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March 18, 2020 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 18 March 2020

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Maggie Pie

Wonder what Meng would think about this? 😛

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1239685852093169664
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March 18, 2020 8:00am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  The ‘Chinese Virus’? Good luck, America, with a childish moron in charge.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:14am
  - Scott
    
    Good one Mikey ?
    Actually CNN has offered these helpful tips. They are concerned that the death rate in America is still too low for the democrats to win –
    – blame Trump
    – spread panic
    – bring down the economy
    – advocate for total government control
    – buy toilet paper you don’t need
    – vote Democrat.
    
    I understand DPF has fully signed onto this. We look forward to sleepy Joe becoming president and I’m sure he’ll do a splendid job. If he can just remember that he is president rather than senator, if he can remember what state he us in, who his wife is, who his sister is and he stops calling his supporters “lying, dog faced, pony soldiers!” Other than that I’m sure he’ll do a splendid job. ?
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:23am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      But he’s coming for your AR14s too! Don’t argue, or he’ll get you to step outside!
      
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      March 18, 2020 11:12am
  - burt
    
    Are you disputing where it came from?
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:24am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      How many people are calling it the ‘Chinese virus’? It’s just deflection and xenophobia.
      
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      March 18, 2020 8:29am
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        Just as with Spanish flu, Ebola, Zika. Racists the lot of us!!!
        
        Have another downtick, dickhead.
        
        This is the Chinese Coronavirus, or Wuhan Flu. Deal with it. Virus’ don’t care about “race” unless its the human race.
        
        Of course the Woke cannot accept plain naming conventions.
        
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        March 18, 2020 8:56am
      - Manolo
        
        As Chinese as the Terracotta Warriors, mate.
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:11am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Tit for tat??????
        Didn’t the Chinese try to blame the Americans for this?
        He’s just pushing back, before idiots like you start believing it.
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:13am
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Spanish Flu, German Measles…are they xenophobic too?
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:19am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        Got ya–it’s Pelosian, never Trump. These darn things hang out in labs and the troops take a few with them for luck when they go visiting.
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:19am
      - Fletch
        
        … and Dengue fever…
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:23am
      - Colville
        
        what about the French pox? 🙂
        
        of course you want to blame someone else when you are pissing razorblades!
        
        sacre bleu !
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:36am
      - SB 2
        
        Some what different meaning.
        
        The Spanish Virus
        
        The Congo/ African virus ( Ebola)
        
        The Brazilian virus ( Zika)
        
        AIDS The African virus
        
        Legionnaires virus The American Virus
        
        Think about it !
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:54am
      - rangitoto
        
        Trump only started using the (accurate) term Chinese virus after the Chinese government agents started claiming that the virus originated in the US.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:10am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Legionnaires’ disease is caused by bacteria (Legionella) – not a virus.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:34am
      - Than
        
        Yep, pure xenophobia.
        
        Just like promoting conspiracy theories that Jian Yang is an agent of the Chinese Communist Party.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:38am
      - Sacha
        
        And don’t forget the English Measles – that’s the nasty version.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:42am
      - Lee C
        
        ,
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:54am
      - kloyd0306
        
        One would think that at some point in time you might get tired of displaying your weird mindset?
        
        Then again, Michael Savage got it right when he explained that leftism is a mental disorder.
        
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        March 18, 2020 7:54pm
    - freethinker
      
      This virus emanated from a biological lab in Wuhan and it MAY have been an experiment to weaponize it. It is possible that the source was the illicit sale of animals used by the lab for experiments by lab operatives into the local market which MAY explain the rate of infection but if the source is this then some explanation of why cooking did not kill the virus is needed. It may also be that the virus is a mutation from an animal purchased legally and some clarity is needed if similar events are to be avoided in future. It is a disaster for China and probably the world but cooperation and honesty will achieve more than blame.
      
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      March 18, 2020 8:43am
      - Tall Man
        
        Some wild food is eaten uncooked or barely cooked, much like we eat oysters I suppose.
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:10am
      - cmm
        
        Tall_Man
        
        But nobody prepares oysters in a similar fashion.
        
        Would you use your bait knife to open up oysters in a bucket of berley? That’s pretty much how they do things in the wet market.
        
        The other issue are the pathogens. Bats and such are going to carry human-attacking virus loads, oysters not so much.
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:22pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Yummy eh cmm?
        
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        March 18, 2020 2:12pm
    - Odakyu-sen
      
      Would the cries of “racism” be so strident if this virus had originated from a Western nation such as the US or Spain?
      
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      March 18, 2020 9:16am
      - The Proper Ghandi
        
        The opposite. It would be yet more irrefutable evidence of the detrimental effect Westerners have on the rest of the world’s population.
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:11pm
      - freethinker
        
        Breaking News – Reuters reports that a Fuji Film subsidies drug – Avigan is effective against the Covid 19 virus and has been verified so by Chinese authorities. Yippee for some good news just hope production & distribution can be ramped up to curtail the virus before it does major damage.
        
        https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-fujifilm/fujifilm-holdings-shares-untraded-on-glut-of-orders-after-china-says-drug-works-against-coronavirus-kyodo-idUSKBN215025
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:55pm
  - MT_Tinman
    
    And yet you support the childish moron in charge of New Zealand.
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:35am
    - fisho
      
      He may look youthful and athletic with a full head of hair, but don’t let it fool you. Winston ain’t that young.
      
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      March 18, 2020 3:26pm
  - herb1
    
    you spelled New Zealand wrong
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:52am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Out of interest, have you ever been to Wuhan, or even to China? Wuhan is a city with more than twice the NZ population, in a very small area, with often incredibly poor living conditions and hygiene. They eat anything that moves, the markets have non-existent hygiene and no refrigeration.
    
    It’s no surprise that most of the recent outbreaks of highly contagious and virulent viruses have come from this part of the world. Facts don’t care about your feelings.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:16am
    - projectman
      
      Well, the Duke of Edinburgh got it right 34 years ago:
      
      “If it has four legs and it is not a chair, if it has two wings and it flies but is not an aeroplane, and if it swims and it is not a submarine, the Cantonese will eat it.” (at a 1986 World Wildlife Fund meeting)”.
      
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      March 18, 2020 11:05am
    - GoVege
      
      Thousands have died and possibly millions will die, all because some silly buggers insist on eating bats, a mammal species that carries more viruses dangerous to humans than any other.
      
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      March 18, 2020 6:59pm
  - Positan
    
    MMA, do you know I’ve become so tired of the incessant fatuousness of your aimlessly-anti comments and the sneering contempt with which you exercise your unthought, unreasoned, dyed-in-the-wool dismissals of all that isn’t fervently nihilist or leftist that I fervently believe this blog would be far better off with them. To be permitted the freedom to declare your beliefs is one thing – but to tolerate responses that constantly exercise nothing but rabid, inculcated determination to remain ignorant, unswayed and unaffected by reason and concreted in such a vacuous mindset, is something I feel the rest of us would exist far better without.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:31am
    - Aunty
      
      His ban should be permanent. Farrar’s reluctance to do so, no matter how “principled”, will ultimately cost him blog readers and participants as MMA’s incessantly tedious and tiresome posts clutter up the place and antagonise readers. Readers’ patience is not unlimited. I have already argued that in an election year, firm control needs to be placed on the Left’s nutters, crackpots, haters, wreckers, spoilers and trolls for this very reason.
      
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      March 18, 2020 10:57am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Poor snowflakes, unable to put up with differing opinions. I realise that many Kwibloggers would prefer an echo chamber, but DPF is certainly no Whale Oil.
        I’m quite happy to be banned if I break the rules, and have only been banned once since those rules began to be enforced a year ago..
        
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        March 18, 2020 12:19pm
      - Tall Man
        
        It’s not your differing opinion that’s the problem, it’s your smarmy smartarse retorts that add nothing to the conversation yet you think they are so “pithy”.
        
        They are not and reveal that as I have said previously , the shoe still fits.
        
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        March 18, 2020 2:16pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Yo @TM
        
        it’s your smarmy smartarse retorts that add nothing to the conversation yet you think they are so “pithy”.
        
        Looked in a mirror lately?
        
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        March 18, 2020 2:27pm
  - Than
    
    Thankfully there are state and city officials with half a brain. They have been taking action even while the orange buffoon-in-chief has not.
    
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    March 18, 2020 10:21am
    - Alacrity
      
      When anything goes wrong, even in China its Trumps fault, but if it goes right its nothing to do with him? Very progressive of you. And nice showing of tolerence in the name calling.
      
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      March 18, 2020 2:31pm
  - Vory v zakone
    
    I understand he still speaks highly of you Milky. 😉
    
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    March 18, 2020 12:56pm
    - Tall Man
      
      Clever lad.
      
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      March 18, 2020 2:17pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Pithy indeed ….
        
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        March 18, 2020 2:27pm
- Tall Man
  
  I liked the display of absolute hypocrisy of the media reaction to the term “Chinese virus”.
  
