AP reports:

The city that hosts next year’s Olympic Games has become the first in Brazil to ban the use of smartphone-based ride-hailing-applications like Uber.

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes on Tuesday signed legislation recently passed by Rio’s city council banning Uber and similar technologies from operating in the city.

“Uber is forbidden,” Paes said after signing the bill. “We are open to discuss the matter, but it is forbidden.”

How preposterous. Corrupt legislators banning a service that their citizens wish to use, because they don’t want to get offside with a powerful industry.

3 News reports:

A top-ranked Maori MP has dismissed the show of support for US rapper Chris Brown as a bid by tour promoters to sell more tickets.

Labour’s Maori Development spokeswoman Nanaia Mahuta spoke out after a number of Maoridom’s most distinguished women leaders announced they were backing Brown’s bid to come to New Zealand.

“The Chris Brown story is nothing more than the tour promoters trying to influence the outcome of a visa application, promote the tour and sell tickets,” she said.

“Unfortunately, those that have talked out on the issue to support Chris Brown have failed to see it for what it is.

Not often I agree with Nanaia, but she is so right here.

Yesterday, Dame June Jackson, Dame June Mariu, Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Lady Tureiti Moxon and former Women’s Refuge boss Merepeka Raukawa-Tait joined Dame Tariana Turia in supporting Brown’s visit.

They seem to have been sucked in by the argument that Chris Brown made a mistake once, and has been seeking atonement. To the contrary, he has carried on with violent behaviour in the last few years, and has even got violent when someone dares to ask him about the domestic violence conviction.

I absolutely agree that a conviction should not mean he can never ever travel to NZ. But the three factors are:

• How long ago was it
• How serious was it
• Has there been a sustained period of good behaviour since

He fails on pretty much all three. It was relatively recent (not decades ago), was very nasty, and he has carried on with violence since.

Good to see Nanaia speaking out so firmly on this.

The Herald reports:

The secondary teachers union will drop a proposed move to ban foreign qualifications, saying it was proving a “distraction” from the real issues around NCEA.

A Post-Primary Teachers’ Association paper titled “The NCEA: Can it be saved” previously included lobbying for a ban of Cambridge and International Baccalaureate, alongside a series of other recommendations around how to ensure NCEA remained workable and robust.

The proposed ban has been hotly debated since it was raised, with NCEA supporters arguing foreign examinations undermined our local qualification, while Cambridge supporters argued its system was more robust, and there needed to be a choice.

PPTA members today voted for the paper at their national conference in Wellington, without the recommendation included after executive members decided to remove it.

A good move from the PPTA. Their own credibility would have been badly damaged if they had endorsed the proposal to advocate a ban of foreign qualifications.

Some schools choose to offer international qualifications such as Cambridge. That is a choice their community of parents makes. They should have that choice.

Stats NZ reports:

Median weekly income up 4.3%

Median weekly income from all sources was up $26 in the June 2015 quarter from a year ago, Statistics New Zealand said today. Half the population aged 15+ years received more than $621 a week in the June 2015 quarter. 

With inflation running below 1%, that is a very significant boost to median incomes.

If you can keep inflation low, but have reasonable wage and income growth, you can see significant income gains. And if you reduce taxes also, you boost actual disposable incomes even more.

The data above is from the NZ Income Survey that doesn’t go back very far. But Stats NZ has a data series back to 1989 for seasonally adjusted average (not median) weekly earnings.

If you then deduct income tax and ACC levies you get net annual earnings, and adjust for inflation and you get real net income from earnings.

So what was the average real net income from earnings in December 1999 when Labour took office?

• Gross $29,241
• Tax $5,702
• ACC $380
• Net $23,159
• Real Net (Q2 2015$) $33,205

And what were incomes six and a half years later under Labour?

• Gross $36,838
• Tax $7,183
• ACC $479
• Net $29,176
• Real Net (Q2 2015$) $35,011

So net real incomes went up 5.4% in the first six and a half years of a Labour Government. That’s 0.8% a year.

Now what were incomes when National came in in December 2008?

