Education and poverty

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:32 am, August 5th, 2012 - 45 comments
Categories: class war, education, poverty - Tags: charter schools, child poverty, national standards

The Nats are running their various ideological policies in education, claiming (while contradicting themselves in the process) that they are trying to address the “one in five children” who do poorly at school. I’ve written on the subject of one in five children before, concluding that post with this quote (pdf):

Can it be mere coincidence that there are similar proportions (one in five) of New Zealand children in the Ministry’s “tail of underachievement” as there are children in the greatest poverty that is, non-working, beneficiary-dependent families?

If the Nats wanted to do something serious about addressing educational underachievement, they would be addressing child poverty, not farting about privatising education. Below is an impassioned plea from an American teacher. Because of it’s relevance to what is going on in NZ right now I’m going to quote quite a bit of it:

The hard bigotry of poverty: Why ignoring it will doom school reform
By Valerie Strauss

This was written by Brock Cohen, a teacher and student advocate in the Los Angeles Unified School District who contends that we can no longer afford to trivialize the critical role that poverty plays in a child’s learning experiences – and that true school reform begins with social justice. Brock’s students were recently featured in an NPR piece that charts some of his students’ daily struggles as they pursue their education.

By Brock Cohen

… What had grown increasingly clear to me was that my students’ academic struggles did not simply stem from inaction, ineffective parenting, drug use, or neglect. While these elements were usually present in various forms, or to greater or lesser degrees, they weren’t the root causes of their failure; they were the effects of poverty. What I’d learned in less than a semester of teaching was that poverty wasn’t merely a temporary, though unpleasant, condition — like a hangover or the sniffles. It was a debilitating, often generational, epidemic.

While my teaching credential classes were perpetually bogged down with trivialities like journal reflections, acceptable formatting options for the three-tier lesson plan, and tales of woe that rivaled A.A. meetings, discussions or assignments that sought to unravel the poverty-learning conundrum never took place. In pursuit of other alternatives, I commenced my own research.

Study after study validated my experiences and observations from spending the past five months with disadvantaged teens. Healthy children require a nutritious diet, ample sleep, stable households, regular physical exercise, and access affordable health care. They require regular cognitive stimulation to give them the neurological foundations required for complex learning tasks. And they require affection and positive reinforcement to engender them with self-worth.

Most jolting to me was a 1995 study that remains every bit as relevant today. Published by psychologists Betty Hart and Todd Risely,Meaningful Differences details the magnitude of a child’s early learning environment. It concludes that low-income children are typically burdened with a 32-million word gap by age 4, as well as deficits in “complexity” and “tone,” which measure the depth and intensity of verbal exchanges.

While I continued searching for answers, either Congress or the Bush administration could have thrown me a life preserver. They opted for an anchor. Rather than instantly improving the state of public education by proposing legislation that attacked poverty at its core, they put their bipartisan muscle behind one of the most onerous, ineffectual, and wasteful slabs of federal legislation in decades.

What was then billed as a reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), No Child Left Behind made quick work of common sense, setting multiple-choice standardized tests as the touchstone by which the nation’s students, schools, and, in many cases, teachers would be evaluated. The law’s founders assured Americans that what high-poverty kids needed was not better health care, smaller class sizes, expanded access to pre-K education, or supervised instruction in using 21^st-century technology. They needed to be tested more. Teacher and school accountability, tied to test scores, would rescue poor children from the brink of failure. (After all, it wasn’t cynical policymakers or a misguided electorate who were failing our nation’s public schoolchildren: The real bogeyman was “the soft bigotry of low expectations.”)

Put another way, a first-generation El Salvadoran teenager, crammed into a Van Nuys apartment while acting as the primary caregiver for three younger siblings, would ultimately be held to the same performance-level expectations on the same high-stakes tests as a girl from Palo Alto whose parents attended Dartmouth. Failure of schools to ensure this would (and has) lead to monetary sanctions, mass firings, state and private takeovers, and school closings.

And so, with the stroke of our President’s pen, the act of leveling the playing field was ostensibly underway.

But then the National Alliance for Educational Progress (NAEP) started producing stacks of data that divulged what many educators had already predicted: Testing the bejesus out of high-needs kids probably wasn’t going to make them smarter. Given to a cross-section of the nation’s public school students in 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th grade each year, NAEP test results perennially revealed that the policies of NCLB have had no discernable impact on bridging the still seismic math and literacy gaps between low-income children and their wealthier counterparts.

Rather than reversing the wayward course of NCLB, however, President Obama’s approach has proven even more ineffectual — and draconian. …

Darling-Hammond has galvanized opposition to the brigade of privateers, economists, public officials, and think-tankers who insist that poverty isnot a towering roadblock to a child’s cognitive development. In a piece that rails against the government’s fusillade of sanctions aimed at so-called failing schools, she writes:

Poverty rates make a huge difference in student achievement. Few people are aware, for example, that in 2009 U.S. schools with fewer than 10 percent of student in poverty ranked first among all nations on the Programme for International Achievement tests in reading, while those serving more than 75 percent of students in poverty scored alongside nations like Serbia, ranking about fiftieth.

… In education, there are choices to be made that can indeed move the needle of student achievement. Developing a collaborative model, for example, can lead to improvements in the skills and study habits of disadvantaged children. But closing the so-called achievement gap between rich and poor will first require Americans to recognize a far more uncomfortable reality: The policies employed to purportedly address the struggles of low-income children have ushered in a new era of school segregation. Claiming that poverty is no excuse for student failure trivializes the damage caused by years of actions and inactions that have widened the gaps between rich and poor communities. Good schools aren’t molded through harsh sanctions, private takeovers, or even soaring rhetoric. They emerge from healthy, stable communities. That is, they emerge from a commitment to justice.

I don’t think I have anything to add.

45 comments on “Education and poverty ”

Comments are now closed

Dave Kennedy 1

5 August 2012 at 12:43 pm

Excellent post, Anthony, you have clearly expressed the real issues around educational under achievement and provided useful evidence for why our Government’s approach will inevitably fail.

I was concerned that the panel on Q&A missed mentioning the huge effect poverty has on education underachievement. Instead they still blamed schools for not dealing with the deficits that children bring to their learning. Of course teachers make a difference but as respected educationalist Margaret Wu claims, of all the influences on a child’s academic achievement (parents, socioeconomic factors etc) teachers only contribute 10%.

National Standards won’t make a difference, league tables won’t help, Charter Schools are doomed to failure, we just need to lift the incomes and aspirations of our growing population of struggling poor!
- Dv 1.1
  
  5 August 2012 at 1:48 pm
  
  I think I heard Key saying on the news that if charter schools fai, he would dump them?
  
  That begs the question of what failure is and who will pick up the kids from the failing charter schools.
  
  Thank you Rob for the article.
Dr Terry 2

5 August 2012 at 1:34 pm

Thanks for this fine article, and thanks Dave for comment. Great to see that intelligence is still used in this manner! (I am concerned about the effects of MENTAL poverty among leaders).
Psycho Milt 3

5 August 2012 at 4:26 pm

No it isn’t a coincidence, and yes, all we’ve got to do to reduce educational underachievement is reduce poverty. Or, in other words, all we’ve got to do to fix this relatively minor problem is first fix a relatively much more difficult and complicated problem. I’m sure you can figure out why that piece of information doesn’t actually get us very far along.
- McFlock 3.1
  
  5 August 2012 at 4:35 pm
  
  On the contrary: the first step to solving any problem is to correctly identify it and its cause.
  - Kotahi Tāne Huna 3.1.1
    
    5 August 2012 at 5:46 pm
    
    +1
    
    Oh, and other countries have found solutions. The barriers are political not practical.
  - Psycho Milt 3.1.2
    
    5 August 2012 at 7:21 pm
    
    As an identifiable cause, this one files under Well, duh. It’s as obvious to the people in govt as it is to us, the difference is they have a professional interest in pretending otherwise. This is as true under Labour as it is under National because neither of them has a solution for the problem of poverty, it being as described above “a relatively much more difficult and complex problem,” ie one without an obvious and easily-achievable solution. Pointing out the nature of the problem is easy – the tricky bit is where you come up with proposed solutions.
    - Colonial Viper 3.1.2.1
      
      5 August 2012 at 7:27 pm
      
      Its not difficult to address poverty in NZ. Simply get the vast capital stocks which have been hoarded and accumulated on the sidelines (many tens of billions worth according to Bernard Hickey below), moving once again through local communities, and into the physical, tangible economy.
      
