General Debate 24 May 2019

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krazykiwi

A message to students out protesting today:

Youth is a time filled with vigour, passion and energy. It’s really important to use these attributes as fully as you can while you’re young, knowing as many of us older folks do, that time can dull them. What tends to replace these attributes is wisdom, being a synthesis of time and experience. Wisdom allows you to acknowledge a situation that you’ve learned from, perhaps as a consequence of making a mistake, and to adjust your frame of reference as a consequence. A piece of wisdom I’ve greatly benefitted from is to seek the truth about a matter, looking for evidence from impartial sources before committing to a course of action.

Sadly, those of you joining the ‘strike for climate’ are not wise in this matter. Your youthful enthusiasm has been manipulated by people with an agenda that is about power and control. It’s not about you, it’s not about your future, and it’s not about the future of our planet. Bluntly, you’ve been duped. Sorry, the sad reality is you have been.

So perhaps rather than protest, instead spend some time researching the subject 1st hand. Don’t accept claims that appeal to your emotions, rather than standing alone based on evidence. Recognise the moment where you understand that your emotions and energy have been hijacked, and remember this moment. It’s the key to re-framing your thinking and perhaps as I did, to abandoning second-hand, post-modern ‘truth’, and instead seeking evidence and truth for yourself.

For those of you planting trees and cleaning beaches, good on you. I did these things decades ago in regular school outings. There’s nothing new in caring for the environment. It’s important work, so do it with enthusiasm.
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May 24, 2019 8:01am
- Scott
  
  Krazy Kiwi – good points. For myself I feel angry at the indoctrination they are receiving at taxpayer funded schools through taxpayer funded teachers pushing a globalist agenda.
  
  Caring for the environment is all well and good. Embracing a radical climate change that if implemented would send our economy back to the dark ages is a very dangerous step indeed.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:12am
  - sooty
    
    It’s time NZ bought some water canon trucks!
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:15am
- emmess
  
  Aren’t they good little leftists?
  Conforming to what the politicians, media and academia is telling them.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:45am
  - rockape
    
    A new generation of sheep, just what socialists and the education system want.
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:02am
- rouppe
  
  I read the story on Stuff from Mia Sutherland about how I need to change my lifestyle for her benefit.
  
  It was very confused.
  
  She starts out with the tropes about species extinction, and how natural disasters are going to destroy the planet because of heat caused by climate change.
  
  She then references a link to how 70% of greenhouse gas emissions can be traced back to 100 companies, the top few of which are oil companies.
  
  Her suggestions on what we should do? Make stock out of vegetable ends and bones. Create some cat toys out of toilet rolls. Cut your energy consumption by air-drying clothes.
  
  None of which make any dent in emissions here in NZ.
  
  I’m finding it difficult to take the message seriously.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:14am
  - Random T Person
    
    I haven’t bothered looking up our little dear Mia on social media, but what’s the bet it’s holidays in Aussie, Bali, etc, while the peasants back home must make do with a donkey cart and a daily gruel ration.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:24am
  - Overworked
    
    The measure of her sincerity will be her future refusal to travel by air. Ever. Or to drive or let her parents ferry her to and from any event.
    
    As you say, her examples were absurd, just p***ing in the wind.
    
    At least Greta Thunberg seems to avoid air travel, which is worthy of respect.
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:48am
  - Classic Liberal
    
    *Cat toys*??? What serious environmentalist would have a cat? Bones for stock – long cooking process. Air drying clothes – well who doesn’t, if there’s enough sun. My goodness she sounds silly.
    
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    May 24, 2019 5:29pm
- Hacked-Off
  
  Well said. Personally, I believe that the kids protest will achieve nothing but a feelz-good moment and a sound bite from Cindy. If they were really concerned about the climate then they would buckle down at school so that they became the future politicians, scientists, bureaucrats, technicians, CEOs and inventors who would make our world a better place. All these protests do is disrupt that education process and leave our future world worse off.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:00am
  - Sacha
    
    Children are called children because they are not adults.
    They are under the care and mentorship of their parents.
    They have a lot to learn about life, and living, in their formative years.
    That’s why they go to school.
    To learn, so that they can make good decisions for themselves when they are grown up and have children of their own.
    What is the weak link that enables them to have a louder voice than their short life experience warrants?
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:22am
    - Happychappy
      
      I wonder in a couple of years whether feel the same about their idol Jacinda when the country’s fucked and they can’t get a job. Then there won’t be enough money to highlight J.acinda and Grant’s wellbeing budget.
      
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      May 24, 2019 5:29pm
- The Feed
  
  Seems rather telling that one of the leading voices in Europe is a child with mental health issues.
  
  I find this obvious political agenda of the far left around climate change – a natural process with some influence from man, the degree of same being contentious and unknown – sickening. It’s a question of science, but I’ve yet to meet an advocate who knows much about the science. Their argument is essentially “believe”. No different than fundamentalist religious zealots, and about as credible.
  
  When one does look at the science, it doesn’t take long to realise it’s far from certain. “Believe the scientists!”. Well, which scientists? These ones?
  https://phys.org/news/2018-11-climate-scientists-wrong.html
  
  Anyone with any degree of skepticism should smell a fat, giant, far-left rat.
  
  Don’t be scared, children. It’s mostly…..hot air.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:01am
- Wangas Feral
  
  There was a Children’s Crusade in 1212AD. Look how well that turned out for them.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:30am
- dai
  
  “So perhaps rather than protest, instead spend some time researching the subject 1st hand”.
  It may be that they have done more research than you have
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:15pm
  - krazykiwi
    
    I very much doubt that, given I’ve been involved in this longer than many of those children have been alive
    
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    May 25, 2019 7:50am
andrew davies

“Old white men should move on”.

Is this hate speech and, if so, should it be banned?

Discuss.
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May 24, 2019 8:01am
- hullkiwi
  
  What like Lloyd wearing a “Proud to be white” tee on Wednesday evening?
  
  This on the pretext she was shining a light on racism in NZ because there is someone selling the shirts on TradeMe?
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:14am
  - rouppe
    
    If you’re going to comment on that, you should be accurate.
    
    The t-shirt did NOT say “Proud to be white”.
    
    It said “It’s OK to be white”.
    
    There is a vast difference between those two messages. The neo-fascist left are trying to frame this as white supremacy when it is not.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:03am
    - hullkiwi
      
      Thank you for the correction. However, whichever message it is,the reality is Lloyd a part Maori woman, was able to wear the shirt on prime time National TV and the following day her rationale was that she was highlighting white extremism and racism in NZ. However, if I (as a white middle aged male) were to wear a shirt saying “It’s ok to be Maori” I would be called a promising, racist, appropriator of Maori mana and sovereignty. I see hypocrisy.
      
      By the way Lloyd wore and highlighted the shirt, the messages are, if you are a white kiwi wear such a shirt, you are:
      1. A racist;
      2. A white supremacist;
      And if you are Male and above a certain age:
      3. A stale old male;
      4. An oppressor of women
      
      On top of this the woke left have the afrontary to say Pakehas are paranoid. Given the language used against Pakeha New Zealaners (particularly men) over the past 12 months in NZ, I think some of is are entitled to feel a little paranoid.
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:51pm
  - slightlyrighty
    
    Sorry to be pedantic, but the shirt reads “it’s OK to be white.”
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:35am
    - tf78
      
      I want one which says “I’m White and I’m alright”.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:07am
      - OTGO
        
        I want one that says, “Once they’ve had white they’re never as tight”.
        
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        May 24, 2019 11:20am
    - JibberJabber
      
      I`m a Cracker and I`m OK
      I don`t dress in womens clothing and don`t hang around in Bars.
      
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      May 24, 2019 12:29pm
  - Durden
    
    She is not white is she?
    
    I heard her referred to as a “Maori Princess”. She is lying when she wears that T-shirt, or practicing “cultural appropriation” that her community rails at even with the slightest provocation.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:30am
- John Warren
  
  Far more hateful than calling Golriz a menace, in my estimation.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:16am
  - stephieboy
    
    Paranoia alert !
    
    “Golriz a menace”
    
    ???
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:02am
    - rangitoto
      
      Do you hate free speech SB?
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:18pm
- septic skeptic
  
  That’s the point that hate speech advocates don’t get. In a few years governments will change and thinking will move on. Yes, comments about old white men will probably be defined as hate speech. As will anyone advocating for Maori sovereignty over anything. Lots of things can be construed as hate speech, depending on the viewpoint of the person making the decision.
  It’s why intelligent lefties oppose these laws and defend free speech.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:18am
  - John Warren
    
    I wonder if you haven’t uttered an oxymoron there.
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:40am
    - freethinker
      
      Yes I thought that too, surely being unintelligent, bereft of reality and economically Bankrupt is the essential qualification of a lefty?
      Wrapping Fish & Chips however gains you an exemption.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:13am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    “Lots of things can be construed as hate speech, depending on the viewpoint of the person making the decision.”
    4.5 million different view points in NZ
    which one or group of, are correct?
    Genuine free speech means they are ALL right, all wrong and all at the same time.
    It’s why intelligent lefties oppose these laws and defend free speech.
    I am yet to meet (I’m 59) an “intelligent leftie”, that within 5 minutes of conversation, isn’t left in a screaming puddle of immature self righteous indignation.
    As for free speech, I am yet to know any leftie that doesn’t display the attitude, that speech is free, so long as it is THEIR free speech…yours, not so much.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:05am
    - stephieboy
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      Intelligent alt righter?
      
