Genocide in Gaza

Written By: - Date published: 8:49 pm, January 7th, 2024 - 57 comments
Categories: Christopher Luxon, gaza, israel, Joe Biden, Judith Collins, law, Palestine, Peace, Ukraine, winston peters, Zionism - Tags:

South Africa has taken a case that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza to the International Court of Justice. A group of prominent New Zealand lawyers have asked the New Zealand Government to join South Africa in support of their application. I think we should.

South Africa’s application lists the following reasons:

…more gravely still, Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Those acts include killing them, causing them serious mental and bodily harm and deliberately inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction as a group. Repeated statements by Israeli State representatives, including at the highest levels, by the Israeli President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence express genocidal intent. That intent is also properly to be inferred from the nature and conduct of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, having regard inter alia to Israel’s failure to provide or ensure essential food, water, medicine, fuel, shelter and other humanitarian assistance for the besieged and blockaded Palestinian people, which has pushed them to the brink of famine.

It is also clear from the nature, scope and extent of Israel’s military attacks on Gaza, which have involved the sustained bombardment over more than 11 weeks of one of the most densely populated places in the world, forcing the evacuation of 1.9 million people or 85% of the population of Gaza from their homes and herding them into ever smaller areas, without adequate shelter, in which they continue to be attacked, killed and harmed. Israel has now killed in excess of 21,110 named Palestinians,including over 7,729 children — with over 7,780 others missing, presumed dead under the rubble —and has injured over 55,243 other Palestinians, causing them severe bodily and mental harm. Israel has also laid waste to vast areas of Gaza, including entire neighbourhoods, and has damaged or destroyed in excess of 355,000 Palestinian homes, alongside extensive tracts of agricultural land, bakeries, schools,universities, businesses, places of worship, cemeteries, cultural and archaeological sites, municipal and court buildings, and critical infrastructure, including water and sanitation facilities and electricity networks, while pursuing a relentless assault on the Palestinian medical and healthcare system. Israel has reduced and is continuing to reduce Gaza to rubble, killing, harming and destroying its people, and creating conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction as a group.

The New Zealand lawyers’ letter is addressed to Ministers Luxon, Peters, Collins and Goldsmith. It says inter alia:

We are writing to urge the New Zealand government to support South Africa’s request to the International Court of Justice for provisional measures regarding Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza.
South Africa’s comprehensive submissions set out compelling prima facie arguments that what is occurring in Gaza is capable of falling within the Genocide Convention, and why it is important that South Africa raises these arguments to uphold the integrity of the Convention. It has asked for the Court to make interim orders and the hearing is scheduled for 11 and 12 January 2024, where Israel will be opposing the arguments.
We understand the diplomatic sensitivities involved in these proceedings. But New Zealand has a long history of supporting the work of the International Court of Justice: New Zealand called for its establishment, took a request for provisional measures successfully over nuclear testing in 1973, and until recently had a judge (Sir Kenneth Keith) on the Court. New Zealand must also ensure the Genocide Convention is not degraded by ongoing inaction in the face of what is occurring in Gaza. As you likely know, New Zealand intervened formally in Ukraine’s case against Russia at the International Court of Justice in 2022, in a case that also concerned the Genocide Convention, and intervened in the whaling case involving Australia and Japan in 2012.
Many other commenters have supported this application by south Africa. One such is US Professor John Mearsheimer. He says of the application that it  ” is a superb description of what Israel is doing in Gaza. It is comprehensive, well-written, well-argued, and thoroughly documented.”
He makes some other points particularly in relation to the United States and President Joe Biden:
…even though the South African application focuses on Israel, it has huge implications for the United States, especially President Biden and his principal lieutenants. Why? Because there is little doubt that the Biden administration is complicitous in Israel’s genocide, which is also a punishable act according to the Genocide Convention. Despite his admission that Israel is engaged in “indiscriminate bombing,” President Biden has also stated that “we’re not going to do a damn thing other than protect Israel. Not a single thing.”
He has been true to his word, going so far as to bypass Congress twice to quickly get additional armaments to Israel. Leaving aside the legal implications of his behavior, Biden’s name – and America’s name – will be forever associated with what is likely to become one of the textbook cases of attempted genocide.
That’s right.

57 comments on “Genocide in Gaza ”

  1. millsy 1

    It's clear to all and sundry, that Israel and its supporters see the Palestinians as subhuman vermin, fit only for extermination.