      There’s no scarcity of money in the NZ economy, just a scarcity of the movement of money through local communities.
      
      http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10824614
    - mike e 3.1.2.2
      
      5 August 2012 at 7:55 pm
      
      this country has done this before but has lost the balls to deal with it instead we have psycho rwnj’s telling us it can’t be done.
      RWNJ”S cover up solutions by spreading cynicism!
    - Kotahi Tāne Huna 3.1.2.3
      
      5 August 2012 at 8:17 pm
      
      PM – not “the problem of poverty” – the problem is increased inequality. It’s not the same thing, and other countries have addressed it successfully.
Craig Glen Eden 4

5 August 2012 at 4:33 pm

Very sad to see Matt McCarten spouting the same right wing bullshit about one in five and blaming schools and their teachers. Quite frankly I am sick of people like him and brain dead pollies talking about stuff that they have no education in or done any real reading in. Labour Politicians like Jacinda and left wing commentators like Matt keep repeating the one in five line. One question about the one in five is who makes up the one in five? How many of the one in five have English as their second language, how many are special needs, how many come from poor homes, how many have learning difficulties how many are the suffering the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome bla bla.
How all these issues are the fault of teachers who people like stupid John Tamahere blame again and again is just beyond me. For goodness sake when is someone on the left going to smash this one in five line out of the park.
- Kotahi Tāne Huna 4.1
  
  5 August 2012 at 5:52 pm
  
  One more question about the “one in five” – is it even true? The pass rate for NCEA level 2 is 85%…
  
  But it’s the old story – it doesn’t matter how well versed you are in the facts when your debating “partner” is happy to invent their own facts. No-one has yet figured out how to deal with a Gish gallop in a live broadcast – the lie races ’round the world in the time it takes the truth to get its shoes on.
- Macro 4.2
  
  5 August 2012 at 7:06 pm
  
  +1
- Rodel 4.3
  
  5 August 2012 at 9:45 pm
  
  At last. Someone speaks sense. The crap that is presented as statistically valid,by all politicians and even by some academics is appalling. Thanks..Craig but who will take notice?
Adele 5

5 August 2012 at 5:29 pm

Tēnā koe, Craig

Matt McCarten does have knowledge of the educational under-achievement of Māori students within mainstream education. Mainstream education will blame the students, the parents, the communities, the drugs, the alcohol, fetal alcohol syndrome, the ozone layer – without ever thinking that maybe it is failing those students – who aren’t middle class, or white, or smart, or cute, or pleasant, or agreeable, or able. Students that generally won’t allow mainstream education to feel good about itself.

Matt McCarten is ideally positioned to comment on educational under-achievement and poverty as both issues disproportionally impact on Māori. He also knows alot about institutional racism and bigotry.
- Psycho Milt 5.1
  
  5 August 2012 at 7:24 pm
  
  Yeah, it’s all the education system’s fault – all the loonier Kiwiblog commenters seem to agree on that one.
  - mike e 5.1.1
    
    5 August 2012 at 7:57 pm
    
    PM Sonkeys strategyTwo birds with one stone.
    Shift the blame
    Them make the teachers the scape goat
  - Adele 5.1.2
    
    5 August 2012 at 8:10 pm
    
    Psycho Milt
    
    In terms of Māori being educated I would categorically agree with you – it is the system’s fault. The lack of recognition that perhaps non-Western peoples have a different way of acquiring knowledge or that cultural context is important to learning outcomes continues to be a failing of mainstream education. . .
    
    I am not too worried about loony Kiwiblog commentators – its the psycho-standardnistas that cause my eyes to roll.
    - Psycho Milt 5.1.2.1
      
      5 August 2012 at 8:44 pm
      
      See the comment 5.2 by Kotahi Taane Huna below – that’s the main reason you and the Kiwiblog commenters are wrong about this.
      
      However, it’s also worth noting that our education system has great success with pupils of many cultures. Which means making Maori underachievement about culture is not only wrong, it’s a free gift for racists.
- Kotahi Tāne Huna 5.2
  
  5 August 2012 at 8:23 pm
  
  Adele, teacher effect accounts for about 10% of educational outcomes. Schools cannot make up for the problems caused by institutional racism and inequality. By blaming them you are buying into a completely false narrative.
  - Adele 5.2.1
    
    5 August 2012 at 10:48 pm
    
    Kotahi
    
    The false narrative is yours. Schools are contributors to institutional racism and inequality. The 10% of effort that teachers contribute to educational outcomes generally miss the mark completely when dealing with Maori students.
    
    As long ago as the early 1960s Maori teachers teaching in a ‘Maori’ way were making great strides in improving learning outcomes for Maori students. One such teacher (who was a renowned Maori artist and has since passed on) used to teach in a rural school in Northland. Most, if not all the Maori students there were labelled failures because they generally failed the tests provided by the school. He took to examining the class on subjects flavoured by Aotearoa. Where was this place, mountain, river, who was this Maori rangatira, etc etc. Of course the Maori students did spectacularly well whereas the non-Maori students failed.
    
    Even today there is marked improvement in outcomes when Maori students are taught in a particular way. The kohanga reo movement is a classic case in point. Whole families have been successfully engaged in the learning outcomes of tamariki – despite the deprivation and the social context.
    
    That movement was started by kuia on behalf of their mokopuna. 25 years later those kuia are now in their mid-eighties and still involved in the movement. In many ways the kohanga reo movement is a forefunner to charter schools.
    - Psycho Milt 5.2.1.1
      
      6 August 2012 at 7:34 am
      
      He took to examining the class on subjects flavoured by Aotearoa. Where was this place, mountain, river, who was this Maori rangatira, etc etc.
      
      In other words, like many teachers in small rural schools before and since, he found the local kids lacked much interest in reading and writing or maths and sciences, so he concentrated on giving them some basic stuff that would be useful to them in their future lives as peasants, labourers and housewives. It’s not an inspiring story, it’s a depressing one.
      - Adele 5.2.1.1.1
        
        6 August 2012 at 10:53 am
        
        Psycho
        
        The only thing depressing in this scenario is your opinions.
        
        Unlike you this teacher saw the potential in these children. Why do you assume that Maori children from rural or isolated communities would lack interest in reading and writing or maths and sciences. He reframed the teachings to be inclusive of their worldview. Rather than learn about the English Royal Family and the geography of Europe – they learnt instead geography using local and regional locations and the whakapapa of Rangatira. Having engaged their minds and their hearts these children would have a greater appreciation for knowledge acquisition of whatever sort.
        
        The teacher himself came from a similar background and his artworks now hang in galleries and private collections world-wide. Far from being stuck in a provincial rut he propelled Māori art into a contemporary age. Not bad for someone from a densely poor and rural background. And I guess the thinking was that if he could succeed when the dominant culture says – you’re a failure – than so could the children under his tutelage.
        
        Your type of thinking in a teacher is what is dimming the light on the potential of Maori children.
        
        Kotahi Tāne Huna 5.2.1.1.1.1
        
        6 August 2012 at 11:18 am
        
        “…what is dimming the light on the potential of Maori children”?
        
        Is it teachers? Is it schools? Or is it the relentless grinding inequality and discrimination that Māori experience on a daily basis?
        
        Inequality that has increased faster in New Zealand than anywhere else in the developed world. That has been shown to affect rates of crime, violence, stress, health, and yes, educational performance.
        
        Now you may think that statement is controversial – it isn’t. Unless you get your opinions from politicians, that is…
        
        UpandComer …
        
        6 August 2012 at 11:36 am
        
        If that logic held then no one from a poor background would ever do well at school. Clearly, it’s rubbish, and it’s not just down to those kids having semi-decent IQ’s.
        
        Also, Kotahi tane huna, why are you opposed to something that might help to change the intractable depressing statistics on Maori educational achievement? You are actually at odds with the majority of Maori with your stance, Maori who are constructive, progressive, pragmatic and tired of useless attitudes and blame-mongering. As Adele says, why don’t you blame the Ozone layer too while you are at it.
        
        Kotahi Tāne Huna …
        
        6 August 2012 at 11:45 am
        
        Is that what passes for logic in your mind – “no one from a poor background would ever do well at school.”
        
        Do you think this is a strong argument, as opposed to a pitiful strawman?
        
        You also appear to think that proposing a solution for “the intractable depressing statistics on Māori educational achievement” is the same as being “opposed to something that might help to change the intractable depressing statistics on Māori educational achievement”.
        
        I conclude that you have diminished mental capacity. I will attempt to address this issue on an emotional level:
        
        Inequality hurts people. If you want to make them better, reduce inequality.
        
        Adele …
        
        6 August 2012 at 8:14 pm
        
        Kotahi Koretake
        
        It is laughable that you try to educate Māori on inequality – you pompous twat. Its your type of hypocrisy and mealy-mouth platitudes that cause most brown people to vomit.
        
        Your type of attitude is damaging to the efforts of brown people that understand the issues and realise the solutions and if you cannot support their efforts then get the fuck out of the way.
        
        And as for suggesting that I am hating on teachers – if you read my posts with both eyeballs focussed in front – you will note that I was in fact praising the efforts of one particular teacher – or don’t fully qualified Māori teachers count in the scheme of your warped sense of social equity..
        
        Kotahi Tāne Huna …
        
        6 August 2012 at 8:37 pm
        
        I am not the pain in your mind, and I’m not lecturing Māori, I’m schooling a potty-mouthed ignoramus, specifically, you.
        
        Kotahi Tāne Huna …
        
        6 August 2012 at 9:07 pm
        
        PS: Is Papaarangi Reid “lecturing Māori”? Get a clue.
        
        Adele …
        
        6 August 2012 at 10:36 pm
        
        Kotahi Hōhā
        
        ‘Potty mouthed ignoramus’
        
        Wow, such a ferocious backlash. Actually, I am chuffed and will share this with my pakeke roopu in the weekend:
        
        Kuia 1: You were called what?
        
        Me: A potty mouthed ignoramus.
        
        Kuia 2: Honey, you’re too young to be using a potty.
        
        Kuia 3: No, no, put your hearing aid in – some arsehole was calling her a dumbarse.
        
        Kuia 4: Well, you go and bring him to us and we’ll sort the fucker out.
        
        Koroua 1: That’ll be right – their husbands are all dead.
        
