Weekend social 03/04/2015
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3:59 pm, April 3rd, 2015 - 15 comments
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever.
No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?
15 comments on “Weekend social 03/04/2015 ”
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- New Zealand invests in cutting edge cancer R&DScaling up the manufacture of CAR T-cell cancer therapy for clinical trials Advancing New Zealandâs biomedical manufacturing capability Supporting future international scientific collaborations Transforming cancer care with targeted, affordable solutions Research, Science and Innovation Minister Hon Dr Megan Woods has announced that the fight against COVID-19 will not stop the ...3 days ago
- Expert group appointed to lead New Zealandâs future health systemAn outstanding group of people with extensive and wide-ranging governance and health experience have been appointed to lead the MÄori Health Authority and Health New Zealand, Health Minister Andrew Little says. âThis Government is building a truly national health system to provide consistent, high-quality health services right across the country. This ...3 days ago
- Funding to help clean up contaminated sitesThe Government is supporting the clean-up of contaminated sites in Northland, Dunedin and Southland to reduce risk to peopleâs health and protect the environment. Environment Minister David Parker said the funding announced today, through the Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund, will help us turn previously hazardous sites into safe, usable public ...3 days ago
- Predator Free apprenticeships open up new job opportunitiesThe expansion of a predator free apprenticeship programme is an opportunity for more people to kick-start a conservation career, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. âThe Predator Free Apprenticeship Programme is focused on increasing the number of skilled predator control operators in New Zealand through a two-year training programme. âThe Trust ...4 days ago
- Further NCEA support confirmed for Auckland studentsThe number of Learning Recognition Credits for senior secondary school students will be increased for Auckland students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. This recognises the extended time these students will spend in Alert Levels 3 and 4. âIt means students in Auckland will have a fair opportunity to attain ...4 days ago
- Long-term pathway next step to better mental wellbeing for New ZealandersThe Government is taking a new approach to support people who experience mental distress, Health Minister Andrew Little says. âKia Manawanui Aotearoa â Long-term pathway to mental wellbeing (Kia Manawanui) is the first 10-year plan of its kind that targets the cause of mental distress and also sets out how ...4 days ago
- Keeping our Police safe to keep our communities safeThe Government is committed to keeping our frontline police officers safe, so they in turn can keep New Zealanders safe â with one of the largest investments in frontline safety announced by Police Minister Poto Williams at the Police College today. Â The $45 million investment includes $15.496 million in ...4 days ago
- Clean Vehicles Bill passes first checkpointThe Land Transport (Clean Vehicles) Amendment Bill will help New Zealand drive down transport emissions by cleaning up the light vehicle fleet, Transport Minister Michael Wood says. The Bill passed its first reading today and will establish the legislative framework for key parts of the Governmentâs Clean Car Package, including ...4 days ago
- Funding boost supports ongoing MÄori COVID-19 responseThe Government is responding to the need by whÄnau MÄori and MÄori Health providers to support their ongoing work responding to COVID-19 and to continue increasing rates of MÄori vaccination, Associate Minister for Health (MÄori Health), Peeni Henare and Minister for MÄori Development Willie Jackson announced today. Â This increased ...4 days ago
- Significant increase to COVID-19 penaltiesPenalties for breaches of COVID-19 orders are set to significantly increase from early November 2021 to better reflect the seriousness of any behaviour that threatens New Zealandâs response to the virus, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. âThroughout this Delta outbreak weâve seen the overwhelming majority of people doing ...5 days ago
- Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill returns to ParliamentThe Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill has returned to Parliament for its second reading in an important step towards giving enforcement agencies greater power to protect New Zealanders from terrorist activity. âThe Bill addresses longstanding gaps in our counter terrorism legislation that seek to protect New Zealanders and make us safer,â Justice ...5 days ago
- Joint Statement: New Zealand and Australian Trade MinistersHon Damien O'Connor MP, New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth, and Hon Dan Tehan MP, Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, met virtually on Monday 20 September to advance trans-Tasman cooperation under the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement (CER). CER is one of the most ...5 days ago
- Prime Ministerâs Post Cabinet Press Conference/COVID-19 Update opening statement***Please check against delivery***  E te tÄ«, e te tÄ, nau mai rÄ [To all, I bid you welcome]  As you will have seen earlier, today there are 22 new community cases to report; three of which are in Whakatiwai in the Hauraki area, and the remainder in ...5 days ago