  It shows that they will do anything to attack Trump, much like the media will do anything here to praise ardern and attack National at any opportunity.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:15am
  - kowtow
    
    From the outset of this media driven hysteria they and their fellow travellers in the twitterverse have been at pains to lecture us not to be “racist” about this.
    
    Very , very little among the hysteria is serious analysis of where this has come from , why and how often . And will the China wildlife farmers / industry get their shit together so these pandemics can be minimised.
    
    Meanwhile our pollies who are craven cowards to adverse media reports and the crony capitalist mega corporations have literally crashed the world’s economy ,on the back of becoming totally reliant on China…….
    
    But looking on the bright side as far as the media /pollies are concerned it would now seem the seas are no longer rising and the planet not being fried to death , at least as long as they can vent on their current beat up.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:02am
    - Vory v zakone
      
      Yep look at the hypocrites from the fake news in the video put up by Melissa A. @TheRightMelissa in reply to the above tweet by #BadManOrange
      
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      March 18, 2020 1:04pm
      - Vory v zakone
        
        And which side are the ruling class, and their media activists, taking?
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W9vjsFQUUU
        
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        March 18, 2020 2:16pm
- Simon
  
  Yep there will be a rethink about the CCP run China.
  
  China crashed NZ’s economy in a matter of weeks.
  
  Time to diversify away from China. That China is NZ biggest export market is a glaring weakness not something to be proud about. Its now an embarrassing failure.
  
  The Wuhan virus is the modern day equivalent of the British joining the common market in 1973.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:20am
  - freethinker
    
    The USA/UK and ex colonies together have a population greater than China and probably a better understanding & tolerance of differences between themselves plus great inventiveness and adaptation to circumstances. Cooperation would make this block a fearsome adversary to China and if the EU stopped being stoopid and joined, the world would be a far better place.
    
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    March 18, 2020 5:26pm
- Justitia
  
  To call it “coronavirus” is absurd, as there are many, many coronaviruses. It’s like calling a Maserati “car”. I think the “Wuhan flu” or “Wuhan plague” is appropriate. As long as the Chinese authorities allow their awful wet markets to continue trading in all manner of species, some of which are consumed alive, we will all continue to be threatened by pandemic.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:24am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Is it a possibly a US low down virus? Bill Gates was running simulation on it last October; the US was hiring people to manage care for an outbreak across the nation in November. The cross-species and market origin has been disproven. US troops also had some business in Wuhan. The US is very concerned about the rise of China pushing them out of top place. The top level of Iran, another US enemy has also been struck. Coincidences allow circumstantial evidence.
    Has some hidden rogue US actor decided to assist the President on the basis that if they knock out the main US enemies the casualties are tolerable?
    
    Not so far fetched. I have experienced this in an election campaign when some persons unknown decided to promote the candidate on their own–a caravan was even gifted a Molotov cocktail. This was in NZ.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:44am
    - Lance
      
      WTF?
      
      Ummm
      Out of curiosity, do you think the moon landings were faked?
      
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      March 18, 2020 10:12am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        Conspiracy theories I have no time for. I have been a forensic investigator accustomed to seeking out evidence that will stand up in Court.
        Where you find a string of coincidences you have to match up the probability with the broader view. More evidence about the spread of this virus is needed to take me from watchful to certain. Time will tell.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:49am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Here’s a conspiracy theory for ya.
        It was the soap companies……
        Have you seen the universal advice…
        “wash your hands often and for 20 seconds”
        
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        March 18, 2020 11:02am
- Tall Man
  
  I thought you meant this guy 🙂
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gemllJwmU4c
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:25am
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  It is a virus. It came from China. Therefore, it is rightly a “Chinese virus.” I don’t see the controversy.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:48am
Paulus Gnome

Remember the good old days when one coughed to cover a fart, but now, one farts to cover a cough . . .
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March 18, 2020 8:02am
- Yvette
  
  San Diego real-estate one-liner …
  “Can you see yourself being quarantined here?”
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:19am
  - cmm
    
    San Diego? Do you mean Tijuana North?
    
    Not sure I’d want to be there in a crisis.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:22am
- Wangas Feral
  
  I am stealing that one.
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:37am
Prince

Bridges is being hammered by the media for speaking out against the increases in beneficiary payment. We are told that beneficiaries are the most vulnerable to coronavirus.
Thia is patently untrue. None of the 12 tested positive so far are beneficiaries. Overseas death rate show around 85% of deaths are over 75 years old. For those under 70, logically those who go out to work are more at risk that those sitting at home.
Labour has cleverly slipped in their Welfare policy in this package. Good for them. But Bridges is just doing his job pointing out what they are doing.
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March 18, 2020 8:06am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Well said Prince. Beneficiaries aren’t in danger of losing their “jobs” and their income. Whilst benefit rates can be argued until the cows come home, yesterday was not the time to increase them.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:15am
  - Simon
    
    With the economy crashing there will be more beneficaries not just the well adjusted ones we have now.
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:26am
  - Tricati
    
    So true, and the MSM are conveniently avoiding the sarcastic comments from Robertson about Nationals package over the GFC & EQ sequences – Robo took the gloves off.
    What Robertson, and the MSM, are also conveniently avoiding is the state of the economy when National took over compared to when Peters inserted this group of incompetents.
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:28am
  - Misha Beattie
    
    I see the case for a lump sum payment to beneficiaries, say $750, to allow them to respond to the crisis, buy supplies, etc. But a permanent increase, not so much.
    
    28 2
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    March 18, 2020 8:36am
    - igm
      
      Beneficiaries should be made to pick Kiwifruit, or whatever, they get far too much with no questions asked already.
      The only ones to benefit will be drug dealers, bottle stores and fast food outlets.
      
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      March 18, 2020 9:11am
      - Misha Beattie
        
        That sounds good. But would you want a drug addicted resentful young chap let loose in your kiwifruit orchard?
        
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        March 18, 2020 9:30am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        It is a much better bet to bring in 40 Thai workers to pick and pack your kiwifruit crop.
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120348789/coronavirus-thai-kiwifruit-sector-workers-in-quarantine-at-bay-of-plenty-holiday-park
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:41am
    - MrLovebucket
      
      $750 buys a lot of weed and Double Brown.
      
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      March 18, 2020 9:49am
    - tf78
      
      That’s what Aussie did for pensioners for that reason, (they may have included beneficiaries I can’t remember). Much better than early electioneering which I didn’t think was legal.
      
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      March 18, 2020 10:46am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      You would not like it if the bennies spent it all in one week on partying–it might last a few week among a group of friends.
      The payments via WINZ are one of the few ways of getting money quickly into the community. A petrol tax decrease might be effective too.
      
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      March 18, 2020 1:26pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    My partners mum was saying she and the other 83 residents of the Retirement Village are really filthy on this government.
    ‘Bludging Bene’s’ scored an extra 25 bucks a week, Superannuitants S.F.A.
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:56am
    - Tall Man
      
      They may change their minds when they realise they are getting it as well, or the Rest Home is 😉
      
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      March 18, 2020 9:11am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Is your partner’s mum sure that superannuitants are not included in ‘Benes’?
      I hope she’s wrong.
      
      12 1
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      March 18, 2020 9:21am
      - Mummy
        
        I’m an OAP. My understanding is that NZ Super isn’t classified as a benefit so no we won’t be getting the $25 a week. But we should get a tiny wee CPI increase after 31 March which I understand is enshrined in law.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:20am
      - hookerphil
        
        Superannuitants are not included in the benefit $25 increase. Both lots get the 2020 only increase in heating allowance and both get the 1 April Cost of Living Inflation adjustment.
        
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        March 18, 2020 10:22am
      - Unity
        
        I think superannuitants are getting something extra for heating?!!
        
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        March 18, 2020 11:32am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        If it isn’t included in the benefit I should still get it via WWF.
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:28pm
      - Tall Man
        
        You don’t look like a wrestler Kev 🙂
        
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        March 18, 2020 2:18pm
  - Fletch
    
    Yep, the only risk is of popping out to the TAB…
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:26am
- emmess
  
  Fuck the media, no one cares what they think.
  Bridges response was great, he went up a long way in my estimation.
  He should be promising to cancel it as soon as possible and replace it with temporary payments to low to middle-income workers.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:18am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Yep. Most of the country is crying out for someone with the balls to call out the BS, oppose this inept government and who couldn’t care less what the MSM say.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:16am
    - ISeeRed
      
      Yes. I do recall someone somewhere some time ago saying something about “need to haves” and “nice to haves”. I think it’s time to revisit that. Giving people who do nothing productive, just consume and fornicate, at others’ expense, isn’t how any country can survive the economic impact from a global pandemic and a collapse in world travel and trade.
      
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      March 18, 2020 9:48am
    - Unity
      
      Sadly the MSM seem to be on the side of the totally inept COL and very little of what Bridges says or does is reported!!
      
