Posts Tagged ‘vouchers’
Vote National, get ACT
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, May 27th, 2008 - 78 comments
A source present at the University of Victoria debating society event last night tells us that Heather Roy referred to herself frequently (but we’re told lightheartedly) as the Minister of Education in a National/ACT government before handing out these scholarships vouchers… you’ll notice it’s even signed by Roger Douglas <shiver>.
- Legal Beagle: The Entrenchment Angle We All Missed
I have a basically finished 800-word article on the entrenchment issue that is now unneeded. Dean Knight’s tweets, my tweets, and the open letter of the group of legal academics published by the New Zealand Herald say almost all that needs to be said on the manner in which the ...4 hours ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2022
Open access notables: Kunio Kaiho is a leading expert on past extinction events. In Extinction magnitude of animals in the near future just published in Nature Scientific Reports, Kaiho draws on mechanisms of prior mass extinction events to prognosticate on what effect Homo bolidus [our term] might impose on Earth's species. "It depends," ...5 hours ago - Media Link: AVFA on protests in China and Iran.
This week in “A View from Afar” Selwyn Manning and I try to provide a conceptual/analytic backdrop to the protests in the PRC and Iran. The thrust is that although there are similarities as well as differences between them, each confrontation involves a strategic game between the protestors and regime ...11 hours ago - Open Government: Not achieved
Newsroom reports on the reaction from civil society organisations to Labour's new draft Open Government Partnership National Action Plan, and its pretty scathing: The Government’s claims to greater openness and transparency have yet again been called into question, with New Zealand’s latest open government plan containing proposals “so weak ...11 hours ago - Climate Change: Be careful what you wish forThroughout the (misnamed) he waka eke noa process, farmers have insisted on farm-level pricing, largely as a way of getting more subsidies for their pollution - and sadly, Labour looks set to give it to them. They're already complaining about the "bureaucratic nightmare" - a nightmare entirely of their own ...13 hours ago
- Reported backThe Justice Committee has reported back on the Electoral Amendment Bill. The bill implements the recommendations of the Ministry of Justice consultation on election funding - the one where the Ministry of Justice conspired with the labour party to keep its highly influential submission totally secret - and the Labour-dominated ...14 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards: Nicky Hager strikes a win for media freedom and democracy
Do New Zealand state spies unlawfully surveil the government’s political critics? Do they spy on critical journalists? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. And yesterday the government domestic security agency was forced to apologise for one instance when they were caught spying on investigative journalist Nicky Hager. The New Zealand Security ...16 hours ago - 2022 General Reading: November (+ Old Phuul update)
Completed reading for November: The White People and Other Weird Stories (collection), by Arthur Machen Not So Barren Or Uncultivated: British Travellers in Finland 1760-1830, by Tony Lurcock J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, by Humphrey Carpenter The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead Legends of Aotearoa (collection), edited by ...1 day ago - Publishing a long overdue explainer about a scientific consensusRecently, we happened upon a neat and detailed article, explaining what a scientific consensus is. This made us realize, that - even though we have a lot of material about the consensus - we were lacking an explainer about what a scientific consensus actually is. We have now remedied this ...1 day ago
- The SIS: spying on the government’s political criticsThe big worry about the SIS and GCSB is that they will be used to spy on the government's political critics. Whenever this worry is expressed, the spies and their Ministers say that of course that would never happen. The problem? It has: Journalist Nicky Hager will receive $66,000 ...1 day ago
- Gordon Campbell on the gaslighting about inflation
Reportedly, we’re going to need to have a recession next year in order to curb our wild spending habits and bring inflation under control. According to some economists, we’ve all been spending our hefty wage rises so freely that up to 50,000 of us may have to lose our jobs ...2 days ago - Political Roundup: 30 November 2022Items of interest and importance today THREE WATERS Jane Patterson (RNZ): Three Waters anti-privatisation blunder adds to storm of controversy Jo Moir (Newsroom): The chaos behind the Greens’ controversial Three Waters amendment Emile Donovan (RNZ): The problem with entrenching party policy Thomas Cranmer: Mahuta ditches ‘no surprises’ policy Anne Salmond ...2 days ago
- Has Labour Become A Co-Governed Party?
The Power Of Two: It is possible that, formally or informally, the Labour caucus arrived at its own version of co-governance. What the Māori caucus decide upon as its priorities are not to be overridden or gainsaid by the broader Labour caucus’s Pakeha majority. An arrangement of this sort would ...2 days ago - Hope Defeats Hate.Third Time Winner: Daniel Andrews’ Victorian victory is of a piece with the general failure of the American Right to achieve the gains it was expecting in the recent mid-term elections. Generally speaking, voters not already addicted to the Right’s ideological Kool-Aid find very little to like about candidates who ...2 days ago
- We need greater transparency on party fundingYesterday Max Rashbrooke and Lisa Marriott released their report on political party funding. The gist of it can be gathered from the title: Money for Something. Big donors are donating big money for big influence over policy, and the current regime seems designed to facilitate rather than prevent this ...2 days ago
- Political Roundup: 29 November 2022Items of interest and importance today POLITICAL FINANCE, PARLIAMENT, VOTING AGE Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Big money donors get access to PMs and party leaders – report Anna Whyte (Stuff): Political donations: Identity over $1,500 should be disclosed, new report recommends Brent Edwards (NBR): Research reveals influence bought through political donations Jem ...3 days ago
- How 2022 has substantially, and favorably, changed global climate outlookThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Anew analysis by the Global Carbon Budget, published in the journal Earth System Science Data, shows global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels have fully recovered from the temporary dip driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, setting new records in 2021 and 2022. But it’s not ...3 days ago
- Gordon Campbell on entrenchment, and being ‘soft on crime’Good grief. Is it really a grave misuse of power to entrench safeguards against the irreversible sale of key public assets? Hardly. If this country has learned anything over the past 40 years, it should be that New Zealand has suffered lasting economic and social damage from the previous sales ...4 days ago
- Entrenching anti-privatisationLast week, Labour put the House into urgency to push on with its legislative agenda. Part of this included the committee stage of the three waters bill, and something unusual happened: they passed an entrenchment clause protecting the bill's anti-privatisation clause - meaning that a future government would need the ...4 days ago
- Bryce Edwards: The Misuse of power to entrench Three Waters legislationWhen governments become tired and lose their popularity – usually in their third term – they often become desperate to get their way and prone to misusing their power. This is currently in evidence with the Labour Government’s push to lock in elements of their Three Waters reform programme by ...4 days ago
- Revenge and rage optics continues to dominate the politics of the Right, even here. All voters deser...