- Major milestones for MÄori COVID-19 vaccine rollout as new campaign launchesWhÄnau Ora and Associate Health (MÄori Health) Minister Peeni Henare acknowledges two major milestones in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme for MÄori. âI am very pleased to announce more than 50 percent of eligible MÄori have received their first dose and 25 per cent are now fully vaccinated,â ...7 days ago
- Government funding to fight infectious diseases$36 million for research into Covid-19 and other infectious diseases The investment will improve our readiness for future pandemics Research will focus on prevention, control, and management of infectious diseases The Governmentâs investing in a new Infectious Diseases Research Platform to boost Aotearoa New Zealandâs Covid-19 response and preparedness for ...7 days ago
- Quarantine-free travel with Australia to remain suspended for a further 8 weeksSuspension to be reviewed again mid to late November Decision brought forward to enable access from Australia to first tranche of around 3000 rooms in MIQ Air New Zealand working at pace to put on more flights from Australia from October   The suspension of quarantine-free travel (QFT) with Australia has ...1 week ago
- Extra support for Ethnic Communities to share vaccination informationExtra support is being made available to Ethnic Communities to help them share COVID-19 vaccination information within their communities, Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan said. âWe know we need to get every eligible person in New Zealand vaccinated. A fund being launched today will allow for ...1 week ago
- School holidays remain unchanged for Auckland regionSchool holidays in Auckland will continue to be held at the same time as the rest of the country, starting from Saturday, 2 October, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said today. âIâve carefully considered advice on the implications of shifting the dates and concluded that on balance, maintaining the status quo ...1 week ago
- Government continues crackdown on gangs and organised crimeOperation Tauwhiro extended until March 2022 Since it was launched in February, Operation Tauwhiro has resulted in: Â 987 firearms seized $4.99 million in cash seized 865 people charged with a firearms-related offence Gangs and organised crime groups will continue to be relentlessly targeted with the extension of Policeâs successful ...1 week ago
- Speech to Body Positive 'HIV Treatments Update Seminar 2021'E ngÄ mana E ngÄ reo E ngÄ iwi TÄnÄ koutou katoa Ka huri ki ngÄ mana whenua o te rohe nei. TÄnÄ koutou. He mihi hoki ki a tatou kua tau mai nei I raro I te kaupapa o te rÄ. NĆ reira tÄnÄ koutou katoa Acknowledgements Itâs a ...1 week ago
- Power bill changes bring fairness to chargesA key recommendation of an independent panel to make electricity charges fairer across all households will be put in place, the Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods has announced. âPhasing out the regulations on âlow-useâ electricity plans will create a fairer playing field for all New Zealanders and encourage a ...1 week ago
- NZ economyâs strong momentum will support rebound from Delta outbreak; COVID fund replenishedThe economy showed strong momentum in the period leading up to the recent Delta COVID-19 outbreak, which bodes well for a solid economic rebound, Grant Robertson said. GDP rose 2.8 percent in the June quarter, following on from a 1.4 percent increase in the previous March quarter. This was a ...1 week ago
- Projects create benefits into the futureMaking a well-known lake swimmable and helping to halt the decline of the endangered hoiho/yellow-eyed penguins are among a suite of new projects being supported by the Governmentâs Jobs for Nature programme across the southern South Island, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. âItâs no secret that many of our most ...1 week ago
- Opening statement for WhÄriki Indigenous Small Business Roundtable Kei ngÄ tĆpito e wha o te Äo e rere ana te mihi maioha ki a koutou nĆ tawhiti, nĆ tata mai e tÄpiri ana ki tÄnei taumata kĆrero mo te ao hokohoko arÄ mÄ ngÄ pÄkihi mo ngÄ iwi taketake TÄnÄ koutou, tÄnÄ koutou katoa â Pai MÄrire. ...1 week ago
- New members appointed to KÄpuiaThe Government is adding four additional members to KÄpuia, the Ministerial Advisory Group on the Governmentâs Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques. âIâm looking forward to having Pamela MacNeill, Huia Bramley, Melani Anae and Katherine Dedo  join KÄpuia and contribute to this groupâs ...1 week ago
- Timeline confirmed for Emissions Reductions PlanCabinet has agreed to begin consulting on the Emissions Reduction Plan in early October and require that the final plan be released by the end of May next year in line with the 2022 Budget, the Minister of Climate Change, James Shaw confirmed today. âCabinetâs decision allows organisations and communities ...2 weeks ago
- Pay parity pathway for early learning teachers confirmedPay parity conditions and higher funding rates for education and care services will come into force on 1 January, 2022, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins confirmed today. The Government signalled this work in Budget 2021. âFrom 1 January, 2022, centres opting into the scheme will receive government funding and be ...2 weeks ago
- Speech to the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Conference 2021Kia Ora tatau katoa.  Ka tuku mihi ki nga nÄhi, He pou Hauora o Aotearoa, E ora ai tatou.  Whakatau mai I runga i te kaupapa o te ra Te NZNO conference.  Tena koutou tena koutou Tena tatou katoa  Good morning, and thank you inviting me ...2 weeks ago
- Bryce Edwardsâ Political Roundup: Is the Wage Subsidy still transferring massive wealth to the ric...