        Kuia 4: And you can shut up.
        
        From the ludicrous to the absurd – don’t quote Paparangi Reid to me, I work in health. Inequality is created by people like you thinking that they know better than people like me and Paparangi Reid.
        
        Kotahi Tāne Huna …
        
        7 August 2012 at 8:27 am
        
        Good, I’m glad I could bring some joy to alleviate your bigotry and prejudice.
        
        Did I say I think I know better than Papaarangi Reid? No: that’s just a pitiful strawman you invented. In fact, Papaarangi Reid and others in the medical profession inform my opinion on this subject.
        
        I note that the ethnicity of the messenger has a profound effect on your ability to understand the message.
        
        Adele …
        
        7 August 2012 at 9:10 am
        
        Kotahi Hōhā Koretake
        
        You haven’t actually said anything meaningful at all in your posts accept to accuse me of introducing strawmen (wrong) and throwing in a Māori (Reid) to add credence to your white privilege posturings.
        
        Ethnicity does in fact play a large part in the debate on inequality because it is largely along racial lines. So yes I do focus on your ethnicity especially when you as a white person attempt to lecture me as a brown person on what is inequality in this country and how inequality can be addressed to the benefit of the dis-possessed.
        
        Inequality is driven largely by people like you in positions of authority – be it as politician, policy maker, purse-holder. I would rather deal with the likes of Crimp who is absolutely open about his prejudices than with people like you.
        
        The last word is yours.
        
        Kotahi Tāne Huna …
        
        7 August 2012 at 9:28 am
        
        You work in the health sector, which puts you in a far higher “position of authority” than I will ever hold.
        
        Your entire contribution has been to dismiss my opinion on the basis of my ancestry. Accusing me of “saying nothing” in these circumstances is a tad ironic, no?
        
        Strawman No.1: ” you cannot support their efforts”
        
        Strawman No.2: “don’t fully qualified Māori teachers count in the scheme of your warped sense of social equity.”
        
        Strawman No.3: “people like you thinking that they know better than people like me and Paparangi Reid.”
        
        If you want a lecture fuck off back to school. All I’m presenting here is my opinion, though I have a bit more than anecdotes about pioneering teachers to back it up.
        
        We allocate massive resources to combat crime, to improve physical and mental health, to educate, etc. etc. Negative outcomes in all of these areas are driven by increased inequality. That we would be much better off addressing the inequality, rather than the symptoms, is self-evident.
        
        As for your elegant justification for your racism: I’m sure Louis Crimp has one for his; perhaps that explains your preference.
    - Kotahi Tāne Huna 5.2.1.2
      
      6 August 2012 at 7:55 am
      
      Adele schools reflect the society they’re in? What an amazing revelation! Once again: teacher effect accounts for no more than 10% of academic achievement; no amount of hating on teachers in going to change that.
    - UpandComer 5.2.1.3
      
      6 August 2012 at 11:32 am
      
      Thank-you for this excellent comment.
      
      It simply puzzles me why it is that those who place complete faith in the public system in the face of decades of long-standing Maori/Pacific Island underachievement are so viciously opposed to anything that might change the status quo.
      - Kotahi Tāne Huna 5.2.1.3.1
        
        6 August 2012 at 12:44 pm
        
        The answer to your puzzlement is simple – you’re wrong. The complete faith you imagine doesn’t exist, and neither does the opposition. However, when you grow up you will perhaps come to understand a well known phrase – “Something must be done, this is something, therefore this must be done!”
        
        Rob 5.2.1.3.1.1
        
        7 August 2012 at 3:08 pm
        
        Yes, a similar approach was tried in World War 1 in trench warfare. Wave after wave of young soldiers went sent over the trench wall to advance slowly upon the enemy. That kept all the bosses happy too that at least they were doing somehing. Still didn’t make any sense or difference did it.
        
        Juts mindlessly repeating failed actions is not a good idea.
Carol 6

5 August 2012 at 5:56 pm

Basil Bernstein said it back in the late 60s/early 70s:

“Education cannot compensate for society” – he was talking about social class inequalities, but it could also refer to the any students from non-white middleclass backgrounds tend to find the education system a bit of a struggle. Our education system so often incorporates the values of the dominant groups in society.

And, yes, education may go some way to help students from less well-off backgrounds, but poverty , as Anthony’s post indicates, has negative impacts on a child’s education in many ways.
lefty 7

5 August 2012 at 8:29 pm

I get very sick of people who say lack of education is a reason for individuals failure to be able to get good jobs and support themselves.

The education system cannot lead to change. It will always reflect the society it is based in, and the fate of individuals in it will reflect the fate of individuals in society as a whole.

If we structure our society to produce winners and losers our education system will always reflect that, regardless of how good our teachers are and how big the education spend is. The best any improvements in the education system can do while our society is structured to glorify individual wealth accummulation as its main purpose is to produce better educated losers.

In other words it’s pretty much a percentage game and the percentage of those failing at school must reflect the percentage of those the rich want kept on the margins.

No change to the education system can alter that.
- Colonial Viper 7.1
  
  5 August 2012 at 8:33 pm
  
  Further, whether or not you leave school at 16 without qualifications, or at 23 with a Masters degree and $80,000 of student debt – there are no jobs available to you, apart from stacking shelves at the local supermarket.
  
  And in that case, the 16 year old school leaver is instantly $80,000 better off than the post-grad.
  - Dv 7.1.1
    
    5 August 2012 at 8:55 pm
    
    PLUS 7 years of income at min wage – 182,000
    - Colonial Viper 7.1.1.1
      
      5 August 2012 at 9:10 pm
      
      Exactly – and when young people ask me these days, I ask them to think seriously about getting into a good trade with practical skills instead of doing years at uni accumulating debt and textbooks.
seeker 8

6 August 2012 at 12:18 am

“Claiming that poverty is no excuse for student failure trivializes the damage caused by years of actions and inactions that have widened the gaps between rich and poor communities. Good schools aren’t molded through harsh sanctions, private takeovers, or even soaring rhetoric. They emerge from healthy, stable communities. That is, they emerge from a commitment to justice.”

Thank you for this stunning, pertinent and “laying out the truth for us all to see” post Anthony. Am going to quote, quote and quote from it again and again, especially ”trivializes the damage”…
aerobubble 9

6 August 2012 at 9:59 am

I’m eagerly awaiting to see these statistics, house buying will be so much easier when
I know how stupid the kids are in the area, I mean what a joke, does the government
really believe that all the time children spend growing up without the presence of
a teacher, their intrinsic genetic, behavioral, cultural and religious can substantial be
modified by teachers. I’m sorry but it says more about the educational standard of
our present right wing government, who also believe that concentrating solely on
results and ignoring inputs, like people, ecology, resource limits, and concentrate
solely on profits only driven economics, is it any wonder they are so blind to their
own stupidity. But then I suppose society chooses to become more inequitable and
sectarianism needs these educational stats if its to become rooted and grow.
- Kotahi Tāne Huna 9.1
  
  7 August 2012 at 3:45 pm
  
  Society chooses no such thing – it’s the consequence of stupidity, not malice.
  
  The debate is slowly moving in the right direction though. I would like to see more discussion on policy to combat inequality.
  
  Should we redistribute wealth more evenly, for example? I think I know what sort of reaction that would raise in our right-wing acquaintances, but it would work.
  
  What about wage policy? Japan doesn’t need to redistribute wealth so much because there isn’t such a huge gap in salary levels to begin with. A policy to limit high salaries would add nothing to the wages bill, since companies could simply redistribute more equitably themselves.
  
  What about secondary measures like strengthening communities organisations such as unions, restoring rights to collective action?
  
  Just flying kites here, but I get fed up with debating all these issues – education, health, crime etc. as though they were unconnected.

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Michael Reddell writes – I got curious yesterday about how the Australia/New Zealand real exchange rate had changed over the last decade, and so dug out the data on the changes in the two countries’ CPIs. Over the 10 years from March 2014 to March 2024, New Zealand’s ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
8 hours ago

TVNZ hīkoi documentary needs a sequel
Graham Adams writes that 20 years after the land march, judges are quietly awarding a swathe of coastal rights to iwi. Early this month, an hour-long documentary was released by TVNZ to mark the 20th anniversary of the land-rights march to oppose Helen Clark’s Foreshore and Seabed Act. The account ...
Point of OrderBy gadams1000
8 hours ago

The missing Green MP
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: Suspended Green MP Darleen Tana has passed an unpleasant milestone: she has now been absent for as many parliamentary sitting days as she has been present for this year. Tana is on full pay while she is suspended, and will benefit from a ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
8 hours ago

The contest for the future heart and soul of the Labour Party
Peter Dunne writes – It is no coincidence that two Labour should-have-been MPs are making the most noise about public sector cuts. As assistant general secretary of the Public Service Association, Fleur Fitzsimons has been at the forefront of revealing where the next round of state sector job ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
9 hours ago

Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the Govt
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
9 hours ago

Gordon Campbell on the psychological horror film Possession
This is one of the (extra) weekly columns on music or movies. Plenty of solid analyses of Possession exist online and most of them – inevitably – contain spoilers. This column is more in the way of a first-timer’s aid to getting your initial bearings. You don’t need to have ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
10 hours ago

Portrait of a Man.
I am painting in oil, a portrait of a manWho has taken all the heart aches,And all the pain he can stand.I am using all the colors of blue,I have here on my stand.I am painting in oil, a portrait of a man.This has been an interesting week for me. ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
13 hours ago