The vapid cycle of self-serving performative rage when it suits… the screaming for repeal here, there and everywhere… the constant calls from columnists and the airwaves to “be angry”, for the public to just get up and be “stomping mad!”… Of course, none of this is the stuff from ...4 days ago - Top tweets on the Government’s Three Waters law entrenchmentCatching up on constitutional developments while I’ve been deep in the marking cave. And this one is a doozy — and perhaps concerning? An SOP entrenching a point of policy (ownership/control of water assets) was agreed, ie 60% majority needed to repeal.https://t.co/GRRXrmr6ZW pic.twitter.com/sm4MCOD85w — ᴅʀ ᴅᴇᴀɴ ...4 days ago
- A Strange Hill To Die On.Last Stand? Has Labour’s caucus chosen the Government’s deeply unpopular Three Waters policy as the hill upon which it will stand and die? And, if that is the case, then – why?CURIA RESEARCH recently conducted a poll in the Napier electorate. Bad news for Stuart Nash, the Labour incumbent, whose ...5 days ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 20, 2022 thru Sat, Nov 26, 2022. Story of the Week The Art at COP27 Offered Opportunities to Move Beyond ‘Empty Words’ In Egypt, visitors encountered creative works about climate anxiety, sustainability ...5 days ago
- Revisiting the Big Three of Weird Tales: H.P. Lovecraft, C.A. Smith, and R.E. Howard
My October 2022 reading was marked by a reacquaintance with old-school Pulp Fantasy and Horror, specifically a binge through the collected works of H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and Robert E. Howard. Two of those three are still well-known names among fantasy readers, but in the first half of ...5 days ago - Open Government: Another farceYesterday the government released its draft Fourth Open Government Partnership National Action Plan 2023-24 for consultation. Like previous versions, the plan was meant to be "co-created" with civil society. And like previous versions, that obligation seems to have been observed mainly in the breach, with the government conducting a series ...6 days ago
- The Crypto Casino
Financial activity is too often gambling. Cryptocurrencies are the latest example.Gambling is a zero sum game: the proceeds of the winners are offset by the losses of the losers. That statement is not quite true because typically there is someone between taking a margin on each transaction. Patrons leave a ...6 days ago - Bryce Edwards: Why Labour capitulated on hate speech lawsThe Labour Government is currently fighting on multiple fronts that threaten its popularity in the run-up to next year’s election. Therefore, when a call had to be made about whether to push through divisive and poorly-designed hate speech laws, there really was no decision for Justice Minister Kiri Allan to ...7 days ago
- Josh Van Veen: Wayne Brown’s first monthWayne Brown has been Mayor for a month, and already he has done more to change Auckland than Phil Goff did in six years. The changes began even before Brown was sworn in. Only hours after the election results were announced on 8 October, the Chair of Auckland Transport Adrienne ...7 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47 2022Open access notables: Web bulb temperatures verging on unsurvivable are creeping into our world and heading toward familiar. That's the lesson we can infer from Dong-Quan & Sun's Effects of anthropogenic forcing and atmospheric circulation on the record-breaking welt bulb heat event over southern China in September 2021. Analyzing an event including 32.8°C the authors find: ...1 week ago
- An engineered recession is class warfareThe Reserve Bank has just come out and admitted that they are engineering a recession to protect the rich: The Reserve Bank is deliberately engineering a recession to reign back inflation after being slow to raise interest rates, Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr admitted to a select committee on ...1 week ago
- That’s no how you do democracyLast night, the English Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish government cannot hold an independence referendum. Having said that Scotland is not a colony, they then turned around and effectively said that they are, by forbidding them from holding a democratic vote on their own constitutional arrangements unless another country ...1 week ago
- Gordon Campbell on the centre-right’s internal ructionsFor donkey’s years, political commentary has been all about the binaries: left/right, Labour/National, government/opposition, she said/he said. Yet currently, a lot of the fascinating conflict is occurring amidst the centre-right. That’s because National, ACT and New Zealand First all happen to be fishing in the same pond for cranky and ...1 week ago
- Bryce Edwards: Politicians and the Reserve Bank are being blamed for an escalating economic crisisWill the looming economic recession kill off Labour’s re-election chances? Is the Reserve Bank making things worse? And could a National Government do any better? These are some of the big political questions floating around after the full extent of the economy’s plight was made clear by the Reserve Bank ...1 week ago
- Josephine Varghese: From Obama to Sunak–do representational milestones mean anything more than sym...New Zealand media have recently discussed two major representational milestones in politics. Firstly, New Zealand Parliament achieving 50% women’s representation with the induction of Labour list MP Soraya Peke-Mason. Secondly, Rishi Sunak becoming the UK’s first non-White Prime Minister. Major media outlets have been celebrating these events as watershed moments ...1 week ago
- Gustavo Petro and the Civic – Military Campaigns
Gearóid Ó Loingsigh looks at the new government in Colombia and how it talks of peace while increasing militarisation The Petro–Márquez government is one which proposes to bring us to what they term Total Peace. The term and the proposal as such have been subjected to justifiable criticism, not least ...1 week ago - Labour attacks LGOIMA – in secretToday the government used urgency to introduce a new Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Bill. The bulk of the bill deals with land information memorandums (LIMs), requiring local authorities to notify of natural hazards and granting them immunity for doing so in good faith (hopefully forestalling lawsuits by ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: Fixing the Crown Minerals Act?Back in August, the High Court ruled that the Zero Carbon Act isn't worth shit and that the government can continue to approve new fossil fuel exploration without having to consider climate change. The core of the problem is the Crown Minerals Act, and in particular its purpose: "to promote ...1 week ago
- The True Cost
It is hard to take seriously the voices of those currently asserting that Brexit has come with a considerable economic cost. Where were those voices at the very beginning of what became the Brexit saga, when we were assured that membership of what was then the Common Market would produce ...1 week ago - Political Roundup: 23 November 2022Items of interest and importance today VOTING AGE Henry Cooke (Guardian): New Zealand’s supreme court has forced voting age on to agenda, exposing absurd arguments for status quo Henry Cooke: The only reasonable argument for retaining the voting age Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Local election voting age looks set to change ...1 week ago
- Phil Ferguson: a firsthand account of the Irish strugglePhil Ferguson is a founding editor of Redline and was a regular contributor. He has been out of action for the past year after suffering a stroke. He is learning to walk again and hoping to get back to writing. Tim Leadbeater sat down with Phil to talk about topics ...1 week ago
- The Most Pertinent Question.Why Now? As Rebecca Wright pointed out to Justice Minister, Kiritapu Allan, on Newshub Nation, a great deal of political travail could have been avoided by the Labour Government if they’d simply accepted the Royal Commission’s recommendation to extend the already existing legal protections against the incitement of racial hatred ...1 week ago
- FinallyAt the 2020 election, Labour promised to regulate property managers. Now, they're finally doing it: The Government’s announcement that rental property managers will be regulated has left the industry asking for more detail, and tenants calling for landlords to be regulated too. Regulating property managers was one of the ...1 week ago
- Young people must be allowed to vote
Let me just start out by saying that young people must be allowed to vote. Not because they are more enlightened than previous generations, but because the earlier people become voters, the more likely they will continue to participate in democracy.We have a serious problem in New Zealand with low ...1 week ago - How to counter holocaust denial – a particular type of hate speech
Plebity – a left free speech website looks at how to ‘counter hate speech with more speech’. This excellent article addresses one of the points discussed in the interview with Daniel Ben-Ami about how tolerance doesn’t mean silently allowing bad ideas or adopting a relativist outlook. WHAT DOES IT MEAN, ...1 week ago - Bryce Edwards: The High barriers to lowering the voting ageSixteen-year-olds aren’t about to get the right to vote anytime soon. Despite yesterday’s Supreme Court declaration that a voting age of 18 violates the Bill of Rights, there are still many barriers to get over before the voting age could be lowered. In fact, as a best-case scenario, youth voting ...1 week ago
- The Iran protests and the battle for Women’s RightsIn this Free Speech Union podcast Daphna Whitmore speaks with Dr Forough Amin about what’s happening in Iran after two months of growing protests across the country. Forough is a women’s rights activist and the founder of the Iranian Women in NZ Charitable Trust. Forough discusses the dire state of ...1 week ago
- The Sagas and Fairy Tales of the South Pacific: Maori Legends, as collected by Sir George Grey (1855...
