Weekend social 27/02/2015
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2:21 pm, February 27th, 2015 - 35 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?
35 comments on “Weekend social 27/02/2015 ”
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- Plan to eliminate hepatitis C as a major health threat by 2030A plan to eliminate hepatitis C in New Zealand, reducing liver cancer and the need for liver transplants, has been released today by Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall. âAround 45,000 New Zealanders have hepatitis C, but only around half know they have it,â said Ayesha Verrall. âSymptoms often ...5 days ago
- School upgrades and new classrooms for West Coast, Tasman and CanterburyA funding injection from Budget 2021 to complete four shovel ready projects and new classrooms at six schools and kura will provide a real boost to local communities, Minister Dr Megan Woods announced today. âThis Government has committed to providing quality fit for purpose learning environments and 100,000 new student ...5 days ago
- Warmer Kiwi Homes smashes annual targetThe Government's highly successful insulation and heating programme, Warmer Kiwi Homes, is celebrating a key milestone with the completion of more than 38,000 insulation and efficient heater installs in the year to the end of June, smashing its target of 25,000 installs for the year. âThe Warmer Kiwi Homes scheme ...6 days ago
- Exemption granted for Wallabies to enter NZBledisloe Cup rugby will be played in New Zealand after the Australian rugby team received an economic exemption to enter New Zealand. Travel between Australia and New Zealand was suspended on Friday for at least eight weeks following the worsening of the COVID outbreak across the Tasman. New Zealanders have ...6 days ago
- Minister of Foreign Affairs makes three diplomatic appointmentsForeign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced three New Zealand Head of Mission appointments. They are: Mike Walsh as Ambassador to Iran Michael Upton as Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union Kevin Burnett as Ambassador to Indonesia Iran âAotearoa New Zealand has a long-standing and constructive relationship with Iran, despite a ...6 days ago
- Enhanced Task Force Green Approved for West Coast and MarlboroughThe Government has activated Enhanced Task Force Green (ETFG) in response to the West Coast and Marlborough floods, Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni announced today. âTo assist with the clean-up, up to $500,000 will be made available to support the recovery in Buller and Marlborough which has experienced ...6 days ago
- Govt support for upgrade of Eden Park players facilitiesMinister for Sport and Recreation Hon Grant Robertson has announced funding to upgrade the players facilities at Eden Park ahead of upcoming Womenâs World Cup events. Eden Park is a confirmed venue for the Rugby World Cup 2021, the ICC Womenâs Cricket World Cup 2022, and a proposed venue for matches of ...6 days ago
- More jobs and quicker public transport motoring towards West AucklandWork to improve public transport for West Aucklanders and support the regionâs economic recovery by creating hundreds of jobs has officially kicked off, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. Michael Wood and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff this morning marked the start of construction on the Northwestern Bus Improvements project. It ...6 days ago
- Government backs critical health researchResearch into some of New Zealandersâ biggest health concerns including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease is getting crucial support in the latest round of health research funding, Health Minister Andrew Little announced today. The funding, awarded through the Health Research Council of New Zealand, covers 31 General Project grants ($36.64 ...6 days ago
- New Bay of Islands hospital facilities to bring services closer to homePrime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Andrew Little have joined a ceremony to bless the site and workers for Phase Two of the redevelopment of the Bay of Islands Hospital in Kawakawa today. The new building will house outpatients and primary care facilities, as well as expanded renal care ...7 days ago
- Raukokore re-imagined with âsmartâ relocatable rent to own housingIwi, Crown Partnership Relocatable, fully insulated housing, connected to a new solar plant Provides a pathway to home ownership New housing in the remote eastern Bay of Plenty community of Raukokore shows how iwi and Crown agencies can work together effectively to provide warm, dry, energy efficient homes in a ...7 days ago
