What is Socialism – a primer for idiots

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:09 am, April 5th, 2021 - 163 comments
Categories: capital gains, capitalism, Economy, Media, socialism, tax, tenants' rights, uncategorized - Tags:

I know I should not take the bait but occasionally I bite at the Herald’s click bait masquerading as opinion pieces.

One recent example was this dumpster fire of an opinion piece by Merchant Banker Troy Bowker.

He is the Executive director of Caniwi Capital, a privately owned investment firm involved in private equity, commercial property and farming.

The Herald gave him space to vent against the Government’s response to the Housing Crisis.

He came up with some pearlers. Like this about Robertson changing his mind about extending the bright line test:

The excuse? The facts have changed. That simply does not wash. The facts are going to constantly change in the world we live … “

So politicians should never ever change their minds even if changed circumstances demand it?

And this:

Since the CGT fail, Labour have made a series of attempts to inflict financial pain on landlords across the residential and the commercial property sectors in New Zealand.”

If the intent was to inflict pain on landlords as well as merchant bankers then surely they would have passed a real CGT and not mucked around with the bright line test and interest deductibility.

His stand out piece is his claim that the Government is, dear reader, a socialist Government.

A pattern is emerging of a Labour government with a major chip on its shoulder against property investors in New Zealand.

One could be excused for reaching the conclusion these sustained attacks on property investors are driven by socialist wealth redistribution ideology rather than genuine, well-intentioned, well thought out and properly considered reforms.

A standard definition of socialism is that it is a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Note community or state ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange is required. What Bowker thinks is socialism, wealth redistribution, is nothing of the sort. It presupposes that capitalism continues but that the extremely wealthy have to give up some of their wealth. And there are some examples to suggest this is a good idea.

Eion Musk and Jeff Bezos for instance have way more than they need and own more than the bottom 40% of the American population combined.

From Yahoo Finance:

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to criticism of his huge wealth by Senator Bernie Sanders, saying he would use his money to help humankind.
“I am accumulating resources to help make life multiplanetary & extend the light of consciousness to the stars,” Musk said on Twitter.
Musk has become one of the world’s wealthiest people, alongside Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Liberal lawmakers have called for higher taxes on billionaires, saying they’re not paying their fair share.
“We are in a moment in American history where two guys – Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos – own more wealth than the bottom 40% of people in this country,” Senator Bernie Sanders said on Twitter on Thursday.
The Vermont senator added: “That level of greed and inequality is not only immoral. It is unsustainable.”

Wanting to make life multiplanetary does not cut it as excuse. You know how this will work out, the only people going interplanetary will be the wealthy, escaping Earth after having wrecked it.

Of course National also engages in this sort of overblown mindless rhetoric. For instance recently Scott Simpson said this in Parliament:

They want to be like most socialist Governments all around the world, who seem to relish the opportunity to tell people how to live their lives, how to spend their money, and how to make decisions, and they want that to be done from here centrally, from Parliament, issuing proclamations and decrees from Parliament, from the Beehive, and a State-run agency to do the job that, actually, the private sector, given half the chance and the right kind of regulatory and legislative framework, can do very, very well indeed.

The arguments are rhetorically lazy and factually incorrect. And the corollary is the “slippery slope” argument that suggests that any slightly progressive move by the Government is the first step towards full blown socialism.

Of course business does not necessarily think that Socialism is bad. Bowker complained that the Government did not include landlords when it declined to include them in the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme.

One gets the strong impression that capitalists do not think Socialism is a bad thing as long as they can profit from it. And their cries of Socialism are no more than an attempt to tilt public discourse in their favor.

163 comments on “What is Socialism – a primer for idiots ”

Comments are now closed

Chris T 1

5 April 2021 at 9:19 am

"If the intent was to inflict pain on landlords as well as merchant bankers then surely they would have passed a real CGT and not mucked around with the bright line test and interest deductibility."

They couldn't

Ardern ruled it out while she was leader.

Just say'in
- mickysavage 1.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 9:40 am
  
  My comment was in response to Bowler’s suggestion that the Government wished to inflict financial pain on landlords. Clearly this was not the intent.
  - Chris T 1.1.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 9:49 am
    
    If it wasn't, they probably should have said that first, because that is kind of what it looks like.
    - Incognito 1.1.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 10:28 am
      
      Nope, Jacinda is trying to scare the ‘Mum & Dad’ other kids her age who are playing with fire that they will be wiped out in 10 years. It’s just her. She’s just prancing on the stage of publicity and since this is no real achievement, it will have zero effect 😉
      - Chris T 1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 10:55 am
        
        I see you have kind of taken my comments about Greta to heart.
        
        If it helps, as I have continually said, if nothing else she has brought a global spotlight onto an important issue.
        
        Even if she can be a bit easy going with her rules
        
        Incognito 1.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 11:13 am
      - DukeEll 1.1.1.1.2
        
        5 April 2021 at 1:37 pm
        
        emma wiggle?
        
        Incognito 1.1.1.1.2.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 1:49 pm
        
        Close, Emo Wiggle.
  - Andre 1.1.2
    
    5 April 2021 at 3:46 pm
    
    My comment was in response to Bowler’s suggestion that the Government wished to inflict financial pain on landlords. Clearly this was not the intent.
    
    Well, it seems very clear to me that the government's intent was to make it very unattractive to borrow money to become a landlord. Given that there are very few people in a position to be able to become landlords without borrowing money, it seems to me like semantic quibbling to say the intent wasn't to inflict pain on landlords.
    
    To be sure, I'm not anti the government's moves. The housing situation has gone so far out of kilter that something effective had to be done. In the current situation, there really aren't options for effective actions that don't involve inflicting pain on one group or another. Given that up until this move, rental housing was in the privileged position of being about the only "investment" regular people could borrow money from a bank to invest in, that point of privilege is an obvious target to have a go at.
    - Incognito 1.1.2.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 4:15 pm
      
      Well, it seems very clear to me that the government's intent was to make it very unattractive to borrow money to become a landlord. [my emphasis]
      
      They surely made it less attractive, but most existing landlords are still sitting very pretty, at least on paper.
      
      I suspect that the howls of outrage and despair from the investor class have taken the Government by surprise but they’re already dying down and the Opposition has not gained any meaningful traction in this area, at least not yet.
      
      Something had to be done and only time will tell if it will have a desired effect or not. My feeling is that removing the interest deductibility was ill-conceived but created the most angst. One thing is for sure, it won’t be enough on its own to deal with the housing crisis.
- mikesh 1.2
  
  5 April 2021 at 10:49 am
  
  CGT doesn't affect merchant bankers since it is not levied until the property is sold. At that point the mortgage will have been paid off, or any balance paid off from the proceeds of the sale, and the merchant bankers would be no longer part of the picture.
Chris T 2

5 April 2021 at 9:21 am

Apologies. Probably a link for that required.

"The Prime Minister has shocked New Zealand by ruling out a capital gains tax not just before the next election, but while she is Prime Minister."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pm-jacinda-ardern-has-ruled-out-implementing-a-capital-gains-tax-while-she-is-at-the-helm-of-labour/IQ4FD7CLYKKLU6YAH2H2S4MDSE/

Edit:

Should add Bezos and Musk are bad examples.

Bezos is a sadistic arsehole and Musk is just a greedy nutter

Gates and Buffet seem pretty good and sharing the love money wise.
- RedLogix 2.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 11:46 am
  
  Bezos is indeed very weird, he's riding very much for a fall. Credit is due to Biden for taking him on.
  
  Part of the problem here is that the US Anti-Trust laws that for decades were so effective at preventing monopolies from appearing in the commercial/industrial world – just haven’t had the same teeth in the cyber world.
AB 3

5 April 2021 at 9:37 am

Been collecting the Herald for a neighbour who's away over Easter. This morning it's a few meagre pages, a featherweight curiosity. I flicked through a few pages, experienced for a moment the incredible lightness of inanity, and placed it on the pile with the other junk mail.
- woodart 3.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 11:19 am
  
  coming into autumn, the herald CAN be useful to light the fire, but not for much else. with no birdcage to line and flies moving nth for winter , any newspaper is pretty much redundant. I personally find it hilarious that the herald needs to constantly advertise on farcebook , and even more hilarious that most of the herald links take you to articles hidden behind a paywall.For a media service that constantly finds fault with the current gov's handling of anything , there own business setup and mismanagement is a brilliant example of "dont do what I do, do what I preach".
  - Stuart Munro 3.1.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 11:50 am
    
    The weightier dailies make splendid barrier mulch – it keeps the weeds down for about two years, and then biodegrades into the soil. Substitute for cardboard for spud growing.
    - woodart 3.1.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 12:21 pm
      
      I use old carpet . even the worst, most articial carpet is less toxic than the herald.
Sabine 4

5 April 2021 at 9:40 am

Who cares about the merchant banker? Seriously. Or is it easier to write about the fuck ups of people that have been denied a penny by the government?

This is the article worth reading and discussing….

https://e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-analysis/the-housing-hand-wringing-is-bunk/

Our housing crisis is a result of political gutlessness and self-interest.

The hand-wringing about the housing affordability is all bunk. We used to believe the Kiwi dream was to own our home. But, over the decades, it’s become, instead, a scheme where those fortunate to own a property have been offered cheap loans to buy rental properties for no money down.

In the not-too-distant past, stamp duty for property was abolished, owners got to write off their property expenses against their own taxes, and capital gains were tax free.

As a consequence, money poured into property and prices went through the roof. This outcome now makes it impossible for working class people to get a home. Yet current property owners can just borrow more cheap money to buy multiple rental properties.

The simple truth is the well-heeled middle classes are delighted with how things are going. Property owners can make more money off their renters and their capital gains without doing a scrap of work.

The average house in New Zealand is now $815,000. In Auckland it’s $1.2 million. And rising spectacularly.

and Labour has become part of the problem. Not only on the housing crisis, but the Parents in poverty crisis, the children in poverty crisis, and all the other jazz that is not Covid.
- Incognito 4.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 10:22 am
  
  and Labour has become part of the problem. [sic]
  
  Most political terms, less than 10% or 12 of our 120 MPs in Parliament are part of the problem. Now, pray tell what you’re going to change about this and how 😉
  - Sabine 4.1.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 10:32 am
    
    you want to know what i am going to do about this?
    
    well the last two election i did not vote for labour.
    
    i will tell people why i will not vote for labour and why i vote for this or that party.
    
    i will also tell people that no one bought the house pictured in the e-tangata article, but rather the land, and then i will ask people to take a good hard look at the picture and realise that this property is currently inhabited by people who are paying rent or who have rent paid or by the government. And then i will remind people that they are the ones funding the government – inclusive the accommodation supplement – via the taxes, the GST and all the other levies government and regional councils etc charge them.
    
    We can play this game all day long Incognito, and if your comment was in jest or snark, sorry, when it comes to housing i am way beyond snark. I am simply gutted, disgusted and you can not imagen the contempt i have for every labour fan who does not want to admit the plainest, that we are where we are because of the people we vote in. And these guys, all good moderate conservative have killed Auckland, and are now killing the rest of the towns in NZ.
    
    You can not buy or rent anywhere without assistance unless you have two incomes and sometimes even that is not enough. We speak of children in poverty without the slightest sense of shame, we look at people pulling boats paid for with loans on so called equity and we have no sense of shame, and our motels are charging up to a million bucks a night to the government – us the taxpayer in fact – to house those that are homeless, because our children are homeless.
    
    So tell me why i should support labour and no, the 25 bucks Covid increase, the heating allowance and the Gender ID bill and the maternity leave for people who still have a full time job is not gonna cut it.
    - Incognito 4.1.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 11:07 am
      
      We can play this game all day long Incognito, and if your comment was in jest or snark, sorry, when it comes to housing i am way beyond snark.
      
      It is a real game and we have been playing it for years and will be for years to come, it seems. A similar game is being played by the same players with regard to Climate Change.
      
      Much energy is wasted on going around in circles. So, you did not vote for Labour and you tell others that you did vote for Labour and why. It is a start. Unfortunately, many people will not vote for Labour and make the problem worse by voting one of the other parties that are part of the problem or, worse, add fuel to the problem.
      
      The finger pointing and blame game is a mug’s game. In 2020, it was the first time in a long time that one political party gained an absolute majority in NZ Parliament. These are the political realities and ignoring these is wishful thinking and wilful ignorance, at best.
      
      Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best. [my emphasis]
      
      ― Otto von Bismarck
      
      So, how do we put pressure on NZ politics and politicians to make the changes that we deem necessary and even critical? What tools do we available and how do we wield them most efficiently and effectively? I’d suggest wasting millions of words in comments repeating the same stuff over and over again, day in, day out is not the smartest way 😉
      
      For the record, I’m also extremely disappointed that this Government is tilting in favour of getting FHBs on the first rung and doing not nearly enough for renters – BTW, I don’t think that all renters should be(come) FHBs one day and there is or should be a place in (our) society for life-ling renting/renters. Maybe Government believes that these new conditions will miraculously trickle down positively to tenants but it must do much better than wishy-washy wishful thinking, IMO. That said, the Healthy Homes Standards will come into full effect for private rentals on 1 July 2021. This is a good thing, of course, but the tenants will wear some (…) of the costs and I think that makes a lot of sense. Legal protection for tenants is slowly improving but financially they are still fair game and only buffered for 12 months at a time unless they change tenancy.
      - RedLogix 4.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:53 pm
        
        That's pretty much how see it as well. While there is a real value in owning your own home, there are also real downsides that are easy to gloss over.
        
        The eight years we've been in Australia we've not owned property here and I have to say it's been rather liberating. It's given us a flexibility to move to wherever and whenever we like and discover opportunities we'd never encountered otherwise.
        
        I realise this doesn't translate to everyone's experience – but the point is that renting (or other forms of non-traditional housing) is a perfectly good option in the right circumstances. And yes this govt has done nothing for these people other than increase their uncertainty.
        
        There are plenty of reasons to be unhappy about the state of the NZ housing game – on all sides. It would be great if we could set aside the divisive animosity and talk more about solutions that work for everyone.
        
        Incognito 4.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 1:46 pm
        
        Yup, I have rented here in NZ and overseas and it has been mostly a positive experience or at least not negative. I do enjoy the relative lack of responsibility of not owning my home but I’ve always tried to take care of the rentals as if they were my own. I do acknowledge that clearly not all renters (in NZ) have similar experiences.
        
        Indeed, the housing crisis is a collective problem that affects the whole economy and all of us, directly and/or indirectly, which is why it can only be tackled in a collective non-partisan way, but some folks insist and keep insisting on drawing political and ideological battle lines. That said, the power balance is tilted towards the ones who are well capitalised and at the expense of the ones who have little, in the material sense, and part of the solution, or ‘correction’, if you like, will be the need to address that imbalance. Unfortunately (!), the former also are a formidable political power and they constitute a segment of the electorate that is strategically crucial, politically speaking.
        
        I wonder whether the conundrum of private investment in residential property as a business in relation to housing being a social good is a contradiction or a paradox. The way forward will depend on the answer or, at least, on how we collectively view this, I believe.
        
        Drowsy M. Kram 4.1.1.1.1.2
        
        5 April 2021 at 1:54 pm
        
        Except for holidays, renting is not something I'd ever choose to do again. While not wanting to gloss over the downsides of owning your own home, the financial security that goes with owning property pretty much makes the world your oyster – at least that's how I see/live it. Some of the (1 in 6) NZers for whom a precariat ‘lifestyle‘ is reality might prefer to have other options.
        