      Oxymoron if there ever was one!
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:04am
      - Garbageman
        
        Silly Steph your auto correct has changed ima into oxy
        
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        May 24, 2019 11:49am
    - rockape
      
      Is screaming SCAB at co workers hate speech?
      
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      May 24, 2019 11:04am
- KevO'Brien
  
  With genetic ancestors from Ireland, Scotland, Germany and Cockney London why shouldn’t I be white?
  Age what’s that?–The transition from birth to death.
  
  Is this hatred only of male “whites”? My wife can trace her lineage back into 16th c. Ireland and back to 9th c. Robert I of France. Some French royalty were Hugenot so the history of those migrant families is well documented.
  
  About race, there is confusion between those whose language roots go back to proto-indo-european and national settlement groups with diverse migrations. Many were conquered and the remaining modified and integrated. Our national labels are now largely those of consolidated settlements. The labels also often conflate cultural groups with place. Muslims are found world wide but Saudi Arabia would be described as Muslim.
  
  Hate seems to be an expression of disturbance of internal peace. Agitation may bring such disturbance and that’s what polyagits do. Some are forever in a frenzy fomenting potential hate. I could name green MP’s.
  
  Loving your enemy can be very calming.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:27am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Loving your enemy can be very calming.
    BUT
    Laughing at them is much more fun.
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:13pm
Im Right

Seems the left are in meltdown and visceral about the introduction of a Christian based party into NZ politics (there has been a few in the past so not a great surprise)….I would love to see their responses if a Muslim party was formed keeping Islamic theology at the forefront, they would have to support it via sheer hyprocricy even although they say religion and politics should never be mixed but that new Muslim party would get nothing but platitudes and the ‘inclusive’, ‘diversity’, ‘multicultural’ tags!
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May 24, 2019 8:06am
- John Warren
  
  The head of the Christchurch mosque is thinking of standing in the local body elections this year. I admit I haven’t seen his reasons or aims, but imagine for a moment that he is standing on an Islamist platform, and the number of Muslims in Christchurch, and later NZ, were enough to give him wings. We have the prelude to an Islamist party. Welcomed by the left? Included in a future Labour-led coalition government?
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:47am
  - stephieboy
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    John Warren, please don’t spout forth drivel!
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:05am
    - John Warren
      
      It’s not drivel. Simply imagine some circumstances in which an Islamist party gains some traction here, and then ask yourself how the left would react. Would they welcome them with open arms, form coalitions with them, all that sort of stuff?
      
      Think it’s drivel? Take a closer look at what’s happening in Europe.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:41am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      The Australia Muslim Party was formed in 2015 to contest National elections
      https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-34840774
      …..but it’s founder got into a bit of strife
      https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/australian-muslim-party-founder-diaa-mohamed-charged-over-alleged-fraud-racket-20160809-gqoj50.html
      
      https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/political-hopefuls-murky-past-of-debt-fraud-and-underworld-associations-20170512-gw3n5e.html
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:37pm
  - tf78
    
    Look what’s happened in England with their Mayors.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:16am
  - Twinkletoes
    
    Never read the ‘Muslim Brotherhood Project’? You can find it on ‘duckduckgo’, no longer on Google. Turned up in the seventies and was the plan to take over the west using the west’s democratic system.
    
    Get yourself on to the local councils’s, then city councils and then Parliament. Choudry of Helen’s Labour party would probably have been the first but spoilt his future chances by defending stoning of women (only in Islamic countries) on a television slot they geve him and also by saying that the cross on Palmerston North’s Church offended him.
    
    They have started an Islamic Party in Denmark which also has MMP – if the muslims started one here and every muslim voted for them sometime in the future, when they reach 5% of the population, they would be in our Parliament.
    
    One only has to look at Birmingham in England where they control the city council and are thinking of building a new Islamic Centre where they will be able to play the call for prayer from the minarets which will be heard for a twenty mile radius. In UK the council has the say in whether or not they are allowed to do this, it has been stopped by the council in Oxford and other heavily muslim towns but the writing is on the wall, especially as the COL has signed the UN refugee Compact and all that it entails.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:52am
  - Komata
    
    JW@0847
    
    Given that the intent of islam is world domination, as manadated by the koran, your suggestion is not far-fetched; taking-over local-body infrastructure is just another stage to acheve the same end.
    
    Such is their ignorance, the local labour-luvvies, and those non-muslims wishing to be seen as ‘inclusive’ and ‘all accepting’ would embrace the new occurance with great enthusiasm, bringing to mind the old ‘Turkeys voting for Christmas’ analogy.
    
    As I said, it’s not far fetched. Time will tell.
    
    (1055)
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:57am
  - MickMac
    
    john
    thats an interesting thought.
    would stuff allow articles and letters pointing out islamist thought and doctrine?
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:06am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Vigilance is required. Cindy has already allowed Muslim prayer in NZ’s Parliament. We don’t know the cost of that yet.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:30am
Than

It’s always nice to be right. I’ve been saying since before the election that Grant Robertson wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of sticking to the BRR for his second budget.

Although I have to say, they have a depressingly low opinion of Kiwi’s intelligence. Who exactly do they think they’re fooling by saying “it’s a range” between 15-25 percent? Just admit it’s going to be 25% and add it to the pile of broken election promises.
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May 24, 2019 8:07am
- Swifty
  
  Yep.
  
  It was always only a matter of time before all their election lollies came back to bite them in the arse – and worsened by a slowing economy, of their making, and consequent tax take lower than forecast.
  
  You reap what you sow.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:15am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    If he doesn’t borrow more, where are the 2020 bribes coming from?
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:11am
    - Hacked-Off
      
      RW Capitalist, I would agree with you except I think the CoL has run out of money now and the borrowing looks like it is needed to fund the second half of the current term. Robertson is clawing back billions from all departments (Labour controlled ones that is as he cannot touch NZF ones) and this looks like there is no more in this term’s kitty. I think the cupboard is bare.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:09am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        I have the impression from my clients that IRD are stepping up collections too. A sure sign the govt is concerned about cashflow.
        
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        May 24, 2019 10:33am
- Maxx
  
  Another re-calibration of an election promise. What will be the next promise to be re-calibrated? Mental Health? Poverty seems likely. Tertiary education?
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:38am
- G152
  
  But that would mean that he would be truthful and we cannot abide honest politicians.
  Just look at the current crop for instance
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:49am
- RW Capitalist
  
  “it’s a range” between 15-25 percent?”
  “it’s a speed limit?”
  “It’s aspirational”
  “It’s a year of delivery”
  So many things they have said/ promised
  Successfully delivering (not saying delivered)????
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:10am
- waikatogirl
  
  Approx another $15billion of debt. No worries Grant, just add it to the $11b dollar hole Joyce predicted…
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:02am
- Piniwi
  
  Right Than when we see them follow up all Robinson’s BS by trotting out their tame “economist” borrowing is essential for every Government. Conveniently for getting that National legislated tax cuts as well as beginning to pay down debt with what turn out to be an even bigger surplus than forecast.
  Meanwhile many are puzzled that the Minister of Finance has absolutely no idea of how big even 1% of GDP is? As well as the added humor that the MOF is falling back on Treasury advise as it suits his current narrative. Especially as they are making announcement of massive expenditure one, two or even three decades out. While we are sure that their faithful followers see only the eye watering amounts blinded by the smoke from so much sizzle and no sausage. Lets see what a Wellness Budget actually looks like before we start looking for pain relief.
  
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  May 24, 2019 2:14pm
Maggie Pie

“Just imagine if the Colonel had given up the first time he tasted his wonderful chicken.
We would not have had KFC”
[Hannah Tamaki – leader, CoalitionNZ]

As my partner said, “Underestimate them at your peril. Brian and his missus arent the nutters they make themselves out to be”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe500eIK1oA
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May 24, 2019 8:08am
- John Warren
  
  That is a Jesus-style parable tailored specially for her congregation.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:48am
- Alien
  
  nope they are are very smart people, the nutters are the ones financing their luxury lifestyle. They are the same nutters that will vote for them
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:14am
- RW Capitalist
  
  Personally
  Looking at it as a lesson, into how to start a party.
  My advise to them.
  STOP allowing the MSM to pressure you into action.
  The first MSM question and comment
  What are your policies?
  MSM Answer they don’t have any.
  Tell them that since this is an announcement of the intent to form a party, we will list our policies in OUR good time.
  etc etc
  I am not promoting them, I will not vote for them (my reasons are mine), just looking from the outside and seeing that they have not taken into account.
  1. MSM is on the side of the CoL and will defend them against your threat.
  2. MSM is attempting to pull your seedling (party) up, before it can take root.
  3. Politics is a dirtier game than anyone first thinks and the dirtiest players are in the CoL/MSM partnership.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:18am
- alloytoo
  
  Brian and his missus are not the prey, they’re the predators.
  
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  May 24, 2019 11:53am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Makes them different from the CoL…how?
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:17pm
Scott

In the USA the Democrats are continuing with their pointless investigations against Pres Trump. Basically they promised their base impeachment via the Mueller report. They said that once the Mueller report comes out then Donald Trump will be impeached and lead out in handcuffs. But the report failed to deliver and so they are continuing with meaningless investigations about an issue that has already been settled.

When will they start governing? Never! They can’t even treat Donald Trump like a normal Pres. Because for two years their base has been told that he is a traitor to the country. Now they found that he did not collude with Russia. The whole things was a hoax!