The Hoon around the week to May 17
Helen Clark joins the Hoon as a special guest talking whether Aotearoa should join Aukus II, and her views on the fast track legislation and how Luxon and the new Government are performing. File Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
13 hours ago

Weekly Roundup 17-May-2024
We’re at the end of another week. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked if the Herald’s poor journalism will cost lives On Tuesday Matt covered Wayne Brown’s proposal for public transport in the Long ...
Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
13 hours ago

Rishi’s relaunch
With an election due in less than nine months, Britain’s embattled PM, Rishi Sunak, gave a useful speech earlier this week. He made a substantial case for his government, perhaps as compelling as is possible in the current environment. Quite an achievement. His overall theme was security, first pulling ...
Point of OrderBy xtrdnry
22 hours ago

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #20 2024
Open access notables Publicly expressed climate scepticism is greatest in regions with high CO2 emissions, Pearson et al., Climatic Change: We analysed a recently released corpus of climate-related tweets to examine the macro-level factors associated with public declarations of climate change scepticism. Analyses of over 2 million geo-located tweets in the U.S. showed that climate ...
Skeptical Science
1 day ago

The thrilling possibilities of charter schools
You can be all negative about these charter schools if you want, but I’m here to accentuate the positive. You can get all worked up, if you want to, by the contradiction of Luxon saying We’re going to make sure that every school in the country is teaching exactly the same ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
1 day ago

This Unreasonable Government.
Losing The Room: One can only speculate about what has persuaded the Coalition Government that it will pay no electoral price for unreasonably pushing ahead with policies that are so clearly against the national interest. They seem quite oblivious to the risk that by doing so they will convince an increasing ...
Bowalley Road
1 day ago

Supreme Court weighs in on name suppression
Name suppression decisions can be tough sometimes. No matter your views on free speech, you have to be hard-hearted not to be torn by the tug of the competing arguments. I think you can feel the Supreme Court wrestling with that in M v The King. The case for ...
Media Law JournalBy Steven
1 day ago

Is This A “Merchants” Government?
The Merchants of Menace: The Coalition Government has convinced itself that the “Brahmins’” emollient functions have become much too irksome and expensive. Those who see themselves as the best hope of rebuilding New Zealand’s ailing capitalist system, appear to have convinced themselves that a little bit of blunt trauma is what their mollycoddled ...
Bowalley Road
1 day ago

This is what corruption looks like
When National first proposed its Muldoonist "fast-track" law, they were warned that it would inevitably lead to corruption. And that is exactly what has happened, with Resources Minister Shane Jones taking secret meetings with potential applicants: On Tuesday, in a Newsroom story, questions were raised about a dinner Jones ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
1 day ago

Take that, Vladimir – and be warned: we have plenty more sanctions (at least, we hope so) in our ...
Buzz from the Beehive One day – hopefully – we will push that Russian rascal, Vladimir Putin, beyond breaking point. Perhaps it will happen today, when he learns that Foreign Minister Winston Peters is again tightening the thumbscrews. Peters announced further sanctions, this time on 28 individuals and 14 entities ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
1 day ago

More Harm Than Good.
How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought New Zealand to the brink of economic and cultural chaos.TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition Government’s failure to retain, and build upon, the public ...
Bowalley Road
1 day ago

The Ombudsman fails again
In 2020, the Operation Burnham inquiry reported back, finding that NZDF had lied to Ministers and the New Zealand public about its actions in Afghanistan. The inquiry saw a large number of documents declassified and released, which raised another problem: whether they had also lied to the Ombudsman in his ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
1 day ago

No Time To Think: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
“Members of Parliament don’t work for us, they represent us, an entirely different thing. As with so much that has turned out badly, the re-organising of MPs’ responsibilities began with the Fourth Labour Government. That’s when they began to be treated like employees – public servants – whose diaries had ...
Bowalley Road
1 day ago

Bryce Edwards: Lobbying for Waikato’s Medical School causing problems for the Govt
It’s becoming a classic case study for why lobbying deals with politicians need greater scrutiny. Former National Minister Steven Joyce runs a lobbying company with a major client – the University of Waikato. The University desperately wants $300m+ of taxpayer funding to establish a third medical school in New Zealand, ...
Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
1 day ago

Picking Sides.
Time To Choose: Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into AUKUS’s “Pillar 2” – or they are going to China.HAD ZHENG HE’S FLEET sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks ...
Bowalley Road
1 day ago

Universities offer course in self-serving cowardice
Henry Ergas writes – When in Randall Jarrell’s Pictures from an Institution, a college president is accused of being a hypocrite, the novel’s narrator retorts that the description is grossly unfair. After all, the man is still far from the stage of moral development at which the charge ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

The teacher trainee challenge
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ reports: The Education Review Office says too many new teachers feel poorly prepared for their jobs. In a report published on Monday, the review office said 60 percent of the principals it interviewed said their new teachers were not ready. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

Words and (in)actions
New Zealand’s economic performance and the PM’s vision Michael Reddell writes – When I wrote yesterday morning’s post, highlighting how poorly both New Zealand and its Anglo peer countries have been doing in respect of productivity in recent times (ie, in the case of New ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
1 day ago

What do you hope for/fear from the budget?
Hi all,Firstly - thank you! You guys are awesome. The response I’ve received to last night’s mail has been quite overwhelming. It’s a ghastly day outside, but there are no clouds in here.In case you didn’t read my email and are wondering what on earth I’m talking about you can ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
1 day ago

Gordon Campbell on ACT’s charter schools experiment
If there was still any doubt as to who is actually running this government – and it isn’t the buffoon from Botany – then this week’s announcement of a huge spend up on charter schools has settled the matter. While jobs and public services continue to be cut in the ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
1 day ago

Drought fuels wildfire concerns as Canada braces for another intense summer
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Gaye Taylor As widespread drought raises expectations for a repeat of last year’s ferocious wildfire season, response teams across Canada are grappling with the rapidly changing face of fire in a warming climate. No longer quenched by winter, nor quelled by the ...
Skeptical Science
2 days ago

Bernard’s Dawn Chorus and pick ‘n’ mix for Thursday, May 16
Half of Christchurch City Holdings Ltd’s directors and its chair resigned en masse last night in protest at Christchurch City Council’s demand to front-load dividends File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The chair of Christchurch City Council’s investment company and four of its independent directors resigned in protest last ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

Controversial proposal could threaten coalition
The University of Waikato has reworded an advertisement that begins the tender process for its new $300 million-plus medical school even though the Government still needs to approve it. However, even the reworded ad contains an architect’s visualisations of what the school might look like. ACT leader David Seymour told ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
2 days ago

Of Rings of Power Annatar, Dramatic Irony, and Disguises
As a follow-up to the Rings of Power trailer discussion, I thought I needed to add something. There has been some online mockery about the use of the same actor for both the Halbrand and Annatar incarnations of Sauron. The reasoning is that Halbrand with a shave and a new ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
2 days ago

The future of Nick's Kōrero.
This isn’t quite as dramatic as the title might suggest. I’m not going anywhere, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about.Let’s start with a typical day.Most days I send out a newsletter in the morning. If I’ve written a lot the previous evening it might be ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
2 days ago

The PM promises tax relief in the Budget – but will it be enough to satisfy the Taxpayers’ Union...
Buzz from the Beehive The promise of tax relief loomed large in his considerations when the PM delivered a pre-Budget speech to the Auckland Business Chamber. The job back in Wellington is getting government spending back under control, he said, bandying figures which show that in per capita terms, the ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
2 days ago

Fucking useless
Yesterday de facto Prime Minister David Seymour announced that his glove puppet government would be re-introducing charter schools, throwing $150 million at his pet quacks, donors and cronies and introducing an entire new government agency to oversee them (the existing Education Review Office, which actually knows how to review schools, ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
2 days ago

Setting things straight.
Seeing that, in order to discredit the figures and achieve moral superiority while attempting to deflect attention away from the military assault on Rafa, Israel supporters in NZ have seized on reports that casualty numbers in Gaza may be inflated … Continue reading → ...
KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
2 days ago

Far too light a sentence
David Farrar writes – Newstalk ZB report: The man responsible for a horror hit and run in central Wellington last year was on a suspended licence and was so drunk he later asked police, “Did I kill someone?” Jason Tuitama injured two women when he ran a red ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Unwinding Labour’s Agenda
Muriel Newman writes – Former US President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation.” The fight for ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

Sequel to “Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour”
Why Courts should have said Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Karen Chhour Gary Judd writes – In the High Court, Justice Isacs declined to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal to compel Minister for Children, Karen Chhour, to appear before it to be ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

The Govt’s Fast-Track is being demolished by submissions to Parliament
Bryce Edwards writes – The number of voices raising concerns about the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill is rapidly growing. This is especially apparent now that Parliament’s select committee is listening to submissions from the public to evaluate the proposed legislation. Twenty-seven thousand submissions have been made to Parliament ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
2 days ago

A generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
An average of 166 New Zealand citizens left the country every day during the March quarter, up 54% from a year ago.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
2 days ago

NZUP RORS back to life
The government has made it abundantly clear they’re addicted to the smell of new asphalt. On Tuesday they introduced a new term to the country’s roading lexicon, the Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), a little brother for the Roads of National (Party) Significance (RoNS). Driving ahead with Roads of Regional ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
3 days ago

