General Debate 20 May 2020

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Here is something the media should be looking into a bit more closely:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/05/playcentres-threaten-closure-over-lack-of-government-funding.html
The NZ Playcentre federation are pissed off that they have only been given $3.1m over the next four years in last week’s budget – that’s $675,000 a year.
According to Stats NZ there were 9452 kids enrolled in playcentres around NZ in 2019, so that amounts to about $70 per child per year.

By comparison, in 2019 Kohanga Reo received a $32 million funding boost which was “just the start” according to Kelvin Davis. According to Stats NZ there were 8488 enrolled at Kohanga Reo throughout NZ in 2019. It is not clear from this article – https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/113210348/32m-boost-to-khanga-reo – over how many years that funding was spread but let’s pretend it is to be spread over 4 years: that is $940 per child per year. That is a huge race-based disparity of funding allocation.

BUT then look at this: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/05/budget-2020-almost-1-billion-invested-in-protecting-m-ori-in-wake-of-coronavirus-pandemic.html

In last week’s budget To Kohanga Reo has been allocated $200 million. It is not clear from this article whether or not that this is on top of the $32million from last year but lets assume that it isn’t and that the (assumed) total of $200M is spread over 10 years (again the article doesn’t say over how many years that is to be spread but I’m being charitable and assuming 10 years) then that’s $2,350 per year per child – remember we are talking about less than 10,000 kids here.

The Te Kohanga Reo National Trust will be absolutely awash with cash while the NZ Playcentre Federation is struggling to keep it’s centre’s door open. Is this the best use of millions of dollars for early childhood education? Considering we are only talking about around 20% of Maori kids attending Kohanga Reo – is this even the best use of ECE spending for Maori?
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May 20, 2020 8:00am
- cmm
  
  … and still the Playcentre will achieve better results than To Kohanga Reo.
  
  What next: make it $10k per child? $20k?
  
  All they’re doing is feeding the graft.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:33am
  - Swifty
    
    Payola, in return for the Maori seats.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:21am
- projectman
  
  This government can get away with anything because so-called main stream media proactively choose not to ask relevant hard questions. As a corollary to that Ardern knows she can be dismissive with impunity.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:19am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Who cares? Cindy is on 56.5%. That is all it matters to the Sheeple who are now salivating on the prospect of an extra public holiday.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:27am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    An extra public holiday –> loss of more jobs.
    A crazy increase of tax on employers.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:01am
- Fletch
  
  Wow. It’s a pity actual reporters don’t practice some investigative reporting like you just did. I suppose they just take everything at face value from this govt.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:40am
  - Tall Man
    
    Arse about face I think …….
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:40pm
- Engelbert Humperdink
  
  It’s certainly the best and most efficientuse of every taxpayer’s money when the sole goal is to buy Maori votes for Labour…
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:02pm
- Close Hen Counters
  
  I hope you emailed this succinct and fabulous post to your local National/ACT person – it is getting worse day by day
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:12pm
- surfing
  
  Yet Maori claim the government is subconsciously racist against them.
  
  It really doesn’t matter what govt does, nothing will ever be enough until the colonists leave.
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:11pm
- kiwi72
  
  The funding for Kohanga reo is spread over just 4 years and is in addition to the $32 mill from last year.
  I find it disappointing that it has taken the Waitangi Tribunal to make the government fund Kohanga reo correctly. And it highlights the vast funding and operational deficit Playcentre now faces when compared to an organisation they have historically had parity with. And it also highlights the level of funding Playcentre needs to be able to operate successfully. The message the funding Labour have given to Playcentre sends is that the Government and MoE do not value or see Playcentre as an ECE option in the future and that the government is only interested in childcare options that send parents out to work.
  
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  May 20, 2020 4:30pm
mikenmildagain

Happy 100th birthday to John Cruickshank, the oldest living recipient of the Victoria Cross.

From his medal citation:

This officer was the captain and pilot of a Catalina flying boat. When a U-boat was sighted on the surface, Flying Officer Cruickshank at once turned to the attack. In the face of fierce anti-aircraft fire he manoeuvred into position and ran in to release his depth charges. Unfortunately they failed to drop.

Flying Officer Cruickshank knew that the failure of this attack had deprived him of the advantage of surprise and that his aircraft offered a good target to the enemy’s determined and now heartened gunners.

Without hesitation, he climbed and turned to come in again. The Catalina was met by intense and accurate fire and was repeatedly hit. The navigator/bomb aimer was killed. The second pilot and two other members of the crew were injured. Flying Officer Cruickshank was struck in seventy-two places, receiving two serious wounds in the lungs and ten penetrating wounds in the lower limbs. He pressed home his attack, and released the depth charges himself, straddling the submarine perfectly. The U-boat was sunk.

He then collapsed and the second pilot took over the controls. He recovered shortly afterwards and, though bleeding profusely, insisted on resuming command and retaining it until he was satisfied that the damaged aircraft was under control, that a course had been set for base and that all the necessary signals had been sent. Only then would he consent to receive medical aid and have his wounds attended to. He refused morphia in case it might prevent him from carrying on.

During the next five and a half hours of the return flight he several times lapsed into unconsciousness owing to loss of blood. When he came to his first thought on each occasion was for the safety of his aircraft and crew. The damaged aircraft eventually reached base but it was clear that an immediate landing would be a hazardous task for the wounded and less experienced second pilot. Although able to breathe only with the greatest difficulty, Flying Officer Cruickshank insisted on being carried forward and propped up in the second pilot’s seat. For a full hour, in spite of his agony and ever-increasing weakness, he gave orders as necessary, refusing to allow the aircraft to be brought down until the conditions of light and sea made this possible without undue risk.

With his assistance the aircraft was safely landed on the water. He then directed the taxying and beaching of the aircraft so that it could easily be salvaged. When the medical officer went on board, Flying Officer Cruickshank collapsed and he had to be given a blood transfusion before he could be removed to hospital.
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May 20, 2020 8:02am
- krazykiwi
  
  Military history! I stood by, and 5 days later… voila!
  
  Cruickshank’s story is a fantastic show of bravery. Thanks.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:38am
- WaveyDavey
  
  A downvoter? Really?
  
  Hang your head in shame.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:47am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Can’t help themselves. Fraser House does not pay for reading, just downticks.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:05am
    - Simon Gotlieb
      
      Assumption again dude. You have no evidence, unless you are an admin here of whom the downticks come from.
      
      [Mod: Actually Simon, we DON’T know who the up and downtickers are]
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:41am
      - lifesgood
        
        You mean to say they do it for free?!!!
        
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        May 20, 2020 10:33am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    There are some Labour trolls here whose only job is to down vote everything that is published here.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:28am
    - WaveyDavey
      
      I’m sure you’re correct. I’m also sure there are some anti-mikey peeps who automatically downvote too
      
      I frequently disagree with him but would never just downvote anyone for who they are
      
      In this post Mike has brought a true hero to our attention – someone who probably saved the lives of many mariners by his actions.
      
      It’s a commendable post and told me of someone who I hadn’t previously heard of and I thank him for it
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:26pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  Thanks for that. I read about this guy many years ago. Great to know he is still alive.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:07am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Good show Mike. Keep it up
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:11am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    I was torn this morning between this story and wishing everyone a very happy World Metrology Day.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:22pm
- quarterpack
  
  Amazing story, and I find it even more remarkable having seen a restored Catalina fly over the Hauraki Gulf…it would have made a very big and slow target for those on the U boat
  
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  May 20, 2020 4:03pm
hookerphil

Was in Timaru all yesterday morning while my wife was at an appointment so took a walk along each side of Stafford Street, the main “high street” of Timaru. Started about 10.30 – shops all had there nice signs saying only 2 or 3 or even 10 people in the shop – at that stage looked up and down both sides and did not get to see 10 people in total – along with their sanitiser and in some cases a register to sign. They obviously hadn’t read the bit that says that is not required, or they could be retaining it for their own marketing.
Overall very few people were around either outside or within the shops. All but one travel shops were shut, with a sign bravely saying they were working from home, cancelling bookings perhaps?
Two banks had their security guards outside marshalling the one waiting customer into place onto the one metre distance squares.
Only a few shops were not yet open but a number of café type shops were not, despite there displayed hours indicating they would normally be so. A large Chinese restaurant was not yet opening, the sign apologizing for the owner who was trapped overseas and could not get back. On that note it was refreshing to see the $2 shop was open without any notices or restrictions, almost tempted to go into that one.
One hairdresser had both workers wearing masks, two others didn’t have anything and then one lady hairdresser had on a plastic coverall plus a face mask with a plastic visor, that covered her eyes and ears but left her mouth open. Obviously a talker.
A number of places said by appointment only, I really question how long they will keep that going, or am I the only one that cannot be bothered with all that.
There are a number of shops for rental already in Timaru, even some major ones like Dawson’s Shoes closed not that long ago and I would question with the amount of people around etc how long many of these business will continue to have staff standing by the door just to see that someone squirts sanitiser, again, on there hands or fills in a register.
With winter and the flu season, almost upon us along with many of our people filled with fear I do question the outlook for many of these stores in the medium to long term, I would suspect Timaru may be reasonably typical of many medium sized towns. I have no idea how our larger cities are operating.
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May 20, 2020 8:03am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  This means Cindy is now saving the economy folks!! Well done Cindy.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:30am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Wait till the whole country is on extended holidays so they can take July-August holidays too. Who is actually going to be working in this country?
    
    Suggestion, why not pay all the pensioners and others not in regular employment to go on those holidays instead. If they’re a bit infirm that’s more possible govt paid employment for care givers too. The money’s the same.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:08am
  - david
    
    Get used to the sound of dried leaves b lowing up the main streets of even our larger cities. We will have a wasteland reminiscent of the worst of the rust belt with “for Lease” signs more common than occupied premises.
    Central Tauranga is already starting to look that way and the trend will only accelerate as businesses close which makes it less likely for people to come which means more businesses will close and so on.
    The $2 shops will be about all that remain.
    
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    May 20, 2020 3:14pm
The Boss

So Winston is heading back to court with yet another frivolous charge. Has he got no shame at all?
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May 20, 2020 8:05am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Not when the taxpayer is paying his legal bills.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:27am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    Yes, those minor details are always justified in Winnie’s case though
    
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    May 20, 2020 8:32am
  - Tricati
    
    And the polls suggest he needs some air time – Shameless charlatan
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:41am
- pdm
  
  Peters at under 3% in the polls is working on the basis that anything that gets his name in the paper or on TV is worth doing and bugger the cost to the taxpayer.
  