        Who are New Zealand's precariat?
        
        For New Zealand's 'precariat', life is a daily struggle. They live in barely adequate insecure housing and are in constant fear of losing their income, which is often derived from working more than one job.
        
        A new book Precarity: Uncertain, insecure and unequal lives in Aotearoa New Zealand looks at the day-to-day reality of life for such people.
        
        Have the majority of renters in NZ made a genuine choice to rent?
        
        What changes to the rental market in NZ would make renting a more appealing option – something that more people might genuinely choose to do?
        
        Keeping that roof over your head
        https://www.rentersunited.org.nz/
        
        http://www.mtu.org.nz/
        
        https://www.tpa.org.nz/
        
        Why people prefer to rent
        
        Home ownership is in reach for more people, but may not always be worth it. Why do people still prefer to rent, rather than buy their own property? Here are just a few reasons why renting is still popular and why the rental market is flourishing:
        
        One of the biggest reasons that people prefer to rent is not having to scrape together for a deposit, that most people struggle to save. There are fewer upfront costs making this more achievable for people to afford.
        
        Rental rates generally stay the same, there is some variation, but it's not as drastic as housing costs. The housing market is forever changing.
        
        The responsibility of maintenance and repairs lies with the landlord in most cases, relieving tenant's of extra costs and stress.
        
        Work demands mean that people can move around the country as required. Renting allows you to pack up your things and leave with shorter notice than waiting for your property to sell.
        
        mikesh …
        
        6 April 2021 at 10:12 am
        
        Why people prefer to rent
        
        Other reasons might be fear of a market collapse, or a desire to invest one's capital in other ways.
  - woodart 4.1.2
    
    5 April 2021 at 11:26 am
    
    at a guess,I would say that sabine is going to have a (and another, etc,etc,etc) whinge, without providing us with any workable plans on how to improve things. I would really like to change the setup, as to avoid these endless whinges coming onto my laptop. they do absolutley no good at all, and apart from learning to speedscroll, have no useful purpose.
    - Incognito 4.1.2.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 11:30 am
      
      I hear you, but what, if anything, do you suggest? This forum is a collective effort.
      
      Be the change you want to see.
      - woodart 4.1.2.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:33 pm
        
        hard to be positive, when this site swims in a cesspool of negativity. attempts at humour and positivity seem to fly straight over the heads of too many on here , who would rather drag everybody down to their levels of gloom and doom. we live in the best country on the planet, with most of the good things in life, and waaaaay more positives than negatives, but you wouldnt think that after scrolling through many of the regular contibutors(a possible oxymoron, if you are constantly negative, are you a contributor?) incessant whinges. possibly need to set up a wailing wall, where all of gloom and doom merhants can congregate and drag each other down, and let the rest of us look for solutions NOT problems.
        
        RedLogix 4.1.2.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:44 pm
        
        Incognito 4.1.2.1.1.2
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:55 pm
        
        I recognise and empathise with much in your comment.
        
        I suspect that some of the negativity is worse and due to Covid-19. I believe this is having a much greater impact than we realise and a negative one for that; it has certainly affected me in a negative way.
        
        IIRC, it is human nature to focus on the negatives. If true, we need to overcome the energy barrier to turn things around, and it does feel like the Evergreen wedged in the Suez Canal.
        
        You are dead right that humour and laughter is hugely important. Laughing with rather than at (the expense of) people gives that necessary relief and burst of energy that we all need. It is all also good (for) bonding.
        
        I’m afraid I don’t have many ideas and/or suggestions on how to turn the commentary towards a more constructive one. As I said before, this forum is a collective effort and one single person can only achieve so much at a time.
        
        Maybe we should do Caption Contest more often, what do you think?
        
        woodart …
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:26 pm
        
        caption contest, maybe . a few photos of people REALLY doing it tough maybe. as for blaming covid for some having sour outlooks, maybe everybody needs to talk to friends and whanau in the u.k. nearly constant yr long lockdown, uncertainty over brexit. I have distant whanau just moved here from wales, they are so positive and grateful to be here and thankful to their dad who put them on kiwi citizenship yrs ago. people need to be more outward looking and be thankful for where we are. when I was on executive committee of nz drivers union 30 yrs ago, the secretary, jackson smith had a saying that maybe should go on the masthead.."there are no such thing as problems, only solutions"
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:11 pm
        
        Yup, talking with positive people creates positive experiences; hurt people hurt people.
    - Sabine 4.1.2.2
      
      5 April 2021 at 4:30 pm
      
      So calling out the inactivity of the current government is whinging? Well honey, i pay for the useless suits as much as anyone else in this country that pays taxes so i have the paid for the right to whinge about these useless eaters.
      
      Funnily enough i am saying now exactly the same as i said when it was key, bennet and the double dipper running the shit show and the current crew was in the opposition benches crowing about how they would save the day, feed the children, house the homeless, and so on and so forth.
      
      You want to know what needs to be changed? People like you shutting down people like me because it makes you unhappy as to what i have to say.
      
      Let me repeat it again, so you understand
      
      WE – you, me, incognito, mickey savage, j.a. and all the others of this country we are collectively guilty as to the mess that this country has become over the last 20 odd years. We have voted for people not because they are any good, but chances are they won't ruffle 'out' feathers, but those of the others. We vote for people because we know they won't change a thing. Because we don't want to change. We are not homeless, we are not hungry, our children as of today can still hold up – by a little and when it comes to our grand children and beyond we will be dead and not care one iota.
      
      So yeah, i do, NOT vote for Labour or National and i am throwing the current lot of the Greens into that heep of the history pile. I will vote for someone who reprensents me better.
      
      You want change? Demand better polititians, and Jacinda Ardern ain't it. She is going to be very much NZ Obama, a nice to have someone who is so stifled by their own pretentiousness they can't help even if they wanted to. And J. A and her knights and dames in dull fineries are useless. Down, out useless other then going please be kind, please be gentle….to me. While the kids go hungry, people are shooting at each others, people pile thirty into one house sleeping in shifts and in effect do what they did under National but even more so now. Kinder Gentler, bullshit. Vote Labour!
      
      The difference between Labour/National and the rest of the country is simple. When push comes to shove and you and i hit a tight spot we will tighten our belt, the ones currently running when they hit a tight spot they will open the belt another notch for a waver thin mint.
      - bwaghorn 4.1.2.2.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:37 pm
        
        The thing is this government is truly trying to fix housing, its proving to be a very tricky beast to corner,(that's why populist douche bags like the nats wont touch it)
        
        Trying to solve it with out collapsing the economy is a nightmare because I can gaurentee you as bad as it is if house prices collapse by 50% it will be alot worse.
      - Incognito 4.1.2.2.2
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:14 pm
        
        Let’s see, there’s quite a bit to unpack here.
        
        Because you pay tax, “as much as anyone else in this country” you “have the paid for the right to whinge about these useless eaters” [sic] here on this site? I think we need to increase our TS subscription fee 😉
        
        You want to know what needs to be changed? People like you shutting down people like me because it makes you unhappy as to what i have to say. [sic]
        
        The objection was against the negativity, the doom and gloom, the whingeing and wailing. Nobody is trying to shut you down. At most, they would like a change of tune and criticism that is a little more constructive wouldn’t go astray either.
        
        I will vote for someone who reprensents me better. [sic]
        
        That begs the question which candidate or politician might that be.
        
        We should “[d]emand better polititians” [sic] because they’re all “[d]own, out useless”? Even if you’re correct, which is highly debatable, how would we do this?
        
        Again, high on negativity, low on solutions 🙁
- Treetop 4.2
  
  5 April 2021 at 10:44 am
  
  It is going to take guts to say to landlords, unless the profit is reduced the problem could not be halted. To out rule any new tax is not an option when there is a poverty crisis which the housing market is fuelling.
- RedLogix 4.3
  
  5 April 2021 at 11:39 am
  
  owners got to write off their property expenses against their own taxes,
  
  That's rather misleading. The LAQC scheme, and it's more recent cousin the LTC, simply allowed the tax loss to be claimed in the year it was incurred, instead of it being stored up in the company books against future profits.
  
  A lot of people liked to call this tax avoidance, when it was really just a cash flow smoothing scheme. That of course was very helpful when interest rates were north of 8% so I'm not discounting that – but it was never a 'write off' in the sense that it reduced the total tax paid over time.
Pat 5

5 April 2021 at 9:54 am

'Reds under the bed' 2.0
Adrian Thornton 6

5 April 2021 at 10:04 am

That is all nice there MS, except sadly in the west, the biggest hurdle in the way for any serious socialist project is not the right or big business, but from within what is left of the traditional western ‘left wing’ political parties themselves, and their supporting media outlets..just witness Corbyn.. the Tories barely even had to raise a finger against him ( though their media arm went hard!), he was mainly destroyed and dismantled by the free market liberals within Labour and their so called left media, the Guardian in particular were extremely ruthless.

To understand how effective their campaign was, just go back to TS standard during that period…here we had an actual real live socialist leader in control of the UK Labour party, who was experiencing incredible on the ground momentum, mainly through the distribution of his excellent first manifesto …cut to TS, at least half (I would say more) of the so called lefties on this very site just parroted the negative media lines feed to them by the Guardian etc…I used to say to friends who were of this persuasion… exactly what western Socialist/left progressive project are you going to support? …only the one that comes along and is perfect in every, that has no flaws..is of immaculate conception?

But now that time has passed, Berine, Corbyn both destroyed from within by the bourgeois liberal class..as predicted.

I completely agree with you that business love socialism when it (as it does for landlord class here in NZ) works in complete harmony with their interests… as the saying goes “capitalism is socialism for the rich, rugged individualism for the rest”

I would usually say ‘Turn labour Left!” about now, but that is looking more and more like a lost cause…probably better to abandon that sinking ship.

But I competely
- mickysavage 6.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 10:50 am
  
  Thanks Adrian. I take it you agree with the premise of my argument. The last Socialist Parliamentary party was the Labour Party in its first couple of terms.
  
  I thought overall the site was pro Corbyn.
  
  Certainly my posts were … https://thestandard.org.nz/search/Mickysavage+Corbyn/?search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
  - Pierre 6.1.1
    
    8 April 2021 at 12:43 am
    
    Sidestepping the whole criticism of Corbyn as a figure, one of the failings of the Labour left was their inability to properly set out what they meant by socialism.
    
    The party has manifestos, but it does not have a long-term programme with a clear vision of a future society and how to get there. Most Labour activists can describe socialism in terms of heartfelt appeals to kindness and social welfare, which is fine, but that's not the basis of a socialist project. Nobody can point to any foundational party document which lays out a cohesive set of ideas. There is the constitution and rule book, and a lot of discussion is directed around these, but they're procedural documents, not fit for purpose as statements of political principle.
    
    British Labour was, and is, lacking a comprehensive programme of political education. And this is astonishing for a party which has historically produced so many important political theorists from its own ranks.
    
    Momentum worked hard on that problem with TWT, along with a series of explicitly political conferences (eg. the interventions of Mark Perryman). This as well as think tanks like the Centre for Labour and Social Studies or the Institute of Employment Rights, all the discussion which flourished in Labour-supporting publications like Tribune, Labour Briefing, Chartist, the Morning Star, Progressive Review, Novara, Red Pepper, Renewal, etc.
    
    All of that in service of turning Labour from Benn's idea of "a party with socialists in it" into a Socialist Party, or "an instrument of the working class for achieving socialism." In hindsight, the Labour left were not entirely successful in transforming the party, but at least they made a valuable attempt. Most of the left (including Adrian) understand that it's not enough to just elect a left-wing leader or a left-wing government and hope that magically fixes things.
    
    And in my experience this problem is also glaringly present in the NZ Labour Party, which maintains no discussion journal, no think tank or independent research department, no political education, and no comprehensive political programme. NZ Labour does not have its own publishing arm for printing books or pamphlets, it does not produce any literature whatsoever. Go on the party website, they sell branded t-shirts. If socialism is poorly understood in New Zealand, this is why.
- Tiger Mountain 6.2
  
  5 April 2021 at 5:04 pm
  
  LPrent savaged me on one occasion for supporting Jeremy Corbyn in a post, but hey that is allowed. The NZ Labour Party was well below luke warm about support for Mr Corbyn in most utterances I saw, and seemed to pretty much ignore the incredibly obvious slogan “for the many not the few”.
  
  Non socialist, centrists at best, debating over what constitutes socialism is beyond irony.
  - Incognito 6.2.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 5:20 pm
    
    LPrent savaged me on one occasion for supporting Jeremy Corbyn in a post …
    
    That doesn’t sound like anything Lprent would ever do!? What was the context, if I may ask? Surely you remember and perhaps you can even link to it?
    - Siobhan 6.2.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 7:24 pm
      
      I'm not sure which comment Adrian is talking about…and generally its best to let sleeping dogs lie, but this is quite special…Adrians comment is no.10…..Iprent is quite the poet when he sets his mind to it…….a fine example of the hurley burley of "moderation" on The Standard
      
      https://thestandard.org.nz/a-uk-labour-split/#comment-1219324
      
      [link fixed]
      - Incognito 6.2.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 9:06 pm
        
        It wasn’t Adrian, it was TM who was referring to a savaging comment, but without any context with have little to go on.
        
        Lprent is the Master of Moderation 😉
    - Tiger Mountain 6.2.1.2
      
      6 April 2021 at 7:53 am
      
      Searched and cannot find it…yet, but it was in the context of Jeremy Corbyn’s first election campaign, and Labour’s inner party struggles…
      
      What I did notice in my search of old comments though, is that I am a 99% LPrent supporter and have praised his approach and dedication to The Standard on many occasions.
      
      My old friend (in the non digital realm) writer TRP, used to savage me on occasion too. But it is all give and take when you get centrists and leftists in the same place.
      - Incognito 6.2.1.2.1
        
        6 April 2021 at 8:10 am
        
        Ok, thanks for trying, at least. I get a bit tetchy when it comes to unsubstantiated allegations, especially aimed at past and/or present Authors and/or Moderators of this site.
        
        FWIW, I’d like to see less ‘savaging’ around here but maybe that’s just me.
        
        Tiger Mountain 6.2.1.2.1.1
        
        6 April 2021 at 10:21 am
        
        Here tis Incognito…
        TIger Mountain7
        
        8 May 2017 at 8:36 am
        
        well put, it remains rather telling that no senior people in NZ Labour including President Haworth, seem to be able to bring themselves to support Jeremy Corbyn
        
        [TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
        
        [lprent: I am getting tired of having these kinds of personal attacks with no actual argument. Guess where it is going. BTW: I left my carefully framed observation as a comment in an expanded version of your own style. Enjoy. ]
        
        lprent7.1
        
        8 May 2017 at 8:53 am
        
        Personally I’m finding it hard to find anything much to support with Jeremy Corbyn either.
        
        Quite simply having deranged lefties ranting at me with no visible intelligence saying that I should support him for unspecified reasons out of some kind of faith based religiosity isn’t exactly a way to convince me. In fact it seems to be doing exactly the opposite.
        
        After looking at the results on the local election in the UK this morning, I suspect that much of the Labour support seems to be reacting in a similar fashion.
        
        I noticed exactly the same thing when I looked at Saunders. I suspect that the supporters of such candidates are their oppositions best weapon against them.
        