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      March 18, 2020 11:33am
- RW Capitalist
  
  The Kiwifruit industry has no pickers, since their are no foreigners to do the job.
  They say they will use local labour, lowering the unemployment.
  Question:
  The reason they were using foreigners in the first place, was they couldn’t get locals to do the job.
  How is increasing the dole by $25 going to encourage that?
  Since they stopped “encouraging” those on the dole to get any job, how can you force them to take the job?
  What would happen to any Islanders (current workforce), that come here to work (free of travel restrictions at present), that may then have to “self isolate” before they go home? Lest they take the virus with them.
  Further question.
  Why didn’t this incompetent govt. think of this?
  OOHH sorry, rhetorical question.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:24am
  - Jack5
    
    Why hasn’t the kiwifruit industry moved faster into automation?
    
    Scott Technology of Dunedin is the world leader in automating meat processing, and is using advanced sight techniques such as time of flight and X rays. Where is the parallel in kiwifruit?
    
    MIT last year announced a robot that functions by touch “feel” sense as well as by vision. It is based on “Gelsight”, which is now eight years old. The link below shows how Gelsight works.
    
    New Zealanders were once known for being innovative and engineering adept. What happened?
    
    Pushing hard into automation is the way to lift productivity and keep a country in the First World. Industry dependent on cheap labour is a blind street.
    
    There’s an engineering revolution under way in the field called “soft robotics” – largely emulation of human hands. Apart from Scott Technology, which has branches in China and America, what else is going on in NZ in this field?
    
    In the medium and long term, if NZ is to prosper, we should be bringing in people like the Indian robotics engineer in this clip, rather than low-wage labour:
    
    https://youtu.be/tzGLcuUPits
    
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    March 18, 2020 11:56am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Might be the exact right time, now.
      
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      March 18, 2020 12:59pm
    - RW Capitalist
      
      http://livingstingy.blogspot.com/2011/05/1000-men-with-spoonsautomation.html
      for the neigh sayers. (spelling deliberate).
      
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      March 18, 2020 4:20pm
  - freethinker
    
    There is still an issue with overseas workers as countries close their borders and international air travel evaporates although perhaps with the islands exempted they will fill the void, not sure how they will get here with air travel shutting down possibly they will carve a Really Really Big Waka and paddle here and be fit & slim ready pick fruit 24/7!
    
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    March 18, 2020 5:37pm
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Bro – Cindy is a visionary. She knows most of the people in job will join the beneficiary queue soon. So she has increased the benefit. Barry Soap Opera is all praise for her. Election secured for good.g
  
  18 4
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  March 18, 2020 9:26am
- MCos
  
  There are going to be a lot of people without a job in the coming months who will be falling back on the unemployment benefit. A lot of people have already been made redundant.
  ‘Everyday NZers’ who suddenly have to spend their entire income on rent/mortgage without having to go groveling down at the WINZ office asking for more money and laying bare all their personal financial records to someone who might turn out to be their mate’s kid.
  Apart from that all those businesses that are scrapping by on government handouts are technically beneficiaries now.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:35am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Here’s who gets it, it may surprise–an analysis of the infection among the Diamond Princess. The author is one of the best numerical analysts out there.
  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/03/16/diamond-princess-mysteries/
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:49am
  - Poppa
    
    Very interesting read
    
    It possibly shows that the virus is much more selective than the medicos think
    
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    March 18, 2020 10:56am
- Nermal
  
  Whereas those most likely to be affected (superannuatants) don’t get the extra, but will at least be warm when they pass away. Winston obviously didn’t get an input
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:05am
mjw

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
At least if Simon Bridges gets coronavirus he won’t have to self-isolate. None of his caucus will want to be anywhere near him after yesterday’s performance. Wherever he goes, there will be a 2m bubble around him …
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March 18, 2020 8:07am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  twatish comment chap
  
  30 1
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  March 18, 2020 8:21am
  - Tall Man
    
    Well he’s a twatish chap … or chappess….
    
    16 1
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    March 18, 2020 9:12am
- Tarquin North
  
  Why would he want to end up like you?
  
  18 1
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  March 18, 2020 8:29am
- The Proper Ghandi
  
  There is a lot of talk about Bridges “misreading the mood of the nation.” Rather, it is more like he misread the mood of less than 50% of the nation.
  
  45 1
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  March 18, 2020 8:49am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Or he misread the mood of 100% of the Woke Nation…
    
    37 1
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    March 18, 2020 9:07am
Maggy Wassilieff

25 Years of slavery in NZ

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/17/samoan-chief-found-guilty-of-enslaving-villagers-in-new-zealand-over-25-years
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March 18, 2020 8:09am
- Tall Man
  
  Maggy we had a horticulture business near us and until Immigration NZ shut them down they “employed” islanders exclusively through a local church for the benefit of the minister of the church.
  
  They were all in NZ on a 3 month visitor’s permit yet worked 6 days a week harvesting veges in family units. The kids used to play near the vehicles to get a bit of shade during the day.
  
  Their work rate was pathetic but I suppose motivation is low when you’re working for free.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:20am
- kiwitoffee
  
  Good to know his appeal to multiculturalism was seen for the sham it is.
  I wonder if he might serve his sentence in a Samoan prison, so that he might learn a bit more of his culture.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:28am
- cmm
  
  Bloody colonialists.
  
  17 1
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  March 18, 2020 8:40am
- Odakyu-sen
  
  What’s the bet that this slaver was from an aristocratic family.
  
  14 1
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  March 18, 2020 9:17am
- Jack5
  
  If fruit-pickers are now in short supply, maybe Taranaki Maori could whip over to the Chathams and grab a few locals. ?
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:33am
- KevO'Brien
  
  The Judge has no concept of the role of Matai and those mutually accepting their authority. Control is passed to the Matai but they have obligations too. The relationship is cultural and quasi contractual. In a remote Island society this has provided stability over the centuries. It’s not everyone for themselves in Samoa.
  This matter shouldn’t have got into our criminal courts.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:57am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Well, I hope a clear message has gone out to the Matai that what is allowed in Samoa isn’t permitted here.
    
    The chap violated the basic human rights of his victims. He denied them freedom of movement; he physically assaulted some; he lied to the folks back in Samoa about what they would be doing in NZ.
    (one girl thought she was coming for schooling).
    
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/409203/samoan-nationals-promised-work-but-used-as-slaves-high-court-told
    
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12262241
    
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    March 18, 2020 10:55am
Simon

“Will Trump be a victim of Coronavirus?”

Lol – this is fine to have a go at Trump but when you totally ignore China’s role in actually crashing NZ’s economy & most of the rest of the world and all the bull shit that when on here with the CCP then all that is left is TDS or deflection.
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March 18, 2020 8:12am
- All_on_Red
  
  Looks like Trumps got his act together.
  Here’s CNNs Dana Bash.
  Dana Bash just called Trump’s tone “remarkable” and the kind of leadership we need during a crisis and said his recent pivot was “pretty incredible.”
  Video in the link
  https://mobile.twitter.com/jordanuhl/status/1239972581047844867
  
  CNN praising Trump? Interesting times.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:20am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    ‘I don’t take responsibility at all’
    That line will resonate for some time to come.
    
    6 43
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    March 18, 2020 8:26am
    - All_on_Red
      
      No it won’t.
      Good selective editing though!
      
      9 2
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      March 18, 2020 11:25am
      - Batman
        
        Here’s the video.
        
        https://youtu.be/G0sbYp-J84g
        
        No responsibility for his administration’s actions. I’m dare say the view would be different if Obama or Bush tried to pull that one…
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:13pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        You’re quite stupid aren’t you
        He was talking about how he doesn’t have responsibility for the previous regulations which have inhibited their ability to increase testing.
        
        Oh, and just for you and Virtualmark.
        Remember those Russians from the Troll Farm indicted by Mueller for ‘meddling in the Election’?
        The case has collapsed and the charges have been dismissed.
        Bwhahahahahahahaha
        
        6 1
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        March 18, 2020 1:29pm
      - kloyd0306
        
        How is Batman a moderator?
        Moderators are expected to be impartial.
        Yet Batman constantly proves he is a klutz.
        DPF: You can do better.
        Try the Trump doctrine, tell him he’s fired.
        
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        March 18, 2020 8:18pm
    - IC5000
      
      What was he referring to, covid19, the failure to build the wall or his multiple bankruptcies?
      
      1 5
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      March 18, 2020 12:01pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Fair call. I think it is safe to say he takes responsibility for no failure, and credit for all success.
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:05pm
      - Vory v zakone
        
        Failure to build the wall? Wrong
        *400 miles of wall built by the end of 2020
        
        Multiple bankruptcies? Wrong
        *Seven companies out of at least 250 companies he has operated
        
        You should stop reading the fake news sites which are the activist arms of the DNC
        
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        March 18, 2020 1:21pm
      - IC5000
        
        7 is multiple.
        How is the wall going NOW.
        
        1 2
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        March 18, 2020 1:45pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        LOL at only seven bankruptcies…
        
        1 5
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        March 18, 2020 2:46pm
- Justitia
  
  Agreed Simon. Trump is doing a sterling job in leading the US response. And his judgement that the US should stand up to China on trade and reduce its dependence by restoring its own manufacturing capacity is thoroughly vindicated. But I guess if you are a member of the National Party who starts every day by kissing their mimeographed photo of Xi Xinping’s backside then you won’t be too happy.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:29am
  - SB 2
    
    Justistis, the truth is the POTUS’s response was slow and confused.
    