• Gross $41,435
• Tax $8,113
• ACC $580
• Net $32,741
• Real Net (Q2 2015$) $36,651

And as of June 2015:

• Gross $50,229
• Tax $8,089
• ACC $728
• Net $41,412
• Real Net (Q2 2015$) $41,412

So over six and a half years of National Government, the average real net earnings are up 13%. That is 2.0% a year.

So the average real net income for a working New Zealand is 13% higher than in 2008. That is a significant achievement.

Now the increase in earnings has little to do with the Government. That is more a function of the labour market. But the Government does set tax rates, and Government policy does impact inflation significantly. The combination of those three has benefited working New Zealanders greatly.

If you take away percentages the average net real earnings are up $4,760 since 2008. That’s an extra $92 a week.

And by comparison they went up only $1,806 in the first six and a half years of Labour.

Stuff reports:

News the Government is funding another 600 places for teenagers to learn a trade will limit their choice of subjects at school, a Hawke’s Bay teacher says.

A funding transfer from the Youth Guarantee fees-free programme has made room for hundreds more places at Trades Academies from the beginning of next year.

Education Minister Hekia Parata announced the extra funding of $21 million, which comes from a drop in demand for the Youth Guarantee scheme, at the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) annual conference in Wellington on Thursday.

But Havelock North High School deputy principal Maria Neville-Foster said schools couldn’t financially sustain paying for teachers in subject areas where class rolls significantly dropped on the days some students went to Trades Academies.

“The class still exists but the funding for a kid leaves when it goes off to Trades Academies,” Neville-Foster said.

She used an example of a small school and a class of 12 students, six of which attended Trades Academies on a Friday.

“You can’t sustain it financially to have a teacher for the six remaining kids so you have to collapse the class so therefore there’s less subject choice for kids.”

“I’m in a school with 927 students and it’s an issue we’re faced with. It’s particularly problematic in small schools.”

With fewer subject choices students’ learning options become more and more limited, she said.

Actually the Trade Academies give them more options.

But Parata said the Government already “significantly supplemented” Trades Academy places to “recognise exactly that concern”.

“The funding for Trades Academy places was way above what the funding is for a student who is not going to a Trades Academy place, to recognise a school needs to have basic funding to maintain its programme.”

And there is funding for the displacement.

Parata said a report by the Education Review Office showed Trades Academies were delivering “overwhelmingly positive outcomes” for students.

“Trades Academies not only lift student achievement, they help students into further education or careers in industries such as building and construction or the primary industries,” she said.

That’s what matters – the outcomes.

Stuff reports:

The course, Critical Understandings of Fatness and Health, is being offered as a 300 level distance learning course within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University, and contributes to the college’s larger focus on exploring citizenship in the 21st century. …

I agreed to offer the Fat Studies course after a group of Bachelor of Health Science students approached me last year.

They came and expressed an interest in learning more about Fat Studies; they wanted to learn about anti-fat attitudes and how they impact on the health and well-being of fat people, and how anti-fat attitudes result in barriers to fat people receiving healthcare.

This class isn’t about promoting a certain body size, or glorifying a certain lifestyle or health habits.

However, I would suggest that what currently happens in our culture is that only one kind of body and only one kind of lifestyle is acceptable.  

There is a difference between saying only one body type is acceptable (which of course it is not) and saying that all lifestyle choices are acceptable, even if they lead to extremely negative health outcomes.

It also examines the resulting anti-fat attitudes and structural oppression experienced by fat individuals. Fat people face discrimination in most settings in our world, including education, employment, housing, relationships, and in accessing healthcare.

Once the important issue of people discriminating on body size in relationships, I hope they will tackle the equally important issue of relationship discrimination against people who are folically challenged. It is unfair that George Clooney has such great hair.

As a discipline, Fat Studies is similar to Women’s Studies, Māori Studies, Queer Studies and Disability Studies.

Yes, indeed it is.

One way the Government could fulfil their commitment to fat citizens is by updating employment and discrimination laws to include physical size alongside race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and religion. Maybe that’s part of the plan?

You have basically no choice as to your race, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

But with body size, you do. It is not 100% choice, as genetics do play a role and as Cartman says he is just big boned. But the impact of genetics is relatively minor compared to the impact of personal choices about what you eat and how much you exercise. The latest research I have seen is that genetics account for under 5% of obesity, and you can even counter that by avoiding certain types of food your genes are less efficient at dealing with such as saturated fat.