Analysis by Bryce Edwards. Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Over $15 billion dollars has been transferred to businesses by the Government via the Wage Subsidy Scheme since Covid hit in 2020. The scheme has turned out to be effective at both keeping businesses afloat and enriching the already wealthy. Now ...17 hours ago - Scotty Stevenson: Love, rugby, and the story of my family
Ahead of tonight’s hundredth Test between the New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa’s Springboks, Scotty Stevenson reaches deep into his own family history, within which the two nations and their personalities are deeply entwined. This essay was first published in Dylan Cleaver’s newsletter The Bounce. Subscribe here.There will be ...17 hours ago - Chinaâs problems in property are a difficulty for everyone
As Chinaâs most indebted property developer Evergrande hovers on the brink, the question is where the government will draw the line on support for the firm – and for the financial system. Markets are nervous but the consensus seems to be that while an example may be made of ...19 hours ago - Live updates, September 25: Is Aucklandâs delta outbreak coming under control?Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for Saturday September 25, by Toby Manhire. Get in touch on info@thespinoff.co.nzThanks for your company today. All our coverage of the Covid response is made possible thanks to Members’ contributions. Help keep the show on the road by joining today.The day (and night) aheadThere ...21 hours ago
- How build-to-rent can help ease New Zealandâs housing woesA glimpse into a brighter future for New Zealand’s lifelong renters.While New Zealand’s build-to-rent market remains in its infancy, a leader in property development believes a significant opportunity exists with the emerging asset class to provide better quality rentals on terms friendly to both tenants and landlords.New Ground Capital managing ...21 hours ago
- Short story: The Big Game, by AP Gaskell
Ahead of tonight's All Blacks vs Springboks match, we reprint the greatest rugby short story of all times, from 1947 The football match at Carisbrook was over. Dusk was already falling, and during the last part of the game the flight of the ball and even the movements of ...22 hours ago - Just how far can kindness travel?
