Friday, December 8, 2023
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MEDIAWATCH: Social media has killed the Fourth Estate and mutated citizens into conspiracy theorists

By
Martyn Bradbury
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10

The news is fading from sight on big social media platforms – where does that leave journalism?

News companies distribute their content on platforms such as Facebook or X because that’s where their audience is – at least a large proportion of it, anyway. But news is poorly promoted by those platforms, and Google and Facebook admit news makes up only a tiny fraction of their overall content.

Furthermore, the visibility of news within these platforms is rapidly declining. The result is described by the authors of The Power of Platforms as “platformed publishing”: a situation where some news organisations have almost no control over the distribution of their journalism because they publish primarily to platforms defined by coding technologies, business models, and cultural conventions over which they have little influence.

As a recent Wired article observed, “Facebook is done with news”: its parent company Meta is “killing off the News tab in France, Germany and the UK”, having already temporarily blocked access to news content in Australia in 2021 and more recently in Canada where the blackout continues.

Instagram’s new Threads app (also owned by Meta) has no appetite for hard news, Google’s search results offer less news, and X has stopped showing news headlines and links on tweets.

Social media has killed the Fourth Estate and mutated citizens into conspiracy theorists!

By suppressing real journalism for mutated conspiracies, the social media networks are undermining our shared sense of reality for addictive clickbait fuelled by hate algorithms.

This Hard Right Government has turned us from New Zealand into Q Zealand because the feral antivaxx movement are deeply entrenched within NZ First and have pushed crazy conspiracies to the forefront of our national policy platform.

The conspiracy theory against the WHO, the conspiracy that the media were bribed, and the conspiracy that Jacinda knew about the Christchurch terror attack before it happened all lead back to QAnon conspiracy that a shadowy one world child molesting Satanic Cabal is promoting the vaccinations to weaken us using 5G technology.

These people also think crystals can cure cancer.

The rabbit hole conspiracies we are losing so many good people to continues to act as a Black Hole of self-enforcing extremism algorithmically set to conflict.

The woke haven’t helped with their early cancel culture Lynch mobs, but the far right have adopted all those new norms and tactics and used the culture war ammunition we generated to twist the narrative and enthral desperate frightened lonely people.

Hilariously the Public Interest Journalism Fund was set up to try and provide that and it’s now been spun into a conspiracy that was a ‘bribe’ to carry Jacinda’s ‘vaccination propaganda’.

We need a complete rethink about what public broadcasting journalism is and should be and how we use it to keep a clear distinction between actual journalism and inflammatory click bait.

Social media is still so new, I feel like it could turn out to have as many negative health effects as tobacco.

 

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 going into this pandemic and 2020 election – please donate here.

If you can’t contribute but want to help, please always feel free to share our blogs on social media.

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Minister Tama Potaka disagrees government is “anti-Maori” – but it is, and here’s the proof!

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
15
I'm not racist, but my Government is

Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka disagrees government is “anti-Maori”

Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says he strongly disagrees with criticism that the government is “anti-Maori”.

He has also denied his government is not interested in a partnership with Māori, saying it would in fact be even more committed to working alongside Māori but would be looking to do it in a way that was not in the form of a centralised bureaucracy.

Changing Māori names back to an English one that National’s own MPs can’t name properly, banishing the Māori Health Authority, taking money from Public Servants for Māori speakers,  dismantling 7aa to steal another generation and starting legislation that redefines the Treaty???

That’s not anti-Māori?

No, no, no Tama.

You signed up to this and now you are part of it.

You might not be racist, but your Government sure as fuck is, and here’s the proof!

The Māori Language Act 2016 passed by ACT and National that legislated public services to use Te Reo!

What’s changed?

Māori were used as a punching bag before the election in a deplorable manner and the angry redneck response that race baiting has attracted has demanded an anti-Māori policy response and the new hard Right Government is obliging that kneejerk in the hope of pacifying those angry rednecks and calm everything down so they can get back to inflating property prices.

If ACT and National could pass legislation in 2016 to promote Te Reo and then throw all of that out the window because they’ve created Māori conspiracies to spook voters, they are Anti-Māori and the new minister pretending otherwise is a stain on him.

Here’s a pack of cheap ciggies and an MR15 isn’t much of an inspiration is it Tama?

