesMeet The New Rules, Not Like The Old Rules: The old book was written on the assumption that political principles are important, and that, accordingly, political consistency from political parties must also be important. At its core, the old rule book accepted that the game it was regulating was the ...7 days ago
- Reducing tobacco retail availability: counterarguments to industry claimsLindsay Robertson, Janet Hoek, Richard Edwards, George Thomson, Louise Marsh (*Author details) The NZ Government’s Discussion Document outlines an Action Plan for the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal and proposes substantially reducing the number of retailers selling tobacco. In this blog, we examine arguments that interest groups have advanced to ...7 days ago
- National’s latest default Go-To Distraction
. . As National Party’s current Leader, Judith Collins, channeled former National Party Leader, Don Brash by playing the Race Card, I was reminded of a blogpost I wrote in March 2017; …//… Faced with increasingly negative indicators from high immigration, English was forced to explain why we were seeing ...1 week ago - NZ Politics Daily: 10 May 2021Public sector pay freeze Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Political Roundup: The Public sector worker backlash against Labour Andrea Vance (Stuff): Why Jacinda Ardern needs to make a John Key-style u-turn on pay sector freeze Alexia Russell (RNZ): Pay freezing out your traditional voter base Liam Dann (Herald): Muldoon or Richardson? Robertson cops it from all sides (paywalled) Claire Trevett (Herald): Labour ...1 week ago
- Hiding He Puapua From Winston May Cost Labour Dearly.1 week ago
- 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 2, 2021 through Sat, May 8, 2021 In no particular order the following articles lead to the most interactions during the last seven days: Shifting Distribution of Land Temperature Anomalies, 1951-2020, Dare we hope? ...1 week ago
- A plan so cunning you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel
This week the Labour government, in its infinite wisdom, decided we’d all had enough of them spending billions of dollars helping out large multi-nationals pay their wage bill during Covid, they decided on a completely new course of action. This week Labour announced an austerity plan. And what a plan ...1 week ago - Mother’s Day
(Content note: infertility, mental health, motherhood) My first post about our ~parenting journey~ is here. Mother’s Day has never been the most problematic artificially-hyped-to-sell-stuff-parental-celebration holiday for me. I grew up ~without a father~ (he bailed; his loss) so it was always the unthinking way we/marketing departments assume that everyone has ...1 week ago - Types of futures reportsThe web comic xkcd created a great (satirical) overview of the types of scientific papers. That got me thinking about the types of futures reports I commonly see. There are very good reports out there. You just need to read with a critical eye. Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash ...1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – The Public sector worker backlash against LabourIs Labour supposed to be the party of labour or of capital? It’s often hard to tell these days, and many in the labour movement and the political left are feeling betrayed this week by the Government’s announcement of a pay freeze for public sector workers. The Government has essentially ...1 week ago
- Fast times and a fast mouth with Boy Racer MP, David Seymour?
You’ve got to give the man credit: he quite honestly built his own car, a Lotus replica, and clearly had personal skills and a driving interest here – ha – that served him well even at a young age, which no doubt were enhanced further when he went on ...1 week ago - Why Are We Moving to Auckland?
Might the drift to the north be resisted?The regional population projections of Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) have only the Auckland and Waikato regions growing faster than the national average through to 2048. The other fourteen grow slower than average. The next three are Bay of Plenty, Canterbury and Northland, so ...1 week ago - The Free Speech Union NZ branch
by Daphna Whitmore Across the English speaking world free speech is threatened. Wokeness and cancel culture, which emerged from the universities in the past decade, has spread. Its ideology is postmodernism, an obscure and impenetrable outlook. Now the university graduates have taken their piousness into government departments and NGOs where ...1 week ago - IncoherentOn Wednesday, the government froze public service pay for three years in a vicious attack on the very workers who have kept the country alive during the pandemic for the last year. Meanwhile, today they've re-announced their new system of "Fair pay Agreements", allowing unions to negotiate basic terms and ...1 week ago
- Branko Marcetic: Labour’s public sector pay freeze isn’t just a betrayal of frontline workers ...All around the world, governments, economists, and even neoliberal bastions like the World Bank are urging a change in the direction of economic policy away from the mistakes of a decade ago – all except here in New Zealand, where the government appears determined to repeat them. Branko Marcetic examines ...1 week ago
- Farewell the utopian city. To cope with climate change we must learn from how nature adaptsMohammed Makki, University of Technology Sydney “Among all species, it is perhaps only humans who create habitats that are not fit to live in.” – Stephen Marshall It’s a damning statement but one that can be reasonably argued to be true. We don’t have the best track record in ...1 week ago
- Why we should take a women-centred approach to diagnosing and treating iron deficiencyClaire Badenhorst, Massey University Iron deficiency is a common nutritional disorder worldwide, and pre-menopausal women are most at risk of being diagnosed with it. New Zealand’s most recent nutritional survey (from 2008/09) shows 12% of women may suffer from iron deficiency. But more recent research in New Zealand suggests up ...1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 7 May 2021Public sector pay freeze Stuff: Editorial – Pay freeze stretches public sector loyalty Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Pay freeze shows Government can’t manage the books Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Pay freeze controversy enters second day, with Greens and National pressing Labour Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Do people really earn more in the public sector? David Farrar: Robertson and Hipkins become honorary members of ...1 week ago
- Josh Van Veen: The Muller TrapA speech by Todd Muller at the Te Puna Rugby Club last June told voters everything they need to know about the New Zealand National Party. It was, arguably, the most coherent statement on political philosophy by a National leader in the MMP era. Interwoven with the usual platitudes ...1 week ago
- With Friends Like These …He's On Our Side? When Australia’s very own Minister of Defence, Peter Dutton, is telling anyone who will listen that "a war over Taiwan cannot be discounted" and that Australia was "already under attack" from Chinese cyber-warriors, it is probably time to think again about who New Zealand's "friends" and ...1 week ago
- Developing Separately – Or Together?'He iwi tahi tātou'? Should Maori poverty be addressed as a manifestation of the economic and social injustices inherent in free-market capitalism; or, is it the inevitable consequence of colonial oppression, white privilege and institutional racism? If it’s the former, then Maori and Pakeha can tackle the problem together. If ...2 weeks ago
- “A Rare Misstep from Simeon Brown”: Once more playing the Useful Idiot of the National Party?