Do I think democrats are the worst people and unfit to govern? Sadly I do. They besmirched the president of the United States, they besmirched Justice Kavanagh , they have no interest in governing. The American people urgently need legislative reform on immigration and healthcare. Sadly the Democrats have no interest in reaching across the aisle and coming up with some bipartisan solution. One can only hope that in 2020 the American people rise up and dismiss these globalist overlords.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/05/can-democrats-pull-impeachment-out-of-the-hat.php
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May 24, 2019 8:09am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Did you see the piece where Trump said he would stop presidenting unless congress stopped being so mean to him?
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:27am
  - Scott
    
    Mikey – I did see that. But I see the issue as slightly different to you. Pres Trump was due to meet with the Democrats to discuss infrastructure bill. Prior to that Nancy Pelosi had a meeting with the Democrats and then came out of that meeting and ripped into Pres Trump as being engaged in a cover-up. Presumably she means cover-up of crimes and/or obstruction of justice?
    
    And then she walks into a meeting with Pres Trump and what should she expect? Should she expect that Pres Trump would greet her with flowers? After she said such awful things about him?
    
    Governing is a two-way street. It involves civility, it involves trust and it involves mutual respect. If the Democrats are not prepared to offer Pres Trump even a modicum of respect and civility how can they work together?
    
    Pres Trump actually wants to work with the Democrats on infrastructure. He is keen on infrastructure, he loves to build things. So he wants to work with them. He has been saying good things about them lately.
    
    But all they want to do is investigate him to death and impeach him and get him out of office. You can’t work with people who have such a bitter mindset. Surely it’s about time that Democrats moved on and accepted the result of the 2016 election?
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:51am
    - Fletch
      
      Yep, and as Mark Levin asked – a “cover up” of what? Because he won’t release his tax returns? The Govt has his returns legally like it is supposed to – the IRS. He’s not hiding them under his bed. And why doesn’t Pelosi release her returns if it’s such a big thing? Her and her husbands? She is one of the richest people in Congress. How did she make her money?
      
      The whole thing is a farce.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:45am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      The actual story is that Trump was claiming he would put together a $2 trillion infrastructure package. The package does not exist and, even if it did, Senate Republicans don’t want it anyway. Rather than meeting to discuss nothing, Trump looked for an excuse to not talk at all – so had time to make up his cute signs for the Rose Garden theatrics.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:51am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        PS. None of this makes any difference to an already paralysed political system.
        
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        May 24, 2019 10:52am
  - John Warren
    
    Yes, and clearly you chose to interpret him literally.
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:52am
  - Ed Snack
    
    No, I saw pieces about how Speaker Pelosi went out and accused Trump of a “coverup” just before wanting a meeting to enable a large scale infrastructure project. Not in good faith.
    
    In Democrat lala land, respect only runs one way.
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:52am
    - Kabull
      
      I have to say that Speaker Pelosi looked very ‘unwell’ when she was delivering her ‘coverup’ diatribe.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:34am
      - All_on_Red
        
        She’s been a heavy drinker for years. Takes its toll no doubt.
        
        8 1
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        May 24, 2019 1:33pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Hey not every politician can be in such great shape as the prez.
        
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        May 24, 2019 2:00pm
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Vitriol is poisonous.
        
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        May 24, 2019 2:33pm
    - KevO'Brien
      
      If Trump was Winston lawsuits would be flying by now.
      At the very least a humble backtracking and apology by Pelosi should be in progress for her aberration.
      
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      May 24, 2019 10:55am
  - Dafixeruppa
    
    No and neither did anyone else.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:38am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    That’s not what Pres. Trump said. He told them it was not possible to be doing investigation and government business together–come back when they had finished.
    Pelosi less than 24 hours previously announced to the world that Trump was conducting a coverup. An enormously serious allegation from the Speaker of HOR.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:49am
- freethinker
  
  Hilary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Waters, AO Cortez – spot any similarities – hint – Theresa May, Emmanuel Micron,Angela Merkel, Christine La Garde., Jacinda ardern.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:21am
- stephieboy
  
  Nancy Pelosi has understandable conerns about the Presidents well being and seeks his family’s interventio after his latest spell of rattling the cotsides,
  
  https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/23/nancy-pelosi-trump-intervention-1342283
  
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  May 24, 2019 12:25pm
Doubledimp

I wonder of those students on the One Breakfast show today have thought through the consequences of their call for carbon neutral.

if hypothetically NZ zeroes out all it’s emissions, China will simply go “thank you, we’ll take that slack.” The developing world will not want to halt the improvements to their living standards and life expectancy, and the first world nations will not want to move their own standards downwards to even things out.
The UN is useless in enforcing any rules, so no joy there. We are not big enough for any boycotts to have an impact and any thing on the media (social or otherwise) is pointless virtue signalling.

So the only way to make other nations conform to rules they don’t want to, is war.
Are you ready for the climate wars?
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May 24, 2019 8:09am
- Than
  
  Fighting a war would produce a fair amount of emissions – tanks and fighter jets are not known for their fuel efficiency. Although I guess nuclear weapons would be carbon-neutral.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:24am
  - septic skeptic
    
    I don’t know about nuclear weapons being carbon neutral but a nuclear winter would at least temporarily mitigate global warming.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:25am
    - alloytoo
      
      another practical solution to global warming, detonate a few nukes.
      
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      May 24, 2019 11:56am
      - stephieboy
        
        Nuclear war for Do Do’s!
        
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        May 24, 2019 12:30pm
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Certainly won’t be plutonium neutral.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:37am
- Maxx
  
  If NZ zeroed out our emissions the world would not event notice.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:40am
  - sooty
    
    But think of the feelz!
    Also the cost to us!
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:25am
- kowtow
  
  Conform to rules ? Fuck that .
  
  These are the real problems the so called climate activists need to get stuck into , not natural solar cycles.
  
  ‘Ozone layer: Banned CFCs traced to China say scientists’
  ‘ “I think with this study, it is beyond doubt that China is the source of these unexpected emissions, and we would hope that China is leaving no stone unturned to discover the source of the CFC-11 production.
  
  “Unless the production of the chemical is shut down it will be near impossible to end the use and emissions in the foam companies.” ‘
  
  https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48353341
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:22am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    If the proof is the BBC forget it.
    I note the allegations have only recently arisen following the start of the US-CH trade war.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:57am
Prince

‘Stuff’ are being so progressive these days, about the Climate Crisis, allowing us to be led by these cool school kids.
She looks great in her leather jacket too.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/112939231/why-you-should-take-action-on-climate-change
Mia Sutherland is a 17-year-old student from Cashmere High School in Christchurch and an organiser of School Strike 4 Climate NZ. On May 24, she is acting as Stuff’s guest editor, as part of our Quick! Save the Planet project.

It’s great when the young are so inspired. What could possibly go wrong ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Mg6Gfh9Co&bpctr=1558643774
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May 24, 2019 8:10am
- oldgolfer
  
  And this is the Stuff that the Nine Network wishes to sell?
  A cynic might argue that by being guest editor, Mia is helping to ruin the planet by aiding and abetting in the removal of trees.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:33am
  - The Feed
    
    To be fair, only half a small tree was needed to supply the paper for that woeful tabloids rapidly shrinking distribution requirements.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:21am
- jonno1
  
  Wow, that young lady is going to be deeply embarrassed with her former self when she grows up. I do hope that she’ll attain the wisdom that krazykiwi talked about at 8.01 and thus be able to help others avoid the same errors of judgement.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:16am
  - srylands
    
    This is interesting. In other words, she has done nothing. This is the alternative answer you would expect to see from a person in this position.
    
    “I refuse to use private, petroleum powered vehicles. I do not travel on airplanes. At my urging, my family rely on a small, electric vehicle, and use public transport. I cycle to school, and urge my friends to do the same. I do not buy food at supermarkets and will only eat food that can be transported to the point of sale from within Canterbury. I am in the process of removing all plastic from my life.”
    
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/112757536/meet-stuffs-guest-editor-17yearold-climate-change-activist-mia-sutherland
    
    What lifestyle changes have you made to help fight climate change?
    
    SUTHERLAND: It’s hard to make changes when you still live at home with your family, but I’ve tried my best. [This seems like code for “my parents are not buying into this”.] Last year I converted to a pescatarian diet (I’m not allowed to go full vegetarian) in order to reduce my carbon emissions.
    
    If all the cows in the world formed their own nation, they’d be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world! Eating a plant-heavy diet is extremely beneficial to the environment.
    
    I also make an effort to buy ethical and sustainable clothing, either by buying second hand or supporting great businesses.
    
    I still have a long way to go in improving my lifestyle, but those are just a few of the things I do try to do to reduce my impact on the environment.
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:59am
- srylands
  
  I admire Mia’s energy. However, there is much that she could do closer to home. She attends Cashmere High School. Cashmere is one of the wealthiest suburbs in New Zealand. Many (most?) of her school student colleagues will be driven to or from school in large petrol powered cars. So urge your colleagues to walk and cycle to school.
  
  You could go further Mia. Lobby the Board of Trustees to increase the “school donation” by 50 percent, with that money used to offset the carbon emissions from transport to and from school. Further, all parents who can demonstrate that they do not own a petrol or diesel powered vehicle could be totally exempted from all school fees, with higher fees paid by other parents to offset the lost revenue. I am sure that most of the parents would support this change.
  
  That is just a start, and one example of real action that could be taken in Cashmere, where Mia lives.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:32am
  - The Feed
    
    And fine any teacher who drives to school $100 a day. This will be welcomed by teachers as an opportunity to show how much they care about climate change. This money could then be spent on planting trees on what was previously the teachers parking lot.
    