 

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 going into this pandemic and 2020 election – please donate here.

If you can’t contribute but want to help, please always feel free to share our blogs on social media.

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Waatea News Column: The political attack on Māori is a naked unnecessary cruelty

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
24

The scale and brutality of anti-Māori policy being rammed through by the new hard right Government is an unnecessary cruelty being passed to appease angry voters wanting some culture war revenge.

Using race baiting tactics to win an election is ugly, going through with that agenda is malicious.

Dumping the Māori Health Authority despite all the research clearly highlighting the necessity for one because of poor Māofri health outcomes generated by poverty and colonization is an obscenity!

Dumping 7aa from Oranga Tamariki because it is cheaper and quicker to uplift a Māori baby without having to deal with Iwi groups who will find culturally appropriate wrap around services to avoid the damage the State has historically caused stolen generations is criminally short sighted!

Demanding Waka Kotahi use NZTA because it is too confusing when many National Party MPs couldn’t name what NZTA stood for is offensively ridiculous!

Going ahead with 8000 preventable tobacco deaths to fund tax cuts in a move Hone Harawira described as, “They’re happy to let Māori die so that they can get more money for tax cuts for their rich friends, that’s the horrifying thing, that they are so naked in their charge for cash.”

On top of this is the desire to move legislation that will redefine the Treaty Principles to entrench 19th Century White Settler privilege.

The sheer scale and size of the political attack on Māori saw immediate nationwide protests alongside an unprecedented Royal Proclamation for a National Hui against this new hard right Government’s anti-Māori agenda, in what will be the most important political event of the year.

The backlash to this Government’s very racist agenda that has extreme consequences for the poorest and most vulnerable amongst us will revitalise the Left like a lightening rod because many, many, many, many, many Pakeha, migrant NZers and Pacifica will unite with Māori on this because this policy agenda is not what the vast majority want!

Climate change, poverty, inequality, housing, good public health and properly funded public services and infrastructure THESE are the things we demand political attention and solutions for!

What we are getting is unnecessary cruelty as public policy.

Treaties are to be honoured, not settled.

We are a lesser people for this Government and it’s barely been a week..

 

First published on Waatea News.

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A cowardly, anti-Palestinian parliamentary motion – Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

By
John Minto
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28

The parliamentary motion passed today, a full two months after Israel’s slaughter of Palestinian civilians began, says:

“Express grave concern at the ongoing violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories, unequivocally condemn the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October 2023 and call for the release on all hostages, call on all parties involved in the conflict as well as all countries with influence in the region take urgent steps towards establishing a ceasefire, recognising Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law, and that all civilians be protected from armed conflict, affirm that a lasting solution to the conflict will only be achieved by peaceful means and that action to revive the Middle East Peace Process is critical and that process must seek a just and lasting peace that recognises the existence and self-determination of Israelis and Palestinians. We call for the establishment of a free and independent Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution, with both nations having secure and recognised borders where all citizens have equal rights and freedoms”

Why is this motion too little, too late?

Identifying those responsible for the mass slaughter of Palestinian civilians: FAIL

Condemning the slaughter of Palestinian civilians: FAIL (but the motion did condemn the killing of Israeli civilians)

Identifying Israel’s brutality as genocide: FAIL

Calling for the thousands of Palestinians hostages being held in Israeli prisons under detention without trial: FAIL (but the motion did call for Israeli hostages to be released)

Calling for Israel to withdraw its troops from occupied Gaza, occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank: FAIL

Calling for International Criminal Court investigation into war crimes since October 7th, including the crimes of genocide and apartheid: FAIL

Calling for equal rights for Palestinians across historic Palestine: FAIL

Calling on the government to close the Israeli embassy: FAIL

Calling for accountabilities for Israeli war crimes: FAIL

And the list goes on….

 

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Political Caption Competition

By
The Daily Blog
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3

She gets that they are cardboard cut outs right?

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In Occupied Palestine – 05 December 2023

By
The Daily Blog
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1

In Occupied Palestine

Zionism in practice

Israel’s Daily Toll on Palestinian Life, Limb, Liberty and Land

08:00 on 5 December to 08:00 6 December 2023

[Source of statistics: 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.

Gaza Strip

Armed Palestinian Resistance: Palestinian Resistance continued launching dozens of missiles towards the Green Line.