    • Peter H 1.1

      Which, if true, is ironic because only 80 years ago the Jews were regarded by some as subhuman vermin and were being herded into concentration camps. I guess they have said to themselves never again.

      • millsy 1.1.1

        Doesnt give them the right to treat Palestinans the way they do.

        Its actually disgusting that Jews and Israelis have this attitude towards the Palestinians. No different to the KKK's attitude to blacks.

        • Morrissey 1.1.1.1

          "…that Jews and Israelis have this attitude towards the Palestinians."

          ????

          The massive pro-Palestine protests all over the United States, Britain, Europe, Asia, indeed all over the world were to a significant degree organized and led by Jewish people. It was thousands of Jewish protestors that closed down Grand Central Station in New York City and the Capitol in Washington D.C.

          Israel is a violent, racist, fascist ethno-state. Please don't link it with Jews.

  2. feijoa 2

    Yes. Dehumanisation is part of the genocide playbook.

    And Hamas is never called the government of Gaza. Hamas is only ever referred to as a terrorist organisation.

  3. mary_a 3

    Unfortunately, this government will be directed by the USA on which way to go and I very much doubt it will be to support South Africa's request to the ICJ!

  4. Adrian Thornton 4

    Here is a taste of a study looking at the BBC's bias favouring Israel during this genocide in Gaza….hope someone does the same study of RNZ…would be a pretty similar outcome no doubt….

    Analysing the bias in BBC reporting on Palestine.

    Word bank analysis

    Word that appears in the article
    In reference to Israelis
    In reference to Palestinians
    mother/grandmother 51 32
    daughter/granddaughter 35 15
    father/grandfather 33 9
    husband 30 5
    son/grandson 25 11
    wife 10 24
    killed 1066 1630
    died 82 201
    murder(ed) 101 1
    massacre(ed) 23 1
    slaughter(ed) 20 0
    • Bearded Git 4.1

      I just listen to Al Jazeera now for Palestinian info. Radio NZ have also been hugely pro Israel.

    • Jenny 4.2

      Owen Jones says there is a word for this, "racism"

      BBC's Racism Over Gaza EXPOSED By Shocking Study

      Owen Jones

      @12:34 minutes

      …..slaughter, or slaughtered, those words, that's used 20 times, 20 times in reference to Israelis, in reference to Palestinians zero times, not once.

      What this report reveals is very clear, there's a word for it, we should not shy away from it, it's called racism….

      Another word for this, and just as ugly, "Complicity"

      Adrian Thornton

      8 January 2024 at 12:10 pm

      "….hope someone does the same study of RNZ…would be a pretty similar outcome no doubt…."

      • Adrian Thornton 4.2.1

        Thanks for that Jenny, well as many of us who care to listen know, the Imperialist Liberal Class, are racist to their core (which RNZ news is a perfect example of), they often feebly try and cover this obvious racism with their excessive and at times over the top adherence to the liberal interpretation of 'woke' culture, which like most strands of their liberal (Centrist) ideology, when examined, prove to be largely nothing more that a string of vacuus, hollow words and phrases, that when push comes to shove, of course prove to be usually meaningless and have no weight.

        • Jenny 4.2.1.1

          BBC's Racism Over Gaza EXPOSED By Shocking Study

          Owen Jones

          @12:51 minutes

          …..this really is an example of, 'CASE CLOSED'. They're bang to rights here. Objectively speaking, the BBC treats Israeli life as having far more weight and importance than Palestinian life. There is no plausible credible rebuttal to this point, that the BBC could ever possibly offer, it is an accurate reflection of what the statistics say. How could the BBC possibly claim otherwise?….

          @15:01 minutes

          …..the BBC's coverage of this horror is overtly racist, objectively so. It [the BBC] strips Palestinians of their Humanity as they are slaughtered in vast numbers, I'm using a word there, note; the BBC refuses to use in relation to Palestinians, and therefore the BBC should be held to be complicit in this crime of historic proportions….

          Adrian Thornton raises a good point.

          "….hope someone does the same study of RNZ…"

          Could we do such a study?

          What would it take?

          We need to know for sure. – Is the RNZ news corporation racist?

          Owen Jones mentions that an AI was used to audit the BBC's reporting output to conclusively prove that the British Broadcasting Corporation is, "overtly racist, objectively so".

          I think we need to determine if this is the same for the RNZ.