    Insist on it, Mia.
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:24am
  - Kabull
    
    Leighton Smith had an interesting Australian commentator on his podcast this week. I was taken by the comment that most support for Shorten’s climate policies came from well-to-do liberals in the leafy suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne. Any similarity to Cashmere??
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:37am
  - Komata
    
    srylands@0932
    
    But, but, that is for OTHER people; the ‘Non-Cashmerites’, never for the young lady concerned. Unfortunately, ‘wealth’ brings a certain mind-set and enables you to make proclamations without ever having to ‘follow-through’ and actually DO something. It’s a very ‘safe’ and secure environment from which to operate; all words, no real responsibility or ‘consequences’.
    
    On that basis, I wonder how she would get on in (for example) Porirua, Otara, or Fairfield; places where the locals which would tell her the realities of life and what she could do with her ideas, well-meant though they might be.
    
    I don’t think she would find the experience to her liking…
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:07am
- David Garrett
  
  Prince: I was astounded to read the dire warning at the start of the clip you have linked to…A boy singing a song from the movie “Cabaret” while dressed in a uniform featuring a swastika now requires a warning that said clip “might be offensive or upsetting to some viewers”? ..FFS, it’s part of history! Are we now going to prevent kids seeing clips of Hitler ranting because it might upset them?
  
  We are truly speeding rapidly into a Brave New World…one I don’t want any part of…
  
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  May 24, 2019 12:09pm
  - Prince
    
    Yes I noticed that too David.
    No such warning for this speech though.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37rHYUh-cBQ
    
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    May 24, 2019 5:13pm
    - tf78
      
      Thanks for the reminder – I’d forgotten.
      
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      May 24, 2019 6:52pm
- cut n paster
  
  The Guardian are urging all media to up the language used to describe Climate change.
  This is how contrived all this media nonsense is to stir up the population.
  
  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/24/media-outlets-guardian-reconsider-language-climate
  
  You can’t make this s… up
  
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  May 25, 2019 9:10am
hullkiwi

Listening to Robbo being interviewed by Dann on Red Radio’s Morning Report was depressing. It is clear the man is working at a level beyond his capabilities and I am left wondering why he does interviews when he 8s incapable of telling the truth, but instead tries to disguise his announcement off yesterday (which is a huge shift) as something that is responsible and looking to the long term.
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May 24, 2019 8:11am
- Tricati
  
  Watched Amy Adams being interviewed by John Campbell this morning and really putting him on his arse – Adams indicated the government had run out of money and he tried the to infer the 9 years of neglect catch-up BS and when asked what wasted spending Labour had committed to which Adams had an extensive list, with numbers, which Campbell was trying to shut down.
  Not a great fan of Amy Adams as finance spokesperson but she was on her game this morning – well done.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:20am
  - MickMac
    
    yes John Campbell is a klutz isn’t he?
    
    That whole crowd is government central, not independent thinking journos..
    
    Are there any in TV nowadays?
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:13am
- Durden
  
  The puppet is missing Cullen’s hand up his backside.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:34am
  - sooty
    
    Where is Cullen, these days?
    Not been heard of lately!
    Is he in the backroom for robbos budget?
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:42pm
Happychappy

Yesterday there was a column from the media having a crack at Simon Bridges and his traveling expenses that was quickly removed, so I wonder if this is the reason why.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112962799/mps-quarterly-expenditure-list-shows-15m-of-taxpayer-funds-on-travel-and-accommodation
I wonder whether the media will start questioning some of these expenses.
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May 24, 2019 8:12am
- Maxx
  
  You mean the ones like taking your family on business because you can?
  Sometimes my wife goes with me or I go with her and we turn it into a weekend away at the end of the week, but we also pay for every cent of that extra travel.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:43am
  - MickMac
    
    Maxx
    we do the same, I pay my way.
    Travelling on your own is crap sometimes.
    if it can be a weekend or a week’s break after we do it.
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:14am
    - sooty
      
      SOoo! You have admited its a naughty break!
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:39pm
Tony Stuart

Meet Shane Jones’ relative and friend Stan Semenoff.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112845400/secret-video-appears-to-show-trucking-boss-telling-driver-to-falsify-logbook

This, of course, is the trucking boss on whose behalf Shane Jones intervened with NZTA when a case involving Semenoff was active in the courts. The PM’s seeming acceptance of Jones’ behaviour is a blight on her government.
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May 24, 2019 8:12am
- Swifty
  
  Any sympathy for Semenoff’s position has just melted away with that recording.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:16am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    As has sympathy for Jones’ attempt to defend him, whilst an active court case was proceeding.
    
    Remember Maurice Williamson being sacked from Cabinet for ringing the Police to inquire about Bill Liu after he had been arrested? I would argue that the Semenoff/Jones issue is even more serious, as it involves a matter before the courts and the Cabinet Manual expressly forbids Ministers from intervening.
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:40am
    - alex Masterley
      
      It’s ok when the left do it.
      
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      May 24, 2019 8:44am
    - septic skeptic
      
      Yes, but does the cabinet manual place a stone upon the tongue of his good self, champion of the regions and chief examiner of hotel entertainment standards?
      
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      May 24, 2019 9:30am
  - srylands
    
    It’s not just what he says in the video. It is his manner. A first class bully. I feel sorry for the Filipino drivers. But more importantly, this prick was endangering all of us by inciting drivers of heavy vehicles to drive without breaks.
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:44am
- srylands
  
  That video is gold.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:29am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Read the judgment. The Judge has dismissed it’s significance except to the media whom he cautioned about its use.
    The LTA shows up as abusive with its powers including the prosecution.
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:45pm
    - cut n paster
      
      Kev, Judges have been found to be compromised and complicit before and Shane has billions to flick about under the radar (none of it appears to have to be measured).
      This rabble have created a corrupt Northland crime lord – no doubt Don Shane hopping from hotel to hotel [] … all for local regional development.
      There’s an inquiry waiting to happen!!
      
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      May 25, 2019 9:34am
- mandk
  
  I’d like to be surprised, but I don’t think the PM can do anything about Jones’ obvious corruption.
  
  Imagine the conversation between Winston Peters and the PM: “Now listen here, girlie, if you touch Shane, I walk” (end of conversation).
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:36am
  - srylands
    
    Really? And then what happens? There is an election, NZ First is wiped out and there is (probably) a Labour/Green Government.
    
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    May 24, 2019 2:18pm
- peterwn
  
  Judgment here:
  https://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/cases/stan-semenoff-logging-limited-v-new-zealand-transport-agency/@@images/fileDecision?r=209.340530882
  
  The ‘secret’ recording was a secondary issue. Seems the company came rather close to the ‘stay’ being lifted meaning its trucks would have been off the road (although it would have gone urgently to the Court of Appeal). The Judge strongly indicated the company needed to fork out $150k for a GPS system to help keep tabs on speeding, rest breaks, etc.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:40am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    The judgment also shows the LTA trying to define the rules to their own feelings.
    There was a time when Public Servants respected the law and how it affected the people. They stood aside from attempting to fill in for Parliament.
    
    Both judge and judgment are sound, the LTA is not.
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:34pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The LTA acting politically to shut down trucking in the North is a legitmate concern of any MP. Transport controllers have enjoyed power via logbook inspections for over 5o years–now it is vested in the LTA.
  The judgment shows the LTA abuse putting the Northland economy at stake.
  
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  May 24, 2019 1:44pm
JibberJabber

https://asianinvasion2019.blogspot.com/2019/05/golly-gosh-people-are-starting-to-get-it.html

In this respect, Green MP Golriz Ghahraman is hardly unusual. But what marks her as different is the skill with which she plays the game. Although ostensibly still a political novice, she’s as media-savvy as any veteran.

Make no mistake, this was a master-class in the dark art of media manipulation. Winston Peters and Shane Jones must have watched with grudging admiration.
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May 24, 2019 8:14am
- graham
  
  I posted this on the David Seymour thread, but reposting here (sorry, the links didn’t come across in copy-n-paste):
  
  https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2019/05/david_seymour_on_free_speech.html#comment-2495617
  
  Making a threat against anyone is unacceptable. No argument. Golriz Ghahraman should not have to put up with threats of any type.
  
  But – sadly – threats against MPs are not exactly new. Stuff ran a story 10 years ago revealing that the Police had probed into 13 death and injury threats against the Prime Minister and other members of Parliament in one year, talking about a plot to kill John Key, a death threat against Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove by a boy racer upset at the MP’s suggestion that irresponsible hoons should have their cars crushed, and an Auckland beneficiary who threatened Helen Clark that was a “dead woman”.
  
  More recently, James Shaw was attacked on the street, and Judith Collins said that threats are part of life for high-profile MPs. Don Brash getting mud thrown at him, John Banks getting a bucket of mud thrown over him, Nick Smith’s caravan getting bombed with a Molotov cocktail, Clare Curran receiving rape threats on her blog, Steven Joyce getting hit in the face with a dildo – none of it should happen, but sadly it does. The report on bullying in Parliament found it to be “common for MPs to experience threats of physical violence, including death threats, from the public”. England has massive problems with death threats against MPs.
  
  I find it upsetting that Golriz Ghahraman has received threats, just as I find it upsetting when ANYBODY receives threats. But – again, sadly – as an MP it does go with the territory.
  