Air strikes: Heavy aerial bombardment on buildings, homes and many facilities.

Victims: Another 349 people in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces, now raising the total to more than 16,248. Another 1,616 people have been wounded, bringing that number up to more than 43,616. Precise statistics are not available, due to the violence surrounding hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

Attacks: All over Gaza, there is heavy gunfire, tank and artillery shelling, as well as missiles fired from Israeli forces and military occupation, especially in Khan Yunis.

West Bank

Israeli Army attack – 7 wounded in refugee camp – home invasions: Jenin – 14:35, Israeli Occupation forces, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, stormed into the city as well as the refugee camp and invaded homes, wounding seven people, five of whom are: Walid Al-Jabr, Raja Fadl Al-Yatawi, Yasser Khaled Nazzal, Ibrahim Yousef Salit and Sharif Muhammad Jarrar.

Israeli Army attack – youngster killed – child wounded: Tubas – 01:45–06:00, Israeli forces, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, raided a number of homes, killing a 16-year-old youth, Abdul Rahman Imad Khaled Hassan Bani Odeh, and wounding a 12-year-old boy: Obaida Imad Khaled Hussein Bani Odeh. Two other residents were taken prisoner.

Israeli Army attack – 1 youngster killed – 5 people wounded: Tubas – 01:45–06:00, the Israeli Army, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, invaded a number of homes, killing one resident, Moaz Ibrahim Zahran (aged 18) and wounding five others: Firas Mahmoud Abdel-Jawad, Abdel-Wahab Walid Abdel-Jawad, Youssef Zaher Youssef Shaheen, Anas Mahmoud Sheikh Youssef and Muhammad Ahmed Saeed Abu Tayeh.

Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded: Qalqiliya – 13:50, Israeli troops opened fire on, and wounded, one person, Mazouz Mahmoud Masalha, near the village of Jit.

Israeli Army attack – 1 youngster and 1 other person wounded: Qalqiliya – 18:00, the Israeli military, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, invaded Baqat al-Hatabvillage, wounding a 16-year-old youth, Ahmed Mazouz Hantash, as well as one other person.

Israeli Army attack – 3 wounded: Bethlehem – 07:35, Israeli soldiers, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, stormed into the Dheisheh refugee camp, wounding three people, one of whom is Hilal Ibrahim Muhammad Al-Afandi.

Israeli Army attack – 2 wounded: Hebron – 10:30, Israeli Occupation forces, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, invaded Beit Kahil, wounding two people, one of whom is Montaser Atef Adwan Asafra.

Israeli Army attack – disabled special–needs patient wounded: Hebron – 14:20, the Israeli Army opened fire on, and wounded, a disabled special–needs patient, Tariq Al-Ghazawi, near the entrance to Qalqas village.

Israeli Army attack – 1 wounded in refugee camp: Hebron – 22:10, Israeli forces, firing live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets and stun grenades, invaded the al-Arroub refugee camp, wounding one person: Ihab Kamal Jawabreh.

Death: Tulkarem – Ahmed Nazmi Ghanem has now died from wounds received during an attack by Israeli forces on the Tulkarem refugee camp last month on 14 November.

Home invasions and destruction: Jerusalem – Israeli Occupation forces demolished an apartment building in Beit Hanina.

Home invasions – 7 wounded in refugee camp – ambulance crews assaulted: Jenin – 14:35, Israeli forces raided the city, as well as the refugee camp, and invaded homes, wounding seven residents and surrounding the Jenin Governmental and Ibn Sina Hospitals. Israeli troops also assaulted ambulance crews, holding up as well as searching ambulances and taking prisoner 20 other people.

Home invasions – 3 wounded in refugee camp: Bethlehem – 07:35, the Israeli Army stormed the Dheisheh refugee camp, invading homes and wounding three people. Three other residents were taken prisoner.

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 agricultural sabotage: Bethlehem – Israeli Occupation forces uprooted 31 olive trees, south of Nahalin.

Occupation settlement development: Tulkarem – the Israeli Army installed three mobile homes on Beit Lid land, close to the Einav Occupation settlement, having connected the land to the electricity network in order to create a new settlement outpost.

