Budget outlook ‘electioneering’, ‘light on details’ – economist
An economist says the Government’s latest economic declaration is “very light on details and very high on electioneering”.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday announced this year’s Budget Policy Statement, revealing tax cuts and getting the Government’s finances “back on a sustainable track” would be the priorities of the upcoming Budget.
Treasury’s forecast scenario – provided alongside the Government’s Budget Policy Statement – suggested the country’s economic outlook had deteriorated since the December Half Year Update.
Willis said tax cuts would be funded within the Government’s operating allowance through a combination of “savings, reprioritisation and additional revenue sources”. Her statement did not include what those additional revenue sources would be.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the Government “can’t even answer the most fundamental question, which is how much money they’re going to spend in the Budget”. He argued “tax cuts simply aren’t affordable”.
Economist Shamubeel Eaqub told Breakfast this morning: “Compared to previous years, this Budget Policy Statement was more of a pamphlet – very light on details and very high on electioneering.
…Bernard Hickey over at Kaka is scathing…
Borrowing even more to pay for tax cuts
The new Government’s Budget Policy Statement yesterday showed Treasury expects an economic slowdown will reduce forecast income taxes by $13.9 billion over the next four years. That means the Government’s borrowing programme over the next three years will have to be $10 billion to $15 billion bigger than forecast last December, according to notes from economists for Westpac and ANZ.
That’s if the Government goes ahead with its promised $14.9 billion worth of tax cuts over the same period, which Finance Minister Nicola Willis again committed to broadly, describing it as “responsible tax relief.”
Fiscal conservatives who normally support the new Government didn’t see it the same way. Former ACT Leader Richard Prebble yesterday joined NZ Initiative Executive Director Oliver Hartwich in calling for the tax cuts to be delayed, via his NZ Herald-$$$ column
“This Budget, if it contains unfunded tax cuts causing inflation and increased borrowing, will be both a political and economic disaster. Luxon must tell his Finance Minister and his coalition partners that the country voted for sound economic management. If that means the tax cuts and other policies must be delayed, so be it.” Former ACT Leader Richard Prebble via his NZ Herald-$$$ column
Here’s the Treasury forecasts for a lower nominal GDP than forecast at December’s Half Yearly Fiscal Update (HYEFU) and the resulting fall in tax revenue.
The slower economic growth forecast means Treasury sees less tax revenue, which in turns means higher Government borrowing over the next four years, as long as the Government carries through with its tax cuts. The amounts are almost exactly equal over the next four years:
…they are borrowing for these tax cuts and will need to make cuts for their $2.9billion tax break for Landlords plus $100million for public servant redundancies!
That’s $19.1Billion we should be investing into schools, roads, hospitals, police, teachers, nurses, Cook Strait Ferry etc etc etc.
Yet here we are borrowing for Tax Cuts all because Nicola Willis was wild enough to stake her job on delivering Tax Cuts and Tax Breaks we can’t afford!
When Matthew Hooton, John Key, the IMF and the the NZ Initiative are all begging to stop tax cuts, you really have to wonder at who is pulling the strings in the background for Luxon to be this tone deaf.
Perhaps Christopher believes he’s entitled to a tax cut?
Bernard is very skeptical of Nicola Willis’ argument in all of this…
Willis went out of her way yesterday to say the tax cuts would not be paid for with borrowing. In my view, that would be true if the economic situation had not deteriorated since December, reducing the revenues elsewhere. The effect of that means a discretionary decision by the Government will mean it has to borrow almost exactly the same amount as the tax reductions.
Here’s how she described the mix of spending, taxation and borrowing in this statement:
“Tax reductions will be funded within the operating allowance through a mixture of savings, reprioritisation and additional revenue sources.
“Funding tax relief in this way means we won’t have to borrow extra to provide tax relief and we won’t be adding to inflationary pressures.” Nicola Willis statement
That is a disingenuous view at best. At worst it is misleading.
The pressure is now mounting from National’s own side of politics. Her comments around the scale of the tax cuts left some wriggle room to be less than the $14.9 billion promised next year, but not that much, given the changes to childcare rebates, interest deductibility and the bright-line test have already been legislated.
The irony of course is that the economy slowdown is due at least partially to the Government’s own actions. Its freezing of funding decisions by Waka Kotahi-NZTA and Kāinga Ora, along with refusal to help councils with funds for water projects, has plunged the development and infrastructure sectors into a state of suspended animation. Spending cuts across most Government departments of 6.5% and 7.5% has chilled consumer and business spending in many places, especially Wellington.
…So National have started the economic recession while needing to borrow for Tax Cuts we now can’t afford!
The lesson from Covid was that we need more State Capacity, NOT LESS!
We don’t just need more teachers, drs and nurses, we need new hospitals, now schools and new capacity!
New Zealand has an egregious infrastructure deficit in NZ!
The Left have to make the argument for a bigger capacity State funded by taxing the mega wealthy. They have to show where the money will come from and they have to show they will have a plan ready to go.
Because our under regulated capitalism has been robbed of revenue by a rigged economic system that benefits the rich, we are desperately needing more hospitals, more passenger rail, roads, schools, storm repair, tens of thousands still waiting for State Houses
The reality is that we are not spending nearly enough and we need a far larger State capacity, not less of it!
There is a class war happening right in front of our eyes as the wealthy pour millions in donations to National and ACT while Climate Denying Federated Farmers join ACT and National push for landlords to have the power to evict when some of their biggest donors are Real Estate pimps.
The political project of the right is to amputate the State’s capacity to raise revenue so that it can’t be redistributed in the first place.
There are 14 Billionaires in NZ + 3118 ultra-high net worth individuals with over $50million each, why not start start with them, then move onto the Banks, then the Property Speculators, the Climate Change polluters and big industry to pay their fair share before making workers pay more tax!
When Treasury is being for a capital Gains tax, you know shit has gone cray…
Treasury’s warning to new Government: Consider Capital Gains Tax quickly to plug spending hole
We need a bigger State, not a smaller one.
This is the time for the political Left to walk away from woke pure temple politics and embrace Broadchurch class solidarity.
Our under funded social infrastructure, our ‘me first’ consumerism, our 30 years of neoliberal mythology, our disconnection from one another, our untreated pain, our lack of hope from grinding poverty in a first world country, our damaged masculinity, the intergenerational consequences of colonialism, our unspoken rage culture, our inability to express emotion beyond anger – all of this demands questions we don’t want to hear as a society.
If we don’t provide people with Hope that there is a better way of being for us all, if we don’t provide vision that actually addresses the material well being of our voters, if we aren’t prepared to debate the expansion of State Capacity by taxing the mega wealthy and funding the climate change adaptation, if we don’t do all that, this hard right racist Government will win again.
Jobs and crayfish for us!
Austerity for you!
This is NuZilind now. This is what we have become because we were angry Jacinda saved 20 000 lives.
We have all the cultural maturity of a can of day old coke.
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]]>Easter trading restrictions are so yesterday according to ACT.
There is 3 and a half days each year where almost all shops have to close, ANZAC day until 1pm, Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
There are Easter exemptions though; including for dairies, restaurants, petrol stations, markets and shops in tourist destinations like Taupo or Queenstown.
The law also allows all shop employees the right to refuse to work on Easter Sunday without needing to give their employer a reason.
ACT reckons the rules are frustrating and in some cases absurd, its MP Cameron Luxton has a private member bill to change that.
ACT will create a Holiday class of people who are wealthy enough to enjoy their Easter Holidays and a Hospitality Class forced to work to ensure the Holiday Class can get prompt service during their holiday.
Look, the moaning from retailers that they can’t open the cash registers and worship the consumer culture of consumption over Easter bores me immensely because I’ve always believed that public holidays should be mandatory.
It’s not that I really care about the death and supposed resurrection of Jesus Christ, (good luck to anyone who wants to take their moral compass from an invisible flying wizard who sends his only son off to get nailed to a cross by his own creations), it’s that I care deeply about the need for us all to put down tools as citizens on specific days and all of us venture out into our amazing public spaces and be friendly with one another.
The importance of our civility in public towards one another, the importance of being tolerant of each other while sharing the same space and the importance to actually stop working and enjoy doing nothing but spend time with our family, friends and whanau would do more to building that sense of nationhood than any amount of debate over changing the flag could ever achieve.
As citizens, we have earned the right to have days off, and we need to hold onto this right and understand it is the universal application that is so important. It’s the need to share our beaches and out door spaces together on these days that builds bonds between families and groups of people who would never otherwise meet in their busy 9-5, 5-9 lives.
For those public servants forced to work while the rest of us play, the media should be full of ‘spare a thought for’ type stories so that our public servants who must continue to staff essential services while the rest of us relax are given the respect and admiration they deserve for their selfless functions.
That sense of self identity and nationhood that we always whine about not being present during Waitangi Day takes effort and can’t simply be left up to the ‘free market’. The space where that national identity can take shape has to be universally applied in the form of mandatory public holidays and not left to be traded in by unscrupulous employers who if given half a chance would make ‘Hi Ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go’ the new National anthem.
The thousands of different interactions generated by us all respectfully sharing the same space together on set days would do more for our understanding of each other than a million angry Talkback callers ever could.
What is the point of being a citizen in a democracy if we can’t enjoy the leisure of spending time outside in this glorious country?
Are we really all wage slaves?
Is that what a modern democracy has been denigrated too?
‘I-have-a-dream-to-work-every-hour-of-the-day-by-a-boss-who-is-screwing-me-over’ isn’t particularly inspirational is it?
Enjoy your time off this Easter – you deserve it and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise!.
Leave Easter Trading rules alone you far right ghouls!
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]]>NZ is reliant on a low wage economy and needs to exploit large amounts of migrant labour…
Low skill immigration is NZ’s ‘dirty little secret’ – commentator
New Zealand is addicted to low skill immigration, which puts pressure on rents and creates a dependence on migrant exploitation, according to economic commentator Bernard Hickey.
Hickey described the trend to Breakfast as the New Zealand economy’s “dirty little secret”.
“It’s fantastic if you are a small business and you don’t want to invest a lot of money in new capital to be able to use machines to do your work and it’s actually cheaper to employ more people to add to your production.
“[Low skill migration] is the best way to grow your business. It leaves you spare cash to invest in much more profitable ways… in New Zealand that means land, a mortgage, and then just waiting for house prices and land prices to rise. It’s much better.”