Are Kiwis capable of caring about people in low-income countries when we have pressing social problems in our own backyard? The University of Auckland's Dr Nikki Turner speaks to UNICEF Aotearoa about the impacts of the pandemic, and why vaccination coverage is critical wherever you live. Doctor Nikki Turner is a fast ...22 hours ago - Dodgy tickets, huge mark-ups â what is Viagogo really up to?Offshore touts are trying to flog off expensive tickets to concerts all over New Zealand. And sometimes those tickets may not even exist. What can be done to stop it?Adam Webb is hovering over his keyboard, frantically searching for information. He has multiple internet tabs open and fake credit cards ...23 hours ago
- Learning to teach teens in a pandemicFrom refereeing shots at the rubbish bin to instructing from his mum’s lounge, a new teacher looks back on his first year.Between the wild passions and imbalances of puberty, the so often uninspired curriculum, the leaky (if not mouldy) buildings and toxic political discourse that pollutes education, learning to teach ...23 hours ago
- New Tall Fern Taia has Dad close at hand
A huge few weeks for basketballer Ashley Taia will be capped off by wearing the Tall Ferns singlet for the first time in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup. Ashley Taia knows her âbiggest fanâ â her late dad â will be watching over her when she makes her debut for the Tall ...23 hours ago - View from The Hill: Barnaby Joyce falls (sort of) into step for the ânet zeroâ marchSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Lukas Coch/AAP The Coalition brigade is assembling, readying for the final march to a place it once regarded as enemy territory and poisoned ground, too dangerous to approach. Josh Frydenberg waved the flag ...1 day ago
- Travellers grounded after surprise Covid rule change
Air New Zealand and people hoping to fly back into Auckland this morning were blindsided - and stranded - by a new rule that came in at midnight last night After six weeks down in Queenstown waiting out Aucklandâs lockdown, it was finally time for John Gosney to come ...1 day ago - Mayor Meets With Ministers Over Three Waters Reform Proposal
This week Mayor Rehette Stoltz met with Ministers, including the Minister for Local Government Nanaia Mahuta to discuss the Three Waters reform proposal. Government is proposing to move the management of the three waters away from individual Councils ...1 day ago - New Zealand Red Meat Sector Welcomes Chinese Taipeiâs CPTPP Membership ApplicationThe Meat Industry Association (MIA) and Beef + Lamb NZ (B+LNZ) welcome Chinese Taipeiâs formal application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Sam McIvor, chief executive of Beef + Lamb NZ said the ...1 day ago
- NZ kiwifruit reportedly tests positive for Covid in China
A Covid scare with Kiwi produce imported into China could have repercussions for New Zealand exporters Chinese officials say a batch of New Zealand kiwifruit imported into the country has tested positive for Covid-19, in news which could concern Kiwi exporters wary of any clampdown. The CCP-owned Global Times reported ...2 days ago - Week in Politics: Auckland moves down, doubt cast on elimination strategy
Analysis - Critics accuse the government of giving up on its elimination strategy and Speaker Trevor Mallard's move to stop unvaccinated people entering Parliament's precinct raises debate. ...2 days ago - The Friday Poem: Young Adult Success Stories, by Erik KennedyA new poem from Christchurch poet Erik Kennedy.Young Adult Success StoriesThis fantastic article outlines how, at the tender age of twenty-two, Brad got seed money for his underwear delivery start-up and bought a Bugatti. What an amazing tale of industry and sticktoitiveness. How did he do it? Ah, yes, it’s ...2 days ago
- Most 2019 Budget mental health intiatives on track – reviewDeputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson said a stocktake of the $1.9 billion mental health package found strong progress had been made since its announcement. ...2 days ago
- Wenda blames nurseâs death on Indonesian military crackdown for Papuan mining, palm oilAsia Pacific Report newsdesk The United Liberation Movement of West Papua has blamed the Indonesian military over the attack at a hospital in Kiwirok, near the Papua New Guinean border, in which a nurse was killed. Interim president Benny Wenda of the ULMWP has issued a statement in response to ...2 days ago
- Taliban âjournalism rulesâ open way to censorship, persecution, warns RSFAsia Pacific Report newsdesk Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says it is very disturbed by the â11 journalism rulesâ that the Taliban announced at a meeting with news media on September 19. The rules that Afghan journalists will now have to implement are vaguely worded, dangerous and liable to be used ...2 days ago
- Covid deaths soar in New Caledonian crisis â 16 in one dayRNZ Pacific New Caledonia recorded 16 covid-19 deaths yesterday â the highest single day total since the delta strain of the virus arrived in the territory less than three weeks ago. A spokesperson for the territorial government, Gilbert Tyuienon, said the archipelago âis going through a crisis never seen in ...2 days ago
- Auckland mayor Goff makes âroll up your sleeves â take covid jabâ pleaAsia Pacific Report newsdesk Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has appealed to the 1.7 million people in the city to âroll up your sleevesâ and get vaccinated immediately to help New Zealand cope better with the covid-19 pandemic. Writing in The New Zealand Herald today to back the newspaperâs 90% Project ...2 days ago
- New Amazon data centres risk unbalancing NZ's fragile electricity network
At risk of being churlish, we say Amazon Web Services must invest not just in jobs but also in utility-scale renewable energy ...2 days ago - âDonât be a dickâ: Nigel Lattaâs advice for surviving Covid while stuck at homeProperty investors at this year’s virtual Property Conference probed the psychologist on all things Covid and working from home. Reweti Kohere listened in as the keynote speaker responded with some home truths.Working from home is a thing now, an acceptable way these days to clock in and out of one’s ...2 days ago
- Court Ruling A Victory For Common SenseGreat news and a victory for common sense and for people seeking abortion services. That's the response from Family Planning to a High Court decision today where a group of health professionals opposed to abortion have lost a court case over whether their ...2 days ago
- VIDEO: Michelle Grattan on AUKUS fallout and the government moving to net zeroSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra University of Canberra Professional Fellow Michelle Grattan alongside University of Canberra Associate Professor Caroline Fisher discuss the week in politics. This week the pair discuss the announcement of the AUKUS, in particular the reaction ...2 days ago
- Mahuta spurns call from civic leaders to go with the flow â and go slow â with contentious Three...