Occupation settler violence – child injured – pastoral sabotage: Qalqiliya – 17:50, an Israeli Occupation settler ran his motor vehicle over an 8-year-old child, Zaeem Ahmed Bashir, as well as into a herd of sheep.

Occupation settler violence – beating and hospitalisation: Nablus – 22:00, armed Israeli settlers beat up and hospitalised a man, Samed Ibrahim Jamil Khader.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 03:20, Israeli Occupation forces raided Bil’in village, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 04:10, Israeli forces raided the village of Safa, taking prisoner two people.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – 04:15–07:15, the Israeli Army raided Beitunia, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Ramallah – dawn, Israeli troops raided the village of Shuqba, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Tulkarem – 13:40, the Israeli military raided and patrolled Deir al-Ghusoun.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Tulkarem – 20:50–23:45, Israeli soldiers raided Zeita, taking prisoner one person.

Raid: Qalqiliya – 10:10, Israeli Occupation forces raided and patrolled the village of Ras Attiya.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Qalqiliya – 03:15–06:55, the Israeli Army raided the city, taking prisoner two people.

Raid: Nablus – 23:30, Israeli troops raided and patrolled the village of Qaryut.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – 01:35–02:35, the Israeli military raided the village of Asira al-Qibliya, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Nablus – 02:35–06:30, Israeli soldiers raided the village of Burqa, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – 2 taken prisoner: Nablus – 04:40–06:30, Israeli Occupation forces raided the village of Rujeib, taking prisoner two people.

Raid – 1 taken prisoner: Hebron – 04:05, Israeli forces raided the village of Beit al-Rush al-Tahta, taking prisoner one person.

Raid – youngster taken prisoner: Hebron – 04:35, the Israeli Army raided the village of al-Bureij, taking prisoner a youngster, Younis Salama Ibrahim Al-Faqih (aged16).

Raid – 3 taken prisoner: Hebron – 05:50, the Israeli military raided Yatta, taking prisoner three people.

Raid – theft and population–control: Hebron – dawn, Israeli soldiers raided Halhul, invaded a print shop, seized the contents and closed down the business for six months.

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The Daily Blog Open Mic – 8th December 2023

By
The Daily Blog
-
1

Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.

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.

EDITORS NOTE: – By the way, here’s a list of shit that will get your comment dumped. Sexist language, homophobic language, racist language, anti-muslim hate, transphobic language, 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.
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“We’re Falling Behind”: New Zealand Must Ban Rodeo To Sustain Our Position As Leader In Animal Welfare – SAFE For Animals

By
The Daily Blog
-
1

Animal Rights organisation SAFE is urging the Government to follow quickly on the heels of Los Angeles and ban rodeo, to uphold the country’s animal welfare status.

As rodeo season kicks off in Aotearoa, the Los Angeles City Council has voted in favour of banning rodeo events within its city limits (with exceptions relating to cultural activities such as CharrerÃa), marking a pivotal moment in the city’s commitment to animal welfare. The announcement came yesterday, 6 December.

SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says that Aotearoa must take a stand against rodeo cruelty, and quickly.

“We market ourselves as leaders in animal welfare, but we are quickly falling behind the rest of the world in many areas. One such area is rodeo.”

“Last season, two bulls and one horse were killed within three days of each other at rodeo events in New Zealand, underscoring the pressing need to close the book on rodeo for good.”

Los Angeles is poised to join several other Californian cities like Pasadena and San Francisco in banning rodeo events, aligning with international jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the Australian Capital Territory, where rodeos are already prohibited.

Despite the international momentum in banning rodeo events, Ashton says that New Zealand policymakers are dragging their feet on protecting Aotearoa’s animals from barbaric rodeo cruelty and upholding basic tenets of the Animal Welfare Act.

“New Zealand’s animal welfare laws require that animals are handled in a manner which minimises unreasonable or unnecessary pain and distress. Yet most common rodeo practices – such as calf roping, horse bucking and steer wrestling – simply cannot be performed without intentionally exposing animals to fear and suffering.”

“What’s more, the code of welfare for rodeo has been sitting in limbo with the National Animal Welfare Advisory since last year, and still has not been released for public consultation.”

In a 2020 Horizon poll, 66 percent of Kiwi respondents agreed that rodeos cause pain and suffering to animals, and it is not worth causing this pain and suffering for the sake of entertainment.