- Cabinet accepts Turkish authoritiesâ request for the managed return of three NZ citizensCabinet has agreed to the managed return of a New Zealand citizen and her two young children from Turkey, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today. The three have been in immigration detention in Turkey since crossing the border from Syria earlier this year. Turkey has requested that New Zealand repatriate ...7 days ago
- Govt delivers more classrooms so children can focus on learningExtra Government investment in classrooms and school building projects will enable students and teachers to focus on education rather than overcrowding as school rolls grow across the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis say. The pair visited RuakÄkÄ School in WhangÄrei today to announce $100 ...1 week ago
- New station a platform for AirportLink to take offEvery Aucklander with access to the rail network will now have a quick and convenient trip to the airport, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said during the official opening of the new Puhinui Interchange today. The new interchange links the rail platform with a new bus ...1 week ago
- 10 days sick leave for employees deliveredLegislation doubling employeesâ minimum sick leave entitlement to 10 days comes into effect today, bringing benefits to both businesses and employees, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood announced today. âOur Government is delivering on a key manifesto commitment to help Kiwis and workplaces stay healthy,â Michael Wood said. âCOVID-19 ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister congratulates Fiame Naomi Mataâafa on Election WinPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern tonight congratulated Prime Minister-elect Fiame Naomi Mataâafa on her victory in the Samoaâs general election. âNew Zealand has a special relationship with Samoa, anchored in the Treaty of Friendship. We look forward to working with Samoaâs new government in the spirit of partnership that characterises this ...1 week ago
- Quarantine Free Travel with Australia suspendedQuarantine Free Travel from all Australian states and territories to New Zealand is being suspended as the Covid situation there worsens, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. From 11.59pm today Australians will no longer be able to enter New Zealand quarantine-free. This will be ...1 week ago
- Growing conservation efforts in GisborneA big injection of Jobs for Nature funding will create much-needed jobs and financial security for families in TeTairÄwhiti, and has exciting prospects for conservation in the region, Conservation Minister Kiri Allan says. âThe projects target local communities most affected by the economic consequences of COVID 19 and are designed ...1 week ago
- Flood recovery given further assistanceThe Government is contributing a further $1 million to help the flood battered Buller community, Acting Emergency Management Minister Kris Faafoi announced today. âBuller is a small community which has found itself suddenly facing significant and ongoing welfare costs. While many emergency welfare costs are reimbursed by Government, this money ...2 weeks ago
- Funding for five projects to reduce food wasteThe Government is funding five projects to help address the growing problem of food waste, Environment Minister David Parker announced today. âNew Zealand households throw away nearly 300,000 tonnes of food every year, half of which could still be eaten. By supporting these initiatives, weâre taking steps to reduce this ...2 weeks ago
- Temporary Accommodation Service activated for West Coast flooding eventThe Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated today - meaning residents on the West Coast of the South Island and in the Marlborough region hit by flooding over the weekend can now access help finding temporary accommodation, announced Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) Poto Williams in Westport today. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ government makes apology over Dawn Raids targeting Pasifika
RNZ Pacific New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today delivered the governmentâs apology for the Dawn Raids against Pasifika overstayers. She apologised for the raids in the 1970s which happened under both Labour and National governments. âThe government expresses its sorrow, remorse and regret that the Dawn Raids and random ...16 mins ago - Whatâs the biggest queer game developer in the world doing in New Zealand?