However, Hickey said: “We have come to rely on exploiting a group of people to keep this model going.
“We have become the Dubai of the South Pacific where we enable substantial migrant exploitation.
“In fact, large chunks of our economy depended on migrant exploitation… paying well below minimum wages… to have people working way longer than [businesses] say they are.”
He said cases of migrant exploitation are often missed due to a lack of checks by “under resourced” health and safety and work standard bureaucrats.
… this is why this Government must slash workers in MBIE.
ACT and National are promising to gut MBIE because MBIE employs the people who regulate New Zealand’s poorly policed and under regulated capitalism!
27 000 Bosses were given the power to import migrant workers and exploit them, of that number only 2 have had their exploitation scams ended and that’s because there is no State policing the current regulations we have!
We see this time and time and time again, State regulators who are supposedly policing the under regulated markets with barely enough staff to look into anything at all!
Max Rashbrooke highlighted the horror of NZs under regulated market…
The bad news is that, to investigate 200,000-300,000 terrible rentals, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has employed a frontline inspectorate numbering … 37. Each inspector will have to check somewhere between 5000 and 8000 rentals.
…there is only 37 inspectors of rental properties for 300 000 terrible rentals?
Similar poorly funded regulation is apparent in the 82 labour inspectorates who are supposed to police hundreds of thousands of migrant worker exploitations!
Destroying the Ministry tasked with policing NZs poorly regulated capitalism is a recipe for a very predictable disaster.
What would end migrant worker exploitation is universal Union membership for all migrant workers, but the needs of capitalists able to exploit migrant workers trump the rights of workers in today’s NZ.
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]]>The problem with framing Chris as ‘On the Left’ now that he’s an alt right right super star is that it means the centre at The Democracy Project moves all the way to the Right.
Hence the criticism of Palestinian rights protestors, criticism of Māori journalism, Chloe Swarbrick’s leadership style and refusal to link Atlas influence to the 3rd Party funding.
The pretence by the Right has been that this Government was moderate and not hard right at all, and this tension between the extremist elements inside the Government and the need to not spook the middle voter is playing out as we watch Key trying to temper Luxon’s drive for Tax Cuts and constant need to upstage whatever crazy Culture War rhetoric Winston and David are spewing that week.
The reality is that this is a hard right racist climate denying beneficiary bashing Government and it’s only just begun!
The sooner we acknowledge that this Government is actually dangerous in its extremism, the sooner we can start activating good people off conscience to stand for the liberal progressive democracy that we all benefit from.
This Government is very fucking extreme.
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]]>In confirmation of the US/Israel alliance’s contempt for human rights and the international community, the US Bill continues its ban on funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), until March next year.
On 26 March, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights violations, Francesca Albanese, condemned the past six months of “unrelenting Israeli assault on occupied Gaza” as “the worst of what humanity is capable of . . .” Global security now urgently requires state-liability for criminal violations of human rights law to be enforceable under international law. To that end, the world community needs to demand an end to the separation of voting rights at the UN Security Council from those at the UN General Assembly.
]]>The Editor doesn’t moderate this blog, 3 volunteers do, they are very lenient to provide you a free speech space but if it’s just deranged abuse or putting words in bloggers mouths to have a pointless argument, we don’t bother publishing.
All in all, TDB gives punters a very, very, very wide space to comment in but we won’t bother with out right lies or gleeful malice. We leave that to the Herald comment section.
EDITORS NOTE: – By the way, here’s a list of shit that will get your comment dumped. Sexist abuse, homophobic abuse, racist abuse, anti-muslim abuse, transphobic abuse, Chemtrails, 9/11 truthers, Qanon lunacy, climate deniers, anti-fluoride fanatics, anti-vaxxer lunatics, 5G conspiracy theories, the virus is a bioweapon, some weird bullshit about the UN taking over the world and ANYONE that links to fucking infowar.
]]>Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, 26 March until 08:00, 27 March 2024
[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Air strikes: Heavy aerial bombardment on buildings, homes and many facilities.
Attacks: All over Gaza, there are air strikes, heavy gunfire, tank and artillery shelling, as well as missiles fired from Israeli forces and military occupation, especially in Khan Yunis. The Israeli Navycontinues to fire missiles, targeting facilities and buildings along the shoreline of the whole of Gaza.
Victims: 157 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 32,490. With another 195 wounded, that figure has risen to 74,889. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
Key Highlights
Famine is ever closer to becoming a reality in northern Gaza, the World Health Organisation reports. Health services in northern Gaza have been largely destroyed and the healthcare system in southern Gaza is on the brink of collapse, warns the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
According to the Government Media Office in Gaza, 12 Palestinians drowned while trying to reach airdropped aid that fell in the sea on 25 March.
Gaza Strip Updates
Intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly in and around Al Shifa hospital in Gaza city and in central Khan Younis. This has resulted in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure.
Between the afternoons of 25 March and 27 March, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 157 Palestinians were killed, and 195 Palestinians were injured, including 76 killed and 102 injured in the past 24 hours. Between 7 October 2023 and afternoon of 27 March 2024, at least 32,490 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 74,889 Palestinians were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
The following are among the deadly incidents reported on 24 and 25 March:
On 24 March, at about 21:10, 22 Palestinians, including at least six children and eight women, were reportedly killed when a house in Deir al Balah was hit.
On 24 March, at about 18:40, seven Palestinians, including four women and a boy, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house in Al Junainah neighbourhood, in eastern Rafah, was hit.
On 25 March, at about 20:25, five Palestinians were reportedly killed when a residential building behind Al Shifa Hospital, in Gaza city, was hit.
On 25 March, at about 21:20, two Palestinians were reportedly killed when a group of people waiting for humanitarian aid near Al Kuwaiti Roundabout in Gaza city was hit.
On 25 March, at about 12:25, an unconfirmed number of casualties was reported when Palestinians gathered to collect airdropped humanitarian aid were hit near Karni Crossing area, in eastern Ash Shuja’iyah in Gaza city.
On 25 March, according to the Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza, 12 Palestinians drowned while trying to reach airdropped aid that fell into the sea off the shore of Beit Lahiya on 25 March.
On 26 March, at about 0:40, 18 Palestinians, including at least nine children and five women, were reportedly killed and tens of others were injured when a house sheltering IDPs in Musabeh area, in northern Rafah, was hit.
Between the afternoons of 25 and 27 March, there were no Israeli soldiers reported killed in Gaza. As of 27 March, 251 soldiers have been killed and 1,520 soldiers have been injured in Gaza since the beginning of the ground operation, according to the Israeli military. In addition, over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on 7 October. As of 27 March, the Israeli authorities estimate that 134 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including fatalities whose bodies are withheld.
Famine is ever closer to becoming a reality in northern Gaza, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). A mother of six children explained to WHO that mainly expensive wild plants are available on the market, with “no vegetables, no fruits, no juice…no lentils, no rice, no potatoes or eggplants, nothing,” and they are mainly forced to eat common mallow. On his visit to Rafah crossing on 23 March, the UN Secretary General described seeing long lines of blocked relief trucks, emphasizing that “it’s time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid.”
OCHA oPt Gaza Sub-office Head noted that during high-risk aid missions, aid workers frequently find near Israeli military checkpoints, which separate northern and southern Gaza, injured or elderly persons or people with crutches whom they try to help, or human remains and dead bodies that they try to recover while children as young as three years old are walking by.
The health system in Gaza is collapsing due to ongoing hostilities and access constraints, resulting in a growing number of hospitals that have been rendered out of service. As of 27 March, according to WHO, 24 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are non-functional, two are minimally functional in northern Gaza, and 10 are partially functional including four in northern Gaza and six in southern Gaza. According to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the “health services in northern Gaza have been largely destroyed, and the southern Gaza Strip’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse.”
In northern Gaza, OCHA oPt Head of Office, Andrea De Deminico, noted that Kamal Adwan Hospital is receiving about 15 malnourished children a day and is struggling to maintain services, with a heavily damaged generator and amid a lack of water, food and sanitation. To save children, he called for the need to allow humanitarian assistance to flow without any impediment.
In Gaza city, Al Shifa Hospital remains besieged for the 10th day, amid intensive exchanges of fire between the Israeli military and armed Palestinians. According to the MoH in Gaza, besieged doctors and patients at the hospital have repeatedly appealed to the international community to urgently intervene, noting that the Israeli army has confined medical staff, ill and wounded persons to the human resources building, which is not set up for health care provision, and has prevented them from leaving. The Israeli military had said that it has established a dedicated treatment area for patients at Al Shifa Hospital and supplied them with medical equipment, food and water.
In Khan Younis, amid intensive military operations, the Israeli military has forced hospital staff and wounded patients to evacuate Al Amal Hospital and closed the entrances with dirt barriers, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). On 25 March, PRCS, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and OCHA evacuated six patients and a companion, 27 staff, and retrieved the bodies of two people who were killed inside the hospital, including a PRCS volunteer who was a member of the Emergency Operations Room. As of 26 March, both the hospital and the nearby PRCS headquarters have ceased functioning. On the same day, IFRC issued a statement, emphasising that sustained hostilities in and around Al Amal Hospital for over 40 days have placed PRCS teams and patients in grave danger, and that the “forced closure of Al Amal Hospital, one of the few remaining medical facilities in the south [and the second PRCS hospital to shut down], has profound implications, leaving countless lives at risk.”
At the European Gaza Hospital (EGH) in Khan Younis, an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) described the situation at the hospital, where they have been treating patients for two weeks, as “unimaginable” and “beyond comprehension.” Witnessing horrifying scenes of patients dying from infections, they emphasise the extent to which the hospital is overwhelmed with patients; designed with a capacity of only 200 beds, the EGH has expanded to 1,000 beds, but the increased capacity remains insufficient to meet needs due to critical shortages of basic medical supplies, infrastructural damage, and constraints on aid access. Around 22,000 internally displaced people have also sought refuge and safety at the hospital, “sheltering in the corridors and in tents inside the hospital.”
West Bank Updates
In the early morning hours of 27 March, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians and injured five others during an eight-hour military raid in Jenin city and its adjacent refugee camp. Fatalities include one Palestinian killed by live ammunition during armed clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians who also threw pipe bombs and stones at the forces, and two killed when struck by an Israeli drone.
On 23 March, an Israeli soldier died of wounds sustained during an exchange of fire with a Palestinian man on 22 March near Dolev settlement in Ramallah governorate.