As a Pakeha New Zealander who spent the majority of his school-level education in the lower North Island in the 1990s, I received a smattering of Maori cultural infusion. I learned how to count to ten in Maori, learned the names of colours, some rudiments of pronunciation from singing ...2 weeks ago - A victory for democracy!Today, the Supreme Court ruled on the case of Make it 16 Inc v AG, declaring that the law forbidding 16 and 17 year olds from voting was inconsistent with the right to be free from discrimination, and that it had not been justified under the BORA. Its a ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on Qatar, Joyce Carol Oates and Mimi ParkerThe FIFA World Cup has kicked off amid laments about Qatar’s terrible human rights record, and FIFA’s greed in awarding them the Cup hosting rights in the first place. The criticism raining down on Qatar over its murderous treatment of migrant workers errs and its persecution of its LGBT community ...2 weeks ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Does New Zealand need to up its game with World Cup host Qatar?As the FIFA World Cup gets underway in Qatar, it is worth looking at the state of New Zealand’s wider relationship with the host nation. While New Zealand often likes to think of itself as a small country, it comfortably outranks Qatar in both size and population. In terms of ...2 weeks ago
- Elizabeth Rata: The Curriculum, intelligence, and democracyThe intelligence of the New Zealand population increased during the 20th century. Nutrition played its part but so too did education. Young people were taught the abstract knowledge of academic subjects and in the process developed secondary intelligence. Since the 1990s, the emptying out of prescribed academic knowledge from the ...2 weeks ago
- Where are Ukrainian refugees going? – an update
A temporary tent camp set up for Ukrainian refugees in Donetsk, in Russia’s Rostov region near the Russian-Ukrainian border, June 22, ... 2 weeks ago - If It Ain’t Broke, Why Fix It?Still Going Strong: Why has the Minister of Justice cobbled together a group of “progressive” academics, most of whom subscribe to the core beliefs of Māori nationalism, “decolonisation”, and te Tiriti revisionism, to “review” our political system? In the absence of any convincing evidence that our electoral machinery is “broke”, ...2 weeks ago
- 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 13, 2022 thru Sat, Nov 19, 2022. Story of the Week Is COP27 the End of Hopes for Limiting Global Warming to 1.5 Degrees Celsius? The climate talks are going into overtime ...2 weeks ago
- Labour grovels to the bigotsIn the wake of the March 15 terror attack, the inquiry recommended tougher hate-speech laws. And after dragging their feet on it for a full year, the government has basicly said "fuck that": The Government has drastically watered down its hate speech reforms, Justice Minister Kiri Allan said on Saturday. ...2 weeks ago
- Are We in a Stagflation?
Recently, I have often been asked whether we (New Zealand or the World) are experiencing a stagflation. There is no meaningful ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. You have to define the term before deciding what is going on.Rutherford once said there were only two kinds of science: stamp collecting and physics. ...2 weeks ago - More police racismThe police annual report was released this month, with the usual statutory information on surveillance warrants and DNA samples. And it turns out there's some shocking evidence of racism among the latter: The proportion of youth DNA samples collected by police that belong to rangatahi Māori continues to rise, ...2 weeks ago
- The Political MinefieldPoor Christopher Luxon. His lack of political experience (and judgment) is constantly being highlighted – not least by his recent foray into the treatment of child criminality. So keen was he to draw attention to his assertion that “Labour is soft on crime” that he was prepared to run the ...2 weeks ago
- Media Link: “AVFA” on US midterms and Trump’s return.After a small hiatus due to Covid hitting my household, Selwyn Manning and I resumed our weekly ” A View from Afar” podcast series with an analysis of the 2022 US midterm results and a look at what Trump’s decision to run for president again means for the GOP. You ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: National wants to brand the Govt as soft on crimeAs Government politicians put the boot into National’s bootcamp announcement yesterday, Christopher Luxon would have been celebrating. His populist announcement wasn’t only designed to scratch an electoral itch, but to cynically trap his opponents into looking soft on crime. And it probably worked. Soon after announcing his policy for bootcamps ...2 weeks ago
- Free Speech to fight anti-SemitismFree Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore talks with Daniel Ben-Ami, an author, and journalist based in London. His website “The Radicalism of Fools” https://www.radicalismoffools.com/ aims to develop a better understanding of anti-Semitism and its root causes. Daniel talks about different forms of anti-Semitism from the right and the left. He explains ...2 weeks ago
- Hello, do you know the difference? The Raytheon, Goldman Sachs Left is not the LeftThe left free speech site Plebity has published this handy chart. When you say left, you probably aren’t actually talking about the left. Find another name. Or at least understand the difference between the woke left and the traditional left which although largely silenced does still exist. Here is a ...2 weeks ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2022Notables: Presence or absence of stabilizing Earth system feedbacks on different time scales Arnscheidt and Rothman confirm the stabilizing effect of carbonate geochemistry on Earth's climate, at least on "short" timescales. More provocatively: "We have shown that the observations are inconsistent with a dominant stabilizing feedback on the longest time scales ...2 weeks ago
- Gordon Campbell on the case for universal free dental careLike Banquo’s ghost, the issue of universal free dental care keeps hovering into sight at Labour’s top table. ‘Tis a goodly, progressive idea, but it is also one that’s been done in repeatedly down the years by the shafts of political expedience, some of which were fired again this week ...2 weeks ago
- Political Roundup: 17 November 2022Items of interest and importance today FOREIGN AFFAIRS Claire Trevett (Herald): Russia, China, a Trump comeback – PM Jacinda Ardern will face a big plate of troubles at Apec (paywalled) Thomas Manch (Stuff): Risky business: NZ seeks greater trade with Vietnam as China dependency causes concern Thomas Manch (Stuff): Prime Minister ...2 weeks ago
- New reports spell out climate urgency, shortfalls, needed actionsThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Michael Svoboda In the weeks leading up to the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, often called COP27, several organizations released major reports detailing the many difficult tasks on the climate negotiators’ agenda. Some of ...2 weeks ago
- Climate change: The cost of inactionA couple of days ago I highlighted National's opposition to all actual policies to reduce emissions. Now, the government has put some numbers on the cost of that, and it is staggering: nearly 24 million tons by the end of the decade: Labour says National’s promises to repeal its ...2 weeks ago
- The Facts Don’t Always Tell The Truth.2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Labour’s decaying policy on free universal dental careGrant Robertson has once again ruled out implementing a popular Labour Party policy: free universal dental care. He did so yesterday on RNZ’s Morning Report, citing the cost factor. The Acting Prime Minister suggested that spending on dental care wasn’t a priority for the Government and that the health budget ...2 weeks ago
- Grant says “no” againYesterday the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists released a report on dental care in Aotearoa, highlighting its unaffordability and recommending free, universal dental care. This is something the left has been campaigning for for a long time - Jim Anderton pushed for it before the 2011 election, and Helen Clark ...2 weeks ago
- On NZ foreign policy “independence.”For many years New Zealand elites have claimed to have an “independent” foreign policy, so much so that it has become a truism of NZ politics that transcends the partisan divide in parliament and is a shibboleth of the NZ foreign policy establishment that is parroted by media and pundits ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwards: Momentum growing to reform lobbying lawsThis week global anti-corruption agency Transparency International released a report on lobbying, which described New Zealand’s lack of regulation as “glaring”. Transparency International New Zealand has developed an international comparison of New Zealand’s lobbying regulations so that MPs here can decide whether to reform this sector. Currently, a group of ...2 weeks ago
- The “Us versus Them” Worldview.Behind Closed Doors: What were the organisers of He Whenua Taurikura, the second hui called into existence by the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch mosque shootings, afraid of? Were they worried that journalists not 100 percent sympathetic to the ideals animating the hui might report ...2 weeks ago
- Don’t get fooled: Electric vehicles really are better for the climateThis is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Daisy Simmons You may have heard the myth that electric vehicles are just as bad for the climate — or worse — than gas-powered cars and trucks. One common myth claims that the climate-warming pollution caused by manufacturing electric vehicle batteries ...2 weeks ago
