Changes to flagship bill: ‘You never play poker with your cards on the table'
This week has seen the three coalition leaders at odds over a letter Seymour wrote to the UN special rapporteur in defence of the Regulatory Standards Bill.
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NZ Herald
9 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Letters: Trump, Netanyahu, Zelenskyy, Putin and the Ayatollah could all meet for a drink in Queenstown...
Bernard Walker, Mount Maunganui. Put more women's rugby on TV I watch my St George NRL team play every weekend plus the NRLW team of women's players with a woman referee. So why can't rugby teams in New Zealand also have women's teams shown on Sky Sport TV? Surely both NZ men's and women's rugby teams should be shown on Sky Sport as in rugby league? Murray Hunter, Titirangi. Collect sentencing data In the Herald on Sunday (July 13), so many important issues, where does one start? First, we read of Justice [Graham] Lang giving a Killer Beez member a lesser sentence because of his 'appalling upbringing'. Instead of wringing our hands about the judge's soft sentencing, why don't we start collecting data on the background of all those being granted such sentences? From that data we would be able to have a comprehensive picture on where to focus resources. Up to now a lot of information is anecdotal and subject to the whims of those making the claims. The next issue that stands out is letter writer Kathy Simpson's claim that we need greater mental health services. At the time Carrington Hospital closed, mental health centres were set up in various parts of Auckland. These were expected to cater for a range of mental health needs, including the administration of medication to those suffering from serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As Simpson says, some of the tragedies that have happened would have been avoided if proper community care had been put in place at the time of deinstitutionalisation. Why are we always so slow to join the dots? Glennys Adams, Waiheke Island UN and Nato expensive failures The cost of running the UN and Nato is astronomical. What does the world really get for all this expense? Both were set up in the hope of stopping international armed conflict. Have they succeeded? Answer, no. They are both toothless tigers. No one listens to them. The only ones that benefit are all the big fat cats in highly paid positions and the caterers for the endless unproductive meetings. Time to look at a better system before we end up in World War III. Jock Mac Vicar, Hauraki. Where have the Kiwis flocked to? The Herald on Sunday editorial (July 13) highlighted the exodus of the many we would like to retain. Looking around my environment it is obvious that a large proportion of Kiwis have been replaced by new Kiwis. The question is where have the previous Kiwis gone? From all accounts they have leapt across the Tasman. Currently, that number has reached an all-time high and there have to be reasons such as remuneration and mental reaction to their lifestyle. Government policies can enthuse or negate the thinking of the population, and it is apparent that the austerity measures introduced have induced a sense of gloom. The promised relief from the cost of living crisis has not eventuated and generally we seem to be in a time warp. In summary, negativity from the top can have a profound and far-reaching effect hindering performance, morale and wellbeing. Add in our continual wet weather and the call to abandon ship becomes louder. Reg Dempster, Albany.
Scoop
18 hours ago
- Scoop
Israel's Deadly Attack On The Holy Family Church In Gaza Is A Heinous Crime And Crime Against Humanity
The New African Charter International (NACI) is saddened by the unprovoked criminal and brutal attack on a place of worship in Gaza. In particular, NACI condemns in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza, Palestine on Thursday 17th July, 2025. It is reported that two people were killed and many others wounded in that terror attack, including the Church's Priest-Father Gabriel Romanelli. According to reports on the ground, the Holy Family Church is the only place of worship that until before this attack, that had survived Israeli aggression on Palestinian lands and territory. It is also reported that this Church was being used to serve as a sanctuary for dozens of internally displaced Palestinian families seeking refuge from the ongoing Israeli campaign of extermination of whole peoples, whole nations and whole regions, as well as the destruction of the environment. We condemn these and all acts of terrorism against all peoples. NACI is committed to a culture of peace, non-violence and respect for the right to life. The violation of life committed in this latest Gaza Church attack is abhorrent and speaks of an atmosphere prevailing in occupied Palestine today, where every living thing is a target for liquidation with no exception. However, we recognize that the ongoing unstopped genocide and race cleansing campaign on Palestinian Arab lands and territory, is aggravated by the unjust and race-filled structural system of the UN decision-making process, which allows Israel to launch brutal attacks on Palestine with impunity, and with no regards to international law and principles. This speaks of the absence of concrete action from the nuclear powers and permanent UN Security Council members-states, to protect and defend human rights and international law. While we call for a structural reform of the process, allowing for more efficient and effective approach in resolving