Overall, MP Simeon Brown is someone to poke fun at with his asinine takes, clearly. He can, like Collins, just not help himself to save himself. But never let yourself get seriously worked up and actually worn out over it. He’s simply not worth it, sad as it ...2 weeks ago - Selling a buffalo for a brain scan: India’s COVID-19 crisis reveals deep fractures in its health s...Kaaren Mathias, University of Canterbury As India’s COVID-19 crisis continues, the percentage of the population testing positive for the virus has grown from 4.2% to 18.4% in the past 30 days. With more than 300,000 new cases reported each day, hospitals and crematoria face collapse. Global media have been awash ...2 weeks ago
- NZ Politics Daily: 6 May 2021Parliament’s Speaker Trevor Mallard Henry Cooke (Stuff): National v Mallard: That atrocious late-night debate is the reason people hate politicians Barry Soper (Herald): Trevor Mallard’s outburst this week questions whether he understands what a serious sexual assault is Claire Trevett (Herald): The unedifying spectacle of the Speaker v National in Parliament (paywalled) Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Mallard using his power to attack ...2 weeks ago
- Reducing tobacco retail availability: how could this be achieved and what evidence supports the NZ G...Lindsay Robertson, Janet Hoek, Richard Edwards, Frederieke Petrović-van der Deen, George Thomson, Louise Marsh (*Author details) The NZ Government has published a Discussion Document outlining an Action Plan for the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal. This blog is one of a series examining key aspects of the plan to help inform ...2 weeks ago
- Ardern says China differences ‘becoming harder to ignore’; promises to work harder on ignoring t...
Ardern has been crystal clear that New Zealand “must step up” its efforts if it is to successfully dodge questions about genocide in China. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told the Auckland Business Chamber on Monday that differences between New Zealand and China on human rights were “becoming more difficult” to ...2 weeks ago - covid-19 infection and how the spike protein is involved in doing harmJust this morning a journalist sent me a link to a press release about a new paper looking at how SARS-Cov-2 affects the vascular system, & asked to comment on it for a article. If you’d like to read the actual paper you can find it here, but be ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18, 2021Bringing more certainty to uncertainty communications For the armchair dilettante observer of scientific progress a solid literature review is something akin to going to Disneyland. It's almost too much stimulation. When a review covers a salient, hot topic, so much the better. This week we're pleased to feature a vast review ...2 weeks ago
- Is ‘Spot’ a good dog? Why we’re right to worry about unleashing robot quadrupedsJeremy Moses, University of Canterbury and Geoffrey Ford, University of Canterbury When it comes to dancing, pulling a sled, climbing stairs or doing tricks, “Spot” is definitely a good dog. It can navigate the built environment and perform a range of tasks, clearly demonstrating its flexibility as a software ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call on Labour to urgently support Members Bill to protect the Human Rights of Rainbow commun...
The Green Party spokesperson for Rainbow Communities Dr Elizabeth Kerekere is calling for the Labour Party to support her members bill to protect the rights of takatāpui, in particular, trans, intersex, and non-binary people. Their support would strengthen the likelihood of the bill bypassing the biscuit tin process and passing ...55 mins ago - A history of supporting New Zealanders
Labour has always been forward-thinking – consistently focusing on reducing inequality, protecting the rights of workers, and tackling long-term problems to ensure a better future. ...2 days ago - Green Party welcomes KiwiSaver fossil fuel and illegal weapons exclusionThe Green Party is welcoming the changes to KiwiSaver implemented today by the Government that require default providers to exclude investments in fossil fuel production and illegal weapons. ...3 days ago
- Securing our recovery with Budget 2021Next week, our Government will set out the next steps in our COVID recovery with Budget 2021. We’re taking a balanced approach that will create jobs, grow the economy, and keep a lid on debt, while tackling long-term issues like child wellbeing, housing, and climate change. ...4 days ago
- Green Party condemn violent displacement of PalestiniansThe Green Party condemns the violent and forced displacement of the Palestinian Sheikh Jarrah community of East Jerusalem by Israeli forces and settlers. ...4 days ago
- Student accommodation inquiry recommends proactive transparency, independent dispute resolution proc...Today the student accommodation inquiry initiated by Green Party Tertiary Education spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick tabled its report in Parliament. ...4 days ago
- Jacinda Ardern: Pre-Budget speech to Business New ZealandToday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gave a speech to Business New Zealand, setting out the next steps in our plan as we reconnect with the world and secure our recovery. Read the full speech below. ...4 days ago
- What is the Budget and why should I care?Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced that New Zealand’s Budget 2021 will be delivered on Thursday, 20 May. What does that even mean? ...4 days ago
- Green MP Teanau Tuiono walks out of the House in support of Te Pāti MāoriGreen Party MP Teanau Tuiono walked out of the House today in support of Te Pāti Māori, who call for debate in the House about kaupapa Māori to include Māori voices. ...5 days ago
- Happy Mother’s Day, Aotearoa!Today, we’re celebrating mothers, grandmothers and all the mother figures in our lives – and wishing them a wonderful day with whānau and friends – and, ideally, not so many obligations. ...1 week ago
- Green Party launch petition calling for Labour to reverse public sector wage suppression on our nurs...The Green Party have launched a petition calling on Labour to reverse its decision to suppress the wages of our nurses, teachers, and DOC workers earning between $60,000 and $100,000. ...1 week ago
- A full-on six months: Our record since the 2020 electionNew Zealanders voted for stability and security at the last election. In the six months since, we’ve worked hard to keep Kiwis safe from COVID-19, while accelerating our economic recovery and tackling long-term challenges like housing affordability, child poverty, and climate change – and we’ve made good progress. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens welcome US support for People’s VaccineThe Green Party strongly supports today’s commitment by the United States joining the call to waive the morally indefensible pharmaceutical patents on the COVID-19 vaccine in order to make it accessible to Developing World communities. ...2 weeks ago
- Public sector pay restrictions are unacceptableThe Government’s decision to restrict the wages of many essential public sector workers for another two years does a disservice to those who have kept our communities safe during COVID-19, the Green Party said today. ...2 weeks ago