- Further action to tackle crime and keep our communities safe
Every community in New Zealand should be a safe place to live, work and raise a family. Our Government is focused on tackling the complex issues that cause crime while also making sure that appropriate consequences are in place. ...12 hours ago - Backing farmers with a strong record on tradeAs countries around the world continue to face economic challenges, there is real reason for New Zealand to be optimistic about the future – and our primary sector is at the heart of that. ...2 days ago
- US court decision shows need for stronger protection of Māui dolphin
A decision by a United States Court to ban seafood imports from New Zealand shows the Government needs to do more to protect Māui dolphins. ...2 days ago - NZ needs strong protection against water privatisationNew Zealanders deserve strong protection against the future privatisation of water assets, the Green Party says. ...3 days ago
- Political parties call for action on IranParties from across Parliament have come together to call on the Government to take decisive action to hold those responsible for violence and human rights violations in Iran to account. ...1 week ago
- Social workers need to see pay equity immediatelyThe Green Party is welcoming today’s announcement that pay equity will be extended to more social workers, and urges the Government to work with unions to get this sorted as quickly as possible. ...1 week ago
- Case for excess profit tax on banks clearer than everThe Government should adopt an excess profits tax and use any revenue raised to help people make ends meet, following the rise in the Official Cash Rate today. ...1 week ago
- Easing the pressure on New ZealandersSince taking office in 2017, our Government has worked hard to lift wages and make life more affordable for New Zealanders, as we move forward with our plan to create economic security for all. ...1 week ago
- Crown mineral change does not go far enoughLong overdue changes to the Crown Minerals Act are a welcome step in the right direction but the Government needs to go further to end the nonsensical search for fossil fuels. ...1 week ago
- Healthy Homes for all means a WOF and Landlord RegisterThe Government’s decision to exclude landlords from property management regulations means more than half of Kiwi rentals will be left out in the cold. And, where they’re kicking the can down the road on Healthy Homes Standards, the Government falls short on the basics that a Rental Warrant of Fitness ...1 week ago
- Time to extend the voting ageThe Green Party is calling on the Government to take immediate action to lower the voting age to 16. ...2 weeks ago
- Supporting Kiwi kids this Children's DayOur Government has put the wellbeing of children at the heart of everything we do. As we celebrate World Children’s Day, we’re taking a look at some of the ways Labour is working to make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child. ...2 weeks ago
- Hate speech change welcome, but still leaves communities at riskThe Green Party welcomes hate speech reform to protect religious groups, but is concerned that the exclusion of gender, rainbow, and disability communities sends a signal that these groups are less deserving of protection. ...2 weeks ago
- Young people deserve betterThe National Party’s plan to put children into military boot camps is so flawed it is dangerous. ...2 weeks ago
- Thousands more homes under LabourWe’ve just announced a massive infrastructure investment to kick-start new housing developments across New Zealand. Through our Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, we’re making sure that critical infrastructure - like pipes, roads and wastewater connections - is in place, so thousands more homes can be built. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party solution better for Māori voters, not deal with NationalAn agreement between Labour and National misses an historic opportunity to make our democracy more accessible for Māori voters. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt must extend Samoa visa changes to all Pacific countriesThanks to Green Party pressure, visitors from Samoa can soon travel to Aotearoa without a visa – a right that should be extended to every Pacific country. ...2 weeks ago
- A cheaper, faster, better resource management systemOur Government is delivering a new resource management system that will better protect the environment while cutting red tape, lowering costs and speeding up the time it takes to approve new homes and infrastructure projects. ...2 weeks ago
- Nature missing in RMA reformThe Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt continuing to prioritise high income earners in immigration systemThe resumption today of the parent visa category needs to be followed by an end to the Government’s unfair salary based family reunification policy. ...3 weeks ago
- Supporting more Kiwis into jobsWe’re helping more Kiwis into work, to help support whānau, grow our skilled workforce and secure our economy for future generations. During our time in Government, we’ve delivered record low unemployment rates, as well as a steady fall in the number of New Zealanders receiving a main benefit, and we’re ...3 weeks ago
- Fix electricity market to help both climate and cost of livingThe four big electricity companies should be required to reinvest massive profits into cutting both household bills and climate pollution, the Green Party says. ...3 weeks ago
- Next Waitematā Harbour crossing must be climate-friendlyThe Minister for Transport can show climate leadership and consider only the lowest carbon ways of crossing Waitematā harbour. ...3 weeks ago
- Statement on the death of Sir Murray Halberg
New Zealand has lost one our true sporting icons with the passing of Sir Murray Halberg, Grant Robertson, Minister of Sport and Recreation said today. “Sir Murray was an extraordinary athlete. His gold medal in the 5000m at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 has been immortalised as part of New ...10 hours ago - Ministerial talks in Canberra to progress trans-Tasman relationshipThe importance of cooperation in the Pacific to support the region’s recovery and resilience will be a focus of formal talks in Canberra tomorrow between the Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and her Australian counterpart Penny Wong. Nanaia Mahuta will meet Senator Wong for the second formal Foreign Ministers’ Consultations following ...12 hours ago
- Iwi and Government partnership delivers more rental homes for Pāpāmoa whānauAssociate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare attended the official opening of 10 new rental homes built for working whānau of Ngā Pōtiki ā Tamapahore in Pāpāmoa today. “The Bay of Plenty region is one of many regions facing significant housing challenges and this Government is taking action by ...12 hours ago
- Government investment to support growth of Māori businesses and jobs in the primary sectorTotal exports by Māori businesses have grown by 38% since 2017 to $872 million, with the majority from the food and fibre sector Launch of Rautaki mo te Taurikura action plan to support the continued growth of Māori food and fibre sector Support for Māori agribusiness innovation and workforce development ...12 hours ago
- Government to address child abuse system failingsThe Government is adopting the majority of recommendations from an independent review into the actions of government agencies leading up to the death of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz, Minister for Children Kelvin Davis announced today. Following Malachi’s murder at the hands of his caregiver in 2021, Dame Karen Poutasi was appointed ...13 hours ago
- More tools to help Police deal with fleeing driversIncrease the maximum driver licence disqualification period for a second offence of failing to stop or remain stopped, from 12 months to between 12 months and 24 months; Amend the Sentencing Act 2002 so that a vehicle can be forfeited on conviction for failing to stop. Offenders could have their ...15 hours ago
- Govt books solid as global situation worsensThe Crown accounts are in a solid position thanks to the Government’s careful financial management through a deteriorating global environment. For the four months to the end of October, the Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) recorded a deficit of $2.8 billion, $274 million lower than forecast at Budget ...16 hours ago
- Expanded Dental Grants Available From Today· Increased Special Needs Grants for dental treatment are available to eligible New Zealanders available from today · New criteria means more Dental Treatment covered · People can now receive more than one grant in a year (any 52-week period), up to the maximum of $1,000 · Recent increases to ...17 hours ago
- Exports tracking towards new record high growthPrimary industry exports to reach new record high of $55 billion in 2023 Forecasts $2.9 billion higher than in June 2022 Tracking strongly towards a 4 per cent increase in the year ending June 2023, despite global downturn New Zealand’s record food and fibre export revenue is projected to reach ...22 hours ago
- New guidance for climate action at the local levelThe Government has released new guidance to support stronger links between New Zealand’s climate change goals, and local and regional planning. From today, it has become a legal requirement for local governments to consider the Government’s National Adaptation Plan and Emissions Reduction Plan when preparing or changing regional policy statements, ...1 day ago