    You cant deal with a crises by a sales pitch ” art of the deal”
    
    3 24
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    March 18, 2020 10:02am
- freethinker
  
  The effects of this virus on China will be immense and long lasting, the supply chain from China will diminish as companies diversify their supply sources which will good for the new locations and the employment that results. Consumers may choose to discriminate against Chinese goods in reaction to the CCP’s handling of the pandemic and Chinese citizens may also turn against their own Government. Hope that Xi Jiping is big enough to recognize mistakes, admit them and deal fairly with the results and most of all cooperate globally for the good of all.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:50am
- Fletch
  
  Trump has actually done a remarkable job. He is doing the opposite of what FDR did (massive expansion of govt, regulation, etc) – the recession which caused a depression in the 1930s.
  
  Thank God it’s not Hillary or Biden in charge…
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:37am
  - SB 2
    
    “..the recession which caused a depression in the 1930s.”
    
    National Recovery Act , TVA etc, etc etc?
    
    https://www.history.com/topics/great-depression/new-deal
    
    2 16
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    March 18, 2020 10:03am
  - kloyd0306
    
    FDR certainly prolonged the depression but was saved by WW2.
    When leftists are in charge they usually make things worse – as per Obama. The recovery from the GFC was pathetic.
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:22pm
Happychappy

Isn’t this normal for the Labour Party every time they have a crisis, just load up and keeping throwing money at the problem as that is they only thing they know. The Health System has been in crisis since day one of Jacinda’s reign with the only explanation from those at the top National is to blame with Hospitals and their equipments outdated and underfunded.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/03/health-sector-concerned-not-enough-boots-on-the-ground-to-tackle-covid-19-in-new-zealand.html
Well they have two and half years and trown billions at the Health System and useless Health Minister still can’t fix the problem,and is still chucking money at something he has no idea how to fix.
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March 18, 2020 8:14am
- Tricati
  
  Isn’t it interesting when National had to deal with the GFC and the Earthquakes; and were required to make some tough calls, that over their 9 years was beginning to show significant dividends for the country – And all we got was ‘9 years of neglect’ from Labour.
  Now labour facing something similar, maybe they are about to get a does of reality, so lets see where NZ debt ends up.
  
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  March 18, 2020 8:34am
  - Sacha
    
    But it’s cheap money to borrow, what with interest rates being so low – wasn’t that what Robertson used as his excuse? What is his re-payment programme?
    
    14 1
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    March 18, 2020 10:54am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      No money is cheap to borrow. Taxpayers are ultimately on the hook for it. The other cost is hidden in inflation–we all pay for that. More borrowing just increases the future pain.
      Cindy can drop $millions like small talk but the money is not hers to give away.
      
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      March 18, 2020 1:38pm
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Grant: What’s a re-payment programme?
      
      3 2
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      March 18, 2020 1:39pm
    - freethinker
      
      Sacha – Robbo’s repayment plan is obvious wait for National to form the next Govt create a surplus and tell the sheeple a load of BS , get elected and do it all again.
      
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      March 19, 2020 8:04am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Interesting the the government’s response is being led by the Director-General of Health, and the Minister is being kept out of the limelight.
  
  Perhaps that has something to do with Clark’s double failings on Meningitis and Measles.
  
  As an aside, Dr Ashley Bloomfield was looking absolutely knackered yesterday. I hope he is given a few days to rest up before COVID-19 really starts to bite, as his leadership on the issue so far has been outstanding.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:11am
- Loddenthinks
  
  We haven’t had a competent Health Minister since Tony Ryall.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:21am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Nine long years of neglect cannot be fixed in two and half years.
  
  3 29
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  March 18, 2020 9:40am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Nine years of turning up to eat ones lunch hasn fixed anything in two and a half years.
    
    Habits die hard.
    
    You’re welcome.
    
    4 1
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    March 18, 2020 1:26pm
  - freethinker
    
    SCC – Three years of abject incompetence will take 9 years of competence to fix.
    
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    March 19, 2020 8:07am
Maggie Pie

My partner re-tweets…

‘Not sure how true this is, but considering coronavirus has shut down international travel, it seems plausible??’

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETTCly9XQAA5S0G?format=jpg&name=medium
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March 18, 2020 8:16am
- Andrei
  
  Well my nephew is stuck in Saudi Arabia for the foreseable, it border are completely closed for incoming and outgoing
  
  And I think the same is true for Norway
  
  10 1
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  March 18, 2020 9:30am
  - Mummy
    
    Wouldn’t mind being stuck in Norway. It’s a gorgeous place.
    
    5 1
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    March 18, 2020 10:30am
- Ed Snack
  
  No, tin foil hat territory.
  
  5 1
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  March 18, 2020 9:35am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Utter fake news Pie.
  
  4 4
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  March 18, 2020 9:42am
- SB 2
  
  Qnon styled far rightwing nuttey unsourced and anonymous
  
  Sight!
  
  Try this,
  
  https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/3/13/1927113/-Far-right-QAnon-nutcases-see-Tom-Hanks-coronavirus-diagnosis-as-sure-sign-of-looming-mass-arrests
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:10am
- freethinker
  
  Maggie – Very Satirical but possibly some truth in underlying facts.
  
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  March 19, 2020 8:11am
Right of way is Way of Right

Covid-19 response:
$500 million for health,
$2.1 billion for beneficiaries,

Typical Labour, don’t actually spend where it counts, just find any excuse to buy votes! The economic equivalent of fiddling while Rome burns!
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March 18, 2020 8:20am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  But but but – Audrey Not So Young and Barry Soap Opera are dancing in the streets hailing the “young” PM for saving NZ. So something must be right!
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:43am
Inandout

I listened to Hosking this morning and the news and sport was 100% virus. Mike does his best to bring a bit of positivity to the show such as the newly unemployed may work picking kiwifruit (we mustn’t touch the presently unemployed lounge lizards). However I have made a decision to self isolate my radio listening and go music stations; so far, so enjoyable.
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March 18, 2020 8:23am
alex Masterley

The current government may have thrown money at the Health System but it hasn’t as far as i can tell achieved anything.
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March 18, 2020 8:25am
oldpark

Just checking the score card of Winston Peters compulsory replacement of Bill English/Stephen Joyce . Ardern/Robertson, a couple of never wases who have never had a real job . Yes they must try harder to improve their public image in the present Crisis.
Just a couple of gems on how the two Peters replacements Ardern/Robertson are involved in the Virus Crisis .
Roberson screams aided and abetted by Ardern .
“We cant save all jobs”.Their solution? $25 Dollars a week for Beneficiaries plus a compulsory $48 Dollars a week for low income employees to be paid for by their employers . All to kick in by April 1 2020 .
The compulsory payments by employers who can’t
afford it, will in fact cause accelerated unemployment. Hows that for saving jobs .
Just one more solution by the Peters selected also rans . Yes an employer who can prove by the end of June his business has taken a 30% hit based on 2019 figures could get some help . Except by the time the end of June rolls around the business will probably no longer exist .
Seems virtue signalling is more important to Ardern and her gang as the their solutions in most instances for the Virus Crisis is to boost Welfare Recipients Benefits.Not a good look for many ,many, hard working tax payers.
Yes Peters has a lot to answer for along with his selected Labour/ Green /NZ First/Cabal.
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March 18, 2020 8:31am
- Durden
  
  There are businesses in the tourism sector e.g. accommodation providers, tour operators who are down 80% on business due to restrictions. Even local travel and accommodation is being cancelled due to restrictions/cancellations of sports events and the like.
  
  These people cannot provide the 80% salary expected by the government to access the subsidy for up to 20 people.
  
  You are right, such businesses will not exist shortly. Unless mortgage and overdraft repayment holidays are provided these businesses will lose assets and cannot recover once this crisis passes.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:33am
MT_Tinman

I visited my local supermarket on Monday.

I was surprised at the things I couldn’t buy, I’m guessing because of panic buying.

I shall hold off stocking up on most things until after the supermarkets realise that people can only consume so much pasta, rice, toilet paper, tinned veg etc. and start discounting when the sales stop.

Can’t do the same with petrol/diesel but I will fill all three vehicles to the brim.

At least some good will come of the new cold scare.
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March 18, 2020 8:33am
- Andrei
  
  I filled my car yesterday and for the first time this century had change from $100 – never seen gas so cheap for decades
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:33am
  - freethinker
    
    Andrei – as of 18/3 West Texas Intermediate was US$22.90 a barrel and Brent $26.16, past hikes reflected at pumps in a nano second wonder how many days / weeks for current price drop to appear? Price of crude now down over 50%.
    