School Is Out.
School is outAnd I walk the empty hallwaysI walk aloneAlone as alwaysThere's so many lucky penniesLying on the floorBut where the hell are all the lucky peopleI can't see them any moreYesterday morning, I’d just sent out my newsletter on Tama Potaka, and I was struggling to make the coffee. ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
3 days ago

How Are You Doing?
Hi,I wanted to check in and ask how you’re doing.This is perhaps a selfish act, of attempting to find others feeling a similar way to me — that is to say, a little hopeless at the moment.Misery loves company, that sort of deal.Some context.I wish I could say I got ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
3 days ago

The Rings of Power: Season Two Teaser Trailer
I have hitherto been fairly quiet on the new season of Rings of Power, on the basis that the underwhelming first season did not exactly build excitement – and the rumours were fairly daft. The only real thing of substance to come out has been that they have re-cast Adar ...
A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
3 days ago

At a glance – What ended the Little ice Age?
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
3 days ago

Talking Reo with the PM
“The thing is,” Chris Luxon says, leaning forward to make his point, “this has always been my thing.”“This goes all the way back to the first multinational I worked for. I was saying exactly the same thing back then. The name of our business needs to be more clear; people ...
More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
3 days ago

Waitangi Tribunal’s authority in Chhour case is upheld – but bill’s introduction to Parliament...
Buzz from the Beehive It’s been a momentous few days for Children’s Minister Karen Chhour. The Court of Appeal has overturned a High Court decision which blocked a summons order from the Waitangi Tribunal for her. And today she has announced the Government is putting children first by introducing to ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
3 days ago

Australia jails another whistleblower
In 2014 former Australian army lawyer David McBride leaked classified military documents about Australian war crimes to the ABC. Dubbed "The Afghan Files", the documents led to an explosive report on Australian war crimes, the disbanding of an entire SAS unit, and multiple ongoing prosecutions. The journalist who wrote the ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
3 days ago

Some “scrutiny”!
Back in February I blogged about another secret OIA "consultation" by the Ministry of Justice. This one was on Aotearoa's commitment in its Open Government Partnership Action Plan to "strengthen scrutiny of Official Information Act exemption clauses in legislation" (AKA secrecy clauses). Their consultation paper on the issue focused on ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
3 days ago

TVNZ is loss-making, serves no public service due to bias, and should be liquidated
Rob MacCulloch writes – According to the respected Pew Research Centre, “In seven of eight [European] countries surveyed, the most trusted news outlet asked about is the public news organization in each country”. For example, “in Sweden, an overwhelming majority (90%) say they trust the public broadcaster SVT”. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
3 days ago

The conflicted Covid Chair
David Farrar writes – Kata MacNamara reports: Details of Tony Blakely’s involvement in the New Zealand Government’s response to the pandemic raise serious questions about the work of the Covid-19 Royal Commission of Inquiry over which he presides. It has long been clear that Blakely, a ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
3 days ago

Attacking the smartest and most resilient people in the room is never a good idea
Chris Trotter writes – Are you a Brahmin or a Merchant? Or, are you merely one of those whose lives are profoundly influenced by the decisions of Brahmins and Merchants? Those are the questions that are currently shaping the politics of New Zealand and the entire West. ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
3 days ago

A fortune-telling failure, surely, if the tarot cards can’t see a bulldozer coming
RNZ reports – It’s supposed to be a haven of healing and spiritual awakening but residents of the Kawai Purapura community say they’ve been hurt and deceived. It’s the successor to the former Centrepoint commune, and has been on the bush block opposite Albany shopping centre since 2008. It ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
3 days ago

The climate battleground heats up
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. Usually we have a video chat to go with this wrap, but were unable to do one this week. We’ll be back next week.Several reports ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
4 days ago

Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Tuesday, May 14
The Transport Minister has set a hard 'fiscal envelope' of $6.54 billion for transport capital spending. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The economy is settling into a state of suspended animation as the Government’s funding freezes and job cuts chill confidence and combine with stubbornly high interest rates to ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
4 days ago

Gordon Campbell on why anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitic
To be precise, the term “anti- Zionism” refers to (a) criticism of the political movement that created a modern Jewish state on the historical land of Israel, and to (b)the subjugation of Palestinians by the Israeli state. By contrast, the term “anti-Semitism” means bigotry and racism directed at Jewish people, ...
Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
4 days ago

Climate change is making hurricanes more destructive
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Because hurricanes are one of the big-ticket weather disasters that humanity has to face, climate misinformers spend a lot of effort muddying the waters on whether climate change is making hurricanes more damaging. With the official start to the hurricane ...
Skeptical Science
4 days ago

Wayne Brown’s PT Plan
Yesterday the Mayor released what he calls his “plan to save public transport” which is part of his final proposal for the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP). This comes following consultation on the draft version that occurred in March which showed, once again, that people want more done on transport, especially ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
4 days ago

Potaka's Private Universe.
And it's a pleasure that I have knownAnd it's a treasure that I have gainedAotearoa’s coalition government is fragile. It’s held together by the obsequious sycophancy of Christopher Luxon, who willingly contorts his party into the fringe positions of his junior coalition partners and is unwilling to contradict them. The ...
Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
4 days ago

Our slow regional councils
The Select Committee hearing submissions on the fast-track consenting legislation is starting to become a beat-up of regional councils. The inflexibility and slow workings of the Councils were prominent in two submissions yesterday. One, from the Coromandel Marine Farmers Association, simply said that the Waikato Regional Council’s planning decisions were ...
PolitikBy Richard Harman
4 days ago

Ministers are not above the law after all
Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
4 days ago

NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
4 days ago

Change in Catalonia?
or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
4 days ago

Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
David Farrar writes – Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
Don Brash writes – There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
Mike Grimshaw writes – At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Time for some perspective
Lindsay Mitchell writes – A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
4 days ago

Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
Greater AucklandBy Matt L
5 days ago

The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
5 days ago

Webworm Popup Photos!
Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
David FarrierBy David Farrier
5 days ago

2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
Skeptical Science
5 days ago

Release: 4,500 jobs lost – and counting
More than 4,500 jobs are set to go as the National Government continues its deep cuts to services to pay for irresponsible and ill-timed tax cuts. ...
Labour Blog
13 hours ago

No-cause evictions leave no hope for renters
The Government’s introduction of legislation that would enable landlords to end tenancies with no reason marks a dark day for the 1.4 million people who rent their home in Aotearoa. ...
Greens
1 day ago

Release: National winding back mental health work
The Minister for Mental Health has found the Suicide Prevention Office and mental health support for 111 calls slipping through his fingers, says Labour spokesperson for Mental Health Ingrid Leary. ...
Labour Blog
2 days ago

Government ignorant of evidence in neglect of tamariki
Today’s justification from the Minister for Children for scrapping protections for our tamariki was either a case of ignorance or deliberate deception. ...
Greens
3 days ago

Gang policy setting communities up for failure
The Green Party says the Government’s misguided policy on gangs will fail, following the announcement of the establishment of a national gang unit and district gang disruption units to target gang activities. ...
Greens
3 days ago

Statement from police spokesperson Ginny Andersen
“With Police pay negotiations still unresolved after six months in Government, Mark Mitchell has today rolled the Commissioner out for a rebrand of their approach to gang crime,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Charter schools not a serious solution
We need serious investment and solutions into our education system, not a vanity project from David Seymour. ...
Greens
3 days ago

Release: Ideological charter schools won’t increase achievement
The Government bringing back 50 charter schools will not increase achievement and is a distraction from the core mission of the education system, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Visas needed for Palestinians with family in New Zealand
The Government must show some compassion and create a special visa to allow Palestinians with family in New Zealand to be reunited with them here. ...
Labour Blog
3 days ago

Release: Govt’s stubbornness will harm Māori children
Government has remained stubborn and is ramming its Bill into the House today, which the Waitangi Tribunal has said will hurt vulnerable children. ...
Labour Blog
4 days ago

‘Lucky dip’ process too casual for hearing critical submissions on Fast Track approvals bill
Te Pāti Māori is showing extreme concern over the Environment Select Committees adoption of a lucky dip draw to determine hearings for the Fast Track Approvals bill. Of the 27,000 submissions, 2,900 requested to present. All organisations will be heard; however, the remaining 2,350 submitters will be subject to a ...
Māori Party
4 days ago

New Zealand First Member’s Bill to protect women’s spaces
Today New Zealand First will introduce a Member’s Bill that will protect women’s spaces. The ‘Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill’ will require, primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, that all new non-domestic publicly accessible buildings provide separate, clearly demarcated, unisex and single sex bathrooms. This Bill ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Release: Support for climate adaptation inquiry
Labour supports a Notice of Motion in the House today to move the Finance and Expenditure Committee to conduct an inquiry on climate adaptation. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Greens welcome cross-party approach to climate adaptation
The Green Party is welcoming Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ continuation of Hon. James Shaw’s cross-party work on climate adaptation, now in the form of a Finance and Expenditure Committee Inquiry. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Sexual violence prevention among hundreds of job cuts at ACC
The National Government plans to cut 390 jobs at ACC, including roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Government shows allergy to evidence in benefits crackdown
The Government has been caught in opposition to evidence once again as it looks to usher in tried, tested and failed work seminar obligations for job-seeking beneficiaries. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Minister of Finance reheats austerity politics
This morning’s pre-Budget speech from the Minister of Finance offered no “meaningful” news on the Government’s trickle-down economics based plans. ...
Greens
1 week ago