- World-first bedside blood test good for people, good for health systemA single blood test that can diagnose heart attacks in minutes instead of hours, saving the health system millions of dollars and getting patients treated faster, is being rolled out in New Zealand hospitals, says Health Minister Andrew Little. “This research, led by emergency doctors at Christchurch Hospital, is ground-breaking,” ...2 days ago
- New rongoā workstream announced alongside Therapeutic Products BillA new workstream has been established within government to consider how rongoā might be protected in legislation. This comes as the Therapeutic Products Bill is introduced in Parliament today, Associate Minister for Health (Māori) Hon Peeni Henare said. “Under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Crown has an obligation to actively ...2 days ago
- Therapeutic Products Bill introducedLegislation to modernise the way medicines, medical devices and natural health products are regulated has been introduced in Parliament today. The Therapeutic Products Bill replaces the Medicines Act 1981 and Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985 with a comprehensive regulatory regime that is fit for the future. Health Minister Andrew Little said ...2 days ago
- New Climate Action Centre to support farmers maintain international edgeNew Climate Action Centre launched to support farmers reduce ag emissions through R&D investment 50:50 joint venture between Government and agribusiness to accelerate product development First Centre projects launched to get farmers the emissions reducing tools sooner Indicative funding commitment rising to $35 million per year by Joint venture partners, ...2 days ago
- Progress on firearms register and safety authorityThe launch today of a new firearms regulator to ensure the legitimate possession and use of firearms, and an online portal to apply for licences, marks a significant step towards modernisation and improvements in gun safety, Police Minister Chris Hipkins says. Police is moving from being an administrator of ...2 days ago
- Government sets out next steps for on-farm sequestration strategyGovernment to work with primary sector on developing a sequestration strategy Government confirms today it will bring all scientifically robust forms of sequestration into the Emissions Trading Scheme, starting from 2025. This will be done at full value, rather than at a discount, so farmers can realise the true potential ...2 days ago
- Prime Minister concludes bilateral talks with Finnish PMPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin have concluded their first in person bilateral meeting in Auckland this morning. The Prime Ministers reiterated how their respective countries shared similar values and reflected on ways to further strengthen the relationship between New Zealand and Finland. “New Zealand and Finland ...2 days ago
- Plan to boost value & lift sustainability of NZ forestry sectorSector ITP to grow domestic processing and low-carbon wood products Grow the wood processing sector by 3.5 million cubic metres (25%) by 2030 Grow export earnings from value-added wood products by $600 million by 2040 Increase the use of domestic timber in construction by 25% by 2030 The Forestry and ...2 days ago
- Government supports more energy-saving projects to help more Kiwis save money17 community energy-saving education projects share $1.7 million Builds on success of previous Government projects that have supported more than 13,000 households and 440 energy education events with more than 80,000 LEDs distributed Helping households to reduce their energy bills and make their homes warmer and more energy-efficient, is the ...2 days ago
- Govt funds new 80-bed mental health unit for CanterburyThe Government has granted final approval for a new 80-bed acute mental health facility at the Hillmorton Hospital campus, Health Minister Andrew Little says. “This is the second stage of Hillmorton’s major infrastructure redevelopment programme and is one of the largest investments ever made in New Zealand’s mental health infrastructure ...2 days ago
- Māori education momentum rolls on with new wharekuraA new Year 1-13 wharekura will extend Māori Medium Education into Porirua West from 2027, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. “The establishment of Te Kākā Kura o Ngāti Toa Rangatira will over time provide a local option for up to 200 tamariki and rangatahi on the western side ...2 days ago
- Easing administrative burden on farmers through new integrated farm planning projects37 new investments to simplify planning and reduce paperwork for farmers and growers Targeted projects for Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, West Coast, Canterbury, and Otago Resources, a digital wallet and template tools to help farmers develop and integrate their farm planning. The Government is ...3 days ago
- New Commerce Commission Chair appointedCommerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark has today announced the appointment of Dr John Small as the new Chair of the Commerce Commission. “Dr Small has made a valuable contribution to a broad range of the Commission’s work in his roles as associate member and member, which he ...3 days ago
- Realising housing dreams for the Kāpiti CoastMuch needed public housing is on the way for the Kāpiti Coast thanks to the Government’s purchase of a large vacant plot of land at 59-69 Raumati Road in Raumati Beach. “This purchase will ultimately mean more families have a place to call home and demonstrates our commitment to resolving ...3 days ago
- Decarbonisation industry milestone reached in TimaruA pioneering boiler conversion project is now up and ready to go, using woodchips to make potato chips, while slashing emissions. “McCain’s newly converted coal boiler will reduce CO2 emissions at its Timaru factory by 95% and is an excellent example of the great climate gains we can achieve through ...3 days ago
- Fiftieth Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations With ChinaChinese Embassy Reception Te Papa, Wellington Tēnā koutou katoa, Da jia hao Let me first acknowledge Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, thank you for the invitation this evening, it is a pleasure to be here. I would also like to acknowledge current and former Parliamentary colleagues, as well as members of ...3 days ago
- Govt keeps AM on the air in NorthlandMinister of Broadcasting and Media Willie Jackson and Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty today announced a $1.48 million package to fund the repair and replacement of three transmission masts in Northland to ensure AM radio can stay on air in the region. “This funding will secure the reinstatement of ...3 days ago
- Multi million dollar package to tackle retail crime and reoffendingA multi million dollar package to tackle retail crime and reoffending is the most significant crime prevention financial package in recent memory New fog cannon subsidy scheme set up. Government to provide $4000 for all small shops and dairies in New Zealand who want a fog cannon installed, with shops ...3 days ago
- Funding boost to support NZ’s game development industryNew Zealand’s game developers will receive an immediate funding boost to help support the growth of local studios beyond the current Dunedin centre. “New Zealand’s game development sector has been rapidly growing. The latest data from the New Zealand Game Developers Association shows the total revenue for the industry is ...4 days ago
- A new strategy for Pacific housingNew and existing housing initiatives are being brought together to improve home ownership for Pacific people said Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. Fale mo Aiga: Pacific Housing Strategy and Action Plan 2030, launched today, is the Government’s targeted response to the housing challenges faced by Pacific Aotearoa. Minister ...4 days ago
- Government takes action on pay parity for healthcare workersThousands of frontline community health workers – including nurses in aged-care facilities - are in for a pay rise as the Labour Government takes action on pay parity in the health sector. “I’m pleased to announce that Cabinet has agreed to on-going funding of $200 million a year so that ...4 days ago
- World’s first algae-based local anaesthetic another step closer to realityA partnership between the Government and the Cawthron Institute has delivered a breakthrough in the production of a potent microalgal ingredient for the world’s first algae-based pain medication, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced. “Scientists at Cawthron Institute in Nelson have developed a reliable and commercially scalable method for producing neosaxitoxin, ...6 days ago
- Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown sign Agreement in Principle| Ka waitohu a Ngāti Mutunga o...Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown have signed an Agreement in Principle marking a significant milestone towards the settlement of their historical Treaty of Waitangi claims. Ngāti Mutunga are based on Wharekauri/Chatham Islands and are the second of two iwi/imi to reach agreement with the Crown. “Today’s signing follows ...6 days ago
- Further ACC reforms introduced to ParliamentNew reporting requirements on access to ACC Earlier access to minimum rate of compensation Refinement to ACC purpose to focus on supporting all eligible injured people to access ACC The Accident Compensation (Access Reporting and Other Matters) Amendment Bill which aims to improve access to ACC for all injured people, ...6 days ago
- Government supports Chatham Islands' resilienceThe Government is supporting the Chatham Islands’ resilience to extreme weather events and natural hazards through a grant to secure safe drinking water, Minister for Emergency Management Kieran McAnulty said. “Many households in the Chatham Islands lack easy access to drinking water and have been forced to get water to ...7 days ago