A press statement we received from Nanaia Mahuta, speaking as Minister of Foreign Affairs, dealt with the findings of an independent review into New Zealandâs export controls system, which regulates the export of goods to foreign militaries, police forces or paramilitaries. Produced by David Smol, a former Chief Executive of ...2 days ago - Covid-19 briefing: Upper Hauraki to move to alert level 2The Upper Hauraki area will join most of New Zealand in alert level 2 after no further positive results, the deputy prime minister has confirmed. Watch the government's latest Covid-19 briefing here. ...2 days ago
- Meet the Pacific social services helping keep the team of five million safeWhen the latest lockdown became much more than a health crisis for many South Auckland families, it was their local, Pacific-led social services that stepped up to help. Patricia Tosogu is beaming with relief as she stands in the doorway of her new temporary home in Ōtāhuhu, while the sounds ...2 days ago
- Two governments claim to run Myanmar. So, who gets the countryâs seat at the UN?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, University of South Australia As world leaders have gathered for the UN General Assembly in New York this week, there has been uncertainty over who should be representing Myanmar. Since a coup on February 1, Myanmarâs military ...2 days ago
- Building trust with migrant and refugee communities is crucial for public health measures to workSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Devaki Monani, Lecturer, Social Work, Charles Darwin University Shutterstock During COVID-19 weâve seen racism and discrimination against migrant and refugee communities erode trust between them and authorities.So as the Delta variant spreads, we must find ways ...2 days ago
- Our air defences are down â only some RNZAF aircraft can reach for the sky as Orions are retired
There are sad faces around Whenuapai today as the RNZAF retires the first of its five Lockheed Orions. The aircraft is flying to Woodbourne for breaking and parting â essentially for spares. The Orions came into service in 1966 and have become a familiar presence in the south Pacific, saving ...2 days ago- Bernard Hickey: Fashionâs greenwashing problem and how to see through it
It’s getting increasingly tough to buy clothing that isn’t the result of practices that exploit both workers and the environment. Bernard Hickey talks to the founder of a local tech start-up that wants to help consumers all over the world make better choices.Follow When the Facts Change on Apple Podcasts, ...2 days ago- The Spinoff Covid tracker: 20 live graphs that tell the story of delta in Aotearoa
Everything you need to know about how the Covid-19 pandemic is tracking in New Zealand, through regularly updated data visualisations.The Spinoff Covid tracker brings together all the relevant Covid data – cases, tests, vaccination and mobility – in one place.The aim of this page is to show the numbers in ...2 days ago- Watch live: Grant Robertson and Dr Caroline McElnay give an update on the current Covid-19 outbreak
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay are providing an update on the current Covid-19 outbreak. ...2 days ago- Facebook livestreams of PMâs 1pm update swarmed by anti-vax misinformation
The benefits of reaching the wider audience outweigh the risk of damage, says Ardern.The daily 1pm updates have become the central set-piece of New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 crisis. Among the popular live streams of these Beehive briefings is that on the prime minister’s own Facebook page. Yesterday’s, for ...2 days ago- Carterton District Council Responds To Three Waters Reform Proposal
Carterton District Council is preparing to submit its response to the Governmentâs Three Waters Reform proposals on 1 October. Chief executive Geoff Hamilton has written a draft letter to be sent to the Department of Internal Affairs on behalf of the ...2 days ago- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 24
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.Auckland only had one day back in action before we came nagging for sales figures, which seems a ...2 days ago- $62 Million Dubai Pavilion Is Insulting Extravagance
NZTEâs $62 million pavilion unveiled today in Dubai is an unseemly extravagance during a pandemic, says the New Zealand Taxpayersâ Union . Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, âNZTE has completely misread the room by proceeding with the Dubai ...2 days ago- Soft Penalty For Council Fraudsters Shows Law Change Needed
The New Zealand Taxpayersâ Union is calling for increased penalties for defrauding public bodies after two men stole $178,365 from Hurunui District Council using false invoices . âStealing $178,000 from ratepayers ought to land you in jail, not home ...2 days ago- Government proposes tougher safety rules for adventure activity operators
