General Debate 30 April 2019

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krazykiwi

The 2018 Census. Lots said about it, including James Shaw intervening to provide NZers with confidence. Very good of him. I’d like to summarise his assurances.

♟ The 89% participation rate, or missing 1 in 7 NZers, isn’t a shambles. No it’s not at all. People should just be thankful if they got a census link at all, or were able to reach someone on the 0800 number.

♟ You can trust the government to assemble non-census data to ‘fill the gaps’. This will make the results better than the 2013 census. Yes, better! He said better. A few times. Better. Got it?

♟ He’s sorry that we have to fill out census forms at all. It’s necessary (well for those that can get access) because the government doesn’t yet have the ability join up all our data as they’d like to.

♟ The 2018 census data gives us an incredibly accurate picture of demographics, and it’s only missing some datasets. Phew, what a relief.

♟ We shouldn’t get to ‘exercised’ about things like the electoral boundary data. The government can be trusted to create data to support what’s best for New Zealanders.
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April 30, 2019 8:00am
- Simon
  
  When Marxists like Shaw start running things people will go missing.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:26am
- cmm
  
  PriNZess has already told us she has great inchewishun.
  
  Surely that is enough. Why are we wasting our time gathering data?
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:38am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    So did Chewbaccy.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:55am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    And money, what do the corrections officers get if they don’t like slushies?
    
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    April 30, 2019 12:04pm
- Paulus
  
  Maori Caucus are not at all happy as the Maori Stats are one of the most confused and incomplete so will be guessed- it is these where the Maori Electorates are determined.
  Shaw must go – now !
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:48am
  - Happychappy
    
    No Jacinda that can do no wrong has stated that National under funded it even after outlaying $120 million to cover the cost of it. When is this Country going to wake up to the fact that Labour and the Coalition are out of their depth and couldn’t run a piss up in a brewery.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:30am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    And yet apparently the electoral boundaries are good to go, go figure.
    
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    April 30, 2019 12:03pm
- Ross12
  
  So if it is all so wonderful Mr Shaw, what is the need for the extra $6 million ?
  Staff bonuses maybe / sarc
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:56am
  - sooty
    
    No, they want slushie machines aswell!
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:31am
  - ex-golfer
    
    $6 million?
    Nah – try $16 million
    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/388036/government-announces-16m-for-stats-nz-after-census-woes
    
    Public Service 101 – remember to stuff things up so we can justify getting a budget increase!
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:43am
- MCos
  
  If 100% of the population completed census returns that’s no guarantee the information obtained is particularly accurate.
  As the years go by more & more people are taking less pride in performing their civic duties i.e. they can’t be bothered
  The Chief Statistician was on RNZ just now explaining how the information is checked and gaps filled from other sources.
  A long and tedious process, it seems.
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:53am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    They can just read between the lines too. They might as well just poll selected parts of the electorate and extrapolate out.
    
    Think of the savings.
    
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    April 30, 2019 12:01pm
- Miritu
  
  When dangerous people are in power we should be thankful for their incompetence
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:53am
- Fletch
  
  The thing is, can the public have any confidence in any figures that are quoted from this census in the future? I would say no. I mean, one in seven is 14% and that is a huge chunk of the population.
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:56am
  - Ian Boag
    
    Dunno. We get all excited about based on a sample of lots less than 85%. Much less than 8.5% even …
    
    The parliamentary boundaries thing is a non-issue these days (even if DPF wants to have a bit of a rant about it) with MMP. Old boundaries, new boundaries – who cares? It’s the other things like schools and hospitals etc etc that matter more. The (flawed) 2018 census simply gives us the best information available.
    
    Possibly the electoral boundary thing matters more for the Maori seats, but so what? National is in no danger of winning any of them ….
    
    National started the process of moving the census online. Labour took it over and it has not worked out according to plan. The stats people will obviously learn from this and the next census will be “better” whatever that means. I may still decline to list my ethnicity …. does that make the rest of my form invalid?
    
    We need to move on. Find another passing car to bark at.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:28pm
skyblue

First?
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April 30, 2019 8:01am
mikenmildagain

Happy International Jazz Day!
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April 30, 2019 8:02am
- kevn
  
  Happy International Clown Day !
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:40am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    That’s not till August.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:47am
  - SGA
    
    tsk, tsk. Clowns are so important that they don’t get a day, they get a WEEK (in August) –
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Clown_Week
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:50am
    - Justitia
      
      That’s nothing. In Aotearoa they make up the government.
      
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      April 30, 2019 1:38pm
Poppa

So apparently Simon is holding a caucus meeting today to insist his fellow members support him. I don’t see that going too well myself.

When you feel the need to demand loyalty you are in deep deep trouble
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April 30, 2019 8:07am
- Justitia
  
  Will he shout slushies for everyone?
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:18am
  - alien
    
    no, the politicans I think only have expensive coffee machines in their offices, no slushies
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:41am
- KevO'Brien
  
  The current COL attack meme. What next–Taxcinda has morphed into an angel?
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:33am
  - MCos
    
    Does that outrank Apostle Bishop?
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:55am
- Jade Warrior
  
  On the train this morning I saw a Transdev poster advertising for train drivers. From a distance, the train driver in the poster looked eerily like Simon Bridges. Is this prophetic? ?
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:40am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    There’s an attack team out today.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:59am
    - Rob2
      
      Jade warrior = Green filth.
      
      Call him by his real identity.
      
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      April 30, 2019 6:50pm
- waikatogirl
  
  I think it is more the media making stuff up to keep the National Party leadership ‘a thing’. All about unsettling the voters perception of a stable National Party and Simon as leader.
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:57am
  - Wired-one
    
    Yeah, the only people pushing this leadership issue is the media. They want a good story for the next few months.
    
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    April 30, 2019 12:44pm
    - Surely Knott
      
      The media literally don’t talk about anything else. Hi Simon how’s your leadership, how’s your popularity, is Judith after your job. It’s bizarre. They have run out of things to talk about. How can you become popular when you don’t talk about normal things or ideas, when you’re just asked about yourself and your popularity. Where are all the stories on the state of the nation? Where are the people living in cold damp houses and kids with no shoes? Is that all fixed now? It’s going to be very hard for any National leader to oppose the current leadership because literally everything has been flip flopped on or is in a workshop or still being decided. They will not declare their stance on cannabis, the tppa flip flopped, the cgt flip flopped, they ran on slashing migration but now have a name and shame list for anyone opposing migration? So in summary, went to UN, visited the Queen , had a baby and parental leave, dealt with a massacre. There’s been a lot of time on stuff other than local policy and politics. How do you oppose that? Anyone in opposition would need to wait until Labour is actually on local business and actually do something or stand for something.
      
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      April 30, 2019 2:59pm
  - projectman
    
    My take on it is the media would be happy to have Simon Bridges replaced by Judith Collins (i.e. it is their aim) as they think they have plenty to attack her over.
    
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    April 30, 2019 4:00pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Truth or lies? When you have an army of spiders spitting out stories what is real?
  
  How many former Crown Prosecutors are incompetent compared to an ex-fishnchip shop employee PM?
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:58am
- Rachael Membery
  
  The narrative you are quoting has been fed to you, they just had a National Party Conference, with the party faithful, not that I saw much on it in the media.
  
  The party would be foolish to do anything destructive to the party this far out from the election.
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:59am
  - Wired-one
    
    Correct, do we really want to follow Labours self destructive path, when they were in opposition of panicking and changing leaders? Because it didnt work out too well for them.
    
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    April 30, 2019 12:50pm
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Well it did in the end, even if she was last cab off the rank.
      
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      April 30, 2019 3:28pm
Yvette

Newshub
Simon Bridges’ political future seems uncertain, after murmurs from National MPs that his leadership is unfocused and incompetent …

MPs are also unhappy with his handling of ‘slushy-gate’; Bridges’ described Corrections spending $1 million on slushy machines for staff as “irresponsible and wasteful”.