  To be fair the cost is a pittance compared to the $20b Robbo gave himself for election funding in the budget.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:35am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    Bernard Hickey seems to think National voters will vote NZ First this election.
    
    Why?
    
    To keep the govt honest or something…?
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:40am
    - Hard Cheese
      
      Wasn’t he the guy that kept predicting a house price crash that never came?
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:43pm
Critical Thinker

Top 15 Western nations that have so far had the highest death toll per million from the China-virus:

1. Belgium: 786
2. Spain: 594
3. Italy: 532
4. UK: 521
5. France: 429
6. Sweden: 371
7. Netherlands: 334
8. Ireland: 317
9. USA: 281
10. Switzerland: 219
11. Canada: 157
12. Portugal: 122
13. Germany: 98
14. Denmark: 95
15. Austria: 70

Taiwan has been by far the most successful in dealing with the China-virus:

Japan: 6
South Korea: 5
New Zealand: 4.36
Australia: 3.88
Taiwan: 0.3

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
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May 20, 2020 8:09am
- cmm
  
  0. San Marino 1200+change
  
  But San Marino is one of those wee city states – population 34,000 so it hardly counts.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:36am
  - Critical Thinker
    
    I left out the small countries that have a population of under 1 million.
    
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    May 20, 2020 8:52am
    - cmm
      
      Yup, they are too small to be statistically relevant.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:06am
      - WaveyDavey
        
        You mean like, hmm let me think…
        
        New Zealand?
        
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        May 20, 2020 12:27pm
- kowtow
  
  Female leader who went early and went hard ,will she be on the cover of time or address the UN or be hailed by the woke media.
  
  Tsai Ing wen.
  
  Not a chance , Dictator Xi calls the shots .
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:39am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Throughout the World elderly folks in care have been hard hit with the virus, including in New Zealand.
  
  Hong Kong has been the exception
  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/19/mps-hear-why-hong-kong-had-no-covid-19-care-home-deaths
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:09am
- rockape
  
  Looks very like a Northern v Soputhern hemisphere thing. Or at least cold v warm.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:35am
  - Groggy
    
    Apart from Brazil, pretty low deaths/million at the moment, but watch it climb.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:40am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I’m not so sure…
    Brazil and Chile aren’t looking too flash.
    I suspect the virus transmission still hasn’t peaked in Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay and Southern African countries.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:02am
  - Critical Thinker
    
    Ecuador: 161
    Peru: 89
    Brazil: 85
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:21am
- lifesgood
  
  Yes, as has been apparent all along, Australia has done better than us without the vicious lockdown we had to put up with.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:36am
- Brian McDonald
  
  Sweden was the magnificent blueprint here, once.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:49am
  - Critical Thinker
    
    Too early to tell yet. But we do know that the Imperial College model, which most Western nations (including our own) have used for their justification for tyrannical lockdowns, predicted that Sweden would have around 90,000 deaths by now.
    
    Sweden has flattened its curve. And is currently at 3,743 deaths.
    
    Sweden like most countries (including our own) failed at properly quarantining their elderly care homes.
    
    We now know that the death toll from this China-virus would be much MUCH lower around the world if governments had put their resources into properly quarantining their elderly.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:15am
    - Engelbert Humperdink
      
      We also know that the death toll would be 95% less if China had been free and early with truthful information and had not exported 5 million ‘ambassadors of death’ while preventing them from travelling domestically inside China.
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:05pm
  - theoldbloke
    
    Forget Sweden it did put in place restrictions.
    Just no lockdown
    Try Belarus! Bugger all restrictions, National football league still playing.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Belarus
    
    or Slovakia who went to lockdown for one week while they got things back under control.
    Both of the above are land locked no ferking great moat.
    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Belarus
    
    As I keep repeating…The number of cases is a false measure….So many variables…
    
    Number of deaths FROM Covid is a much better measure of containment in my humble opinion
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:14pm
- david
  
  Where is India?
  
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  May 20, 2020 3:17pm
  - MCos
    
    North east of Madagascar
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:03pm
  - Jack5
    
    Somewhere south of China.
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:46pm
Yvette

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says more public holidays for Kiwis to experience New Zealand is among a number of things the Government is “actively considering” to encourage domestic tourism.

What better way of testing the Government’s new official covid-19 contact tracing app?

In conjunction with it, they could run post-public holidays covid-19 Awards –
• The winner is ______ _______ who as an individual passed the infection to the greatest number to test positive, or
• The winner is ______ _______ who as an individual in infected people who tested positive over the greatest north/south and east/west distances between infection locations.
A fullest viral incubation time, allowing for clusters in the case of Award 1, is yet to be determined.
____________

Cannabis harmful in different ways than tobacco – research (– Newshub)

If the Cannabis Referendum says “Yes” – enact the Coalition’s law – will any subsequent Waitangi Tribunal action against legalisation harmful particularly to those they represent, be negated because the nation’s voters, including “those they represent”, voted “Yes”?
____________

or should I admit that some mornings it is just not good to get out of bed on the wrong side – like, on the side that is against the wall?
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May 20, 2020 8:09am
- RW Capitalist
  
  Typical Labour, don’t understand.
  give 1 stat holiday in case the people actually spend (the money they don’t have) on tourism.
  at the expense of every other business in the country, who will be the only businesses in a position to hire someone.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:28am
  - JackRabbit
    
    Oh no, RW.
    
    Jacinda said that as a sincere over paid socialist, she is going to pay for those extra stat days out of her own income.
    
    She said that because of all the perks of the job she only needs about $50,000 a year to survive on.
    
    She said enforcing business that are gasping for air to pay out yet even more money, would be like stepping on the head of a drowning man.
    
    Cough, Cough… Yeah Right.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:50am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Be very careful, or they may pay for it out of the tax on sarcasm.
      
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      May 20, 2020 11:29am
    - Close Hen Counters
      
      Like she took a 20% pay cut during the lockdown? Never happened
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:18pm
      - double d
        
        They told a 25% cut on salary as it was only for 6 months –
        
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        May 20, 2020 2:25pm
- alwyn
  
  You ask –
  “What better way of testing the Government’s new official covid-19 contact tracing app?”
  
  I’m not sure it will be. According to the Herald the app doesn’t work. Oh well, why am I not surprised?
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333297
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:39am
  - alloytoo
    
    Schools were able to get tracing apps sorted on relatively short notice, why couldn’t the government.
    
    Frankly my attitude is changing, and the chances of my installing this governments app are nil to nil.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:20am
  - Hard Cheese
    
    I briefly thought of installing it, I need a good laugh.
    
    If it has been developed by Labour no doubt it will be poorly designed, use a lot of system resources, not do what it is supposed to, have all sorts of side effects and eventually uninstalled as being not fit for purpose.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:41am
    - Rachael Membery
      
      And been paid over the odds for.
      
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      May 20, 2020 2:43pm
  - rouppe
    
    If necessary I plan to use Google timeline to work out where I was on any given day.
    
    You don’t even have to remember to “check in”.
    
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    May 20, 2020 12:18pm
- JackRabbit
  
  >>>”Cannabis harmful in different ways than tobacco – research”
  
  Anything that puts crap into the lungs and/or drugs into the airways and that and impact the primary lung firewall and that allows airborne virus a free pass is not good.
  
  Relaxing the cannabis laws without a corresponding law that enforces testing of apprehended drivers, in the same way as it does for alcohol, is not going to drop the road toll.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:44am
- JackRabbit
  
  Yvette, are you suggesting that if Maori suffer health side effects from cannabis, that it will be the colonists fault? Whitey made us do it?
  
  They’ve never complained about Winston being a slush!
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:56am
bruceavon

Looks like Simon will be gone. I think it is the right thing for the party, but it doesn’t make me happy, he’s a decent guy, but too many mistakes. I am guessing Judith and Todd challenging. Because there two, Judith will miss one out again because she never has the numbers in caucus. Will have been a lot of phone calls. Mind you mark Mitchell on radio soon. Sorry it could be him.
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May 20, 2020 8:10am
- Philview
  
  I don’t recall ever seeing Todd Muller doing an interview. It would be a crazy risk. I have read a few comments from people getting confused with Todd McClay who does have more of a profile.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:32am
  - MT_Tinman
    
    I don’t know Muller at all. THAT worries me.
    
    I do wonder however why the slime are so scared of Bridges that they have him replaced at every opportunity?
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:46am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Saw Muller speaking at a National morning tea just before the shutdown.
      Very impressive guy.
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:01am
  - BeeJay
    
    Todd Muller is one of the most competent MPs in the Nats lineup. You don’t know him because he just does his job and does it well! He hasn’t sought a high profile, he’s just a hard worker who can definitely bring the Party back from the brink! Wait until he’s selected and you’ll soon know him! Far from being crazy, it’s probably one of the best choices National could make.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:42am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      This profile of Muller, written in September last year, is a very good read. But already former TVNZ journo Michael Field has cut and pasted the photo of the MAGA cap Muller brought home from the US in 2016 as a souvenir, to fire up the leftie Twitterati.
      
      https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/15-09-2019/the-increasingly-uncompromising-todd-muller/
      
      To his credit, the author of the Spinoff piece, Alex Braae, has warned people to read the story to get the context. But it shows what whoever rises in National will face; people looking opportunities to smear them.
      
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      May 20, 2020 11:42am
  - theoldbloke
    
    Must admit I find Todd Mueller an impressive politician.
    He has “presence”Which Simon doesnt.
    He has both a political and business background.
    He has been a “”leader”” in the real world.
    
    He speaks and presents well.
    https://www.facebook.com/ToddMullerMP/videos/2669603389979295/
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:28pm
    - Tony Stuart
      
      If you took a moment to look at the link you posted, his name is Muller, not Mueller!
      
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      May 20, 2020 2:00pm
- Peter Lane
  
  According to Stuff it’s Muller and Kaye challenging.
  
  Can’t believe I just typed the first three words.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:34am
  - kowtow
    
    Who’s pulling their strings?
    
    18 2
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    May 20, 2020 8:54am
    - tf78
      
      kowtow – what’s the bet it’s Winston because he wants to change allegiance and go with National, but not with Simon in charge.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:15am
  - oldfella
    
    Muller is backed by Jim Bolger. For what that’s worth, although I always rated Bolger as a competent politician. And Nikki Kaye beat Cindy twice in her own seat. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300016233/former-pm-jim-bolger-backs-todd-muller-for-next-national-leader
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:17am
    - MT_Tinman
      
      Oldfella, Bloody Bolger did more damage to NZ than any other politician, ever.
      
      His every utterance recently has been left of Cindy.
      