- The Green Party is putting reasonable renting rules on the agendaThe Green Party is launching its Reasonable Rents campaign to start a national conversation about the high cost of rents for the more than 1.4 million Kiwis who live in a rental home. ...2 weeks ago
- Keeping Kiwis snug this winterWe believe everyone deserves a warm, dry place to call home. One way we’re making this a reality is through our Winter Energy Payment, which helps around a million people with their heating bills through the colder months and ensures whānau stay healthy with less stress. ...2 weeks ago
- Our tamariki Maōri should not suffer any more: GreensThe Green Party welcomes the Waitangi Tribunal report that recognises mulitple breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by the Crown. ...2 weeks ago
- Eight times Labour proved it has workers' backsOur name says a lot about our priorities, but so does our history. We’ve consistently fought for workers’ rights – from when our Party first formed in 1916, to now, when we’ve placed workers’ rights and health at the centre of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call for amnesty programme in open letter to immigration ministerThe Green Party is calling on the Government to create a broad amnesty programme for people who overstay their visa, and for temporary visa holders to be granted residency in an open letter to the Minister for Immigration. ...3 weeks ago
- Budget boosts Carbon Neutral Government commitment
Budget 2021 delivers $67.4 million to support the transition to a carbon neutral public sector by 2025 State Sector Decarbonisation Fund receives significant boost to support more schools, hospitals and other government organisations to replace coal boilers with clean alternatives Funding boost will also accelerate the Government’s ‘electric vehicles first’ ...1 day ago - Report shows progress on Homelessness Action PlanThe Government has welcomed the release of the second progress report on the Homelessness Action Plan, showing that good progress is being made on every one of the immediate actions in the Plan. “Homelessness will not be solved overnight, but I am pleased to see that this plan is continuing ...2 days ago
- Arts and cultural festivals get funding boostOne of New Zealand’s oldest cultural festivals and a brand new youth festival are amongst four events to win grants to help them grow, attract new audiences, and boost local economies. Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash has announced new support from an incubator fund launched last year to ...2 days ago
- Govt to rev up reductions in transport emissionsThe Government is calling for feedback on a range of potential policies to eliminate emissions in the transport sector. Transport Minister Michael Wood today released Hīkina te Kohupara – Kia mauri ora ai te iwi - Transport Emissions: Pathways to Net Zero by 2050, a Ministry of Transport report outlining ...3 days ago
- Government recognises David McPhail’s contribution to New Zealand comedy and televisionMinister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni today pays tribute to David Alexander McPhail (11 April 1945 – 14 May 2021) – New Zealand comedian, actor, producer and writer. David McPhail ONZM QSM had a comedy career that spanned four decades, across both television and theatre. “David’s contribution to ...3 days ago
- Support for drought-stressed regions fills a needAn innovative iwi-led plan to help maintain water supply to a far North community battered by drought is set to get underway with support from the Government, Acting Minister for Emergency Management Kris Faafoi says. “The impacts of climate change are not something that just our grandchildren will have to ...3 days ago
- KiwiSaver default provider scheme improvements slash fees, boosts savingsHundreds of thousands of New Zealanders will be significantly better off in retirement following changes to the default KiwiSaver scheme, Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark said today. The new default provider arrangements, which will take effect once the terms of the current providers ...3 days ago
- Industry leadership for our training system becomes realitySix new Workforce Development Councils formally established today will ensure people graduate with the right skills at the right time to address skill shortages, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. Every industry in New Zealand will be covered by one of the following Workforce Development Councils: • Hanga-Aro-Rau – Manufacturing, Engineering ...4 days ago
- Rotorua Emergency Housing updateThe Government has announced a suite of changes to emergency housing provision in Rotorua: Government to directly contract motels for emergency accommodation Wrap around social support services for those in emergency accommodation to be provided Grouping of cohorts like families and tamariki in particular motels separate from other groups One-stop ...4 days ago
- Further COVID-19 vaccine and economic support for the PacificNew Zealand will be providing protection against COVID-19 to at least 1.2 million people in the Pacific over the coming year $120 million in Official Development Assistance has been reprioritised to support Pacific economies in 2021 Foreign Affairs Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Associate Health and Foreign Affairs Minister Aupito William ...4 days ago
- Statement on the escalation of violence in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and GazaForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today expressed Aotearoa New Zealand’s grave concern at the escalation of violence in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Gaza. “The growing death toll and the large numbers of casualties, including children, from Israeli airstrikes and Gazan rockets is unacceptable,” Nanaia Mahuta said “Senior officials met ...4 days ago
- Trade Minister to travel to UK and EU to progress free trade agreementsTrade and Export Growth Minister Damien O’Connor announced today he will travel to the United Kingdom and European Union next month to progress New Zealand’s respective free trade agreement negotiations. The decision to travel to Europe follows the agreement reached last week between Minister O’Connor and UK Secretary of State for ...4 days ago
- Pre-Budget speech to Business New ZealandKia ora koutou katoa It’s great to be here today, at our now-regular event in anything-but-regular times. I last spoke to some of you in mid-March. That was an opportunity to reflect on an extraordinary 12 months, but also to reflect on how the future was shaping up. In what ...4 days ago
- Te Hurihanganui growing with Nelson community celebrationNelson is the latest community to join the Te Hurihanganui kaupapa to drive change and address racism and bias in education, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Speaking at today’s community celebration, Kelvin Davis acknowledged the eight iwi in Te Tau Ihu for supporting and leading Te Hurihanganui in ...4 days ago
- Te Hurihanganui Nelson Community Celebration Te Hurihanganui Nelson Community Celebration Victory Community Centre, Nelson “Racism exists – we feel little and bad”. Those were the unprompted words of one student during an interview for a report produced by the Children’s Commissioner in 2018. They were also the words I used when I announced the ...4 days ago