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    March 19, 2020 8:18am
- Inandout
  
  MT, the canals of Venice are once again clean and holding fish. As far as supermarkets go try shopping early morning or last thing at night when the shelves are being replenished.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:33am
rererangihirihiri

Dollars to donuts that the Pike River re-entry shambles will balloon out well past 70 million dollars.
Won’t change anything Andrew Little. You will still have blood on your hands and be accountable indefinitely.
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March 18, 2020 8:38am
- Loddenthinks
  
  Come on, we all know that Winston will be “the first person down the mine” when they open it any day now, declare it safe, find the bodies, discover the cause, and all have crumpets for morning tea.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:23am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    Winston could even promise he will raise them all from dead and there are people and MSM in this country who will believe him. After all they all believed in 100,000 houses without raising a question.
    
    19 1
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    March 18, 2020 9:46am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Kendal mint-cake and lashing of ginger beer for that infamous Famous Five of Monk, Little, Peters, Adhern and, Timmy the dog, who is the brains thrust of the team.
    
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    March 18, 2020 1:32pm
secondcumming

If you think Pres Xi and the CCP have conducted themselves well during the
Wuhan pandemic, you’ll love how they conduct themselves when Huawei controls the
*5G communications networks* of the west.

The last thing we need is the *Huaweivirus* 😎
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March 18, 2020 8:43am
- Nermal
  
  I’m still waiting for someone to declare this the KiwiVirus, at which stage it will disappear
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:10am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    More quickly if Twyford is put in charge
    
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    March 18, 2020 1:33pm
emmess

Jacinda, this is how you should do a stimulus package. Temporary payments to keep people in work. Watch for our unemployment rate to increase much more than other countries.

Australia
Among the measures was a $750 payment to anyone receiving benefits such as low-income earners and youth allowance recipients. This came in addition to a $2.4 billion boost to health services.

You are eligible for the $750 if you are one of the 6.5 million lower-income Australian residents receiving any kind of government benefit. It will be paid as a one-off, in addition to your regular payments, from March 31 onwards and covers social security, veterans, disability support, Newstart and Austudy recipients.

Companies with a turnover of up to $500 million had the instant asset write-off threshold lifted to $150,000 temporarily (so businesses can immediately deduct the value of any asset purchases up to $150,000 in their tax returns) and the government has also pledged to help cover half the salaries of apprentices and trainees for eligible employers and give thousands of dollars in tax-free payments to hundreds of thousands of small and medium businesses.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/who-gets-what-from-the-coronavirus-stimulus-packages-20200316-p54aqw.html

US
$500bn in direct payments to Americans in direct payments and/or tax cuts
$200bn-$300bn in small business relief
$50bn-$100bn for the airlines
https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2020/mar/17/markets-covid-19-ftse-government-rescue-packages-airlines-pubs-compass-airbus-business-live

UK
£330bn of Government loans to businesses, with the promise of more if necessary.
A three-month “mortgage holiday” for those who cannot keep up repayments.
A raft of tax relief measures for the hospitality and entertainment industries.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/03/17/boris-johnson-coronavirus-speech-schools-uk-government-advice/
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March 18, 2020 8:44am
- MCos
  
  I had a look at the telegraph article that gave nothing more than some bullet points.
  One of them was
  ‘A three-month “mortgage holiday” for those who cannot keep up repayments’
  I don’t know how that will work, but in NZ the govt isn’t in the home mortgage business. If a borrower is struggling they need to approach their money lender to sort something out. I would suggest the last thing the banks will do is call in numerous mortgages and cause a run on property prices.
  
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  March 18, 2020 12:14pm
lastmanstanding

As a result of yesterdays package I suspect Lab/Green will be re-elected especially if Cindy calls an earlier election.
NZF might make it on the back of being part of the package.

BUT. The cost of the package has to be paid for. I suspect part of this will involve increasing taxes on the Rich Pricks.

The COL can point to Australia and introduce a new rate at say 45% on say $150K plus.

It wont pay the cost but it will signal that Rick Pricks are going to be making a contribution.

I also expect the Greens will have much more influence in the next Government and at least some of their more extreme mad cap policies will be enacted.
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March 18, 2020 8:59am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Christ what a depressing scenario you predict for us lastman.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:09am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    It may be depressing Captain, but it’s more than a possibility.
    
    We know the economy is going to tank, and it will be confirmed as officially in recession 10 days before the September 19th election. So why not go to the country in June, for example, before the longer-lasting effects of COVID-19 really kick in?
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:17am
  - lastmanstanding
    
    And to depress you even further Captain I suspect Labour will jump to 44/45% in the next poll with Greens on 5% and NZF to get up to 4% on the back of the package.
    
    In addition perceived wisdom is the voters dont like changing horses mid stream as the saying goes when there is a crisis.
    
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    March 18, 2020 12:07pm
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      That’s enough for today you little joy-germ.
      I’m going to the club at 4.30 foe a cheer-up. Hope it hasn’t been closed by then.
      
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      March 18, 2020 1:11pm
- brett68
  
  Why do you think handing out money to benes is a vote winner?
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:15am
  - Albert_Ross
    
    Well it doesn’t win my vote, but the brutal truth is that there’s a lot of beneficiaries, and there’s soon to be a lot more, and not one of them is going to vote for a policy to give them less money.
    
    That’s not true in reverse, however; it’s not the case that everybody who is not a beneficiary, will vote to give beneficiaries less money.
    
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    March 18, 2020 9:47am
    - brett68
      
      People would prefer to stay employed, ending up on the dole because the government crashed and burnt the economy will not be the reason to vote labour.
      
      8 1
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      March 18, 2020 10:34am
  - lifesgood
    
    They were already Labour voters so it seems like an own goal to me.
    
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    March 18, 2020 10:54am
- Justitia
  
  @lastmanstanding: I think you’re right. I believe an early election is not far away, expect an announcement anytime. Why wait till the recession becomes a depression and the bodies start piling up at the crematoria?
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:25am
  - Prince
    
    Hard to justify going early.
    ‘We have an epidemic now, so let’s get everyone together in campaigns etc, then get them in voting booths sharing pens etc’.
    More likely to defer the election to mid 2021 earliest.
    
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    March 18, 2020 11:31am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Thanks for finally coming to your senses and agreeing with me. This is what I have been saying for the last two and half years.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:48am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Be fair Sir C, you have said a lot of dribbly shit in that time as well . . .
    
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    March 18, 2020 1:37pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  I sincerely doubt that the government will call an early election, as there is no compelling case for one. If anything, the election might be delayed, although any significant delay would require National to agree.
  
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  March 18, 2020 12:27pm
lastmanstanding

Re Trump and the virus. My prediction is if the virus is still raging come November Biden will win.

If the virus has been snuffed before then amd Americans are back to their usual life them Trump will win.
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March 18, 2020 9:06am
- SGA
  
  I think it will be a bit more complicated than that. I think people will be looking at the amount of damage done (health wise) and whether that could have been easily reduced. Already here on KB, we see people making that sort of judgment of our govt using what they believe the damage will be.
  I find it hard to believe the USA stats at the moment. They are reporting about 5000 cases. In a country of 300 million, that’s very low. It’s surprising then that NZ is seeing cases coming from the USA (unless those people were extremely unlucky). I think it is much, much more prevelant and that’s is why many states are taking such strong action.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:21am
- cmm
  
  My servo pie says Biden won’t make the November election.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:26am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Just released epidemiological modelling suggests that all countries will have to take a suppression approach – various degrees of ongoing quarantine to try and keep the infected numbers under hospital bed limits. That will need to continue until a vaccine is available in a year or two.
  
  But I suspect governments will all be punished at elections during that period. Trump and Coalition included.
  
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  March 18, 2020 11:13am
  - cmm
    
    Epidemiological modelling, like any computer modelling, just says whatever you tell it to say – just like the climate hockey sticks etc.
    
    Garbage in, garbage out.
    
    What is becoming more and more evident is that by the time the models are run and formulated into press releases the input data is obsolete and needs shredding.
    
    ” keep the infected numbers under hospital bed limits”
    
    The vast majority of confirmed cases do not require hospitalization and can recover at home the same as with the old common garden flu.
    
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    March 18, 2020 12:29pm
Ian Boag

Back at the coal face. I’m interested to know if anyone knows enough to answer some things I don’t understand.

Suppose I have a tourism-related business. Make it jet boating in Queenstown. Suppose I have 5 boats and 20 staff and noone wants to buy rides this week or probably for another week or three.

So how does this all work? I end up paying the drivers etc to sit on their bums and pick their noses because we have no customers. MSD or someone pays me money to help preserve these “jobs”. Who do I talk to? – how much can I get? – how long does it take? What will my idle employee get from me and when? How do I maintain payments to my bank, not to mention the income I draw to live off?

Just a bit at sea as to how it will work ….
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March 18, 2020 9:12am
- MCos
  
  Type in WINZ in google and pretty soon you’ll find this
  https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/covid-19-support.html#null
  
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  March 18, 2020 12:19pm
  - freethinker
    
    Mcos – Good information on the site but click on download application and it doesn’t work.
    
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    March 19, 2020 8:37am
- Two fish and a scoop thanks Cindy
  
  Relax, they have a plan.
  
