Christchurch Quake: New Red Zone Payment For Uninsured

The Government will pay former residential red zone owners 100% of the 2007/08 rateable value for uninsured homes, Minister Megan Woods has announced today. More>>

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• National - Red Zone payment creates risk for Crown
• Human Rights Commission - Human Rights Commission backs red zone property offer
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Red zone bailout is disgraceful
• Image via - James Macbeth Dann on Twitter

Gordon Campbell: On MP Pay And The REAL P.C. Danger Zone

There has never been anything remotely credible about the way parliamentarians would paint themselves as the helpless victims of the Remuneration Authority when it came to their pay increases... More>>

ALSO:

• The Scoop Team - PM's Press Conference 20/8/18: MP Pay, Nauru, Antarctica
• NZ Govt - MP pay frozen and fairer system for increases developed - Performance pay for chief executives ended
• Greens - Green Party backs pay freeze for MPs
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Taxpayers’ Union welcomes MP pay freeze announcement

Repatriation: Remains Of NZ Service People Return Home

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Veterans Ron Mark say they were honoured to be with the families of service personnel as they welcomed their loved ones home. More>>

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• NZ Defence Force - Repatriated Personnel Returned to Families at Ramp Ceremony - Malaysian Armed Forces Farewell NZDF Fallen Personnel
• RNZ - NZ Servicemen Repatriation: Tears of Love and Tears of Grief

Cop Shop Top-Up: 1800 New Police Through NZ

Police Commissioner Mike Bush has today confirmed further details around the allocation of the 1800 additional officers, following a $298.8 million increase for Police in Budget 2018... “These 1800 officers, alongside 485 support staff, will really enhance our work to keep people safe, and ensure they feel safe,” says Mr Bush. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - More Police across all regions
• NZ Police - regional breakdowns - Wellington - Central - Eastern - Waikato - Bay of Plenty - Counties Manukau - Auckland City - Waitematā - Northland - Southern - Canterbury - Tasman
• National - Small increase in frontline cops over five years
• People Against Prisons Aotearoa - Criminal justice experts condemn news of 1800 new police
• Ministry of Justice - Extra support will improve Coronial Post-mortem Services

Human Right Commissions: Concern On Aged Care And Consent

A new report published by the Human Rights Commission raises concerns about the legal and human rights safeguards for an estimated 5000 elderly New Zealanders in secure dementia units and psychogeriatric facilities. More>>

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• Alzheimers NZ - People living with dementia need to be treated with dignity

Greens AGM: Leadership Stands Firm On Waka Jumping Bill

The Green Party leadership have dug in their heels and will not be reversing any of the decisions they have made in government. Former MPs Jeanette Fitzsimons and Sue Bradford had hoped the caucus might be persuaded this weekend to pull its support from the waka jumping bill. More>>

ALSO:

• TVNZ - Q+A: Green Party Co-leaders interviewed by Corin Dann
• RNZ - Tyres pollution: Some collectors ignore disposal rules
• Greens - Green Party ensures water on the agenda
• NZ Govt - Waste work programme to tackle tough problems - Concrete solutions to Auckland’s construction waste
• National - Greens all talk, no action
• Kiwi Bottle Drive - Plastic campaigners fear key solution left out

TOP Still Going, Actually: New Leader For Opportunities Party

New leader Geoff Simmons' aim as the leader of TOP is to take the party into Parliament at the next election where it can advocate and implement progressive reform in areas including fair taxation, cannabis legalisation, affordable housing, and environmental protection. More>>

ALSO:

• July The Opportunities Party - The Opportunities Party Will Not Contest 2020
• Image 2017 - Scoop Multimedia: Election-Year Housing Policy Debate

Gordon Campbell: On Another Reason To Loathe HR Departments (And On The Teachers Strike)

This morning’s news item about Police emergency call centre staff turning up for work while they’re sick – because they’re afraid their sick leave statistics will be used against them, and their jobs put in jeopardy – is not an isolated case... More>>