But National MPs went on record with Newshub to say they are not pleased with their leader’s handling of the situation, saying it seemed petty and stupid.
“It didn’t feel like a guy being focused on being Prime Minister,” said one MP.
Another said it feels like bullying behaviour.

I am intrigued at the number of similar reports Newshub churns out – without any authentication or evidence that their claims are true. And just because they say they are, don’t make them that – true.
And what the hell does “National MPs went on record with Newshub” mean?
Have Nation MPs signed affidavits or something, or indulged in some other means of proof, which Newshub holds, but actually with-holds?

I am still waiting for some clarity from the Jami-Lee Ross saga, when it was obvious that Newshub were not entirely sure who was yanking their chain each time. No one really found the original silly expenses leaker – only assumptions.

And therein lies the trouble of a so-called news and information outlets using such sources, which we know now have been in a mental state where police, at the warning of these people’s partners have stopped the trains running in the locality where they think the person is, for fear of self-harm in a major way, or the involvement of sources who have texted others telling them they should be dead and their partner and children would be better off, were that so.

And they are still fooling around playing games.
And funny it always seems to be Newhub. Does it say more about Newshub operates, than it says about maverick National MPs, if indeed any such people are involved?
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April 30, 2019 8:08am
- pdm
  
  Barely Sober has his knife in Bridges back as well. In flat out undermining mode.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:19am
  - Lance
    
    Long long ago, in a Galaxy far far away, NZ had some non partisan, non agenda driven, non lefty hacks as political reporters.
    They are but the stuff of long forgotten legends now.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:52am
    - calendar girl
      
      “They are but the stuff of long forgotten legends now.”
      
      Shouldn’t “stuff” in this context have a capital “S”?
      
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      April 30, 2019 1:34pm
  - ducklin71
    
    Barely Sober- that’s good! His islamic name would be “Hassan-bin-Sobar”
    
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    April 30, 2019 11:40am
- G152
  
  Newshub is just another way of saying fake news.
  They have a political agenda that doesn’t include National or any members of National
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:20am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Spot on. Tova O’Brien’s obsession with rolling Bridges, and her proximity to Jami-Lee Ross suggests that anything Newshub publishes about Bridges/National should be taken with a large serving of salt.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:51am
    - alloytoo
      
      My perception is that Tova’s position was under JLR and I’ll maintain that until we have clarity on the affair.
      
      My opinion of her “Reporting” is hence clouded by that perception.
      
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      April 30, 2019 9:23am
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Pass me the mind bleach please 😀
        
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        April 30, 2019 10:38am
      - 3-coil
        
        alloytoo – it was revealed at the time that JLR had a number of mistresses in his extra-marital Wellington harem, including one MSM reporter (thus far not named). But Tova O’Brien received JLR’s “leak”, she had all of his inside information, and was rooting for JLR to keep his story front and centre…she must be the hot favourite to be his (un-named) MSM bit on the side!
        
        Edit: note, I have accused no one of “pillow talk”
        
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        April 30, 2019 11:13am
    - Wired-one
      
      Garner has the same obsession with Bridges being replaced. His comments to Simon on the AM show yesterday were aggressive and frankly embarrassing, especially for a so called impartial journalist. Ardern on the other hand never gets any hard questions put to her, let alone scrutiny.
      
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      April 30, 2019 12:55pm
  - septic skeptic
    
    Another Newshub firework fails to go off.
    
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    April 30, 2019 2:33pm
- kowtow
  
  I listened to his justification for our constitutional arrangements around the monarchy in his interview with Plunket last week , and by golly for a lawyer and prospective PM he made a dreadful hash of it.
  
  For it , but not really .
  
  Oh boy , he needs to do much better than that on such important matters.
  
  As to slushy gate , don’t bark at every passing car and it would have looked better if he had been siding with the Screws , in the context of gubmint spending , it’s a drop in the ocean.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:21am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    To answer “slushy gate”
    I posted this before.
    Because it is the same wasteful spending as this was.
    justified in the same pathetic way.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3558823
    It is TAXPAYERS money.
    Labour’s “back to the future” moment.
    Deja Vue….all over again.
    To quote a famous quotation attributed to Yogi Berra:
    You may also wish to review the big fuss labour made over the refurbishment of MBIE’s new offices, which continues to give much better value for money than 50 odd slushy machines ever will.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:55am
    - waikatogirl
      
      And what’s with the TV presenters, all acting like 12 year olds, suddenly needing slushy machine drinks to slurp on in their airconditioned offices while telling us about the prison guards plight. The guards requiring them in an unairconditioned prison wearing layers of stab proof clothing in the middle of summer so the idea seems fair, but the problem is with Kelvin or his minions okaying $6,000 models when I suspect cheaper ones would have made equally good slushies?
      
      PS: of course you cannot condone the straws being used to drink the slushies!
      
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      April 30, 2019 12:46pm
      - RW Capitalist
        
        A few points to add
        1. This $1mill is spread over only 4 prisons, how much for all officer to have the same access.
        2. Slushies in the winter, to keep cool? or are the lining us up to supply $5000 espresso machines?
        3. Thought we were having a hate fest on sugary drinks? How does the message stack up vs keeping cool?
        
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        April 30, 2019 3:38pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Big drops of govt money add up to puddles of waste. The cost of the machines seems excessive. The govt has a duty not to waste taxpayers money. If an equivalent machine could be purchased for $3k it should have been.
    
    By dropping Treasury as their advisors and scrutineers the COL are opting out of accountability.
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:04am
- Andrei
  
  “National MPs went on record with Newshub”
  
  Going on record used to mean that you would allow your name to be used with your quote.
  
  If names are not used then it is not “on record”
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:31am
- Paulus
  
  Tova and her special friend JLR are determined to get rid of Simon by whatever way they can.
  I watched 15 seconds last evening – once again she is pathetic.
  Went to One which I usually dislike but against Newshub O’Brien it was good.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:32am
- All_on_Red
  
  ‘And they are still fooling around playing games.
  And funny it always seems to be Newhub’
  Narrator: This is Newshub
  
  The expression ‘dirty dirty smear merchants’ springs to mind.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:34am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Fake news is a class of hate speech.
  Journalists may have to be regulated lest they turn activists. If they lose our trust what then?
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:35am
  - G152
    
    If you have not noticed its to late. They are biased, bigoted and uninterested in being reporters of news.
    Time to shut them down and try something else
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:05am
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    Stop buying their newspapers or watching their TV programs.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:32am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      Better still, if you control an advertising budget, take it elsewhere, and tell them why you have. Nothing speaks louder to them than lost revenue.
      
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      April 30, 2019 10:39am
- Wayne Mapp
  
  Yvette,
  
  I know a lot of people think journalists in traditional media just make things up. But they don’t.
  
  So if Newshub is saying “National MP’s went on record…” that means more than one Nat MP has spoken to Newshub, presumably when a Newshub journalist rang them. The thing is, journalists can be very persistent on the issues, so at some point in the conversation the MP’s expressed concern about Slushgate, even though they would have been reluctant to do so. The MP’s would have been given assurance their names would not be mentioned. I suspect there are only two MP’s who have spoken about the issue, hence “National MP’s…”
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:36am
  - calendar girl
    
    In practical terms you’re referring to National MPs with loose tongues, Mr Mapp. It sounds as though there’s a serious need for a tightening of discipline and standards within Caucus.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:55am
  - cmm
    
    But surely refusing to have your name mentioned is not “on record”.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:58am
    - Inandout
      
      cmm, as defined in dictionary:
      ‘If you are on record as saying something, you have said it publicly and officially and it has been written down’.
      
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      April 30, 2019 10:13am
    - Ian Boag
      
      Wayne Mapp was an MP and Minister. We can reasonably assume he knows how all this stuff works. And he puts his name to what he says.
      