On 22 March, a Palestinian man died of wounds sustained on 21 August 2023 during an Israeli military raid in Beita village in Nablus governorate.
Since 7 October, 438 Palestinians have been killed, including 426 by Israeli forces, nine by settlers and three by either Israeli forces or settlers, across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. These include 129 Palestinians killed since the start of 2024, the vast majority by Israeli forces. Some 4,700 Palestinians have been injured, including 725 children, since 7 October in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Since 7 October, 16 Israelis, including five members of Israeli forces, have been killed and 109 injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
Since 7 October, over 1,600 Palestinians have been displaced due to home demolitions, more than half of whom were displaced in operations carried out by Israeli forces, 38 per cent by the demolition of homes that lacked Israeli-issued building permits, and 8 per cent due to demolitions on punitive grounds. In addition, since 7 October 2023, over 1,240 Palestinians, including about 600 children, from at least 20 herding communities have been displaced amid settler violence and access restrictions.
On 20 March, Israeli settlers physically assaulted and injured a Palestinian farmer and set his vehicle on fire while he was working on his land near the Israeli settlement of Homesh in Nablus governorate. Also on 20 March, an Israeli settler physically assaulted a Palestinian bus driver, injuring him in the head, in Neve Yaakov settlement in East Jerusalem. Since 7 October 2023 and as of 24 March 2024, OCHA has recorded 683 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians that resulted in Palestinian casualties (64 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (541 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (78 incidents).
West Bank
[Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Israeli Army attack – 3 killed, 7 wounded: Jenin – 23:10, Israeli Occupation forces, firing live ammunition, stormed Jenin and the refugee camp, invading homes and carrying out an aerial bombardment that killed three people and injured seven others. Those killed are: Ayman Youssef Hassan Azouqa, Hamza Hussam Muhammad Ararawi and Muhammad Nasser Sabti Bani Ghurra. The seven wounded are: Sultan Ayman Ja’as (aged 17), Yazan Hatem Attiya Al-Hassan, Walid Ismail Al-Osta, Ayser Abdel-Halim Shaker Saadi, Amin Abu Al-Hassan, Muayyad Abdel Qader Tourand Anas Ahmed Ighbaria.
Israeli Army attack – 4 wounded: Jenin – dawn, Israeli forces, firing live ammunition, stormed Qabatiya, wounding four residents.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Nablus – 21:05, the Israeli Army, firing live ammunition, stormed the village of Burqa, wounding one resident: Sahar Najeh Odeh Abu Omar.
Home invasion and abduction: Ramallah – 02:50–04:00, Israeli Occupation forces raided Beit Liqiya and abducted a 16-year-old youth: Adam Najeh Muhammad Dhaif Allah.
Home invasion and abduction: Ramallah – 05:20–07:20, Israeli forces raided the al-Amari refugee camp and abducted a 16-year-old youth: Ashraf Zaki Al-Miqdadi.
Home invasions: Salfit – 22:15–23:35, the Israeli Army raided Burqin and searched a number of homes.
Home invasions – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades fired: Bethlehem – 16:15-21:30, Israeli troops, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided the village of Marah Rabah and searched a number of homes.
Israeli police and settlers’ mosque violation: Jerusalem – 08:00, settler militants, escorted by Israeli troops as well as police, invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and molested worshippers.
Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 05:40–07:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Deir Bazi, taking prisoner three people.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Jenin – 03:40, Israeli forces stormed Burqin, taking prisoner two people.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Jenin – 04:55, the Israeli Army raided Yamun, taking prisoner two people.
Raid – 4 injured: Jenin – dawn, Israeli troops raided Qabatiya, injuring four residents.
Raid – armed robbery: Qalqiliya – 07:25, the Israeli military raided the village of Hajjah and confiscated a private vehicle.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 22:30, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Kafr Qaddum.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner – in refugee camp: Nablus – 08:30-11:45, Israeli Occupation forces raided the Askar refugee camp, taking prisoner two people.
Raid – 1 injured: Nablus – 21:05, Israeli forces raided the village of Burqa, injuring one person.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – dawn, the Israeli Army raided the village of Tal, taking prisoner one resident.
Raid – destruction: Salfit – 10:55, Israeli troops raided Qarawat Bani Hassan and rendered useless a waste-dumping area.
Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Salfit – 02:05–03:55, the Israeli military again raided Qarawat Bani Hassan, taking prisoner three people.
Raid – 2 wounded – 1 abducted – 4 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 21:15, Israeli soldiers, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided al-Khadr, wounding two people and abducting a a 14-year-old boy: Muhammad Jaafar Sobeih. Four other people were taken prisoner.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 23:25, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Husan, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 05:45, Israeli forces raided the city, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 07:00, the Israeli Army raided the village of Shalwar, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades fired: Hebron – 08:10-10:35, Israeli troops, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided and patrolled Dura.
Raid: Hebron – 19:15-20:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled Beit Awa.
]]>Because so much of the mainstream media is polluted by right wing free market ideologues pushing corporate interests:
TDB daily collates the best NZ Left Wing, Independent and Progressive Political Opinion and includes the best international voices.
Unlike Victoria University’s The Democracy Project, this will never be behind a Paywall.
We promise we will never link to The Spinoff.
RNZ – Government cuts will hit Pasifika communities hard – union
Waatea News – Change needed to ease tikanga evidence into court
Newsroom – What about Auckland? Council pushes back on new Govt transport plan
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey – Borrowing $15b more to pay for $14.9b of tax cuts
No Left Turn – National’s total reversal on marine protection
Gordon Campbell on the US opposition to mortgage interest deductibility for landlords
The Daily Blog – MEDIAWATCH: Slater vs Plunket – When Whaleoil is beating you in an ethics argument, time to tap out
The Daily Blog – Well, well, well – I spy with my 5 Eyes something beginning with 1984
The Daily Blog – Why do Cracker Rednecks and Religious Fanatics have to own every space?
The Daily Blog – GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – Why is Finland the happiest country on earth 7 years in a row?
The Daily Blog – Assange given tiny lifeline in Kangaroo Court for American vengeance
The Daily Blog – ACT denigrate the memory of Efeso Collins and Ranganui Walker for culture war race baiting
The Guardian – State department official’s resignation highlights rifts over US Gaza policy
Haaretz – Analysis | Crisis Over Haredi Military Service Exemptions Is a Seismic Event for Israel’s Politics
Jacobin – The Alleged Sexual Assaults on Rikers Island Are Shocking
Caitlin Johnstone – Imagine If Russia Or China Did The Things Israel Is Doing In Gaza
The Intercept – IRAN AND U.S. WAGE A SHADOW WAR BEHIND GAZA CONFLICT
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]]>Sean Plunket, Cam Slater in nasty argument over Down syndrome dolphin comments
Rival internet provocateurs Sean Plunket and Cameron Slater are engaged in an online war of words over Plunket’s recent derogatory comments around people with Down syndrome.
The controversial The Platform broadcaster apologised on Wednesday for comments he previously made in response to a SailGP race through a marine sanctuary being delayed due to a dolphin sighting.
Plunket stated Māui dolphins were “like the Down syndrome kids of marine mammals. They’re cross-bred and they deserve to die.”
In response, Slater – the former the Whale Oil blogger best known as a key player in New Zealand’s ‘Dirty Politics’ era – called Plunket a “pig” in a tweet.
Plunket hit back with several replies including saying Slater’s parents were first cousins and referring to him as “dolphin boy”.
Slater responded: “So, let’s this straight. You compare Māui dolphins to Down syndrome kids, say they should be killed, cop negative pushback, then you issue an apology that you prefaced with an attack on me and others, essentially saying you are only sorry you got busted… then after you do the apology you come back here and call me ‘dolphin boy’ clearly implying I’m Down syndrome too… yeah, you aren’t sorry at all.”
In his video apology about his Down syndrome comments, Plunket lashed out at the “pile on” and “trolling” he had subsequently received, as well as regretting his “dumb” statements.
This is like a death cage match between Lord Voldemort and a MAGA Republican in that you aren’t sure who to cheer for, but you hope they end up both killing each other.
As a general rule of thumb, if you are EVER in a fight over ethics with Cameron Fucking Slater AND HE’S WINNING, it’s time to tap out.
Seans comments are jaw droopingly ugly and it really demands an answer as to why Chippy keeps going on his show.
There is a difference between being Contrarian and needlessly cruel.
As much as it pains me to write the words, Slater is right and Sean crossed a nasty line for little more than light entertainment.
That’s such an ugly indicator of where we are as a media industry right now.
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]]>The Five Eyes spy equipment that was operating out of New Zealand’s electronic spy agency largely without its knowledge appears to be a National Security Agency tool named “Apparition” that has been used to hunt targets in the United States’ War on Terror – and to spy on China.
The Apparition system was among those disclosed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013, including how the system was used to identify internet cafes across a vast geographical area – and the identities of those who were using them to connect to the internet.
The dates of the installation at a Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) facility match with information publicly disclosed last week by the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security Brendan Horan.
While Horan revealed the existence of the rogue equipment, he did not actually name the system, what it did and who it belonged to.
The discovery of the system came in 2020 after it malfunctioned leading to Horan’s three-year-long inquiry.
In his report last week, Horan said he was concerned that an intelligence “capability” controlled by a “foreign partner” had been able to operate without seeking Beehive sign-off or without the bureau’s Minister being told of its existence or purpose.
Horan said he was also concerned the bureau’s current leadership had no knowledge of the system until they were told in 2020 after it broke down.
…Nicky Hager continues the story…
Hager: Spy system hosted by GCSB likely to be one used in capture-kill operations
The US spy system hosted by the GCSB appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations, writes Nicky Hager.
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be an intelligence system with a ghostly codename.
The IGIS report said the GCSB decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” and that the GCSB “could not be sure the tasking of the capability was always in accordance with… New Zealand law”.
The Inspector-General said: “I have found some of the GCSB’s explanations about how the capability operated and was tasked to be incongruous with information in GCSB records at the time.”
But the Inspector-General could not reveal details of the system to the public because they are “highly classified”. The name and function of the foreign spy spying equipment, the identity of the “foreign partner agency” and the location of the “GCSB facility” where foreign equipment was hosted all remained secret.
The mystery spy equipment appears strongly to be a top secret US surveillance system that was installed at the GCSB’s Waihopai base at the same time as the equipment in the IGIS investigation was installed at a “GCSB facility”.