          Backed up with hard data, the honest, hard working, journalists and reporters of good will at RNZ will be in a strong position to make improvements.

          I for one, don't buy into the conspiracy theorists' belief, that all journalists (and politicians for that matter), are corrupt and part of vast conspiracy to hide the truth, far from it.

          I believe most journalists, (and politicians) are honest, which is why I always, if I can, include the names of the person whose name is attached to any report I am quoting or using as a source.

          Armed with hard data the overwhelming majority of honest hard working journalists at RNZ, (if the data proves that the RNZ corporation is as Racist as the BBC), will be in a position to improve things, and if necessary to stand up and challenge their employer to put an end to racism in their workplace and in their broadcasts.

      • Morrissey 4.2.2

        yes

  5. gsays 5

    Meanwhile in this neck of the woods, Judith Collins, with her Minister of Defence hat on, is getting snicketty about shipping lines. Because, you know, business.

    If anyone thought this regime had a heart, this should disabuse them. We choose to speak out in Maersk and Hapag LLoyd's business interests but struggle to utter a peep about the bloodshed in Gaza. Our silence speaks volumes.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/506093/judith-collins-says-standing-with-allies-against-red-sea-attacks-important

    • Bearded Git 5.1

      It's hilarious teally…the Houthis with a few popguns have massively disrupted world shipping in support of Palestine.

      WTF were the USA thinking? They back genocide in Gaza and expect everyone to sit back and accept this. How on earth did they not see this coming?

      • Belladonna 5.1.1

        Pulling yet more countries into a potential conflict. India (who had previously been pretty neutral in the conflict) now have their navy patrolling the Arabian/Red Sea and intercepting hijackers/pirates.

        https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/5/india-navy-says-responding-to-liberian-flagged-vessel-hijack-in-arabian-sea

        This is despite India rejecting the initial US offer to participate in a joint anti-piracy, shipping protection, patrol. So definitely not US puppets. But independently increasing their naval presence to safeguard their merchant shipping.

        What do you think would happen if one or more of their destroyers is sunk by Iranian-supplied and armed Houthis?

    • SPC 5.2

      Shipping is the transportation of trade goods – exports and imports of nation states. Increased costs either get passed on to consumers or impact on export returns.

      The attack on shipping to and from Europe via the Suez, does not impact on the USA (UNSC veto and military supply to Israel). And given the exclusion of both Russian and Chinese shipping, it is more akin to pressure on those supporting Ukraine vs Russia.

  6. Jenny 6

    John Minto in an op-ed piece published in the Post, draws our attention to the fact that New Zealand gave this country's top legal written judgement and also delivered an oral submission, in person in the ICJ courtroom in the Hague, laying out the views of the top legal minds of this country on the merits of the case in the hearing of Ukraine vs Russia.

    Minto challenges the current government to repeat this act of international jurisprudence on the world stage, in the case currently before the World Court in the Hague – South Africa vs Israel.

    Minto particularly points out the danger to this country if the International rules based order is undermined.

    Why NZ should join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel

    By John Minto, national chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

    The Post, OPINON, 5 January 2024

    …..Successive New Zealand governments for as long as I can remember have said we believe in an “international rules-based order” of which the ICJ and the ICC are an important part. This makes sense because we are a small country without the economic or military clout to take unilateral action to protect our interests. Like other small countries we rely on international rules to provide a measure of protection when bigger countries, like Russia in this case, break the rules.

    We have used such rules ourselves by making applications to the World Trade Organisation when our trade interests have been threatened. Without such rules the biggest bully will win every time….

    https://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2024/01/05/why-nz-should-join-south-africas-genocide-case-against-israel/#more-47813

  7. Mike the Lefty 7

    Whilst the US supports the Israeli government the latter will give the rest of the world the middle finger and the indiscriminate killing will continue.

    • Bearded Git 7.1

      Perhaps not for long Mike. At the moment Biden is like a possum caught in the headlights….but it will dawn on him one day that his legacy will be that he supported genocide….that may cause him to finally call for a ceasefire.

  8. Morrissey 8

    Israeli children sing "We will annihilate Gaza."

    The heavenly children's choir starts about the 7:20 mark.