Stuff reports:

Another Serco-run private prison is under fire after prisoner allegations that serious assaults are going unreported.

Labour’s Kelvin Davis told Radio NZ that an inmate at the Auckland South Corrections Facility at Wiri alleged prisoners were being locked down for long periods of the day and serious unreported beatings were happening in the prison.

Prisoners make lots of allegations, including that they are all innocent.

At Mt Eden some of the allegations have been proven false, while some have been substantiated, and there is an independent investigation into these.

But this does not mean allegations from a single prisoner at another prison are credible, especially when they appear to be contradicted by the evidence.

Davis told Radio NZ Wiri was well on its way to becoming like Mt Eden, which the Corrections Departments took over the running of when evidence of fight clubs and contraband were revealed.

Complaints about Wiri were detailed in an email to Davis sent from an inmate’s wife.

“He’s very concerned – he’s said there’s already serious beatings happening – and he doesn’t believe they’re all being reported.

“There are also units being locked down for 23 hours a day, there is no staff on the floor so you can never find anyone and no-one is ever observing what the inmates are doing,” Davis said.

Would be very easy to check if they are locked down for 23 hours a day. Has he checked, or just gone with the allegation?

However McNairn said all prisoners at Wiri are in work, education or training and “the majority spend busy purposeful days in vocational training, work or attending courses, as well as family and legal visits, sporting and cultural activities”.

In-cell technology means that prisoners can continue to learn even when they are locked up, he said.

Some MPs visited Wiri prison a few weeks ago and on the surface everything looked fine, Davis said.

“But we don’t know what happened once the gates were closed behind us.

So Davis himself has been there and saw nothing to back the allegation.

Prisoners have telephones in their cells and can use them to raise any concerns including contacting the Inspectorate and the Ombudsman to lay complaints via an 0800 number.

Wiri is also subject to “daily scrutiny from four experienced Department of Corrections staff working as prison monitors and a relationship manager, as well as independent oversight,” McNairn said.

I think the Corrections staff would have noticed 23 hour lockdowns.

Stuff reports:

At a meeting with Key in New York on Thursday (NZT), Clark said she would “neither confirm nor deny” she would be seeking the top job – “as was said about nuclear weapons for many years”.

But Key is offering his wholehearted backing should she decide to throw her hat in the ring, saying Clark would be the best person for the job. 

“I’m doing everything I can and will do if she becomes the genuine runner for secretary general … I genuinely think she will be a great leader of he UN and hope she gets there.”

That included having a word in the ear of other world leaders including “one or two I play golf or hang with”, Key said – a reference to US President Barack Obama, who he has joined on the golf course previously.

Key said it would be huge for New Zealand if Clark won the job and the fact they were once rivals “wouldn’t stop me having a lot of pride in her” if she succeeded.

I think it will be someone from Eastern Europe, but if the regional rotation system breaks down, then of course we should back Clark. Regardless of your views of her as PM, having a NZer achieve the top UN job would be huge.

A rival challenger could be Australia’s Kevin Rudd, whose move to the US has fuelled speculation that he intends throwing his hat in the ring.

Key said he had heard the speculation but had not spoken to Rudd about it.

Asked if he would support Rudd’s bid Key said: “If he stood and no one else did we’d back him.”

Oh that is hilarious – we’d back Rudd if no one else stands. Laughing out loud. Talk about damning with faint praise.

Stuff reports:

Video footage has emerged of the takeover of an Auckland office by a group of activists, in an apparent land claim.

On Monday a group of men stormed the office of the owners of Auckland’s City Works Depot, dragging staff out and barricading themselves inside.

The footage was uploaded to activist John Wanoa’s You Tube channel and shows force being used on the staff being pushed out.

In the video a group of men, wearing shirts saying federal marshal, storm the building.

They tell employees of Tournament Group: “You gotta move…assisted or non-assisted, it’s up to you guys”.

A staff member who wouldn’t move is violently handled by the men as he says “leave me alone” and is dragged from his chair.