The top secret NSA spy equipment had the ghostly codename “APPARITION” and fits with all the details presented in the IGIS report.
APPARITION was owned by and controlled by the US National Security Agency – the world’s largest intelligence gathering agency and head of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance that includes the GCSB.
A NSA internal report, written after the launch of the APPARITION system in 2008, said that it “builds on the success of the GHOSTHUNTER prototype… a tool that enabled a significant number of capture-kill operations against terrorists”.
Capture-kill operations involve lethal attacks on targeted people using drones, bombs and special forces raids. Human rights organisations have documented numerous deaths of civilians during capture-kill operations – many of them “algorithmically targeted” by electronic surveillance systems such as APPARITION. They are also criticised as being “extra-judicial killings”.
This is what the IGIS report appeared to be referring to when it said the foreign capability “clearly had the potential to be used, in conjunction with other intelligence sources, to support military action against targets”. It referred to the equipment finding “remote targets” and said that GCSB staff had raised “legal and moral issues”.
The 2008 NSA report explained how APPARITION targeting is done.
“APPARITION is a precision geolocation capability for targeting foreign very small aperture satellite terminals (VSAT),” it said. VSAT refers to small satellite communication systems used to access the Internet in remote places away from major Internet connections. Precision geolocation means working out the exact location of a target person. VSAT is “an important target,” it said, “because VSATs are often used by Internet cafes and foreign governments in the Middle East”.
The report said the APPARITION system at Misawa – a major NSA base in northern Japan – was “currently targeting VSAT terminals believed to be servicing internet cafés used by high-value counterterrorism (CT) targets in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Indonesia, as well as non-CT targets in China.”
The NSA report is dated December 2008, shortly after the first operational version of APPARITION was installed at Misawa. It said: “Plans are well advanced to install APPARITIONs… [at] FORNSAT [foreign satellite interception]… sites worldwide, including Second Party locations, in the next two years.”
“Second Party” refers to the Five Eyes intelligence allies: the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (the First Party is the United States). The IGIS report says the GCSB was approached in 2009, the following year, as a potential site for the foreign signals intelligence system.
A March 2012 internal “GCSB Update” records that an MOU had been signed between NSA and GCSB for hosting of the APPARITION equipment and that installation was planned for June 2012. The IGIS report uses almost exactly the same words. The location for the APPARITION equipment was the Waihopai satellite interception base.
The system works by combining two different types in intelligence: ground stations like Waihopai intercepting the satellites that relay the VSAT satellite communications for remote users; and “Overhead” spy satellites that locate the targets from far above the earth.
When combined, the report said, the intelligence systems could estimate the precise geolocations of VSAT Internet cafes and other target locations with an “average error of probability of only 0.07 nautical miles” (130 metres) – not actually very precise in a built-up area.
Another NSA report, called “APPARITION / GHOSTHUNTER TASKING INFO”, describes the purpose of APPARITION as “Directed Target Development”. It “provides global access for VSAT geolocation requirements initially and incorporates the use of OH [Overhead spy satellites], comsat [Waihopai-type station], SCS [secret eavesdropping units within embassies] and other access hubs.”
It said: “Requests are acknowledged by Denver and scheduled via mission planning for execution.”
The various NSA and GCSB reports quoted were part of the trove of top secret reports released by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013.
The APPARITION documents do not say what the NSA used the Waihopai-based APPARITION equipment to target. However GCSB used the equipment for its own targeting as well.
Another 2012 Snowden document suggests that the Waihopai base was intercepting VSAT communications in the Pacific by targeting the NSS-9 satellite, which was located at 183 degrees east. The 2012 report discusses technology changes affecting Waihopai’s “South Pacific mission” including the “ViaSat Skylink VSAT links”, the NSS-9 satellite. It’s unclear whether this VSAT surveillance involved APPARITION.
The Waihopai station also had a system in 2012 called FALLOWHAUNT, used for collection (eavesdropping) and processing of VSAT communications. It was installed at Waihopai in November 2010. This may also be one of the surveillance systems mentioned (without naming the systems) in the IGIS report.
In 2022 the GCSB announced “Removal of Waihōpai spy base surveillance domes begins” and media reported that the “virtually obsolete” Waihopai spy domes were being dismantled.
Some people, including journalists, assumed that the Waihopai station was ceasing to be an intelligence base. However Waihopai continues to intercept a range of satellites with more modern antennas and processing equipment as part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
…I was just arguing this very week, why we were suddenly hearing about China hacking us after the GCSB had been busted for allowing illegal use of our Intelligence platforms for illegal assassination programs!
And to add evidence to a critical evaluation of the GCSB and SIS, they got roasted for their use of special warrants…
Spy agency’s surveillance powers too broad, Inspector-General warns
The spy watchdog has warned the New Zealand Special Intelligence Service (NZSIS) has too much leeway to decide who it places under “highly intrusive” surveillance.
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Brendan Horsley has released a report detailing a relatively new approach the spy agency has taken towards obtaining “class” warrants, allowing them to spy on anyone who fits within a broad criteria.
He analysed the three warrants issued to the NZSIS in 2022 and 2023 for surveillance of suspected terrorists and violent extremists.
Before the law was changed in 2017, the NZSIS was required to seek individual warrants to place people under close surveillance, which meant any decision to place a specific person under surveillance would be signed off by “external authorities”.
The Intelligence and Security Act however allowed the agency to use its most intrusive techniques against anyone fitting the class definition.
Horsley said he was concerned the new approach gave the agency too much discretion to target individuals “under maximum surveillance without anyone outside the NZSIS having seen the case for it”.
“Using class warrants to avoid individual applications might be convenient but in my view it is not a proper application of the warrant regime,” he said.
…so the intelligence apparatus has enormous power and seem to be using it without any oversight whatsofucking ever!
One narrative is that we have incompetent clowns running the Intelligence Apparatus.
Another narrative however suggests an organisation that pretends to be incompetent and bungling when in fact there is a terrible glint of Deep State fascism at play…
Reports indicate that this operation commenced in the period 2008 to 2013 while John Key was Prime Minister of New Zealand and he may or may not have had knowledge of it. The whole operation was designed so that responsibility could not be traced to the senior officials in the GCSB or any minister of government, though that does not mean that they were all in ignorance as they claim. In fact it is a virtual certainty that they had informally been made aware, and chose to retain the benefit of (barely) plausible deniability. However the circumstances are not specifically linked to John Key problem or the National Party government.
Move forward to 2017 and we have the “Security Chiefs memo” to Jacinda Ardern (not covered in the New Zealand media but leaked to the “Financial Times” of London) which set to dictate the foreign and certain domestic policies of the new government.
This amounted to a policy coup by the SIS, GCSB and Military Intelligence which met with astonishing success.
Then in 2022 the SIS managed to place its former head Rebecca Kitteridge at the Head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
So in the space of six years the SIS has managed to put itself in the driver’s seat of the New Zealand political system. That is an impressive achievement which is rather an odds with the “Penthouse and a pie” image cultivated by a section of the left. I don’t know of any other western “democracy” where the security services have achieved such a degree of influence and control over the political system
…Geoff Fisher from The Republican is right, the manner in which the SIS and GCSB have manoeuvred themselves into positions of power inside the Civilian Democracy of NZ is astounding.
Who is running then agenda here and why are we hearing about a 3 year old hack right after the GCSB were caught deceiving the Political representatives of NZ and allowing a foreign Nation to use our platforms illegally for illegal abuses of power.
The mask is a bungling agency that doesn’t do paper trails, the reality is something far more sinister.
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]]>Ummmmmmm.
If Destiny Church are concerned about the sexual molestation of children, shouldn’t they be attacking the Church rather than rainbow pedestrian crossing?
My daughter has been to Drag Story Time at her local library when she was a kid because it’s good for kids to be tolerant of others which is what Drag Story Time is all about.
That the religious local MAGA redneck fuckwit brigade would attack tolerance rather than the actual sexual molestation rife throughout organised religion would be hilarious if it weren’t so fucked up.
Why are we allowing social policy to be dictated to us by people who believe in a magical flying invisible wizard for all their moral decisions?
Why do Cracker Rednecks and Religious Fanatics have to own every space?
It is offensive and outrageous in the extreme for ACT, NZ First and National to call Women’s Space, Queer Space, Māori Space and Pacifica Space at Auckland University ‘KKK’, ‘Separatism’ or ‘Segregation’…
Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters says the University of Auckland’s action of having designated areas for Māori and Pasifika students were comparable to alt-right racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.
“It is phenomenal that we not only would accept this as New Zealanders, but that some people have not learnt the lessons of our world’s history of horrors with this type of thinking,” Peters said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he hasn’t seen “the detail” of the segregated sections but at first glance, he said they looked “totally inappropriate”.
“There is no place for discrimination or segregation in New Zealand. Universities should be places of inclusion, not exclusion,” Luxon said.
Act tertiary education spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar said she is contacting all the universities in the country and will be attempting to remove the “segregated” areas.
She said the signs are reminiscent of an “ugly past” that New Zealand has left behind.
She wants an explanation from Auckland University to the taxpayers who “keep their doors open”.
“It is disappointing that it even needs to be said, but Act’s position is that blocking people from spaces based on their ethnicity is unequivocally wrong,” Parmar said.
…they are competing for culture war bullshit rhetoric against spaces that have been at Auckland University for 4 decades FFS!
These spaces provide important resources for those students to access alongside support and counselling.
To denigrate these spaces on a University and threaten them is fucking fascism and the speed and ease with which this hard right racist climate denying beneficiary bashing
Government have moved to start purging those their redneck voters despise should wake every Kiwi who is disgusted by these tactics.
They are openly vandalising the egalitarian state and calling it performance art!
The Right will not stop if they start.
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]]>The Editor doesn’t moderate this blog, 3 volunteers do, they are very lenient to provide you a free speech space but if it’s just deranged abuse or putting words in bloggers mouths to have a pointless argument, we don’t bother publishing.
All in all, TDB gives punters a very, very, very wide space to comment in but we won’t bother with out right lies or gleeful malice. We leave that to the Herald comment section.
EDITORS NOTE: – By the way, here’s a list of shit that will get your comment dumped. Sexist abuse, homophobic abuse, racist abuse, anti-muslim abuse, transphobic abuse, Chemtrails, 9/11 truthers, Qanon lunacy, climate deniers, anti-fluoride fanatics, anti-vaxxer lunatics, 5G conspiracy theories, the virus is a bioweapon, some weird bullshit about the UN taking over the world and ANYONE that links to fucking infowar.