      If Bolger backs Muller, I won’t!
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:49am
    - kloyd0306
      
      MMP Bolger?
      
      The country has been rooted since.
      
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      May 20, 2020 11:34am
    - Paulus
      
      Bolger’s support will be the kiss of death for Muller.
      
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      May 20, 2020 2:12pm
    - Jack5
      
      Jim Bolger, Kiwbank champion and its first chairman.
      
      Jim Bolger, republican.
      
      Jim Bolger, who sacked Ruth Richardson.
      
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      May 20, 2020 4:54pm
- RW Capitalist
  
  I would promote the tactic of voting 100% in caucus for Simon.
  Make sure this result is presented to the media.
  They won’t be able to contain themselves, this will give Simon/National immediate talking points and time in front of the camera.
  Did you watch the AM Show this morning?
  They presse Simon on “the leadership challenge”, he managed to bat away the question with “there will be a caucus meeting and that there were 2 people involved.
  The rest of the time he spent talking up the fact that National actually had policies to grow the economy and that it was about NZ etc.
  This is the longest time he has had on TV for 6 weeks, compared to Jacinda’s daily (1/2 hr) party
  political broadcasts. As Michele Boag put it Cindy’s Kindy.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:35am
  - kloyd0306
    
    Dare I say it……….is this the plan, getting some oxygen for Simon, help him look stronger and promote Muller for something bigger in the future?
    
    Could this be Joyce in the background?
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:38am
- Pete George
  
  Collins has ruled herself out.
  
  It seems to be a two person, single ticket challenge – Muller and Kaye.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:35am
  - Charmaine Hawke
    
    Collins is best used as National’s attack dog and she knows it.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:57am
    - alloytoo
      
      It is about time she were let off her leash though.
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:22am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  Yeah – nice to hear Bob Clarkson on RNZ this morning. Thought he basically summed it all up
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:37am
- Janabelle
  
  If Simon is rolled I will party vote Act, treachery should not be rewarded. I think Simon can win – 3 months ago before covid National under Simon was polling to win and before election a lot will happen. I don’t know Simon but he comes across as a really nice hardworking guy whose put in the hard yards and should be rewarded for that
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:46am
  - krazykiwi
    
    I agree
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:03am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    I went to one of his “traveling road show” meetings
    He spoke about himself and the party policies for 10 min.
    Then opened the floor to questions. He answered questions for 1hr 10min.
    Even including some labour ass, who tried to hijack the meeting, eventually, I asked him, if he wanted to make a speech, the microphone was on the stage. He shut up, after the cheer I got.
    The News media stood outside (recognized Jesica Much) and asked questions after. They could not possibly know what was said, as they never entered the hall.
    This 1 1/2 hours, actually impressed me
    Honesty
    Frankness
    Knowledgeable
    Friendly
    These are the qualities that came across.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:14am
    - tf78
      
      RWC – I too have attended two meetings with Simon – very impressed with humour and knowledge of all portfolios, much like John Key in many ways. I think Jacinda does find him a threat because in the house she is always rattled after his questioning although she tries to bat away his questions. Then either Trevor, Winston or Hipkins rush to her aid.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:39am
  - kowtow
    
    It will be very interesting to see how this goes , but that’s exactly what the Media want , eyes on their product.
    However at a time like this for the Nat caucus to be playing scaredy cats says an awful lot about their intestinal fortitude.
    The country’s been flushed down the gurgler , on so many fronts , by this Clown Coalition and the Nats run scared …..
    
    Time to hold fast , rally round the colours and then go back on the offensive.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:20am
  - chaos
    
    There is no treachery, this is just the game of politics. Welcome to politics, you perform in the polls or you are gone.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:34am
    - projectman
      
      Give Simon equal media time as Ardern and how do you think it would be then?
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:29am
      - greybeard
        
        That is it in a nutshell.
        
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        May 20, 2020 12:16pm
      - MCos
        
        Why should any Leader of the Opposition have as much media time as the PM, except maybe during an election campaign?
        To be frank Bridges numbers are poor because of his media exposure. He has been distinctly out of step with the public attitude.
        
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        May 20, 2020 4:18pm
  - Don Beckett
    
    I have known Simon personally since the 2008 election – I went with him & Natalie to the opening of the National Party Campaign at the Sky City. We went to the pub across the road for a beer later, where I met DPF and a number of others.
    Simon is as you say – a very intelligent hard working really good bloke. He lives about 1k. away from me. My son & Simon are good friends, and when he can, Simon gets involved locally – but not a lot of time for that recently.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:35am
  - freethinker
    
    Janabelle – I will party vote ACT because National has no relevant policies yet – Nationals core base is with Landlords, Farmers & Small Business owners and probably Firearms owners, without promises of favourable treatment and repeal of flawed laws many will party vote ACT which will be good as 10 ACT MPs will keep National Honest and be a source of pragmatic policies.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:40am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Nice thought but how the Hell are ACT going to get 10 MPs?
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:05am
      - Paulus Gnome
        
        Labour got selected, a star appeared in the east some 2,000 years ago so, the third is, I hope, is Simon Bridges ELECTED Prime Minister.
        
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        May 20, 2020 12:58pm
    - projectman
      
      Dream on.
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:31am
- Tomtoddy
  
  What were the mistakes Bridges made? How come his “mistakes” are relevant but Ardern’s are not? Hers include claiming she went “hard and early”, “took quick action on closing the border”, “we have enough flu vaccine”, “we have enough PPE gear”, – they are significant “mistakes” that should have brought repercussions.
  
  I am not a Bridges fan but the National party MP’s falling over themselves to please the few shallow media twits shows unbelieveable naivety and immaturity.
  
  What goes up quickly comes down quickly. Ardern and Labour’s popularity will take a hammering over the next few weeks as voters feel the cold harsh reality of job losses, less income, inconvenience, rising prices, and Labour’s lack of economic and business experience and acumen comes to light.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:47am
  - igm
    
    Wait till Labour’s policies cause a reduction in benefits . . . the leeches supporting them will soon change their tunes.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:05am
    - Hard Cheese
      
      I don’t think that’s likely….Labour would send NZ into Venezuela-level debt before they lowered the benefit.
      
      Actually, now that I look at it, after the budget we already have an absolute debt level greater than Venezuela – fortunately we have a much larger GDP. Hope that doesn’t start going backwards though…..
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:51am
  - All_on_Red
    
    ‘National party MP’s falling over themselves to please the few shallow media twits shows unbelieveable naivety and immaturity.’
    
    Exactly.
    The other thing is that Bridges does pretty well against her in the House. She gets real triggered by him too.
    Out comes snarky snarly nasty Jacinda. And she won’t be able to help herself during the debates.
    We will all see it.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:14am
  - Nickc2
    
    I think this is a Media made coup. Kaye and Muller have been carried away with media hype. The financial implications of the CoL’s handling of the so-called COVID-19 crisis have not hit home yet but will do before the election and it won’t be pretty.
    I think media types know Cindy is not smart and when it comes to pre-election debates, she will be shown for what she is without teleprompters and notes prepared for her.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:44am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    The biggest mistake Bridges makes is to let himself and National be bullied by the fake news media.
    If he survives this, he needs to come out hitting hard – no more childish nonsense.
    Trump style, take no prisoners
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:13am
- Scott
  
  I just think it is a mistake for National to panic at this time and change their leader.
  The events of the last few months are unprecedented. The Prime Minister is riding a wave of popularity as the leader who saved us from the virus.
  The role of the press has been significant. They were the ones who piled on to Simon Bridges about his virus response. Added to the pushback was a huge wave of Labour Party activists commenting on his social media posts and using the technique of Astroturfing. This is when activists pursue an orchestrated tactic of condemning the target on social media using words like “I have voted for National all my life but I am totally against Simon Bridges and will definitely vote labour in the next election”.
  
  We note that the latest uproar was basically generated by TV3 news, commentating I think on their poll, basically demanding that national rise up and get rid of their leader.
  
  Events may well change the whole political landscape? Businesses are closing, more and more people are unemployed, the tide may well turn.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:53am
  - Lance
    
    Lefties on mass telling bald faced lies?
    Tell me it isn’t so…
    
    /sarc/
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:45am
  - C-Town
    
    Agreed. Neither have a big public profile. I don’t recall any party winning an election by changing their leader within a few months of an election, except for Labour last year. By then Ardern was a quasi-celebrity with about 200k facebook followers and it was the end of the 3-term electoral cycle.
    
    Most successful (in election terms) Prime Ministers need about 4-5 years to win an election. Helen Clark and Jim Bolger needed to lose an election before they could win one. Norman Kirk needed needed to lose two elections before winning one. I’m not saying that Simon should stay on if he loses this election (unless he campaigns spectacularly well and his polls go up a lot higher), but at least he should stay on to contest the 2020 election. Jacinda has peaked. The gap will shrink. And the campaign will give other potential National leaders to shine.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:07pm
- Albert_Ross
  
  Really, really disappointing if so. The whole point of National is to be sensible, level headed, fair minded and grown up. A panicky, flustered response is the very opposite of what we need
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:32am
- Sacha
  
  I have had an official-looking photo of Mueller and Kaye coming up on my FB news feed.
  And Mueller has been putting up a lot of PR photos/posts, and happy family pics.
  Mueller seems a nice enough man, but I don’t know anything about Kaye, except she’s blonde and beat Ardern for an electorate seat.
  We don’t need an Ardern wannabe.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:36am
  - tf78
    
    It’s funny Nicky has brown hair and bleaches it blonde and Jacinda has blonde hair and dyes it brown.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:52am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    If Mueller is the solution, may I know what the problem is?
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:47am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  If Todd Mule is the replacement choice, we may as well sink with Bridges boy.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:32am
- bruceavon
  
  Yes. Risk with Muller is no one knows him. I don’t know him and I am a political person. Nikki Kaye will get a lot if centrist votes but I have always thought she could easily be in the Labour Party. Still a change is needed.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:41am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    For change sake? No. We didn’t need an electoral change last time. Glory days indeed.
    
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    May 20, 2020 3:48pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Bloomin’ nonsense from a $50,000,000 paid for media. Where’s the facts–anyone can write tripe to bring mischief.
  Labour are on the knife edge of perceived corruption. Elections are not for purchase.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:15am
Durden

So the earth is able to recover from carbon in the air in less than 2 months of lockdown to the extent that the Himalaya and Everest can be seen from 200km.