        Incognito …
        
        6 April 2021 at 2:28 pm
        
        Ta
        
        Hardly a “savaging”, IMO; I expected something really bad 🙂
        
        Both the Moderation note and the comment contain a lot of nuance. The take-home message seems to be that simple slogans and hand waving don’t cut it, only well-argued reasons, for or against. This sums up Lprent, if he ever could be summed up in a few words
        
        To expand on this thread, the kaupapa of this site is robust debate, but many commenters here seem not to understand what this means. For example, there are a few here who just dump a comment or two and walk away without ever checking let alone engaging with replies or Moderation notes for that matter. For example, a few here think we’re mind readers and we can and should find links and supporting info ourselves. For example, a few here think that disagreeing with somebody else’s opinion or view gives them a licence to attack the person. Et cetera.
        
        Anyway, thank you again for following up, which has been edifying and clarifying.
  - gsays 6.2.2
    
    5 April 2021 at 5:38 pm
    
    I've got to agree with you, TM and Adrian, I felt round these parts it was anti-Corbyn.
    
    The 'anti-semitism' slurs were repeated and served proof positive Corbyn should be gone. The passion with which 'Guardianesque' allegations were taken as gospel was disheartening.
    
    Akin to being vax-wary, having dissenting view on abortion or euthanasia, it was better to shut up and not engage.
  - Incognito 6.2.3
    
    5 April 2021 at 6:09 pm
    
    It seems that some here have a selective memory, perhaps because it suits their narrative.
    
    Here’s a comment by Lprent (https://thestandard.org.nz/pop-media-bullshit-another-example/#comment-1672549) that appears to be inconsistent with yours. Just saying, but without the context, we cannot judge for ourselves.
Incognito 7

5 April 2021 at 10:12 am

From what is quoted in the OP, Bowker’s piece seems to be more than rhetoric and opinion; it is propaganda, pure and simple.

Although residential landlords have been and still are squirming and squealing about the Government’s recent housing announcements, the simple fact is that the vast majority of them can still expect to profit immensely from their property investments over the long-term (i.e. CG). The simple fact is that there is currently no other attractive low-risk high-return investment category that they could move to and expect the same almost-guaranteed windfalls. Ironically, that could include investing in Mr Bowker’s portfolio. However, one issue is that residential property investment is likely to return positive cash flows to only the cashed-up investors with low debt levels. There are no annual dividends and in fact, there might be negative cash flows (i.e. losses) for many years.

I know this deliberately provocative comment will be challenged, and so it should be, but take your challenge to those so-called ‘Mum & Dad investors’ and challenge them instead by showing them the alternative options they do have (i.e. don’t take aim at the messenger but at the message).

I also know that the OP is about the misconceptions of Socialism and not to initiate another round of pseudo-technical arguments for or against CGT and the BLT, for example. The one and major (main?) misconception is that profit is not allowed or possible under Socialism. This is the greatest ~~bunk~~ myth around, for years …
- Chris T 7.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 11:06 am
  
  Your so called mum and dad investors with one or 2 properties invested for retirement are also the same people who had no Kiwisaver, got told they had to mostly pay for their own retirement and got reamed when the govt at the time pushed investing in shares over houses in the 80s and then it all turned to shit and they got screwed over.
  
  They were getting mortgage interest rates over 20%
  
  They are basically the generation that missed out on all the nice things we take for granted these days.
  
  Apart from the chance to buy an extra house.
  
  I get there is a lot of jealousy, but not everything is "they had it so much easier!! It's not fair!!!" when you actually compare it.
  - Incognito 7.1.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 11:16 am
    
    That was a beautiful violin solo. Now what?
    - Chris T 7.1.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 11:31 am
      
      Not really. I am not part of the generation I was talking about.
      
      But know what my mother was paying as a solo parent.
      
      That comment mirrors Genter's a little bit on her twitter.
      
      "Cry me a river" I think she said with the violin cartoon.
      
      She owns 2 properties.
      
      She must hate herself.
      - Incognito 7.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:04 pm
        
        So, which generation are you part of and how do you want to shape yours so that your children/grandchildren can talk about it, in future? Don’t hold back with your vision for the future unless you are one of those lazy moaners who blame everything on politicians and/or others but stubbornly refuse to make a constructive contribution even on a free forum such as this, a forum with the perfect kaupapa for this sort of stuff. Or do you rather criticise kids?
        
        Chris T 7.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:09 pm
        
        I am one that mostly missed kiwisaver, as it wasn't around as a kid, the house prices were already through the roof, we had to qualify properly for uni, there was no workiing for families, and youdidn't get the massive student loans handed out like confetti.
        
        On the upside we realised getting a massive student loan to get a pointless BA which means jack was bit stupid, when you could just get a job.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:27 pm
        
        Still looking behind you and moaning a lot how tough you’ve had it and how unfair life is or has been to you but no jealousy, of course, that’s for losers. From what you’re saying it appears you got a pointless BA with massive study loan, no KS, and you’re still renting, but there’s no blame, of course, that’s for losers. FYI, you don’t have to take NZ Super, which is also “handed out like confetti” to those who are eligible.
        
        I look forward to your forward-looking statement about your views for the future. Does socialism come into it, somewhere, anywhere?
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:39 pm
        
        I have never mentioned what I grew up with till you asked me directly.
        
        If you consider that still looking behind me and moaning then I am beginning to understand how the newer generations get their rep' for being a bit whingey.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:46 pm
        
        Thank you for sharing your personal background. It can help to understand where commenters come from and how this shapes their views for the future as well. If you can step out of your groove for a moment and share your views for the future and how we might achieve these then we’ll have actually achieved something positive today 🙂
        
        woodart …
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:44 pm
        
        "mostly missed kiwisaver" bollocks! as a beneficiary I joined kiwisaver staightaway and found a scheme where I could put in $5 a week(all I could afford) and topped it up on the odd occasion that I had an earn. now, there is $20,000 there. not a huge amount, but more than I payed for my first and only house (and I payed 16% interest on the mortgage). cry somebody else a river christy, because your sob story doesnt work for me.
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:55 pm
        
        It only started properly in 2007.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:22 pm
        
        At the year ending 31 March 2020, the average member balance was $20,474. In total, there were 3,026,064 members, with 287,831 aged 17 and under and 169 aged 86 and over (and 564 of unknown age).
        
        https://www.fma.govt.nz/assets/Reports/Kiwisaver-Annual-Report-2020.pdf
        
        Good on you!
        
        Foreign waka …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:40 pm
        
        Kiwi saver was not available in the 80's and early 90's. Many of the then 50 to 60 year old's lost a lot of money in the share market. I have seen them cry, literally. It was encouraged to invest in shares after Rodgernomics took hold. Bank interest rates were close to 20% and in the 90's 14-15%. An average house was around the 160K mark.
        
        millsy …
        
        5 April 2021 at 2:48 pm
        
        "I am one that mostly missed kiwisaver, as it wasn't around as a kid, the house prices were already through the roof, we had to qualify properly for uni, there was no workiing for families, and youdidn't get the massive student loans handed out like confetti."
        
        You had –
        
        1) Cheap power and gas, as the power and gas boards were publicly owned
        
        2) Gauranteed jobs for those that wanted one
        
        3) +5% payrises every few months
        
        4) Family benefit capitalisation and housing corp mortages, also the government would build houses for people to buy, and they would be cheap
        
        5) State houses for anyone that wanted one
        
        6) truly free education, no 'donations' camp fees, activity fees, etc
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:21 pm
        
        3,4,5 no we didn't. Slightly too young
        
        Power prices I have no idea. They were included in my first rent, so probably yes, or they would have made us pay it.
        
        Edit: I am in between the people you envy and you, presumably
        
        In Vino …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:06 pm
        
        Truly cheap shot, Chris T. I don't get the impression that Millsy envies anybody at all. I think he is recalling times in which he enjoyed, as I did, certain social goods.
        
        Pretending not to understand how power prices have gone wrong since the 80s – 90s "reforms" does not impress me: I see you as a transparent right-wing troll.
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:15 pm
        
        I just wasn't living in NZ in the 90's.
        
        There is a thing called an OE.
        
        I had a long one
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:21 pm
        
        But feel free to accuse me of being whatever you want with no evidence.
        
        It is funny, some people would call accusations like that bullying these days, as you have no knowledge of my mental state.
        
        I could be fragile and you could be harrassing me, while verbally assaulting me.
        
        Muttonbird …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:27 pm
        
        ChrisT, commenters do have to make a judgement on your mental state before posting but I don't think anyone has got it wrong.
        
        It's also not fair for you to hide behind people with genuine mental health problems for political purposes, as you have just done.
        
        Incognito []
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:41 pm
        
        Awesome comment! Well said!
        
        In Vino …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:33 pm
        
        Chris T: Ha ha. I spent nearly 5 years in Europe, but managed to keep things in perspective.
        
        If you are so fragile yourself, stop making malicious assumptions about people like Millsy.
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:42 pm
        
        OK
        
        Admittedly the envy vomment was probably harsh to Millsy. I apologise.
        
        Your other speil I don't get.
        
        Why would I keep track of prices while not living here?
        
        In Vino …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:55 pm
        
        Chris T
        
        While living in Cologne (Germany) I regularly went to the British Council library, where I could read informative articles in the quality papers about what was happening in NZ, as well as critiques of economic policies in most European countries. I could do the same while living in Lyon (France). When I came back home, I was well-equipped to see that reforms of Rogernomics and Ruth Richardson were probably the worst policies we could have copied.
        
        Where did you spend your OE? With a colony of ostriches with their heads stuck under the sand?
        
        You lost all interest in your home country while overseas?
        
        You ring totally false to me.
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 9:14 pm
        
        In Vino
        
        Good for you. But not everyone does this.
        
        In my 10 ears overseas in Europe I didn't really give a shit about NZ power bills
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 9:15 pm
        
        And yes
        
        Most interest when it came to politics.
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 9:18 pm
        
        In fact your diligently trapsing your way to a library to read about NZ sounds a shit load more bollocks than me just not living here.
        
        In Vino …
        
        5 April 2021 at 10:48 pm
        
        Not just about NZ – about the world and our place in it.
        
        You seem to have buried your own head in sand without any ostriches around.
        
        Learned a lot from your OE, did you? Or did you just waste your time as you now waste ours?
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        6 April 2021 at 1:12 am
        
        In my 10 ears overseas in Europe I didn't really give a shit about NZ power bills
        
        Chris T @ 9:14 pm, I hear yah – 10 ears in Europe in the 90s eh? A nice round number, and overseas no less! Did you vote in the four NZ general elections during your "10 ears overseas in Europe", or just in the first two MMP elections?
        
        …your diligently trapsing your way to a library to read about NZ sounds a shit load more bollocks than me just not living here.
        
        An intriguing opinion. I agree with In Vino @8:55 pm – "You ring totally false to me." Until now your comments have been notably free of personal info – best not to give too much away if you want to maintain this persona. Remember, I said 'if'
        
        Treetop …
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:53 pm
        
        Home ownership accounts worked in the early 1980s. I recall two methods, one you got 9% interest, the other gave dollar for dollar. At one point close to having a 20% deposit for a Wellington home both accounts got combined. Only one signature to withdraw. The biggest mistake I made was not having two signatures. The account was reduced to $13. That ended the marriage for me and I became a single mum.
        
        I could afford the rent on the benefit and there was a short wait for a HNZ home, I could also run a car, have a yearly holiday and purchase furniture and not go hungry.
        
        A lot has changed for the worse.
  - Adrian Thornton 7.1.2
    
    5 April 2021 at 12:43 pm
    
    I will say this from my own bitter experiences and that of many of my friends.."mum and dad investors" are the absolute worst landlords that any renter has to deal with (not all of course…but most fo sure)…they are generally fucking awful, mean hearted and worse.
    - Treetop 7.1.2.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 4:00 pm
      
      What is it that makes many “mum and dad investors” that way?
      - Incognito 7.1.2.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:19 pm
        
        Many? How many? Or “most fo sure” [sic] as Adrian will have you believe?
        
        Treetop 7.1.2.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:30 pm
        
        To me a mum or dad investor owns one or two properties. Many for me is two thirds to three quarters.
        
        I find most mum and dad investors to be arrogant and most would not put up with what they expect a tenant to put up with.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:01 pm
        
        Without marginalising Adrian’s or your personal and anecdotal experiences, this is not my own experience with NZ landlords.
        
        It is important to keep a perspective that goes beyond one’s personal experience and not to extrapolate these to the wider world (i.e. don’t generalise and/or stereotype).
        
        For example, in Q4 2020, the Tenancy Services received 1,133 applications from tenants for dispute resolution. https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/about-tenancy-services/data-and-statistics/ This is based on a total number of active bonds of 385,434 (as per 01-01-2021). Even if this is the tip of a much larger ‘iceberg’ and it doesn’t tell the ‘whole story’, it still seems a relatively low number (0.294%).
        
        Treetop …
        
        5 April 2021 at 6:28 pm
        
        When it comes to generalising and stereotyping my view has not always been so biased as in the last 3 years.
        
        The latest round of the bright-line test and losing the tax break on interest has brought out the whingers and I have no time for landlord whingers.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 6:31 pm
        
        Understood, which just shows how well the media megaphone can magnify the voice of a vocal minority.
        
        gsays …
        
        6 April 2021 at 7:17 am
        
        I understood Mum and Dad investors to be a term that was used when you wanted to paint a positive picture of landlording.
        
        Popularised by that Knight of the Realm, Slippery John. No-one could oppose the sale of our assets when it was Mum and Dad investers buying them.
        
        Treetop …
        
        6 April 2021 at 8:05 am
        
        Mickey has written two good posts over the Easter break, this one and the Thunberg one. The Thunberg one got me thinking about the publicity an activist gets on climate and ecological change and this post what I actually think about how well landlords have done in the last 3 years and the state of housing for those who can least afford the rent.
        
        How well the sale of government assets that Key sold has gone for mum and dad investors is something I would like seen reviewed?
    - RedLogix 7.1.2.2
      
      5 April 2021 at 4:25 pm
      
      Ask any professional manager and they will tell you that most tenants will go from one place to another with no problems at all. Or they're happy where they are and never move at all. (In our experience over 20 years this accounts for about 93%.)
      
      And then there are those who always seems to run into issues. It may be just a matter of luck as to which one of these you are.
      - Treetop 7.1.2.2.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:36 pm
        
        I have never had a property manager. Maybe a yearly inspection for 14 years when I was housed by HNZ in two properties. Dealing face to face with the landlord is different than dealing with a property manager.
  - bwaghorn 7.1.3
    
    5 April 2021 at 5:40 pm
    
    "They are basically the generation that missed out on all the nice things we take for granted these days."
    
    You do understand that a bunch of them voted for muldoon the very fucker who killed off nzs first go at a super scheme.
    - Foreign waka 7.1.3.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 8:43 pm
      
      Didn't he build a large power station with the retirement fund?
      - Craig H 7.1.3.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 10:31 pm
        
        He closed the scheme, returned everyone's contributions and committed NZ to pay as we go Super.
  - greywarshark 7.1.4
    
    6 April 2021 at 10:46 am
    
    Who is 'the generation that missed out on all the nice things we take for granted these days.'?
    