The government wants to bring in tougher safety rules for adventure activity operators, in response to the deadly 2019 Whakaari / White Island eruption. ...2 days ago- Letter to the Editor – MIQ
Dear Government Stop thanking me for doing my bit as an Aucklander. Why wouldnât I? Stop celebrating the vaccination statistics when we could have been ahead of the game if you had just agreed to pay the asking price for the Pfizer vaccine way back ...2 days ago- Keith Rankin Data Analysis â Table of Excess Deaths from Covid19
Data and Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin. The table below uses raw-death data published downloaded from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/excess-mortality-raw-death-count to predict what death numbers would have occurred in 2020 and 2021 had there been no Covid19 pandemic. The actual death numbers are compared with the predicted (counterfactual) numbers to calculated excess ...2 days ago- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily â September 24 2021
Editorâs Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. You can sign up to NZ Politics Daily as well as New Zealand Political Roundup columns for free here. Today’s content Modelling dispute, Govt Covid strategy RNZ:Â Modeller stands ...2 days ago- Late Pay Parity Red Tape Could See Teachers Miss Out On Pay Rise
70% of surveyed providers wonât opt in to the governmentâs Pay Parity offer after months of waiting, meaning teachers could miss out on the pay increase promised by the Minister of Education. âProviders were promised Pay Parity progress and ...2 days ago- Medical Groups Should Canvass Members On âConversion Therapyâ Ban
Family First NZ is calling on the NZMA and the Pediatric Society to canvass its members after more than a quarter of doctors in the UK said that they did not support the British Medical Association (BMA) lobbying to ban âconversion therapyâ. Both ...2 days ago- Super Fund money in blacklisted China firms criticised
Pension funds and institutional investors' talk about responsible investing is not being backed up when it comes to China, an international NGO says A new report has raised concerns about the Super Fundâs investments in Chinese companies blacklisted for their role in human rights abuses, saying pension funds should not ...2 days ago- Beyond 90% â the graphs that tell the story of our vaccination challenges
A vaccination rate of nine out of every 10 eligible New Zealanders is a great headline number. But it can also be deceptive. The Spinoff’s head of data Harkanwal Singh explains.This work is only possible thanks to Spinoff Members. To support more important data journalism on the Spinoff, join now. Today ...2 days ago- Surge In Imports Results In Record Monthly Trade Deficit
Imports increased $1.8 billion in August 2021 compared with August 2020, resulting in a record monthly trade deficit of $2.1 billion, Stats NZ said today. Exports were little changed, down $42 million. "This is a larger deficit than normal because ...2 days ago- New Zealand to donate more Covid-19 vaccines to the Pacific
New Zealand is donating more Covid-19 vaccines to the Pacific and to the Covax initiative which supports global equitable access to vaccines. ...2 days ago- New Zealand Government Eases COVID-19 Lockdown In Auckland
Tom Peters, Socialist Equality Group 23 September 2021, original url https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/09/23/auck-s23.html On Wednesday the lockdown in Auckland, New Zealandâs largest city, was eased from âalert level 4â to âlevel 3,â despite new cases of the highly infectious ...2 days ago- Surge In Imports Results In Record Monthly Trade Deficit
Imports increased $1.8 billion in August 2021 compared with August 2020, resulting in a record monthly trade deficit of $2.1 billion, Stats NZ said today. Exports were little changed, down $42 million. "This is a larger deficit than normal because ...2 days ago- Mayor: Reports, Public Opinion Cast Further Doubt On Three Waters Reform
Two new reports received by Timaru District Council show that case for Three Waters Reform isnât as compelling as the Government claims, and a significant majority of the community polled also arenât convinced. Councillors considering their official ...2 days ago- Government agreed to subsidise MIQ costs for international sports stars
The government agreed to subsidise international sports stars' managed isolation and quarantine bills last year - paying hundreds of thousands of dollars per team. ...2 days ago- Angela Merkelâs career shows why we need more scientists in politics
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Johnston, Professor and Dean of Science, UNSW For 16 years, German chancellor Angela Merkel has guided her country through wave after wave of uncertainty, from the 2008 global financial crisis to Brexit, the imperative to drop fossil fuels, and of course ...2 days ago- On the eve of an AFLM grand final like no other, can the shadow of the pandemic make us strive for s...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Klugman, Research Fellow, Institute for Health & Sport, member of the Community, Identity and Displacement Research Network, and Co-convenor of the Olympic Research Network, Victoria University On the last Saturday of September every year many of the inhabitants of Melbourne, and ...2 days ago- Tom Willsâ story is the AFLâs opportunity for truth telling about its ugly history