  6 1
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  March 18, 2020 1:23pm
Manolo

The NZD is taking a steep dive: worth 0.5945 USD at this very moment. Lets brace ourselves for a very grim future.
19 1
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March 18, 2020 9:13am
- Inandout
  
  The NZD to Aus is around .97.
  
  6 1
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  March 18, 2020 9:36am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    all things are bought / imported using USD.
    
    6 1
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    March 18, 2020 10:33am
  - GazzaW
    
    Mae that .9902!! Will we get to dollar for dollar this week?
    
    4 1
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    March 18, 2020 11:29am
- Jack5
  
  It’s been a lot lower than that, Manolo, as you will likely remember. I recall it brushing near-40c.
  
  The dollar dive, as you indicate, means big price hikes for many things. We don’t have import duties that can be cut in compensation.
  
  Shipping and internal costs will also rise.
  
  Cutting GST back to its original 10 per cent would help.
  
  Manolo, do I recall you saying you were in the fashion shoe business?
  
  Too bad New Zealand’s hides and tanning business has been decimated, and NZ shoe makers all but extinct. Are there any left?
  
  In leather, are we down to the level of small-scale floor-covering cow hides, sheepskins, deer and possum skins?
  
  Mair Astley was taken over by Jenny Shipley’s mates and the expertise and capital moved to Shanghai in a failed move to dominate hide processing for the world’s biggest shoe making centre. That gutted an important part of NZ agriculture-based industry.
  
  A fashion-leather manufacturer exporting from Timaru also disappeared.
  
  Maybe, Manolo, if you can’t get fashion-shoe leather in deer hide, you could look at flax sandals. There were won’t be tourists to buy them, but for the rest of us they will be better than bare feet. ?
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:49am
- emmess
  
  So we are falling compared to America which has 500 times as many cases as us (about 8 times per capita) with community spread over there?
  That is really a vote of not-confidence in the NZ government’s handling of the situation.
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:51am
  - SB 2
    
    emmess, outline your stimulus package?
    
    1 21
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    March 18, 2020 10:17am
    - emmess
      
      See my comment from 8:44am
      
      Basically, I agree with Mike Hoskings criticisms
      https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/grant-robertson-on-governments-unprecedented-12-1b-covid-19-spending-package/
      
      7 1
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      March 18, 2020 12:27pm
      - Tall Man
        
        This one I think.
        
        https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/video/mikes-minute-too-much-politics-in-rescue-package/
        
        7 1
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        March 18, 2020 1:22pm
- All_on_Red
  
  It’s the US $ which is rising.
  Massive shortage of USD as a lot of countries (EU!) try to repay debt due and extract themselves from positions. Euro Dollar leveraging was out of control.
  The winners want to be paid.
  
  7 1
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  March 18, 2020 11:33am
  - SB 2
    
    All on Red , remove your blinkers,
    
    noun
    
    1 (blinkers) mainly British a pair of small leather screens attached to a horse’s bridle to prevent it seeing sideways and behind and being startled.
    
    • something which prevents someone from gaining a full understanding of a situation: we are having a fresh look at ourselves without blinkers.”
    
    An Analysis of Trump Supporters Has Identified 5 Key Traits
    
    A new report sheds light on the psychological basis for Trump’s support.
    
    1.     Authoritarian Personality Syndrome…
    
    2.     Social dominance orientation…
    
    3.     Prejudice…
    
    4.     Intergroup contact…
    
    5.     Relative deprivation…
    
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/mind-in-the-machine/201712/analysis-trump-supporters-has-identified-5-key-traits
    
    Take your pick/picks
    
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    March 18, 2020 11:52am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Your read like a typical socialist bully ascribing to others the faults you see in your colleagues.
      
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      March 18, 2020 1:59pm
cmm

Dave Garrett: For you mate, stop worrying about your son.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/120332338/coronavirus-the-underlying-health-conditions-that-increase-your-risk

While your boy might have weak lungs, they’re still young and relatively healthy and strong relative to an 80yo in a place like Italy with air pollution and where 50% are, or were, smokers.

Italy has the oldest population in Europe and the air pollution in the worst impacted areas is extremely bad.

” Work published online by The Lancet about a week ago reported that of the 827 deaths in Italy up to March 11, 42 per cent were aged 80-89, 32 per cent were aged 70-79, 8 per cent were 60-69, and 3 per cent were 50-59.

More that two-thirds of those who died had diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or cancer, or were former smokers. Eighty per cent of the dead were men.”

Even with all that, Italy has only had 2000-odd deaths in 3 weeks or so from a population of 60million. Under normal conditions 2000 Italians die each day from other causes.

Yesterday, I read that the youngest death in UK was 59 and he had pre-existing conditions.
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March 18, 2020 9:17am
- Andrei
  
  Absolutely David Garret – we have gone off the deep end because elderly people are dying which is what happens to elderly people on a daily basis
  
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  March 18, 2020 9:41am
- DeepBlue
  
  Students in Dunedin kept up their St. Pats party… Saying you’re going to put us all together in lecture halls anyway. We don’t get sick with this, we don’t die, we will be the transmitters.
  
  I hope they are not going to turn this into boomer v doomer resource warfare.
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:59am
Captain Mainwaring

Fraser House is working overtime on talkback this morning.
28 1
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March 18, 2020 9:28am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Yesterday Nanny Herald had a banner running saying Stock markets recovering, NZ dollar increasing blah blah after Cindy’s package???
  
  13 1
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  March 18, 2020 9:50am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    My dog does not read the paper so does not really care about the content. I am concerned that it may not be absorbent enough . . .
    
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    March 18, 2020 1:41pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    What will they say in a weeks time? The stock market jitters have nothing to do with the virus but the excessive credit creation of money out of thin air by the FED and other Central Banks. It’s been re-homed in asset prices and the grand securities market casino. It’s was only a matter of time for the bets to be called in.
    
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    March 18, 2020 1:56pm
Fletch

In case you missed what MPs voted for last night re: abortion … via Family First.

Tonight…
MPs have opposed a ban on sex selection abortions.

MPs have opposed a ban on disability discrimination abortions.

MPs have opposed treating teen abortions like any other health procedure and having parental involvement, while arguing abortion is health procedure
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March 18, 2020 9:43am
Happychappy

Just a question on how Labour and the Coalition intend to pay back what they have borrowed and will borrow over the next six months. We have already seen how long it took National to reduce the the deficit and finally get the books right , with thousands of jobs on the line and businesses hitting the wall it will take more than a couple of years to recover from this pandemic with less taxes and more social welfare payments making it harder to reduce debt in the deficit. You have to look at what has been borrowed already over 25 billion and that’s without what has borrowed off the books like 7 billion for state housing with it also being rumour they have done the same sort of borrowing for rail just like they did with state housing. Now this is just the beginning of what it could cost taxpayers for Labour to achieve another term on the Treasury Benches and like Pike River they will poor billions into what they want and you will never know what sort mess they will leave until they have been tossed out.
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March 18, 2020 9:45am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Get the COL out as soon as possible. More financial problems are yet to come. NZ can’t afford amateurs when capable people are needed. MMP is going to have to go.
  ☑️☑️Rout2020☑️☑️
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:52pm
- cmm
  
  You’re joking right?
  
  It’s like playing with the insides of a cuckoo clock. Once all the springs fall out they’ll but it back in the box and walk away whistling innocently.
  
  It will be left to the grown ups to fix it.
  
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  March 18, 2020 5:09pm
- Swifty
  
  If re-elected, Labour will use this situation as an excuse to raise taxes.
  
  They’ll claim there is no alternative. And that it is right that ‘the rich pay their fair share’ – without ever, ever defining in any detail what ‘fair’ is.
  
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  March 18, 2020 6:02pm
MrTips

Got woke this morning.

Context, deaths this year:

SARS-CoV-2 8,000
Seasonal flu 103,000
Abortions 9,000,000
Children under five 1,600,000
Malaria 207,000
Woman in child birth 65,500
Suicides 227,000

Take care and keep perspective. We are going to ruin ourselves like lemmings if we’re not careful.
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March 18, 2020 9:48am
Fletch

Ian Wishart has pointed out that, as far as he can tell, this budget sets aside less than $50 million for ICU upscaling to cope with virus. That is NOWHERE NEAR enough.
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March 18, 2020 9:52am
- rangitoto
  
  They also need to set up testing facilities where people can go, which are isolated from doctors clinics and hospitals. I read one doctor has already set up a system were he arranges for tests to be taken in an adjacent car park, where he attends wearing full hazmat gear. We can’t afford a significant number of medical workers to get sick.
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:51am
- alex Masterley
  
  I made that point yesterday. The humbug that has been said about the health system benefiting is just that. Humbug.
  
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  March 18, 2020 11:11am
NoCash

Rumour has it that Chanel is going to launch a scented hand sanitiser called Chanel-19.
15 0
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March 18, 2020 9:52am
- Mummy
  
  There already is a Chanel No 19. Not as nice as No 5 in my opinion.
  