  I see that Golriz Ghahraman has tried to also make this about her race, citing research which shows that people of colour experience “micro aggressions” in a way that causes them “mental health harm to the same level as soldiers who are based in combat zones”. She has also said that “the sort of messages that had become familiar to women of colour in parliament were alien to white male colleagues”. Umm … last time I checked, John Key, Clayton Cosgrove, Helen Clark, James Shaw, Don Brash, John Banks, Nick Smith, Clare Curran and Steven Joyce are all white, and the majority of them are male. I’m not going to pretend that racism doesn’t exist in New Zealand, but trying to make EVERYTHING about race or sexuality or gender is getting just a wee bit tiring.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:20am
  - Swifty
    
    “mental health harm to the same level as soldiers who are based in combat zones”
    
    Horseshit.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:11am
    - MickMac
      
      I’m not sure I agree with you swifty.
      
      For JSW/snowflakes who are soft or vulnerable,
      Their perception is flawed too.
      so it is possible they feel it like a combat soldier.
      
      after all ordinary people strug it off aka the song, but snowflaky types wouldn’t, they’d feed off of it.
      
      building victim and justifying their law changes and behaviour to themselves.
      
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      May 24, 2019 11:18am
      - Swifty
        
        Yes, good points.
        
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        May 24, 2019 5:31pm
  - jonno1
    
    Is not Ms Ghahraman of Persian descent and therefore Caucasian? Something doesn’t add up here.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:23am
    - stephieboy
      
      jonnoi, it does. Persians are considered Indo European!
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:39pm
      - jonno1
        
        Thanks for your affirmation stephieboy. Indo-Europeans are indeed Caucasian, although more specifically described as Aryan.
        
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        May 24, 2019 2:36pm
  - mark15
    
    Graham,in my opinion,once you take that away,she has no cards left to play.Thats why it’s all about race.
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:26am
Maggy Wassilieff

Pete George has a post up about some of us posting on Kiwiblog yesterday.

https://yournz.org/2019/05/24/social-media-switches-attacks-to-partner-of-mp-kiwiblog-prominent/
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May 24, 2019 8:23am
- secondcumming
  
  Looks like he’s given up abusing the shit out of *Whaleoil* and turned his guns here.
  I see his blog till attracts the same 5 commenters every day butt 😎
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:32am
  - Komata
    
    Maggy@0823
    
    It reminds me of a hotel guest whom, after being invited-in, then trashes everything.
    
    On that basis, and despite our host’s benign patronage, perhaps, having effectively ‘bitten the hand that feeds him’ and betrayed the ‘friendship’ that this site has previously-offered him Mr George needs to have his ‘membership’ of KB revoked?
    
    If nothing else, that would REALLY get him going…
    
    (1121)
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:21am
- MrTips
  
  He’s just Dunedin. Never happy unless they’re kicking something or adopting the “higher” SJW ground.
  
  Mr George might like to focus instead on Jacinda’s relationship with Thompson Lewis, which even Bryce Edwards has expressed real concern about viz a vis Huawei.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:51am
  - Pete George
    
    I focused on that yesterday.
    
    https://yournz.org/2019/05/23/this-doesnt-look-good/
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:45am
- hullkiwi
  
  And David wonders why most of us continue to keep our identity anonymous.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:54am
  - MickMac
    
    .
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:19am
- graham
  
  Not unusual. Pete George, as self-appointed Guardian of the Internet, often used to write self-important posts about how nasty people are saying nasty things.
  
  I haven’t visited his blog in a while, but looks like he hasn’t changed.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:00am
- All_on_Red
  
  Perhaps George’s heading should have read ‘Social Media exposes Ghahramans hypocrisy as her partner is exposed posting menacing tweets’
  
  A Tweet which got a lot of ‘likes’ too.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:15am
  - sooty
    
    I’m pissed off, I got no mention!
    
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    May 24, 2019 9:23am
- srylands
  
  Pete George sometimes posts good stuff, mainly when a high boredom threshold is required to forensically take something apart.
  
  However, mostly his stuff is just totally boring. I can’t put it any other way. IIRC he was a United Future candidate at one time, which says a lot. Peter Dunne had exactly the same effect on me.
  
  Here’s what concerns me. The reaction to David Seymour’s comment suggests that, in her desired future world, such comments would be regarded by Ms Ghahraman as “hate speech” and banned. IMO what David Seymour said should never be classified as unlawful.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:45am
  - Swifty
    
    ‘However, mostly his stuff is just totally boring.’
    
    He isn’t called the Beige Badger for nothing……
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:44am
- stephieboy
  
  MW,This is germane,
  
  “David Farrar chose to include the two year old tweet in this post David Seymour on free speech – he claimed ” this tweet this morning” even though it is clearly dated September 11 2017, which was before Ghahraman became an MP.
  
  Seymour used strong language about a political opponent (and they are not words I would use) but compare that to this tweet this morning:
  
  Don brash! Should I hit him?
  No fuck chill out hahaha pic.twitter.com/zg4KJZs92n
  
  — Guy Williams (@guywilliamsguy) September 11, 2017
  
  Joking about running someone over because you don’t like their politics.
  
  Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t have a problem with Williams’ tweet by itself. But I ask people to imagine this.
  
  Think if the partner of a National MP tweeted about whether they should run over a Green MP. The media would be denouncing it as hate speech and inciting violence.
  
  Ghahraman does have legitimate security concerns, based on the vile messages about lynching her on a private Facebook group. The people responsible should be held accountable.
  
  I think it was particularly poor of Farrar to include this tweet in an op ed by David Seymour that he posted. He would have known this would have fed Kiwiblog commenters already at times raging rampant over his revised site rules…”
  
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  May 24, 2019 1:40pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    MW,This is germane,
    
    Stephieboy, I realise you have a comprehension problem and have difficulty coping with nested posts on this blog… but if you follow up this thread, you will see that it is me…Maggy Wassilieff… that posted the link to Pete George’s piece.
    
    I had read it… so I don’t need you referring me to it again, but if you wish to keep displaying your ignorance of how blogs work, then I’m really at a loss of how to help.
    
    I
    
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    May 24, 2019 2:03pm
Tony Stuart

I wonder what Golriz Ghahraman and Marama Davidson think about the actual assault (via a milkshake) of an elderly ex-serviceman wearing a Brexit Party rosette at a polling booth in the UK today.

https://twitter.com/uk_sov/status/1131505202476007425

Burger King needs to be held accountable for their encouragement of people to use milkshakes for something other than drinking. Whilst throwing a milkshake over someone sounds a bit like harmless fun, it isn’t; it’s assault, plain and simple.
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May 24, 2019 8:27am
- srylands
  
  I am sure they would condemn it.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:31am
  - hullkiwi
    
    ….and it has just started snowing in Auckland…
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:41am
Wired-one

I note that Cameron Bagrie stated that the fiscal hole that Mr Joyce announced before the last election is not only there, but it may be a few billion more. It’s about time all those media pundits started writing apologies to the voters off this country and to Mr Joyce himself. This was a large issue at the last election, and frankly the criticism that came Joyce’s way was not only a betrayal to voters, it was frankly negligence by our MSM.
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May 24, 2019 8:35am
- Chris R
  
  That’s right Wired. All the so-called experts and independent commentators who spewed all over Steve Joyce are now nowhere to be seen. Mr Joyce had a strong hand on the economy and was on top of the relevant facts. The worst thing to come from the coalition’s bungling is the dramatic fall in business confidence. The additional borrowing will lead to inflation and a poorer credit rating for NZ.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:47am
- krazykiwi
  
  It wasn’t negligence. It was sycophantic sabotage.
  
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  May 24, 2019 8:48am
- cmm
  
  You want honesty in reporting out of the MSM?
  
  Good luck with that!
  
  36 0
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  May 24, 2019 9:08am
- Lance
  
  Reporters are like Labour politicians, the bigger the lie, the more they double down.
  Expect attack pieces against National being the cause of any and all cost overruns by the CoL.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:13am
  - waikatogirl
    
    9 years of neglect is the reason for the $11b hole. //
    
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    May 24, 2019 10:15am
- RW Capitalist
  
  it was frankly negligence by our MSM
  No
  It was blatant collusion.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:25am
Hugh Pavletich

Posted at … https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2019/05/links-24-may-2019/#comment-3354977

The Most Expensive Cities For Public Transport …. Statista
h/t SW

https://www.statista.com/chart/18084/average-cost-of-a-monthly-ticket-for-public-transportation/

… DEUTSCHE BANK / STATISTA: The Most Expensive Cities For Public Transport …

… Why is Auckland so expensive ? …

(graph)

Deutsche Bank recently released the 8th edition of its annual survey of global prices and living standards from various cities and countries. Among the many different categories analyzed was the price of public transportation in 55 major cities. The research uncovered a major disparity in the cost of a monthly ticket and it ranged from $89 in Berlin to just $15 in Buenos Aires on average. Nowhere has average public transportation costs as high as London, however and a monthly pass sets commuters back a whopping $179. Despite the high price, the UK’s capital does have an extensive and efficient network with the buses, the tube and light rail accounting for 37 percent of the city’s journeys. … read more via hyperlink above …
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May 24, 2019 8:53am
graham

Hmm …

The “David Seymour on free speech” post yesterday included a picture of Guy Williams “joking” about running over Don Brash in his car. Strangely, the Twitter post now seems to have disappeared …

Someone doing a hasty clean-up of comments he wishes he hadn’t made?
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May 24, 2019 8:57am
- kevn
  
  @graham… He thought it was ‘funny’ and it was snapped 2 years ago.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:24am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Fortunately Pete George has exposed it on his blog.
  https://yournz.org/2019/05/24/social-media-switches-attacks-to-partner-of-mp-kiwiblog-prominent/
  
  How anyone could think that posting a visual clip of someone targetting a politician is a joke is beyond me.
  