“Until a ban is imposed, animals will continue to suffer and die,” says Ashton.

“If New Zealand aims to be world leaders in animal welfare, a ban on rodeo ought to be a no-brainer.”

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Positive Progress In Reducing Child Poverty Must Be Maintained – Mana Mokopuna

By
The Daily Blog
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0

Encouraging progress has been made in reducing child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand but more focus on the issue is urgently needed to maintain it, according to a new report from UNICEF.

UNICEF’s 18th Report Card, ‘Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth’, uses public data to compare child poverty rates in high and upper middle-income countries in the OECD, including New Zealand.

The report also ranks countries based on these rates and their proportional change over a seven year period. Taking both measures into account, Aotearoa New Zealand is ranked 19th of 39 countries.

When it comes to New Zealand, the Report Card highlights disproportionate rates of poverty amongst Māori and Pacific children (20 and 24% respectively) when compared with Pākehā (8%). It also shows the significant impact of poverty in the lives of mokopuna whaikaha, who are twice as likely to live in material hardship as mokopuna without disabilities.

Regarding solutions to poverty affecting children, the Report Card highlights the importance of cash transfers and indexing benefits to incomes to maintain their value for families who need them most.

“It’s encouraging to see that concerted efforts by government over recent years have improved our child poverty rates,” says Chief Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad.

“Every child in our country should be growing up in a home and a family with enough resources. We need ongoing government commitment to bring poverty rates down. The inequities experienced by mokopuna whaikaha, Māori and Pacific children continue to concern me.

“As a small, relatively rich nation, we can and must do better for our children and their whānau, and young people themselves tell me this is what they want to see,” she says.

“I call on the new government to prioritise the interests and wellbeing of children in its decision-making, and look forward to continued cross-party commitment on poverty reduction so we can continue to see tangible change.

“Let’s keep up the momentum and build on the progress we’ve already made, so that all our mokopuna can flourish to their full potential.”

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Wakey Wakey Auckland Council – Keep Your 2030 Climate Target – Restore Passenger Rail

By
The Daily Blog
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0

This morning at 10:30am around 20 Restore Passenger Rail supporters staged a sleep-in at the Auckland Council, to highlight the Council’s decision to slow progress on sustainable transport options.
“We don’t want Auckland Council to ditch its 2030 climate target just because they think it’s too hard or too expensive,” said Restore Passenger Rail spokesperson Jonty Coulson. “It would be a slap in the face for the thousands of Aucklanders who still live with the uncertainty of whether or not their homes are liveable after the Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year.”

“This is a life and death decision for those charged with leading our city, not a decision for the bean counters. The climate crisis won’t go away. Auckland Council must act now to prevent further climate breakdown and climate deaths. We want them to move quickly on increasing sustainable transport options.”

Restore Passenger Rail supporters have been staging creative protests around Auckland this week from delivering an oil rig to the new government’s Climate Change Minister’s office to spray painting two luxury car yards. They are asking for a nationwide passenger rail service and free urban public transport in our cities.

“New Zealanders want transport options that won’t make the climate crisis worse,” said Coulson.

“We need leaders who will face up to reality. Ditching its 2030 climate target is irresponsible and plain reckless behaviour by the Auckland Council. Are they asleep at the wheel? Wakey wakey Auckland Council! Aucklanders have waited long enough. Move quickly, now, to increase efficient and sustainable transport options in Auckland.”

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NZ Jews Against Occupation Welcomes The News That Foreign Minister Will Urge Parliament To Call A Ceasefire In Gaza – Dayenu

By
The Daily Blog
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0

As the death and injury tolls mount in Gaza, this is the least that can be done to save lives and begin a peace and reconciliation process.

Over a month ago, UNICEF was already calling Gaza “a graveyard for children,” and now warns in the strongest terms of “total humanitarian collapse.” We are hopeful to hear that Peters will call for Israel to respect international law, and we expect him to hold this line and ensure that this occurs. We will never forget the targeted murder of journalists, the nurses and doctors struggling to save people in hospitals without water or power, and how many children and babies were treated as “collateral damage” in this genocide.