      The joy of KB is that any cowardly anonymous keyboard warrior can claim to know better …
      
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      April 30, 2019 6:03pm
  - RW Capitalist
    
    are they still counting JLR as a “National MP”?
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:57am
    - cmm
      
      The two-faced JLR is surely enough to allow them to say MPs rather than just MP.
      
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      April 30, 2019 3:38pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Truth is getting like the boy who called “Wolf” too often. So much of what is now presented has been purposefully biased or even invented that it is hard to be certain what the facts are. There are reports for instance from overseas of Tarrant’s video being a fake.
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:09am
- MrsAnnie
  
  Good to see Maureen Pugh is talking to the media again.
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:20am
hullkiwi

I hope you all feel reassured with James Shaw as Minister of Statistics. Apparently, they are claiming their population count on 6/3/2018, was more accurate than 5 years earlier by relying on 89% of Census responses + data from other government data sources. These other data sources include ACC, health and education records.

If, that is more accurate than 2013, why do we bother.

Listening to Shaw this morning, all i could say is “you’re out of your depth and you don’t have a clue”. Why do people vote for and support these clowns?
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April 30, 2019 8:08am
- Tarquin North
  
  The only thing Shaw has ever got right was when he said if they didn’t get the CGT through they didn’t deserve to be in government. He makes Jacinda look competent. Worst government ever.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:26am
- septic skeptic
  
  I don’t think Shaw inspires many votes personally.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:31am
  - sooty
    
    When is he going to be rolled by a male mung bean muncher?
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:38am
- KevO'Brien
  
  The Census is important and the changes between periods give very useful indicators for public and private planning.
  Shaw is likely no more competent than other COL ministers and is muddling through.
  
  I suspect the Dept was caught by some tech sales team or a belief that a computer can do everything. Boeing seem to be in that trap too–technology only works to the point where a irreversible breakdown occurs. As everyone works independently to be always improving their parts they eventually collide.
  
  Somethings are best done with human supervision. I hope Stats can fill the gaps adequately and I would expect a competent Dept to have know how to detect the gaps and compensate for them. Big data collection will always have compromises. Providing the political scrutineers are satisfied that electoral outcomes will not be jeopardised we can move on.
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:23am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Where was James Shaw on Census Day 2018?
  
  1) At his desk, making sure the Census ran smoothly, or
  2) Visiting the Pacific?
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:41am
freethinker

Listening to AM this morning and the interruption free interview between garner & ardern when she said stats had been told to save 5% on the failed census so blaming National. I understood Bill English substantially increased Stats Census funding but would welcome confirmation which may possibly confirm that the pm is lying again.
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April 30, 2019 8:10am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  The 2013 census budget was $72 million,
  The 2018 census budget was $113 million.
  https://twitter.com/GraemeEdgeler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1122774292561666048&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fyournz.org%2F2019%2F04%2F30%2Fcensus-failures-and-political-accusations%2F
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:21am
  - krazykiwi
    
    So yes, the PM is lying again. Will she be challenged by the media? Of course not.
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:29am
    - namron
      
      Coping with the continual biased and undeserved adoration of Miss Ardern is made easier to endure
      when remembering that old moral –
      “Pride comes before a fall.”
      And- the greater the pride, the further the fall.”
      We just need a bit of patience in the meantime.
      
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      April 30, 2019 9:14am
      - sooty
        
        Cencus got an extra $41mill with a extra top up by Cindy.
        Which means a total of $47mill more than last time!
        Cindy is lying again!
        How are you going to spin that one, fakeurnalists
        
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        April 30, 2019 10:43am
  - hullkiwi
    
    So Ardern is [mod] playing fast an loose with budgets again. Yesterday, the govt approved on $16mill extra to Stats NZ for the Census. $6mill of that money is to fix up the data from lady year’s failure.
    
    With that extra $6mill the allocation has now been $119mill for a shambles? How much money do they need to get the job done right. Sorry but with that level of incompetence both McPherson (Head of Stats NZ) and Shaw should be tendering their resignations!
    
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    April 30, 2019 8:32am
  - Local Miller
    
    That’s a whopping 56.9% increase from the previous census, plus any savings made because the intermediate census was planned but never executed. Compared to this, even if National did ask for a 5% saving, that would still be $107.3 million, or 50% increase over the 2013 census. That is one serious lie from JA and Shaw. I hope this is raised in the house, with that much extra money to splash about the census should have been a cinch.
    Shaw and the head of StatsNZ should be out!
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:33am
    - Wired-one
      
      What’s wrong with a government asking for one of their departments to cut wastage? National increased their budget significantly to cope with the move to online forms, which was what they should do. But surely all government agencies and departments should be cutting out the frivolous spending and excess staff where possible? This country is turning to shit if this is suddenly something to be outraged about. Taxpayer money should be treated with the respect it deserves.
      
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      April 30, 2019 3:41pm
  - freethinker
    
    Thanks Maggie, I am writing to AM pointing out the PM error (Lie) but don’t expect even an acknowledgment.
    
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    April 30, 2019 11:07am
    - freethinker
      
      Garner Interviews Ardern – a copy of my e-mail to Newshub –
      Good Morning
      Further to my e-mail sent yesterday, I listened to garner interview ardern this morning without interruption but failed to correct her on her comment that National had reduced Stats Census budget when in fact it was increased by $41 million, the 5% she referred to was in relation to head count reduction of staff required. Knowing the actual $ amount allocated would suggest ardern has lied yet again or more generously was so selective in the wording as to be deliberately misleading, neither of which is a desirable quality in someone appointed to lead the country. Garners bias is so obvious that he cannot be considered an effective interviewer. Please bring back Ryan.
      
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      April 30, 2019 11:36am
- Tricati
  
  Yes the National Government increases Stats NZ funding by around 30 Million to aid the implementation of the on-line system to my knowledge – This over and above the cost of the system itself.
  The 5% reduction was to take account of the reduction in headcount as a result of the on-line system. I thought they had around 17,000 staff for the census and that could be reduced to around 5000 when on-line fully implemented.
  It just seems Stats NZ have screwed it up royally, and Shaw is looking for a scapegoat.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:27am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Nor was she allowed to reply about asking for extra funding from The COL over and above what the top up already given by National.
    
    Duncan was getting her to try and blame National.
    
    Duncan, more transparent than the government.
    
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    April 30, 2019 11:43am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Isn’t it funny how Garner constantly interrupts Simon Bridges, demanding answers to a different question to that which is being answered, whilst he sits in reverent silence when the PM is answering the questions her office approved for him to ask.
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:43am
  - sooty
    
    He’s overalled by her presence!
    He goes all weak kneed and is struck dumb!
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:46am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Bridges needs media training NOW.
    
    Winston doesn’t let interviewers get away with this sort of nonsense.
    
    Bridges needs to take a firm line in interviews and deliver short crisp replies.
    
    I could sort him out in half-a-day.
    
    Tip one:
    
    Go back and listen to a couple of his rambling replies.
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:59am
    - brett68
      
      Bridges believes he’s doing an awesome job, why would someone who’s doing so well need training?
      
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      April 30, 2019 11:49am
    - Overworked
      
      I heard that he has had plenty, with little effect. (This is 3rd or 4th hand so not sure how reliable that info actually is.)
      
      But for someone with such a dire camera presence, it would be hard to believe interventions haven’t been attempted.
      
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      April 30, 2019 12:15pm
      - waikatogirl
        
        True, the camera just doesn’t love him. Could be their camera angles? He looks awkward half the time.
        
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        April 30, 2019 12:57pm
Happychappy

Jacinda is trying to make a name for herself by taking on the social network sights worldwide and will end up like her plan on child poverty which she promised would make a great difference. But like like Gun law has been rushed and like the past could need more legislation.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/112284082/how-can-upcoming-social-media-efforts-be-global-if-they-ignore-asia
This is will end up like child poverty no figure to prove it worth and social network laughing at her half naked ideas.
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April 30, 2019 8:16am
- Overworked
  
  Rinse your mouth out. Don’t you know JacinDuh is a World Leader?
  