Wanoa said he was exercising his right as a “surrogate king” and had hired “UN contracted marshals” to help with the eviction.

He said he acted legally, informing  Auckland police he was going to occupy the premises and the police respected him as a sheriff.

Wanoa is obviously some sort of loon, but he is a loon that uses violence. He should be held accountable for that.

A police spokeswoman said investigations were on-going.

“Police are continuing their investigations into this incident and are following several positive lines of inquiry in relation to identifying and locating those involved,” she said.

Oh for God’s sake, just arrest him. He’s provided the evidence himself. Stop pussyfooting around.

He said he was a private investigator and believed he was the “New World Order”.

“I am like Graham McCready, the guy who took down John Banks, but better.”

When asked about the violence used to evict staff he responded that they brought it on themselves.

“They should have gone when we told them to. When someone points a gun at your head you do what they say. They caused all the commotion.”

He sounds like a danger to the community. Throw him in prison and he can be King of the New World Order there.

Labour can;t even be positive over the Kermadecs announcement. They seem to think you win elections by being the prophets of doom and Armageddon.

Rino Tirikatene said:

A lack of consultation with important iwi stakeholders about the establishment of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary could lead to legal challenges, says Labour’s Fisheries spokesperson Rino Tirikatene.

“Labour welcomes the establishment of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary but we do have concerns the Government’s carefree approach is denying iwi involvement and could lead to legal challenges.

“Te Ohu Kaimoana hold significant quota for Maori in an area affected by the sanctuary and yet they weren’t consulted. This is a breach of Treaty of Waitangi obligations. 

I guess Labour also think stopping quota holders from using slave ships for fishing was a Treaty breach.

But anyway Labour are just making things up to try and find a negative.  Nick Smith has pointed out:

Claims by the Labour Party of insufficient Government consultation with iwi on the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary announced yesterday ignore the strong support of iwi for the new protection, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith says. 

“Ngati Kuri and Te Aupouri – the two northern iwi with connections to the Kermadec Islands – both indicated their strong support for the new sanctuary prior to its announcement. These two relevant iwi have been pushing for the sanctuary proposal and so Labour’s criticism that they were not consulted does not make sense,” Dr Smith says. 

So the two Iwi connected support it. Does Labour? They claim they do, yet also seem to claim Iwi should be compensated even if Iwi support it!

“Te Ohu Kaimoana were also advised of the Government’s decision prior to its announcement. Official records show that no fishing by Te Ohu Kaimoana has occurred in the sanctuary area over the past five years.

Typical idiotic negativity from Labour.

The Herald reports:

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark says it would be “unthinkable” for New Zealand to be left out of the TPP, as ministerial talks to try to get the deal signed off this week continue in Atlanta.

It is hard to think of a stronger phrase of endorsement.

She rarely comments on New Zealand domestic issues, but made an exception when asked about the TPP, which began under the former Labour Government as the P4 with Chile, Singapore and Brunei.

“What always haunts a Prime Minister is ‘will there be a series of trade blocs develop that you are not part of?’ Because that is unthinkable for New Zealand as an export-oriented, small trading nation.

“So of course New Zealand has to be in on the action with the TPP and go for the very best deal it can as the agreement expands beyond the original four economies to a wider regional agreement.”

Sadly the Labour Party of Clark which proudly signed an FTA with China has become a Labour Party which promotes hysteria and nonsense against the TPP.

For some reason NZ has a Consul General in Hawaii.  Their main job appears to be working with Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, so I wonder why they are not located on one of those islands.

But even if you do need one in Hawaii, do they really need a $6.2 luxury home?

I didn’t have a problem with the New York apartment for $11 million because we have a major mission in New York, and apartments there are hideously expensive, and it will be used for diplomatic meetings and receptions.

But I really can’t see why you need that in Hawaii? It looks wasteful. It has heated pools, waterfalls and marble.

The ODT reports:

Ms Curran, Labour’s sitting Dunedin South MP, has been linked to a tilt for the Dunedin mayoralty by a variety of sources speaking to the Otago Daily Times.

The rumour is said to have come from inside Ms Curran’s office, although she vehemently denied the ”mischievous” suggestion when contacted.