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jess Coyle, Lecturer, Sports Management, Western Sydney University This article discusses colonial violence against First Nations peoples. There is reference to people who are now deceased. There has been a new revelation by researcher Gary Fearon that cricketer and founding father ...2 days ago- German election: the race to replace Angela Merkel and why it matters to New Zealand
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Doidge, Senior Research Fellow, University of Canterbury Shutterstock From a distance, the big news about Germanyâs coming election on September 26 is the end of Angela Merkelâs reign after 16 years of leadership in Germany and Europe. Closer up, ...2 days ago- New preliminary evidence suggests coronavirus jumped from animals to humans multiple times
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hamish McCallum, Director, Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University The origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, has been hotly debated. This debate has caused substantial difficulties in the Australia-China relationship, with a call by ...2 days ago- Live updates, September 24: TPM modelling criticised for causing âunnecessary fearâ
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for September 23, by Alice Neville. 8.00am: TPM modelling criticised for stoking ‘unnecessary fear’Economic modeller Rodney Jones has continued his criticism of Te Pūnaha Matatini’s modelling of the future of New Zealand’s Covid response, which was presented by Shaun Hendy at yesterday’s 1pm government briefing. ...2 days ago- The sunâs shining and snakes are emerging, but theyâre not out to get you. Hereâs what theyâ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy N. W. Jackson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Australian Venom Research Unit, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock Itâs early spring in southern Australia and the sun is, gloriously, out. You decide to head to your local patch of greenery â by ...2 days ago- Vital Signs: a simple way to cut carbon emissions â donât let polluters hide
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW Shutterstock World leaders and about 30,000 others from assorted interest groups will converge on Glasgow in November for the United Nationsâ 26th annual climate summit, COP26 (âConference of the Partiesâ). It will be five ...2 days ago- Hidden women of history: Annie Lock was a bolshie, outspoken Australian missionary, full of contradi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Bishop, Postdoctoral Fellow, Macquarie University Missionary Annie Lock with Enbarda (Betsy) left, and Dolly Cumming, both children from the Alice Springs area in Central Australia. Photo taken in Darwin. National Archives of Australia Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander readers are ...2 days ago- What our vaccinated future could look like
Nearly everyone needs a jab to avoid more level four lockdowns, according to the government’s latest research, Justin Giovannetti writes in The Bulletin.Vaccinations alone won’t be enough to control delta. Jacinda Ardern made the case for near universal vaccination rates yesterday as she unveiled new modelling from Te Pūnaha Matatini that ...2 days ago- NZ gives vaccine to islands â but needs help reaching its own Pacific peoples
The 712,000 doses are belated but welcome fulfilment of NZ's commitment to more vulnerable neighbouring nations, writes Jonathan Milne. Now NZ must address its own vaccine inequities. Analysis: When Pacific island nations distribute the vaccine to teenagers, the messaging is a little different to that in New Zealand. No, the vaccine will not change ...2 days ago- Covid-19 vaccination campaign needs to move away from 'one-size-fits-all' approach
Businesses are launching their own vaccination campaigns to reach people they say are being overlooked by the government's messaging. ...2 days ago- Covid-19 vaccination programme moving away from 'one-size-fits-all' approach
Businesses are launching their own vaccination campaigns to reach people they say are being overlooked by the government's messaging. ...2 days ago- Five prickly questions: The legal minefield around work and vaccines
Businesses are struggling with what to do around Covid vaccinations in the workforce, with oft-conflicting legislation and little clarity from Government. ...2 days ago- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 24 September
2 days ago- Newsroom daily crossword, Friday 24 September
2 days ago- What is rapid testing and when is it coming to New Zealand?