- Child wellbeing reports highlight need for ongoing actionThe Government has released the first Annual Report for the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy and the second Child Poverty Related Indicators (CPRI) Report, both of which highlight improvements in the lives of children as a result of actions of the Government, while setting out the need for ongoing action. ...4 days ago
- Formal consultation starts on proposals for Hawera schoolsEducation Minister Chris Hipkins today announced a formal consultation for the future of schooling in Hawera. "Recent engagement shows there is a lot of support for change. The preferred options are for primary schools to be extended to year 7 and 8, or for a year 7-13 high school to ...4 days ago
- He Whenua Taurikura: New Zealand’s Hui on Countering Terrorism and Violent ExtremismThe Government is progressing another recommendation of the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain by convening New Zealand’s first national hui on countering terrorism and violent extremism. He Whenua Taurikura, meaning ‘a land or country at peace’, will meet in Christchurch on 15 and ...4 days ago
- Hundreds of new electric cars for state sectorTotal of 422 new electric vehicles and charging infrastructure across the state sector $5.1 million for the Department of Conservation to buy 148 electric vehicles and install charging infrastructure $1.1 million to help Kāinga Ora buy 40 electric vehicles and install charging infrastructure 11,600 tonnes of carbon emissions saved over ...5 days ago
- Apartments give new life to former Trade Training hostelA building that once shaped the Māori trade training industry will now revitalise the local community of Ōtautahi and provide much needed housing for whānau Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson announced today. The old Māori Trade Training hostel, Te Koti Te Rato, at Rehua Marae in Christchurch has been ...5 days ago
- Opening of Te Kōti o Te Rato at Rehua Marae, Ōtautahi*Check with delivery* It is a great pleasure to be here with you all today. I acknowledge Ngāi Tūāhuriri and the trustees of Te Whatu Manawa Māoritanga o Rehua Trust Board. The opening of six new apartments on these grounds signifies more than an increase in much-needed housing for Ōtautahi. ...5 days ago
- Major step to pay parity for early learning teachersCertificated teachers on the lowest pay in early education and care services will take another leap towards pay parity with their equivalents in kindergartens, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said in a pre-Budget announcement today. “Pay parity for education and care teachers is a manifesto commitment for Labour and is reflected ...5 days ago
- New Zealand Wind Energy ConferenceTēnā koutou katoa Tēnā koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te Rā No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tatou katoa Thank you Grenville for the introduction and thanks to the organisers, the New Zealand Wind Energy Association, for inviting me to speak this morning. I’m delighted that you ...5 days ago
- Speech to New Zealand Drug Foundation 2021 Parliamentary Drug Policy SymposiumSpeech to Through the Maze: On the road to health New Zealand Drug Foundation 2021 Parliamentary Drug Policy Symposium Mōrena koutou katoa, Tēnei te mihi ki a koutou, Kua tae mai nei me ngā kete matauranga hauora, E whai hononga ai tatau katoa, Ka nui te mihi! Thank you for the opportunity ...5 days ago
- Govt to deliver lower card fees to businessCommerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark has today announced the Government’s next steps to reduce merchant service fees, that banks charge businesses when customers use a credit or debit card to pay, which is estimated to save New Zealand businesses approximately $74 million each year. “Pre COVID, EFTPOS has ...5 days ago
- Government support boosts Arts and Culture sectorGovernment support for the cultural sector to help it recover from the impact of COVID-19 has resulted in more cultural sector jobs predicted through to 2026, and the sector performing better than forecast. The latest forecast by economic consultancy ‘Infometrics’ reflects the impact of Government investment in keeping people in ...6 days ago
- Govt takes further action against gang crimeThe Government will make it illegal for high risk people to own firearms by introducing Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPOs) that will strengthen action already taken to combat the influence of gangs and organised crime to help keep New Zealanders and their families safe, Police Minister Poto Williams and Justice Minister ...6 days ago
- Thousands of MIQ spaces allocated to secure economic recoveryFive hundred spaces per fortnight will be allocated in managed isolation facilities over the next 10 months, many for skilled and critical workers to support our economic recovery, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor say. “The Trans-Tasman bubble has freed up more rooms, allowing us to ...7 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week a chance to recognise national taongaThis week (10 – 16 May 2021) is New Zealand Sign Language Week (NZSL), a nationwide celebration of NZSL as an official language of New Zealand. “We’re recognised as a world leader for our commitment to maintaining and furthering the use of our sign language,” says Minister for Disability Issues ...1 week ago
- Economic resilience provides more options in Budget 2021Securing the recovery and investing in the wellbeing of New Zealanders is the focus of Budget 2021, Grant Robertson told his audience at a pre-budget speech in Auckland this morning. "The economy has proven resilient in response to COVID-19, due to people having confidence in the Government’s health response to ...1 week ago
- Pre-Budget speech to BNZ-Deloitte Auckland Breakfast EventThank you for the invitation to speak to you today, and to share with you some of the Government’s thinking leading into this year’s budget. This will be my fourth time delivering the annual Budget for the Government, though the events of the past year have thrown out that calculation. ...1 week ago
- Rotuman Language week affirms language as the key to Pacific wellbeingThe first Pacific Language Week this year makes it clear that language is the key to the wellbeing for all Pacific people said Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. “This round of language weeks begin with Rotuman. As I have always said language is one of the pillars of ...1 week ago
- Budget delivers improved cervical and breast cancer screeningBudget 2021 funds a more effective cervical screening test to help reduce cervical cancer rates A new breast screening system that can proactively identify and enrol eligible women to reach 271,000 more people who aren’t currently in the programme. Budget 2021 delivers a better cervical screening test and a major ...1 week ago
- NZ-France to co-chair Christchurch Call Leaders’ SummitNew Zealand and France will jointly convene the Christchurch Call Community for a leaders’ summit, to take stock of progress and develop a new shared priority work plan. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and President Emmanuel Macron will co-chair the leaders’ meeting on the 2nd anniversary of the Call, on 14 ...1 week ago