    There are not a lot of nice things being granted these days, and not many to take for granted. Those who went through the Depression and WW1 and WW2 have had rising living standards, up until Labour of last century got sick of the dominant Unions, and while walking through the woods with a basket of goodies for the old and deprived, were met by foxy loxy Douglas with a golden report from Treasury showing how to get rich quick. And we know how those schemes turn out don't we – there was a cautionary tale on Kathryn's show this morning of how people at a loss for how to climb out of a seemingly hopeless hole, are being taken to the cleaners by sharpies. Deja vu all over again!
    
    Because you personally Chris T, apparently, are doing well along with whomever you care about, that is not sufficient grounds for your message quoted above.
Reality 8

5 April 2021 at 11:17 am

Curious though that the capitalists who want no government interference in how they go about amassing their wealth, are very much front of the queue when things get a bit tough and they demand government assistance (in other words, socialism).
- Chris T 8.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 11:33 am
  
  Do you have some examples?
  - Stuart Munro 8.1.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 12:09 pm
    
    The "Taxpayers Union" claiming Covid relief must rate fairly high.
    - Chris T 8.1.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 12:11 pm
      
      Fair point.
      
      But will reserve judgment till I know no other unions did.
      - Stuart Munro 8.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:24 pm
        
        Unions, excluding the self-styled "Taxpayers Union" contact large numbers of people, and visit larger employers. As such they experienced actual constraint on their activities during Covid. The TU is donation and subscription based and produces puff pieces without any need for physical contact. Nice pretense of even-handedness though.
        
        Chris T 8.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:26 pm
        
        Sorry
        
        But a union is a union.
        
        I take it that will be an others did, while still taking money from people about to lose their jobs.
        
        arkie …
        
        5 April 2021 at 12:47 pm
        
        It’s two years since the launch of the Taxpayers’ Union, which was the realisation of “an ambition that burned hot and hard in the minds of Jordan Williams and David Farrar”, as chairman John Bishop (father of National MP Chris Bishop) said at the recent annual meeting.
        
        Isn’t calling it a ‘union’ a bit cheeky? “Yeah,” says Bishop snr. “David Farrar said he liked it because it annoyed the left. Union is not a term which is owned by the trade union movement.”
        
        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-big-read-so-whats-this-taxpayers-union-which-purports-to-represent-us-all/
        
        A union is an organisation that supports employees in the workplace by acting as an advocate for them collectively (and with the consent of the employee, individually). Unions bargain for collective employment agreements with employers and help employees with information and advice about work-related issues. You have to pay a fee to be a union member.
        
        There are unions for different kinds of workplaces and jobs so if you’re thinking about joining or setting up a union, you should find out about the ones that cover the type of work you do. For more information about unions, visit NZCTU.(external link)
        
        A registered union has to: have at least 15 members, become an incorporated society and register as a union.
        
        https://www.employment.govt.nz/starting-employment/unions-and-bargaining/unions/
        
        Chris T …
        
        5 April 2021 at 2:06 pm
        
        "A union is an organisation that supports employees in the workplace by acting as an advocate for them collectively (and with the consent of the employee,"
        
        No it isn't
        
        https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/union
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 2:13 pm
        
        Yes, it is, as per example 2e in your own link.
        
        Do you really want to play the diversion game of semantic skulduggery?
        
        bwaghorn …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:44 pm
        
        Why argue with a disingenuous rightwing hack who occasionally tries to seem balanced?
        
        Incognito []
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:53 pm
        
        Not arguing, correcting 😉
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        5 April 2021 at 2:14 pm
        
        "A union is an organisation that supports employees in the workplace by acting as an advocate for them collectively (and with the consent of the employee,"
        
        In my experience that’s what a workplace union is, and I was very glad of it. Individual experiences may differ and/or depend on one’s worldview
        
        Stuart Munro …
        
        5 April 2021 at 2:23 pm
        
        Just because you make a claim to be something, doesn't mean you are that thing – the claims of an alleged very stable genius should make that very clear.
        
        As for unions, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, The Union Steamship Company, the European Union and Western Union are all rather different things.
        
        Just because a group of tax evaders get together with the Penguin and claim to be a union of tax payers does not make them that.
        
        But you are digressing – the point was the alacrity with which the champions of RW thought put their hands out for government funds. The Taxpayers Union were merely a particularly egregious example of the hypocrisy.
        
        Sky City scored a cool thirty million for example, and given the subsidy was really to support businesses made marginal by events, their glomming it was inappropriate – though scarcely atypical.
      - McFlock 8.1.1.1.2
        
        5 April 2021 at 1:24 pm
        
        I don't know of any other "union" that took a government subsidy so it could continue complaining about government subsidies.
        
        Chris T 8.1.1.1.2.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 2:02 pm
        
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124066146/employers-that-failed-to-act-in-spirit-of-wage-subsidy-scheme-may-get-their-comeuppance
        
        McFlock …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:13 pm
        
        First Union does not seem to be campaigning against government subsidies in that link, so the point still stands without your attempted whataboutism.
      - Craig H 8.1.1.1.3
        
        5 April 2021 at 10:35 pm
        
        What do you mean by other unions? Union has a specific legal definition in NZ as explained in other replies to you, but then you linked to a dictionary, so presumably you were attempting to refer to other entities besides registered unions?
  - Foreign waka 8.1.2
    
    5 April 2021 at 8:50 pm
    
    Chris – 16 Billion later, which makes me still very upset as this could have been better managed, to businesses that paid dividends making extraordinary profits. All those tax deductions that allow for lavish living whilst the ones on minimum income do not get a break, quite gulling actually.
- Treetop 8.2
  
  5 April 2021 at 12:18 pm
  
  The capitalists can scream about making less quick money off housing than they anticipated.
  
  I gave it a thought that if interest rates were kept at say 10% that the housing mess would never have come to what it is. People would have made money off their savings and not in tenanted housing due to the margin before the rapid increase in house prices.
  
  Crazy that a house can sit unoccupied because of the profit margin. When the government made the latest changes they needed to sort this out and increase the bright-line test by how long the property was vacant. E.g. 10 years plus vacancy.
  - Incognito 8.2.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 8:22 pm
    
    Crazy that a house can sit unoccupied because of the profit margin. When the government made the latest changes they needed to sort this out and increase the bright-line test by how long the property was vacant. E.g. 10 years plus vacancy.
    
    Good point.
    
    A vacant property and undeveloped land (e.g. land banking) are telltale signs for IRD to look into it more and request a ‘please explain’. Please note that a BLT is just a test.
- Pierre 8.3
  
  7 April 2021 at 11:01 pm
  
  Socialism is when the government does stuff, and it's more socialism the more stuff it does.
  
  I was reading through this thread knowing with dread that I'd find this argument eventually, and here it is!
  
  It is not at all curious to observe that the capitalist state supports capitalist enterprise. You see it happening everywhere, and most of all in the EU and USA. Government subsidies for the large corporations are not some kind of contradictory 'socialism for the rich', it's just the normal response of the capitalist class using the state to protect their interests.
Stuart Munro 9

5 April 2021 at 11:45 am

The ignorance of socialism is a concern, and of course it has been cultivated, particularly in the US, but here as well. While we don't get quite as many plonkers whining about Venezuela as we used to, we are obliged to shame Bowker's ignorance (and I imagine it is a cultivated ignorance, and therefore doubly shameful) if even modest progress is to be made.

The neoliberals hiding under the skirts of the civil service and the party of the workers have not delivered anything of value, and they ought, even by their own paradigm, to be made to account for that.

There are other divisive forces at work however, and the workers have little or no representation in parliament. The answer is probably a revivified union movement, which could lead the fight against the ongoing slave worker issues (ie the scumbags who bring them in), and traditionally developed credible left MPs.
Andre 10

5 April 2021 at 11:52 am

Bernie couple of years ago:

"I didn't know that it was a crime to write a good book which turns out to be a bestseller,"

"I wrote a best-selling book," Sanders said then. "If you write a best-selling book, you can be a millionaire, too."

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/13/politics/bernie-sanders-millionaire-book-sales-tax-returns/index.html

That he's now having a crack at Bezos and Musk for earning themselves into massive wealth just shows Bernie's shallowness. Bezos and Musk earned their wealth in exactly the same way Bernie did: by creating things (or services in Bezos' case) that lots of other people want enough that they are willing to spend their money to get, except that Bezos and Musk were many orders of magnitude better at it. They are not examples of the kind of grossly overpaid useless parasitism such as Romney, Mnuchin, Ross, Blankfein, Buffett etc that unrestrained neoliberalism has barfed up over the last few decades.

To be sure, there's plenty to criticise in the laws and regulations that allowed Bezos and Musk to get away with some pretty shitty things along their way to wealth, and there's plenty to criticise in the tax laws that have failed to require Bezos and Musk to fairly contribute back to the society that enabled their wealth. Those lax laws and regulations should be the target of attacks, but Bernie's totally missing the boat on that.

But by indulging in personal attacks on some of the most prominent examples of what capitalism does well, incentivising driven individuals to come up with products and services that other people want to make their lives better, Bernie really discredits himself and what he stands for.
- arkie 10.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 12:01 pm
  
  A million seconds takes 12 days; a billion seconds takes 32 years.
  
  Bezos and Musk aren't millionaires, they are multibillionaires.
  
  The equivalency is false.
  - Andre 10.1.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 2:09 pm
    
    Well, yes, there's millions of people keen to spend tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands or millions on the products Musk is responsible for, and there's hundreds of millions of people keen to spend hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands through the services Bezos is responsible for.
    
    But there's only a few hundred thousand of people willing to spend tens of dollars on the products Bernie created. * sad trombone *
    
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2019/04/12/how-bernie-sanders-the-socialist-senator-amassed-a-25-million-fortune/?sh=7070f6a236bf
    
    Qualitatively they're the same, it's merely the order of magnitude of success that's different. And they're all so far outside the lived experience of the vast majority of Americans that from that perspective, they're equivalent.
    - arkie 10.1.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 2:37 pm
      
      'Responsible for' in that they had investment capital that paid for others to research, design and manufacture the 'products'.
      
      Still a false equivalency.
      
      The problem people have with billionaires is no one earns that amount of money. It's not 'success' when the vast majority of Americans are materially deprived as a result of companies, like Musk's and Bezos' not paying their share of tax or letting their workers unionise.
      
      Totally different kettle of fish.
      - Andre 10.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:36 pm
        
        They had the vision and commitment to things that could be different, as well as access to resources.
        
        Musk started from a few thousand bucks and a couple of rellies and friends and small investors to building a business worth tens of millions. He then took his cashed-up funds and found a new team and built a business worth hundreds of millions. He then cashed up and put it into new ventures that grew to be worth billions. And repeated the cycle to where he is now, in the hundreds of billions. Complete failure and it all crashing down back to nothing was a real live risk for Musk at a number of points in his career. He's put more effort and risk into earning his success than the vast majority of the rest of the population, along with a good helping of government and general societal assistance and plain good luck.
        
        The vision and commitment is the key part that seems to get suppressed or get channeled into really ugly pathways or otherwise go AWOL under systems that profess to be socialist. What did people with that kind of drive and commitment do in the old USSR or China or North Korea or any other socialist heaven you want to name?
        
        The problem of material deprivation is at worst only a tiny bit related to the vast fortunes Musk, et al have created for themselves and others. Attacking them personally for it is a really counterproductive approach, since it seeks merely to tear them down. Creating wealth as Musk, Jobs * et al have done really does lift all around them. Where things have fallen down is in setting systems and structures so they contribute fairly back to the society that made that wealth creation possible.
        
        That's where Bernie completely misses the target in having a go at them personally, in that he fails to acknowledge the key role those people play in making their nations wealthy. Nor does he seem to have put any effort into thinking through the likely result if he actually does succeed in tearing them down. And if Bernie really feels the need to go after people personally, there really are pure parasites that are much better targets. Most of Wall Street, for instance, produces nothing but is pure parasitism.
        
        * Yes, there is a shift from Bezos to Jobs. In my opinion, Bezos doesn't really create wealth, he simply set up a system for getting stuff from creators to consumers that consumers liked better than other ways, which means Bezos gets to clip the ticket rather than other people. At best, Bezos just reduces the wealth destruction caused by myriad ticket clippers all taking big bites.
- RedLogix 10.2
  
  5 April 2021 at 1:18 pm
  
  Good comment. The left really does tend to have a paradoxical attitude toward prosperity. On the one hand we rightly condemn poverty while at the same time we attack the proven means of alleviating it.
  
  Personally I do think we could begin by accepting that there will always be significant difference between people, and that innately any system that rewards innovation and investment will by it's nature tend toward a Pareto Power law distribution of outcomes. (That is, the top 1% will control 50% of the wealth.) From this empirical observation, perhaps we might build a more nuanced and effective means of bending this undeniable engine of material wealth, towards more complex ends promoting social and spiritual health.
  
  But this defense of the capitalist economy as it's evolved so far, is emphatically not an argument that it's neo-liberal form of the past 50 years should never change. Right now I'm reading Why Liberalism Failed (Patrick Deenan) which eloquently explores why the neo-liberal idea of the individual being not only sovereign, but the only thing that mattered, contains – despite it's undeniable successes – it's own pathological seeds of failure. Skipping to the end of the book:
  
  I conclude by taking three of those initial steps.
  
  First, the achievements of liberalism must be acknowledged, and the desire to “return” to a preliberal age must be eschewed. We must build upon those achievements while abandoning the foundational reasons for its failures. There can be no going back, only forward.
  
  Second, we must outgrow the age of ideology. Of the three great modern ideologies, only the oldest and most resilient remains, but liberals mistook the fall of its competitors for the end of history rather than the pyrrhic victory it really was. The gap between liberalism’s claims about itself and the lived reality of the citizenry widens to the point that the lie can no longer be accepted. Instead of trying to conceive a replacement ideology (or returning to some updated version of an alternative, such as a renascent Marxism), we should focus on developing practices that foster new forms of culture, household economics, and polis life.
  
  Third, from the cauldron of such experience and practice, a better theory of politics and society might ultimately emerge. Such a theory must eschew liberalism’s ideological dimensions yet be cognizant of its achievements and the rightful demands it makes—particularly for justice and dignity. The outlines of such a theory are already discernible, guided by liberalism’s own retention of essential concepts from a preliberal age—especially that of liberty—and reinforced by experience and practice essential for a humane life. This first step toward a new theory is the most tentative, but it faces in a confident direction, given the perpetual appeal of certain basic political ideals that have been present in the Western tradition since antiquity.
  
  Deneen, Patrick J.. Why Liberalism Failed (Politics and Culture) (pp. 183-184). Yale University Press. Kindle Edition.
  - arkie 10.2.1
    
    5 April 2021 at 2:41 pm
    
    The left really does tend to have a paradoxical attitude toward prosperity. On the one hand we rightly condemn poverty while at the same time we attack the proven means of alleviating it.
    
    The 'proven means of alleviating' poverty is continuing to allow incredible concentration of wealth to a smaller and smaller group of individuals?
    
    Bizarre.
    
    The recession ushered in by the novel coronavirus has not meant economic catastrophe for everyone, however. In fact, in the months since the virus reached the United States, many of the nation’s wealthiest citizens have actually profited handsomely. Over a roughly seven-month period starting in mid-March – a week after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency – America’s 614 billionaires grew their net worth by a collective $931 billion.
    
    https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/12/01/american-billionaires-that-got-richer-during-covid/43205617/
    - RedLogix 10.2.1.1
      
      5 April 2021 at 2:47 pm
      
      Selectively quoting only part of my comment and then ignoring my next paragraph which explicitly goes on to acknowledge the inequality the system is generating isn't in the least helpful.
      