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Happy Easter Holidays!
I have a friend:
Leo & band are running a Kickstarter to produce their latest album. Anyone feels like helping out a really excellent band…
Cool band r0b.
Yes they are.
I’m spending a lot of it chilling out with Seth Lakeman.
I’m spending part of Easter listening to all his albums and watching his magnificent ‘Live at the Minack’ DVD.
https://rdln.wordpress.com/2014/12/30/seth-lakemans-workers-lives-review-of-tales-from-the-barrelhouse-and-word-of-mouth/
Phil
Stunning place the Minack Theatre! We saw a performance of du Mauriers ‘Jamaica Inn’ there with the backdrop of a dramatic lightning storm out at sea.
Wish there was something like that in NZ.
Stunning place the Minack Theatre! We saw a performance of du Mauriers ‘Jamaica Inn’ there with the backdrop of a dramatic lightning storm out at sea.
Wish there was something like that in NZ.
Yes, it is stunning. Bits of Seth’s live gig there are on youtube. It really fits his music and it’s interesting watching the way the background changes from day to night – it was a long gig.
He said somewhere that you’ll notice the music speeds up towards the end and it’s because it was such a nice day he just wore jeans and t-shirt but it got colder as night came on so he started playing faster to keep warm.
Here’s the opening number, The Storm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwLK0rJ3keA
And here’s one when it is dark, Blood Upon Copper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WauBCZjOANc
And here’s one from inbetween light and darkness, How Much: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhdWsHEuSw0
Yes, it’s a great pity there’s nothing like the Minack here. I think Tunnel Beach in Dunedin would make a great site for something like the Minack; I’ve even thought of writing to the Council to suggest it.
A witty, intelligent piece by veteran comedian Alexei Sayle in the Guardian on why the new Top Gear presenter should be a Marxist, namely him:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/03/alexei-sayle-its-time-for-a-marxist-top-gear-jeremy-clarkson?CMP=twt_gu
very good. Funny. I like his writing style too.
I think it’s interesting that Clarkson is such a bitter old grudge-bearer as well.
Clarkson likes to be all anti-PC, but actually he’s got his own right-wing PC thing going on.
(Personally I don’t have much time for any versions of PC, but Clarkson is such a hypocrite.)
I loved how Sayle’s article is actually quite didactic and then he concludes by saying he’s not one of the didactic Marxists, he’s one of the fun ones. That made me laugh out loud.
Yep, really good writing style he has.
Clever bloke and very witty, I still fondly recall him from his guest spots in The Young Ones, one of the greatest of all comedy shows. (My favourite character on that was the punk nihilist played by Ade Edmondson.)
I’m liking Australian singer songwriter Courtney Barnett. And she’s a lefty playing a Fender.
[audio src="http://media.kexp.org/podcasts/songoftheday/media/2015-02-05_2351_courtney_barnett_-_pedestrian_at_best.mp3" /]
Full concert.
It’s taken me a while to admit this, but I agreed with something Sean Plunkett said the other day đ
On the matter of the Americas Cup, he said why don’t we just forget the whole thing, be innovative little hobbits, and start a new race series of our own with clear rules and definitions to keep the lawyers out of it as much as possible, and invite the world to come and play.
I don’t know much about yachting but it seems like something worth thinking about.
Any thoughts from more informed Standardistas?
p.s. I put this in Social as I figured this was mostly sports related, but if mods think it’s more of an Open Mike thing…
tricky. Good idea vs it came from Plunkett. Would the govt have to front up with some $?
disclosure, I’m not an informed Standardista.
Arsenal beating Liverpool almost means Champions League footy next season for the Gunners and a sorry year for the team from Scouseland. That is on TV1 is great (streaming is not really working for me). I reckon it will be 2-0
While coding today I have been watching some Youtube on autoplay….
Love a series called “Guitar Moves” – watching St Vincent at present..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE7R4nKBK8Y&list=RDNE7R4nKBK8Y#t=9