]]>Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, 25 March until 08:00, 26 March 2024
[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Air strikes: Heavy aerial bombardment on buildings, homes and many facilities.
Attacks: All over Gaza, there are air strikes, heavy gunfire, tank and artillery shelling, as well as missiles fired from Israeli forces and military occupation, especially in Khan Yunis. The Israeli Navy continues to fire missiles, targeting facilities and buildings along the shoreline of the whole of Gaza.
Victims: 81 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 32,414. With another 93 wounded, that figurehas risen to 74,787. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
OCHA Flash Update #147 not yet available
Israel’s attempt to destroy UNRWA
is part of its starvation strategy in Gaza
This attack could not come at a worse time for Palestinians. Hunger is widespread in Gaza, and famine is projected in the north by May.
https://www.theguardian.com/
West Bank
[Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Qalqiliya – 00:55, Israeli Occupation forces, near Azzun, shot, wounded and hospitalised one person:Ratib Youssef Al-Sheikh.
Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded in refugee camp: Nablus – 02:25, Israeli forces stormed the Balata refugee camp, wounding a resident: Anan Adnan Muhammad Issa.
Home invasions – 1 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 19:35–23:55, Israeli Occupation forces raided Hablat and searched a number of homes, taking prisoner one resident.
Home invasions: Nablus – 21:55–22:55, Israeli forces raided Qusra, and invaded a number of homes.
Israeli Army assault with stun grenades: Jerusalem – evening, Israel Occupation forces fired stun grenades at people, near the Shuafat checkpoint.
Israeli police and settlers’ mosque violation: Jerusalem – 08:00, settler militants, escorted by Israeli police, invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and molested worshippers.
Israeli police and settlers’ mosque violation: Jerusalem – evening, Israeli Occupation police stormed into, and forced worshippers out of, the al-Qibli Prayer Hall in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli Army assault with rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades and tear gas canisters fired: Nablus – 22:55, Israeli forces, at the Beit Furik checkpoint, fired rubber-coated metal bullets and stun grenades at people nearby.
Israeli Army assault with rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades and tear gas canisters: Bethlehem – 20:15, the Israeli Army fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades towards people near the entrance to Husan village.
Israeli Army assault with rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades and tear gas canisters: Hebron – 22:40, the Israeli military fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades towards people near the entrance to the al-Arroub refugee camp.
Occupation settler destruction and assault: Jerusalem – 17:30, Israeli settlers raided the Bab al-Amoud area of the Old City and invaded shops, destroying goods as well as other contents and assaulting a shop-owner: Zakaria Taha.
Occupation settler assault: Jerusalem – 21:30, Israeli settlers assaulted people in the Bab al-Khalil area of the Old City.
Occupation settler road-rage – youngster injured: Bethlehem – 17:55, an Israeli settler, driving his vehicle on the main road, near the village of Keysan, ran over and injured a 13– year–old boy: Muhammad Sami Odeh Ghazal.
Occupation settler stoning: Hebron – evening, Israeli settlers stoned homes in the Old City’s Tel Rumeida neighbourhood.
Occupation settler stoning: Hebron – 00:40, Israeli settlers stoned passing vehicles on the main road near Beit Ummar.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 02:20–06:35, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Nubani Farms, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 6 taken prisoner in refugee camp: Ramallah – 05:25, Israeli forces raided the al-Jalazoun refugee camp, taking prisoner six people.
Raid: Jenin – 08:40-11:05, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Arranah.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Jenin – 03:55–05:40, Israeli troops raided the city, taking prisoner two people.
Raid: Tulkarem – 08:30-11:15, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Anabta.
Raid: Tulkarem – 15:40, Israeli soldiers raided and patrolled the village of Pharaoh.
Raid: Qalqiliya – 01:25, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the city.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades: Nablus – 14:15, Israeli forces, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided Beita village, taking prisoner one person.
Raid: Salfit – 18:30, the Israeli Army raided and patrolled the village of Marda.
Raid – abduction: Bethlehem – 04:05, Israeli troops raided Beit Fajjar and abducted a 16-year-old youth, Muhammad Amjad Ahmed Taqatqa. Two other people were also taken prisoner.
Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Hebron – 01:45–03:30, the Israeli military raided Dura, taking prisoner three people.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – dawn, Israeli soldiers raided Yatta, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – dawn, Israeli Occupation forces, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided Beit Ummar, taking prisoner one person.
]]>Zionism in practice
Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land
08:00, 24 March until 08:00, 25 March 2024
[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Air strikes: Heavy aerial bombardment on buildings, homes and many facilities.
Attacks: All over Gaza, there are air strikes, heavy gunfire, tank and artillery shelling, as well as missiles fired from Israeli forces and military occupation, especially in Khan Yunis. The Israeli Navycontinues to fire missiles, targeting facilities and buildings along the shoreline of the whole of Gaza.
Victims: 107 people killed in Gaza brings the total number of deaths since 7 October to at least 32,333. With another 176 wounded, that figure has risen to 74,694. Fully accurate statistics are not available, due to insecurity menacing hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
Key Highlights
The UN Human Rights Office expresses alarm at the series of reported attacks on aid warehouses and police officers in Gaza.
Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for an immediate end to the siege around Al Shifa Hospital and safe access to patients.
UNRWA calls for lifting restrictions on access to northern Gaza, after the Israeli authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys to northern Gaza.
Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) staff and wounded patients arrive in Rafah after being trapped inside ambulances outside Al Amal Hospital for 20 hours.
Gaza Strip Updates
Intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly in Al Rimal area near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, central Khan Younis, and the vicinity of Al Amal and Nasser hospitals. This has resulted in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure.
Between 10:30 on 21 March and 25 March, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 345 Palestinians were killed, and 506 Palestinians were injured, including 107 killed and 176 injured in the past 24 hours. Between 7 October 2023 and 10:30 on 25 March 2024, at least 32,333 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 74,694 Palestinians were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
The following are among the deadly incidents reported between 22 and 24 March:
On 22 March, at about 11:20, eight Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others injured, when a house in An Nasser neighbourhood, in northeastern Rafah, was hit.
On 23 March, at about 2:30, five Palestinians, including four children and a woman, were reportedly killed when a house in Mirage area, in northern Rafah, was hit.
On 23 March, at about 6:30, several Palestinian casualties were reported when IDPs tents in Al Beraka area in Deir al Balah were hit.
On 23 March, at about 12:00, at least 19 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others injured, when a group of people waiting for humanitarian aid were shot at in the vicinity of Al Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza city.
On 23 March, at about 22:00, eight Palestinians, most of them children, were reportedly killed, and others injured when a house sheltering internally displaced persons (IDPs) was hit in Deir al Balah.
On 24 March, at about 2:00, eight Palestinians, including two children and a woman, were reportedly killed and others injured when a house on Al Fallouja Street in Al Junainah neighbourhood, in eastern Rafah, was hit.
Between the afternoons of 22 and 25 March, one Israeli soldier was reported killed in Gaza. As of 25 March, 251 soldiers have been killed and 1,509 soldiers injured in Gaza since the beginning of the ground operation, according to the Israeli military. In addition, over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on 7 October. As of 25 March, the Israeli authorities estimate that 134 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, including fatalities whose bodies are withheld.
On 22 March, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) expressed alarm at the series of attacks since early February on aid warehouses as well as police officers and other actors reportedly involved in securing the delivery of aid supplies. OHCHR called on Israel to “ensure [the] entry of humanitarian aid and all other goods necessary for the survival of the civilian population at the required scale, facilitate the rebuilding of civilian infrastructure and ensure the safety of convoys, routes, warehouses, distribution sites, aid seekers and those securing and delivering aid.” Reported attacks have not only contributed to a breakdown in civil order, according to OHCHR, but they have also culminated in a situation whereby young men have often monopolized access to scarce assistance. Members of the civilian police who do not directly participate in hostilities are civilians and “cannot be targeted on the basis of their status” under international humanitarian law, OHCHR emphasized.
On 22 March, the Gaza Coastal Municipalities Water Utility condemned the destruction of its headquarters in Al Zahra area in southwestern Gaza city and its main warehouse. Located in Al Mawasi area of Khan Younis, the warehouse contained most of the equipment and spare parts needed for the operation and maintenance of stations for water desalination plants, water pumping and sewage treatment. According to WHO, limited access to proper water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities continues to contribute to the outbreak of infectious diseases, including diarrhoea and hepatitis A. On 22 March, Project Hope reported a rise in cases of hepatitis A at three of their clinics in the Gaza Strip, including one in Jaafar At Tayyar displacement site that provides shelter for over 100,000 people in Rafah. Moreover, among 125 children under the age of two screened at this site between 17 February and 16 March, 30 (nearly 25 per cent) showed signs of malnutrition. Project Hope warned that a ground offensive in Rafah “would be a death warrant for over a million people,” as health, nutrition, and sanitation conditions are already rapidly deteriorating.
Ongoing hostilities continue to severely disrupt the delivery of vital health services and endanger the lives of patients, medical staff, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering at besieged hospitals. In Gaza city, the Israeli military operation inside and around Al-Shifa Hospital has continued for the eighth consecutive day, with reports from the Israeli military that 170 armed Palestinians have so far been killed and some 500 suspects have been detained. The MoH in Gaza said that besieged doctors and patients have appealed to international organizations to urgently intervene and save their lives, reporting that five wounded patients have died at the hospital due to the lack of water, food and medical services as of 24 March. Describing conditions at Al Shifa Hospital as “utterly inhumane,” the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated on 23 March that reports from inside the hospital indicate that two patients on life support have died due to the lack of electricity and some 50 health workers and 143 patients have been kept in one building “with extremely limited food, water and only one nonfunctional toilet.” The WHO Director-General called “for an immediate end to the siege” and appealed for “safe access to ensure patients get the care they need.” According to the Health Cluster, a proposed WHO medical evacuation mission to Al Shifa Hospital, where about 103 patients urgently need medicines and supplies, was not facilitated by the Israeli authorities on 20 March.