”You will not see my name on the ballot paper next [local body] election.

That a very firm denial.

Ngapuhi’s David Rankin has announced he is standing for Auckland Council:

Ngapuhi leader David Rankin has announced his intention to stand for the Auckland Council in next year’s local body elections.

“This Council is broken – it lacks imagination and integrity, and is driven by Len Brown’s vanity projects, which will drive Auckland bankrupt,” he said in a statement released tonight.

His five policies are:

1. put an immediate end to the inner-city rail loop, and invest the funds instead on roading.
2. extend the urban limits of the city to allow the supply of more land for housing. The aim will be for a radical drop in land prices due to a huge supply of residential-zoned land
3. disband the current Maori statutory board and replace it with a five-member advisory board with a total budget of $150,000.
4. Restore the access to all the volcanic peaks as it existed in 2011
5. Halt all future cycle lanes, and remove existing ones where they obstruct traffic and a bicycle registration system will be introduced so that future cycle lanes will be built when the fund accumulated from cyclist registrations allows for it.

I like 2, 3 and 4.

The Herald reports:

It could soon be time to introduce laws to treat Australians in New Zealand as poorly as Kiwis are received across the Tasman, the Maori Party says.

If this means deporting Australians who do serious crimes, I’m in favour.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop met New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully and Prime Minister John Key in New York this week.

Afterwards, she said the Australian Government would talk further about its policy of detaining and deporting non-Australian offenders who have served a prison sentence of a year or more. Ms Bishop said she would ask Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to speak to New Zealand Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse but gave no indication that the policy would be reviewed. That meeting has not been scheduled.

If Australia was deporting people for incredibly minor offences such as say one shoplifting offence after 30 years of living there, then that would be stupid. But to get a jail sentence of one year or more requires a relatively serious or persistent level of offending, and why would Australia want to keep criminals they don’t want to?

If you are a Kiwi living in Australia and don’t want to be deported back to NZ, then there’s two ways you can do that.

1. Stop committing crimes
2. Become an Australian citizen, which you can do after four years in Australia

The Dom Post editorial:

Two kinds of liberal politics collided at Victoria University this week, when holidaying Israeli soldiers arrived to speak about their country’s 2014 invasion of Gaza.

That war was disproportionate in every sense, from Israel’s vastly superior military power to the Palestinians’ far larger death toll (2251 Gazans died). It was also miserably familiar – one more act to prolong the hatred and bloodshed in a region already drenched in both.

On the face of it, then, the call by a group of academics and student activists to stop the event had a certain logic. Why should proponents of the war be allowed to talk while many of its victims are dead? And what might they offer that, say, a United Nations report in June, which found suggestions of war crimes on both sides, does not?

Call that one kind of liberalism, one that believes people can be disqualified from even offering their perspective, at least in an official setting, because their actions are so objectionable.

The problem is it’s completely wrong. The better, simpler liberalism is the one that insists on allowing people to say their bit, even when it offends.

This is Voltaire’s famous credo – “defending to the death your right to say it” and all that. It’s fundamental to a democracy, which relies on ordinary people making their own minds up. And it’s supposed to be an idea that animates a university, a place where every theory ought to be able to be debated freely.

Absolutely.

So Victoria’s English lecturer Dougal McNeill may be right to castigate Israel for the Gazan war, or to call the soldiers’ speeches “apologetics for military violence”, but he is entirely wrong to think either means the soldiers should be barred from talking.

The irony is he uses his free speech to try and prevent the free speech of others. Even worse he tried to prevent students from hearing that speech.

The point is not that activists are wrong. It is that they are so convinced they are right that they are prepared to shout down anyone who disagrees. This is a grim, insidious way of thinking.

They believe their right not to be offended outweighs other’s rights to make speech or receive it.