  Has Guy Williams been investigated by the NZ Police for using the internet to promote/incite vehicular terrorism?
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:57am
  - sooty
    
    Of course not! Mike Bush would not allow it!
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:30am
  - graham
    
    … I now realise this was a shit joke and a shit thing to say. I’m embarrassed that I said it. Sorry Don.
    
    Well, good on Guy for manning up and admitting it, but isn’t it strange how poking fun at someone or making a bad-taste joke can be utterly hilarious for a couple of years … until it happens to your girlfriend? And then it isn’t so funny anymore.
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:44am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Pity he didn’t consider Don Brash’s family members back in 2017.
      
      Were they meant to think his “joke” was funny?
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:44pm
  - stephieboy
    
    MW and your associates on KB,
    
    “Great minds find beauties and appreciate it. Average minds find commonalities and compare. Small minds find the problems and criticize.”
    
    ― Debasish Mridha
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:45pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      MW and your associates on KB
      
      Who are my associates on KB, stephieboy.?
      
      When do I associate with them?
      Where do I associate with them?
      Are we an association that should be drawn to the attention of someone in authority?
      
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      May 24, 2019 3:10pm
- Tony Stuart
  
  You can only clean things up so quickly graham. Unfortunately for Williams, a tweet he sent at 16:18hrs on 29 September 2016 is also doing the rounds. It reads thus (I have not attempted to correct any grammatical errors):
  
  Is don brash on twitter I’m gonna cyber bully the shit out of him
  
  https://twitter.com/pulpyfictorious/status/1131475512042254336
  
  Williams will probably argue his tweet was made in fun, but that doesn’t really wash when he is complaining about his partner, Golriz Ghahraman, being cyber-bullied. I’m sure he will be much more restrained in the future!
  
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  May 24, 2019 12:26pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    This could escalate into a Police matter if carried out as stated.
    
    10 0
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    May 24, 2019 1:22pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Well, even if the police don’t follow up…
      I do expect our MSM bloodhounds… Paddy Gower, Tova O’Brien and co. to get to the bottom of this on-line hatred against an old white male politician.
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:47pm
Maggie Pie

I know i posted yesterday that with Jacinda away, it probaly wasnt worth me watching ‘Question Time’ – but i decided to anyway. [Nick Smith’s haircut is always good for a laugh 🙂 ]. But the thing that really caught my attention, and its bit of a worry, was to see one of the Labor Party Members making a ‘White Power’ sign during Q5.
Now i’m not exactly sure who it was as they were just out of camera shot sitting to the right of Health Minister David Clarke.
Anyway, take a look for yourself and see what you think – its at the 1m:53s mark.

https://vimeo.com/337914066
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May 24, 2019 9:04am
- waikatogirl
  
  Maggie Pie, just the observant person to ask… Have you noticed that the fairly newly engaged PM-select is not yet wearing her engagement ring on the recognized 3rd finger of her left hand? I assumed the ring was in need of being sized but several weeks later Cindy is still wearing her shiny bauble signifying her love and intent on her 2nd finger. Should I continue to be concerned?
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:24am
- Swifty
  
  Marja Lubeck?
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:50am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Yes; definitely Ms Lubeck, a former air hostess and union organiser. Towards the end of the video, around half her face is visible.
    
    Here’s how the Labour Party’s website describes her:
    
    Marja believes in fighting for the rights of working people.
    
    She believes in fair policies that allow hard-working people to get ahead.
    
    In Marja’s roles working for trade unions, including four terms as president of the Flight Attendant and Related Services Association and later E tū Director of Organising (Aviation), she has been the lead advocate in negotiations with the airlines that operate out of New Zealand. She believes that strong unions, well paid workers and a productive economy are not mutually exclusive but that you need all three to power a just and effective economy.
    
    Ms Lubeck frequently puts her foot in her mouth on social media, most often Twitter. She doesn’t seem to enjoy being called out on her inaccuracies.
    
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    May 24, 2019 12:32pm
lastmanstanding

The Huawei situation yet again demonstrates the failure of Western politicians to govern in the best interests of their citizens.

The Chinese leaders have adopted a strategy of developing the next technology in many fields as well as telecoms. They know this will not only benefit their citizens directly but also indirectly.

And as a bonus it will allow the Chinese Communist Party to evesdrop on the West.

Western politicians have on the other hand strained at newts and swallowed camels.
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May 24, 2019 9:13am
- Lance
  
  umm… try “strained at gnats”
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:15am
- alex Masterley
  
  The strategy mentioned above is part of the “China Dream” a strategy devised by President of China Xi Jinping (as well as the Belt and road) to bring China into a position of world leadership in technology, medical equipment agriculture etc.
  You will see intense efforts to advance chinas technical abilities in many area.
  What it means for NZ only time will tell.
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:36am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Well lucky for us Jacinda Ardern’s Chief of Staff has a working relationship with Huawei.
    
    https://twitter.com/bryce_edwards/status/1131419776712970240?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:19am
    - sooty
      
      Yep! He’ll put in a good word!
      
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      May 24, 2019 11:32am
    - stephieboy
      
      MW, paranoia rules?
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:47pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Aren’t you keeping up with the news?
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112966892/questions-over-relationship-between-pm-jacinda-ardern-and-highpowered-lobbyist
        
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        May 24, 2019 4:22pm
    - Paulus
      
      Have heard the name Rajesh Nahna as Ardern’s new H2 recently.
      Am I correct ?
      
      5 1
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      May 24, 2019 2:11pm
  - Komata
    
    alex M@0936
    
    Colonialism takes many forms, with the Chinese efforts at such things being arguably the most successsful (and quietest) in recent history.
    
    Beijing worked-out many years ago, that money has greater power than guns and that by the ‘lending’ of large amounts of money at supposedly nil interest, it is possible to manipulate nations and politicians at will; something that many of our neighbouring Pacific island states are yet to learn.
    
    I would suggest that NZ may be heading along the same path, especially with the rise of many local, economically-important but chinese-based organisations. So far, AFAIK no major infrastructure has received Chinese money (although Aucklnad transport did come to mind) , but that may well be only a matter of time.
    
    When combined with the inordinately large number of Chinese now settling here, evidently with Beijing’s full agreement, my ‘Colonialism’ comment would now seem to be a distinct possibility.
    
    Our politicians, of course, choose to ignore the phenomenon…
    
    (1135)
    
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    May 24, 2019 11:35am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      … the ‘lending’ of large amounts of money at supposedly nil interest, it is possible to manipulate nations and politicians at will…
      
      Once called “foreign aid’. NZ too.
      
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      May 24, 2019 12:59pm
- rangitoto
  
  I see the UK/Japanese tech firm ARM (they design the CPU’s used in smartphones plus lots embedded devices) have now cut off all ties with Huawei.
  
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  May 24, 2019 10:24am
- KevO'Brien
  
  And as a bonus it will allow the Chinese Communist Party to evesdrop on the West.
  
  Who was it that captured Angela Merkels conversations on her business of state? ~~China~~, UK-USA
  
  All digital based technology has the potential for abuse. Try installing 2 anti-virus programs and see the conflicts because of their back door reporting. Google and others openly collect data and sell that for commercial benefit. I don’t like my privacy being exploited or bandwidth belong stolen by unsought ads or video. I am happy to say bye to any site that want permissions to free wheel on my computer. Even this KB has 7 blocked presently.
  
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  May 24, 2019 1:18pm
cmm

Two in hospital after stabbings.

Good thing they didn’t have guns – those are dangerous!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12233902
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May 24, 2019 9:24am
- stephieboy
  
  Especially the AR 15 with Bumpstock kind!
  
  https://www.npr.org/2019/02/04/691287471/bump-stocks-will-soon-be-illegal-but-thats-not-slowing-sales
  
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  May 24, 2019 9:59am
Happychappy

I see that the media have started to ask the question on the relationship of former head of staff for Jacinda and powerful lobbyist GJ Thompson.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112966892/questions-over-relationship-between-pm-jacinda-ardern-and-highpowered-lobbyist
For questions being asked something doesn’t add up.
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May 24, 2019 9:31am
- Maggie Pie
  
  On hearing the news of Jacinda’s engagement, high powered political lobbyist and PM’s Head of Staff GJThompson raises glass and calls for ‘three cheers’ from the assembled Labor Party throng: “Hip, Hip, Huawei !!”
  
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  May 24, 2019 11:01am
kevn

@Happy… Dodgy as.
I wonder which type chameleon we will see today?
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May 24, 2019 10:23am
Im Right

I see the ‘champion of the poor and oppressed’ Martyn Bradbury over on TDB must be skint and desperate as he has an advertorial post for Rolex Watches…his half dozen or so far left Marxist regulars will ignore it or say something? I suspect the former 🙂
Have posted the below on the post…don’t fancy my chances of it being published, but have to take my hat off to Martyn here, he DOES post more posts against his politics than The Standard do!

“Ahhh Martyn, I understand advertising is an important revenue stream for blogs, MSM and TV. But really Martyn, TDB….champion of the poor and ‘underclass’ has a advertisement post for Rolex watches!! You really must be skint Martyn allowing this! ?