    • David 8.1

      For balance…

      …there are Palestinian children who want to grow up to be policemen so that they can 'shoot the Jews'. Deanik_k ✨ on X: "🚨Imagine teaching children to want kill Jews. Welcome to Palestinian TV. https://t.co/do3tVpIzid" / X (twitter.com)

      "It’s basic and evil. Children are taught the same stuff at school, and here is an additional scandal. The schools are run by the United Nations. The agency for Palestinians, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, has betrayed the international body’s purposes and now is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hamas, itself a subsidiary of the world’s deadliest terror state, Iran."

      The UN teaches Palestinian children to murder Jews (msn.com)

      Humans really are the worst of creatures at times.

      • Morrissey 8.1.1

        Your idea of "balance" is as convincing as that thing you quote which states that the United Nations "teaches Palestinian children to murder Jews" and that Iran is "the world's deadliest terror state."

        It's the sort of nonsense that was published in Germany from 1933 to 1945.

        • David 8.1.1.1

          The evidence is out there, if you want to look for it.

          Palestinian children are being systematically taught to hate Jewish Israelis and violently resist a Jewish presence in Israel, a comprehensive review of Palestinian school textbooks has found.

          Comprehensive report reveals endemic hate education in Palestinian schools – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)

          • lprent 8.1.1.1.1

            Palestinian children are being systematically taught to hate…

            And settler children are not?

            Basically if you want to be viewed as a fuckwit parrot squawking propaganda, you have succeeded. Have you ever considered the converse in understanding why the armed Israeli occupation troops seem to take such pleasure in attacking children with stones….

            This took a single page search to find using “israeli settler children taught to hate palestinians”. As I am sure that you are aware the unlawful Israeli settlements on the West Bank are a hotbed of peaceful tolerant democrats 🙁 , look at how they teach their children.

            1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,…

            The evidence is out there – Israeli children are trained to be violent racists and intolerant religious bigots taught from an early age to be armed bullies…

            Not to mention the inadequate and outright demeaning education that Israeli Arabs have been receiving from their government.

            BTW: The Jerusalem Post has a fascinating read. It mirrors Likud and government propaganda so closely that they really must have their heads stuck all the way up into the top of the corrupt PM’s upper intestine. They virtually never mention any settler attacks and land-grabs on the West Bank, civilian casualties in Gaza, or the use of unguided dumb oversize bombs. It reads like a fantasy. Same with most of what I can read out of Israel.

            The only english language media I have found worth reading (and paying a subscription to) is Haaretz. I may disagree with the opinions and articles in it, but they do appear to have been reading world news rather than just sucking their views from the Israeli cabinets genitals. Like you do.

            Dork…

            • David 8.1.1.1.1.1

              "And settler children are not?"

              Absolutely they are. I have made my feelings about Israel's behaviour well known in previous comments.

              The point of my replies above was to provide balance to a continued insistence that all of the fault in this rests with Israel. The reality is of course not that simple.

              • Morrissey

                … to a continued insistence that all of the fault in this rests with Israel.

                Nobody who knows about the situation would say that. Israel is the executioner in this horrendous situation, but you're right, not all the fault lies with the people pulling the triggers, bombing the hospitals, murdering doctors and nurses and patients, and producing obscene spectacles like that choir of angelic children singing about how the heroic IDF will annihilate Gaza; the ultimate fault in this crime lies with Israel's sponsors and enablers, primarily the United States, Britain, and the E.U.

                • David

                  "the ultimate fault in this crime lies with Israel's sponsors and enablers, primarily the United States, Britain, and the E.U."

                  I disagree. The ultimate fault lies with the elected leadership of both Israel and Hamas. Both are enabled by funding from sponsors; but both could find peace if they had the will to do so. Neither do, which is why IMHO this will not be solved anytime soon. The hatred is too deep, the violence too raw.

          • Cinder 8.1.1.1.2

            I won't be able to provide the link until later today, but all school books in occupied Palestine pass through Israeli approval prior to distribution. But this is not mentioned in the books themselves.

            Also, the books are actually written, published and printed in Egypt and Lebanon.

            Your link fails to mention any of this.

            [Where is your link? – Incognito]

            • David 8.1.1.1.2.1

              You may need to check the date of your link.

              This is a paper that details the history of the development of the education curriculum in Palestine. If provides a Palestinian (specifically PNA) perspective on some of the content.