Stuff has interesting data from Stats NZ on the projected 2038 population, when the Asian population will overtake the Maori population. Here’s a few stats on the 2038 projections:

Highest European Population

1. South Wairarapa 97%
2. Waimakariri 94%
3. Grey 93%
4. Central Otago 92%
5. Stratford 92%

Highest Maori Population

1. Wairoa 76%
2. Kawerau 75%
3. Opotiki 68%
4. Gisbrine 61%
5. Far North 55%

Highest Asian Population

1. Puketapapa 58%
2. Whau 53%
3. Te Iriangi 51%
4. Otara-Papatoetoe 48%
5. Kaipatiki 46%

Highest Pacific Population

1. Mangere-Otahuhu 66%
2. Manurewa 63%
3. Otara-Papatoetoe 47%
4. Porirua 30%
5. Maungakiekie-Tamaki 25%

Lowest European Population

1. Otara-Papatoetoe 7%
2. Mangere-Otahuhu 11%
3. Manurewa 17%
4. Puketapapa 21%
5. Whau 31%

Stuff reports:

The curtain has finally been drawn on a near decade-long freeze on top-level relations between New Zealand and Fiji.

Prime Minister John Key and his Fijian counterpart Frank Bainimarama on Tuesday (early Wednesday, NZ time) held a formal bilateral talk on the fringes of the United Nations general assembly  – the first since the military overthrow of Fiji’s elected government in 2006. …

After posing for photographs and having a quick chat about rugby Key and Bainimarama withdrew to a private room to continue their meeting, with talks expected to focus on Fiji’s role in the Pacific. They will also canvass the likelihood of a top-level visit by Key.

Relations between New Zealand and Fiji soured following the 2006 coup and diplomatic relations have only been restored since Bainimarama’s government was democratically elected in 2014.

Good to see relations heading back to normal. One can disapprove of the coup and the behaviour of the military Government. But by all accounts Fiji had fair democratic elections, and is functioning again under the rule of law. it will be good to have the two Governments working together.

Stuff reports:

Christchurch’s new earthquake recovery authority will be substantially smaller than its predecessor.

It is understood Regenerate Christchurch, confirmed in an announcement on Friday, will consist of about 30 staff. It will be complemented by the Christchurch City Council’s newly-established development company, Development Christchurch Ltd, and a new Crown entity – CrownCo.

Good to see a Government entity getting smaller!

CrownCo will oversee the Crown-led anchor projects, such as the convention centre, metro sports facility and east frame, and some other objectives for Crown-owned land. It will be established under the Public Finance Act.

Even combined, Regenerate Christchurch and CrownCo will likely be much smaller than Cera. As of July, Cera had about 360 full-time and seconded staff.

Who came up with the name – CrownCo? Not going to win originality awards!

The Herald has a copy of the speech by GCSB Acting Director Una Jagose who has given more details of Project Cortex.

Cortex is mostly automated, with machines using information and patterns gleaned from previous attacks to scan data and systems for points of weakness and possible intrusions.

Of all data analysed, less than 0.005 per cent has to be reviewed by GCSB staff, Ms Jagose said, and there were “extraordinary” controls about how it was handled.

“Rules limit the number of people who can access it – all of them who can are computer defense specialists – who must indicate and show they have a clear understanding of the rules.

“And the Inspector General [of Intelligence and Security, Cheryl Gwyn] can view all of it. She can see a complete log of what has happened, and recorded reasons why any of that activity has been taken in relation to that data, or why an analyst is viewing that data.

“We cannot and don’t use it for any other purpose. That intelligence – sorry, that information gathered – is used for defending out networks. It is all about cyber security.”

Asked if customers of a company that is protected by Cortex were likely to understand that data may be reviewed by GCSB staff, Ms Jagose said organisations had to advise those who interact with their security systems that communications may be accessed for security purposes.

It is good to see the GCSB being more open about what they do in the cyber-security area, and also the safeguards.

Worth reading the full speech – it is very interesting.

Stuff reports:

A much-loved Victoria University lecturer is bowing out – though not without a last ditch effort to stay.

History, philosophy, political science and international relations associate professor Dr Jay Shaw will teach his last class in November, after retiring from full-time employment in 2011.

However, Shaw, who had been on fixed-term teaching contracts for the past four years, said he was forced into retirement and did not want to leave.

The 74-year-old even offered to teach the courses for free.

“I was told they couldn’t renew my contract and I had to leave at the end of the year. I told them I was willing to teach without any pay, but I got a negative reply.”

Universities often say they are short of money. So why turn down the offer of a free lecturer?