      It's the kind of dishonest trick that doesn't generate anything constructive.
      - arkie 10.2.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:03 pm
        
        In your second paragraph you say we should 'accept' that '1% will control 50% of the wealth'.
        
        Your comment stands above, readers can determine for themselves whether I have been dishonest or constructive.
        
        You could also choose to explain how you think we might build a more nuanced and effective means of bending this undeniable engine of material wealth, towards more complex ends promoting social and spiritual health.
        
        RedLogix 10.2.1.1.1.1
        
        5 April 2021 at 3:41 pm
        
        Again twisting my words will take us nowhere. My exact claim is:
        
        Personally I do think we could begin by accepting that there will always be significant difference between people, and that innately any system that rewards innovation and investment will by it's nature tend toward a Pareto Power law distribution of outcomes.
        
        That's not the same as saying that we should accept the negative consequences of this. It's been clearly established that beyond a certain threshold, the gross extremes of wealth and poverty are hugely detrimental and undermine social cohesion. In the modern era of unprecedented wealth generation, it remains one of the great unsolved social and moral challenges.
        
        Liberalism's answer is to rightly point out that if we allow the wealth generators unfettered freedom to create – the resulting 'rising tide would lift all boats'.
        
        The Conservatives answer is to rightly point to the reality that much of the reason why people fall to the bottom of the heap is the result of their own choices – and that encouraging personal responsibility would help.
        
        The Socialist answer is to rightly point out that no person lives in isolation from all others and that we all bear a collective responsibility for our total welfare – therefore redistributing ‘from each according to their capacity, to those according to their needs’ is justified without limit.
        
        It's my view that each of these answers is partially right and wrong at the same time. Worse still as purist ideologies they're demonstrably disastrous.
        
        At the same time it's not unreasonable to suggest that a society that can combine the positive aspects of each, wealth generation, personal responsibility and collective welfare has to be heading in a good direction.
        
        Muttonbird …
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:25 pm
        
        Arkie is not twisting your words. Arkie is quoting you directly.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:36 pm
        
        Why don’t you leave it to Arkie and RL to sort out their differences of opinion?
        
        Start your own thread under this OP or on OM, if you wish, but leave your personal views of RL at the door, as they might get you in trouble.
        
        Muttonbird …
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:59 pm
        
        Ok, not great if we all comment in a bubble, unable to respond to others but you do make the rules.
        
        My feeling is that RL's claims are being protected, which is unfortunate.
        
        Incognito …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:08 pm
        
        My feeling is that Arkie doesn’t need your ‘help’ and that you have better things to do here.
        
        As I said, start your own thread here or on OM.
        
        BTW, I don’t make up the rules; they are in the site’s Policy, which I did not write. But you know that.
        
        This is not a moderation; you were given your final warning last night @ 8:25 pm, in case you missed it (again). Please don’t trigger it and the best you can do to avoid this is to stay away from RL 🙂
        
        HTH
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:28 pm
        
        Liberalism's answer is to rightly point out that if we allow the wealth generators unfettered freedom to create – the resulting 'rising tide would lift all boats'.
        
        The Socialist answer is to rightly point out that no person lives in isolation from all others and that we all bear a collective responsibility for out total welfare – therefore redistributing from those with the ability to those with the need is justified without limit.
        
        Neat summary RL. The liberal "rising tide that lifts all boats" seems very attractive (although that particular rising tide does come at a price), whereas the socialist redistribution of wealth "without limit" sounds a bit scary.
        
        As you point out, globally wealth has never been more abundant, super-abundant in fact, albeit unevenly distributed. Imho it's past time to give greater priority to wealth redistribution that stabilises the crumbling foundations of those facing a life in debt, i.e. those that have, remarkably, 'missed the wave'.
        
        Imho, one 'problem' facing a fairly sizable minority of NZ citizens is paying for the necessities of life. Maybe inequality in NZ has gone a little too far…
        
        Why poverty in New Zealand is everyone's concern
        Liang describes poverty as a "heritable condition" that perpetuates and amplifies through generations: "It is also not hard to see how individual poverty flows into communities and society, with downstream effects on economics, crime and health, as well as many other systems. Loosen one strand and everything else unravels."
        
        A Kete Half Empty
        Poverty is your problem, it is everyone's problem, not just those who are in poverty. – Rebecca, a child from Te Puru
        
        RedLogix …
        
        5 April 2021 at 4:58 pm
        
        As you point out, globally wealth has never been more abundant, super-abundant in fact, albeit unevenly distributed.
        
        Agreed. And yet I think it's helpful to stop thinking that the reasons for this are entirely nefarious, or purely the result human greed and corruption. I would argue that while these factors do exist, and do make matters worse, I still think any economic system based on rewarding investment and innovation (both essential to ensure a better future than today) – will tend toward a Pareto Power law of outcomes over time.
        
        For this reason just yelling at some arbitrary percentage – the top 1% for example – for being the cause of all our ills is misplaced.
        
        I'm going to be a little provocative here, but it's worth asking this question. Why do we think inequality matters? After all even the poorest 10% of New Zealanders still enjoy a material life far better than the bottom 40% globally, and dramatically better than anything their ancestors 200 yrs ago enjoyed. Why does the fact of the top 1% controlling so much wealth actually matter?
        
        Only some of the answer lies in the material dimension – I'd love to see a UBI or GMI that worked. It's quite clear we need to lift the social net a fair bit further off the ground. There are some basic things this govt can and should be doing to help – even a little bit.
        
        But beyond this, on reading The Spirit Level it's clear that most of the negative consequences of inequality arise in the psychological and social domains – not just the material.
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        5 April 2021 at 6:03 pm
        
        Agreed. And yet I think it's helpful to stop thinking that the reasons for this are entirely nefarious, or purely the result human greed and corruption.
        
        Couldn't agree more RL; socioeconomic inequality (and poverty) is not due to “entirely nefarious” actions, or “purely the result human greed and corruption” – these are merely contributing factors over which we can exercise some personal and/or collective agency, if we so choose.
        
        And, if we accept the inexorable nature of the Pareto principle, then imho it is still within 'our' power to ameliorate its less desirable outcomes. Indeed, a concerted and continual commitment to redistribution of wealth could, over time, reset the outcomes of this principle – in matters of human society, the agency is (collectively) ours.
        
        Some might be uncomfortable with such socioeconomic engineering, but it's unlikely that many of would be significantly less comfortable in a material sense, although I have previously acknowledged the deep psychological wounds that might accompany the sacrifice of 2% of one's wealth on a regular basis, or at least until such time as wealth portfolios could be 'rearranged' (think "greed and corruption"). Tbh, I prefer a simple life.
        
        And, as you helpfully point out with your reference to The Spirit Level, inequality is damaging to societies and individuals on multiple levels, from the material through to "the psychological and social domains" – I think you have gone most of the way to answering your own (provocative) question – "Why do we think inequality matters?"
        
        A more interesting, if provocative question might be to ask what makes some people ask "Why do we think inequality matters?"
        
        https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/surprise/202005/are-you-greedy
        
        RedLogix …
        
        5 April 2021 at 6:32 pm
        
        If we accept the inexorable nature of the Pareto principle, imho it is still within 'our' power to ameliorate its less desirable outcomes. Indeed, a concerted and continual commitment to redistribution of wealth could, over time, reset the outcomes of this principle – in matters of human society, the agency is (collectively) ours.
        
        Good – I'd hope we can both firmly agree and move forward on this basis.
        
        Keep in mind we already do quite a lot of redistribution. Virtually every physical and social service provided by local and central govt, from roads and sewerage, to education, health and security are redistributive in nature. Plus pretty much any family earning less than the median income is paying close to zero net tax even in our present system. It's useful not to lose sight of these things.
        
        The question I would ask is, if you want to ask for more redistribution, what would you ask for that delivered the best bang for the buck? Otherwise we likely run into the old law of diminishing returns.
        
        My answer to this question has been a UBI, because as I've outlined elsewhere, I believe the most potent aspect is it's ability to give people an unconditional of a sense of their own agency.
        
        The other area I'd look at very hard if I was 'King of Aoteaoroa' for a few years, would be our education system and to see what lessons we can take from the Finnish experience and translate them to NZ. More than anything else we should be teaching our young people to seek excellence, to expect the best from themselves. And the best way to do this is to have teachers who model this in their own lives, because they're part of system which both rewards and respects them for it.
        
        We need to crush the culture of low expectations in NZ, celebrate the AB's, TMNZ and any number of people who are doing incredibly well at things they love doing – and collectively insist that we want this opportunity for everyone. Get that right and a lot of the policy details will naturally flow from it.
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        5 April 2021 at 7:08 pm
        
        Yep, NZ already does a fair bit of wealth redistribution via general taxation – how do we compare with, say, Finland?
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_rates
        
        What are we doing wrong?
        
        And, while we're on the topic of Finland, I couldn't hardly agree more regarding investment in education to make teaching in NZ a more desirable and respected profession, but how much more redistribution might be required to get to that level again?
        
        We're up against it, but at least we can still laugh.
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBjUiJFuXYQ
        
        Andre …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:10 pm
        
        "wealth redistribution" as framing immediately puts off the huge majority of those that aspire to ever have wealth, that then might be taken off them for redistribution.
        
        Seems to me the better framing is ensuring opportunity for all, so that poverty is less of a heritable condition. Part of that goes to topics such as estate tax, so that the spawn of the wealthy don't also have a heritable unearned position at the top of the pile, where their incompetence is a drag on the rest of us.
        
        RedLogix …
        
        5 April 2021 at 5:34 pm
        
        Yes. A lot of this comes down to positive constructions.
        
        My personal view – and it is personal – is that a society which measures value in terms of service and duty to each other is going to a lot more psychologically healthy than we enjoy at present.
        
        Consider how well Ardern did this with COVID around the 'team of 5m' framing. So how does this translate the much wider problem of inequality?
        
        Well components of the answer lie pretty much to hand. We know how harness individual creativity and interest to build economic systems that generate wealth. We know that personal discipline and sacrifice tend toward good outcomes. We know that people are happiest when they feel they have some control over the choices in their lives. We know that being able to give back to the community can be incredibly rewarding when it's something you care about. We know that most people are highly rewarded when they experience excellence, meaning and connection in their lives.
        
        These are all psychological drivers – and all of them can feed into a society that's both prosperous and content with that prosperity at the same time.
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        5 April 2021 at 6:30 pm
        
        "wealth redistribution" as framing immediately puts off the huge majority of those that aspire to ever have wealth, that then might be taken off them for redistribution.
        
        If a "wealth redistibution" framing is off-putting to "the huge majority of those that aspire to ever have wealth", then I reckon it's even more off-putting to those who would be the immediate targets of a wealth tax, even though such a tax would have a negligible impact on their material comfort. It's the psychological impact, the very thought of a 'wealth grab', that gnaws at them.
        
        Of course I'm only speculating. Although not particularly wealthy, I'm fortunate to be wealthy enough, and since I don't aspire to have (more) wealth, I can focus on more satisfying enterprises.
        
        https://www.thefbcg.com/resource/managing-the-psychological-impact-of-inherited-wealth/
        
        https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2018/sep/18/kate-pickett-richard-wilkinson-mental-wellbeing-inequality-the-spirit-level
        
        Andre …
        
        5 April 2021 at 7:34 pm
        
        Y'know, if you're confident that a particular tax is never going to affect you, then your opining on its design strikes me as akin to a fish opining on bicycle design.
        
        Muttonbird …
        
        5 April 2021 at 7:39 pm
        
        Andre. It could be moral conscience. Ever heard of it?
        
        Andre …
        
        5 April 2021 at 7:48 pm
        
        Muttonbird, if you ever paid attention to what other people actually say instead of being entirely self-absorbed in your own public political masturbation, you might have noticed me advocating loudly and strongly over many years here for capital gains taxes, gift taxes, estate taxes among others. All of which I have paid at some point, and would expect to pay again if they were introduced into New Zealand.
        
        Muttonbird …
        
        5 April 2021 at 7:56 pm
        
        Andre. Clearly I pay a lot of attention to what other people actually say. I'm being threatened with excommunication because of it.
        
        That I haven't noticed you advocating for redistribution taxes might mean your other political views run counter to that. At least from this view point.
        
        Incognito []
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:56 pm
        
        Drowsy M. Kram …
        
        5 April 2021 at 8:00 pm
        
        It’s not all about me – taxation is a general good, imho. Those who might benefit (directly or indirectly) from proposed/typothetical taxation changes are as entitled to express an opinion as those who might pay increased tax, imho.
        
        Presumably you're only critiquing my opinion because I'm in favour of a wealth tax – it seems unlikely that you would have much to say if I was expressing dismay at the prospect of a wealth tax, regardless of how it might (or might not) affect me.
  - Incognito 10.2.2
    
    6 April 2021 at 2:04 pm
    
    The word “theory” sounds very academic and not like something that could or would help guide us getting there. As mentioned, it has to encompass much more than just economic theory, which makes it even less likely it can and will be used as a trailblazer. Indeed, some of the outlines are starting to emerge and quite possibly all the necessary components are already present for alignment and integration into a whole. As with complex systems, and paradoxically, emergence can create something completely new and unexpected that might feel counterintuitive; it is not magic but close to it.
    
    I was reminded of a very good book I read a few years back, which can be accessed online: http://cognet.mit.edu/book/complementary-nature [HT to Anne Salmond]
    
    Rather than a ‘theory’, we need a new narrative that we all can understand and incorporate into our lives and thinking.
    - Tiger Mountain 10.2.2.1
      
      6 April 2021 at 2:07 pm
      
      hey Incognito, my LPrent quotes are at…
      6.2.1.2.1.1
      - Incognito 10.2.2.1.1
        
        6 April 2021 at 2:30 pm
        
        Apologies! I’ve just replied (https://thestandard.org.nz/what-is-socialism-a-primer-for-idiots/#comment-1786934).
    - RedLogix 10.2.2.2
      
      6 April 2021 at 2:15 pm
      
      Thanks. I like that comment a lot.
      
      You're spot on in that I think we have a lot of the components lying about, but we need a fresh view on how to put them together correctly.
      
      Lot's of good minds – way better than mine – are grappling with this and I'd love to see the 'left' let go of the stale old paradigms and open up to a broader discussion.
      
      If nothing else I've deliberately set about pointing to where I think the three political traditions of conservatism, liberalism and socialism each do get it right – and that a whole of society solution is just damn well going to have to admit everyone to the table. Even people we've been so set against for so long.
      - Incognito 10.2.2.2.1
        
        6 April 2021 at 2:34 pm
        
        I strongly believe, actually, I’m convinced that something will grow/crystallise from the apparent mess/chaos that we’re in. Transition periods are confusing (and painful, especially when we resist) but once looking back, things may start to appear simple(r) and sensible, somewhat …
Obtrectator 11

5 April 2021 at 4:58 pm

"Wanting to make life multiplanetary does not cut it as excuse. You know how this will work out, the only people going interplanetary will be the wealthy, escaping Earth after having wrecked it."