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  April 30, 2019 12:16pm
The Heat

Why do we still have census? The government is flooded with data that can be layered and cross-referenced to provide far greater insight than questions on a form. IRD data, for example.
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April 30, 2019 8:19am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Apparently
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:39am
herb1

why no whale oil today?
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April 30, 2019 8:19am
- brett68
  
  Probably because of the company who own whale oil has gone into liquidation
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/111560086/whale-oil-company-previously-owned-by-cameron-slater-goes-into-liquidation
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:51am
- secondcumming
  
  Perhaps you haven’t paid *your sub* herb?
  Up and running since 7 am……
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:06am
- KevO'Brien
  
  It’s there now 10:36am.
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:26am
Maggie Pie

Exciting news for all Muslim insomniacs – only 3 more sleeps till Ramadan!
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April 30, 2019 8:24am
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, exciting for whom?
  
  https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/387916/plans-to-increase-mosque-security-during-ramadan
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:15am
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    I thought Ramadan was dangerous (about 6% increase in terrorist incidents) mostly due to ‘friendly fire’ from other Muslim sects indulging in their usual hangry global bomb-a-thon?
    
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    April 30, 2019 12:07pm
    - waikatogirl
      
      Perhaps if they ate something! Starving yourself is not a good idea.
      
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      April 30, 2019 1:01pm
Lee C

In my opinion, the media are engaging in a protracted campaign to have Simon Bridges ousted from his role as Leader of the Opposition.

The campaign has predicated on his unsuitability for the role, and has either sidelined him as irrelevant, refused to provide air-space for his views and policies and has damned him with faint praise while at the same time, engaging in a cheerleader stance for the Leader of the Labour Party, and Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

There has been what I’d call a ‘sniggering campaign’ established and maintained by a small but influential group of journalists who feel that they hold the public’s interest so much that they are entitled to employ innuendo, sniping and re-framing of issues so that it disadvantages Simon Bridges.

Most recently, a raft of ‘coincidental’ articles all outlining why they feel Bridges will be ‘rolled’ ‘sometime soon’.

Now I feel that the worst of these offenders is not Barry Soper, who has a long and partisan presence in the media, or HDPA, ditto, or Campbell, or even Hooten who appears to be playing some bizarre semiotic role-play game, but Bryce Edwards, who disappointingly, recently used his political commentary to rehash the ‘Coup against Bridges’ narrative, but signally fails to critique the motives or rationales for the statements in the outlets he reports.

We live in an interesting era, in which a minister of the crown an openly call for state-oversight of the media, and the very media she mentions are universally compliant.

In which a Prime Minister can unilaterally change laws, make captain’s calls, and ride over the spirit (if not the intent) of the constitution, to media adulation.

We live in an era, in which the most qualified commentary on our political system, when charged with applying a blow-torch to the political landscape – instead of commenting on the media circle-jerk and evaluating its relevance to the political process, simply racks up with a fresh cream-cracker for ‘the media’ to ejaculate on.

I have no strong opinion about Bridges himself.

But, it is not (contrary to their own hubris) the media’s job to hire and fire Ministers, Leaders of the Opposition, or even the tooth-fairy, come to think of it..
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April 30, 2019 8:30am
- Gravelroad
  
  And when they achieve their aim of getting rid of Mr Bridges- then what?
  They’ll just start undermining his successor.
  With the left and their enablers it is more than focussing on intimidating political opponents personally, it is ensuring centre right parties do not hold power.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:39am
  - Happychappy
    
    It is same Journalists that went after Bill English in 2001 and never let him forget it even though he had proved his credentials in and before 2017. Funny enough it is mainly the same people that wanted to send National a message and voted for NZ First that are undermining Simon Bridges that are doing all they can to get rid of him with most backing Judith Collins. So after they change the Leadership and whoever is at the helmet and we lose the 2020 Election these same people will start rocking the boat for another leader. If we should have learnt one thing from Labour it is you can’t keep changing leaders in the hope of getting a John Key or Jacinda Adern as they just don’t come around that often.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:06am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      Dead right Happychappy.
      
      Just imagine if National rolled Bridges, and Collins was installed as leader. Does anyone seriously think the media wouldn’t go through her record with a fine-toothed comb in order to discredit her?
      
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      April 30, 2019 9:17am
      - hullkiwi
        
        This 1984 to 1987 all over again. The caucus voted in McLay, but he was not the”media/people’s choice.” Consequently, we got Bolger (a Muldoonist), who made limited inroads in 1987 – we won back ECB and Pakuranga from Social Credit. National won in 1990, because Labour had ripped itself apart and the economy was nose diving – that election was there for the taking.
        
        If the carry on within the caucus is true, then National MPs and the organisation have not learned the lessons of the past.
        
        Both the caucus and the organisation need to learn the lessons that has made the party successful in 197t, 1990 and 2008 and apply them quick. Because next year is there for the taking. But to do it we need a party that has an agreed strategy, is unified and is focused.
        
        PS. If JLR is a distraction, then maybe it is time to weigh the pro and cons of dumping him. The whole party must make a decision and live with the consequences. When the media smell this type of blood, they are not the Party’s friends.
        
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        April 30, 2019 9:52am
      - mic
        
        I don’t know why we bother with elections as it seems the media chooses our PM.
        
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        April 30, 2019 11:50am
    - Local Miller
      
      Heaven forbid National gets a Jacinda Adern! You want two leaders totally out of their depth?
      
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      April 30, 2019 9:39am
    - gravedodger
      
      Of course the chorus singing Bridges is gone never refer to the times not long past when a Ms Clark rolled Mike Moore, was dogged by poor polling, lost an election and faced down an attempted Coup from Goofy and Sullen before six years into her leadership she buried Shipley then ruled for nine years.
      Bridges who was voted in by a caucus pretty united.
      Of course the socialist MSM would like nothing more than an extended leadership stoush while the scabs continue to be lifted on the performance of the worst government ever, it is their only hope.
      
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      April 30, 2019 10:50am
    - Bill felt
      
      “in the hope of getting a John Key or Jacinda Adern”
      
      Please do not put Ardern in the same camp as Key. Remember Ardern was never the leader of the opposition and never lead from the front in the house. She was gifted the Lab leader role 5 mins before the election!
      
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      April 30, 2019 10:57am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Some of us are rejoining the National Party–the tide is not all one way. The COL in common with their heritage are bullies and underground operators–National have never been. National are not ideologues but are capable of government which requires knowledge, adaptability and integrity. The COL are driven by power: National by service.
  ☑️ ☑️
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:41am
  - brett68
    
    What does National stand for?
    
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    April 30, 2019 11:51am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      National at a minimum gives freedom and encouragement to get on with life coupled with ability and integrity in government. Vastly different from ideologues ex fishnchp shops and people so green a good dose of Magenta is called for to flush out their fufu valves.
      
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      April 30, 2019 3:03pm
      - brett68
        
        They need to get that message out there.
        
        Nationals in desperate need of an elevator pitch at the moment if you asked most people what National stood for they’d look at you with a blank face and say buggered if I know?
        
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        April 30, 2019 5:57pm
- Bill felt
  
  Lee C, I agree with you completely. If you look at Bridges and Ardern there is no comparison as to their capabilities, experience, education, acheivements,…..
  and yet the lightweight Ardern gets all the positive press despite constant major cockups, and Bridges gets beaten up over nothing. More so, there does appear to be a co-ordinated campaign to discredit Bridges.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:46am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Spot on Lee. O’Brien seems determined to get a leadership notch on her belt, but her opinions are anything but objective. Her biased cheerleading for Jami-Lee Ross is but one example.
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:55am
- Paulus
  
  Why are the media afraid of Bridges ?
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:12am
  - Tricati
    
    He has the ability to think – A trait sorely missing in our PM
    
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    April 30, 2019 11:52am
- waikatogirl
  
  When a journalist says Simon “could be rolled soon, or in 3-4 months” you know they are guessing or hoping to encourage his downfall.
  