Robert Yang has made some of the most notorious (and notoriously great) queer video games of the past decade. He talks to The Spinoff about his latest game, We Dwell in Possibility, and his recent move to New Zealand.If you look at Robert Yang’s oeuvre, you might be surprised that ...2 hours ago - What Olympic athletes can teach us about regulating our emotions and staying dedicatedSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Hannan, Postdoctoral research fellow, Griffith University Alessandra Tarantino/AP Olympians are often seen as the epitome of human performance, with incredible physical and mental strength. And with the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games well underway, itâs hard to not be impressed ...2 hours ago
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- Aboriginal people near the Ranger uranium mine suffered more stillbirths and cancer. We donât know...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rosalie Schultz, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, College of Medicine and Public Health Centre for Remote Health, Flinders University This article mentions stillbirth deaths in Aboriginal communities. The Ranger uranium mine, surrounded by Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, operated for 40 ...2 hours ago
- Australiaâs international education market share is shrinking fast. Recovery depends on unis offer...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Anderson. Palawa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Student and University Experience, Australian National University Shutterstock Governments and universities are planning for the recovery of our international student market once Australia can start easing border closures that have had huge impacts on universities ...2 hours ago
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- Live updates, August 2: Actâs success âgoodâ for National, says Judith CollinsWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for August 2, bringing you the latest news updated throughout the day. Get in touch at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz8.05am: Collins happy with growth for the right in latest Newshub pollFollowing on from this morning’s top story in The Bulletin (see more below): Both Judith Collins and ...2 hours ago
- How much would you pay to read this?Micropayments for online media could be rising from the dead, writes Hal Crawford.As news publishers in New Zealand and around the world increasingly put their content behind paywalls, it’s become common to click a link only to find that somebody new wants your credit card number. But you’re not going ...3 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Poll confirms steady rise for Act and David SeymourGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin: In today’s edition: Poll confirms steady rise for Act and David Seymour, formal apology for Dawn Raids takes place, and Human Rights Commission alleges housing breaches.A major new poll has seen the gap closing between the parties of government and opposition – but ...3 hours ago
- Ministers warned students are 'falling through the cracks'
Education officials have warned their ministers that students are "falling through the cracks" because the curriculum does not clearly signal when they need more support. ...4 hours ago - Investor nervousness rises in new global headwinds
Business & Investing: Facebook and Amazon, among others, see sales growth slowing and China's crackdown on its own firms causes concern ...4 hours ago - ACT hopes growing popularity will lead to 'a change in direction'Support for the Labour Party has taken a hit while the ACT Party, and its leader, is growing in popularity, a new political poll shows. ...5 hours ago
- Support for Labour takes a hit, popularity for ACT growing in new pollSupport for the Labour Party has taken a hit while the ACT Party, and its leader, is growing in popularity, a new political poll shows. ...5 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 2 August
Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. ...5 hours ago - Newsroom daily crossword, Monday 2 August
...5 hours ago - Consent education needs more than teaAmong her peers, sexual assault and harassment are everyday occurrences, writes high school student Nevada Wolfgramm. It’s about time our education system stopped tip-toeing around it.Among my friends, sexual assault and sexual harassment is talked about as if it’s a completely normal thing. It’s rare for me to talk to ...6 hours ago
- âWe accept your apology. However âŚâ Pacific leaders look to ânew dawnâPacific leaders thanked Jacinda Ardern for her formal apology for the dawn raids yesterday, at the same time as challenging the government to work to ensure the racism experienced by their communities is rubbed out. Shortly after emerging from underneath a finely woven mat, as part of a modified version of ...6 hours ago
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Covid has spurred consumer spending but Kiwis are also stacking up tens of thousands in personal debt, a new report shows. ...6 hours ago - 'No escape from NZ' says reservation system expert
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A moving, historic event of reconciliation in Auckland sees the Crown forgiven for its racist immigration policies, but asked repeatedly to fix the problems of today for Pacific peoples in NZ Apologies offered are one thing. Apologies accepted, especially after generations of pain, are another. Speaker after speaker at yesterday's ...6 hours ago - A patient's story: inside a mental health ward
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- National Cabinetâs plan out of COVID aims too low on vaccinations and leaves crucial questions una...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Wood, Chief executive officer, Grattan Institute At Fridayâs National Cabinet meeting, our nationâs leaders put some meat on the bones of their 4-stage plan to reopen Australia. The plan includes target vaccination thresholds and some details on restrictions that might ...17 hours ago