- New Chief Coroner appointedCoroner Anna Tutton has been appointed as the new Chief Coroner, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. Anna Tutton was appointed as a Coroner in January 2015, based in Christchurch, and as Deputy Chief Coroner in 2020. After the previous Chief Coroner, Judge Deborah Marshall, retired Ms Tutton took on the ...7 days ago
- DIRA Amendment Bill passes third readingThe Government has passed an Amendment Bill today to support Fonterra’s move to a new capital structure and the continued success of New Zealand’s dairy industry. The Dairy Industry Restructuring (Fonterra Capital Restructuring) Amendment Bill will allow the Fonterra co-operative to make changes to its capital structure, as well as ...1 week ago
- Minister Whaitiri to attend Food Ministers’ Meeting with Australian counterpartsMinister for Food Safety Meka Whaitiri will attend the Fourth Australia and New Zealand Food Ministers’ Meeting in Melbourne on Friday. It will be the first time the meeting has been held in person since the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted international travel. “The Food Ministers’ Meeting sets the policy direction for ...1 week ago
- New Kiwibank parent appoints directorsDavid McLean and Sir Brian Roche have been appointed as the first two directors of the newly incorporated Kiwi Group Capital Limited (KCG), the parent company of Kiwibank. In August, the Government acquired 100 percent of Kiwi Group Holdings, which also operates New Zealand Home Loans, from NZ Post, ACC ...1 week ago
- Defence Ministers meet in CambodiaMinister of Defence Peeni Henare attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Siem Reap, Cambodia. “The first face to face meeting of the ADMM-Plus members is an opportunity for me to highlight New Zealand’s position on key regional security matters,” Peeni Henare said. “In ...1 week ago
- Pacific marks 61st year flying of Papua’s banned Morning Star flag
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Reports of threats by Indonesia against “Free West Papua” activists have come to light on the anniversary of the first raising of West Papua’s emblem of independence. “The security level is increased, they send direct threats, phone calls or SMS and in the past ...2 hours ago - Grattan on Friday: To have the best chance of success, the Voice must be sold to voters as a positiv...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Mick Tsikas/AAP Australia has only a year or less to get itself ready to vote on one of the most significant constitutional referendums in its history – to insert an Indigenous Voice into ...3 hours ago
- Banning menthol cigarettes and more health warnings are only the start. Australia could look to NZ f...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Coral Gartner, Director, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, The University of Queensland Pawel Czerwinski/Unsplash, CC BY-SA This week’s announcement of a raft of new tobacco control measures – including banning menthol products and proposing health ...7 hours ago
- New report reveals grim lack of progress to cut overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait I...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharynne Hamilton, Senior Research Fellow, Co-Head, Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, Telethon Kids Institute Shutterstock The latest Family Matters report reveals a grim lack of progress to eliminate the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care. The ...8 hours ago
- National, Labour leaders in Hamilton to endorse by-election candidates
Voters may be feeling slightly apathetic and suffering election fatigue but a crucial seat is up for grabs in Hamilton this month. ...9 hours ago - The annual Spinoff guilt-free (and goat-free) ethical Christmas guide
Give the gift of righteousness with these desirable goods that take little from the planet and often give a whole bunch back. A Welsh Christmas traditionally involves a zombie horse. In Catalonia there’s a nativity scene figure called the caganer, a little man who contributes to the holy proceedings by ...9 hours ago - Cocaine Bear is a real movie and not a 30 Rock jokeNot much more to say. Cocaine Bear, inspired by true events, focuses on a bear that – you guessed it – did a lot of cocaine. Then it went on a rampage. Enjoy the trailer. ...9 hours ago
- Guyon Espiner: Wasted throws down the gauntlet on drug reformTwo critical TV programmes on our drug laws in two weeks are a clear sign that Aotearoa wants change, says the NZ Drug Foundation’s Sarah Helm. But is the government listening? When you spend years pushing for change, there are certain moments when you can feel things shifting. Moments when ...9 hours ago
- New police powers aimed at fleeing driversFollowing on from Monday’s crime prevention update, the government has announced a crackdown on fleeing drivers. The maximum driver licence disqualification period for a second offence of failing to stop or remain stopped will be upped from 12 months as high as 24 months. The law will be amended so ...9 hours ago
- Ardern government seeks to butter up farmers with bold export forecasts and on-farm sequestration ch...
Farmers had plenty to digest this week: first, the Ministry of Primary Industries assesses exports from the sector will hit a record high $55bn in 2023; second, the government took an important step back on the on-farm sequestration programme; and third, Field Days at Mystery Creek engrossed those who attended ...9 hours ago - Govt moves to modernise control of our meds, but wait: Māori healers can bring the Treaty (signed i...
Buzz from the Beehive Conflicts between Treaty of Waitangi demands to protect Māori healing methods and the influence of medical science on health regulators have been anticipated, as the Government introduces the Therapeutic Products Bill in Parliament. The Bill, aimed at modernising the way medicines, medical devices and natural health ...10 hours ago - What’s new to Netflix NZ, Neon and other streaming services in DecemberWhat are you going to be watching in November? We round up everything coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ+. The biggies National Treasure: Edge of History (on Disney+ from December 14) For years, people have been asking for another ...10 hours ago
- Labor, Greens and Legalise Cannabis likely to have combined majority in Victorian upper houseSource: 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 Con Chronis/AAP There has been much more counting for the Victorian upper house since Saturday night, when under 30% had ...10 hours ago
- Spotify Wrapped, Apple Music Replay and Instafest: what do end of year music wrap-ups say about our ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Byron, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Wollongong Spotify Now that we’ve hit December, many people looking on their social media feeds will be seeing end-of-year listening roundups like Instafest, Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay. These roundups analyse your ...10 hours ago
- Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup: Nicky Hager strikes a win for media freedom and democracyAnalysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political Roundup: Nicky Hager strikes a win for media freedom and democracy Investigative Journalist, Nicky Hager. Image; Wikimedia. Do New Zealand state spies unlawfully surveil the government’s political critics? Do they spy on critical journalists? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. And yesterday the government domestic security ...11 hours ago
- https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2212/S00011/.htm
...11 hours ago - Why do nurse home visits stop a few weeks after giving birth? Extending them to 2 years benefits the...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Price, The Erdi Foundation Child Health Equity (COVID-19) Scholar, Centre for Community Child Health | Honorary, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne | Team Leader / Senior Research Officer, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Pexels/Sarah Chai Bringing home a new ...11 hours ago
- PETA Comment In Response To PM AnnouncementThe New Zealand government’s kowtowing to famers on climate tax by proposing to allow “sequestering” technology and pledging $4 million towards research into “low-methane sheep” is a step backwards when it comes to future-proofing the ...11 hours ago
- A live report from Las Vegas, where NZ companies have joined the cloudChris Schulz is in Las Vegas (!) this week and filed this report from on the ground: Lanyards are being swung around necks, thousands of meeting rooms are booked out, swag bags are being loaded with free goodies, cover bands are playing bars en masse and data is on everyone’s ...11 hours ago
- What is a windfall tax – and should New Zealand introduce one?As workers and households tighten their belts, should we not have a windfall tax on corporate mega-profits too? Professor of taxation Lisa Marriott explains the arguments for and against. Record profits reported by banks, fuel retailers, energy companies and other businesses at a time many New Zealanders are struggling to ...11 hours ago
- Oceania Indigenous ‘guardians’ call for self-determination on West Papua dayOPEN LETTER: The Ōtepoti Declaration by the Indigenous Caucus of the Nuclear Connections Across Oceania Conference On the 61st anniversary of the first raising of West Papua’s symbol of independence — 1 December 1961 — the Morning Star flag: We, the Indigenous caucus of the movement for self-determination, decolonisation, nuclear ...11 hours ago
- Increased Penalties For Fleeing Drivers “mainly A Political Stunt”Increased penalties for drivers who flee from the police are mainly a political stunt and will do little to prevent these crimes, says the car review website dogandlemon.com . Dogandlemon.com editor Clive Matthew-Wilson, who is an outspoken road safety campaigner, ...11 hours ago