Read Ben Elton's "Stark" to see how that will play out. And even if all the escapees do manage to get along together, they'll soon start to realise what a horrible existence they'll have to drag out without the supporting ecosystem they originated from. It's all interlinked, folks. Remove any one element from it, that element's got no hope of ultimate survival on its own. Not, at any rate, without adaptation by evolution for which there wouldn't be enough time.
- Incognito 11.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 5:15 pm
  
  Ah yes, I forgot, the Afterlife is all dead and buried 😉
Muttonbird 12

5 April 2021 at 5:09 pm

The claim capitalism is a proven means of alleviating poverty is demonstrably false because poverty, both material and relative still exist, and in countries which have a long history with the system, while they are rich, relative poverty is an increasing presence.

The right wing do love to use historical measures in defence of capitalism. You've seen it before, 'in 1920 no one had refrigerators, now we all have them so unrestrained capitalism must be good'. Doesn't matter if some people have nothing to put in that refrigerator.

Scott Morrison used a similar relativity when he compared a 10,000 strong women's march on parliament with protests in Myanmar and suggested the same protest would be met with bullets.

Such thinking by the reactionary right is designed to distract from the clear failings of capitalism (or whatever else they might be defending) by citing unrelated reference points. The thinking is that this system, heir system, is glorious and anyone who can't live in it shall just have to suffer.

Life's not fair, etc.
greywarshark 13

5 April 2021 at 5:23 pm

The post is about a stodgy dirge of all the usual suspect rhetoric from a I'm-doing-nicely-leave-our-sector alone loudmouth. Some of us in NZ are trying to face up to some of our now structural economic problems, one being that landlords are being subsidised by government to provide high cost, often low quality rental properties. One name comes to mind 'Peter Rachman' – all should know about this foreigner who entered the UK and dug his way into their financial system and made big quids out of combining housing and corruption.

We are trying to improve a bad system in NZ, which is very largely the cause of the number of poor people here who have been caught up in the housing cobweb being eaten alive by landlords being nursed by the government. This is not a socialist government by the way. This is about doing a little to help the poor, who mostly rent. Will our new landlord and renting measures help our poor? Something must be done but are we likely to be distracted to concentrate on the huge matter of concern about race, and Maori structural disadvantage?

A study made on the poor in the UK places social class at the top of the difficulties that the poor face. Lack of social mobility in other words.

We have followed Giddens' Middle Way trying to balance on the narrow gym beam of less government and more self-reliance which requires great concentration by government on one narrow goal. Gymnasts can't afford to let their attention wander. We can, we are supposed to be a sensible, commonsense caring community. Look what the UK has found about their poor.

In one of those ironies with which history abounds, the Report, [Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities (CRED)] commissioned by Boris Johnson’s Conservative Government in the aftermath of the world-wide “Black Lives Matter” protests of 2020, and which highlights the critical role played by social class in generating inequality, has “disappointed” Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the British Labour Party. Starmer’s namesake, Keir Hardie (1856-1915) a pioneer of working-class representation in the British parliament, would have found Starmer’s response ideologically incomprehensible.

According to a BBC news report (2/4/21), the CRED Report found evidence that “factors such as geography, family influence, socio-economic background, culture and religion had ‘more significant impact on life chances than the existence of racism’.”

It is difficult to think of a statement more calculated to upset those for whom white racism – personal and institutional – constitutes the key explanation for the negative experiences and life outcomes of people living in Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. The only information likely to prove more “triggering” is the CRED Report’s finding that, in terms of raw numbers, there are more white families living in poverty in Britain than black families….

The same socio-economic dynamics are, of course, at work in New Zealand. Indeed, those with good memories will recall a very similar debate which erupted over the “Closing the Gaps” policy promoted, and then abandoned, by the Helen Clark-led coalition governments of 1999-2008. Exactly as has occurred in Britain, the research undertaken in what appeared to be a race issue came back with the unwelcome news that the “gaps” in New Zealand society were generated overwhelmingly by socio-economic factors.

from Bowalley Road – https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2021/04/a-bigger-impact-class-still-trumps-race.html

I feel that in NZ while we were making a stand on nuclear deterrence, the basis of our economic and social lives and hopes was undermined and the sly action of a Gang of Four or so of Labour elite coupled with Treasury blandishments, took us so far and so fast from our familiar scenario, that we were befuddled.

I wouldn't want us to concentrate just on Maori issues, but the whole matter of lack of steady jobs with livable wages, and enough to make small regular savings for a deposit, and have social mobility must be to the fore with small provisions to enable people to plan for a secure future and work towards it with government behind them, offering opportunities and incentives. Put some of the swingeing welfare costs into assisting personal development at people's own pace, not with sour, pursed lips, but encouragement to those wanting to help themselves, given a chance. Maori would form their own style of advancement, with tikanga, and perhaps less pakeha individuality and either pan-whanau objectives, or small groups with similar objectives working together harmoniously. Let us all move upwards as needed, some more than others.
peter sim 14

5 April 2021 at 5:57 pm

The herald, as is usual, bringing in a dog whistler. This person might just shunt advertising dollars towards the herald while he brays his ignorant propaganda to his board and shareholders. It saves their own employees doing it.
McFlock 15

5 April 2021 at 6:25 pm

Capitalism is the scorpion, society is the frog.

We all know that capitalists prioritise their own wealth over everything else. We praise millionaires and billionaires. But even its earliest describers talked about capitalists inevitably discussing a "conspiracy against the public".

The hypocrisy of the capitalist is to decry the very subsidies and regulatory assistance for which they promptly apply, while blaming the hardships of others on "personal choices".

The people who demand enthusiastic and capable service (from hospo staff who don't get a living wage) couldn't make a decent cup of coffee if their life depended on it, let alone get the orders right.

And all the while, the crumbs they throw to others are regarded as "job creation" – the job being to put more money into their purse.

Is there an alternative to brutalist capitalism? Probably, but the point of this comment is that asking a banker about options to fix the housing problem is like asking a fox to make recommendations on the security of the henhouse.
- Muttonbird 15.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 6:49 pm
  
  One of the things wrong with capitalism is the false premise that anyone can make it. Not all people are able to operate in the world we have created. What of them? Capitalists don't care.
  
  Another is exponentialism. That is profit makers use profit generators, exponentially. The profit employers realise is exponentially larger than that which workers and their families see. They should not be surprised when asked for wealth redistribution, exponentially.
  
  This sits in an economic structure in which profit generators (workers) have no say. They are asked to operate silently in an increasingly unfair system. Proof that the current wealth redistribution model does not work is that vulnerable people continue to grow in numbers.
  - greywarshark 15.1.1
    
    6 April 2021 at 10:55 am
    
    Capitalism makes sure that not all can 'make it'. Because – competition, as soon as someone wants to make it by starting up a business and working hard, the capitalist will work at stealing their customers, complaining about something they should have done, copying their innovations, undercutting them by selling below cost which the big business can bear by cross-subsidy in their store, and the other business looks like scammers to the unthinking.
    
    All the cliches and slogans that the wealthy mouth they pass around, doesn't matter about the quality of them just keep up the quantity and don't pay attention to aggrieved squawks – these days more and more are seen in 'humorous' little digs on the internet.
zee 16

5 April 2021 at 8:44 pm

He is the Executive director of Caniwi Capital, a privately owned investment firm involved in private equity, commercial property and farming.
- Incognito 16.1
  
  5 April 2021 at 8:51 pm
  
  That’s an exact quote of text in the OP!?
  
  What’s your point?
  - peter sim 16.1.1
    
    6 April 2021 at 10:04 pm
    
    Bowkers ignorance and arrogance calls into question his competence in charge of anything, let alone a company board.
    
    Oh, I forgot he is a banker.
Jackel 17

5 April 2021 at 10:54 pm

A long overdue little dose of reality for the housing market from the Labour government and suddenly the tories start exhibiting symptoms of reds under the bed paranoia. Would you rather a stronger dose of reality like the Reserve Bank raising interests rates to say 5%? I'm sure you wouldn't argue with that, after all what a bold move by the bank to take the heat out of the housing market. What's that? Not even a murmur.
vto 18

8 April 2021 at 9:04 am

Humans are intensely social. Socialism is the coming together of people to achieve an end. It isn't that 'owning the means of production' nonsense – it is a description of how we go about the world. Everything humans have achieved is a result of socialist undertakings. Everything. Humans who are not social shrivel up and die.

Business is intensely social. NZ's two biggest businesses, Foodstuffs and Fonterra, are coops ffs. A limited liability company is a socialist organisation, being a group of shareholders coming together to achieve an end – there is nothing more socialist than a limited liability company.

I don't understand the brainless vilification of socialist undertakings by the 'right' and by business when they use those very structures each and every single day.

There is nothing but socialist undertaking for humans.

This understanding should drive everything.

Comments are now closed

Articles RSS

Comments
Opinions

Texas Lessons
This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
3 hours ago

Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 hours ago

Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
6 hours ago

Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
16 hours ago

At a glance – Is the science settled?
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Skeptical Science
16 hours ago

Apposite Quotations.
How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
Bowalley Road
18 hours ago

What’s a life worth now?
You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
18 hours ago

Howling at the Moon
Karl du Fresne writes – There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
20 hours ago

Newshub is Dead.
I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
20 hours ago

Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
20 hours ago

Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
22 hours ago

Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
David Farrar writes – The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
23 hours ago

PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
23 hours ago

Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
23 hours ago

Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
1 day ago

Long Tunnel or Long Con?
Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
1 day ago

Smoke And Mirrors.
You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
1 day ago

What is Mexico doing about climate change?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
Skeptical Science
1 day ago

State of humanity, 2024
2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
2 days ago

Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
2 days ago

The case for cultural connectedness
A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Useful context on public sector job cuts
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated. While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
2 days ago

Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

True Blue.
True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
2 days ago

Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
2 days ago

2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
Skeptical Science
3 days ago

Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts
Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...
Gareth’s WorldBy admin
3 days ago

Or is that just they want us to think?
Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
3 days ago

Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
Skeptical Science
4 days ago

Arguing over a moot point.
I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
4 days ago

No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
Bowalley Road
4 days ago

Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
No – nothing about that in PM Luxon’s nine-point plan to improve the lives of New Zealanders. But beyond our shores Jamie Dimon, the long-serving head of global bank J.P. Morgan Chase, reckons that the chances of a goldilocks soft landing for the economy are “a lot lower” than the ...
Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
4 days ago

Sad tales from the left
Michael Bassett writes – Have you noticed the odd way in which the media are handling the government’s crackdown on surplus employees in the Public Service? Very few reporters mention the crazy way in which State Service numbers rocketed ahead by more than 16,000 during Labour’s six years, ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

In Whose Best Interests?
On The Spot: The question Q+A host, Jack Tame, put to the Workplace & Safety Minister, Act’s Brooke van Velden, was disarmingly simple: “Are income tax cuts right now in the best interests of lowering inflation?”JACK TAME has tested another MP on his Sunday morning current affairs show, Q+A. Minister for Workplace ...
Bowalley Road
4 days ago

Don’t Question, Don’t Complain.
It has to start somewhereIt has to start sometimeWhat better place than here?What better time than now?So it turns out that I owe you all an apology.It seems that all of the terrible things this government is doing, impacting the lives of many, aren’t necessarily ‘bad’ per se. Those things ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
4 days ago

Auckland faces 25% water inflation shock
Three Waters became a focus of anti-Government protests under Labour, but its dumping by the new Government hasn’t solved councils’ funding problems and will eventually hit the back pockets of everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 8:06 am today are:The Government ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
4 days ago

Small accomplishments and large ironies
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Share Read more ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
4 days ago

The Song of Saqua: Volume VII
In order to catch up to the actual progress of the D&D campaign, I present you with another couple of sessions. These were actually held back to back, on a Monday and Tuesday evening. Session XV Alas, Goatslayer had another lycanthropic transformation… though this time, he ran off into the ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
4 days ago

Accelerating the Growth Rate?
There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are ...
PunditBy Brian Easton
5 days ago

The only thing we have to fear is tenants themselves
1. Which of these acronyms describes the experience of travelling on a Cook Strait ferry?a. ROROb. FOMOc. RAROd. FMLAramoana, first boat ever boarded by More Than A Feilding, four weeks after the Wahine disaster2. What is the acronym for the experience of watching the government risking a $200 million break ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
5 days ago

Peters talks of NZ “renewing its connections with the world” – but who knew we had been discon...
Buzz from the Beehive The thrust of the country’s foreign affairs policy and its relationship with the United States have been addressed in four statements from the Beehive over the past 24 hours. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters somewhat curiously spoke of New Zealand “renewing its connections with a world ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

Muldoonism, solar farms, and legitimacy
NewsHub had an article yesterday about progress on Aotearoa's largest solar farm, at "The Point" in the Mackenzie Country. 420MW, right next to a grid connection and transmission infrastructure, and next to dams - meaning it can work in tandem with them to maximise water storage. Its exactly the sort ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
5 days ago

NZTA does not know how much it spends on cones
Barrie Saunders writes – Astonishing as it may seem NZTA does not know either how much it spends on road cones as part of its Temporary Traffic Management system, or even how many companies it uses to supply and manage the cones. See my Official Information Act request ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
5 days ago

If this is Back on Track – let's not.
I used to want to plant bombs at the Last Night of the PromsBut now you'll find me with the baby, in the bathroom,With that big shell, listening for the sound of the sea,The baby and meI stayed in bed, alone, uncertainThen I met you, you drew the curtainThe sun ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
5 days ago

Welfare: Just two timid targets from the National government
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The National Government has announced just two targets for the Ministry of Social Development. They are: – to reduce the number of people receiving Jobseeker Support by 50,000 to 140,000 by June 2029, and – (alongside HUD) to reduce the number of households in emergency ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
5 days ago

The Hoon around the week to April 12
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale, along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, Merja Myllylahti on AUT’s trust in news report, Awhi’s Holly Bennett on a watered-down voluntary code for lobbyists, plus special guest Patrick Gower ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

A Dead Internet?
Hi,Four years ago I wrote about a train engineer who derailed his train near the port in Los Angeles.He was attempting to slam thousands of tonnes of screaming metal into a docked Navy hospital ship, because he thought it was involved in some shady government conspiracy theory. He thought it ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
5 days ago

Weekly Roundup 12-April-2024
Welcome back to another Friday. Here’s some articles that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Wednesday Matt looked at the latest with the Airport to Botany project. On Thursday Matt covered the revelation that Auckland Transport have to subsidise towing illegally parked cars. ...
Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
5 days ago

Weekly Roundup 12-April-2024
Welcome back to another Friday. Here’s some articles that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Wednesday Matt looked at the latest with the Airport to Botany project. On Thursday Matt covered the revelation that Auckland Transport have to subsidise towing illegally parked cars. ...
Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
5 days ago

Antarctic heat spike shocks climate scientists
A ‘Regime Shift’ could raise sea levels sooner than anticipated. Has a tipping point been triggered in the Antarctic? Photo: Juan Barreto/Getty Images TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above that was recorded yesterday afternoon between and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #15 2024
Open access notables Global carbon emissions in 2023, Liu et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment Annual global CO2 emissions dropped markedly in 2020 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, decreasing by 5.8% relative to 2019 (ref. 1). There were hopes that green economic stimulus packages during the COVD crisis might mark the beginning ...
Skeptical Science
6 days ago