Have to also say the money they paying you for this really is just a non returnable deposit from Rolex sales viewpoint, what’s next….advertorial posts for coal, oil? Lol”
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May 24, 2019 10:54am
Hugh Pavletich

… NEW ZEALAND …

Despite being knocked back by both major political parties during the 2017 election year, the RBNZ continues to push for the inclusion of a debt-to-income limiting tool in its macro-prudential toolkit … Gareth Vaughan … Interesy Co NZ

https://www.interest.co.nz/personal-finance/99812/despite-being-knocked-back-both-major-political-parties-during-2017-election

The Reserve Bank is still holding out hope that a tool with debt-to-income (DTI) threshold limits for borrowers could be added to its macro-prudential toolkit.

“The Reserve Bank’s view is that a serviceability restriction, eg, a debt-to-income threshold limit for borrowers, at which banks can only make a certain percentage of new lending would be a useful addition,” the Reserve Bank says in a paper released on Wednesday.

The paper, Macroprudential policy framework: Mitigating the likelihood and severity of boom-bust cycles, was authored by Piers Ovenden, an adviser in the Reserve Bank’s financial system policy and analysis team. Ovenden notes other macro-prudential instruments may be added to the macro-prudential toolkit over time, and there could be a role for such tools as the financial system and risks evolve. … read more via hyperlink above …
.
.
Mortgage Measures – Central Bank Of Ireland

https://www.centralbank.ie/financial-system/financial-stability/macro-prudential-policy/mortgage-measures

In 2007 the average unweighted Median Multiple across the major Irish metros was 4.7, which in subsequent years slumped to 2.8 … sending all its Banks to the wall and requiring about 70 billion euros of bailouts (from in the main German institutions looking after their own interests).

Currently, the unweighted Median Multiples across the major metros of Australia and New Zealand are 5.6 and 6.5 respectively … http://www.PerformanceUrbanPlanning.org …

Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey: All Editions

http://www.demographia.com/db-dhi-index.htm
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May 24, 2019 11:04am
sooty

The questions are not ment to add up!
This is Labour and the media, we are talking about here!
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May 24, 2019 11:34am
Maggie Pie

Look, i know my partner would be the first to admit that on the odd occasion he may have wispered a few choice words under his breath about ‘Asian drivers’ – who hasn’t? But honestly, when you read about this A Hole, hes obviously got some really really serious anger issues – how hes out on bail is absolutly beyond me 🙁

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12233949
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May 24, 2019 11:41am
- Komata
  
  MaggieP @1243
  
  An intersting article, and thank you for bringing it to our attention.
  
  The unavoidable conclusion that the attacker has serious mental health issues (and carefully-nursed grievances) as evidenced in his prolonged and sustained onslaught on the family.
  
  Reading it makes one wonder what may have happened to him in his younger years to engender such a reaction…
  
  It will be interesting to see what sentence he receives (and under what part of the Criminal Justice Act) – and, with such an ‘over the top’ reaction, if he will continue to have a job with whomever currently employs him. An employer wants stability, not someone with now very-evident and severe anger issues…
  
  Again, thank you.
  
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  May 24, 2019 12:50pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I hear what your saying Komata, but i think we continually look to make excuses for these kinds of people. For as many who blame the way they are as a person on how their life started, the vast majority of people refuse to let their past affect the present. I mean i was bullied at boarding school by a lot of big overweight girls because i was tall and skinny with a long blonde ponytail – but that doesn’t mean its okay for me to spend my adult life treating other peeople like shit.
    No, its as my partner sez: “Nasty pricks like that guy need locking up for a long time – thats the only way to get thru to them”
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:32pm
Captain Mainwaring

So they recruited a couple from South Africa to help with the teacher shortage and now they can’t get residency because they’re not being paid enough.
The failure Government fails again.
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May 24, 2019 11:43am
rightoverlabour

Hipkins is a genius… Not

https://www.times.co.nz/news/teachers-residency-rejected-due-to-low-pay/?fbclid=IwAR1I1fMww4Fbqt8VCtTSGR2hO0upc_ofLZnDRdvWoT5BtW239XibBfkWwp8
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May 24, 2019 11:57am
Jack5

We wuz wondering whether DPF would appoint a ? schoolgirl ? as guest editor of Kiwiblog for the day, following the example of Stuff.

This would also mesh with Stuff’s Christchurch Press celebrating the ratepayer-screwing Christchurch City Council’s declaration of a “climate emergency”.

If no-one wants to buy Stuff, how about splitting it up and seeing if anyone will buy the bits? Perhaps two or three reasonable newspapers could be resurrected.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/112757536/meet-stuffs-guest-editor-17yearold-climate-change-activist-mia-sutherland

PS: Perhaps the climate freaks should remember the Children’s Crusade of 1212 AD. It reportedly ended in most of the 30,000 children being sold into slavery in North Africa.
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May 24, 2019 12:06pm
- Tony Stuart
  
  I had to laugh when I heard one of the organisers complaining that politicians hadn’t paid enough attention to their “climate strike” on 15th March. Did she not realise that something happened that afternoon that was just a little bit more important in the overall scheme of things?
  
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  May 24, 2019 12:42pm
  - The Feed
    
    I don’t think anyone has accused teenage climate-change worriers of being overly blessed in in the “ability to reason” department.
    
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    May 24, 2019 12:50pm
    - sooty
      
      You would think that stuffed would be trying to increase the value of the cat litter/firestarter,
      not decrease it, unless they are just going to shut the door!
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:29pm
rightoverlabour

A longish quote from a while ago…

Here is a message Labour gave the PPTA to read out at our strikes in 2010.

(Y’know, when National was in power and we supposedly didn’t strike)

As you can see, it has aged beautifully:

This is a message from the Labour Caucus – especially from me (Trevor Mallard) as Labour Education spokesperson and Darien and Carol as Associate Labour spokespeople.

The Government is refusing to take a constructive approach to the PPTA negotiations and the need to address important issues like teacher workloads, class size and teacher recruitment and retention.

“The need is lost on National, The Government refuses to consider a problem-solving approach, despite the fact that the valuing of teachers and the important work they do is essential for New Zealand’s success.

“Young people are our future and investing in quality teaching is fundamental to their success.

“Not only is National not addressing the union claims, but they are also attacking existing conditions. The PPTA has rightly become absolutely frustrated at this approach.

“The irony is that while the Government is apparently unable to find the money to fund a sensible settlement, it can find massive amounts of money to bail out South Canterbury Finance when taking early action would have lessened the risks involved.

“This year’s Budget seems to have no contingency funding set aside to deal with settling the secondary teachers’ collective agreement.

“This is in stark contrast to the approach taken by Labour where we deliberately invested in paying real wage increases for groups like teachers and nurses. It wasn’t always easy, but we saw the need to take a principled approach and work with unions to recognise the value of this important work.”

Trevor Mallard said that generally National had a negative attitude to the rights of wage and salary earners.

“This is being demonstrated by a suite of attacks on them. One of the issues at stake in the current negotiations is a claim by the PPTA to stop the 90 day right to sack provisions applying in our secondary schools. The idea of a teacher leaving a permanent job and being fired without cause in the next is just not tenable.

“We support the right of the PPTA to collectively bargain, to take strike action and to advocate for quality education delivered by quality teachers. Labour strongly supports the principle of pay parity and urges secondary teachers to work with their colleagues across the sector and not be weakened by divide and rule tactics.”
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May 24, 2019 12:33pm
- cmm
  
  “We support the right of the PPTA to … take strike action”
  
  But not on my watch.
  
  Well what is it? Those are mutually exclusinve.
  
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  May 24, 2019 1:06pm
  - sooty
    
    There’s Trev sticking his oar in again!
    Should he not shut up as he is the speaker!
    Protecting Cindy and her fools again!
    
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    May 24, 2019 1:26pm
    - Alien
      
      he was doing his job as opposition spokesperson for education when this was released. Not doing a good but, but still doing his job
      
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      May 24, 2019 1:41pm
- RW Capitalist
  
  sounds like he was interfering in the negotiations, for political gain.
  “to take strike action”
  
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  May 24, 2019 2:42pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  The point I am trying to make is Hipkins should look at this. He is saying exactly the opposite to what Mallard was advocating for all those years ago.
  
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  May 24, 2019 3:26pm
Happychappy

Can anyone tell me who were watching Jacinda’s budget speech did the audience laugh at her or was it just a dig at her final statement.
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May 24, 2019 2:03pm
Happychappy

Jacinda using the International Monetary Fund to point out how well NZ is predicted to do. NZ will grow at 2.5% in2019 and 2.9 in 2020.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/112954644/prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-gives-prebudget-speech-in-auckland
Our economy was projected to grow faster than the US, Japan, Canada, UK, the Eurozone and Australia Jacinda said.
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May 24, 2019 2:27pm
- RW Capitalist
  
  In who’s maths is 2.5% (NZ growth) higher than 4% (US growth)
  2.5% appears to be a GROSS exaggeration.
  My prediction 2019/20 financial year….-0.5%- +0.5%, growth.
  
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  May 24, 2019 2:45pm
- mandk
  
  Why is the PM quoting the IMF when its data is out of date?
  
  It overstates past NZ growth and understates past US growth.
  
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  May 24, 2019 3:50pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Ardern now spouting GDP figures that feel favourable. Does she know what they mean? Does GR? Is she aware of the implicit risk fudge factors. Is she aware of the global economic storm lurking that NZ has no control over?
  