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- Whatâs new to Netflix NZ, Neon and other streaming services in AugustWhat are you going to be watching in August? With thanks to our friends at Nando‘s, we round up everything coming to streaming services this month, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, Neon and TVNZ OnDemand.The biggiesNine Perfect Strangers (limited series, first three episodes on Amazon Prime Video on ...1 day ago
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A splendid demonstration of the usefulness of the compound adjective can be found on The Beehive website today. A headline among the latest announcements says: Progress in establishment of Aged Care Commissioner Without a hyphen in âAged-careâ to show this is a compound adjective, an element of uncertainty can creep ...2 days ago - Coral Bell: the âaccidental academicâ who wanted to stop armageddonSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Conley Tyler, Research Associate, Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne ANU Bell School This piece is part of a new series in collaboration with the ABCâs Saturday Extra program. Each week, the show will have a âwho am Iâ ...2 days ago
- Focus on Politics: Education grapples with systemic racismPodcast - "That every MÄori child can see themselves ... valued in the education system." Will moves to bring tikanga and te reo into classrooms work? John Gerritsen and Jamie Tahana investigate. ...2 days ago
- Vaccine resistance in West Papua as covid-19 pandemic ragesBy Johnny Blades, RNZ Pacific journalist As with much of Indonesia, the countryâs easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua are struggling to contain the spread of covid-19, with the delta variant on the loose. In their latest update, health authorities in Papua province reported 33,826 confirmed cases of the ...2 days ago
- NZ covid-19 mass vaccination event starts in Auckland â long delaysRNZ News New Zealandâs first mass vaccination event is getting under way in Manukau where 16,000 people are due to receive a covid-19 vaccine in the next three days. The Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau has been set up with 242 booths, and people will file in at their allotted ...2 days ago
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- Solomons PM warns journalists against âyellow journalismâ rumoursPacific Media Watch newsdesk Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has warned the news media that the countryâs emergency powers enable the government to target âyellow journalismâ and the spreading of misinformation, reports the Solomon Islands Herald. Speaking in Parliament on a motion to extend the covid pandemic State of ...2 days ago
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Friday's first mass vaccination event initially suffered from poor communication with the intended communities. Dr Collin Tukuitonga says that is a problem repeated time and again for Pacific people, who continue to suffer poor health statistics The initial take-up failure of south Aucklandâs mass-Covid-19 vaccination event is a clear indication ...2 days ago - The supermarket duopoly is a disaster for consumers. But donât bet on a break-upIf you thought this week’s damning report on the state of our supermarkets would augur big changes in the sector, brace yourself for disappointment.This column was first published on Bernard Hickey’s newsletter, The Kākā.The Commerce Commission’s scathing draft review of the Foodstuffs/Woolworths duopoly suggests state intervention that could include a ...2 days ago
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- The day I began my journey from Young Nat to committed socialistRobert Reid is a veteran of New Zealand’s trade union movement. But, believe it or not, he was once a committed National Party member.Fifty years ago, on Saturday 31 July, 1971, I left the National Party.Those who know me (or even troll me) as a socialist and trade unionist may ...2 days ago
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my partner and I are off to the nz/aust cricket gala dinner tonight. i understand key and abbot will be there… hope i can still eat. tomorrow we are nzc guests for the match. havent been excited about a game for years but I am about this one.
Enjoy, Abbott is getting a few last junkets in before he is rolled for Malcolm. Keen to hear what the food was like having whanau slaving away producing it.
Ok, ordered the fish…
It was snapper… flesh side down in tomato sauce, lots of tomato sauce… fish tasted very fishy but mostly of tomato sauce. “celebrity” Chef should stick to being a celebrity, he wrecked the snapper. I had diplomats at my table who were, well, very diplomatic, but thought it was crap too.
Have left room. Key is reading his blokey jokey speech and the white male crowd is guffaw in. .. am sitting with aussie foreign ministers employees…
Prawns and white bait entree was fabulous.
hi tracey, hope you have a good time at cricket.
i will have the tranny tuned in from 2pm for what, i think, is the most anticipated nz one dayer in a generation. i promise i will not mention your prediction re the english one dayer if you dont. đ
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Abbot was over at John Keys favourite restaurant in Parnell last night. At least I presume they were. There were a hell of a lot of police and police bikes with flashing lights hanging around. Some obvious bodyguards hanging around outside the chocolate shop next door.
Who really wants to run around with all of that fuss?
I remember Helen Clark as PM pulling the dratted 50cc motorcycle out of the garage and pottering off to gym.
My question is – what in the hell are these guys compensating for?
But that is political – please ignore it..
Not the one she put- putted around on in the 70s???
Oh yeah. It didn’t get retired until well into the 00’s.
We are told that terrorism is a real risk in NZ.