We will continue to lobby our government to take whatever action it can to prevent further violence, to ensure the release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages, to organise support for refugees, and to hold Israel accountable for its siege on Gaza. We remind Minister Peters that under international law a state does not have the right to defend itself from threats emerging from territories it occupies. We urge the New Zealand government to show leadership and call for urgent peace negotiations and an end to the occupation.

Israel, and all nations, must be held to the same laws as all other countries. These laws are meant to protect everyone from atrocities, and when they are not upheld, every human being suffers. Judaism teaches us that “where you kill one life, you kill an entire world.” So many worlds have been extinguished in these past few weeks. This cannot be our future; we must make another way.

Knowing that so many of these international bodies and laws were codified explicitly to prevent further genocides like the Holocaust gives us particular urgency in insisting that they are followed. This is a litmus test for all humanity.

Dayenu comprises Jews with deep roots and present-day stakes in these issues. We are a diverse group of Jews with shared principles. We include parents, elders, and young people. Some of us are Israeli citizens, descendants of Holocaust survivors, people who have lived in and documented the Occupation in Palestine, academics and scholars, activists and experts, and many ordinary people of conscience who simply cannot live with atrocities being committed in our name.

We are heartened to see Minister Peters call for a ceasefire. The violence in Gaza must end now. New Zealand has always played an outsized role in international affairs; we can play a role in helping achieve lasting peace, justice, and equality for all in the region.

Shalom and salaam,

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A Start-up With The Answer To NZ’s Food Waste Crisis Receives Significant Boost To Their Cause – Rescued

By
The Daily Blog
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0

$50,000 brand development package awarded to Rescued’s sustainable solution to surplus food

Rescued, a social enterprise with a sustainable and delicious solution for food waste, has been named as the winner of the Brand For Good Competition. The start-up impressed the judges with its commitment to repurposing surplus food to address New Zealand’s food waste challenges. Founders Diane Stanbra and Royce Bold pivoted during the challenges of the Covid era, establishing Rescued as a pioneer in creating a sustainable food future.

Rescued has made significant strides since its first food rescue in March 2022, processing over 35 tons of surplus food. Leveraging culinary expertise and innovative techniques, the company transforms commonly wasted items like leftover bread into Rescued Bread Flour, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional flour. Beyond bread, Rescued repurposes surplus fruits, vegetables, and unique ingredients, such as spent juniper berries from gin production, to create products that combine great taste with zero waste.

New Zealand has developed a serious food waste situation, with over 570,000 tonnes of food wasted annually according to the Ministry for the Environment. This has a significant negative environmental and economic impact, at a time when the country is experiencing a rise in food insecurity.

The Brand For Good prize, awarded by creative studio Tomorrow, will help propel Rescued’s mission to end food waste in New Zealand. Diane Stanbra states, “The upcycled food industry is worth $57 billion in the US, which has phenomenal growth and awareness. But we’re nowhere near that in New Zealand. Being chosen as the Brand For Good winner is an incredible opportunity, allowing us to see how we can evolve our own circular food economy.”

The comprehensive package, featuring expertise in brand strategy, design, packaging, and digital development from Tomorrow’s team of experts, will help maximise the impact of Rescued’s business and its broader mission.

Tomorrow, founded in 2012 by siblings Ben Crawford and Libby Oborn has evolved into a leading creative studio. Specialising in designing and delivering brand experiences, Tomorrow collaborates with businesses to foster growth and scale through purposeful branding and storytelling.

Diane Stanbra, Co-founder of Rescued, expresses her excitement, “This incredible opportunity takes us a huge step closer to solving the food waste issue. It’s a start-up’s dream and gives us the best possible start. We need to have a strong brand that people trust because consumer support is fundamental Winning the Brand For Good Competition will help amplify our impact and achieve our vision.”

The Brand For Good Competition attracted interest from a range of Kiwi businesses and purposeful brands, from startups to larger enterprises. The expert judging panel, consisting of serial purpose-led entrepreneur Brianne West, business growth advisor Toss Grumley from Wolf + Fox, and Tomorrow’s Ben Crawford, carefully evaluated the entries.

Ben Crawford, Co-Founder of Tomorrow, explains why Rescued stood out: “We chose Rescued as the overall winner because they’re addressing the food waste problem by rethinking our food system. They’ve got runs on the board and we saw we could help them make more impact, faster. We sought businesses shaping tomorrow, and that’s precisely what Rescued is doing.”