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  April 30, 2019 1:08pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Sayonara Emperor Akihito.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Japanese_imperial_transition
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April 30, 2019 8:31am
Odakyu-sen

The new era is the “Reiwa Era.” All the newly minted coins will have “Reiwa Year 1” stamped on them (not in English).
The last era was the Heisei Era that lasted 30 years from 1989. Before that, the Showa Era which stretched all the way back to before the Pacific War.
Interestingly, the character for the “wa” of “Reiwa” is the same as the “wa” in “Showa,” so maybe it will be back to the future for Japan.
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April 30, 2019 8:40am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I see the new Emperor is not a marine biologist like his father and grandfather were.
  
  His Master’s thesis is:
  “A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century “
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:40am
- rangitoto
  
  Does that mean the Government will be replaced by a Shogunate.
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:52am
brett68

What was Bridges relationship with the media like before he became leader? was he considered an arrogant, pompous wanker like Cunliffe?

Cunliffe never stood a chance either because the media hated the man.

Of course this is not the way any decent media should operate but that’s the way modern media works, you’ve got to have a leader who has built a rapport with the MSM, otherwise they will struggle.
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April 30, 2019 8:41am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Cunliffe never stood a chance because most of the Labour caucus hated him. It was the party rank and file and the unions that got him elected. He got just FOUR first preference votes in the leadership race, including his own!
  
  Remember the ABC group in Caucus; Anyone But Cunliffe?
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:56am
- kowtow
  
  Nah , they should take the fight to the media , start talking straight , what the voters want to hear , that would make a change , stop pandering to the PC mealy mouths .
  
  Works for Trump and Farage .
  
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  April 30, 2019 8:58am
  - brett68
    
    Bridges doesn’t have that ability, which isn’t surprising with his background.
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:03am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      If you want to be a successful National leader you need to be able to banter entertainingly on More FM and the Rock for 5-10 minutes a week. Because that is the only wide spread unfiltered/unbiased media access to the wider voting public you will ever get.
      
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      April 30, 2019 9:36am
    - Happychappy
      
      And of course you have the ability to judge. So please tell us what qualifications you have to comment on his background.
      
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      April 30, 2019 10:21am
      - Overworked
        
        It’s the sum of subjective voter impression that counts, and Urban’s comment reflects his impression. So I think it’s valid in that respect.
        
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        April 30, 2019 12:22pm
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Should he moonlight as a DJ, as opposed to a grown up then?
      
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      April 30, 2019 11:30am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        No, but he needs to:
        
        (1) consider who the listening audience is (and they are not fellow debating champs)
        
        (2) keep control of the interview ,
        and
        
        (3) deliver short, sharp sound bites.
        
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        April 30, 2019 1:52pm
      - UrbanNeocolonialist
        
        Above all he needs to be more relatable. Someone that people would happily hang out with – someone they could trust on a personal level.
        
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        April 30, 2019 10:20pm
  - Wired-one
    
    Completely agree, I want Simon to come out and call bullshit on Arderns lies and this governments incompetence. He should be dominating interviews and not putting up with nonsense questions in a similar manner to how Winston manages them, minus the arrogance of course. I want to see some passion and fire in the belly, tell kiwis about the worsening poverty and welfare numbers, explain your plan with detailed policy and targets, show us a vision for the future and where your policies will take us. Come on Simon, you will never out nice Ardern, so kick her head in on policy and detail, be a leader!.
    
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    April 30, 2019 3:57pm
  - Rob2
    
    Nah. Stop talking to the media and talk straight to the voters just like Trump did.BUT make sure they have something to say about what matters to those voters.
    
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    April 30, 2019 7:06pm
secondcumming

BREAKING – The NY Times reports:

A very ‘humble and modest’ Islamic State leader *Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi*, with beard died ginger and looking somewhat overweight, has made his reappearance in this ISIS made video…….

https://twitter.com/nytimesworld/status/1122950699795517440
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April 30, 2019 8:46am
- cmm
  
  Both grey and ginger?
  
  Maybe it’s a rainbow beard to reflect their new inclusive gay-friendly policies.
  
  Or maybe not.
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:03am
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    This could go a long way to explaining the link between ginger and radical Islam…
    
    Isn’t the ginger gene said to have originated in the Middle Eastern region? (This could explain a lot of the madness…)
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:36am
    - cmm
      
      Japanese propaganda.
      
      Many of those with Neanderthal ancestry also have red hair.
      
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      April 30, 2019 3:41pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Fairly common for muslim men to dye their beards orange – using henna.
  
  http://humansarefree.com/2015/05/prophet-mohammed-used-red-henna-to-dye.html
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:55am
  - kloyd0306
    
    …and very common that gay muslim men die…..
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:33am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I wonder if the carpets match thed rapes?
    
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    April 30, 2019 1:39pm
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Do you? I don’t.
      
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      April 30, 2019 3:40pm
- Inandout
  
  Those ISies always seem to have a gun beside them. Has it something to do with bodily members?
  
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  April 30, 2019 10:20am
Im Right

Regarding the 2018 census…can anyone really believe Shaw/Arden will extrapolate the current data (fill in the gaps) to advance any policy they wish to enact by using the missing numbers in their favour (and the Maori specific policies)? This has handed the CoL a free hand to make decisions based on policy and not actual data/numbers and as such should be scrutinised by opposition and MSM at every turn! (OK, I am over reaching adding in MSM there sorry)
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April 30, 2019 8:48am
Paulus

Looks as though Bagdadi has a Dead beard but a ginger Dyed one !
US spelling ?
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April 30, 2019 8:54am
Albert_Ross

There were some odd comments in yesterday’s discussion about Wellington’s proposal to increase the cost of residents parking permits which made me wonder what some kiwibloggers actually understand by right and left wing politics.

There is no doubt that Wellington’s Council is largely left-wing. Plenty of their policies attest to that, regrettably. But this particular proposal is not left-wing, quite the contrary.

Thinking you know better than people themselves do, and thus forcing them to pay for a resource whether they want it or or not – that is left-wing. Expecting to be given stuff at others’ expense, that is left-wing.

Managing the allocation of a scarce resource by putting a price on it and leaving it to individuals to decide whether they want it enough to pay that price or would rather keep the money and do without the resource – that is solid market-based economics-informed policy and as such I would have thought it squarely the territory of the right.

Those who don’t agree – How would you expect a right-wing administration to address this particular issue?
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April 30, 2019 9:08am
- Dafixeruppa
  
  I upticked you add you are correct, but what we’d like to see is them not taking car parks away to install cycle lanes and not spend $29,000 per cyclist on cycle lanes, instead spend the money on new, bigger and earthquake proof car parking buildings in the CBD and at the train stations to cater to those who pay their salaries.
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:21am
  - CHFR1
    
    I did the same for the same reason. Our mayor, like the one before him, is on a crusade to save us from ourselves. I attended a function with him a couple of weeks ago and he is a piece of work, wants us to all move into the city so we don’t need cars.
    For someone like me who lives in the burbs and works from home, when I go into town to see clients I will see 3-4 in a trip all over the city and having my car makes this a lot more convenient than taking the bus. Hubby takes the bus each day as it is more convenient than taking a car.
    I have no issue with paying for my parking but I do have an issue with paying more for a resource being artificially restricted as it is being done (that is a real left wing concept).
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:56am
    - Ross12
      
      I was told the other day that the new apartments being built on the land formally occupied by the Farmers store (between Victoria Street and Cuba Mall ) will cost $600K for a one bed apartment. I can see people rushing in from the suburbs to buy them –Tui ad.
      ( They are being promoted as Wellingtons first fully solar powered apartments, apparently. They might find a few suckers to believe that)
      
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      April 30, 2019 11:52am
    - mark15
      
      Chfr1 hey you don’t have to justify your use of a car to me.
      However,try telling strangers in the pub that you enjoy shooting…
      
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      April 30, 2019 12:12pm
    - Overworked
      
      He fails to realise that if NZ’ers wanted to live like laboratory rats, they would do so overseas where earnings are a hell of a lot higher and cost of living often lower.
      