A win for Wellington – Greens welcome more housing
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
Greens
1 week ago

Release: Backtrack on school lunches a win for Kiwi kids
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Release: Hon Willie Jackson to debate at the Prestigious Oxford Union
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Labour Blog
1 week ago

Members Bill will prevent Māori land confiscations
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
Greens
1 week ago

TIKANGA IS NOT LAW. IT IS CULTURAL INDOCTRINATION.
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
NZ First Press Release
1 week ago

Release: National won’t commit to full Nelson Hospital upgrade
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour calls for fast track list to be released
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National gaslights women fighting for equal pay
National has scrapped the pay equity taskforce that fights for equal pay for women and looks at ethnic pay gaps. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: More job cuts, fewer houses under National
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Children fall deeper through the cracks in Govt cuts
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour honours memory of Sir Robert Martin
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: 130,000 cattle saved from live export
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Central Bank makes clear Government is pouring fuel on housing crisis fire
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

New unemployment figures paint bleak picture
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: National’s job cuts already starting to bite as unemployment rises
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National hiking transport costs for families and young New Zealanders
Weekly expenses will grow for more than 1.6 million New Zealanders as the Government ends free and half price public transport fares tomorrow. ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: Labour welcomes EU free trade agreement
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Surprise: Landlord tax cuts don’t trickle down
The Green Party is renewing its call for rent controls following reports of rental prices hitting an all-time high. ...
Greens
2 weeks ago

Release: $1.7b for no increase in access to medicine
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
Labour Blog
2 weeks ago

Release: National should heed Tribunal warning and scrap coalition commitment with ACT
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

Release: More accountability for preventable workplace deaths this Workers’ Memorial Day
Labour is calling for more accountability for preventable workplace deaths because everybody who goes to work deserves to come home safely. ...
Labour Blog
3 weeks ago

DJ Fred Again – Assurance report received
"On the 27th of March, I sought assurances from the Chief Executive, Department of Internal Affairs, that the Department’s correct processes and policies had been followed in regards to a passport application which received media attention,” says Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden. “I raised my concerns after being ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 hours ago

District Court Judges appointed
Attorney-General Judith Collins has announced the appointment of three new District Court Judges, to replace Judges who have recently retired. Peter James Davey of Auckland has been appointed a District Court Judge with a jury jurisdiction to be based at Whangarei. Mr Davey initially started work as a law clerk/solicitor with ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
9 hours ago

Unions should put learning ahead of ideology
Associate Education Minister David Seymour is calling on the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) to put ideology to the side and focus on students’ learning, in reaction to the union holding paid teacher meetings across New Zealand about charter schools.    “The PPTA is disrupting schools up and down the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
10 hours ago

Craig Stobo appointed as chair of FMA
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly today announced the appointment of Craig Stobo as the new chair of the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). Mr Stobo takes over from Mark Todd, whose term expired at the end of April. Mr Stobo’s appointment is for a five-year term. “The FMA plays ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
10 hours ago

Budget 2024 invests in lifeguards and coastguard
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand will continue to be able to keep people safe in, on, and around the water following a funding boost of $63.644 million over four years, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say. “Heading to the beach for ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
12 hours ago

New Zealand and Tuvalu reaffirm close relationship
New Zealand and Tuvalu have reaffirmed their close relationship, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand is committed to working with Tuvalu on a shared vision of resilience, prosperity and security, in close concert with Australia,” says Mr Peters, who last visited Tuvalu in 2019. “It is my pleasure ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

New Zealand calls for calm, constructive dialogue in New Caledonia
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the situation in New Caledonia, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The escalating situation and violent protests in Nouméa are of serious concern across the Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

New Zealand welcomes Samoa Head of State
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met today with Samoa’s O le Ao o le Malo, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II, who is making a State Visit to New Zealand. “His Highness and I reflected on our two countries’ extensive community links, with Samoan–New Zealanders contributing to all areas of our national ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Island Direct eligible for SuperGold Card funding
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced that he has approved Waiheke Island ferry operator Island Direct to be eligible for SuperGold Card funding, paving the way for a commercial agreement to bring the operator into the scheme. “Island Direct started operating in November 2023, offering an additional option for people ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

Further sanctions against Russia
Foreign Minister Winston Peters today announced further sanctions on 28 individuals and 14 entities providing military and strategic support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity. New Zealand condemns all entities and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 day ago

One year on from Loafers Lodge
A year on from the tragedy at Loafers Lodge, the Government is working hard to improve building fire safety, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I want to share my sincere condolences with the families and friends of the victims on the anniversary of the tragic fire at Loafers ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Pre-Budget speech to Auckland Business Chamber
Ka nui te mihi kia koutou. Kia ora and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for having me here in the lead up to my Government’s first Budget. Before I get started can I acknowledge: Simon Bridges – Auckland Business Chamber CEO. Steve Jurkovich – Kiwibank CEO. Kids born ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

New Zealand and Vanuatu to deepen collaboration
New Zealand and Vanuatu will enhance collaboration on issues of mutual interest, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “It is important to return to Port Vila this week with a broad, high-level political delegation which demonstrates our deep commitment to New Zealand’s relationship with Vanuatu,” Mr Peters says. “This ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Penk travels to Peru for trade meetings
Minister for Land Information, Chris Penk will travel to Peru this week to represent New Zealand at a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific region on behalf of Trade Minister Todd McClay. The annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting will be held on 17-18 May ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Minister attends global education conferences
Minister of Education Erica Stanford will head to the United Kingdom this week to participate in the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) and the 2024 Education World Forum (EWF). “I am looking forward to sharing this Government’s education priorities, such as introducing a knowledge-rich curriculum, implementing an evidence-based ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Education Minister thanks outgoing NZQA Chair
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has today thanked outgoing New Zealand Qualifications Authority Chair, Hon Tracey Martin. “Tracey Martin tendered her resignation late last month in order to take up a new role,” Ms Stanford says. Ms Martin will relinquish the role of Chair on 10 May and current Deputy ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
2 days ago

Joint statement of Christopher Luxon and Emmanuel Macron: Launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and President Emmanuel Macron of France today announced a new non-governmental organisation, the Christchurch Call Foundation, to coordinate the Christchurch Call’s work to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. This change gives effect to the outcomes of the November 2023 Call Leaders’ Summit, ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Panel announced for review into disability services
Distinguished public servant and former diplomat Sir Maarten Wevers will lead the independent review into the disability support services administered by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. The review was announced by Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston a fortnight ago to examine what could be done to strengthen the ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Minister welcomes Police gang unit
Today’s announcement by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster of a National Gang Unit and district Gang Disruption Units will help deliver on the coalition Government’s pledge to restore law and order and crack down on criminal gangs, Police Minister Mark Mitchell says. “The National Gang Unit and Gang Disruption Units will ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

New Zealand expresses regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today expressed regret at North Korea’s aggressive rhetoric towards New Zealand and its international partners. “New Zealand proudly stands with the international community in upholding the rules-based order through its monitoring and surveillance deployments, which it has been regularly doing alongside partners since 2018,” Mr ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

New Chief of Defence Force appointed
Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies MNZM is the new Chief of Defence Force, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. The Chief of Defence Force commands the Navy, Army and Air Force and is the principal military advisor to the Defence Minister and other Ministers with relevant portfolio responsibilities in the defence ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Government puts children first by repealing 7AA
Legislation to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has been introduced to Parliament. The Bill’s introduction reaffirms the Coalition Government’s commitment to the safety of children in care, says Minister for Children, Karen Chhour. “While section 7AA was introduced with good intentions, it creates a conflict for Oranga ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Defence Minister to meet counterparts in UK, Italy
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week travel to the UK and Italy to meet with her defence counterparts, and to attend Battles of Cassino commemorations. “I am humbled to be able to represent the New Zealand Government in Italy at the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of what was ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
3 days ago

Charter schools to lift educational outcomes
The upcoming Budget will include funding for up to 50 charter schools to help lift declining educational performance, Associate Education Minister David Seymour announced today. $153 million in new funding will be provided over four years to establish and operate up to 15 new charter schools and convert 35 state ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
“The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues Ladies and Gentlemen, Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
4 days ago

New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office. “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
5 days ago

New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
7 days ago

Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

$571 million for Defence pay and projects
Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Climate change – mitigating the risks and costs
New Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Getting new job seekers on the pathway to work
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Accelerating Social Investment
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Getting Back on Track
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

NZ – European Union ties more critical than ever
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District Plan
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violence
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
1 week ago

How Many Public Sector Roles Are Going, And From Where?
Public servants' jobs are on the chopping block as the sector scrambles to meet the Finance Minister's cost-cutting targets. ...
Scoop politics
1 hour ago

Can you control your image? Gina Rinehart, King Charles and ‘moral portraits’
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Benjamin, Professor in Art History, University of Sydney “She’s no oil painting”. Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
2 hours ago

Government plans for Māori wards breach The Treaty of Waitangi -Tribunal
Government plans to require local councils hold a referendum on whether to have Māori wards breaches the Treaty of Waitangi, a Waitangi Tribunal report has found. ...
Radio NZ – political
2 hours ago