Tornado Aftermath: More Storms Forecast For New Plymouth

Up to 30 homes were damaged Monday night when a tornado roared through a New Plymouth suburb last night , cutting power lines, tearing off roofs, and toppling trees. More>>

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• NZ Police - Tornado in New Plymouth

Government Investment Rejig: Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures Launched

Growing New Zealand’s food and fibre sectors sustainably and supporting a thriving economy are the hallmarks of a new investment programme announced today by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. More>>

Dump Levy Options: Waste Work Programme Announced

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage has announced a programme of work to take action on New Zealand’s long-neglected waste problems. More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Tyres pollution: Some collectors ignore disposal rules
• NZ Govt - Concrete solutions to Auckland’s construction waste
• National - Greens all talk, no action
• Local Govt NZ - Councils back the Government’s waste work programme
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Waste levy hike has nothing to do with the environment

Real Estate: Foreign Buyers Ban Passes Third Reading

The Bill to put in place the Government’s policy of banning overseas buyers of existing homes has passed its third and final reading in the House. More>>

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• NZ First - NZ First Welcomes First Step in Addressing Foreign Ownership
• REINZ - REINZ is disappointed foreign buyer ban passes third reading
• National - KiwiBuild puts the housing market at risk
• Infrastructure NZ - Urban Growth Agenda Warrants Bi-Partisan Support

Nine Merger: Fairfax Slashes Value Of NZ Business

Fairfax Media Group more than halved the value of its Kiwi assets, attaching just A$40 million to mastheads that were once the core of a billion dollar investment. More>>

Collecting Scalpers: Commerce Commission To Sue Viagogo

The Commission will claim that Viagogo made false or misleading representations: • that it was an “official” seller, when it was not • that tickets were limited or about to sell out • that consumers were “guaranteed” to receive valid tickets for their event • about the price of tickets... More>>

ALSO:

• Consumer NZ - Consumer NZ welcomes action against ViagogoMarch
• Commerce Commission - Consumers need to consider if buying from Viagogo worth risk
• Banking Ombudsman - UK clamp down on Viagogo

Ramzy Baroud: Why Solidarity Boats to Gaza Succeed

When Mike Treen, the National Director of the ‘Unite Union’ in New Zealand arrived at the airport in the capital, Auckland, on August 1, a group of people were anxiously waiting for him at the terminal with Palestinian flags and flowers... More>>

ALSO:

• Pacific Media Watch - Deported Freedom Flotilla activist Mike Treen returns
• RNZ - NZ union leader detained by Israeli military
• Unite Union - Mike Treen repeatedly tasered by Israeli Occupation Forces - Mike Treen imprisoned in Israel after violent attack
• Embassy of Israel - Boats to Gaza a Violation of International Law

Lyndon Hood Satire: On Civility

Civility’s the prime virtue: it really can’t be beat / To fail to be pleasant is to court certain defeat. / I know that it requires restraint (they deal in hate, and fear) / But we shan’t get far – shall we? – if Civility’s not there! More>>

Joseph Cederwall: Why National’s ‘Pharmaceutical Cannabis’ Approach Is Dangerous And Misguided

With three different medical cannabis bills submitted to parliament in 2018, there are good and bad elements of all three. There are also very dangerous and unjust intentions behind National’s new Bill... More>>

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• Select Committe report on Government bill (PDF)
• Greens - End the failed war on drugs and save lives - Genuine action medicinal cannabis needs collaboration - Support surge for cannabis use proves need for law reform
• Medical Cannabis Awareness NZ - Reti’s Private Members Bill giant step forward for National
• Hikurangi Cannabis Company - Ruatoria company supports medical cannabis bill
• NORML - Cross-party support needed on medicinal cannabis - Do what is best for patients, MPs urged
• NZ Drug Foundation - New survey results show legal cannabis a real possibility
• Family First - National’s Medicinal Marijuana Appears Cautious & Compassion - Incomplete Drug Poll Ignores Major Concerns
• Hemp Foundation - Survey: GPs want cheap cannabis, no arrests
• KnowYourStuff - Summer festival drug testing finds risky new drugs
• People Against Prisons Aotearoa - Health Committee Indecision Over Medicinal Cannabis
• Helius - Helius commends National on its medicinal cannabis bill