      We all came back for the space, lawn for the kids, distance from the damned neighbours.
      
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      April 30, 2019 7:22pm
  - Albert_Ross
    
    They don’t even have to do that. All they need to do is not stand in the way of a private company that wants to provide parking on a commercial basis. If it’s the case, as often alleged here, that Wilson’s are overcharging for a poor quality offering, there is a clear opportunity to compete with lower prices and/or better quality.
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:18am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Where are you going to put such buildings in the CBD? If you put the elsewhere how are they going to traverse the CBD?
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:29am
- Rachael Membery
  
  By not limiting supply at the same time.
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:27am
wreck1080

Brian Tamaki is behaving like spoiled little brat.

May the government never do business with this wacko!

Although, I concede Tamaki has done some good in keeping some wannabe gang members off the streets. But, I think his motivation is selfish more than altruistic.
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April 30, 2019 9:14am
- Bill felt
  
  Tamaki has an important roll to play. He may take his religious supporters over to the New Conservatives, thus depriving LAB of a big block of votes.
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:24am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Someone has to stand up for Christians, if not Brian, who? At least he is prepared to put his head above the parapet for his flock.
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:24am
  - sooty
    
    Do you think he would have celebrated easter?
    
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    April 30, 2019 3:52pm
Nukuleka

I notice that the BBC always refer to parties on the right of centre as ‘far right’ yet never employ the term ‘far left’. Socialists are always just that- ‘socialists’, almost as though this is a badge of honour. Read any account of the European political landscape, such as the recent Spanish elections, and you will see the identical pattern: socialist and left= good; anything more conservative is ‘far-right’= beyond the pale. The BBC doesn’t even bother to hide its obvious bias. I’m amazed that they are permitted to get away with it.
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April 30, 2019 9:55am
- mikenmildagain
  
  That’s quite simply untrue. Google BBC and far left to check.
  
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  April 30, 2019 1:18pm
Hugh Pavletich

… AUSTRALIA …

Property prices: Sydney slump to be sharpest in two decades … Nine Finance … Nine Finance

https://finance.nine.com.au/2019/04/29/14/22/just-two-capital-cities-bucking-national-property-price-downturn

Sydney’s property downturn will be the sharpest in more than two decades, with median house prices expected to dip below $1 million in the coming quarter.

This is the according to the Domain House Price Report for the March quarter, which revealed Sydney house prices have fallen 14.3 per cent from the mid-2017 peak. … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
Walking away: Greenfield lot defaults hit 27 per cent in Melbourne … Australian Financial Review (behind paywall)

https://www.afr.com/real-estate/residential/walking-away-greenfield-lot-defaults-hit-27-per-cent-in-melbourne-20190424-p51grz

One in four new home buyers in Sydney and Melbourne is defaulting on their housing lot purchases due mainly to financing and valuation shortfalls, forcing developers to resell these lots in a market where monthly sales rates have hit seven-year lows, new figures show. … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
90 @ 9 Report … 30 April 2019 … Interest Co NZ

https://www.interest.co.nz/news/99415/us-pce-inflation-low-while-consumer-spending-remains-solid-sp500-new-record-high-eu
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April 30, 2019 10:07am
- Hugh Pavletich
  
  Melbourne’s McMansion nuclear bomb detonates ( The Great Melbourne Land Bust ) – Leith van Onselen – MacroBusiness Australia
  … behind paywall … essential reading …
  
  https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2019/04/melbournes-mcmansion-nuclear-bomb-detonates/
  
  … concluding …
  
  … Today, Research4 reports that 27% of new-home buyers in Melbourne defaulted on their lot purchase in the March quarter, compared with 2% at the same time in 2018. Colin Keane of Research4 says the rise in defaults could be attributed to a range of factors, including that contracts signed in mid-2018 are now overvalued by as much as $45,000. Research4 also found that lot sales in Melbourne in the March quarter averaged just 539 a month, compared to the mid-2017 peak of 2,200. From The AFR:
  
  ( Settlement Default Graph )
  
  Research4 director Colin Keane said a cancellation rate above 15 per cent was a “strong red flag” regarding the mindset of “home builders and households”…
  
  He said some Melbourne buyers were walking away and forfeiting their deposits on lots purchased between March 2018 and March 2019 because they were better off resigning at a lower price supported by the current high-valued incentives that have swept through the market…
  
  Had Research4 included more than 1000 Melbourne lots listed privately on the Gumtree Index for nomination sale, the default rate would have been even higher.
  
  The Great Melbourne land bust is here.
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:40pm
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    Talk dirty to us, Hugh….
    
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    April 30, 2019 5:21pm
  - Cobolt24
    
    Credit to investors is basically flat, lowest on record, while it’s up about 6% to owner occupiers
    .
    https://twitter.com/ShaneOliverAMP/status/1123044996326625281
    
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    April 30, 2019 6:52pm
Richard

Labour MP Raymond Huo will step aside as chair of the Justice Select Committee while its members consider the issue of foreign interference, due to a perceived conflict of interest.

Professor Brady’s Magic Weapons paper named Huo as someone who “works very closely with PRC representatives in New Zealand” and had connections to the United Front, a Chinese government department that promotes the CCP’s values at home and with the Chinese diaspora.
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April 30, 2019 10:54am
- KevO'Brien
  
  The Prof sees Chinese surveilling her–she sure is twitchy, but is she reasonable?
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:13pm
kowtow

From the wtf is this about department .

Indonesia.

‘Election commission official says 272 workers died mostly from overwork-related illnesses days after disputed polls.’

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/04/indonesia-270-election-staff-died-fatigue-190428131258785.html
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April 30, 2019 11:10am
Burg

I notice the Herald is now putting their paywall up around selected stories.Today they hid news about the trouble Shane Jones is causing,but left the one about Judith Collins that could be seen as damaging to National open for all to view.

It will be interesting to see if there is balance in how they use this paywall.It could be a powerful tool if used in the hands of the unscrupulous.
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April 30, 2019 11:17am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  I made the very same observation.
  I will never subscribe to the paywall so that’s probably the end of the Harold for me.
  
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  April 30, 2019 11:56am
- brett68
  
  You’ve also got TVNZ interested in buying stuff.
  
  Total media control for the left.
  
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  April 30, 2019 12:03pm
- Rachael Membery
  
  Exactly what I thought that they would do.
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:42pm
The Heat

NZ Herald off to amusing start with their paid option. I conducted a search on one of their so-called “premium” articles. Found what appears to be a free online version within two seconds:

https://www.wantedonline.co.za/voices/interviews/2019-04-29-warren-buffett-on-luck-expectations-and-finding-value-in-an-overheated-market/

The jury remains out on whether Lizzie is considered premium content, as yet.
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April 30, 2019 11:20am
freethinker

Garner Interviews Ardern – a copy of my e-mail to Newshub –
Good Morning
Further to my e-mail sent yesterday, I listened to garner interview ardern this morning without interruption but failed to correct her on her comment that National had reduced Stats Census budget when in fact it was increased by $41 million, the 5% she referred to was in relation to head count reduction of staff required. Knowing the actual $ amount allocated would suggest ardern has lied yet again or more generously was so selective in the wording as to be deliberately misleading, neither of which is a desirable quality in someone appointed to lead the country. Garners bias is so obvious that he cannot be considered an effective interviewer. Please bring back Ryan.
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April 30, 2019 11:42am
Lee C

Richard …just waiting for the massive headline…

Nope, still waiting. [checks watch] nope, nothing yet…
[checks calendar]

Oh well. I suppose it just wasn’t ‘newsworthy’ enough.
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April 30, 2019 11:42am
Jack5

Michael Reddell on his Croaking Cassandra blog continues to keep Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr under scrutiny.