Everything will be just fine
In our earlier days of national self-loathing, we made a special place for the attitude derided as she’ll be right.You don't hear many people younger than age Boomer using that particular expression these days. But that doesn’t mean there are not younger people in possession of such an attitude.The likes of ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
6 days ago

Farmers and landlords are given news intended to lift their confidence – but the media must muse o...
Buzz from the Beehive People working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Todd McClay and his associates have been in recent days. But if they check out the Beehive website for a list of Melissa Lee’s announcements, pronouncements, speeches and what-have-you ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
6 days ago

National’s war on renters
When the National government came into office, it complained of a "war on landlords". It's response? Start a war on renters instead: The changes include re-introducing 90-day "no cause" terminations for periodic tenancies, meaning landlords can end a periodic tenancy without giving any reason. [...] Landlords will now only ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

Drawn
A ballot for two Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Repeal of Good Friday and Easter Sunday as Restricted Trading Days (Shop Trading and Sale of Alcohol) Amendment Bill (Cameron Luxton) Consumer Guarantees (Right to Repair) Amendment Bill (Marama Davidson) The ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
6 days ago

At last some science
Ele Ludemann writes – Is getting rid of plastic really good for the environment? Substituting plastics with alternative materials is likely to result in increased GHG emissions, according to research from the University of Sheffield. The study by Dr. Fanran Meng from Sheffield’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

Something important: the curious death of the School Strike 4 Climate Movement
The Christchurch Mosque Massacres, Covid-19, deep political disillusionment, and the jealous cruelty of the intersectionists: all had a part to play in causing School Strike 4 Climate’s bright bubble of hope and passion to burst. But, while it floated above us, it was something that mattered. Something Important. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

The day the TV media died…
Peter Dunne writes – April 10 is a dramatic day in New Zealand’s history. On April 10, 1919, the preliminary results of a referendum showed that New Zealanders had narrowly voted for prohibition by a majority of around 13,000 votes. However, when the votes of soldiers still overseas ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
6 days ago

What's the point in Melissa Lee?
While making coffee this morning I listened to Paddy Gower from Newshub being interviewed on RNZ. It was painful listening. His hurt and love for that organisation, its closure confirmed yesterday, quite evident.As we do when something really matters, he hasn’t giving up hope. Paddy talked about the taonga that ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
6 days ago

Bernard's Top 10 'pick 'n' mix' at 10:10 am on Thursday, April 11
TL;DR: Here’s the 10 news and other links elsewhere that stood out for me over the last day, as at 10:10 am on Wednesday, April 10:Photo by Iva Rajović on UnsplashMust-read: As more than half of the nation’s investigative journalists are sacked, Newsroom’s Tim Murphy shows what it takes to ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

Gordon Campbell On Winston Peters’ Pathetic Speech At The UN
Good grief, Winston Peters. Tens of thousands of Gazans have been slaughtered, two million are on the brink of starvation and what does our Foreign Minister choose to talk about at the UN? The 75 year old issue of whether the five permanent members should continue to have veto powers ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
6 days ago

Subsidising illegal parking
Hopefully finally over his obsession with raised crossings, the Herald’s Bernard Orsman has found something to actually be outraged at. Auckland ratepayers are subsidising the cost of towing, storing and releasing cars across the city to the tune of $15 million over five years. Under a quirk in the law, ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
6 days ago

When 'going for growth' actually means saying no to new social homes
TL;DR: These six things stood out to me over the last day in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy, as of 7:06 am on Thursday, April 11:The Government has refused a community housing provider’s plea for funding to help build 42 apartments in Hamilton because it said a $100 million fund was used ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
6 days ago

https://www.politik.co.nz/?p=12733
As the public sector redundancies rolled on, with the Department of Conservation saying yesterday it was cutting 130 positions, a Select Committee got an insight into the complexities and challenges of cutting the Government’s workforce. Immigration New Zealand chiefs along with their Minister, Erica Stanford, appeared before Parliament’s Education and ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
6 days ago

Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:06 pm on Wednesday, April 10
TL;DR: Six substacks that stood out to me in the last day:Explaining is winning for journalists wanting to regain trust, writes is his excellent substack. from highlights Aotearoa-NZ’s greenwashing problem in this weekly substack. writes about salt via his substack titled: The Second Soul, Part I ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
7 days ago

EGU2024 – Picking and chosing sessions to attend virtually
This year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) will take place as a fully hybrid conference in both Vienna and online from April 15 to 19. I decided to join the event virtually this year for the full week and I've already picked several sessions I plan to ...
Skeptical Science
7 days ago

But here's my point about the large irony in what Luxon is saying
Grim old week in the media business, eh? And it’s only Wednesday, to rework an old upbeat line of poor old Neil Roberts.One of the larger dark ironies of it all has been the line the Prime Minister is serving up to anyone asking him about the sorry state of ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
7 days ago

Govt gives farmers something to talk about (regarding environmental issues) at those woolshed meetin...
Buzz from the Beehive Hard on the heels of three rurally oriented ministers launching the first of their woolshed meetings, the government brought good news to farmers on the environmental front. First, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced an additional $18 million is being committed to reduce agricultural emissions. Not all ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
7 days ago

Climate change violates human rights
That's the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights today: Weak government climate policies violate fundamental human rights, the European court of human rights has ruled. In a landmark decision on one of three major climate cases, the first such rulings by an international court, the ECHR raised ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

Which govt departments have grown the most?
David Farrar writes – There has been a 34% increase over six years in the size of the public service, in terms of EFTS. But not all agencies have grown by the same proportion. Here are the 10 with the largest relative increases between 2017 and ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

What’s to blame for the public’s plummeting trust in the media?
Bryce Edwards writes – The media is in crisis, as New Zealand audiences flee from traditional sources of news and information. The latest survey results on the public’s attitude to the media shows plummeting trust. And New Zealand now leads the world in terms of those who want ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
7 days ago

Something Important: The Curious Death of the School Strike 4 Climate Movement.
The Hope That Failed: The Christchurch Mosque Massacres, Covid-19, deep political disillusionment, and the jealous cruelty of the intersectionists: all had a part to play in causing School Strike 4 Climate’s bright bubble of hope and passion to burst. But, while it floated above us, it was something that mattered. Something ...
Bowalley Road
7 days ago

Cow Farts and Cancer Sticks.
What do you do if you’re a new government minister and the science is in. All of the evidence and facts are clear, but they’re not to your liking? They’re inconsistent with your policy positions and/or your spending priorities.Well, first off you could just stand back and watch as the ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
7 days ago

Member’s Day
Today is a Member's day. First up is James Shaw's New Zealand Bill of Rights (Right to Sustainable Environment) Amendment Bill, which does exactly what it says on the label. Despite solid backing in international law and from lawyers and NGOs, National will likely vote it down out of pure ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
7 days ago

Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals bill
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Labour Blog
21 hours ago

Government throws coal on the climate crisis fire
The Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...
Greens
23 hours ago

Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project instead
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priority
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful law
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
Greens
5 days ago

Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homes
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on media
The action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
6 days ago

Landlord Government leaves little hope for renters
The Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...
Greens
6 days ago

Opportunity to build a more sustainable economy
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
Greens
6 days ago

Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust past
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
Greens
7 days ago

Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environment
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Greens
7 days ago

Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to Government
Tens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...
Labour Blog
7 days ago

Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention Office
Labour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

CCC issues warning over further climate delay
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Luxon targets are lousy example of leadership
If talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt priorities
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Methane target review is dangerous duplication
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled students
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National must take mental health seriously
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwards
The Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cuts
New Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing plan
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Thirty six point PR spin
The Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do list
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this April
Changes to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Simeon Brown shortchanges Aucklanders
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

MPP cuts unforgivable
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Greens
3 weeks ago

Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 hour ago

Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
23 hours ago

Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Roads of National Significance planning underway
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Navigating an unstable global environment
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Joint US and NZ declaration
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

Government redress for Te Korowai o Wainuiārua
The Government is continuing the bipartisan effort to restore its relationship with iwi as the Te Korowai o Wainuiārua Claims Settlement Bill passed its first reading in Parliament today, says Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith. “Historical grievances of Te Korowai o Wainuiārua relate to 19th century warfare, land purchased or taken ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Focus on outstanding minerals permit applications
New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals is working to resolve almost 150 outstanding minerals permit applications by the end of the financial year, enabling valuable mining activity and signalling to the sector that New Zealand is open for business, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “While there are no set timeframes for ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Applications open for NZ-Ireland Research Call
The New Zealand and Irish governments have today announced that applications for the 2024 New Zealand-Ireland Joint Research Call on Agriculture and Climate Change are now open. This is the third research call in the three-year Joint Research Initiative pilot launched in 2022 by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ireland’s ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Tenancy rules changes to improve rental market
The coalition Government has today announced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to encourage landlords back to the rental property market, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether. It caused worse ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Boosting NZ’s trade and agricultural relationship with China
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay will visit China next week, to strengthen relationships, support Kiwi exporters and promote New Zealand businesses on the world stage. “China is one of New Zealand’s most significant trade and economic relationships and remains an important destination for New Zealand’s products, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of our good and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
6 days ago

Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved
The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced. “A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

New Fast Track Projects advisory group named
The coalition Government has today announced the expert advisory group who will provide independent recommendations to Ministers on projects to be included in the Fast Track Approvals Bill, say RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones. “Our Fast Track Approval process will make it easier and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Pacific and Gaza focus of UN talks
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says his official talks with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York today focused on a shared commitment to partnering with the Pacific Islands region and a common concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. “Small states in the Pacific rely on collective ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government honours Taranaki Maunga deal
The Government is honouring commitments made to Taranaki iwi with the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its first reading Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the commitment the Crown made to the eight iwi of Taranaki to negotiate ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Enhanced partnership to reduce agricultural emissions
The Government and four further companies are together committing an additional $18 million towards AgriZeroNZ to boost New Zealand’s efforts to reduce agricultural emissions. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the strength of the New Zealand economy relies on us getting effective and affordable emission reduction solutions for New Zealand. “The ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

110km/h limit proposed for Kāpiti Expressway
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) will begin consultation this month on raising speed limits for the Kāpiti Expressway to 110km/h. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and this proposal supports that outcome ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

New Zealand Biosecurity Awards – Winners announced
Two New Zealanders who’ve used their unique skills to help fight the exotic caulerpa seaweed are this year’s Biosecurity Awards Supreme Winners, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “Strong biosecurity is vital and underpins the whole New Zealand economy and our native flora and fauna. These awards celebrate all those in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Attendance action plan to lift student attendance rates
The Government is taking action to address the truancy crisis and raise attendance by delivering the attendance action plan, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. New Zealand attendance rates are low by national and international standards. Regular attendance, defined as being in school over 90 per cent of the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

World must act to halt Gaza catastrophe – Peters
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York today that an immediate ceasefire is needed in Gaza to halt the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. “Palestinian civilians continue to bear the brunt of Israel’s military actions,” Mr Peters said in his speech to a ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Speech to United Nations General Assembly: 66th plenary meeting, 78th session
Mr President, The situation in Gaza is an utter catastrophe. New Zealand condemns Hamas for its heinous terrorist attacks on 7 October and since, including its barbaric violations of women and children. All of us here must demand that Hamas release all remaining hostages immediately. At the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Government woolshed roadshow kicks off
Today the Government Agriculture Ministers started their national woolshed roadshow, kicking off in the Wairarapa. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said it has been a tough time for farmers over the past few years. The sector has faced high domestic inflation rates, high interest rates, adverse weather events, and increasing farm ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

PM heads to Singapore, Thailand, and Philippines
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines this week (April 14-20), along with a senior business delegation, signalling the Government’s commitment to deepen New Zealand’s international engagement, especially our relationships in South East Asia. “South East Asia is a region that is more crucial than ever to ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Prime Minister launches Government Targets
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced further steps to get New Zealand back on track, launching nine ambitious Government Targets to help improve the lives of New Zealanders. “Our Government has a plan that is focused on three key promises we made to New Zealanders – to rebuild the economy, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Natural hydrogen resource should be free of Treaty claims entanglement
Natural hydrogen could be a game-changing new source of energy for New Zealand but it is essential it is treated as a critical development that benefits all New Zealanders, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones is seeking to give regulatory certainty for those keen to develop natural, or geological, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Job cuts at Oranga Tamariki hit more than 400 roles
More than 400 jobs are likely to go at the children's ministry, RNZ understands. ...
Radio NZ – political
35 mins ago

Women MPs Acknowledge Report Highlighting Increased Harassment Of MPs
“The research reflects the real experiences of women in politics, and I would like to acknowledge the mahi by the researchers in highlighting this,” Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said. ...
Scoop politics
1 hour ago

Choice and control: the NDIS was designed to give participants choice, but mandatory registration co...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute Shutterstock/Benjamin Crone Many Australians with disability feel on the edge of a precipice right now. Recommendations from the disability royal commission and the NDIS review were released late last year. Now a draft NDIS ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Introducing some of our 100 new sea friends
A scientific expedition has found 100 previously unknown New Zealand marine species. Who are these creatures from the depths of the Bounty Trough? A big lipped, dark eyed, slimy limp fish. A juicy, elongated orb with 16 little legs, four bouncing from its topside and a mouth pouting with stubby ...
The SpinoffBy Gabi Lardies
2 hours ago

Is a 24-hour Home and Away channel the answer to subscription fatigue?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexa Scarlata, Research Fellow, Media & Communications, RMIT University Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through streaming channels, wondering what to watch among the hundreds (or thousands) of options? Do you worry about spending more money on yet another subscription just to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Light pollution affects coastal ecosystems too – this underwater ‘canary’ is warning of the im...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathleen Laura Sterup, Postgraduate in Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Wikimedia Commons/Luca Davenport-Thomas, CC BY-SA In the early 20th century, canaries were used as early warning systems in coal mines to alert miners to rising levels ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Biden is cancelling millions of student debts – here’s what to expect from Albanese
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University So weighed down have Americans become by student debt, and so potent a political issue has it become in the US, that President Biden plans to waive interest or write ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Melissa Lee ‘really, really happy’ about deal to keep the news on Three
Stuff will provide a news service for Warner Brothers Discovery on Three. As the industry awaits much-anticipated work to address sector-wide issues, the responsible minister says she’s very happy about the deal. News to continue but job losses likely to be significant News will continue ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
3 hours ago

Contractor and consultant bill still high in police and NZTA
The government is pushing to cut spending, but money was still going out of non-core areas in the latest figures. ...
Radio NZ – political
4 hours ago

Stuff takes a big risk on Newshub
The bosses of Stuff and TV3 have been lauding their newly minted deal as a win for democracy and something to celebrate during a grim period for local media. While it is true that a slimmed down news service on Three is better than nothing, it is hardly strengthening our ...
NewsroomBy Mark Jennings
5 hours ago

Abuse of MPs increased to 98% in 2022 – study
Harassment of MPs increased on nearly every measure over eight years, with 98 percent now reporting some kind of harassment, a study has found. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

Public service cuts: Number of job losses set to rise to more than 2000
Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education are to make announcements about their plans for meeting demands to save money. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

Massey takes risk in bid for international students
Cash-strapped Massey University is taking a risk in Singapore, as it looks for ways to claw back lucrative international students The post Massey takes risk in bid for international students appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
5 hours ago

Could Te Kuha coal mine be a candidate for ‘goodbye Freddy’?
Expert evidence gathered over years shows what might be lost if a proposed West Coast coal mine gets Government approval The post Could Te Kuha coal mine be a candidate for ‘goodbye Freddy’? appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy David Williams
5 hours ago