              The new Palestinian textbooks: A strategy for national identity and self‐determination – Alayan – Nations and Nationalism – Wiley Online Library

              "For decades, Palestinians had limited control over their education system until the Oslo Accords in the 1990s. During the period from 1948 to 1967, an educational divide existed, with Gaza adopting Egyptian curricula and the West Bank following Jordanian curricula. After the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza in 1967, the Israeli military assumed control over Palestinian education, including censorship of textbooks (Adwan et al., 2014; Hussain, 2013). The establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) following the Oslo Accords in 1994 marked a shift towards gradual Palestinian control over the education system."

              and

              "Palestinians having primary responsibility for their curriculum content began in the 2000s when the PMoE produced its first textbooks around 2000 and was completed in 2006/2007 (Alayan, 2017; Hussain, 2013)."

              • Cinder

                Shame that this post has fallen off peoples radars and doing some further research reveals some ^%#^%$#ing appalling figures:

                "In April 2002, the Ministry building in Ramallah was severely damaged by the Israeli military who confiscated equipment and records. The 275 schools within 500 metres of an Israeli military post are particularly unsafe. Since the outbreak of the Al Aqsa intifada MoEHE reports that 43 schools have at some point been occupied and turned into Israeli military bases. Between 2000-2005, around three thousand schoolchildren were detained by the occupying forces."

                https://www.fmreview.org/education/nicolai-palestine

                The bolded text may explain the footage of IDF soldiers celebrating the demolition of a UNRWA school in Northern Gaza a few weeks ago. Other than the IDF being an ill disciplined murderous rabble of course.

                https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2023/12/12/israeli-forces-blow-up-unrwa-school-in-northern-gaza

            • Incognito 8.1.1.1.2.2

              Mod note

              • Cinder

                Sorry Incognito – House guests & life stuff got in the way of the reply.

                Anyhoo – David, you and I are both partially correct and partially wrong.

                You are correct in that the Palestinians have some educational autonomy in parts of occupied Palestine.

                Buy WHY, Oh WHY did you omit this interesting and incredible relevant sentence from your link to the Wiley publication?

                “This curriculum was constructed in accordance with the Oslo policy framework, which allowed the PNA to insert some materials about Palestine into textbooks with the accepted guidelines regarding the presentation of Israelis and the State of Israel. The textbooks recognised the Green Line1 and the Partition Plan of 19472 and presented the history of Jews in the land of Palestine. The PNA presented Judaism and Jewish people apart from Zionist, and the conflict as being between Palestinians and Zionist ideology, not between themselves and Jewish people or the State of Israel”.

                Looks like you didn’t read any of the content.

                Anyhoo…

                However censorship continues in occupied East Jerusalem.

                The Georg Eckert Institute published a report in 2021 due to allegations of anti-semitism from the usual suspects.

                Here is a link to the main page where you can download the complete study and view the FAQ's:

                https://www.gei.de/en/research/projects/report-on-palestinian-textbooks-paltex

                From that page:

                "The Palestinian Authority introduced fundamental curricula reforms in 2017, which resulted in new textbooks being produced for all subjects for the 2017/2018 academic year. A total of 172 textbooks and curricula for all school levels and for subjects in general education schools were analysed as part of this year-long project, which was funded by the EU. The research project examined content in Palestinian textbooks addressing hate or violence, the promotion of peace and religious coexistence as well as elements addressing reconciliation, tolerance and the observation of human rights. The EU financed this study of Palestinian textbooks on the basis of UNESCO-defined criteria of peace, tolerance and non-violence in education. The study, carried out by the GEI, provides a comprehensive and objective analysis of current textbooks with regards to these international education standards."

                From within the body of the study – Page 156

                "Textbooks for use in schools in East Jerusalem are amended by Israeli authorities. A comparison of textbooks issued by the Palestinian MoE and those used in East Jerusalem, which have been amended by Israeli authorities, revealed clear differences between the two. These amendments include not only changes to the cover and the symbols of the MoE but also to content. As Alayan concludes in her analysis of East Jerusalem textbooks that were published in 2004/05, ‘three main censorship categories emerged: “erasing symbols,” “leaving out segments,” and “deleting the content of whole pages.”’403 The textbooks however, do not explicitly reference the fact that they have been changed nor who is responsible for the changes. The original authors’ names are still listed, as are the same members in the supervision committees; as a result these amended textbooks attribute content to authors who have not produced it"

                Page 159:

                "The content changed mainly relates to the policies of occupation towards Palestinians and the colonial history in the region in general. As a result, content that discusses the Israeli/Zionist occupation and its impact on different Palestinian communities across the territories of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and the State of Israel is diluted or neutralised, especially that which discusses policies against the Bedouin community, which is of Palestinian origin."