Well, despite what climate emergency loons and Greta would like to say, if two months is all it takes for the earth to clear the pollution is not really a big problem is it ?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12333268

Similar thing was reported by greenies as happening in NZ with reported pollution levels both in air and water dropping within a month into lockdown. Given farmers, being essential services, and worked right through the lockdown, and no way of stopping cows and sheep from farting and belching, the problem is clearly NOT caused by the farmers (thanks Sam Cane), but the townies in their cramped living areas and filthy habits.

Sometimes you guiltily wish for a EU/NY style pandemic to clean out the world of a few idiotic progressives. Or maybe we could contract China to send out a virus periodically into the world so we can have a 2 month holiday, clean up the environment and cull some of the useless hordes spawned in the cities and universities

Yes I said it.
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May 20, 2020 8:16am
- Don Beckett
  
  Top Marks. (Not the Ron kind)
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:21am
- Blackbob
  
  Well, your first problem is reading the Herald and believing it, try some science: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/05/17/the-covid-lockdown-and-co2/
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:24am
  - All_on_Red
    
    I suspect when Durden says ‘Carbon’ he’s referring to the pollutant Soot.
    As for CO2. Yep, despite Industry ceasing worldwide as Mauna Loa shows CO2 is still increasing.
    As your link states ‘Maybe, just maybe, anthropogenic emissions just don’t make that big of a contribution to the increase….Maybe abandoning fossil fuels and all the advantages of modern society isn’t a solution to rising CO2.’
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:29am
Lee C

This latest piece of journalism by Tova:

fuh – that Simon Bridges eh?

What a c**t.

I reckon they should sack him.

I mean, that thing with face book…

And he’s got other people in his team who are ‘quite capable’…

Yes definitely ‘dead man walking’ ….

Or something.
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May 20, 2020 8:16am
- Peter Lane
  
  The glee on her face on the news last night was quite sickening.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:28am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Tova seems to have been baying for Simon’s blood for a long time. She has always been anti-Simon. Although the lefties also complain about her being ‘nasty’to them.
    
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    May 20, 2020 8:59am
    - Peter Lane
      
      That tosser of a ‘cartoonist’ in the Herald has also been attacking Simon Bridges for well over a year now.
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:09am
    - Rachael Membery
      
      God only knows why, saying it doesn’t make it so. I reckon that it is time that Duncan Garner and that woman went from AM.
      
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      May 20, 2020 3:53pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Tova is the type of media person that Bridges needs to come down hard on. Pull finger Simon
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:16am
  - Paulus
    
    Tova has kept her promise to Jamie LR so that he will not tell on her.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:30pm
- Suze Wainwright
  
  I wonder if Tova’s ever been careful about what she’s wished for?
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:39am
- kowtow
  
  All these people joining the Media Party pitch fork mob need to ask themselves whose side they’re on.
  
  Media Party love a scalp , for their own CV’s but they ‘re also bad faith actors in politics , trying to use their power and influence , not to hold power to account but to ensure their own side stay in power.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:44am
- Janabelle
  
  That piece Tova O’Brien did on names people call Simon Bridges was Political journalism at it’s absolute worst, I have emailed Three News and suggest everyone who was offended by it does as well. Tova doesn’t appear to be happy with just losing him his job but that was an attack on his mental health, also did she not give a thought to Simon’s school age children – disgraceful
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:28am
  - tf78
    
    What about Jacinda’s mental health?
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:55am
    - Janabelle
      
      The media look after Jacinda’s mental health
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:35am
  - Tricati
    
    My wife is a Clinical Psychologist with many, many years experience, and when she saw that item last night, commented that Simon was big boy and could defend himself, but his children couldn’t and will likely be taunted by kids at school – I doubt Ms O’Brian has the intellectual in-sight to see the damage she could have caused, and all she is after is a piece of ‘click-bait’ sensationalism.
    I challenge her to ask the PM what she thinks of Fletcher’s laying off staff and how is the Ihumatao settlement is going – The one that was to be settled before last Christmas.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:56am
  - RiP NZ
    
    Janabelle,
    Considering Tova was the subject of a recent puff piece stating her difficulties with personal abuse, it makes her less credible and more vindictive
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:37am
  - Gravelroad
    
    Wasn’t Tova O’Brien prominent in the media recently complaining about how she was constantly attacked by trolls?
    Um,Er,well……. I suggest the people allegedly trolling her have learnt off the expert.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:56am
    - Rachael Membery
      
      The biggest troll of all.
      
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      May 20, 2020 3:56pm
- projectman
  
  Journalism? Really? Who’s a c**t?
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:35am
  - Nickc2
    
    I think Tova is struggling for relevance now Peter Dunne isn’t around.
    The things journo’s do for stories?
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:29pm
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  She seems to have a personal vengence on Simon B.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:48am
Michael NZ

So in some places in America, they don’t trust doctors to treat their patients.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/05/is_big_pharma_suppressing_hydroxychloroquine.html
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May 20, 2020 8:18am
Jack5

Oh dear, another police shooting.

Were they using a assault rifles, outlawed to other citizens?

Yet they wouldn’t take on the vigilantes running road blocks during Wuhan flu lockdown.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/300016112/man-dies-after-being-shot-by-police-near-waitara-taranaki
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May 20, 2020 8:18am
- Don Beckett
  
  Some poor bugger gone troppo over the shutdown and lost his marbles.
  Another Covid19 death, but without infection (except for lead)
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:35am
- MCos
  
  We’re the people manning the checkpoints threatening police with firearms?
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:46am
  - Jack5
    
    Check points? You mean the vigilante road blocks.
    
    The vigilantes didn’t need to carry firearms, because they police were happy to let them carry out their unlawful action.
    
    Gang members who flouted lockdown for a funeral weren’t stopped by the police either. And the gangs, as opposed to law-abiding citizens, are well stocked with illegal firearms.
    
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8317435/New-Zealand-bikie-gang-flout-lockdown-laws-150-members-gathering-open-funeral.html
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:05am
  - WaveyDavey
    
    There have been reports of them brandishing weapons at members of the public
    
    11 1
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    May 20, 2020 9:20am
  - kowtow
    
    No but the govt and police allowing them threatened the constitution .
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:54am
- kowtow
  
  Didn’t even rate a mention on magictalk 9 am “news” .
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:13am
- WaveyDavey
  
  He pointed a firearm at armed police officers
  
  Play silly games, win stupid prizes
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:21am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Correct. If you present a firearm at Police, there are going to be consequences, and they are unlikely to be pleasant.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:50am
Happychappy

Can anyone post any discipline that Jacinda handedout to the Labour MP for Rodney Marja Lubeck for her arrogance and ignorance in the Leo Molloy saga.As it appears that Labour MP’s are allowed to print false allegations over the subsidy. If Simon Bridges had done this the Prime Minister and Finance Minister with the help of our corrupt media would be doing articles condemning National and Bridges for weeks.
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May 20, 2020 8:19am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Lubeck is not the “Labour MP for Rodney” HC. Mark Mitchell is the MP for Rodney, with a majority of almost 20,000 votes, one of the largest in the country. Lubeck is a list MP, and pretty low on the list too. She’s not the sharpest tool in the workshop, and I note that last night, Labour selected someone else for the new Whangaparoa electorate, which will replace Rodney in September. That probably says a lot about how even the Labour Party views the former air hostess and unionist!
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:33am
  - Peter Lane
    
    I had the misfortune to meet this person at the Puhoi Markets one Sunday.
    
    As you say, definitely not the sharpest tool in the workshop but certainly representative of the type of ‘talent’ that 70+ Labour MPs will bring to government if the poll result is correct.
    
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    May 20, 2020 8:39am
    - IC5000
      
      Well she is a graduate of AUT law school so that goes without saying.
      
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      May 20, 2020 11:25am
    - Hard Cheese
      
      Considering the tools in the Labour workshop, that is going some.
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:22pm
  - freethinker
    
    Tony – Wiki states Lubek is Dutch who I understand do not allow dual citizenship so presumably Lubek renounced Dutch Citzenship and is a NZ Citizen so qualifying to be an MP ????????????????????????
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:53am
Maggie Pie

My partner was wondwering if we’re about to witness the biggest hospital pass ever?
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May 20, 2020 8:19am
- oldfella
  
  A change of leadership might also be called a ‘Hail Mary’ pass, but sometimes they work. Especially if it looks like you’re about to lose the game. Just saying…
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:42am
Don Beckett

Good morning fellow inmates of the Aotearoan Gulag.
Today’s lesson is :- 2 + 2 = 5.
Anyone who disputes this will receive a visit from the Kindness Enforcement Gruppe.
That is all.
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May 20, 2020 8:19am
- Komata
  
  Don@0819
  
  On reading your first sentence this came immediately to mind; specifically the segment at 18.40-19.00.
  
  It seems relevant to the current situation.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osNmf_zmSyE
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:00am
  - Overworked
    
    Omg very few people under 25 die of COVID-19! (That accounts for two of the ten items). Hydroxychloroquine raises it’s head again despite well-designed studies having laid it well and truly to rest. Juggling of info on US death certificates gives a different result re Covid death rate and so on. (US death certificate information is pretty unreliable as a result of funding differences for different causes of death combined with an apparent ethical deficit in the US medical profession ). I couldn’t bear to watch any further.
    
    This must be what Matt King has been watching.
    
    Points in the video either padding, irrelevant or just plain bollocks.
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:19pm
- Jack5
  
  2+2=5?
  
  Mmm. You didn’t write Jacindarella’s new Wuhan flu app did you, Don?
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:09am
Lee C

… oops kiwibloggers, apologies that last article by Tova – it had a four-syllable word in it – so obviously was written by some dark cabal from the inner sanctum of the VRWC .

What a rookie mistake!

Sorry.
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May 20, 2020 8:19am
KevO'Brien

Antique fortran programming as a help to coding models to advise govts about health outcomes. UK Ferguson severely (and rightly) rubbished:
https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2020/05/gwpf-newsletter-covid-19-lockdown.html
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May 20, 2020 8:21am
- oob
  
  Fortran is making a come back. GCC compiles it, and I know a 23 year-old recent graduate in finance and technology who uses it by preference.
  
  He also prepares documents in LATEX though, so he might be a bit of an outligher.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:17pm
  - Jack5
    
    Some jokes about Fortran at the link below:
    
    I like, from Ken Thompson’s 1983 Turing Award lecture:
    
    “FORTRAN was the language of choice for the same reason that three-legged races are popular.”
    
    https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Fortran
    
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    May 20, 2020 5:00pm
brett68

Muller and Kaye vs Bridges and Bennett.