- New South Wales travel pause to be lifted tomorrowCOVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says the current travel pause with New South Wales will lift tomorrow – subject to no further significant developments in NSW. “New Zealand health officials met today to conduct a further assessment of the public health risk from the recently identified COVID-19 community cases in Sydney. It has been determined that the risk to public ...1 week ago
- March 15 Collective Impact Board appointedThe voices of those affected by the March 15 mosque attacks will be heard more effectively with the establishment of a new collective impact board, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan announced today. Seven members of the Christchurch Muslim community have been appointed to the newly established Board, ...1 week ago
- More young Kiwis supported with mental health and addiction servicesNearly quarter of a million more young New Zealanders will have access to mental health and addiction support in their communities as the Government’s youth mental health programme gathers pace. New contracts to expand youth-specific services across the Northland, Waitematā and Auckland District Health Board areas have been confirmed, providing ...1 week ago
- New hospital facilities mean fewer trips to Auckland for NorthlandersNorthlanders will no longer automatically have to go to Auckland for lifesaving heart procedures like angiograms, angioplasty and the insertion of pacemakers, thanks to new operating theatres and a cardiac catheter laboratory opened at Whangārei Hospital by Health Minister Andrew Little today. The two projects – along with a new ...1 week ago
- Fair Pay Agreements to improve pay and conditions for essential workersThe Government is delivering on its pre-election commitment to implement Fair Pay Agreements which will improve wages and conditions, as well as help support our economic recovery, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood announced today. Fair Pay Agreements will set minimum standards for all employees and employers in an ...1 week ago
- Establishment of the new Māori Health Authority takes first big stepSir Mason Durie will lead a Steering Group to provide advice to the Transition Unit on governance arrangements and initial appointments to an interim board to oversee the establishment of the Māori Health Authority. This Group will ensure that Māori shape a vital element of our future health system, Minister ...1 week ago
- True brews: A short guide to locally owned New Zealand craft beers
Bars and liquor stores seem to be bursting with different beers from local producers, but many are actually owned by big multinationals – though you’d be hard pressed to figure that out from the labels. Gareth Shutes sorts through the confusion to bring you a list of truly local breweries.The ...12 mins ago - Living Streets Wants Lower Speeds To Protect Pedestrians
Living Streets Aotearoa is pleased to be joining with other organisations during Road Safety Week calling for lower speeds on many of our roads to make it safer for pedestrians as well as everyone else. Speed is a major factor causing harm to pedestrians, ...29 mins ago - Remember, Apple AirTags and ‘Find My’ app only work because of a vast, largely covert tracking n...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University Apple recently launched the latest version of its operating system, iOS 14.5, which features the much-anticipated app tracking transparency function, bolstering the tech giant’s privacy credentials. But iOS 14.5 also introduced support ...1 hour ago - Many questions, few answers, as conflict deepens between Israelis and PalestiniansSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Vice-chancellor’s fellow, La Trobe University What’s next in the latest Middle East convulsion? Will a ceasefire between the Hamas militant group in Gaza and Israel be brokered by Arab mediators in coordination with western powers, or will the situation continue ...1 hour ago
- Australia risks becoming a hermit nation. Here’s a five-step road-map to reopen our borders safelySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Soutphommasane, Professor of Practice (Sociology and Political Theory) Director, Culture Strategy, University of Sydney National capability — and you might also say, national character — can be revealed in a crisis. So, what has COVID-19 taught us about Australia? It has ...1 hour ago
- I’m over 50 and can now get my COVID vaccine. Can I talk to the GP first? Do I need a painkiller? ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, Assistant Professor, General Practice, Bond University People aged 50 and over are now officially eligible to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from selected GPs. Although some practices have had permission to provide the vaccine early if they had excess stock, ...1 hour ago
- A Victorian logging company just won a controversial court appeal. Here’s what it means for forest...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Wintle, Professor in Conservation Ecology, School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne Australia’s forest-dwelling wildlife is in greater peril after last week’s court ruling that logging — even if it breaches state requirements — is exempt from the federal law that ...1 hour ago
- Rise of transport megaprojects adds to Australian taxpayers’ risk of paying too muchSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Owain Emslie, Senior Associate, Grattan Institute When governments decide to build a new road, bridge or train line, their first concern should be getting it at the cheapest possible long-term price for a given quality standard. But our new report, Megabang for ...1 hour ago
- From Mickey to Moana — Disney treasures at ACMI tell the story of animation’s evolution over alm...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Torre, Senior Lecturer in the School of Design, RMIT University Review: Disney: The Magic of Animation at ACMI. Disney is one of the longest running animation studios in the world. As a result, the studio’s nearly 100 year legacy also provides ...1 hour ago
- We teach kids to share – why is it so hard for adults?Brooke Fiafia of Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP) on her dream for a liveable income announcement in this week’s budget.Poverty wholeheartedly sucks. The constant stress of debt, the fear and tears that come from not having enough, of not feeling like enough, the pain and embarrassment of being hungry and ...1 hour ago
- Live updates, May 17: ‘I am safe’ – Judith Collins confident despite shocker poll resultWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for May 17, bringing you the latest news updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz8.00am: Collins remains confident despite shocker poll result“I am safe.” That’s what Judith Collins had to say this morning following a shocker poll result that showed she is ...1 hour ago
- The Bulletin: Expectations of a major immigration speechGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Expectations of a major immigration speech, National continues to linger in poll doldrums, and trace Covid in Wellington wastewater probably doesn’t signal an outbreak.As mentioned at the end of last week, we’re expecting some sort of announcement on immigration policy ...2 hours ago
- Climate crimes: Will you be found guilty?