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  March 18, 2020 10:37am
  - NoCash
    
    This is -19, not No 19
    🙂
    
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    March 18, 2020 11:32am
Maggie Pie

I had to laugh last night, one of the students at work asked me if i had any idea
who Michael Joseph Savage was.

LOL!!
19 1
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March 18, 2020 10:00am
- mikenmildagain
  
  And did you have any idea?
  
  1 19
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  March 18, 2020 12:29pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Didn’t have a f–ing cloo to be honest mike! 😛
    
    But we did google him on Wiki….
    
    15 0
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    March 18, 2020 1:03pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      hahahaha…
      I’m sure MMA won’t ask you who this chap is…
      https://nzplaces.nz/media/17019/harry-holland-meorial-in-bolton-street-cemetery-cut.jpg
      
      9 1
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      March 18, 2020 1:37pm
      - artemisia
        
        I walk past Harry Holland regularly. One day there was a bright red lipstick kiss planted on his bottom. It took a long time to fade. I suspect the caretaking staff pretended they hasn’t seen it.
        
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        March 18, 2020 7:23pm
- MCos
  
  Living in NZ we are brought up to think we ‘punch above our weight’ and all that. You soon learn when you go to Thailand or somewhere that most people have never heard of anything to do with NZ and when they do it’s something you wish they didn’t know, like man convicted of assault with hedgehog
  
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  March 18, 2020 12:41pm
  - kowtow
    
    ‘Living in NZ we are brought up to think we ‘punch above our weight’ and all that’
    
    Yes that’s a myth the media and education industry work very hard on .
    
    However while Thais may have never heard of or care about us , that is emphatically not true in the English speaking Dominions or among the educated in the Home Country.
    
    In those places New Zealand is very much a known entity and sheep shagging jokes common.
    
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    March 18, 2020 4:22pm
Durden

Some interesting things that Singapore and Korea are doing to actually control spread.

Singapore will actively monitor people on Stay home notice (SHN) by — “Individuals under quarantine will be monitored by video calls at least three times a day. Spot checks will be carried out to ensure that they strictly adhere to the conditions under the Isolation / Quarantine Order during the period specified ”

South Koreans are using smartphone apps that track infected patients to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus in the country

https://www.ibtimes.sg/coronavirus-south-koreans-are-using-these-mobile-apps-fight-covid-19-40193

It seems in the real world times of crisis like this which could affect others, notions of individual privacy, personal freedoms, virtue signalling actions like open borders, using public transport, demands for special treatment of the differently gendered, etc all go out of the window.

Extreme thinking around globalism versus nationalism (is unrestricted migration a human right?), open trading versus self reliance (un-banning mining anyone?) and other such constructs will get a well needed reset.
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March 18, 2020 10:06am
- Tall Man
  
  Our cops are still busy seizing illegal firearms from gang members ……….. Hang on!
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:11pm
- MCos
  
  All visitors to Thailand are given a free sim for their phone with unlimited data.
  The stassi can then check where you are.
  Previously when I was there whoever you stayed with had to report your location to Immigration. It got to be so unwieldy I think it might have been stopped.
  They love bureaucracy over there.
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:52pm
- kowtow
  
  The countries doing ‘well’ managing this are have basically a large state security apparatus with all that’s involved in that .
  
  Is that what we want in the west or indeed in the Common law jurisdictions , I hope not.
  
  Yes there’s a crisis but we must keep our heads. Pollies love this sort of thing to increase the state and that must be resisted.
  
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  March 18, 2020 4:27pm
Stu2

A couple of things on Covid 19 testing

Australia 81,000 tests, NZ 500 as of a couple of days ago. The strict testing criteria here (symptoms plus overseas travel or contact with a case) might explain why we had 5 official cases for quite a few days in a row.

And from Western Australia on March 13:
WA has tightened the testing criteria for Western Australians who suspect they may have COVID-19. This is due to a global shortage of the chemical reagent required for laboratory testing and follows deliberations at the Council of Australian Governments meeting today.

The move comes as PathWest was notified by its reagent supplier last night that due to the shortage, it could no longer meet PathWest’s previously-assured order and that future supplies could also be in jeopardy.
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March 18, 2020 10:46am
- MCos
  
  More than 600 tests were conducted in NZ yesterday.
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/412008/coronavirus-live-covid-19-updates-in-new-zealand-and-around-the-world
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:29pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    A study of a quarantined tour ship with 3,700 on board showed that half of those who got the virus had no symptoms at all.
    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/03/16/diamond-princess-mysteries/
    
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    March 18, 2020 1:47pm
DeepBlue

The govn package yesterday was to test waters, the real socialist programme will be announced in the May budget….

They’ll say we tried the traditional way, the world has changed, Winston said capitalism is dead, and he was right. So we have the mandate to follow Marx. It’s for the good of everyone.
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March 18, 2020 10:53am
- RW Capitalist
  
  So we have the mandate to follow Marx.
  Good….he’s dead, feel free to follow him all you like, but don’t expect me to go with you.
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:31pm
- MCos
  
  All together sing along!
  https://youtu.be/t8EMx7Y16Vo
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:38pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  The top socialist rulers will like it well–they will get their holiday homes in Niue and incomes befitting their advanced responsibilities.
  Pensioners will be given the tasks of weeding the potato fields in late autumn and winter.
  
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  March 18, 2020 1:44pm
rightoverlabour

To all those against closing schools

http://joannenova.com.au/2020/03/delay-death-countries-that-act-fast-reduce-the-fatality-rate-by-10x/
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March 18, 2020 10:54am
Jimmy the Brush

Just listening to the News on ZB and the report on free flu vaccines for certain groups… The one that stood out was pregnant people, WTF since when can anyone other than a woman get pregnant?
12 1
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March 18, 2020 11:07am
- SB 2
  
  My understanding is that all kinds of people can get a free jab including the elderly and young
  
  “”Free flu vaccines will be available from GP clinics and selected pharmacies for people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, people with certain chronic conditions, and young children with a history of severe respiratory illness.
  
  Healthcare workers will receive a free vaccine from their employer
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412024/government-adds-400-000-more-flu-vaccines-this-year
  
  Otherwise $9.00 per jab
  
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  March 18, 2020 11:58am
  - Paulus
    
    But not until next Month I have been told by my GP office although it is available but not able to be delivered until given the Official Off.
    
    2 1
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    March 18, 2020 1:52pm
    - Jules99
      
      My mum got it this morning and they told her that younger people have to wait until next month.
      
      3 0
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      March 18, 2020 5:18pm
- NoCash
  
  A pregnant biological female might perfer to self identify as a male, just saying…
  
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  March 18, 2020 12:21pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Iran finally admits it has a problem….
At least 12 Iranian politicians and officials, both sitting and former, have now died of the illness, and 13 more have been infected and are either in quarantine or being treated.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-pandemic-kill-millions-iran-200317135500255.html
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March 18, 2020 11:26am
Maggy Wassilieff

QT in Parliament
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/list-of-oral-questions/oral-questions-18-march-2020/
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March 18, 2020 11:39am
- SB 2
  
  “Iran finally admits it has a problem…”
  
  Could well see the end to the reign of the Ayatollahs.
  
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  March 18, 2020 11:56am
lastmanstanding

Hi Mods

Apologies I hit report instead of reply to hooker phils post so please ignore.
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March 18, 2020 11:48am
lastmanstanding

Benes are going to be up to $85 a week better of from 1 April to 1 October with the ongoing $25 plus the $60 heating allowance.

I make that a 23% increase in the current unemployment bene rate.

Cindy and Grant are sure shoring up their support.
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March 18, 2020 11:52am
TWEEDSE

$12.1b,the biggest spend up ever. Anyone spotted a few million hidden away for Ihumātao?
14 1
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March 18, 2020 12:16pm
Misha Beattie

Recommended reading. Just published:

“Perhaps our most significant conclusion is that mitigation is unlikely to be feasible without emergency surge capacity limits of the UK and US healthcare systems being exceeded many times over. In the most effective mitigation strategy examined, which leads to a single, relatively short epidemic (case isolation, household quarantine and social distancing of the elderly), the surge limits for both general ward and ICU beds would be exceeded by at least 8-fold under the more optimistic scenario for critical care requirements that we examined. In addition, even if all patients were able to be treated, we predict there would still be in the order of 250,000 deaths in Great Britain, and 1.1-1.2 million in the US.”

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/medicine/sph/ide/gida-fellowships/Imperial-College-COVID19-NPI-modelling-16-03-2020.pdf
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March 18, 2020 12:32pm
kris

We should be doing mandatory testing of all passengers who get off an international flight, at both arrival (as part of customs/immigration procedures), and then again 7-14 days later, irrespective of whether they are symptomatic or not (rather than waiting for them to get sick and attempting the inaccurate process of contact tracing).