Threatened species have declined 2% a year since 2000. Nature positive? Far from it.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan C Evans, Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management, School of Business, UNSW Sydney Martin Tobias Aakesson/Shutterstock Our government has great aspirations. It has committed to end extinctions and expand our protected areas to cover 30% of every Australian ecosystem by 2030. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
3 hours ago

Rugby league in Perth and Papua New Guinea? Here’s what could be next for the NRL
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This year the National Rugby League (NRL) opened its season in Las Vegas. It was an audacious move by the league’s ambitious head honcho Peter V’Landys to showcase the game in ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
4 hours ago

The budget has earmarked $8.6 million for live music. Is it enough to save the flailing industry?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University Leading music organisations have praised the federal budget for its investment in the live music sector. The budget includes A$8.6 million for a program called Revive Live: to provide essential support to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
5 hours ago

The Week in Politics: Charter schools, special police units and a tricky problem for the government
The Week in Politics: ACT brings back a signature policy, while NZ First mulls how to fulfil a promise. ...
Radio NZ – political
5 hours ago

There’s $110 million for Indigenous education in the budget. But where’s the evidence it will wo...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marnee Shay, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, The University of Queensland The 2024 federal budget contains A$110 million for Indigenous education. This includes funding for various different organisations to represent and help Indigenous people as well as scholarships in a bid to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

New Caledonia’s Nouméa airport closed until Tuesday, says Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand has confirmed Nouméa’s Tontouta International airport in New Caledonia is closed until Tuesday. The airline earlier told RNZ it would update customers as soon as it could. Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters told RNZ Morning Report government officials had been working on an “hourly basis” ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
6 hours ago

Cameras reveal wombat burrows can be safe havens after fire and waterholes after rain
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Grant Linley Australia’s unprecedented Black Summer bushfires in 2019–20 created ideal conditions for misinformation to spread, from the insidious to the absurd. It was within this context that a bizarre story ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
6 hours ago

ChatGPT is now better than ever at faking human emotion and behaviour
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney OpenAI executive Mira Murati launching GPT-4o. OpenAI Earlier this week OpenAI launched GPT-4o (“o” for “omni”), a new version of the artificial intelligence (AI) system powering the popular ChatGPT chatbot. GPT-4o is promoted ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

Menopause can bring increased cholesterol levels and other heart risks. Here’s why and what to do ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treasure McGuire, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Mater Health SEQ in conjoint appointment as Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Bond University and as Associate Professor (Clinical), The University of Queensland Speedkingz/Shutterstock Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

The Friday Poem: ‘Xiāng’ by Hannah Patterson
A new poem by Hannah Patterson. Xiāng There’s a pear tree in our backyard And Xiāng tells me She can’t eat them anymore Not after some things that have happened in her life. She tells me, in Mandarin The word for pear sounds the same as the word for disassociation ...
The SpinoffBy Hannah Patterson
7 hours ago

Cycle lanes are good for business, actually
‘Cycling Works’ aims to show business support for citywide cycle infrastructure. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, supermarket giant Foodstuffs lost its attempt to block the construction of a cycle lane outside Thorndon New World in Wellington. The Spinoff’s Wellington editor ...
The SpinoffBy Ellen Rykers
7 hours ago

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending May 17
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Slow Productivity by Cal Newport (Penguin, $40) Taking out the top spot in Auckland this ...
The SpinoffBy The Spinoff Review of Books
7 hours ago

Nuclear subs are coming to Australia. Now the Coalition wants reactors, too. We’re not ready for i...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University For decades, Australia has exported uranium – but not used it, other than in the Lucas Heights research reactor. But change is coming. We now face a rapidly deepening commitment to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
7 hours ago

After 180 years, new clues are revealing just how general anaesthesia works in the brain
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam D Hines, Research fellow, Queensland University of Technology Sergey Mironov/Shutterstock Over 350 million surgeries are performed globally each year. For most of us, it’s likely at some point in our lives we’ll have to undergo a procedure that needs general ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
8 hours ago

'I can do much better': Green MP Julie Anne Genter promises to improve conduct
"In future I should walk away," Green MP Julie Anne Genter says after complaints over an exchange in Parliament and from two members of the public. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Call to protect asylum seekers who may arrive in New Zealand by boat
A group of more than 40 refugees, charities and advocates want better protections for asylum seekers arriving by boat. ...
Radio NZ – political
8 hours ago

Homo Pentecostus: on queer intimacies, religion, ancestry and the human need for connection
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University Gianna Rizzo/Malthouse Music pumps; lights pulsate; two sweaty bodies sway together, touching, breathing in each other’s scent. A male body framed by downlight restlessly shifts between stances and gestures. He undresses. The intensity ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Want to be buried on your own land, at sea or in a forest? A guide to unconventional send-offs
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sandra van der Laan, Professor of Accounting, University of Sydney Mtaya/Shutterstock At some point, you or someone else will need to make a decision about your “send-off”. Most Australians die in an institution, such as a hospital or aged care facility. ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
9 hours ago

Vanuatu, MSG chief reaffirms support for FLNKS, blames France over unrest
Asia Pacific Report Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai — who is also Chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group — has reaffirmed MSG’s support of the pro-independence umbrella group Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) stance opposing the French government’s constitutional bill “unfreezing” the New Caledonia Electoral Roll. It is ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
9 hours ago

Blazing a trail: the Leonard family legacy in Māori television
Producer Susan Leonard remembers her father Ernie, a pioneer of Māori television, and how his legacy lives on in Pathfinders. My father was a fabulous man. His name was Ernie Leonard and he started in TV in the 1970s when it was still glamorous – when TVNZ made behind the ...
The SpinoffBy Susan Leonard
9 hours ago

Home detention for New Caledonia’s unrest ringleaders, Tiktok banned
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk, and Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist The suspected ringleaders of the unrest in New Caledonia have been placed in home detention and the social network TikTok has been banned as French security forces struggle to restore law and order. The French ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
10 hours ago

Review finds big increase in multi-year government spends, use not always justified
Multi-year appropriations - which give the government authority to spend money without reapplying annually - are loosening Parliament's control of the public purse, auditor-general says. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

$63.6m for Surf Life Saving and Coastguard in Budget 2024
"New Zealand has a tragically high drowning toll," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said at the announcement. ...
Radio NZ – political
10 hours ago

Dr. Eric Chuah Standing For Mayor Of Tauranga
Dr. Eric Chuah who stood for a centrist NZ political party in the October 2023 NZ Elections for Maungakiekie Auckland will stand as a candidate for Tauranga City Council Ward of Matua-=Otumoetai and Mayor of Tauranga. ...
Scoop politics
11 hours ago

How to enjoy a comedy festival in your own lounge
If you can’t get to the comedy fest, let us bring the comedy fest to you. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. The New Zealand International Comedy Festival is in full swing at the moment, with a veritable smorgasboard of comedy treats ...
The SpinoffBy Tara Ward
11 hours ago

Poll Shows Three Quarters Of Wellingtonians Oppose Airport Sale
A new poll commissioned by Unions Wellington shows an overwhelming majority of Wellingtonians oppose the Council’s plan to sell the 34% public stake in Wellington Airport. ...
Scoop politics
11 hours ago

$63.6m boost for Surf Life Saving and Coastguard in Budget 2024
"New Zealand has a tragically high drowning toll," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said at the announcement. ...
Radio NZ – political
11 hours ago

Nearly 1300 homes on hold amid government review
Newly released documents show building has been paused on 690 KiwiBuild homes and 593 market homes. ...
Radio NZ – political
12 hours ago

At the heart of the budget is the sad truth the economy is weak. That’s one reason inflation will ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aruna Sathanapally, Chief Executive, Grattan Institute, Grattan Institute A central focus of this week’s budget is the treasury’s forecast for inflation. By this time next year, inflation is projected to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target range. Inflation has ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

Denser housing can be greener too – here’s how NZ can build better for biodiversity
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yolanda van Heezik, Professor of Ecology, University of Otago Getty Images Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are trying to solve a housing crisis, with increasing residential density a key solution. But not everyone is happy about the resulting loss of natural ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

Clean energy slump – why Australia’s renewables revolution is behind schedule, and how to fix it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute WDG Photo/Shutterstock For years, the electricity sector has been the poster child for emissions cuts in Australia. The sector achieved a stunning 26% drop in emissions over the past 15 ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

It’s OK to ask a loved one if they’re feeling suicidal
It’s often the last thing people want to do, but asking someone if they’re having suicidal thoughts is a critical first step to helping them. Content warning: this story discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. For a list of resources that can help if you or someone you know is feeling ...
The SpinoffBy Gráinne Patterson
12 hours ago

Watch live: Transport Minister makes pre-Budget announcement
Simeon Brown and Matt Doocey are set to reveal another bit of next week's budget. ...
Radio NZ – political
12 hours ago

We mapped a lost branch of the Nile River – which may be the key to a longstanding mystery of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy J. Ralph, Associate Professor, Macquarie University The pyramids at Giza, like dozens of others, are located several kilometres west of the current path of the Nile. Alex Cimbal / Shutterstock The largest field of pyramids in Egypt – consisting of 31 ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
12 hours ago

If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute ABO PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock Receiving a cancer diagnosis is life-changing and can cause a range of concerns about ongoing health. Fear of cancer returning is one ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
13 hours ago

All options being considered to help New Zealanders in New Caledonia – Winston Peters
Government looking at all options for helping New Zealanders who want to leave New Caledonia as death toll rises. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Rebuke issued in stoush over volume of on-bus announcements for blind passengers
And how a union boss ruined a regional councillor's morning. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Nearly 1300 Kāinga Ora homes on hold amid government review
Newly released documents show building has been paused on 690 KiwiBuild homes and 593 market homes. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