Here is how I could have caused damage to prominent kiwi and aussies on friday night…
Invited to gala by email, waited for tickets. never came. Rang friday and was told could pick them up at sky convention centre at dinner.
arrived on green carpet, was asked for tickets. Told the lovely woman we were picking them up inside. She waved us to the desk. Desk entered name, couldn’t find it. Tried again. Said “just go up to level 5 and they will sort out your table. Went up to level five and mingled and had a drink and snack. Still no record of us so they showed us to a table. Half an hour later official party arrived. Never asked for ID. Clearly there was NO expectation of ANY security risk to either PM…
It is Children’s Day on Sunday with various activities around the country. This is the lead in to National Foster Care Week.
If you have friends who are foster carers please offer them some recognition for their much needed work on New Zealand society’s behalf. (hint: some babysitting so they can enjoy a date night / movie/ child free coffee might be well received but I am sure chocolates, flowers or wine wouldn’t be turned away either đ )
What should I do about white butterfly caterpillars on my cauliflower. They are growing next to the beans so I don’t want to put on anything toxic yo bees.
Feed them to the chooks, prevention is best with mosquito netting to keep those buggers off all the brassicas next cycle.
Best way is to squash them by hand.
Read Patricia Grace’s story, Butterflies.
Thinking about Key and flag design and countriesand inglorious history in general. Everything that Eddie Izzard knows on this.
go the nz cricket team.
if yr an ozzie and you know it….
Can they both lose? We gave up a shitload of privacy with this World Cup used as a lame excuse. My opinion of cricket is that some drunk poms were sitting in a pub, having a competition to invent the most ridiculous game possible. Cricket won, they left the rules on a few beer coasters, but the retarded inbred offspring of a leading Tory family came across them and didn’t realise it was all a joke.
So then what about the other useless sports? Tennis, Golf, Rugby,
Nothing wrong with Rugby League, or even soccer. Good proletarian pastimes. Corinthians was the first British professional soccer club, allowing workers to play. The biggest club in SĂŁo Paulo is named after them.
Tennis, golf, and rugby union have all been tied up with support for oppressive regimes and racist tours. Fishing is good đ
Yeah cricket is bit dodgy, but no need to be a killjoy. Eden Park is full and the Black Caps are kicking Aussie arse. Key and Abbot are there for the photo ops. Acting like grumpy old men doesn’t help the Left at times like these. It’s a beautiful day in Auckland, wish I was at Eden Park too.
I’m not acting. I am a grumpy old man.
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I will be joining the grumpy old man club soon enough … aarggh
it’s ok…
..it has its’ upsides..
..you stop giving a fuck about what anyone else thinks about ya..
..(that’s one of them..)
I’m attending a different function to that of the cricket. 16 hours walking around a track in the Relay for Life. (Note the word ‘relay’ for I won’t be walking all of that! We have a team of nine members).
The event is a fundraiser for the local Cancer Society. I will be walking in the Survivor’s lap, being now treated and clear for four and five years from two separate cancers.
There’s not much more important than a big game of cricket, but this is one of them- joining with our community celebrating life.
And celebrating the work of the Cancer Society, the skill of all the medical personnel and the Welfare State.
Bless them all!
Good on you Mac1 – hope the sun shines. Enjoy the walk.
Have a good walk and fuck cancer.
Thanks both, Murray and Jenny.
With regard to ‘fucking cancer’, there has been this month some great news regarding drugs that attack cancer cells by using the immune system. This is one link that leads into this area.
http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2014/01/111531/killing-cancer-through-immune-system
We have a gorgeous day here, to be enjoyed. Life is rich and full and good.
Yep I had a very little cancer, a basal cell carcinoma on my arm (nothing serious) that was treated with this stuff that attracted white blood cells to the area and got them to deal with it. Took about 4 weeks and it went completely. I thought at the time that there must be a similar approach to attack cancers that are more invasive.
Dang I am sure the cricket has taken five years off my life …
Mine too, Mickey đ
A classic game. Thought it was in the bag when we reached 100 but Aussie pulled off some amazing bowling..
There was a discussion here awhile ago about the lack of cicadas this year, I can assure any one interested that there a plenty at the Whangapoua camp ground.
They seem really late this year. Christmas was a lot quieter then usual, but the neighbourhood is humming round here now (North shore, Auck).
Yes, noticed them for the first time about a week ago (North Shore). There seemed to be something missing before. Now I know what it was.