Planet Rugby Forum

Ted. wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:57 am Well blow me down

Rents flatten after Government housing changes: Trade Me

Rents came to a grinding halt in May, defying political predictions that changes to rental investment would send rents soaring.

...

there, who'd have thunk that!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/125543 ... s-trade-me

While the Government rules are not yet affecting house prices, the report said there could be early signs they were influencing rents.

Rents rose 0.5 per cent month-on-month in May, the fastest increase since March 2019.

Monkey Magic wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 7:18 am

Ted. wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:57 am Well blow me down

Rents flatten after Government housing changes: Trade Me

Rents came to a grinding halt in May, defying political predictions that changes to rental investment would send rents soaring.

...

there, who'd have thunk that!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/125543 ... s-trade-me

Having absolutely not bothered reading the article, has price growth slowed at all?

Glad that reactionist teeth gnashers have been shown up on the rent hikes. Hysteria like that takes away from proper discussion around what can be done around house prices

booji boy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:11 am Has the Govt passed the law they said they would that rents can only be reviewed/increased once a year?

booji boy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:11 am Has the Govt passed the law they said they would that rents can only be reviewed/increased once a year?

Hate speech: Government plans new law, tougher penalties

Hate speech will become a criminal offence and anyone convicted could face harsher punishment under proposed legislative changes.

The Government has this morning released for public consultation its long-awaited plan for the laws governing hate speech.

The plan is part of the Government's work to strengthen social cohesion, in response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terror attack.

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi said abusive or threatening speech that incites can divide communities.

"Building social cohesion, inclusion and valuing diversity can also be a powerful means of countering the actions of those who seek to spread or entrench discrimination and hatred."

Protecting free speech and protecting people from hate speech will require careful consideration and a wide range of input, Faafoi said.

Punishment may increase
The Government is considering creating a new, clearer hate speech offence in the Crimes Act, removing it from the Human Rights Act.

That would mean anyone who "intentionally stirs up, maintains or normalises hatred against a protected group" by being "threatening, abusive or insulting, including by inciting violence" would break the law.

The punishment for hate speech offences could also increase, but it's not clear by how much.

The groups protected from hate speech could also grow - the Government is considering changing the language and widening the incitement provisions in the Human Rights Act.

It has not yet decided which groups will be added. That is expected to happen following public consultation.

It is currently only an offence to use speech that will "excite hostility" or "bring into contempt" a person or group on the grounds of their colour, race or ethnicity. Gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability aren't protected grounds.

The Government is proposing several changes to the civil provision of the Human Rights Act, including making it illegal to incite others to discriminate against a protected group.

It also wants to amend the Human Rights Act to ensure trans, gender diverse and intersex people are protected from discrimination.

The proposed changes were recommended by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terror attack, which found hate crime and hate speech are not adequately dealt with.

"The current laws do not appropriately recognise the culpability of hate-motivated offending, nor do they provide a workable mechanism to deal with hate speech."

The Ministry of Social Development will simultaneously consult with the public about what can be done to make New Zealand more socially cohesive.

'We're not starting from scratch'
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan, who is leading the social cohesion programme, told a media conference this morning the Government wanted to build from existing Māori-Crown values.

"We are not starting from scratch," she said. "We are generally regarded as a country with a high level of social cohesion and we've seen that as our team of 5 million has largely come together to rally around both in the aftermath of March 15 and also during the Covid-19 lockdown."

However, she said there were underlying vulnerabilities that New Zealand needed to address as the country grew in diversity and that this effort would be grounded in the values of the Treaty of Waitangi and the Māori-Crown relationship.

She said the Government had accepted in principle all 44 recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch mosque attacks and had made progress on implementing those. Subsequent hui with ethnic groups had fed into the Government's response, she added.

"We've set up an ethnic communities graduate programme to provide a pathway into the public service for skilled graduates from ethic communities and also as one way to injected that broader cultural competence into government agencies, including the intelligence agencies.