A conference on our economic future ran for six hours without explicit mention of climate change - and one young environmentalist wasn't letting that go unremarked. Here is the speech by Izzy Fenwick, engagement director for the Aotearoa Circle, that made the great and good at the Auckland's Future Now gathering sit ...3 hours ago - NZX looks to snap year's longest fall
Business & Investing: Strong US economic news should break the NZ market's longest run of falls since the peak of Covid in March last year. Plus all the week's market news. ...3 hours ago - Palestinian Solidarity Protests Will Continue And Grow Next Weekend16 May 2021 PSNA met online tonight and decided to organise nationwide protests again next Saturday 22 May. We were very pleased with the 4,000 people who turned out in 10 centres around the country last Saturday – the largest public protests ...4 hours ago
- Govt pushing on with race relations work
Now that a national conversation is underway, expect some big changes to come in race relations this term. ...4 hours ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 17 May
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...4 hours ago - Visualising gold at Tokyo
She's a world champion facing challenges in life everyday following a traumatic cycling accident, but focusing as hard as she can on winning New Zealand a Paralympic medal at Tokyo. Ashley Stanley reports. Visualising winning is pretty standard for a full-time athlete in any sport. But there’s nothing ordinary about ...4 hours ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Monday 17 May
...4 hours ago - Pat Baskett: Could farmed salmon be the answer?
Does farming fish reduce pressure on stocks in our ocean? Pat Baskett suggests that in attempting to fix a mess of our own creation, we may be creating yet another Factory farming was the 20th century’s answer to providing animal protein for the world’s billions. Its unsustainability and the environmental disasters ...4 hours ago - Reviewing the Auckland Writers Festival
Steve Braunias reports on a sort of massively successful festival It was packed, it was fun, there were fights, there were tears, and right this very second poor old Neil Gaiman probably remains trapped in the Aotea Centre signing books for a queue that will never, ever diminish – the ...4 hours ago - ‘Judgment for the decade’ in landmark foreshore and seabed case
A major High Court decision on applying the law which followed the Foreshore and Seabed Act could set a precedent for hundreds of applications for iwi and their say over marine and coastal areas. Ben Leonard reports After decades of legal battles, iwi in the eastern Bay of Plenty have been granted customary ...4 hours ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Monday 17 May
...4 hours ago - Aotearoa Workers Solidarity Movement Statement: Solidarity With The People Of PalestineAWSM send their solidarity to the oppressed people of Palestine. In doing so we highlight how the idea of the nation state and nationalism is used to justify the most horrific crimes, on this occasion the heavy and indiscriminate bombings of civilian ...4 hours ago
- Collins’ Orewa politics aren’t just deplorable, they’re unpopular. Can National risk waiting?The ‘segregationist’ rhetoric was a desperate tactic by the National leader and last night’s Newshub poll issued a thundering fail grade. Before, MPs were inclined to hold off on any change. Now, the risk calculus has changed. The enduring image of the National Party campaign in the general election of 2020 ...4 hours ago
- NZ made the right call on supporting the vaccine waiver. Now comes the hard partThe lifting of intellectual property rights behind Covid-19 vaccines took a big step closer this month with news that the United States is throwing its support behind a waiver. But there’s still a long way to go – and New Zealand can play a role in getting hold outs in ...4 hours ago
- Risk new rules will penalise KiwiSaver minority
There are losers not just winners from the Government’s just-announced changes to the KiwiSaver default scheme ...4 hours ago - Record volumes of gold moved to NZ as investors seek haven
Risk-averse international investors are thought to be flying in their gold to stash it in a discreet, high-security vault near Auckland's international airport. Customs figures reveal an unprecedented $242 million in gold was imported to NZ in the past 12 months, as the world's wealthy seek the security of the world's oldest investment ...4 hours ago - Govt cautiously floats transformative transport plans
In a major 'Green Paper', the Government has floated a bold transformation of NZ's transport system to reduce emissions and improve public health, but will it follow through? ...4 hours ago - The aspirational plan being used to stir racial discord
A talk with one of its authors about what's in the aspirational He Puapua document, currently being used to stir racial disharmony As a rule of thumb, authors of government reports don't really expect to be catapulted into the headlines a year-and-a-half after submitting their work. But over the past couple of ...4 hours ago - Younger NZers poorly served by public media, says merger chair
Former minister Tracey Martin says new research on merging RNZ and TVNZ shows more people now have access to Netflix than to radio. ...4 hours ago - Young people ‘left to rot’ in residency visa queue
Trapped by two-year-long delays in visa applications, young immigrants pin their hopes on rules changes this week. ...4 hours ago - No ‘bounce’ for government from big-spend budget: NewspollSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The government has failed to get any electoral “bounce” from last week’s budget, despite it being widely seen as good for the economy, according to Newspoll. Labor retains a two-party lead of 51-49%, although there ...8 hours ago
- The business cost of climate change: What’s your plan?