‘’Food waste is such a big and visible problem which we see on a daily basis, it’s actually one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse emissions.

Rescued’s solution to helping address the food waste problem is so clever in its simplicity and ease of understanding, that it has huge potential to make a significant impact across New Zealand, and even globally.

They’ve already gained traction with major partners such as Woolworths Supermarkets but it was clear their positioning, messaging and brand was a constraint on their ability to grow and maximise the impact that they can make.

We love their energy and purpose-led passion and are really looking forward to partnering with Diane, Royce and the team to help scale their business.’’

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NZ Government Must Follow Through To Secure A Ceasefire – Amnesty International

By
The Daily Blog
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0

The following quote can be attributed to Lisa Woods, Campaigns Director at Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand. This statement is in response to the news that the New Zealand Government has passed a motion indicating the government’s support for a ceasefire in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

“New Zealanders have been calling on the government to show leadership on this dire human rights situation for weeks now. Over 10,000 people across Aotearoa have signed Amnesty International’s ceasefire petition, and countless more have gathered at protests, fundraisers, and solidarity events. We want to see the government doing all that it can to actually secure a sustained ceasefire and address the devastating human rights violations that have occurred.”

Background

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand launched a petition calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza on 27 October. Last month, the organisation wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, together with ActionStation and Save the Children, calling on him to support a sustained ceasefire when the brief humanitarian truce was announced.

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Now, More Than Ever, We Must Whakamana Te Tiriti O Waitangi – Green Party

By
The Daily Blog
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0

The Green Party is urging the Government to recognise its commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi so our tamariki and mokopuna can grow up in an Aotearoa where their language is celebrated, their health is prioritised, and their whenua is protected.

“The incoming government’s 100-day plan is a legislative assault that seeks to undo decades of progress for te reo Māori and Māori health, while undermining our nation’s foundational document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” says Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson.

“The government’s plan to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora – The Māori Health Authority, remove te reo Māori from all official documents, and diminish ambitions for Smokefree 2025 will have devastating impacts on the health and well-being of tangata whenua.

“We will not remain silent while this visionless government threatens to condemn Māori to poverty and poor health outcomes on our own whenua.

“Aotearoa can be a place where te reo Māori is celebrated, tangata whenua are supported to live long, healthy lives, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi is affirmed and embraced by everyone.

“The Green Party hears the pain and call to action of whānau across the motu, and we remain committed to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi, affirming the tino rangatiratanga of whānau, hapū, and iwi over their whenua and taonga.

“We will continue to amplify your voices in the halls of power and advocate for a Tiriti-centric Aotearoa that serves everyone, not just the wealthy few,” says Marama Davidson.

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Labour Calls On Government To Give Visas To Kiwis’ Families Stuck In Gaza

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The Daily Blog
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Labour’s immigration spokesperson Phil Twyford is calling on the Government to follow the example of Australia and help New Zealanders’ close family members stuck in Gaza to escape and take shelter here.

New Zealander Alya Hammad has written to Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters asking the Government to add the names of her non-Kiwi family members to a list of people being allowed to escape Gaza at the Rafah border crossing. It has been reported the NZ Embassy in Cairo told Hammad they can’t add her family to the New Zealand list without a directive from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“New Zealanders with family members trapped in Gaza will be distraught that their relatives are in an active war zone. The Government should help the families of Kiwis to get out, by putting their names on the list at the Rafah border crossing,” Phil Twyford said.

“The Government should also do what Australia is doing and provide visas so those family members, once they get out of Gaza, can come to New Zealand and shelter with family here.”

The Australian government has granted hundreds of temporary visas to Palestinians with family connections in Australia in the weeks since the bombing in Gaza began.

“We showed with the evacuation of Kabul that we can act decisively to save people at risk. And in the case of Ukraine we gave the family members of Kiwis who were in a war zone the chance to take shelter with their families in New Zealand. There is no reason the Government should not now do the same for the families of Kiwis stuck in Gaza,” Phil Twyford said.

“Ultimately, we want to see a just and lasting peace that recognises the existence and self-determination of Israelis and Palestinians. We encourage the parties to work to a two-state solution within secure and recognised borders where all citizens enjoy equal rights and freedoms.”

 

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