Looks like National is going further left.
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May 20, 2020 8:22am
The Boss

Todd Muller looks very Prime ministerial when he speaks in parliament:
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?itemId=212269
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May 20, 2020 8:22am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Yeah right, the hmmms ahhs..useless…
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:01am
- Tomtoddy
  
  Who is Todd Muller??
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:06am
- KevO'Brien
  
  All the National bench members have potential PM quality.
  Those on the other side of the house are largely mute could produce a spoken sentence of 1o words that would be an outstanding achievement for many. MMP has done a great disservice to the country.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:40am
Tauhei Notts

Page A18 of today’s NZ Herald shows the worst bad taste advertisement I have ever seen.
It shows a relatively attractive middle aged woman sipping tea with God awful headline;
“The gold mine you are sitting on”
SBS Bank; sack your advertising agency. That is deplorable.
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May 20, 2020 8:23am
- Maggie Pie
  
  It’s true tho 😛
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:09am
- The Boss
  
  You read the Horrid? Really?
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:14am
- Akarak
  
  You mean you actually found an advertisement in the Herald? I’d sack the agency for stupidity!
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:30am
Peter Lane

The app is crap.

Just a sample of some of the reviews on Google Play:

Jared Mclean
19 May 2020
Dissapointed. Firstly put off by “having to”. Sign up to use this. Described as a digital dairy in the media I envisioned a easily used app that you can record what ever you want to in it. This is not the case, it’s only for visits to supported places that have qr codes. You can’t just type in ” wnt

matthew barker
19 May 2020
So poorly made Unable to create account and the email verification code sent is not accepted by the app. Glad to see my tax dollars are being spent well…

John Kane
19 May 2020
Completely useless. It’s like it’s been written by someone who has no idea how android apps work. Got the personal details error that everyone else seems to be getting then tried to login in, it accepted my login then took me to a screen that only had login or sign up. Requires a 10 character password

James Rawin
19 May 2020
I probably give you – 20 Once I have entered the code then asking to go back and log in again. I attempted to sign on it says account already exist. What a tosser app indeed. Sorry for my language but had enough with it.

Honestly this is another waste of money. I tried to register but all too hard and it’s of limited use even if you can get in because apparently it only accepts QR codes.

I had no intention of using this, just professional curiosity because I’m a software developer.

FAIL FAIL FAIL.
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May 20, 2020 8:27am
- cmm
  
  It’s really a dumb app it it relies on people scanning QR codes all the time.
  
  What’s wrong with Bluetooth LE beacons?
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:41am
  - Peter Lane
    
    Very true. And the businesses using QR codes have to register so that adds another layer of useless bureaucracy.
    
    Not surprising to see the Herald and Stuff trumpeting this app release without having tried it.
    
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    May 20, 2020 8:43am
  - Hard Cheese
    
    Australia have had their Bluetooth COVID-19 app for almost a month, based on the Singapore source code, with well over 5 million downloads. I thought we got the same source code?
    
    Ours is obviously the KiwiBuild of contact tracing apps.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:23pm
- RW Capitalist
  
  My problem with it:
  1. The concept of tracking in the first place.
  2. The contradiction, we have/ are beating covid19, so why do we need it now? The world over is on the downward side of this thing.
  3. They say “businesses will not be able to get access”, no mention of the govt. getting access. Simple, after the no warrant required to access your house. How about the Police just demanding access to your phone, for no reason?
  4. There is no method mentioned for removing the AP after this latest scare is over. “contact tracing” forever?
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:42am
  - Peter Lane
    
    It’s probably fortunate that it’s such a pile of excrement that most people will give up trying to use it.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:05am
    - cmm
      
      Unfortunately a gold plated pile of excrement.
      
      When they said “gold standard” tracing they were referring to the cost.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:30am
  - Skippytony
    
    Who will resign if there is a substantive privacy breach?
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:19pm
    - Nickc2
      
      All the data goes through Google servers and Google is not responsible to NZ in any way for such data. The user has to agree with Google terms of reference to use the App.
      This was from a phone-in on Talkback ZB this morning.
      
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      May 20, 2020 2:19pm
- mudrunner
  
  I couldn’t register either.
  I wanted to use the app at a sports facility and create the QR code. But only businesses can create the QR code.
  Then I found that there is another app that could be use by churches, clubs etc. Why not just one that works for all facilities and businesses.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:54am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Excellent Cindy worshippers. You deserve this.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:03am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Bad like the coding used in the UK (and elsewhere?) to predict the number of deaths. See the criticism above for some real fun.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:47pm
- soothsayer99
  
  Agree the app as release is a fail, actually the way it was sold by the prime minister was it was going to be open source, where is the source code……,.
  
  Or was she meaning openly sourced. By definition for it to work as a tracing tool data needs to be moved beyond the local tool. So at some stage your collected QR code needs to be loaded somewhere.
  
  There seems to be nothing to help business do there part of the issue. Ideally people should be able to scan their QR code in to the businesses register to enable tracing from the other side.
  
  There should be peer to peer qr exchange, to allow people to track themselves.
  
  I would suggest the MOH should be hosting APIs for the registration of contact information (business and people) and issue the QR codes.
  Enable the uploading of have I been near infected checked to their server follow by maybe please upload more details.
  
  Publish the API for other developers to use.
  Publish the source code under an open source license for other developers to check what the government has done, developers to build off.
  
  But agrees this as it stands is a barely minimum viable offering.
  
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  May 20, 2020 7:05pm
cmm

DPF: I thought I’d put your comparison of CV19 vs WW1 deaths in context.

Raw numbers really do not matter. What matters more is the death rate (ie. deaths per population).

At the end of WW1, the USA population was approx 103M and approx 117,000 died. That gives a death rate for WW1 of 1135/M. Way, way higher than their CV19 death rate of 273/M.

Of the WW1 deaths most were males in their 20s. About 1.5% of the males in their 20s died. This left a small generational hole in the demographics that lasted for the next 50 years.

The CV19 deaths are mostly frail people with co-morbidities with an expected life time of less than 2 years if CV19 had not come along. Thus, the demographic change is inconsequential and will be gone within 2 years.

Interestingly, the USA WW1 deaths were mostly due to the Spanish flu in 1918. That killed 63000 (627/M) and combat killed 53000 (520/M). That is just for military personnel.

For the whole of USA, Spanish flu killed approx 675,000(6750/M). At, 273/M or so, CV-19 has only killed 4% what Spanish Flu did in USA.

ie. Spanish Flu was 25x as bad as what CV19 has been.

Here, our Spanish flu death rate was approx 9000/M.
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May 20, 2020 8:30am
- RW Capitalist
  
  What makes the spanish flu worst
  the urban to rural pop was more spread out
  Urban $50mil
  Rural $50 mill
  approx
  Today it’s more like
  Urban $230mil
  Rural $70 mill
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:48am
- SGA
  
  Well, yeah, but it’s almost impossible to make a sensible comparison. What would the death toll from the Spanish Flu have been if they had implemented some of the measures adopted now? What would the death toll now be if we hadn’t adopted such measures. The purpose of much of what has gone on now is to prevent something of the scale of the Spanish Flu. Your data could be just as easily used to argue that such measures have been a good idea. I don’t know the “true” answer, but it seems a flawed analysis.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:54am
  - WaveyDavey
    
    But still not as flawed as the original post.
    
    I read cmm’s comment as being critical of the OP’s choice of events to compare C19 to. BTW if you don’t like the Spanish Flu as an example try the HK flu of 1968 – more modern and 100,000 US deaths during that outbreak
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:02am
    - cmm
      
      HK flu in USA was 100,000 dead out of 200M population (500/M). Like CV19 it knocked over older people (I assume also a lot of “died with” rather than “died from”).
      
      That’s almost 2 times the CV19 death rate.
      
      Yet what do people remember about 1968? Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy and The Beatles.
      
      Did they crash the world economy back in 1968? Nope, they kept on trotting.
      
      In 1968, with more than twice the number of flu deaths, Apollo 8 circled the moon – taking the first people out of earth’s gravity. What are we doing in 2020? Hiding in our basements and saying we’re going hard!
      
      We’ve really over panicked this.
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:17am
      - All_on_Red
        
        Woodstock still happened too
        
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        May 20, 2020 10:36am
      - cmm
        
        Woodstock was 1969 wasn’t it?
        
        But yup, it is difficult to believe that we’ll see any Woodstock-like events in 2021. We’ll still be scared to watch a rugby game on TV unless we’re wearing masks.
        
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        May 20, 2020 11:02am
      - Nickc2
        
        Agree. I saw our Minister of Health on TV last night addressing the WHO. What a disgrace! He was doing his best to sound really WOKE. I think he used just about every known woke word, with special emphasis on World Solidarity. I think from memory, the only woke word I didn’t hear him say was ‘Sustainable’. I sure as hell don’t want such a ‘toe-rag’ representing my country in any manner for the next three years.
        
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        May 20, 2020 1:21pm
- WaveyDavey
  
  I pointed this out on the original post.
  
  I thought it was a ridiculous decision to omit the Spanish Flu given that as it was a complete matcher to the C19 pandemic.
  
  He might also have referenced the 1968 Hong Kong flu pandemic where 4 million people died – Including 100,000 Americans.
  
  all-in-all it was a piss-poor attempt to put this pandemic into context.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:57am
  - cmm
    
    I would not use the words “piss poor” to slate our host in his own house.
    
    However, the original article gives an example of how statistics and numbers can mislead (not that I am saying this was DPF’s intent).
    
    As wars go, WW1 was a light war for USA. They showed up late and it was not fought on their soil.
    
    If the graph had also shown WW2, then it would have looked a lot different too. 418k deaths, or 3170/M. Still only half of what the Spanish Flu did to them.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:40am
    - WaveyDavey
      
      Unfortunately KW doesn’t allow graphics, but for some real context:
      
      civil war 1,000,000 ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
      
      spanish flu 675,000 ********************************************************************
      
      hk flu (1969) 100,000 *********
      
      cv19 90,000 *********
      
      ww1 120,000 ************
      
      ww2 420,000 ******************************************
      
      korea 37,000 ****
      
      vietnam 58,000 *******
      
      * = 10,000 deaths
      
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      May 20, 2020 3:53pm
    - WaveyDavey
      
      USA deaths
      
      1 person in every 30 died in the civil war (3%)
      1 person in every 1000 died in the spanish flu (0.1%)
      1 person in every 2000 died in the hk ful (0.05%)
      1 person in every 3000 has died in the c19 (0.027%)
      
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      May 20, 2020 4:00pm
    - WaveyDavey
      
      And if you’d like a graphical representation of the numbers but in the context of the population at the time
      
      civil war 1,000,000 ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
      
      spanish flu 675,000 **********************
      
      hk flu (1969) 100,000 **
      
      cv19 90,000 *
      
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      May 20, 2020 5:47pm
I remember when

Covid-19 sign at the brothel:
All deaf clients must sign in.
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May 20, 2020 8:35am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  That will make some heads hurt – until they get it
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:15am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    I’m still trying to work out how you maintain social distancing at a brothel…
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:18am
    - Peter Lane
      
      No kissing allowed apparently.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:23am
      - Rachael Membery
        
        Why ever would you kiss.
        