                And of course – no symbols of national identity please, we're busy killing civilians, stealing your land and your right to self determination

                "Israeli forces seize Palestinian textbooks from students outside Al-Aqsa. Books reportedly confiscated in occupied East Jerusalem due to having Palestinian flag on cover, as Israel continues efforts to replace curriculum"

                https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-forces-seize-palestinian-books-students-al-aqsa-jerusalem

                • David

                  I am very familiar with the contents of the research, which is why I knew your claim that the books “are actually written, published and printed in Egypt and Lebanon” was incorrect.

                  What did I get wrong then?

                • David

                  Ah I get it now.

                  “Buy WHY, Oh WHY did you omit this interesting and incredible relevant sentence from your link to the Wiley publication?”

                  Because I was disputing your comment about where the books are produced. I am well aware that the Israeli government vets the PNA content – The Wiley link (and other links I could have provided) are very clear on that.

  9. Morrissey 9

    You need to stop pretending there's an equivalence between a massively armed aggressor state and the civilian population it has oppressed, in flagrant defiance of international law and international opinion, since 1948.

  10. Jenny 10

    From September 18 to 27, 2023, in one of Ukraine’s two ongoing cases against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the state of Ukraine took the Russian Federation to the World Court, (ICJ), for breaches of the Genocide Convention accusing the Russian Federation of making false allegations of genocide against Ukraine. The lawyers acting for Russia, central defence argument, was that Ukraine's case "was without merit" and a "misuse of process". On these grounds the lawyers acting for the Russian Federation argued that Ukraine's application to the World Court must be rejected.

    32 countries delivered written and oral submissions to the World Court in the Hague, including New Zealand, as to the merits of Ukraine's case to be heard.

    Europe and its allies mobilised, with 32 States involved

    The Statute of the ICJ allows States concerned by treaties or conventions to which they are party, as is the case for the 1948 Convention on the Crime of Genocide, to intervene in proceedings if they consider that they “have an interest of a legal nature which is likely to be affected by the decision in the case”….

    https://unric.org/en/international-court-of-justice-ukraine-v-russia/#

    John Minto has pointed out that New Zealand as a small country has an interestin preserving the international rules based order of which the World Court (ICJ), is a part.

    "….we believe in an “international rules-based order” of which the ICJ and the ICC are an important part…." John Minto

    Yet New Zealand, unlike the case of Ukraine vs Russia, has not filed an application on the merits, (or otherwise) in the case South Africa vs Israel.

    The question must be asked: Why not?

    Through their embassies, Israel has been trying to pressure countries like New Zealand to not support the case South Africa vs Israel. And for countries like New Zealand, to put diplomatic pressure on the World Court to not issue any orders against Israel.

    Israel Is PRESSURING World Politicians To Condemn Genocide Accusations

    @3:00 minutes
    ….the Israeli government is applying pressure to diplomats and politicians around the world to essentially turn its back on South Africa…..

    @3:13 minutes
    …..The cable, sent by the Israeli Foreign ministry on Thursday, illustrates Israel's diplomatic action plan ahead of the International Criminal International Court of Justice hearing to create international pressure on the court to not issue an injunction that orders Israel to suspend its military campaign in Gaza.

  11. Jenny 11

    Labour Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister, calls on the Government to stand on the right side of history,

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/506371/labour-urges-government-to-back-gaza-genocide-case-at-international-court

  12. Jenny 12

    If we can't stop killing each other, how can we stop killing the planet?

    The answer to the above question is simple;

    If we can't stop war, we can't stop climate change.

    If we can't even stop a genocide, humanity has no hope of stopping an ecocide.

    Leading climate activist Greta Thunberg gets it.

    Greta Thunberg accuses Israel of ‘war crimes’ and ‘genocide’

    Sweden is also complicit in Israel’s ‘occupation and mass killing,’ climate activist says.

    By CLAUDIA CHIAPPA

    December 5, 2023

    2 minutes read

    …..“Silence is complicity. You cannot be neutral in an unfolding genocide.”

    https://www.politico.eu/article/greta-thunberg-gaza-israel-war-crimes-and-genocide/

    Our hope is that our Government and Foreign Minister are listening to David Parker's 'urging', because as Greta Thunberg points out, "Silence is complicity".

    ",,,,,we think it is appropriate that New Zealand assist the International Court of Justice by intervening and making legal submissions on the case." David Parker

    Our current government's silence makes us complicit.