On 24 March, UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, called for lifting the restrictions on access to northern Gaza, after the Israeli authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys to northern Gaza. Underscoring that UNRWA is largest aid organization in the Gaza Strip, the Commissioner-General described the situation as “outrageous,” as it “makes it intentional to obstruct lifesaving assistance during a man-made famine.” Between 16 and 22 March, nine out of 17 humanitarian aid missions to northern Gaza were facilitated by the Israeli authorities, five were denied, and three were postponed or withdrawn. During the same period, 33 out of 42 humanitarian aid missions to areas south of Wadi Gaza that require coordination were facilitated by the Israeli authorities, four were denied, and five were postponed or withdrawn.
On the afternoon of 25 March, PRCS staff and wounded patients have reportedly arrived in Rafah, after being trapped in ambulances outside Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis for about 20 hours, according to PRCS. PRCS added that the Israeli military had forced them to evacuate the hospital on 24 March, and when two people exited the ambulances to clear the rubble on the road to the military checkpoint, they were fired on by the Israeli army. Upon returning to Al Amal Hospital, they found the door closed and were trapped inside the ambulances. The Israeli military said it has killed 20 armed Palestinians in or around Al Amal hospital.
West Bank
[Palestinian Monitoring Group]
Restrictions of movement: Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza are under relentless and extreme control over all travel and movement.
Israeli Army attack – youngster wounded: Tulkarem – 23:20, Israeli Occupation forces, firing live ammunition, stormed Quffin and wounded a 16-year-old youth: Muhammad Majdi Yasser Harsha.
Israeli Army attack – child wounded: Nablus – 21:10, Israeli forces, firing live ammunition near the entrance to Beit Furik, wounded a 14-year-old boy: Yaman Fares Hanani.
Israeli Army attack – 3 wounded: Nablus – dawn, the Israeli Army, firing live ammunition, wounded three people.
Israeli Army attack: Nablus – dawn, the Israeli Army opened fire, with live ammunition, in the village of Beit Wazan.
Home invasions – 3 taken prisoner: Jerusalem – morning, Israeli Occupation forces raided homes, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, taking prisoner three residents.
Home invasions – 4 beaten-up: Qalqiliya – 02:05, Israeli forces, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, invaded homes in Azzun and beat-up four residents.
Home invasions in refugee camp: Jericho – 02:00–03:15, the Israeli Army raided the Aqbat Jabir refugee camp, invading and searching a number of homes.
Israeli police and settlers’ mosque violation: Jerusalem – 08:00, settler militants, escorted by Israeli police, invaded the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and molested worshippers.
Israeli Army assault and mosque violation: Jerusalem – evening, Israeli Occupation police stormed the al-Qibli Prayer Hall in Al-Aqsa Mosque and forced out worshippers.
Israeli Army armed robbery: Qalqiliya – 13:05, Israeli forces seized a bulldozer, belonging to a resident in the village of Flamier.
Israeli Army assault with stun grenades and tear gas canisters: Bethlehem – evening, the Israeli Army fired stun grenades and tear gas canisters towards people, near the eastern entrance to the village of Husan.
Israeli Army – pastoral sabotage – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – 18:35, Israeli troops stopped a shepherd, Muhammad Nasser Hreibat, from grazing his flock near the village of Sikka, and took him prisoner.
Israeli Army assault with rubber-coated bullets, stun grenades and tear gas canisters fired: Hebron – midnight, the Israeli military fired rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades towards people, near the entrance to the al-Arroub refugee camp.
Occupation settler violence – injury and hospitalisation: Jerusalem – 20:20, a gang of Israeli Occupation settlers knifed and hospitalised a Palestinian bus driver, Ahmed Abu Al-Hawa, while he was driving an Israeli passenger bus in the city.
Occupation settler violence – injury: Qalqiliya – 14:15, raiding Israeli settlers stoned Sameh Adnan Al-Taweel’s home on the outskirts of the village of Farata, terrorising his family and injuring his brother, Moein.
Raid – refugee camp – 2 taken prisoner: Jerusalem – dawn, Israeli Occupation forces raided the Qalandiya refugee camp, taking prisoner two people.
Raid – stun grenades fired: Ramallah – 20:40, Israeli forces, firing stun grenades, raided and patrolled Beitunya.
Raid – 4 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 02:15–07:10, the Israeli Army raided the village of al-Laban al-Gharbi, taking prisoner four people.
Raid: Jenin – 12:40, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of al-Fandaqumiya.
Raid – rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades fired: Jenin – evening, the Israeli military, firing rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided and patrolled Silat al-Dahr.
Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Jenin – 02:10–07:40, Israeli soldiers raided the village of Jalboun, taking prisoner three people.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Tulkarem – 05:45, Israeli Occupation forces raided the Shweika suburb, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – armed robbery – 1 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 13:05, Israeli forces raided the village of Falamya, robbing one person of his bulldozer and taking him prisoner.
Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 01:55, the Israeli Army raided the village of Hajjah, taking prisoner two people.
Raid: Nablus – 15:15, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Talfit.
Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Bethlehem – 23:40, the Israeli Army raided the village of Husan, taking prisoner one person.
Raid – 1 child abducted: Bethlehem – 01:50–03:15, Israeli troops raided Bethlehem and abducted a 15-year-old boy: Muhammad Nabil Musa Al-Atiyat.
]]>The full council will be meeting at the Auckland Town Hall on Thursday 28 March, in the first meeting since consultation started on the Long Term Plan which includes the Mayor’s proposal for privatising Port of Auckland.
The consultation period for the Long Term Plan 2024–2034 closes on 28 March.
A delegation of approximately fifty port workers who are members of the Maritime Union of New Zealand will be bussing in to hold a vigil outside the Town Hall as Councillors arrive from between 8am–10am.
Maritime Union of New Zealand Local 13 Secretary Grant Williams says the Maritime Union and port workers are strongly opposed to the privatization of the Port which would result in handing over a key asset to a private monopoly and would come at great cost to Aucklanders.
Mr Williams says he is concerned the Mayor has not released a report on the economic viability of a port sale that was supplied to the Council by economist Craig Renney.
He says all relevant information must be available to ratepayers.
Mr Williams says there is growing concern from many groups and individual citizens about the Mayor’s proposal and Councillors needed to listen to the views of Aucklanders.
]]>
A University of Auckland student is hitting back at claims by the Act party that designated spaces for Māori and Pasifika are racist, claiming they are vital for their wellbeing.
Photos show a sign outside a study area in the central Auckland campus saying: “This is a designated area for Māori and Pasifika students”.
The coalition Government party said the signs were reminiscent of an “ugly past” that New Zealand has left behind. The tertiary education spokesperson is investigating whether other universities have the same areas and attempting to shut them down.
University of Auckland law student Shakeel Shamaail, of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kurī and Taranaki descent, was outraged at the Act Party’s position, saying the spaces are vital for wellbeing and counter discrimination they face daily.
The spaces for Māori and Pasifika are a long-standing tradition at the University of Auckland and were championed by writer Ranginui Walker and politicians Hone Harawira and Efeso Collins.
Wow!
Shitting on the legacy of Ranginui Walker AND Efeso Collins?
That’s called the Cracker Snooker!
Imagine how much ACT Incels will freak out when they hear about Women’s Space!
Only the most mentally disabled Right Winger would attempt to compare Māori Space, Women’s Space and Polynesian spaces on Campus where those minorities can retire from Honkey Male Space with this…
…unbelievable isn’t it?
In our case, Women’s Space, Māori Space and Pacific Island Space are created to give those minorities their own space to breath. In the above example, it is Apartheid by white people imposing their power over those spaces.
Comparing the two is only an exercise ignorant rednecks embark upon.
ACTs frenetic Twitter feed comes across like a 19 year old Incel who hasn’t masturbated for a week!
That Auckland University removed the sign is cowardice and a reminder that Universities need independent Student Unions so that the gutlessness Auckland University has displayed here by bending to the culture rednecks could be challenged with protest.
I’ll leave the final word to Ranginui Walker…
…indeed.
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.
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]]>The population of Finland is close to our own so why are they reported as being much happier with life than we are?
According to the latest annual report conducted in partnership with the United Nations, Gallup World Polls and the Oxford Well-being Research Centre New Zealand is no longer in the top 10 of happiest places.
So why are the Finns generally far happier than us?
Answer – lots of reasons but mainly because they have a much fairer society with far less of a gap between the highest paid and the lowest paid. Yes they pay more taxes than us but in return get higher social support ( there is for example a wide variety of social housing ) and a health service with waiting times that are the envy of the world.
Finland has a more equitable school system where you are likely to get a good education whichever local school you attend and where every child gets a free medical care and a sit down lunch every day at the school restaurant. (I’ve been there and seen it! It’s wonderful!)
In contrast the tax reduction, school punishing ,less government in our lives policies of ACT, National and NZ First are the complete opposite to those that drive the Finnish economy.
Mmmmm…..Do you think there might be a bit of clue here that the road to national happiness lies in creating an inclusive WE society not an exclusive ME centred society that panders to the wealthy few at the expense of the many ?
Bryan Bruce is one of New Zealand’s most important and respected documentary makers.
]]>Julian Assange has been handed a reprieve in his fight against extradition to the US after two judges ruled the WikiLeaks founder could take his case to an appeal hearing – but only if the Biden administration is unable to provide the court with suitable assurances.
The president of the king’s bench division, Victoria Sharp, and Mr Justice Johnson said Assange had real prospects of success on three of the nine grounds argued, but adjourned the leave to appeal application to give the US government three weeks to allay their concerns on the relevant matters.
If Assange had been denied permission to appeal he could have been extradited within days to face espionage charges. While the judges’ decision means he avoids that fate it leaves him facing a further wait, with his future still unresolved.
In a written judgment handed down on Tuesday, Sharp said the concerns that could be likely to succeed at appeal but which “may be capable of being addressed by assurances” were “that the applicant [Assange] is permitted to rely on the first amendment, that the applicant is not prejudiced at trial, including sentence, by reason of his nationality, that he is afforded the same first amendment protections as a United States citizen, and that the death penalty is not imposed”.
At a two-day hearing last month, which Assange was too unwell to attend, his lawyers argued that he faced a “flagrant denial of justice” if prosecuted in the US on charges relating to the publication of thousands of classified and diplomatic documents they said had exposed torture, rendition, extrajudicial killings and war crimes.
His wife, Stella Assange, expressed dismay at the judges’ decision. “What the courts have done has been to invite a political intervention from the United States … send a letter saying ‘its all OK’,” she said. “I find this astounding.