- A new law offers better protection for indigenous plants of significance to Māori, but no requireme...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Jefferson, Lecturer, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/Fabrizio Guarisco New Zealand law has generally treated agriculture, biodiversity conservation and the protection of Indigenous knowledge (mātauranga Māori) as separate areas. This changed last month when parliament passed a major reform of ...11 hours ago
- PODCAST: A People’s Protest Rises Within the PRC and Iran – Buchanan and ManningIn this, the 23rd episode of A View from Afar for 2022 political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan and host Selwyn Manning analyse the significance of public protests that have challenged authoritarian rule in both the People’s Republic of China and in the Republic of Iran. Paul takes us through ...12 hours ago
- Auckland Mayor And Social Development Minister Meet To Break The Cycle Of Youth CrimeAuckland Mayor Wayne Brown met with Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Carmel Sepuloni, in Auckland yesterday. The two discussed how Auckland Council and government can work together to address shared areas of concern focusing on youth ...13 hours ago
- BlueWalker 3, an enormous and bright communications satellite, is genuinely alarming astronomersSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. I. Brown, Associate Professor in Astronomy, Monash University Trail from BlueWalker 3 above Kitt Peak telescope in Arizona. KPNO/NOIRLab/IAU/SKAO/NSF/AURA/R. Sparks The night sky is a shared wilderness. On a dark night, away from the city lights, you can see the ...13 hours ago
- How to give a Secret Santa present that isn’t shitNo idea what to get for your Secret Santa this year? We asked the experts. It’s the most terrible time of the year: a time where good folks across the motu are emotionally strong-armed into dropping a crisp $20 on a colleague, relative or frenemy they know little to nothing ...13 hours ago
- Extend $1,000 Dental Grants To Those Earning Less Than Living WageThe increased special dental grants which take effect today should also be made available to all earning below New Zealand’s Living Wage, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists’ Executive Director Sarah Dalton says. Today, the Ministry ...13 hours ago
- ANZASW Response To Reviews Into Death Of Malachi SubeczMoe mai rā e te taonga, Malachi. Our thoughts and condolences are with Malachi’s whānau at this incredibly challenging time. The findings from the reviews released today show Malachi and his whānau were let down by the numerous systems that should ...13 hours ago
- Drug laws 'certainly not ideal', admits Health Minister Andrew LittleAndrew Little says the way many drugs are regulated "causes social harm" but there's no mandate for radical change. ...14 hours ago
- Applications To Initiate A Fair Pay Agreement Open On 1 DecemberThe Fair Pay Agreements system comes into effect on 1 December, which means eligible unions can start the process to initiate a Fair Pay Agreement. They will need to apply to the Chief Executive of MBIE for approval to begin bargaining for a specific ...14 hours ago
- John Key joins another boardFormer prime minister John Key has joined the board of another company – Oritain. The NBR described the company as a “global leader” in applying forensic and data science to prove the origin of a product. Key reportedly liked Oritain’s story and despite initially saying no to the board offer, ...14 hours ago
- Little reflects on cannabis referendumIt’s almost the end of the week! Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for Thursday, December 1 – made possible by our members. I’m Stewart Sowman-Lund, reach me on [email protected] The agenda Andrew Little, the health minister, says there’s no “social license” for drug law changes. The details of ...14 hours ago
- Shock: Sue Grey used her radio slots to peddle misinformationOne of New Zealand’s most prominent conspiracy theorists also happens to be a qualified lawyer – and that, as Stewart Sowman-Lund explains, presents difficulties for the media. The media has been faced with a difficult paradox for the entire Covid-19 pandemic: how do you effectively report on what is happening ...14 hours ago
- Details of first sabotage conviction revealedThe details of New Zealand’s first convicted case of sabotage can finally be revealed. Earlier this year, Graham Philip pleaded guilty to sabotage and was sentenced to just over three years in prison. It’s now been revealed that Philip, in protest at the government’s Covid-19 restrictions and vaccination mandate, attempted ...14 hours ago
- Fleetwood Mac vocalist Christine McVie diesOne of the lead vocalists from iconic pop rock band Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie, has died at the age of 79. In a statement, the band said there were “no words” to describe the sadness of McVie’s passing. “She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure.” The prolific singer-songwriter ...14 hours ago
- Listen: Gone By Lunchtime on the fog of OrrAs the Reserve Bank governor paints a gruesome picture for the year ahead, Gone By Lunchtime asks what it means for the election. Also in this episode: National kills its tax cut darling, Christopher Luxon stumbles on super numbers, the boot camp brouhaha, Winston Peters’ break from tradition, and ...14 hours ago
- Revelations on the murky fate of flag ‘treason’ prisoners in West PapuaToday marks 1 December 1961 when the West Papuan national flag, the Morning Star was first raised and the date has been honoured across the world ever since. The flag was raised by West Papuan legislators who had been promised independence by then-colonial ruler, the Netherlands, but this hope was ...14 hours ago
- North Korea’s nuclear program is funded by stolen cryptocurrency. Could it collapse now that FTX h...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Jin Kang, Adjunct Lecturer, Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University 朝鮮通信社/AP Since the world’s second-largest crypto exchange, FTX, declared bankruptcy earlier this month, the flow-on effects have been felt far and wide. But among the many victims are ...14 hours ago
- ‘You have to beg for help’: how our welfare system pressures people to perform vulnerabilitySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Mitchell, Postdoctoral research fellow, Western Sydney University People who rely on welfare payments to survive are often required to repeatedly tell stories of their personal hardships. In a conditional welfare system, many must regularly attend compulsory appointments, job search training courses, ...15 hours ago
- Ngāti Raukawa Treaty Claims To Be Heard In LevinLike a sandpiper whose sandbanks have become obliterated by the flowing tide is a quote that Ani Mikaere of Ngāti Pareraukawa descent uses to describe the “virtual confiscation” of their land by the colonial government. The result was the hapū ...15 hours ago
- ‘I’m Māori first’: The vision-impaired community finding strength in whakapapa How a long-running Māori-led organisation is helping tāngata kāpō Māori find both support and solidarity. To listen to an audio recording of this story, read by author Meriana Johnsen, use the embedded player below or click here. The Spinoff · ‘I’m Māori first’: The vision-impaired community finding strength ...15 hours ago
- A brief look at the harm Australia’s 501 policy has causedThe recent killing of a dairy owner in Auckland has once again brought Australia’s migration laws to the fore. Don Rowe looks back on the controversial 501 policy. The man accused of murdering Auckland dairy worker Janak Patel last week is reported to have been deported from Australia earlier this ...15 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Fair pay paperwork to be filed today for hospitality workersThe Fair Pay Agreement Act takes effect from today. As the Herald’s Jenée Tibshraeny reports (paywalled) this morning, Unite Union plans to submit paperwork with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today to get approval to start fair pay bargaining on behalf of hospitality workers. Charlotte Muru-Lanning, editor of The ...15 hours ago
- Porirua City Council Supports Lowering The Voting Age To 16Porirua City Council has backed a motion from Pāuatahanui ward councillor Josh Trlin to support the Make It 16 campaign, which aims to lower the voting age. The hope is that other local authorities will also endorse the movement to lower the ...15 hours ago
- What the compromise IR deal means for wage negotiations, and pay risesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Stewart, John Bray Professor of Law, University of Adelaide The Albanese government’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill is all set to become law, after Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke revealed amendments to secure the support of the Greens and ACT independent ...15 hours ago
- Government finances in better shape than expectedThe government's tax take is holding up but expenses are just above forecast. ...16 hours ago
- The Eldernet Group Supports Call To Keep NZ Super Age At 65The Eldernet Group is throwing its support behind Retirement Commissioner Jane Wrightson’s call to keep NZ Super’s age of eligibility at 65. We also agree that an increase to the asset limit for the accommodation supplement is well overdue, as the current ...16 hours ago