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        May 20, 2020 4:24pm
- cmm
  
  My grandmother’s favourite joke:
  
  Owner to client: How was your first time in the blind brothel?
  Client: Oh fine, but my girl had pimples on her bum.
  Owner: Oh no sir, that’s her price in Braille.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:45am
JibberJabber

Have National politicians learnt nothing?
Look at the disarray Labour were in changing “leaders” every couple of months when they were in opposition.
4 months out from the most important election for NZ in decades and the chances are some nobody becomes leader, Bolger has given Muller the kiss of death, Mitchell hardly heard of him, Collins forever tainted.
If they roll Bridges, National can get fucked, I`ll be voting ACT
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May 20, 2020 8:38am
- Bobba Fret
  
  I live in a safe National seat so my electorate vote will go to the Nat candidate, but I’m giving my party vote to Act.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:11am
I remember when

Went to the local hospital for a clinic yesterday.
Yes there was security and a couple of questions but it looked like a covid-19 birthday party.
On the other hand I can’t get a driver licence test from my Medical Centre yet.
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May 20, 2020 8:44am
Tony Stuart

Oh dear. The Herald is trying to scramble out of a hole it dug for itself yesterday. Rather than doing some fact-checking then and there, the Herald simply parroted the line that Jacinda Ardern was “the most popular PM for a century”. We know of course that is a nonsense; she’s not even the most popular New Zealand PM in the 20 years of THIS century; that title belongs to Sir John Key.

Yesterday’s story has disappeared into thin either, replaced today by this:

A poll last night revealed what most New Zealanders probably already knew: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is a popular Prime Minister.

But for Newshub to call her the “most popular Prime Minister in a century” is “hasty and premature”, says a political historian.

In fact, there were no opinion polls before 1974 and the claim compares Ardern’s personal popularity to the last century of election results.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333249

The story goes on to say that Key once polled 73.3% in a Herald Digipoll, and polled in the 60’s regularly.

So yesterday’s story, stolen directly from Newshub, was a crock of sh#t, and now the Herald is trying to be responsible. Unfortunately, they’ve been busted by one of their own. Mike Hosking called them out on Newstalk ZB yesterday, and again today. Of course the Herald and Newstalk ZB are NZME stablemates, which makes one wonder why some Herald reporter thought repeating a story from their rival organisation was a good idea in the first place.

Goodness, those who made Granny Herald New Zealand’s journal of record back in the heyday of quality journalism must be turning in their graves!
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May 20, 2020 8:48am
- Lee C
  
  The Lock Down taught me not to read MSM unless it’s a recommended piece by someone I trust.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:57am
  - alex Masterley
    
    I read everything in the MSM with a 40ft container load of salt.
    Having been involved professionally with matters that have attracted the MSM’s attention, my firm belief is that accuracy of reporting is not an esential element in media reporting.
    Regarding the Heralds missreporting yesterday who is surprised?
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:10am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      I have had the same experience. When you are professionally across an issue that is reported in the media, it makes you realise how dire are most of the articles.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:31am
      - Komata
        
        Benedict Yu@0931
        
        Many years ago an old hand in my profession ( no details) told me ‘Never trust the media, they contaminate everything they touch’, words which I received with some scepticism.
        
        Events several years later and the media’s handling of same ( again, no details), subsequently confirmed the truth of his statement, a point reinforced by another subsequent ‘incident’ which was again ‘mediaised’ to fit their own pre-determined narrative.
        
        Others ( of which there were several) confirmed the hypothesis and cemented it in place.
        
        From such incidents does one learn that the media are leeches and adept and very practiced at ‘distorting’ situations to fit agendas, advance narratives, and that every action is done with an eye on the main chance. One also learns that a media person is appallingly arrogant , but that should they be caught out, the wailing is deafening and prolonged , because, to quote Corporal Jones, ‘They don’t like it up ’em’.
        
        Discovering such things was an interesting ‘education’; and 40 years on, the advice I was given still stands.
        
        Despite loud protestations to the contrary, within the MSM nothing has changed, and I doubt that it ever will.
        
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        May 20, 2020 2:28pm
- kowtow
  
  The Media Party love to attck Trump for fake news .
  
  But it’s the Media Party who are the purveyors of Fake news.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:12am
cmm

Chilling thought for the day

The vast majority of the people “saved” by all our efforts will be dead by other causes within 2 years.

Their children, grand children and great grand children will be living with the consequences for 20 years.
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May 20, 2020 8:55am
- emmess
  
  I think it was a stat from New York
  The average age of death from coronavirus is older than the life expectancy.
  
  No thanks to Cuomo, mind you
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:24am
- Benedict Yu
  
  It is also chilling for the dozens of people, many of them in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, who we allow to die prematurely from cancer because we do not fund drugs that could prolong their lives.
  
  I am not litigating the rationing that Pharmac undertakes. I am simply pointing out the horrific inconsistency between the pandemic response and the Government’s approach to allocation of health resources.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:46am
  - cmm
    
    I agree with you that if CV19 is used as the benchmark for how many $ to throw at saving a few months of someone’s life, then we’re being extremely inconsistent when it comes to dealing with cancer patients.
    
    However, none of the drugs we’re talking about here “save” lives. They might prolong life for a few months.
    
    It comes down to how many $ should we spend per month of a person’s life?
    
    It certainly would seem to make more sense for younger people than older people.
    
    I don’t think anyone can really know what that $/month number should be, but we went way over for CV19.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:36am
- Rachael Membery
  
  Or more depending on who is in charge.
  
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  May 20, 2020 4:33pm
The Boss

I have a huge problem with National MPs talking to the snake that is Tova. Why don’t they rather quit and join JLR’s new party?
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May 20, 2020 8:57am
- emmess
  
  I hope the upticks are for sentence 1 of that statement.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:44am
WaveyDavey

Today’s question.

How long before the great NZ public wakes up to the fact that they’re
locked away from the world for 5 years?

Supplementary

What do you think they’ll do when they realise?
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May 20, 2020 8:59am
- tf78
  
  Nothink!
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:20am
Maggie Pie

Great pic of Nikki Kaye and Todd Muller.
But as a caller said to Banksy last night “…surely they must realise they don’t stand a shit-show” LOL!!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EYZ9UEYU0AEpWDI?format=jpg&name=large
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May 20, 2020 9:01am
- Lee C
  
  probably put out by a LPNZ Operative.
  
  I’d Love to see one of Winston and Jones against a red background.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:08am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    At the moment, any photo of Jones, Peters and all the NZF MP’s would be a rear view, as they wander sadly off into the sunset 😀
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:22am
- emmess
  
  Who is this Muller character?
  Heard the name but I know nothing else about him.
  Anyway, thanks for volunteering as a stalking horse.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:27am
  - chaos
    
    Perhaps you should follow politics
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:40am
    - emmess
      
      I do, that’s why I come here several times a day
      
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      May 20, 2020 10:21am
- Gravelroad
  
  Turning 40 and beating cancer: Nikki Kaye, the National Party’s ‘leftie’ MP in Auckland
  NZ Herald 23/02/20
  
  Yes, that would be absolutely awesome National – get another “leftie” into a senior leadership position.
  Ms Kaye may be very capable, don’t know, but to promote her to combat Ms Ardern because she is youngish, a woman and has leftie agendas is an insult to many who look to the National Party for a
  different governance perspective.
  This apparent thinking that you have to have a pretty woman to stand up against another pretty woman is dubious.
  It’s like saying : Well, the L Party has an ex All Black as its leader and he is hugely popular because of that, so the N Party will have to find another All Black to counter it.”
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:34am
  - Paulus
    
    Remember that Kaye beat Ardern twice in the Auckland Electorate.
    However Ardern was gifted Helen Clark’s seat when she went to the UN after she lost the Election.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:40pm
- Sacha
  
  Middleaged women with teenage hair – not a look to inspire confidence in a politician IMO.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:54am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    And have you also noticed Sach – she often dyes her roots black.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:16am
    - Sacha
      
      Somebody earlier said that JA was a blonde – I think they probably saw grey before she had her roots done.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:10pm
- Tall Man
  
  Not keen myself.
  
  A prospective leader should have had a profile by now. Nikki maybe but Todd who?
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:29am
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Putting toes in the water for whose good? Not the Nats and not the countries.
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:39pm
Durden

Here is my strategy for National.

1. Get rid of Simon Bridges quick. No explanation needed.

2. Give the leadership unanimously to Judith Collins with this challenge thrown in:
You are a woman, you have vast experience and name recognition, quite a few scalps of twits, and you have wanted this so long. So here it is — your chance to step up. You can have Jerry as a deputy. Get Steven Joyce as you campaign manager–he won the last election on polling day.

Win the election and you will stay. That includes party president and assorted “power brokers”.

Lose, and all of you all resign immediately and allow blooding new leadership for next election.

Hopefully you will have made their job easier by denting Jacinda and weakening Labour.

3. Tell stupid children Muller, Kaye, Bennett, Woodhouse, Bishop et al to sit down and shut up for now because none of them is up to it and they know it. They don’t need to put a dent in their long term ambitions because of their inflated opinion of themselves.

4. Get a well funded non-lefty newspaper and TV /Radio station to start up in NZ pretty much immediately to counter lefty take over of media. This is a MUST.

5. Go early, go hard. (I just said it to make it 5 points)

PS: I know Slater is spinning hard against Bridges and for Collins. That is because he is trying to divert attention from the dismal performance of Peters and NZ First in this poll. Just the same as the other pathetic attempt from Peters at “I know who the leaker is”.

My reasons for choosing Judith is nothing to do with his thoughts. Its a pragmatic option. We need a polarising figure to galvanise shift. Boris was. Morrison was.
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May 20, 2020 9:01am
- alex Masterley
  
  Does any one pay any attention to what Slater says?
  And as for Winston’s appeal.
  Given the concession of his counsel that neither of the ministers were responsible for the “Leak” (and they were his main targets) I cannot see the appeal being a success.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:13am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Cant a judge just tell Winston to go away. Last time he had no evidence and just wasted money and court time.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:18am
    - Paulus
      
      Taxpayers paid for his costs and will do so again, by special Speakers agreement.
      