Swing States: Gordon Campbell On Why The US Needs MMP

After the bizarre events this week in Helsinki, the world will be hoping and praying that the US midterm elections in November can put a restraining brake on the presidency of Donald Trump. This may happen, but there’s a highly undemocratic reason why such hopes may be frustrated. More>>

ALSO:

• Earlier Gordon Campbell - Gordon Campbell on the White House romance with Russia
• Out-Link - NYT detail intelligence of Russian interference

Gordon Campbell: On The White House Romance With Russia

Tough on Europe over trade, at the G-7. Tough on Europe over defence, at NATO. And utterly smitten as usual by Vladimir Putin at the Helsinki summit. More>>

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• RNZ - Peters suspects Russia meddling in US election, awaits proof
• Binoy Kampmark - Helsinki Theatrics: Trump meets Putin
• US Senator John McCain - SASC Chairman John McCain On Trump-Putin Meeting
• The White House - Remarks by President Trump in Meeting with Members of Congress - President Protecting Our Elections and Standing Up to Russia - Remarks by President Trump and President Niinistö of Finland
• US Department of Justice - Russian National Charged: Conspiracy to Act as Russian Agent - Grand Jury Indicts 12 Russian Intelligence Officers

Gordon Campbell: On This Week’s NATO Debacle

For someone routinely cast as a clown presiding over an administration in chaos, Donald Trump has been very consistent about his agenda, and remarkably successful in achieving it, in the short term at least. More>>

ALSO:

• WTO - Russia initiates WTO dispute complaint against US duties
• David Swanson - Sweden’s Military Madness
• NZ Govt - Defence Minister in talks with top NATO officer

NZ Law Society: Rule Of Law Threatened In Nauru

“The recently enacted Administration of Justice Act 2018 is another clear sign of the deterioration of civil rights in Nauru,” the Law Society’s Rule of Law Committee convenor Austin Forbes QC says. More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Nauru's ABC stance condemned by Pacific Freedom Forum

'Fixing' Family Separation: Executive Order Imprisons Families Indefinitely

Amnesty: President Trump signed an executive order today mandating for children to stay with their parents in detention while their asylum claims are processed. More>>

ALSO:

• The White House - Executive Order: "Opportunity to Address Family Separation"
• NZ Govt - New Zealand welcomes US immigration policy change

Howard Davis Review: Reclaiming The N-Word - Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman

Black resistance to institutional racism in the US has a long, tangled, and traumatic intellectual history. Although we may have assumed much too easily that white supremacists like David Duke had become marginalised as a political force, in reality they never really disappeared ... More>>

Howard Davis Review: The Minstrel in The Gallery - Sam Hunt's Selected Poems

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Sam Hunt's poetry is its quality of urgent authenticity. Encountering this latest compilation, the reader is immediately struck by its easy accessibility, tonal sincerity, and lack of linguistic pretension ... More>>

A Matter Of Fact: Truth In A Post-Truth World

How do we convincingly explain the difference between good information and misinformation? And conversely, how do we challenge our own pre-conceived notions of what we believe to be true? More>>

ALSO:

• The Nation - Author of "A Matter of Fact" Jess Berentson-Shaw
• RNZ - National leader won't be disciplining Collins over fake news

Scoop Review Of Books: The Road To Unfreedom

Valerie Morse: Yale professor of history Tim Snyder publishes a stunning account of the mechanisms of contemporary Russian power in US and European politics. In telling this story he presents both startling alarms for our own society and some mechanisms of resistance. More>>

ALSO:

• Image - Ben Kesling on Twitter