international conflicts and a better protection of civilians, NACI demands an end to the grave injustice meted on Palestinian Arab people. The current situation in the occupied Palestinian lands and territory has been lasting for over half a century, and there is no defined hope that the United Nations would be allowed to shoulder its responsibility, to resolve the Palestinian question. NACI is deeply concern by the lack of alternatives to a violent intervention in the Palestinian situation. The latest Israeli attack on the Church in Gaza is a grave injustice and stands condemned by all. It is deserving of utter condemnation and repudiation by all elements of society, and has indeed been so condemned and rejected. For this, we appreciate the prompt statement issued by Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican, expressing profound sorrow over the loss of life and injuries caused by the Israeli assault. The Pontiff reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire to allow peace to prevail in that region. It is universally accepted that terrorism in whatever form or manifestation is unjustifiable and constitute heinous crime and crime against humanity, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. War criminals have of late find it a luxury to export their trademark to targeted countries of the world that are on the list for destruction. In the face of Israeli brutality towards Palestine and other countries, the international civilized community must stand together to save humanity against actions of war criminals. We condemn the lack of respect of international law and the disregard for United Nations Charter, the core of Israel's regional and foreign policy towards its neighbors and humanity. More so, we call on the United Nations Security Council to retrieve influence on the situation and to organize in order to ensure security in the face of violence and to guarantee justice for all Palestinian Arab people, whether living at home or displaced or in refugee camps or in exile. It is thus incumbent upon United Nations Security Council to immediately, and by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, to stand with all victims of such heinous attacks in occupied Palestine and around the world. Our deepest sympathy and condolences go to the families of the victims in the Israeli attacks on the Church in Gaza, and wish a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured in this despicable act. NACI advocates the human rights and freedoms of Palestinian Arab people as they fight for their rights to exist equally with other human race and colour; and to uphold the rights of Palestinians to life. God save Palestine and Palestinian people!
Scoop
18 hours ago
- Scoop
Belarus: UN Experts Call For Investigations Into Deaths In Custody
GENEVA (16 July 2025) – A group of UN independent experts* today called for the immediate launch of effective and transparent investigations into the deaths of individuals who were deprived of their liberty for expressing political dissent. 'Over the past four years, several individuals identified by human rights defenders as political prisoners have died in custody or shortly after being released,' the experts said. They stressed that these deaths occurred amid consistent reports of ill-treatment of individuals deprived of liberty for expressing disagreement with the authorities, including participants in protests surrounding the 2020 presidential elections. 'Where an individual dies in custody, the presumption of their arbitrary deprivation of life can only be rebutted on the basis of a proper investigation,' the experts said. In late May, widespread reports emerged that Valiantsin Shtermer, a 61-year-old businessman, had died in Correctional Colony No. 17 in Šklou. He had been convicted for making critical comments about the Russian Federation's military invasion of Ukraine. Despite his serious medical condition, he was reportedly mistreated by the prison administration and denied proper medical care. Four years ago, in May 2021, 50-year-old opposition activist and Belarusian National Front party member Vitold Ashurak died in suspicious circumstances in the same colony shortly after being transferred there and placed in a punishment isolation cell (SHIZO). He had been convicted for violating public order. On 16 June 2025, the experts wrote to the Belarusian authorities to express their concerns about possible grave human rights violations surrounding these two deaths. They recalled that, in 2023, they had written to the Government about the death of the artist Alés Puškin while he was serving a sentence in the prison no. 1 in Hrodna – reportedly after being denied timely medical care. They have not received a response to that letter, which requested an investigation into Puškin's death. 'It is of the utmost importance to thoroughly investigate the alleged instances of ill-treatment and neglect that resulted in the deaths of Shtermer, Ashurak, Puškin and other persons designated as political prisoners by human rights defenders,' the experts said. 'There are strong reasons to believe that these individuals lost their lives in retaliation for exercising their civil and political rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.' 'We are also concerned that some of these individuals have been stigmatised by the authorities as 'extremists' or 'terrorists',' the experts said, recalling that they had repeatedly called on Belarus to bring its counter-terrorism and anti-extremism legal framework in line with its international human rights law obligations.