New Zealand will not be able to meet its global commitments to climate change if businesses and government departments don’t understand their risks and work out a long term strategy. Last year will go down in the history books for a pandemic that brought the world to its knees. But ...9 hours ago - Ngāi Tahu denies National water reform claims
Ngāi Tahu is rejecting National's claim that it will take over 50 percent ownership of water assets in the South Island. ...13 hours ago - Support for National leader Judith Collins dives in new pollNational leader Judith Collins has suffered a dip in support in the preferred prime minister stakes, in the latest Newshub Reid Research poll. ...15 hours ago
- Immigration Is A Road Safety IssueThe Motor Trade Association (MTA) is concerned the Government's approach to immigration will impact on road safety. “A long-running skill shortage in the automotive sector threatens vehicle inspection and the industry's capacity to train for the future," ...16 hours ago
- Government’s Increase To Decarbonisation Fund A DisappointmentThe Fossil Free State Sector Coalition , whose members represent tens of thousands of New Zealanders, is disappointed by the government’s announcement today of a limited increase in funding to the State Sector Decarbonisation Fund, which provides ...16 hours ago
- Co-governance Has To Stop“Another co-governance plan, this time for South Island water is yet another example co-governance structures put in place by both National and Labour Governments,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “A plan from the Labour Government to transfer 50 ...20 hours ago
- Schoolkids Being Taught About “White Privilege”“The Government needs to explain why a new education programme is teaching primary school children about ‘white privilege’”, says ACT Leader David Seymour. “The promise of our country is to value each person as we find them and value their human ...20 hours ago
- Drag Race’s Michelle Visage on being an ally, living in New Zealand and loving L&PShe might sit at the right hand of RuPaul, but Michelle Visage is a myth, a legend, a queen in her own right. Sam Brooks talked to her about her time in Auckland, her position as a scholar of drag, and why she’s obsessed with New Zealand’s most-loved soft drink. ...1 day ago
- Your ticket to movie heaven
Critic's Chair: Guy Somerset on the wonders of MUBI.COM, the movie streaming service that contains an embarrassment of worldwide riches As a young man living in the English countryside in the 1980s, I received a schooling in film second to none. No, I’m not suggesting some Soviet-style Commissariat of Enlightenment ...1 day ago - An ode for .. Simon Bridges, author
New Zealand's demi-official poet laureate Victor Billot composes an ode for Simon Bridges, soon to be a published author. The Outsider I’m here in ripped leather with my life story, not just your common garden Tory. I’m going to be completely honest and open. Deconstruct masculinity. ...1 day ago - 'I can't breathe' a marker of our times
From Covid to racism, Jacob Edmond writes on how breath today symbolises a series of catastrophes, and how we might breathe a little easier Hā ki roto, hā ki waho. Breathe in, breathe out. It’s the simplest thing, the in- and outflow of breath that keeps us alive, so automatic that, most ...1 day ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Sunday 16 May
...1 day ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Sunday 16 May
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...1 day ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Sunday 16 May
...1 day ago - The South Auckland baker bringing an island flavour to vegan sweet treatsFor many communities, a vegan diet can seem at odds with their culture. But baker Lei Timo is helping make veganism more inclusive through food that’s both delicious and reflective of her Sāmoan heritage.When she turns up at the front doors of customers, delivering their boxed orders of her vegan ...1 day ago
- Recipe: Gluten-free banana chocolate cakeAn excellent lunchbox-filler, this cake freezes well too.As a mother of three young children I’m always on the look-out for recipes to fill their lunchboxes, and when my friend Amber first cooked this for me I knew it was a keeper. While none of us have issues with gluten, I ...1 day ago
- Sunday Essay: The winter wonder landEvery year it returns, and every year we struggle to cope, writes John Summers.The Sunday Essay is possible thanks to the support of Creative New ZealandOriginal illustrations by Toby Morris.We kid ourselves in this place. Spring turns to summer, and suddenly every road leads to the beach. The country wants ...1 day ago
- Indonesia pressures PNG over militant video by West Papuan supportersBy Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby Indonesia is pressuring Papua New Guinea over an illegal group East Sepik claiming to form an army unit to help West Papuan pro-independence rebels fighting against Indonesian forces across the border. Calling such armed groups as “terrorists”, Indonesia’s Ambassador to PNG, Andriana Supandy, said ...1 day ago
- Samoa court test case ruling on fresh elections due MondayRNZ News Samoa is to hear on Monday whether fresh elections will go ahead next week. The Supreme Court heard challenges yesterday to the new ballot called last week by the Head of State, Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II. Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese said the hearing would test the extent ...1 day ago
- Tahitian community groups try to save endangered sacred mountainAsia Pacific Report newsdesk A collective of community groups in Tahiti trying to preserve a historical-cultural icon at Tautira have condemned the Tahitian government for “deliberately trying to destroy our heritage”. The iconic Tahua-Reva is the community’s sacred mountain on the southeastern tip of Tahiti-Iti, the smaller section adjoining the ...1 day ago
- HRW demands police drop treason charges against Papuan activist YeimoAsia Pacific Report newsdesk Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling on the Indonesian police to drop politically motivated treason charges against West Papua National Committee (KNPB) spokesperson Victor Yeimo. Yeimo was arrested for calling for an independence referendum for Papua which he expressed in 2019 during the anti-racism protests and ...1 day ago
- Palestine: Hold Israel accountable for crimes against journalists, says IFJMedia offices have been bombed and Palestinian and international journalists arrested, beaten and threatened by Israeli forces amid escalating violence in Gaza, reports the International Federation of Journalists. The IFJ has declared in a statement that it stands in solidarity with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and all Palestinian ...1 day ago
- NZ Greens condemn Israeli violence against Palestinian communitiesAsia Pacific Report newsdesk New Zealand’s Green Party has condemned the violent and forced displacement of the Palestinian Sheikh Jarrah community of East Jerusalem by Israeli forces and settlers. “We further condemn the recent indiscriminate bombing of the Gaza Strip causing the deaths of [113 Palestinian civilians, including 31 children], ...1 day ago
- Drag Race Down Under power rankings: All white is not all rightThe third episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under sends home the only remaining queen of colour, and it’s not OK.Let’s start with some truth: Drag Race has had a race issue since the very start.Queens of colour have a harder time on the show, they are disproportionately bullied by ...1 day ago
- Govt reports it is doing nicely, thank, you at getting us into houses – but it warns it must also ...
