Guest and sponsored opinion pieces published on The Daily Blog, offering diverse perspectives within clear editorial guidelines.
BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) have for some time been exploring an alternative to this unique but increasingly fragile, US world oil for dollars hegemony.
Under its newest president, Brazil may have been picked off by the US but certainly, major oil producers Iran and Venezuela have joined this quest.
We’ve been so busy sifting through the ashes that too few of us have noticed what’s been staring us in…
Council representatives on this committee were left with no idea as to who had bid on the CAB building, what dollar values were bid on it and why the final decision was made to advance interests with a company known as Tawera Group in 2016.
A video has emerged purportedly of Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison, showing a healthy Assange, while he instead remains hospitalised.
We have the third lowest government debt in the OECD yet Greens co-leader James Shaw advocated the “Fiscal Responsibility” rules both parties signed which pushes already low government debt even lower, while private debt ( I’m talking things like tertiary education debt, household debt credit card debt that kind of thing ) is sky rocketting.
The announcement of a billion dollar cost blow-out for the City Rail Link (CRL), 3 years after start of construction, is deeply troubling. At $3.4b, that is $1b per km, the CRL was already going to be one of the most expensive rail tunnels in the world. Now the price has shot up to $4.4b ($2.2b from ratepayers) with completion pushed back to 2024. Troubling also, given Auckland Council’s level of debt which is approaching $8.5b, close to the borrowing limits recommended by the international credit agencies.
Get a glimpse of real life in South Auckland from Auckland City Councillor Efeso Collins for example. As oppsed to the view that Mike Hosking gets looking out the window of his Ferrari as he drives by it on the motorway.
Is there really no more money for teachers when we are running a $5 Billion surplus and have one of the lowest rates of government debt in the OECD?
Over the weekend Europeans elected their new governments, turning in increasing numbers to parties at the ends of the political spectrum. Europe polarised in a three way retreat from the centre. Across Europe and in Britain support for the far-right, far- left and Green parties surge. The losers were centrist parties.
Religion is definitely the major cause of war over the centuries and today remains a massive contributor to murder in the name of Righteousness. But Oil has taken stage as “King of Kings”.