"And the new Ministry for Ethnic Communities will come into effect next week and will take the place of the Office for Ethnic Communities."

Radhakrishnan said the programme had a broader reach than ethnicity and that others who feel marginalised were being included.

She said the Government wanted input from the public on how the programme can be taken forward.

Muttonbirds wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:06 am

booji boy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 8:11 am Has the Govt passed the law they said they would that rents can only be reviewed/increased once a year?

This is true. And right after the Covid rent freeze ended in September 2020 they all raised rents in unison, as if by clockwork. So expect another greedy money grab in about 3 months.

Fat Old Git wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:40 am Does anyone else think it's wrong that Starship has to have a public appeal to fund 10 new emergency beds?

Fat Old Git wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:40 am Does anyone else think it's wrong that Starship has to have a public appeal to fund 10 new emergency beds?

Dark wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:34 am

Fat Old Git wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:40 am Does anyone else think it's wrong that Starship has to have a public appeal to fund 10 new emergency beds?

Yes.

But hardly surprising given the current govt.

At least when the parents can tell the current kids there they will get to ride their bikes over the 1 billion dollar bridge no one will be on and no one wants, which will never be buiit

Muttonbirds wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:54 am

Dark wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:34 am

Fat Old Git wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 7:40 am Does anyone else think it's wrong that Starship has to have a public appeal to fund 10 new emergency beds?

Yes.

But hardly surprising given the current govt.

At least when the parents can tell the current kids there they will get to ride their bikes over the 1 billion dollar bridge no one will be on and no one wants, which will never be buiit

The long term benefits of a cycle and pedestrian link between Auckland and the North Shore are immeasurable. If you are worried about mental health and health in general, you would demand more infrastructure for walking and cycling.

I don't think the announced separate bridge is the right answer and it probably won't go ahead, but one thing is crucial, any future harbour crossing infrastructure must cater to all forms of transport, not just have people stuck in cars all day long.

Muttonbirds wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 9:08 am Did you even read what I wrote? Can you read? Can your caregiver read? It seems not.

Ed Sheeran: 'I think she's the best human on the planet - I'd perform at Jacinda's wedding'
Global pop star Ed Sheeran has put his hand up to perform at Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's wedding.

The singer spoke to Kiwi radio hosts Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce on The Hits ahead of the release of his new single Bad Habits, dropping today - and he revealed just how much of a fan he is of our PM.

The hosts told Sheeran they'd spoken to Ardern earlier in the day, who wanted to know if he remembered the time she baked him cheese scones.

"See whether or not he remembers the scones - I pride myself on my cheese scones," she said jokingly - but it turned out the pop star hadn't forgotten.

And when Pryor and Boyce offered to ask him if he would play at her wedding, Ardern laughed it off.

But Sheeran had nothing but praise for her when he spoke to the radio hosts.

"You know what, I think that she is the best human being on earth. I know, like, politics is politics and people in New Zealand will have differences of opinion, but in England she is seen as just ... it. We love her. I love her," he gushed.

"I loved the scones. She gave me a wonderful book as well that she'd written."

He asked when her wedding would take place, but the date is still firmly under wraps. But he went on to say that he would jump at the chance to be there.

Gordon Bennett wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 10:54 pm Can people please not engage or quote Dark. I feel that every time I see one of his posts I lose a few brain cells given the logical failings and bullshit therein.

Ted. wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:43 am Here's an interesting article from Stuff on braided river systems and what we have done and are doing to them that is so so wrong. Topical given he recent Canterbury floods.

https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2021/0 ... ed-rivers/

I doubt any of our pollies will get close to walking the damage back, even a little bit.

As detailed by The Press after major flooding in 1868: “Kaiapoi, in spite of all the protective works and cuttings constructed by the inhabitants in the hope of averting the attacks of their dreaded enemy, has, we fear, suffered terribly.”

The language used by the newspaper was instructive.

To some, the Waimakariri is a tupuna, a taonga, a provider of mahinga kai. To the settlers, it was a “dreaded enemy”, something to be protected from.