Likewise, while we still have spare capacity for testing, we should be testing every child and staff member at the school with the infected child, not just close contacts.
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March 18, 2020 12:58pm
RW Capitalist

Advice on how to conserve toilet paper.
Step 1: Take one sheet of TP.
Step 2: Fold into quarters.
Step 3: tare of the folded corner
Step 4: Put finger through resulting hole.
Step 5: Wipe Ass.
Step 6: fold over the remaining paper and wipe finger as you remove paper.
Keep the corner you tore off, that’s to clean under your finger nail.
PS: Don’t forget to wash your hands.
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March 18, 2020 1:15pm
- fightingtemeraire
  
  I worked for a shipping co where the Master got a letter from the stores dept.
  
  Dear Captain
  Your crew have had a high consumption of toilet paper. Would you please ask them to reduce the use.
  
  He replied
  
  Dear Sir
  
  I have instructed my crew to use both sides of the paper
  
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  March 18, 2020 2:19pm
RW Capitalist

Wife found this.
I have run out of toilet paper. I have been forced to use lettuce leaves, I fear it is just the tip of the iceburg.
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March 18, 2020 1:17pm
RW Capitalist

Man found in subway, could not stop singing Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra songs.
He was found to have Crooner virus.
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March 18, 2020 1:21pm
- MrTips
  
  I heard Barry Manilow went into isolation…?at the CoVID…Covidcabana?
  
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  March 18, 2020 7:38pm
rightoverlabour

8 more…. “and the little one said roll over, roll over, and there were ….”
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March 18, 2020 1:24pm
JibberJabber

Remember the 3-yr old refugee drowned on the Greek beach?
Do you think you`ll read about this in the western MSM?
https://www.dw.com/en/turkey-three-sentenced-to-125-years-for-murder-of-refugee-toddler/a-52767522
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March 18, 2020 1:24pm
- cha
  
  Do you think you`ll read about this in the western MSM?
  
  yup
  /
  
  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/3-human-traffickers-sentenced-to-125-years-in-death-of-syrian-boy-whose-body-washed-ashore-in-famous-photograph/
  https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/14/europe/alan-kurdi-syria-drowning-sentenced-intl/index.html
  https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11177617/refugee-crisis-syria-aylun-kurdi-jail-turkey/
  
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  March 18, 2020 3:58pm
- Inandout
  
  JJ, and bloggers fell for this fake story even when questions were asked at the time. Was one of the reasons Merkel opened her borders and was photographed hugging migrants. Dumb bastards.
  
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  March 18, 2020 4:21pm
UrbanNeocolonialist

20 cases. Will be more as yet unknown. Going off international trends of 10x per 2 weeks we have about 3weeks till we overwhelm hospitals (150 per million or 750cases). This is the crisis point. Time to shut schools and lock down NZ. Waiting will kill people.
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March 18, 2020 1:42pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Eight new cases of Covid-19
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412042/eight-new-cases-of-coronavirus-in-nz-health-ministry-confirms

(we haven’t got the results from yesterday’s testing of 500-600 folks yet)
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March 18, 2020 1:46pm
- lifesgood
  
  This doesn’t surprise me. All related to overseas travel and people were allowed to walk through our airports willy nilly well after the warnings were out. Pathetic response from the government and health officials
  
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  March 18, 2020 2:14pm
  - JerJer
    
    ….and soon we will be doing routine testing. How odd the number of cases was so small, and we have the best health system in the world….and no testing. Expect an avalanche of new cases from here on in as we now start to find it everywhere. Did they not blame Trump for not testing and call him incompetent…
    
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    March 18, 2020 2:33pm
    - alex Masterley
      
      and now Winston P is saying to 80k NZers overseas – come home.
      Given that the health system can only just do 1000 swabs a day that is 80 days worth of swabing. Just for new arrivals.
      The man has truly lost the plot.
      
      11 1
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      March 18, 2020 3:16pm
      - MrTips
        
        Absolutely. Get your Covid19 here. Astoundingly dumb.
        
        I would not be surprised if the little shit has been up to something these last few days.
        
        1 0
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        March 18, 2020 7:40pm
- cmm
  
  And PriNZess tells us: “Don’t panic, but be prepared”.
  
  Last week she was telling people to stop buying stuff because they didn’t need to. Now it’s “be prepared”.
  
  Surely rule 101 for a person with a communications degree should be to communicate effectively.
  
  That’s not something she’s at all good at.
  
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  March 18, 2020 3:03pm
Nickc2

Looks like Greta and the Greens are getting their way (bugger):
https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2020/03/looks-like-a-zero-emissions-world-is-almost-here.html
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March 18, 2020 2:10pm
Maggie Pie

When my partners mum just forwarded this vid thru, i suddenly realised just how many people i see shopping in Remmers that look exactly like those in this market 🙁

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1rzgO9S5SM
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March 18, 2020 2:11pm
- Nickc2
  
  Shocking Maggie. Don’t forget, these people have intentions of world domination at some point in time and the older their leader becomes, the closer that time becomes.
  We should never forget that if the Chinese can manufacture viruses that can bring the world to it’s knees, so can any nation, religious or political persuasion or combination thereof.
  Scary huh? Chemistry is not limited to ethical scientists. It’s a bit like Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and heavy machine guns mounted on light skin vehicles which have been used by middle eastern terrorists to kill and/or maim thousands of allied military personnel sent into battle by their governments.
  
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  March 18, 2020 2:47pm
- Tall Man
  
  This is much more my style.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Rjsy6MCYE
  
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  March 18, 2020 2:48pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Not much activity going on there TM!
    For some reason, i thought it might have featured a few ‘Ladyboys’ 😛
    
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    March 18, 2020 3:51pm
    - Tall Man
      
      If I’d only known.
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7waQfL0fDs
      
      Ain’t Bangkok great?
      
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      March 18, 2020 8:56pm
- Jimmy the Brush
  
  That is GROSS! Even for Remmers…lol
  
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  March 18, 2020 2:51pm
surfing

Supermarkets should put limits on goods.

We haven’t panic bought due to the virus situation.

However, now we cannot even buy stuff we normally buy because greedy people are hoarding it all. Pathetic.
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March 18, 2020 2:35pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Hand sanitiser – shelves empty. Just get some Isopropyl and Aloe Vera gel. 3 parts Iso to 1 Aloe. No Iso? use meths. You are cleaning your hands, not your arse
  
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  March 18, 2020 3:58pm
  - barnacle bill
    
    When some person sneezes some place close to us, I would of thought that one very likely place bugs could land would be on our lips, and yet we never here about that at all.
    
    Every thing that goes in our mouths pass through our lips.
    When I wash my hands I also rinse my lips and have done so for a long time, and have not had a cold or flu for many years.
    And it costs nothing.
    
    Just a thought, take it or leave it.
    
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    March 18, 2020 4:13pm
    - barnacle bill
      
      Bugger, hear, not here.
      
      7 0
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      March 18, 2020 4:38pm
  - rangitoto
    
    Methylated spirits is best diluted with water to about 70% concentration. That means it is slower to evaporate and gives it more time to denature the virus proteins and or kill bacteria.
    
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    March 18, 2020 4:28pm
    - rangitoto
      
      PS. If you don’t like the smell of the nasty additive they put in meths you could use 140 proof vodka instead.
      
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      March 18, 2020 5:01pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Ideal for thumb suckers 😉
        
        1 0
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        March 18, 2020 9:01pm
    - Swifty
      
      If you want to drink it please make sure you strain it through a loaf of bread first.
      
      1 0
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      March 18, 2020 6:04pm
  - rightoverlabour
    
    There has been a rush on alcohol its sold out every where. Not liquor stuff isopropyl at bunnigs etc.
    
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    March 18, 2020 5:06pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  Not sure i can agree with you there ‘surfing’.
  Just to be on the safe side, my partner bought the entire stock of Penfolds Shiraz from the Greenlane Countdown last week – 63 bottles. As he said, you just never know what mite happen in Oz.
  But given he can cellar it for the next few months, its hardly what you’d call ‘hoarding’
  
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  March 18, 2020 3:59pm
  - MT_Tinman
    
    Cellar it?
    
    I hope your partner has better self control than I.
    
    1 0
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    March 18, 2020 6:55pm
  - Harriet
    
    I could fit 180 rolls of toilet paper in the 3 cupboards underneath the vanity units in the 3 toilets in the house, =60 in each. =5 dozen in each.
    
    And another 200 or so in the floor to ceiling cupboard in the garage toilet. About 18 dozen.
    
    Yeah you are hoarding Maggi — it is only 5 dozen —- but it is ‘months’ worth. Sure you can buy them at discount to save money in normal times, I do that, but hoarding in the current times puts the price up for others — aussie supermarkets haven’t got any toilet paper on ‘special’ — everyone now has to pay full price — yet there is no shortage of toilet paper in Australia – just in the shops!!!!!!
    
    I don’t actually disagree with what you have done, but it is ‘hoarding’ under the current situation.
    
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    March 18, 2020 8:18pm
rangitoto

The numbers.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ETXDvwSXsAUMnto?format=jpg&name=large
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March 18, 2020 4:51pm
jonnycomelately

What would happen if the drug, Avigan which is from the Fujifilm drug subsidiary actually cures corona19? Does the COL pay back the money they have borrowed? Do the people on benefits take a pay cut?
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March 18, 2020 5:40pm

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