“This case is a retribution. It is a signal to all of you that if you expose the interests that are driving war they will come after you, they will put you in prison and will try to kill you.
“The Biden administration should not issue assurances. They should drop this shameful case that should never have been brought.”
It is outrageous that he has been locked up in solitary confinement for 5 years for uncovering America’s war crimes!
This legal process is designed to kill him and drive him insane, we know this because plans alongside CIA musings on killing Assange were leaked.
I worked with Julian Assange during the Moment of Truth Event I helped organise in 2014.
I was approached by a Feminist Protest Group and warned they were intending to interrupt the event and protest against Julian Assange who had been accused of rape.
I was very clear and loud at how outrageous that would be.
They backed down and Julian went on alongside Snowden and Greenwald to prove there was a CIA station in Auckland and that the NSA had the capacity to access everything in NZ.
Not only was mass surveillance occurring, it was sanctioned by the Government and now we find out that the GCSB illegally allowed other Intelligence Agencies to use our networks for illegal acts!
There is an incredibly powerful new Documentary, The Trust Fall which is out in time for this latest trial that timelines Assange’s incredible journalism and the wicked legal case against him.
They deal with the rape allegation upfront and highlight just how farcical and smearing it was of Julian.
It details his service to journalism by pointing out his expose highlighted 15 000 war crimes that had previously been invisible.
It notes how he personally redacted 10 000 names to protect those sources.
There is a lump in your throat when John Pilger and Daniel Ellsberg from the Pentagon Papers appear as both are now dead.
The documentary highlights the power of Wikileaks and how it changed journalism forever. Most media now have anonymous drop boxes for whistleblowers.
It looks at the infamous Collateral Murder video as Apache Helicopter Pilots laugh while they murder journalists.
Seeing it now so many years later, your hate of Americans and their war machine erupts as you are forced to watch again.
The case against Assange is an attack on all of us.
He exposed US military war crimes and has been smeared as a response.
He has been locked up for almost 5 years in solitary confinement.
That is torture pure and simple and the Documentary notes that in leaked papers, the intention by the authorities is to tie him up in legal battles for 25 years to kill him that way.
The Military Industrial Complex demands anyone exposing their war crimes are destroyed.
This Documentary documents that destruction with painful and angry detail.
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]]>“It’s highly embarrassing for a Finance Minister to be unable to do what has been required of every Finance Minister since the introduction of the Public Finance Act,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.
“Nicola Willis’ refusal to provide a concrete budget allowance is a step backwards in terms of transparency and accountability.
“Her decision to fund her tax cuts through public service cuts and new taxes contradicts her election promise of ‘no new taxes for working people.’
“Nicola Willis is choosing to push ahead with her plan that will help fewer New Zealanders than she claimed, over support for people with disabilities and their carers or fully funding the school lunch programme.
“Values matter, and today’s Budget Policy Statement confirms exactly where her priorities lie.
“We have seen an indefinite freeze on hiring non-sworn Police officers which could take police officers off the street, new classrooms cancelled at schools up and down the country, firefighting budgets being called flabby and Customs officers at the border being asked to volunteer for redundancy.
“The sheer number of frontline services in the firing line shows the Minister’s claims that our police, firefighters, border protection, health and education services wouldn’t be touched are complete fiction.
“National has broken its commitment to not introduce new taxes or increase fuel taxes. Nicola Willis has broken her promise to remove the “app tax” she campaigned against. She’s walked back her commitment to return the books to surplus by 2027. And she is breaking her commitment to not cut front line services.
“Nicola Willis’ tax cuts were never affordable and never properly costed, and yet she’s pushing ahead with cuts that will impact the front line to pay for them anyway.
“She should heed the advice she is getting from all quarters and pull back on her unaffordable and inequitable plans to provide tax cuts to the wealthiest New Zealanders while cutting support for those who need it the most,” Barbara Edmonds said.
]]>Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel.
“Food prices in New Zealand are out of control. We are all directly affected and there are so many factors that go into pricing food, it can be hard to know what a fair and competitive price is,” Arena Williams said.
“That’s why Labour is proposing the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee opens an inquiry into food pricing throughout March 2024 to consider the factors that go into pricing unprepared food sold directly to consumers and find a way to drive prices down.
“We know that there are global pressures on food supply, and changing weather and world events can impact the production of domestic growers, but supermarkets cannot point to these factors alone when explaining rising prices.
“We will invite submissions from both supermarkets and suppliers on a range of factors, including their commercial arrangements, competition and strategies for improvement,” Arena Williams said.
“Rules to protect suppliers when interacting with the major supermarkets could also have a part to play. We want to ensure the grocery sector is a competitive and easier to navigate for food producers such as farmers and growers,” Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said.
“We would ask the Commerce Commission’s Grocery Action Group to assist as advisors to ensure any solutions or options identified by the inquiry can be implemented quickly to make life easier for New Zealand consumers.
“We hope to see lasting change in the grocery sector. The Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee could present findings to the House as early as the end of August,” Cushla Tangaere-Manuel said.
]]>“This Government is effectively cutting the wages of low-income families by not increasing the minimum wage to keep up with rising costs. This is on top of getting rid of free prescription fees, scrapping support for public transport fees, and increasing benefit sanctions,” said CTU President Richard Wagstaff.
“This petition sends a clear message to this Government that all workers have the right to a liveable income to support their families.
“We appreciated hearing from workers in homecare and retail at Parliament today about the reality of what it’s like living on the minimum wage. In response, Labour, Green and Te Pāti Māori MPs committed that they would deliver significant increases to the minimum wage when they are in government.
“The Government has a responsibility to ensure that all workers have enough to afford rent, pay the bills, put good food on the table, and buy their kids what they need. This is even more true during a cost-of-living crisis.
“How are workers meant to keep up with rising food and rent costs when the Government is cutting their wages in real terms?
“All workers should be paid more than the Living Wage, but at the very least, the Government must ensure that the minimum wage is enough to get by. Pushing wages backwards at a time when so many are doing it tough is simply heartless,” said Wagstaff.
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“The Budget Policy Statement is supposed to provide guidance and certainty around the forthcoming Budget. Sadly, both are in short supply,” said Renney.
“The Government has replaced objectives that looked to lift New Zealanders’ wellbeing and tackle climate change with cuts to public services. Kiwis deserve better than this.
“By not providing any information on forthcoming spending allowances, we have no insight into how the Government is planning to invest in New Zealand. This note reads like 8 pages of excuses for not doing your homework.
“Promises to get back to surplus have gone out the window. After fearmongering for so long about our debt position, the BPS accepts that our debt levels are within the bounds of “prudence on debt sustainability”.
“This is the time for Government to be acting responsibly by investing in New Zealand and raising its productive future. However, instead they appear to be acting pro-cyclically – cutting investment and spending at a time when the economy is in the doldrums.
“The Government has no plan for sustainably growing the economy or creating good jobs. There is no case made for tax cuts, particularly tax cuts for higher-income earners or landlords. There is nothing to meet the demands of a growing population with higher needs. Instead, it’s a return to the rhetoric that justified sustained underinvestment in the public realm.
“New Zealanders who read the Budget Policy Statement will find it short of information and short of ideas. It’s not surprising that analysts weren’t allowed to access the Government lock-up for this information release, as they would have found little to say,” said Renney.
]]>
In 2023/24 values, the total value of rates that central government is exempt from is estimated as $36,331,007.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says it’s unfair the government doesn’t pay rates like everyone else, even though it uses council services.
“Why should central Government get a free ride? They use our infrastructure but don’t pay the bill.
$36,331,007 is a lot of money that should be returned to council for the upkeep of services to these properties.
This is already a key ask in my Manifesto for an Auckland deal. I know there is appetite for it, politically and publicly.”
There are also properties such as airports, port land, other transport use land, wharves, jetties and churches which are non-rateable under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
He says it’s old government laws like this one that are allowing private enterprises to get a free ride when Aucklanders are struggling to make ends meet. Law-reform would be required to bring the real-world application up-to-date.
“It seems odd to me, that a multi-billion dollar listed company such as Auckland International Airport Limited is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of non-rateable land, when everyday Aucklanders are doing it tough.”
Council staff estimates show the total value of GST on rates in 23/24 was $415,350,000. If that money was returned to Aucklanders, it would enable rates to be 15% lower (a reduction in rates of 7.5% for the average household for the next financial year instead of the 7.5% increase proposed in the Long-term Plan central scenario, out now for public consultation). Staff estimates show for the 24/25 financial year, that would be an average savings per household of $506.40.
Mayor Wayne Brown says the Government takes far more than its fair share from Aucklanders.
“Aucklanders are being shortchanged. We put more into Treasury’s coffers than we get in return. We want a fair share of the revenue Auckland generates, and in this instance the government is smart enough to recognise this. I’m looking forward to the discussions here.”
There is no other local authority in Australasia responsible for governing a third of the national population, yet revenue gained from government transfers in comparable regions shows Auckland isn’t getting a fair deal.
He says it would bring Auckland in better alignment with our overseas counterparts.
“In size and scope, we are more akin to a State Government in Australia. Australian states receive 45% of their revenue through transfers from the federal government; Auckland Council receives a paltry 12%. No wonder we can’t keep up.”
He says Auckland is straining under the cost of residential growth and receiving a share of GST collected on new builds would be fitting.
“It also doesn’t make sense that council doesn’t receive a share of GST collected on new builds; we have to foot the bill for the infrastructure and other amenities needed for new builds, yet the money goes to Wellington? I’m also looking-forward to the conversations here.”
A return of GST on rates, and additionally that the Government pays rates on its own property, were recommendations from the 2023 Future for Local Government review. The review also recognised that the current local government funding and finance system was already under pressure and was not sustainable.
]]>Pou Tangata of the NICF and Chairs of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards (IMPBs) express their concern regarding disability funding restrictions announced by Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People. The recent changes to essential funding “undermines efforts to address the disparate health needs of whānau Māori living with disabilities” says Dame Naida Glavish, Chair of the Hauora ILG and Co-Chair of Pou Tangata.
Dame Naida Glavish further adds, “changing the rules for this funding will mean that many tāngata whaikaha and whānau hauā will be prevented from participating in cultural practices that often occur outside the towns and cities where they live.”
IMPBs, as representatives of local Māori perspectives and voices on health and disability outcomes, emphasise the critical importance of equitable access to services for tāngata whaikaha and whānau hauā. “The recent funding restrictions to disability services directly impact the health and dignity of tāngata whaikaha and whānau hauā,” states Oriana Paewai, Chair of Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua IMPB.