The settlers were not living with the river; they were at war with it. In some ways, they still are.

If the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome, the National Party may as well be committed to the nearest mental health facility.

Central to that madness is party leader Judith Collins, who this week continued her Muldoonist strategy of getting rid of MPs deemed not loyal to her. Driven in equal measure by her need for utter loyalty and its ugly stepsister, paranoia, Collins demanded former leader Todd Muller’s head, after it emerged that he had been an anonymous source in an article that criticised Harete Hipango’s return to parliament.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:25 am When even Hooten declares that ACT and NZ First are feasting on the carcass of the National Party, you'd think they would grow some balls - but only Judith has some by the look of it.

Ted. wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:43 am Here's an interesting article from Stuff on braided river systems and what we have done and are doing to them that is so so wrong. Topical given he recent Canterbury floods.

https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2021/0 ... ed-rivers/

I doubt any of our pollies will get close to walking the damage back, even a little bit.

MungoMan wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:46 am

Ted. wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:43 am Here's an interesting article from Stuff on braided river systems and what we have done and are doing to them that is so so wrong. Topical given he recent Canterbury floods.

https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2021/0 ... ed-rivers/

I doubt any of our pollies will get close to walking the damage back, even a little bit.

Very interesting link, Ted. A very good article. NZ’s braided rivers fascinated me form the first time I saw one (which was well before the term ‘braided river’ entered my lexicon).

I suspect you may be right about doing something positive ending up in the too hard basket but cannot help hope you are being a touch pessimistic.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:25 am When even Hooten declares that ACT and NZ First are feasting on the carcass of the National Party, you'd think they would grow some balls - but only Judith has some by the look of it.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:56 am This thread was started mainly to discuss the total ineffectual plum as Labour leader and how he was unelectable. WTF has happened - I am really not sure that this is good for the country as there is no balancing party to bring reason into play.

For those moaning about MMP - this is what FPP was always like.

Muttonbirds wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 4:31 am From Charlie Mitchell's article:

As detailed by The Press after major flooding in 1868: “Kaiapoi, in spite of all the protective works and cuttings constructed by the inhabitants in the hope of averting the attacks of their dreaded enemy, has, we fear, suffered terribly.”

The language used by the newspaper was instructive.

To some, the Waimakariri is a tupuna, a taonga, a provider of mahinga kai. To the settlers, it was a “dreaded enemy”, something to be protected from.

The settlers were not living with the river; they were at war with it. In some ways, they still are.

What was once a strength is now a weakness. Farming is not sustainable in its present form. They have reached the limit of what can be achieved, now it's time for them to be marched back.

Dark wrote: ↑Sun Jun 27, 2021 2:43 am Whilst I realise because sometimes I am just taking the piss for personal giggles going on about various versions of our govts people just find me annoying, which I also find funny, as a Wellingtonian (now), do we really need 5 minutes of Hipkin's sales shit, before he just says what is happening levels wise?

It is like this every fricken time.

Admittedly at least he doesn't milk the shit as much as Ardern, but still annoying.

Muttonbirds wrote: ↑Sun Jun 27, 2021 4:44 am

Dark wrote: ↑Sun Jun 27, 2021 2:43 am Whilst I realise because sometimes I am just taking the piss for personal giggles going on about various versions of our govts people just find me annoying, which I also find funny, as a Wellingtonian (now), do we really need 5 minutes of Hipkin's sales shit, before he just says what is happening levels wise?

It is like this every fricken time.

Admittedly at least he doesn't milk the shit as much as Ardern, but still annoying.

So many errors. So little sense.

Dark wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:54 am I see Ardern may soon become one step closer to her grand goal of turning NZ into a Totalitarian Communist State.

RuggaBugga wrote: ↑Sun Jun 27, 2021 5:24 am

Dark wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 12:54 am I see Ardern may soon become one step closer to her grand goal of turning NZ into a Totalitarian Communist State.

Christ you're a dribbling fu king moron. Seriously, get a life mate.