- Live Midday Today: A People’s Protest Rises Within the PRC and Iran – Buchanan and Manning[email protected] NZ Time – 6pm USEST – In this, the 23rd episode of A View from Afar for 2022 political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan and host Selwyn Manning will analyse the significance of public protests that have challenged authoritarian rule in both the People’s Republic of China and in ...17 hours ago
- Dunne Speaks: When Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest WordLast week, as Parliament sat under Extended Hours to pass the Committee of the Whole stage of the controversial Water Services Entities Bill, the Greens moved an amendment requiring that the support of a minimum of 60% of a future Parliament would be required ...17 hours ago
- No ‘social license’ for drug law changes: Little reflects on failed cannabis referendumRNZ journalist Guyon Espiner’s documentary on New Zealand’s drug laws aired last night. It questioned why the country was falling behind other jurisdictions in its approach to tackling the never-ending health crisis surrounding drugs like cannabis. As Espiner explained, thousands of New Zealanders are convicted for fairly low level drug ...18 hours ago
- House prices are falling – isn’t that what we want?A year ago, the overpriced housing market was the number one concern for New Zealanders. Now, it’s “doom and gloom” as prices fall. One economist says falling prices should be a relief, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday morning, sign ...18 hours ago
- Astronomers witness the dying flare of a star torn apart by a black hole halfway across the UniverseSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University An unlucky star is torn apart by the strong gravity of a black hole, leading to the launching of a relativistic jet. Carl Knox – OzGrav, ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, Swinburne University of ...18 hours ago
- What COVID has taught us about sharing our emotions – and why now’s a good time to share againSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa A Williams, Associate professor, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney Unsplash/Kate Trifo, CC BY Although they were only two-and-a-half years ago, the first months of the COVID pandemic and ensuing lockdowns seem like a distant past. We have – ...18 hours ago
- ‘Earth’s empty quarter’: many Pacific nations now have falling populationsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Connell, Professor of Human Geography, University of Sydney Shutterstock In 1989, distinguished Australian geographer Gerard Ward wrote that the Pacific was emptying out. As people on smaller islands left to seek opportunity elsewhere, the region risked becoming Earth’s empty ...18 hours ago
- What the compromise IR package means for wage negotiations, and pay risesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Stewart, John Bray Professor of Law, University of Adelaide The Albanese government’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill is all set to become law, after Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke revealed amendments to secure the support of the Greens and ACT independent ...18 hours ago
- Am I ever gonna see your face again? Nuanced and thoughtful, Kickin’ Down the Door puts The Angels...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, PhD Candidate, La Trobe University Maslow Entertainment When I was a kid, my dad Max took me to basketball games at Melbourne’s Entertainment Centre. I’d wait in my plastic bucket chair as the cheerleaders shook their pom ...18 hours ago
- On a superyacht with an OnlyFans empireAlex Casey spends six hours at sea with a group of Gen Z creators who are reinventing the porn industry. Before she was an OnlyFans creator, Charlie was an expert in a very different flesh-related field. Working at a butchery for minimum wage, she describes it as an extremely physical ...19 hours ago
- The limits – and possibilities – of counting carbonCounting carbon emissions is messy, complicated and imperfect. But it’s a start, and not one that any business – or nation – can afford not to make. “You can’t let the lack of good data stop you from starting,” says Austin Hansell, the remarkably energetic carbon product manager of Toitū, ...19 hours ago
- The fog of OrrAs Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr paints a gruesome picture for the year ahead, Ben Thomas, Annabelle Lee-Mather and Toby Manhire ask what it means for the election ahead. Plus: National kills its tax cut darling, Christopher Luxon stumbles on super numbers, the boot camp brouhaha, Winston Peters’ break from ...1 day ago
- Niue faces covid-19 community transmission for first timeBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The Niue government has confirmed the country is experiencing covid-19 community transmission for the first time since the virus was recorded at the border in March. “We don’t have additional resources to be finding sources of infection, previously we haven’t done that before. “This ...1 day ago
- Word from The Hill: Federal parliament’s ‘salt mines’ final weekSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As well as her interviews with politicians and experts, Politics with Michelle Grattan includes “Word from The Hill”, where she discusses the news with members of The Conversation politics team. In this podcast Michelle and ...1 day ago
- Parents refusing vaccinated donor blood for baby should consider decisions carefully – LittleThe Minister of Health says the parents who want only unvaccinated blood for their baby's heart surgery should "listen to the health advice on offer". ...1 day ago
- View from The Hill: Scott Morrison makes parliamentary history – for the worst of reasonsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Among the slew of mostly predictable speeches that culminated in the first-ever House of Representatives censure of a former prime minister, one stood out. Bridget Archer, Liberal backbencher from Tasmania, was brief and brave, ...1 day ago
- 20 years of tracking sexual harassment at work shows little improvement. But that could be about to ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Heap, Doctoral Researcher, RMIT University Shutterstock The fifth national survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, published today, shows little has changed since the last survey in 2018 – or indeed since the first survey in 2003. It ...1 day ago
- Nicky Hager wins apology and $40,000 compensation from NZ spy agencyThe Security Intelligence Service has agreed to issue a public apology and pay $40,000 compensation and $26,400 in legal costs to investigative journalist Nicky Hager over the unlawful capture of call logs from his phone. It follows a 2019 ruling by the spy agency watchdog, the IGIS, which determined the ...1 day ago
- It’s time we closed the political donation backdoorA new report by researchers Max Rashbrooke and Lisa Marriott into the laws around political donations in Aotearoa suggests there are significant gaps in our current regulatory system – and that people are actively taking advantage of them. In this comic, we take a look at what’s wrong with the ...1 day ago
- NZ’s terror threat level drops to lowest since March 15 attackNew Zealand’s terror threat level has dropped to low – the first time it has been at that level since the March 15 mosque attacks in Christchurch more than three years ago. As Stuff reported, that means the risk of a terror attack on our shores has dropped down from ...1 day ago
- Two prime ministers meet to talk about meetingFinland’s prime minister Sanna Marin met with Jacinda Ardern at an official ceremony this morning. Against the backdrop of global unrest, it took on added significance. Stewart Sowman-Lund was there. It was on the “special request” of Finnish prime minister Sanna Marin that she sat down today on New Zealand ...1 day ago
- The bar for supporting women’s rugby is still on the floorWe shouldn’t celebrate brands for finally doing what they could’ve done years ago, argues Madeleine Chapman. On Monday night, Sanitarium announced through consumer affairs programme Fair Go (and later on Instagram) that the Black Ferns would feature on Stat Attack cards in 2023. The cards, which come as a collectible ...1 day ago
- Curious Kids: What would happen if all animals on Earth were herbivores?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mitchell G. Nye-Wood, Research Fellow, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock What would happen if all animals on Earth were herbivores? – Molly, age 9, Melbourne Thanks for the great question, Molly! We hear a lot about how ...1 day ago
- Keith Rankin Essay – How do Left-Wing Elites Make their Money?Analysis by Keith Rankin. The academic study of history, more than anything else, is about the relationships between social elites and the lower classes. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Yet, when it comes to ...1 day ago
- Could the Nationals’ refusal to support a Voice to Parliament derail the referendum?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Melleuish, Professor, School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, University of Wollongong Mick Tsikas/AAP The Nationals have declared they will support the No case for the Voice referendum. This position has not been endorsed by all the Nationals, with the ...1 day ago
- Chlorophyll water can’t clear your skin or detox your liver. But this TikTok trend got one thing r...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Beckett, Senior Lecturer (Food Science and Human Nutrition), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle Shutterstock If you follow health trends online, you might have heard about “chlorophyll water”. Claims range from clearing your skin, stopping body ...1 day ago
- NZSIS Apologises To Nicky Hager For Unlawfully Obtaining Private Phone Records...1 day ago
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