Today, Michael Reddell looks at Orr’s move to hire a “Cultural Capability Adviser Maori”. He’s dug out by official information request this:

“Te Ao Maori strategy will be a broad based strategy that will affect the bank’s key functions: monetary policy, financial stability, currency, and other operations.”

Reddell also clarifies figures on the size of the “Maori economy”, figures which have been bandied about widely in the news media.

https://croakingcassandra.com/
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April 30, 2019 11:43am
Lee C

Maggy: ‘Bridges needs communications training.’
Me: ‘National needs a communications strategy’.

How fucking hard is that to grasp?

You are talking a weekend retreat, some brainstorming and a strategy direction.

You think Jacinda Ardern didn’t get that kind of coaching –

Really, you think she’s a’natural’?

Sort it out, you numpties.

Train Bridges to deal with hostile reporters, train him to keep it snappy, train him to pick a talking point and stick to it. You could probably train a monkey to do these things – and this is supposed to be someone who aspires to PM-status.
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April 30, 2019 12:14pm
- brett68
  
  They’re really missing Steven Joyce.
  
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  April 30, 2019 12:22pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Same old, same old meme of the day. I am going to have to put daily fishnchips on mine.
  ☑️☑️
  ☑️☑️
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:10pm
alien

huh. The palace has been made to delete a tweet from William from meeting one of the shooting victims.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/04/kensington-palace-deletes-christchurch-victim-tweets-after-potential-breach-of-nz-law-exposed.html

“Kensington Palace has deleted two tweets after a legal expert told Newshub that despite the account’s “good intentions”, it may have broken New Zealand law.

The tweets featured a photo, video and the full name of a five-year-old child injured in the Christchurch shooting. Prominent private investigator Tim McKinnel said that could constitute a breach of our suppression legislation.

The former police officer says by identifying the girl – who is still recovering in hospital – Kensington Palace violated section 204 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011, which grants automatic suppression to all complainants and witnesses under 18.”

now because the article says it could be a breach of the law I wont link to it other than to say that stuff has her full name and photo on an artcile as well. as do newtalk zb, the nzherald. A few have it up. SO why make a fuss about the palace when the NZ media are publishing her photo and name
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April 30, 2019 1:54pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The child could only be a possible witness–has any child of 5 ever appeared before as such in a NZ Court criminal Court trial? An excess of zeal is still being fostered.
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:08pm
- alien
  
  ok so updated, the government of NZ told the palace to delete the tweets. Well, hmmm, so why hasn’t the government told all the news sites in NZ to delete their articles that name and show this girl.
  
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  April 30, 2019 4:30pm
calendar girl

I have listened to the Prime Minister’s opening address to today’s Parliament.

Why does our Prime Minister repeatedly pronounce the letter “t” as a “d”? Will she not even attempt to shed this embarrassing speech impediment?
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April 30, 2019 2:24pm
- alien
  
  never noticed, I was too busy noticing the fake sympathy in her voice and trying to work out when her crocodile tears would begin. She just didnt feel genuine at all. Her compassion felt forced.
  
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  April 30, 2019 2:52pm
- stephieboy
  
  Does anyone out there in the real world actually care about such trivia?
  
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  April 30, 2019 2:58pm
  - sooty
    
    No one cares what you think!
    Welcome back stephieboy.
    
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    April 30, 2019 3:48pm
  - Tall Man
    
    I see you’re back steffy girl and behaving exactly the same way.
    
    I would have thought your time in the wilderness may have given you time to reflect on your posting habits and trying to make an effort to engage…but I guess not.
    
    You will be pleased to learn that we are no longer able to call ardern a liar unless it relates to a specific topic like her lies over the budget allowances for Stats NZ where she again blatantly lied and was not picked up on it by garner…. still same old same old….you’re back and ardern is still lying.
    
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    April 30, 2019 4:22pm
  - calendar girl
    
    I don’t know the answer to your specific question, stephie. But do I myself care?
    
    As a parent I care a great deal, because I’v learned at first hand how youngsters imitate (and model their own behaviour on that of) prominent leaders in society. I don’t fancy the chances of our kids going to the UK on their great OE, for example, only to find that they can’t secure a paying job even as a shop assistant. Not because they have a NZ accent – that’s widely accepted – but because they bastardise the English language by routinely transposing specific consonants in common words.
    
    So, stephie, you just continue to create excuses for, or diversions from, the sloppy speech patterns of our Prime Minister. After all, she’s a university graduate in “communications”, no less, so she must have learned how to “speak proper”.
    
    For myself I find her constant mispronunciation of the letter “t” an embarrassment – not the fact that she actually developed the unfortunate habit at some stage, but that she and her advisers have taken no apparent steps to eradicate it from her speech patterns.
    
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    April 30, 2019 5:16pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Still, if your kids are heading for New York or Chicago, they might want to master the flapped-t pronunciation that our PM has mastered.
      
      https://www.gonaturalenglish.com/how-to-make-the-flapped-t-sound-like-an-american-native-english-speaker/
      
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      April 30, 2019 7:50pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Have they let her back in again?
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:04pm
- krazykiwi
  
  She struggles with de reo too 🙂
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:08pm
- rangitoto
  
  Poverdy is a lot easier to solve than poverty.
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:25pm
  - sooty
    
    The first one is mearly one letter.
    The second is the world!
    
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    April 30, 2019 3:46pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I thought I had already explained this one….
  
  Ardern is a t-flapper
  
  It’s technically known as alveolar flapping.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flapping
  
  Seemed to be on the increase amongst NZ women a few years back.
  https://www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/resources/Publications/nzej-backissues/2008-Winston-Silby.pdf
  
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  April 30, 2019 4:18pm
- howitis
  
  So is her real name meant to be Jacinta but her parents just gave up on correcting her?
  
  Dea for Dwo!
  Has she ever had a boyfriend called Dimothy?
  Dim for short.
  
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  April 30, 2019 4:30pm
wreck1080

When things get too expensive, why is the first answer for many to implement government price controls?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112338633/wellington-mayor-calls-for-insurance-forum-after-iags-price-hike-announcement

“It may be that the Government needs to consider what insurance companies are required to offer in a market, and they may have to offer an affordable option where they operate.

I firstly predict that will never happen.. and if it did, many people would not be able to get insurance at all.
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April 30, 2019 2:48pm
alien

Staurt Nash is saying he has never recomended people hand their guns into the police station. He recomends that they use the website or phone number and the police will collect the weapon. Hmmm ok. So then where do the police store them? Obviously the police station.
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April 30, 2019 3:13pm
Monique Watson

It’s considered sexy here overseas.
https://bigseventravel.com/2019/04/top-50-sexiest-accents-in-the-world-2019/
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April 30, 2019 3:17pm
- sooty
  
  You lucky thing, you!
  
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  April 30, 2019 3:44pm
RW Capitalist

Did I hear correctly
This morning on the AM show, the lawyer for the Pike river families basically said there were flaws in the design that allowed the methane to seep back into the drift. Where there were NON intrinsically safe electrical cabinets and non intrinsically safe switch gear for the exhaust fan.
and
That Peter Whittle was NOT the manager at the time, BUT someone COULD be prosecuted if negligence was found.
“reading between the lines”
Since Pike river mine was actually operational when National was elected.
ALL the safety standards had been approved under the LABOUR govt. and basically signed off by the EPMU.
Will the person to be procecuted be
A N D R E W L I T T L E?
and who ever signed off the safety paperwork?
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April 30, 2019 4:36pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Well, that’s an entertaining fantasy.
  
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  April 30, 2019 6:10pm
- Ian Boag
  
  10 years after the event … some lawyer unearths this previously unknown technical stuff … wot?
  
  There was a book about Pike River … apparently corners were cut all over the place once it opened up.
  