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      May 20, 2020 1:42pm
    - Rachael Membery
      
      Entertainment? Death knell? It is politics after all.
      
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      May 20, 2020 4:47pm
- chaos
  
  People need to stop living in the fantasy that Joyce or English will come back. Joyce has a far more important job with his son. Let the man enjoy his time now he deserves it.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:42am
- Sacha
  
  @ Durden: Hosking reported that Judith Collins has denied being part of the overthrow cabal.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:56am
  - Durden
    
    Its the reluctant ones get selected. See Jacinda.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:29am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Ardern is going to galvanise shift soon enough. A new tax on employers? What’s that going to do?
  How can we possibly have internal tourism when the country needs to work? Labour dreams exceed reality.
  A wage price/spiral is a very correcting event. Money is not the offshoot of the monetary policy tree. What is not paid from taxes now is to be paid from taxes later.
  There are no fairy godmothers. If work is reduced the ability to tax is reduced so repayment is deferred. That make lenders unhappy so interest rates go up and the prices we get for our exports drop pushing up our buying prices. Managing all this is the Finance Ministers job. It is way past Uni Caf Assistant Bookkeeper grade. PM’s live by their economic success/failure. Niceness does not make jobs like Tyfords don’t make houses.
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:09pm
Lee C

That’s not a strategy for National Durden.

It’s a strategy for someone, but not National.
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May 20, 2020 9:10am
- Durden
  
  I see a lot of down ticks. But no one has put forward a counter argument against any points except Chaos saying Joyce won’t come back.
  
  Why is that?
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:32am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Joyce has retired from Parliament.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:11pm
Tony Stuart

The Opposition has been talking about the 1000 jobs a day being lost as the economy tanks in the wake of lockdown.

Today’s 1000 has been registered already, before 9am:

Fletcher to lay off 1000 Kiwis as part of business reset

New Zealand’s biggest builder has just announced it plans to lay off around 1000 staff in New Zealand, equating to around 10 per cent of its workforce.

Chief executive Ross Taylor said the layoffs were about resetting the business for the future.

“While we looked at all parts of our business to remove costs, regrettably we believe we will not be able to support the same number of people. We have to make some very difficult decisions which include looking at reducing the number of people we employ by approximately 10%. This will equate to around 1,000 positions across New Zealand,” his statement just issued said.

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/business/fletcher-to-lay-off-1000-kiwis-as-part-of-business-reset/

In the meantime the “Jobs, Jobs Jobs” Prime Minister wants more public holidays so New Zealanders can gallivant around the country, bringing tourism back to life. Has she paused to think of the impact of business having to pay their staff for more days not worked, and for more days of productivity lost? Somehow, I doubt it.

My thoughts are with the Fletcher’s employees now facing a very uncertain future. It’s going to be a cold, harsh winter for them, and for the tens of thousands of others who have lost their jobs in recent weeks.

UPDATE: Around 900 job losses at Air New Zealand have also been confirmed today, and it’s not even morning tea time:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/05/hundreds-of-heartbroken-air-new-zealand-cabin-crew-made-redundant.html
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May 20, 2020 9:12am
- burt
  
  You’d think Fletcher’s could have waited until after the election to make these kinds of announcements.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:15am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    The 8000 new houses are all to be standard models shipped ready for installation direct from the suppliers in China. That solves the Twyford issues.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:17pm
    - david
      
      They will come complete with a 1.8m ceiling height, squat toilets, one wok burner and wired for surveillance.
      
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      May 20, 2020 3:55pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Dream on. You have obviously have lots of spare time to post on KB, so have a dig around on “houses, prefab, China” etc.
        
        Bit of an eye-opener. They sell whole villages to the likes of oil fields.
        
        My understanding is that it is a bit hard to get them past NZ paperwork requirements, although some people have managed. All that “regulation that we need to clear away” ….
        
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        May 20, 2020 5:27pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    Factor in Ihumatao
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:51pm
- BananaLlama
  
  Someone should tell Labour they actually need people to build houses for them it’s not like printing money where you can just announce you have extra currency for lending and purchase.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:24am
  - burt
    
    Comrade, I suspect they will be quite happy with this. It makes it easier for them to hire workers for the new Ministry of Works that will be a monopoly state provider for all building & construction projects.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:37am
    - BananaLlama
      
      The New Ministry of Works would be better off getting into horse racing than trying the construction game, it just isn’t their thing. Too many soft … [del. mod.] that like sitting on their bums, pardon the language.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:48am
  - david
    
    But BL, they are already half way there. Think of all those lovely flat racecourses ready to be taken under the Public Works Act just ripe for subdivision.
    
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    May 20, 2020 3:57pm
- The Boss
  
  Tony: Just wondering if a few of these jobs could have been saved if the PM did not stick her nose into Ihumatao.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:28am
- alex Masterley
  
  Its not going to be only major employer making such announcements.
  To misquote Game of Thrones, It is not winter that has arrived it is an effing ice age.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:31am
  - freethinker
    
    2020 arderns anus horriblis and come sep 20/2020 will hopefully prove to be the biggest pain in the coalition of clowns arse as they get the arse card and repeat corbins record.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:45am
    - projectman
      
      I cannot comment on ‘arderns anus horribilus’ but we already know that 2020 is an annus horribilis likely to extend into a decennium horribilis.
      
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      May 20, 2020 1:09pm
- Sofia
  
  One wonders how many could have been occupied building houses at Ihumatao had the “Jobs, Jobs Jobs” Prime Minister not called a halt to construction 26 July last year.
  But, what of the 8,000 new houses that the Budget requires be built?
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:32am
  - freethinker
    
    Sofia – All due for completion in 2050 based on Kiwifails record.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:47am
- Happychappy
  
  There is to be a lot of hard working Kiwis about to lose their dwellings if they can’t find another job with the same amount of income that’s needed to pay the mortgage. But you will find the Coalition won’t worry about that because the largest part of their loyal supporters probable don’t own a home and vote Labour for all the extras they and their get paid weekly. I actually feel for those that have taken on big morgage so
  over the last couple years to get ahead only to find a selfish Government that’s has sabotaged their dream with a lockdown that hasfucked our economy.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:38am
  - Inandout
    
    Happy, a friend of mine in real estate reckons we shall see a 30% drop in house prices. Going by the new unemployed I can see at least that figure.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:42am
    - burt
      
      And these ‘bargains’ will be snapped up by people with Chinese sounding names.
      
      However, this lowering of house values will make NZ more equal which will be good for all our well-being – right?
      
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      May 20, 2020 11:23am
      - Inandout
        
        burt, even banks won’t profit by fire sales of properties, and as far as Asians buying properties well Winston would stop it….wouldn’t he?
        
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        May 20, 2020 11:33am
      - Tall Man
        
        clark, ardern, mallard, Davis …..peters…
        
        They don’t sound very Chinese to me ?
        
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        May 20, 2020 11:39am
  - burt
    
    Furthermore, the result of this will be that the rich get richer as is always the case when the government uses brute force intervention and social engineering.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:42am
  - Nickc2
    
    I heard today that Fletchers are laying off 1000 workers here and 500 in Aust. I wonder if they have seen the writing on the wall here with the CoL’s intentions of reinstituting the Ministry of Works. Surely, that must make the CEO’s of Fletchers and Fulton Hogan etc rethink their aspirations in NZ under a Labour lead government.
    Most of these laid off workers would have wives, kids and homes to take care of. Who is going to pick up the bill for that? Oh, that’s right, the ever decreasing NZ Taxpayer.
    Socialist/Communist dictators don’t give a shit about companies they send to the wall or the ramifications thereof.
    
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    May 20, 2020 2:05pm
- chaos
  
  1500 according to stuff, strange how two news agencies can’t get the figures the same
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121555737/coronavirus-1500-jobs-to-go-at-fletcher-building
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:43am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    A thousand in New Zealand, and 500 in Australia; that’s where the 1500 figure comes from.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:10am
- Libertarians are right
  
  Meanwhile, Labour wants to train a bunch of barristas/waiters in the trades.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:32am
  - fernglas
    
    Do you think they’ll fall for being asked to go to the store and ask for “a long weight”? Or will that be discriminatory against tall, non-binary customer service staff?
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:49am
  - Nickc2
    
    ………….and Airline Pilots to drive trains FFS.
    
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    May 20, 2020 2:33pm
Steve James

“Doctors have been warned they could suffer long term mental health impacts if they don’t look after themselves during the pandemic. A Chinese study has found a link between front line health workers and high anxiety and stress”. Ya think????
Of course any Chinese doctor in China will be anxious. If he or she speaks the truth they will be offed like so many before them. Jeez China, get with the 21st century why don’t ya. Twats!
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May 20, 2020 9:18am
Yvette

Since Winston selected Labour and therefore is actually responsible for Jacinda Ardern being Prime Minister, with Labour now polling 56.5% and Ardern a Preferred Rating of 59.5%, why has New Zealand First droped further to 2.7% in party popularity (0.4% less than the poll’s margin of error: 3.1%) and Winston is not mentioned as preferred as anything?
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May 20, 2020 9:21am
- chaos
  
  Because she has been the only one on tv and in the papers for 2 months.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:44am
- Lee C
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push_poll
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:49am
Maggy Wassilieff

And now the BBC is publishing Fluff stories about NZ

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200518-why-is-new-zealand-so-progressive
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May 20, 2020 9:24am
- emmess
  
  No comments allowed, as per usual
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:28am
- Critical Thinker
  
  “If there were ever a time to close the gap between groups of people across New Zealand in different positions, it is now.” – Chairman Ardern
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGgsv8ycA0I
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:36am
- Nickc2
  
  Yes and the BBC are also pushing the one-word-government stuff. Socialist/Communist style that is.
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:59am
- cmm
  
  All the people in the Comrades, Comrades video are now in government/media/whatever positions helping to push Her on the world stage.
  
  Personally, I can’t wait for that to happen so we can be left in peace.
  
  #CinD4UN! #AndTakeRobboToo!
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:10am
- Durden
  
  Maggy, You know just because it is in BBC website does not mean anything.
  
  Who is the writer Ewan McDonald ? Usually Jacinda hagiographies are penned by NZers living overseas or NZ based fanboys and fangirls.
  
  At the bottom of the article it says “Why We Are What We Are is a BBC Travel series examining the characteristics of a country and investigating whether they are true.”
  
  So could it be simply a NZ opinion writer ? Writing suggests intimate knowledge of NZ.
  