“Such actions exacerbate existing barriers and further impede efforts to address the specific health and disability needs of Māori communities. Tāngata whaikaha and whānau hauā have been clear that they must be included in decisions about their care. Any move to reduce their ability for choice and control is extremely disrespectful,” says Ms Paewai.
Pou Tangata and the Chairs of Iwi Māori Partnership Boards stress the urgent need for the government, policy makers and Whaikaha senior leadership to reconsider these cuts through a collaborative and inclusive process that engages directly with affected communities. To seek solutions that uphold the dignity and rights of tāngata whaikaha and whānau hauā.
“Our role as Iwi Māori Partnership Boards is to advocate for policies and services that promote the well-being of all Māori,” says Tereki Stewart, Chair of Te Taumata Hauora o Te Kahu o Taonui IMPB and Lead Advisor, Hauora ILG. Pou Tangata Co-Chair Ms Glavish adds, “we urge decision-makers to prioritise the needs of Māori with disabilities and work towards a more equitable and inclusive system that enables them to live their best lives.”
]]>Safeguarding Children New Zealand is calling for urgent changes to be made to the Children’s Act 2014, after obtaining legal advice from law firm Simpson Grierson on the question of whether any organisation engaging volunteers and private businesses who employ staff are legally obligated under the Children’s Act to undertake background checks for volunteering and working with children.
“As it stands, there is no legislative requirement in the Children’s Act to police vet volunteers in any organisation and no legislative requirement to police vet employees of non-government funded organisations or private businesses that provide services to children.
“This means most volunteers and many others who work with children are not legally required under that Act to undergo safety checks, despite the potential for them to engage in unsupervised, one-on-one contact with children,” Senior Safeguarding Consultant Ruth Browning says.
Browning says the news will come as a “total shock” to a lot of New Zealanders.
“When we take our children to sport, youth groups or perhaps even private music or math lessons, we would assume the people looking after them have undergone a safety check, including a police vet. What a lot of people don’t realise is we are relying on the goodwill and diligence around the health and safety considerations of organisations engaging volunteers and private businesses to do the right thing, because there is no legal requirement in the Children’s Act for them to do so.”
Browning, who has worked on the frontline as a social worker for more than 20 years, has written to Ministers outlining essential actions that would significantly reduce the potential for harm.
She says legislative change is needed to introduce a specific obligation into the Children’s Act, so we ensure those who are unsuitable to work with children are not able to use volunteering roles and private businesses as a way of accessing our most vulnerable. Clarity and full coverage is needed in our legislation.
“This is about protecting our children in settings where they have every right to feel safe, and right now, we’re failing them.”
Browning refers to the many examples in our media as well as the evidence presented to The Abuse in Care, Royal Commission of Inquiry to highlight that abuse within organisations is a huge issue with deep and persistent impacts.
“We need to apply all available prevention methods we have, starting with robust and specific legislation,” says Browning.
As well as improving safety checking provisions in the Children’s Act 2014, Safeguarding Children wants child protection training to be made mandatory for all people working with children.
“Right now, there is no legal requirement for teachers, GPs, or front-line children’s workers in New Zealand to be formally trained in safeguarding or child protection. This is leaving those with a duty of care to children, ill-equipped to fulfill that duty.” says Browning.
It is also not required by law to report child abuse when it is seen, heard or suspected.
“The workforce that we regularly train is asking for greater clarity in legislation so that the onus is not solely on them to decide what gets reported and when,” Browning says.
The following statement has been provided by Simpson Grierson and can be attributed to a firm spokesperson:
“The safety checking requirements in the Children’s Act do not presently apply to the majority of volunteers who work with children, and to all private businesses that provide services to children.
Yet we consider it is reasonable to expect all organisations to conduct safety checks on individuals likely to engage in unsupervised, one-on-one contact with children to meet the Health and Safety at Work Act obligations. Broadening the scope of the Children’s Act’s safety checking obligations would align well to confirm this expectation for organisations conducting work with children.”
]]>As we told you in our March eBulletin, the new Government’s Draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (PDF, 2.3MB), known as the draft GPS, is a big disappointment for pedestrians. Newsroom covered some of the key problems:
“Funding for walking and cycle paths is set to nearly half from next year, while a change to the funding source for roadside footpaths could stretch that bank account even thinner.
“In his … draft government policy statement, Minister of Transport Simeon Brown simultaneously decreases funding for walking and cycling while restricting all footpath construction to this newly-limited part of the budget.”
In Living Streets Aotearoa’s media release commenting on the draft GPS, we said:
“A GPS that was truly focused on economic efficiency and safety would include much more investment in walking. We’re concerned that the Government is putting the lives of pedestrians – especially children and elderly and disabled people – at greater risk to promote its car-focused transport agenda.
“For the sake of our communities, for the sake of our health, and for the sake of our climate, New Zealand needs pedestrian-friendly transport policies.”
Submissions on the draft GPS are now open. They close at 12pm on 2 April 2024.
The Transport For All coalition has produced an excellent submission guide which does a lot of the work for you in creating your submission. But we suggest you also:
1) Talk about your own experience, and that of your whānau or family, and your community. What makes walking good for you? What are the barriers? How could and should the Government making walking better? If you’re a parent, what do your children need, in terms of vehicle speeds and safe footpaths, to be able to walk safely to school and around your community?
2) Include some specific submission points about walking, such as:
We encourage everyone to submit strongly in support of funding walking well and including walking as a central feature of all transport projects.
]]>These technological innovations have not only expanded the reach of casinos but have also enhanced the gaming experience for players. For instance, the availability of mobile gaming apps allows players to enjoy their favorite casino games on the go, while VR and AR technologies create immersive and interactive environments. Additionally, casinos often offer enticing incentives such as free $100 pokies no deposit sign up bonus to attract new players and retain existing ones, further enhancing the allure of online gambling platforms.
In the early days of casinos, technology was limited to mechanical slot machines and basic table games. However, with the advent of digital technology, casinos have undergone a dramatic transformation. Today, state-of-the-art gaming software, high-definition displays, and immersive sound systems create an unparalleled gaming experience for players.
The surge in smartphone and tablet usage has significantly propelled the expansion of the online gambling sector, reshaping how players engage with casino games. Mobile gaming apps have revolutionized accessibility, enabling players to enjoy their favorite games whether they’re on the move or relaxing at home. These apps offer a seamless experience, mirroring the features and functionalities of desktop casinos.
The integration of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology into the casino industry has ushered in a new era of immersive gaming experiences. VR casinos transport players to virtual worlds, offering opportunities to interact with fellow players and explore incredibly lifelike environments. On the other hand, AR technology enhances the real world by overlaying digital elements, creating an augmented reality gaming experience that blurs the boundaries between the virtual and the physical.
Furthermore, the adoption of VR and AR technologies is not only revolutionizing the way players engage with casino games but also opening doors to innovative opportunities for the industry. By providing unparalleled levels of immersion and interactivity, VR and AR casinos are attracting a new generation of gamers and redefining the standards for entertainment in the digital age. As these technologies continue to evolve and become more accessible, the future of the casino industry looks increasingly dynamic and captivating.
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These benefits create a compelling proposition for novice and experienced gamblers. These casinos not only democratize access to gambling by removing financial barriers, but also nurture a learning environment where players can grow, strategize, and potentially profit without the traditional stakes. As the online casino landscape continues to evolve, no deposit casinos remain a beacon for those looking to dip their toes into the vast and varied world of online gambling with minimal risk and maximum potential for discovery and enjoyment.
Conclusion
Choosing between minimum and no deposit casinos depends largely on the player’s budget, risk tolerance, and what they want from their online gambling experience. No deposit casinos offer a compelling option for those new to online casinos or those who prefer to gamble with minimal financial risk. However, for players willing to make a small financial commitment for the chance to win real money and access broader game selections, minimum deposit casinos could be the better choice.
Casino ratings are comprehensive evaluations that consider a multitude of factors to gauge the quality, reliability, and overall appeal of a casino. These ratings are typically generated by independent bodies, customer reviews, and industry experts, providing a multifaceted view of the casino’s performance. The criteria for these ratings often include the variety of games offered, customer service quality, overall atmosphere, security measures, and the availability of amenities and accommodations.
A significant component of a casino’s rating comes from the assessments made by regulatory bodies and independent auditors. These entities ensure that casinos operate within legal and ethical standards, offering fair play and protecting the rights of patrons. Reputable regulatory bodies’ certifications and licenses, like those from the Nevada Gaming Control Board, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), or the Gambling Commission, are signs of high standards of operation.
In the digital age, customer reviews and feedback play a pivotal role in shaping the reputation of casinos. Platforms and specialized casino review sites offer insights from real customers who share their experiences. While navigating through these reviews, it’s essential to look for patterns in feedback, considering both positive and negative comments to get a balanced view.
The variety and quality of games are cornerstone factors in Casino reviews and ratings. A top-rated casino usually offers more games, including slots, table games, poker, and live dealer games, catering to different preferences and skill levels. The presence of games from renowned software developers also speaks volumes about the casino’s commitment to providing a high-quality gaming experience.
Beyond the gaming floor, the availability of amenities such as restaurants, bars, hotels, and entertainment shows significantly contribute to a casino’s overall rating. These services enhance the customer experience, making the casino a comprehensive entertainment destination. The atmosphere and decor of the casino also play a crucial role, with top-rated casinos often boasting stunning designs and a welcoming environment.
In today’s digital age, customer feedback on platform Reviews is invaluable. These reviews provide real-world insights into the casino’s operations, customer service, and overall visitor experience. High ratings in these forums indicate a consistently strong performance from the casino when there are a lot of reviews.
It is advisable to check with more sources, such as independent review sites, official regulatory websites, and direct customer feedback, to know the maximum rating for any given casino. By combining information from these different sources, you can get a complete picture of the benefits and drawbacks of a casino. Remember that while a casino’s high rating can indicate its quality, your personal preferences and interests should also play a role in your decision.
A casino’s maximum rating is established by evaluating several factors, such as game selection, security procedures, customer service, and regulatory compliance. By leveraging a combination of official ratings, independent reviews, and personal experiences, you can identify the best casino that meets your entertainment needs. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious retreat or a vibrant gaming floor, understanding how to interpret casino ratings is your first step toward a memorable and enjoyable gambling experience.