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  April 30, 2019 6:17pm
MickMac

so Notre Dame maybe iffy reporting…
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/04/the_notre_dame_fire_conclusions_enforced_embeforeem_the_evidence_was_examined.html
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April 30, 2019 4:55pm
Johnboy

Hey look! 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/112352168/meth-nzs-top-drug–its-in-the-water
Poor old Welly! 🙂
We’ll be best for anti-depressants cause we have to put up with the pollies here! 🙂
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April 30, 2019 4:59pm
- nasska
  
  Pah! In the Wairarapa Valbazen is the party drug of choice! 🙂
  
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  April 30, 2019 5:46pm
Johnboy

Jeeze! It’s sad crap here at GD these days! Once upon a time I’d have been trying to cheer it on to 4 or 500 by this time of the night! 🙂
So much for really nice/all inclusive/never offend even the nasty bomber sort of folks speech! 🙂
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April 30, 2019 5:19pm
- Ian Boag
  
  Don’t let it slow your flow …
  
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  April 30, 2019 6:05pm
- stigie
  
  “So much for really nice/all inclusive/never offend even the nasty bomber sort of folks speech!”
  
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  April 30, 2019 7:52pm
All_on_Red

Breaking News
Theresa May becomes first Tory leader in 185 years to face a grassroots vote to oust her. PM was told today that a Conservative association chairmen’s petition has succeeded and an Emergency General Meeting will be called.
Another unwanted record for Theresa May: the 1st time in Conservative Party’s 185 year history (since its foundation in 1834) that members have forced an EGM to discuss the leadership. Date will be set after local elections, with 28 days notice. Expected early-mid June.
May has been invited to address the EGM of 800 senior activists, which is likely to become a humiliating public trial, coming just after the forthcoming twin local and euro elections which are shaping up to be a debacle. Vote will be non-binding, but losing it will be very hard for PM to survive.
Fantastic to see the grassroots do what the MPs have failed to do.
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April 30, 2019 5:26pm
- hullkiwi
  
  She should never been considered as leadership material in the first place.
  
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  April 30, 2019 5:57pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    Yeah, they chose her and then she appointed remainers to her Cabinet!
    
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    April 30, 2019 6:18pm
- Ross12
  
  The prediction for the number of Conservative Councillors to lose their seats is huge –polling data (assembled by an Oxford prof. ) says that they could lose over 1000 seats ( about 20% of what they hold).
  Currently the Conservative hold 58% of Council seats (4906 of the 8425 seats).
  So holding this meeting after the Council elections should help those who want to see the back of May.
  
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  April 30, 2019 6:08pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  It’s quite fun watching a political party stab itself in the back, front and sides all at the same time.
  
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  April 30, 2019 6:15pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/112361178/cheap-shot-nz-slams-sri-lankachristchurch-link-terror-claim

Well done Winston.
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April 30, 2019 6:04pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Aussie Journalist (ex-Fairfax) losing the plot
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6097842/ex-journalist-arrested-over-threats-wanted-reprisal-for-christchurch/?cs=14329
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April 30, 2019 6:28pm
- MrTips
  
  IMO, manifesting a paranoid illness. He’s at the top bracket of the age and such an acute, sharp change does not bode well for the next 6 weeks or so. Poor bugger needs help, not attention.
  
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  April 30, 2019 6:53pm
nasska

What the hell is going on in Christchurch?

……”A package containing what is suspected to be a bomb and ammunition has been found at a vacant section in Christchurch this afternoon.”……

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12226620

As long as I can remember Christchurch has been described as the “village of the damned” but I could never really understand why.

But the reason is becoming clearer!
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April 30, 2019 6:47pm
- alien
  
  its not jsut christchurch. There is the man a few weeks ago in the north island arrested with a home made bomb and illegal firearms. Or the boy in hamilton I think it was arrested for sharing the video and planning a school shooting.
  
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  April 30, 2019 7:07pm
alien

Jacinda finally admits what so many knew. IT wasnt that she listened to NZ, it was Winston saved the day

https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/388067/pm-jacinda-ardern-on-capital-gains-tax-i-could-not-get-the-support-of-nz-first

“Ms Ardern said she negotiated with party leaders directly but could not convince NZ First leader Winston Peters.

“No, I could not get the support of NZ First.”

Mr Peters previously said he couldn’t support the government introducing a capital gains tax because he saw no compelling evidence it would improve equality.”
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April 30, 2019 7:17pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Winston calls the shots around this place.
  
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  April 30, 2019 7:52pm
- Humble Capitalist
  
  So if it was only Winston that stopped it why has she ruled it out while leader? Winston might not be there after next year so why doesnt someone ask her about this if she believes in it so much?
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:00pm
  - alien
    
    i think she ruled it out as leader to try to not only save face but because she was pissed. you could tell that by your language she used, and how she was talking to the media.
    
    ITs very obvious in that article she wanted it, has fought for it for so long and still wants it
    
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    April 30, 2019 9:29pm
- Surely Knott
  
  That’s how labour voters like it. They can signal that they want heaps more tax which makes them feel like very nice people. But do they really? Then Winston calls it off. And they get the best of both worlds. They can *feel* like they were better people without the pain. It’s the ego and id government.
  
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  May 1, 2019 11:00am
Maggy Wassilieff

Yesterday mikenmild seemed to pooh pooh my comment that if a Stuff Journalist was in receipt of “top secret” information , they were committing a crime…. seems the Min of Police thinks the same as me.

from oral Q 10 30 April:

Chris Bishop: Is he concerned that part of a top-secret intelligence watch-list of more than 100 people being actively monitored by police post 15 March has been leaked to media; and, if so, what does he intend to do about this appalling breach of security?

Hon STUART NASH: I have not received advice that there was a leak of top-secret information. I have seen media reports that claim material of a top-secret nature has been received by a journalist. But my expectation is that if the Commissioner of Police suspects that there has been a breach of operational protocols, he will attend and investigate it accordingly. I must also say that the unlawful possession of top-secret information is a criminal offence and it is an offence under the Policing Act to release classified information to unauthorised persons.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20190430_20190430_12
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April 30, 2019 9:22pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Sigh. You will note the minister referred to ‘unlawful’ possession. Your comment yesterday linked to a section of the Crimes Act, but you did not appear to have read it, or you might have noticed that section 78A contains some important qualifying words, such as ‘knowingly’, ‘likely’, and intent.
  I am no lawyer, but I’ll bet the journalist(s) involved know more about the relevant law here than you or I.
  
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  April 30, 2019 9:44pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    A Stuff reporter won’t have security clearance for Top Secret government information mma.
    
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    April 30, 2019 10:32pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      To repeat: it is not a matter of having clearance, it is a matter of having a lawful excuse for possession of material.
      Feel free to ask a lawyer about it before you attempt any more facile interpretations of statutes.
      
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      May 1, 2019 6:43am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        It is as I suspected all along…
        the list is not “top secret”.
        
        While the information leaked was not top secret as claimed, a police spokesperson said the matter was being treated very seriously.
        
        https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/388155/christchurch-terror-attacks-police-investigate-leak-of-watchlist-to-media
        
        Stuff journalist making up stuff.
        
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        May 1, 2019 7:39am
stigie

My 7.52 comment was some banter back at Johnboy on the state of his sheep, never any abuse, just banter, was taken down which is a shame.
Where we use to have banter amongst a few of us commenters, the fun and entertainment is now gone.
My interest has diminished. Happy days folks !~

Dave
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April 30, 2019 9:44pm
Hugh Pavletich

… SYDNEY / AUSTRALIA …

… Sydney’s detached house price now $A 1,027,962, which is down 3% in the past 3 months …

Sydney’s median (detached) house prices on track to fall below $1 million, analysts say – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-30/median-sydney-house-prices-could-fall-below-1-million/11057578
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… while for March, the Houston Association of Realtors reports that the single family median house price is $US 240,000 up 2.1% yoy …

Houston Association of Realtors – Latest Monthly Report

https://www.har.com/content/mls
.
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… When does Sydney intend to start sorting out land supply and infrastructure financing … to ALLOW affordable housing to be built ? …

2019 15th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey

http://www.demographia.com/dhi.pdf
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