  13. Jenny 13

    UN Web TV live feed inside the Peace Palace, The Hague. Local Start Time !0:00 am

    https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k11/k11gf661b3

    https://time.is/The_Hague

  14. Jenny 14

    Supporters of Palestine gather in the Hague for rallies in support of South Africa's case against Israel accusing Israel of committing acts amounting to genocide.

    Pro-Palestine activists flock to The Hague on eve of crunch Israel ICJ case

    Rabeea Eid -The New Arab, 10 January, 2024

    5 min read

    …..A coalition of pro-Palestine movements in the Netherlands called on people to bring Palestinian flags and keffiyehs and show their solidarity with South Africa's efforts by joining protests outside the Peace Palace, home of the ICJ, on Thursday and Friday from 9 am. The court hearings will be broadcast live to the protesters outside the court.

    https://www.newarab.com/news/activists-flock-hague-eve-crunch-icj-case

    [Link fixed – Incognito]

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    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 hours 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
    6 hours 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
    7 hours 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 ...
    10 hours 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
    12 hours 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
    13 hours 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 ...
    1 day ago
  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    2 days ago
  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • A shovel-ready autopsy
    Oliver Hartwich writes –  Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago
  • Why we almost blacked out and how to fix it
    TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • What Is Instagram Trying To Sell Us?
    Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago
  • Precious Little Excitement: Warner Brothers, Peter Jackson, and Gollum
    Back in February 2023, I made the cardinal mistake of getting my hopes up. Warner Brothers declared that fresh Middle-earth movies were in the works: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/it-never-rains-but-it-pours-warner-brothers-and-impending-tolkien-adaptations/ My assumption, based on which rights were available, and what had already been done, was that this was a stab at either the Angmar ...
    3 days ago
  • Do We Need a Population Census?
    ‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago
  • No, the govt will not be cutting back on every budget – and the Defence vote is among those to be ...
    Buzz from the Beehive Reporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • The Treasury and productivity
    Late last week The Treasury released a new 40 page report on “The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections” (productivity forecasts and projections that is, rather than any possible fiscal implications – the latter will, I guess, be articulated in the Budget documents). In short, if (as it has) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • The Controller and Auditor-General’s role
    Peter Dunne writes –  I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • More harm than good
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos   Chris Trotter writes –  TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour
    And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction?   Gary Judd writes –  Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Macklemore's Pro-Palestinian Protest.
    Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on miserly school lunches, and the banning of TikTok’s Gaza coverage
    Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
    3 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 10-May-2024
    Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    3 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to May 10
    Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2024
    Open access notables A Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future: Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
    4 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VIII
    Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
    4 days ago
  • Pretending to talk other people’s languages
    Fakes can come in many forms.A Rolex, for instance.A tan can be fake. Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • What’s new? A social agency with an emphasis on “investment” instead of “wellbeing” – b...
    Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • Following the political money
    Bryce Edwards writes –    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Hipkins would rather no one remember that he was Minister of Education
    Alwyn Poole writes –  After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Fashionable follies
    Eric Crampton writes –  A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Justice for Bainimarama!
    In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • March for Nature in June
    Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
    Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The non-woke $3 Lunch.
    I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s chickens come home to roost
    The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings
    Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
    5 days ago
  • The wrong direction
    Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • National hates democracy
    Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
    Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Member’s Day
    Today is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
    Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
    “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
    Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left   Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  •  Inflation and GST thresholds
    Eric Crampton writes –  I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes –  Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of Technology
    Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the Solomons
    Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
    With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
    Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • A few PT announcements
    There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
    5 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago
  • At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problem
    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 ...
    6 days ago
  • Nothing to sneer at
    Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Still on their bullshit
    When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Drawn
    A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
    Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECD
     Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  •  Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to China
    Chris Trotter writes –  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 of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • A balanced and an unbalanced article
    David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Deeply unserious country
    Every bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students
    The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…  Gary Judd KC writes –  I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196
    The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
    6 days ago
  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
    TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • HM Prison Aotearoa.
    A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Get Your Webworm Merch!
    Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Top OECD economist puts Willis between a rock and a hard place
    The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    7 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
    2 hours 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
    8 hours 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
    1 day 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
    3 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
    3 days 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
    3 days 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
    3 days 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
    4 days 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
    4 days 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
    4 days 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
    5 days ago
  • Therapeutic Products Act to be repealed
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