Why aren’t vulnerable babies being protected from RSV in Aotearoa?
Each year, hundreds of New Zealand babies are hospitalised with this common respiratory virus, and health experts are concerned that preventative drugs used overseas are not being funded here. As winter approaches and people spend more time indoors, respiratory viruses start circulating. One common bug is RSV, or respiratory syncytial ...
The SpinoffBy Shanti Mathias
6 hours ago

Govt urged to protect seabirds on the brink of extinction
Albatross are being accidentally caught and killed by NZ fishing vessels at a rate 350 percent higher than previously reported The post Govt urged to protect seabirds on the brink of extinction appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
6 hours ago

Australia’s cash availability crisis creating an NZ monopoly
Hit by low demand for physical money, Australian cash-in-transit giant Armaguard is selling its NZ wing after rejecting an A$26m bailout The post Australia’s cash availability crisis creating an NZ monopoly appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
6 hours ago

What the Post Office scandal can teach the Christchurch attacks inquiry
Opinion: It only needs one person to stand up against injustice, but it requires a culture of inquiry for the truth to come out The post What the Post Office scandal can teach the Christchurch attacks inquiry appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Lianne Dalziel
6 hours ago

Health education contracts on the chopping block
Pharmac has opted not the renew the contract for educational resource He Ako Hiringa The post Health education contracts on the chopping block appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Emma Hatton
6 hours ago

Olympic sailor doubles as Am Cup gamer
As a kid, Erica Dawson never owned one of those annoying little Tamagotchi digital pets. As a teen, she wasn’t the slightest bit interested in home video games and wasn’t addicted to playing Angry Birds on her phone, either. But now, on the cusp of entering her 30s, Dawson has ...
NewsroomBy Suzanne McFadden
6 hours ago

Daily crossword, Wednesday 17 April
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
6 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 17 April
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 17 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
6 hours ago

From colour to climate change – a scientist’s journey
Opinion: I find myself now spending most of my academic retirement period explaining the science behind climate change to my local communities. What was the life journey that brought me to this role? As a young child I remember being fascinated first thing in the morning by the pure blues ...
NewsroomBy Professor Emeritus Ralph Cooney
6 hours ago

The dark side of the beauty industry
There is nothing to stop someone from buying a laser machine online and setting up a shop offering treatments for skin. Or injecting derma filler into a client’s face. No qualifications are needed for either treatment, but when it goes wrong the results can be life changing, even life threatening. ...
NewsroomBy Sharon Brettkelly
6 hours ago

14 (!) crucial questions about Stuff replacing Newshub, asked and (mostly) answered
Based on interviews with the heads of Stuff and Warner Bros Discovery, along with staff across both organisations, Duncan Greive presents an in-depth primer on the biggest news media deal in years. With additional reporting by Stewart Sowman-Lund Why did Stuff win out over NZME? This is in many ways ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
6 hours ago

Critical minerals receive multi-million dollar support under Future Made in Australia policy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Two major critical minerals projects in Queensland and South Australia are to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government loans as part of the Albanese government’s new Future Made in Australia policy. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
10 hours ago

Water theft laws and penalties in the Murray-Darling Basin are a dog’s breakfast. Here’s how we ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam James Loch, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Water is one of Australia’s most valuable commodities. Rights to take water from our nation’s largest river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, are worth almost A$100 billion. These rights can be bought and sold or ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

Massey University signs agreement confirming plan to set up Singapore branch
Massey University says its Singapore campus will provide education services to students who do not want to study in New Zealand. ...
Radio NZ – political
13 hours ago

After a second knife attack in Sydney, how can parents talk to their kids and help them feel safe?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University In the space of three days, there have been two devastating knife attacks in Sydney. Your child may have seen these on the news or social media. Or they might be hearing about it ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
15 hours ago

Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Just days after the deadly Westfield Bondi attacks, a second knife attack in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
15 hours ago

Masses of scalloped hammerheads have returned to one of Australia’s busiest beaches. But we don’...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science and Manager Whales & Climate Program, Griffith University A juvenile hammerhead at Burleigh Beach, watched by snorkellers Olaf Meynecke, CC BY-NC-ND For the second year in a row, over 100 hammerheads have gathered at one ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
16 hours ago

Have New Zealanders been misled about AUKUS, is involvement a foregone conclusion?
Analysis - New Zealand involvement in pillar two of the military deal would represent a seismic shift. ...
Radio NZ – political
17 hours ago

How the Lehrmann v Channel 10 defamation case shone an unflattering light on commercial news gatheri...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson’s victory in the defamation action brought against them by Bruce Lehrmann is the second big win inside a year for the Australian media using ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

Pharmacists should be able to dispense nicotine vapes without a prescription. Here’s why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Coral Gartner, Director, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence on Achieving the Tobacco Endgame, The University of Queensland Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock The Australian government is currently considering a bill to implement the next stage of reforms to vaping regulation. At present, vaping products ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
17 hours ago

For 600 years the Voynich manuscript has remained a mystery. Now we think it’s partly about sex
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keagan Brewer, Macquarie University Research Fellow, Macquarie University Yale University Library The Voynich manuscript has long puzzled and fascinated historians and the public. This late-medieval document is covered in illustrations of stars and planets, plants, zodiac symbols, naked women, and blue ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
19 hours ago

Can AI read our minds? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be worried
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Baron, Associate Professor, Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne Iconic Bestiary / Shutterstock Earlier this year, Neuralink implanted a chip inside the brain of 29-year-old US man Noland Arbaugh, who is paralysed from the shoulders down. The chip has ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
19 hours ago

5 reasons why the Fast-track Approvals Bill threatens NZ’s already fragile ecosystems
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Margaret Stanley, Professor of Ecology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Conservation “good news” stories – the release of native birds into new habitats, for example – are always welcome. They recognise the work of conservation staff and volunteers ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
19 hours ago

Stuff to provide news bulletins to replace Newshub on Three
By Colin Peacock, RNZ Mediawatch presenter Warner Bros Discovery has done a deal with Stuff to provide news to replace Newshub. It will keep news on TV channel Three from July 6 and help Three retain some viewers. It also means important income for Stuff, but it will also stretch ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
20 hours ago

Stuck in fight-or-flight mode? 5 ways to complete the ‘stress cycle’ and avoid burnout or depres...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Theresa Larkin, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, University of Wollongong Shutterstock Can you remember a time when you felt stressed leading up to a big life event and then afterwards felt like a weight had been lifted? This process – the ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
20 hours ago

Ministry of Education job cuts may affect school lunch programme
There is concern the team delivering the programme could be halved, while RNZ has also been told it will be "decimated". ...
Radio NZ – political
20 hours ago

From forced kisses to power imbalances, violence against women in sport is endemic
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fiona Giles, Research Fellow, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University Former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales may face significant consequences for his non-consensual kiss of Spanish soccer star Jenni Hermoso. But this is not the norm for perpetrators ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
20 hours ago

As China’s influence on Pacific media intensifies, Australia can’t afford to lose the region’s...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Morieson, Lecturer in Politics and Communication , RMIT University When the people of Solomon Islands go to the polls on Wednesday, they will be voting for more than just a new prime minister. The election will also be a referendum on ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
20 hours ago

The best moments from the outrageous final episodes of MAFS AU
From the Jono and Ellie bombshell to the return of Collins, we look at back at the final episodes of Married at First Sight Australia 2024. When John Aiken told us back in February that we were in for a “quite shocking” season of Married at First Sight Australia, little ...
The SpinoffBy Tara Ward
20 hours ago

Expanding Coal Mining In 21st Century An “absurd, Selfish Decision” Says WWF
Resources Minister Shane Jones announced today that the Government will ease the consenting process for setting up new coal mines or expanding existing ones. ...
Scoop politics
21 hours ago

The Boy in the Water nominated for best podcast
Newsroom has received five nominations for the 2024 Voyager Media Awards, including best podcast for Melanie Reid’s popular nine-part in depth investigation The Boy in the Water. ReadingRoom’s Steve Braunias has been nominated for best columnist, opinion or critique, and Aaron Smale is up for the Te Tohu Kairangi award. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Staff
21 hours ago

Watch: Christopher Luxon faces questions in Singapore
The Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...
Radio NZ – political
21 hours ago

Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions in Singapore
The Prime Minister is speaking to media on his second day of a tour around South East Asia. ...
Radio NZ – political
22 hours ago

How The Lost Boys of Dilworth brought a ‘horrendous nightmare’ to life
Alex Casey talks to the makers of TVNZ’s new docudrama retelling the stories of Dilworth survivors. This story contains reference to sexual abuse, please take care. When she first saw the child actors that would be playing the young versions of Dilworth survivors, Mary Durham nearly burst into tears on ...
The SpinoffBy Alex Casey
22 hours ago

Pro-independence activist issues dire warning to France over Kanaky New Caledonia
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A pro-independence activist in New Caledonia is warning France to immediately halt its planned constitution amendments or face “war”. The call for a u-turn follows proposed constitutional changes to voting rights which could push the number of eligible anti-independence voters up. Pacific Independence Movement ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
23 hours ago

The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park Raceway | Checkered Flag | The Spinoff
In the final months of the Pukekohe Park Raceway, the father and daughter duo managing the grassroots racecourse want to give everyone a last chance to go fast. This asphalt has been a part of New Zealand’s motorsport community and history for 60 years. Checkered Flag is made with the ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff
23 hours ago

Watch: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changes
ACT's leader read to children while sitting next to a book featuring Jacinda Ardern, before telling reporters the former prime minister was an authoritarian. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

Smaller agencies cutting deepest into staffing, data to date shows
Smaller agencies are making deepest cuts as they look to save costs, RNZ data shows. ...
Radio NZ – political
23 hours ago

The last days of motorsport at Pukekohe Park Raceway
In Checkered Flag, the father and daughter duo managing the Pukekohe Park Raceway want to give everyone one last chance to go fast before its closure. Since it opened in 1962, the Pukekohe Park Raceway has hosted the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Tasman Series, and Supercar Championships as ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff
23 hours ago

Labour Productivity Falls 0.9 Percent
Labour productivity fell 0.9 percent in the year ended March 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. The 0.9 percent fall in labour productivity was the largest fall since 2009. It follows a rise of 1.0 percent in the year ended March ...
Scoop politics
24 hours ago

Shane Jones Throws A Lump Of Coal To The Mining Lobbyists
Coal Action Network Aotearoa (CANA), the national organisation campaigning for an end to coal mining and coal use, says Resources Minister Shane Jones needs to understand the world has moved on from the industrial revolution, and coal - and siding with ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Jeepers creepers: the climbing cost of climate change compounds
Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr explains what effect climate change will have on inflation, housing and policy – and whether there’s a way out. Climate change. It’s a gigantic force and it’s coming into play at a time when New Zealand is already struggling with inflation. We’ve gone from a ...
The SpinoffBy Jarrod Kerr
1 day ago

New deal intends to make trade with Singapore simpler
Customs has signed a cooperation agreement with its Singaporean counterpart. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Will pet bonds really be a win-win? I’m not holding my breath
Making it easier for people with pets to find rentals is a good thing. But the pet bonds policy is just one proposal in a suite of many that overwhelmingly favour landlords’ rights, argues Kristin Kelly. Renting in New Zealand, generally speaking, sucks. At the time of the last census, ...
The SpinoffBy Kristin Kelly
1 day ago

Shane Jones announces easier coal mine consenting
The Resources Minister says changes to coal mine consenting will reduce barriers to extraction. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

How a global crisis, drift racing and Memphis hip-hop gave us phonk – the music of the TikTok gene...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Ward, Senior Lecturer in Music, School of Business and Creative Industries, University of the Sunshine Coast Shutterstock What’s that sound you hear – a combination of down-tempo hip-hop, menacing bass, distorted drums and plucky synths? It’s phonk! Still ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Watch live: David Seymour announces early childhood education centre changes
The government has announced changes to the ECE sector, which it says will make it easier for new centres to be set up. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

The cost of being: A skint student waiting anxiously to start a new job
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 30-year-old who’s just finished his studies will be breathing a sigh of relief when that first paycheck comes in. Gender: Male Age: 30 Ethnicity: Māori/European Role: Student/trainee, volunteer for a youth organisation. Salary/income/assets: Me: $400pw ...
The SpinoffBy The Cost of Being
1 day ago

Breaking: Stuff wins race to replace Newshub with a new 6pm bulletin for Three
Sources familiar with the deal say the print news giant has beaten out NZME to create a 6pm bulletin to replace Newshub at Three. Less than a week after Three confirmed that its proposal to completely shutter Newshub will be going ahead, it will today confirm that Stuff has won ...
The SpinoffBy Duncan Greive
1 day ago

Can playing Tetris help prevent PTSD if you’ve witnessed something traumatic?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Bressington, Professor in Mental Health, Charles Darwin University In the wake of witnessing tragic events, many people turn to online communities such as Reddit to discuss and process their experiences. A common bit of advice users give each other is to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco de Jong, Lecturer, Law School, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, foreign minister ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

With democracy under threat in Narendra Modi’s India, how free and fair will this year’s electio...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Priya Chacko, Associate Professor, International Politics, University of Adelaide India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, is favoured to win reelection when India’s 970 million voters start heading to the polls on April 19 in the country’s massive, six-week general election. Modi, who has ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

What happens when I stop taking a drug like Ozempic or Mounjaro?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University Diva Plavalaguna/Pexels Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are taking drugs like Ozempic to lose weight. But what do we actually know about them? This month, The Conversation’s experts explore their rise, ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Climate change is causing marine ‘coldwaves’ too, killing wildlife
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicolas Benjamin Lubitz, Researcher in marine ecology, James Cook University Ryan Daly The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Surface temperatures ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Our research suggests eating an unhealthy breakfast could have a similar effect on your child’s sc...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney Haley Owens/Unsplash, CC BY Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

NZ joins call for Israel not to escalate tensions with Iran
Foreign Minister Winston Peters says now is not the time escalation, but rather for calmness. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee
A report sheds new light on NZ residents pressured into returning to China to face its legal system The post China’s forced returns prompt call for foreign interference committee appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
1 day ago

Mega tunnel idea prompts anger and satire but finds a couple of champions
One proponent has suggested the minister give Elon Musk a call about the newly resurrected mega tunnel idea for Wellington, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ‘We’re having a really good look ...
The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell
1 day ago

Costs of Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway not to be finalised until 2025
The divvying up of costs for the billion-dollar Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will not be finalised until next year. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Air NZ calls for Govt mandates to help drive sustainable aviation fuel use
New Zealand’s national carrier has taken a leap towards its net zero 2050 goal, with its biggest ever purchase of sustainable aviation fuel. But Air NZ chair Dame Therese Walsh said it was now time for the Government to step in with policies that would help level the playing field ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
1 day ago

Public service cuts: $6.3m in payouts at one ministry so far
The total cost of redundancies across the public service is not yet known and the Finance Minister has not asked for an estimated price tag. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

What is Socialism – a primer for idiots

Related Posts

163 comments on “What is Socialism – a primer for idiots ”

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

Related Posts

What is Socialism – a primer for idiots

Share this:

Related Posts

163 comments on “What is Socialism – a primer for idiots ”

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

Share this:

Related Posts

Share this:

Related Posts

Share this:

Related Posts

Share this:

Related Posts