Whoa, there – she’s bolted! We refer to Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who this morning dropped another media statement into our email in-tray as Associate Housing Minister. It was her third while she has been wearing the Housing ministerial hat. She did issue another statement as recently as May ...2 days ago - Christchurch Call Summit Charts Next StepsBig steps were made today in progressing the Christchurch Call. Leaders of countries, tech companies and civil society came together to reflect on progress since 2019 and create a work plan for the coming years. The Christchurch Call was launched two ...2 days ago
- Auckland Action Against Poverty March For Our People: Saturday, The 15th Of May 2021 – 12pmIn the lead up to the budget being released next week Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP) has planned a March down Ponsonby Road to ensure that people and families remain a priority for this Labour government. “This March has been organised because ...2 days ago
- Is NZ missing our post-Covid window of opportunity?
An economic opportunity for New Zealand could be closing rapidly as the world grapples with the pandemic, and business and social impact leaders want the Government to act fast to stay ahead Auckland's big economic conference didn't want to hear from whingers or those looking backwards - but plenty of speakers and attendees ...2 days ago - Christchurch Call second anniversary summit gets underwayThe online leaders summit, opened by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, has heard from the leaders of France and the United Kingdom today. ...2 days ago
- Christchurch Call second anniversary summit underway this morningThe online leaders summit, opened by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, has heard from the leaders of France and the United Kingdom today. ...2 days ago
- COHA Webinar | Pedro Castillo Advances A New Progressive Agenda to Win the Presidency in PeruSource: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage With congressman Guillermo Bermejo, member of Pedro Castillo’s Presidential Campaign Join the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) to analyze the decisive presidential election taking place this June 6 in Perú. COHA Director Patricio Zamorano, COHA Senior Research Fellow Alina Duarte and ...2 days ago
- Kids Discouraged From Eating Their Own Lunches“ Advice from the Ministry of Education shows that kids who bring their own lunches from home are being discouraged from eating them,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “After it was revealed this week that thousands of lunches are going to waste, ...2 days ago
- Short story: Psycho Ex, by Ockham national book award supreme winner Airini Beautrais
A story from the collection Bug Week by Airini Beautrais, named this week as the winner of the $57,000 prize for fiction at the Ockham New Zealand national book awards. I am going for a run. I pull on my leopard-print tights, my black sports bra, my hot pink ...2 days ago - How New Zealand’s employment laws changed forever, 30 years ago todayMay 15 1991 marked the dawn of a new system of employment that utterly transformed the world of work. The Employment Contracts Act dramatically deregulated the labour market, struck a huge blow against the union movement, and reshaped the economy. Alex Braae looks back. When Faith Harrison began working at ...2 days ago
- Immigration Minister reviews rules to attract high-skilled migrants
The Immigration Minister will update policy changes prioritising high-skilled migrants, while thousands of 'non-priority' skilled migrants wait in limbo for a future in New Zealand On Monday, Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi will be outlining a change in policy to attract high-skilled migrants in a bid to improve productivity and address skills shortages. Faafoi's speech will also ...2 days ago - Newsroom's daily sudoku, Saturday 15 May
...2 days ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Saturday 15 May
...2 days ago - Newsroom daily quiz, Saturday 15 May
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...2 days ago - ‘What most women really want is someone to be kind’: Anna Saunders, midwifeThe veteran midwife talks to Michelle Langstone about the increasing challenges of her profession – and the priceless moments that remind her why it matters.Portraits by Edith Amituanai.When Anna Saunders gave birth to her baby boy in a cottage on family land at Wainamu, Bethells Beach, her husband’s family drove ...2 days ago
- Siouxsie Wiles: There’s a lot of vaccine BS around. Here’s why I won’t be debunking itSiouxsie Wiles wants to talk about all the ‘fake news’ about vaccines that’s floating around and popping into people’s letterboxes. But don’t expect her to debunk it. She explains her thinking. Right now, a number of groups and individuals are waging what looks like a coordinated campaign here in New Zealand. ...2 days ago
- The Women’s Budget Statement was more like a first step than a revolutionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helen Hodgson, Professor, Curtin Law School and Curtin Business School, Curtin University We’re told that this budget, more than most, delivered for women. Commonwealth Treasury Certainly for the first time in years it was accompanied by a Women’s Budget Statement printed as ...2 days ago
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