What’s happening in New Caledonia and Vanuatu, and why it matters to NZ
Winston Peters has been on tour around the Pacific while two unrelated crises unfolded, explains Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Two separate ...
The SpinoffBy Stewart Sowman-Lund
14 hours ago

Charter schools might increase government costs, deliver only marginal benefits, Cabinet papers show
Charter schools will likely get higher per-student funding than most state schools, and evidence of their efficacy is mixed. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Charter schools might increase government costs, deliver marginal benefits – Cabinet papers
Charter schools will likely get higher per-student funding than most state schools, and evidence of their efficacy is mixed. ...
Radio NZ – political
14 hours ago

Fake bacon, ranked from worst to best
This is the Mount Everest of artificial meatcraft. Ah, bacon. Pig’s gold. Toast’s consolation. Dawn’s savoury embrace. If meat was a currency, bacon would be the Benjamin Franklin. Or if you’re feeling patriotic, the Lord Rutherford. When it comes to fake bacon, the obvious question is: why bother? In the ...
The SpinoffBy Hera Lindsay Bird
16 hours ago

Milking it: The man behind New Zealand’s weirdest legal cases
From illegal milk to sprinkler bans and airplane ticket scams, Tyrone Barugh is on a one-man mission through New Zealand’s most obscure legal loopholes. I’m deep undercover, investigating Wellington’s criminal underworld. Inside this store, I’ve been told there is a million-dollar trade in illicit substances. A man dressed in black ...
The SpinoffBy Joel MacManus
16 hours ago

Ohakea base upgrades delayed amid defence estate concerns
Work to replace ‘not fit-for-purpose’ living quarters at one critical air base faces further delays The post Ohakea base upgrades delayed amid defence estate concerns appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Sam Sachdeva
16 hours ago

Iwi pledges to use only te reo Māori to communicate with Govt
The move comes after the government departments began to prioritise their English names and the finance minister questioned agencies funding te reo lessons for staff The post Iwi pledges to use only te reo Māori to communicate with Govt appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Marc Daalder
16 hours ago

Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 17 May
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,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, Friday 17 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
16 hours ago

A bold call from experts on drug legalisation
New Zealand’s drug legislation hasn’t been overhauled in nearly 50 years, in spite of a recommendation from the Law Commission in 2011 to do so. Our Misuse of Drugs Act was passed in 1975 and is based on a United Nations framework set in 1961. Now a new organisation, Harm ...
NewsroomBy Davina Zimmer
16 hours ago

This week’s bestselling books – May 17
NONFICTION 1 The Last Secret Agent by Pippa Latour & Jude Dobson (Allen & Unwin, $37.99) A free copy of this amazing story of a woman who operated behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France was up for grabs this past fortnight. Readers were asked to share a story of wartime bravery, ...
NewsroomBy Steve Braunias
16 hours ago

Commerce Commission slaps wrists over possible bandwidth collusion
Spectrum rights are highly contested – the Commerce Commission has had to deal with two bandwidth cases this year The post Commerce Commission slaps wrists over possible bandwidth collusion appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin
16 hours ago

Raw Politics: Crime and (perceptions of) conflict
It’s been a recess week at Parliament, which might indicate slim pickings for conversation topics for the Raw Politics team. But things are never dull in politics, especially with a new Government keen to follow through on its law and order promises, and a NZ First minister who wants to ...
NewsroomBy Laura Walters
16 hours ago

Desperately seeking political maturity on electricity supply
Opinion: Party politics are no substitute for moving toward an electricity resilience policy that will survive elections The post Desperately seeking political maturity on electricity supply appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Dr Earl Bardsley
16 hours ago

Daily crossword, Friday 17 May
The post Daily crossword, Friday 17 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles
16 hours ago

Dear minister, military families need your help
Dear Hon Judith Collins, Minister of Defence, and Hon Christopher Penk, Associate Minister of Defence I have written to you, to attempt to give you an insight into the incredible hardship of being an NZDF family. Whilst I cannot speak on behalf of serving personnel, I can speak from my ...
NewsroomBy Erin Speedy
16 hours ago

Wayne Brown, a man with a plan
Analysis: What a difference a year makes. In mid 2023, Wayne Brown the Auckland Mayor was a politician diminished by a calamitous response to the region’s Anniversary Weekend storm emergency and later forced against his preference into a half sale only of the city’s airport shares. His demeanour among his ...
NewsroomBy Tim Murphy
16 hours ago

Open letter challenges Zionist advert missing Gaza ‘injustices’ in Herald
Asia Pacific Report An open letter to The New Zealand Herald has challenged a full page Zionist advertisement this week for failing to acknowledge the “terrible injustices” suffered by the Palestinian people in Israel’s seven-month genocidal war on Gaza. In the latest of several international reports that have condemned genocide ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
19 hours ago

Grattan on Friday: Peter Dutton’s alternative – lower migration, more homes, and a populist swip...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When he was opposition leader, Bill Shorten faced Coalition criticism for attacking “the top end of town”, a phrase he used in his 2019 budget reply. Now Peter Dutton is finding the line “billions of ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
20 hours ago

NZ families worried as loved ones shelter from violent unrest in New Caledonia
By Adam Burns, RNZ News reporter Worried New Caledonian expats in Aotearoa admit they are “terrified” for friends and family amid ongoing violence and civil unrest in the French Pacific territory. The death toll remained at four tonight, and hundreds have been injured after electoral changes sparked widespread rioting by ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
23 hours ago

‘Deadly spiral’ – state of emergency in Kanaky New Caledonia and the Paris vote that sparked r...
French President Emmanuel Macron has declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia after several days of civil unrest in the capital. Four people are dead due to the unrest and violence in the capital, Nouméa. France TV reports that a 22-year-old gendarme who had been seriously wounded has become ...
Evening ReportBy Asia Pacific Report
24 hours ago

Operation Burnham: Defence Force failed to share info crucial to investigation
Peter Boshier says the information gap undermined his initial investigation, and meant the NZDF avoided being accountable. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

It’s time to give Labor’s first term a scorecard – have we actually seen any transformative vi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland This week’s budget was Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ third and – for practical purposes – final for the current parliamentary term. Even if the 2025 election is delayed long enough to give ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Rally Condemns Zionism And The State Of Israel For Ongoing Genocide
They held a noisy but peaceful demonstration against the ongoing genocide being carried out by the State of Israel, condemning the Israeli ambassador who was hosting an invitation-only event to celebrate the establishment of the State of Israel. ...
Scoop politics
1 day ago

Winston Peters expresses concern over New Caledonia unrest
The Minister of Foreign Affairs says the escalating situation is of serious concern across the Pacific region. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

PrEP was earmarked $26m in the budget. What is it? Will it stop me getting HIV?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Senior lecturer, public health ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Children's Minister wants to work with Māori – despite working to scrap Treaty obligatio...
Karen Chhour wants Oranga Tamiriki to establish more partnerships with Māori, despite introducing a bill to Parliament removing their obligation to do so. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

What is PrEP for HIV? Will it stop me getting infected?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Haire, Senior lecturer, public health ethics, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Bowonpat Sakaew/Shutterstock HIV prevention was allocated A$43.9 million over three years in this week’s federal budget. Some $26m of this is for “PrEP” for people without access to ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Why is New Caledonia on fire? According to local women, the deadly riots are about more than voting ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole George, Associate Professor in Peace and Conflict Studies, The University of Queensland New Caledonia’s capital city, Noumea, has endured widespread violent rioting over the past 48 hours. This crisis intensified rapidly, taking local authorities by surprise. Peaceful protests had been ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Suspended Green MP Darleen Tana on full pay misses half Parliament's 2024 sitting days
Darleen Tana was stood down in March after Stuff reported allegations of migrant exploitation relating to her husband's e-bike company. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Mayor calls for 'slow down' of fast-track law
Although his council supports the intent of the legislation, it's called on the government to reconsider its approach. ...
Radio NZ – political
1 day ago

Risk of ‘genetic discrimination’ by insurance companies is ruining people’s trust in vital med...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brad Elphinstone, Lecturer in psychology., Swinburne University of Technology A DNA sequence. Gio.tto/Shutterstock Should you be denied life insurance or have to pay extra if you have a genetic risk for certain diseases? Should insurance companies even have access to your genetic ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Investigating social media harm is a good idea, but parliament is about to see how complicated it is...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior research associate, University of Sydney Barely a day has gone by this month without politicians or commentators talking about online harms. There have been multiple high-profile examples spurring on the conversation. There was the circulation of videos of Bishop ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Popeyes battle shows how big businesses protect their trademarks – even when they have no plans to...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Allen-Franks, Lecturer and Co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Human Rights Law, Policy and Practice, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Robert Gauthier/Getty Images At first sight, the battle between a Manawatū fish-and-chip shop and a Louisiana-based chicken joint ...
Evening ReportBy The Conversation
1 day ago

Trump vs Biden round two: The 2024 US presidential election, explained
With less than six months to go, it’s time to start paying attention to what could be the most consequential election of our lifetimes. It’s less than half a year until election day in the United States, which makes this a good opportunity to review what’s happened thus far in ...
The SpinoffBy Catherine McGregor
1 day ago

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