  I presume she’s happy with her domestic situation.
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:21pm
BananaLlama

Are Maggpies a type of Kea?
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May 24, 2019 2:53pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I don’t think so…
  but who has seen the Captain and his cook today?
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:51pm
MrTips

Here’s one for Maggy:

New definitions of SI units come into force Revised definitions of four scientific units — the kilogram, the kelvin, the ampere and the mole — came into force on 20 May, World Metrology Day. All the base units of the International System of Units (SI) are now defined according to fundamental constants of nature, rather than arbitrary references. The shift marks the biggest shake-up of SI units since 1875, and will be most transformational for the kilogram. Until the redefinition, all masses were calibrated against a lump of platinum and iridium kept in France. Now, the kilogram will be derived through experiments using Planck’s constant. One method uses a device called a Kibble balance. The ampere, the kelvin and the mole are redefined using other experiments. The three other basic SI units — the second, the metre and the candela — are already based on constants.
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May 24, 2019 2:53pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The Greens will be pleased with kibbled wheat being recognised as a unit of measure. Quantum at its best. I hope Max Planck is getting copyright fees for the use of his name. Kelvin too, I presume, has not been left out in the cold. As for moles, we don’t have these in NZ except in specimen jars.
  
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  May 24, 2019 3:53pm
- mandk
  
  Interestingly, the intelligence of the NZ Cabinet is measured with reference to the Planck constant.
  
  Thick as.
  
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  May 24, 2019 3:53pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    The Physicist hubby appreciated that one….(will plagiarise)
    
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    May 24, 2019 6:48pm
    - mandk
      
      Tell your hubby, he is welcome.
      
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      May 24, 2019 7:41pm
- Fletch
  
  I saw a story on that years ago. There’s this thing of metal called the Grand K kept under glass that is the “official” weight for 1 KG. Fascinating stuff when you think that the world’s measurements are dependent upon this physical object (or were).
  
  https://www.npr.org/2018/11/13/666310991/say-au-revoir-to-that-hunk-of-metal-in-france-that-has-defined-the-kilogram
  
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  May 24, 2019 5:16pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  The poor old French shouldn’t have dusted their hunk of metal so often (it was losing mass).
  
  I doubt that we will notice any difference when we buy our 1Kg of mince, but our Measurements Standards Lab has got its Kibble balance sorted.
  https://measurement.govt.nz/news-and-events/media-release-world-metrology-day-2019/
  
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  May 24, 2019 5:30pm
- Fletch
  
  More – the original story I remember bookmarking.
  
  The American prototype is one of some four dozen such national standards around the world, and each of those, in turn, is accountable to an even higher authority: a regal artifact called the international prototype kilogram. Familiarly known as Le Grand K and held in a vault just outside of Paris under three bell jars, it dates back to the 1880s, when it was forged by the British metallurgist George Matthey from an alloy of nine-tenths platinum and one-tenth iridium. As a metric unit, the kilogram is “equal to the mass of the international prototype,” according to the official definition. In other words, as metrologists like to point out, it has the remarkable property of never gaining or losing mass. By definition, any physical change to it alters the mass of everything in the cosmos.
  
  Aside from a yearly ceremonial peek inside its vault, which can be unlocked only with three keys held by three different officials, the prototype goes unmolested for decades. Yet every 40 years or so, protocol requires that it be washed with alcohol, dried with a chamois cloth, given a steam bath, allowed to air dry, and then weighed against the freshly scrubbed national standards, all transported to France.
  
  https://www.wired.com/2011/09/ff-kilogram/
  
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  May 24, 2019 5:49pm
BobbyS

Just read this paragraph about Bowen House possibly being earthquake prone

“The 29-year-old block is home to Green party leaders James Shaw and Marama Davison and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. NZ First, Green and Labour MPs independent MP Jami-Lee Ross and parliamentary support staff are also based there”

One answer – Meh, it’s safe as bro!
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May 24, 2019 4:16pm
mandk

In the “Year of Delivery”, the govt has made huge progress in disincentivising employment opportunities.

This from an article today on Stuff, about the PM’s pre-budget speech to businesses:

“Active Roofing has about 40 employees. It used to have a strong apprentice scheme. It doesn’t anymore, Green said. The Government’s choice to do away with the 90-day trial law put paid to that, he said.
The company had only let one person go under the law, but without it, and with the changes coming down the line to industry training, it’s just too big of a risk now. So they’re not doing it anymore.”
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May 24, 2019 4:21pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Don Brash isn’t a snowflake.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/05/don-brash-wasn-t-offended-by-guy-williams-controversial-resurfaced-tweet.html
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May 24, 2019 5:16pm
MrTips

500 undocumented immigrants shut down T2 at CDG last week. “France does not belong to the French”, they cried.

Not a peep from our media. We really are in Pravda world down here – its just got worse under the CoL.
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May 24, 2019 5:55pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Good grief. Just because you found a story of interest does not mean that NZ media outlets are bound to run it. If you are interested in more coverage of European politics, you might consider a wider range of sources, rather than moaning that media outlets you don’t like don’t cover enough stories.
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:13pm
sooty

I have withdrawn all suport of teachers and their payrise, etc. If all you produce are students that you have taught your diversive views about climate warming! You need to be teaching more reading, writing and arithmatic. Students going on strike over your teachings. Very few kids are taught this from their parents! Yet the students want to be transported to and from school, have cell phones, label clothing, etc! It’s your teaching.
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May 24, 2019 6:06pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Teachers be warned! Anonymous internet commenter no longer supports you! Spoiler: he never did, anyway.
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:14pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Stop the climate change propaganda and let the kids have hope. That will be the most practical way to help their mental health.
  
  Who gains from this fakery of science? Any person with basic engineering training, among other disciplines, could tell that adaptation is to be preferred to a maths chaotic modeled system than attempting to do a Canute. We humans see a bad storm and fear extends it to lack of survival–life is a sequence of crises and pockets of joy.
  
  Someone is making money out of this or the political will would not be so strong. The UN are shysters with their re-written reports.
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:35pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Who do you think is organising this massive conspiracy of thousands of scientists?
    
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    May 24, 2019 7:11pm
- Alien
  
  Can’t blame the teachers, they’re only teaching what they are told to teach
  
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  May 24, 2019 6:51pm
  - rightoverlabour
    
    You will find most physics and chemistry teachers will not teach alarmist shit. Probably half the geo teachers do especially if they are from a social sciences background. I teach pure skeptics version. Primary school teachers have no idea about this.
    
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    May 24, 2019 7:36pm
DigNap15

The climate change hysteria is reaching a fever point.
Whats going to happen in ten years time if we are all still here?
They are going to look stupid.

If you are worried about Global warming or pollution then get countries like China, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Nigeria Uganda to stop breeding more mouths to feed and tv’s and cars needed.
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May 24, 2019 7:12pm
- rightoverlabour
  
  I can’t wait to see the wailing during the crop failures as we move further into this quiet phase of the sun…. Hope they enjoy the cold….. Twats
  
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  May 24, 2019 7:38pm
  - Alien
    
    our summers have been much cooler where I live. People using their fires in summer, and most that I know are talking about how their vegetable gardens are struggling with the cooler summers already. Sure we have a heatwave that lasts a few days to a week, but that is it
    
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    May 24, 2019 8:15pm
nasska

It is my opinion that the NZ Transport Agency are conducting the modern day equivalent of the Salem witch trials in their vendetta against Stan Semenoff Logging. After hearing a video of a boss/employee conversation (the employee was a Filipino probably pressurised by the authority) Justice Christian Whata decided that “the interim order preserving SSL’s position will be continued”.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12233702

At heart of the matter is the Agency’s campaign against “driver fatigue” which is probably fair & reasonable……tired drivers make mistakes.

But…..SSL cart logs from Kaitaia & surrounds to the Marsden Point wharves. Each trip would be about 180km taking approx three hours. The company’s instructions to drivers is to take their scheduled breaks at the port and/or the loading skids where there are toilet facilities & hot/cold drinks are available.

The legal requirements include:

1) In general, drivers must take a break of at least 30 minutes after 5½ hours of work time

2) In any cumulative work day (legally defined as no more than 24 hours), drivers can work a maximum of 13 hours and must then take a break of at least 10 hours.

If the Transport Agency succeeds we can safely add log exports to oil & gas along with dairy as sunset industries.
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May 24, 2019 7:40pm
Jack5

Interesting details of the Provincial Growth Fund lolly scramble at the Point of Order blog, and a pointer to details of the fund’s $100 million for Maori land owners.

Maori communal land is typically locked up so that it can’t be sold, which rules it out as collateral for borrowing capital. Looks as though the taxpayer is going to step in where banks and other capitalist institutions fear to tread.

The “access to capital” that Nania Mahuta talks of in the second link below is State lending without any collateral for the State. If the borrowers can’t repay it will be “sorry, too bad” for the taxpayer.

And, mmm, there’s no mention of interest. Risk capital, unsecured, interest free?

The fund spend-up:

https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2019/05/24/nz-first-ministers-announce-more-handouts-from-the-pgf-while-mahuta-announces-money-for-maori/#more-2660

More details of the $100 million for Maori land owners.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/reform-whenua-m%C4%81ori
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May 24, 2019 8:45pm
Jack5

A taste of an Aussie take on the legal aspects of Ruby Australia’s termination of Israel Folau’s contract:

” …if RA [Rugby Australia] can’t prove the termination had nothing at all to do with religion, then the Federal Court has the full jurisdiction to order that RA reinstate Folau; pay him full compensation; pay his (no doubt significant) legal bills; and pay a civil penalty of $50,000 or more.”

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/does-rugby-australia-s-folau-firing-adhere-to-its-own-vision-20190524-p51qrf.html
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May 24, 2019 8:55pm

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