  Facebook throws up a journalist based in NZ with that name.
  https://www.facebook.com/ewan.mcdonald.5
  
  And he is a travel writer.
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=11164157&fbclid=IwAR0M5TeDFKWg6ECiRLrjN1Y-FWvpd6d-IhRx5jsmFopM0Ak_Q_3IxDhva6Y
  
  His LinkedIn shows Wellington origin
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewan-mcdonald-3742b423/?originalSubdomain=nz
  
  A google search for Ewan MacDonald BBC comes up with this link
  https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/6a98a942-bfd9-4dcd-beb8-9c167f85baa3
  
  Follow the bottom link to MusicBraiNZ (the NZ spelling is typically Kiwi) website with Ewan McDonald’s page stating that the 33 year old lives in United Kingdom.
  https://musicbrainz.org/artist/6a98a942-bfd9-4dcd-beb8-9c167f85baa3/relationships
  
  If the above is correct, what credibility do the words have beyond a long comment on any blog site.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:02pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I’m pretty sure the article is by the NZ Journo….remember he’s experienced writing for NZ Woman’s Weekly and “Mindfood” (one of the only ~~rags~~ mags left on the magazine rack (full of adverts)).
    
    The writing is an example of the fluff my lefty mates send me trying to convince me how lucky we are to have our PM.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:50pm
    - niggly
      
      Crikey, I wonder what you could say in reply to them!
      
      I mean it wouldn’t be fair to burst their happy thought bubble (of our PM) of course!
      
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      May 20, 2020 2:01pm
    - WaveyDavey
      
      Here’s yer man
      
      NZ Herald travel writer
      
      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nzh-search/NZH/Ewan+McDonald/1/
      
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      May 20, 2020 3:28pm
surfing

This wage subsidy was supposed to stop people losing their jobs .

Instead, people are pocketing the money, then losing their jobs.
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May 20, 2020 9:25am
- fernglas
  
  It is artificial in many cases. There are more than a few dead businesses walking.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:50am
- WaveyDavey
  
  Oi! No spoilers.
  
  I’m very happy with my $20k (so far with more to come) for the NZ winter that I was going to be abroad and earning nothing thank you very much.
  
  At the end of it I should rack up about $40k ish (including refunds) instead of the $20-24k ish I would have earned – all for doing nothing and reducing my costs to zero
  
  Missing holidays yes, but at least I’ll have an extra $16- $20k to spend next year (or whenever)
  
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  May 20, 2020 3:33pm
Maggie Pie

A friend Tweets 😛

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EYNJ5IWWsAARQe5?format=jpg&name=900×900
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May 20, 2020 9:27am
- Akarak
  
  Made my day!
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:43am
- Tall Man
  
  Not very fair after recent knee surgery…….
  
  I’m now watching you ………
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:32am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Two in October
    
    Just sayin’ bro’ . . .
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:23pm
MrTips

Random thoughts for the day:

All those bagging the COVID19 MoH health app need to realise it didn’t go live until this morning. They said so in advance. Downloaded it and it works fine. The analogy is its not the receivers fault if someones rings outside of advertised working hours……..

Stark contrasts. National drops 10% in the polls – bricks are dropped, fainting couches are overloaded and everyone’s got flaming nutsacks. NZFirst is polling not once, but twice, out of Parliament – Winston’s going nowhere and much hilarity ensues over “shit polls”.

National can change its leadership. Go for it. But if you think putting a man as leader against Cindy (whom many barely know is alive), and putting as his deputy a woman who has beaten Cindy TWICE at the hustings in the all important Auckland central, will be perceived as anything other than “more Tory sexism” by a miscreant left-wing media, your dreaming. They will have a field day against National and two more political careers will be demolished. This won’t be fair or right, but that’s what will happen. If you’re going to have Kaye up for it, put her as leader. That way, because of the vapid stupid nature of politics and our current climate, you stymie Ardern’s biggest asset and unveil her biggest fear – anxiety about Kaye. Kaye scares the shit out of Ardern.
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May 20, 2020 9:55am
- Martin Williams
  
  Don’t think she wants the job. Mind you, neither did Jacinda.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:12am
- brett68
  
  Couldn’t agree more It’s why they should have used Judith Collins, female, has a point of difference to Ardern will pull back the female vote.
  
  The number of females voting National would have to be in single figures, you can’t turn off half the voters and ever expect to win
  
  IF she doesn’t succeed, she had a shot, and it demonstrates the National isn’t a men’s only club.
  
  National is going to get slaughtered if Bridges and Bennet stay on they’re both despised, even if Collins loses which is highly likely she will, my guess is that she’ll do markedly better than Bridges and maintain the rump of the national vote.
  National polling 30% or below at this election will mean Labour in charge for at least another 6 years.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:22am
  - Happychappy
    
    Collins is damaged goods and that’s exactly what Labour want but just like day one of the Coalition being in power you have pushed the same crap. If you had a brain it would be lonely.
    
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    May 20, 2020 10:58am
  - brett68
    
    This election is very much like 2011 where Goff ran against Key, he knew he wasn’t going to win.
    
    Goff was near the end of his career so it didn’t really matter too much, Collins is 60 she’s the same, if she wins fantastic, if she loses and stops the National vote from disintegrating she’s done the job that was needed.
    
    Muller and Kaye would be wasted unless they’re now considered the long term option for National.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:06am
- niggly
  
  Nikki Kaye is a lovely person and an important piece of the National Team, but she is a soft leftie at heart eg as National’s education spokesperson she comes across as aligning with LabGreenUnion education groupthink. I was astounded and disappointed to hear earlier in the year she supports the “maorification” of the education system, being “treaty based” and supportive of revisionist history teaching.
  
  Well that might a attract some of the left-leaning “non-committed” voters to National, but how many right-of-centre and right-wing voters will be turned off?
  
  Let alone if she is in a leadership position to push more of this?
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:17am
  - kowtow
    
    She’s very “woke” .
    
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    May 20, 2020 12:12pm
Benedict Yu

“If you’re going to have Kaye up for it, put her as leader. That way, because of the vapid stupid nature of politics and our current climate, you stymie Ardern’s biggest asset and unveil her biggest fear – anxiety about Kaye. Kaye scares the shit out of Ardern.”

Agree. Deputy Leader is invisible. I admit I know nothing about the policy direction that Kaye would head down.

It will be a shame if they go down this route. I think Bridges would make a competent PM. And given the alternative, a competent PM would be something to be thankful for.
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May 20, 2020 10:09am
- Tall Man
  
  Mind you, Sir Bill was a great deputy that steered the ship while Sir John tended the “flock”.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:30am
doggone7

Does your ‘vapid stupid nature of politics’ take into account the various factors of the Auckland Central elections which saw Kaye winning over Ardern?
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May 20, 2020 10:17am
- MrTips
  
  I don’t live in Auckland central so I don’t know sorry doggone7.
  
  All I perceive is that actual substance matters no more right now in NZ politics, the electorate has bought into that thanks to a pathetic, mischievous, untrustworthy media. Cindy bats her eyelids and the media swoon: she said it “we don’t need to defend”
  
  Putting Kaye up as leader imo will nullify that ridiculous current state of affairs AND transform it into an actual political argument, where policy and performance actually matter, because unlike Ardern, she actually performs, knows her stuff and was regarded enough by Key to be given portfolios. Bridges obviously regards her as well as she’s currently ranked #7 whereas Muller is #16.
  
  By removing the NewIdea poster girl factor (like for like) it will force the Remuera and stupid sector of the punters to make a decision based on POLICY.
  
  That’s my thoughts anyway. But what do I know, I’m too busy counting COVID.
  
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  May 20, 2020 10:52am
RW Capitalist

Grant Robertson was asked:
How will you pay back the borrowing
His answer: With the economic growth.
My question: what economic growth?
Treasury predict -4.6% growth next year.
So questions to grant
What are you doing to encourage this mythical “economic growth” ( another day’s holiday won’t do it)?
or has Harry Potter lent you his wand.
With no mining
no oil exploration
etc etc
What are you going to replace tourism with?
Considering Tourism is a 2 way thing
1. we have to provide it
2. at the price they can afford it
3. and…they have to want to come HERE, there are plenty of other places that supply 1. & 2., besides us.
18 1
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May 20, 2020 10:33am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Labour cannot budget for anything. Remember a small thing like Pike River…..$23 million. Then went to $36m. Now $52m and not yet over.
  You need to at least double the cost or pay back time of whatever they state as they have been very optimistic with unemployment figures and economic growth!
  
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  May 20, 2020 4:03pm
curry4me

https://nationalfile.com/hungarys-pro-family-policies-lead-to-jump-in-birth-rate-marriages/
Hungary has pro-family policies. Birth rates are up.
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May 20, 2020 10:36am
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Ez8k3mh7Q
Fourth Reich attack Germany and France. Grooming Gang report to be released.
2 1
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May 20, 2020 10:37am
Aunty

No job? No Problem!

Business no good? Be happy!

Can’t be arsed to get an education? Sweet as!

The Government will pay for EVERYTHING!

FREE MONEY FOR EVERYONE for EVERMORE!!!
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May 20, 2020 10:57am
rangitoto

I see that the Tyranny currently running NZ have ordered Ministers and senior public servants to not appear before the ERC.

https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1262875081585246209/photo/1
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May 20, 2020 11:10am
Tony Stuart

Why is a senior advisor from Chris Hipkins’ office telling Ministers and senior public servants not to turn up to hearings of the Epidemic Response Committee? It would appear Labour wants this shut down.

https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1262875081585246209

So much for this being the “most open and transparent government” New Zealand has ever seen.
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May 20, 2020 11:14am
- brett68
  
  The Epidemic Response Committee is no longer needed as Hipkins stated in his email.
  
  This again makes Bridges look like an idiot and damages National.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:24am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    It’s not up to Hipkins to decide if the Epidemic Response Committee is needed or not. It was set up in consultation with the Speaker, and if I remember correctly, Mallard last week endorsed the ERC’s continued hearings.
    
    Labour wishes the committee was disestablished, even more so after Tamati Coffey made an absolute dick of himself this morning.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:58am
    - brett68
      
      Then he should put that in his tweet.
      Fuck sake, the average punter doesn’t know that, explain why, because you just read the reply he got and think WTF, the answer is right there in front of you, are you blind?
      
      No idea how to do politics at all.
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:16pm
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Tamati Coffey is almost never allowed to speak in the house–3 words for him is an over long sentence. Is Hipkins scared now the Labour mutes are going to be revealed?
      
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      May 20, 2020 1:26pm
- niggly
  
  And of course I see the LabGreen trolls attacking Simon (in relation to the last para printed).
  
  However here’s the thing those leftie trolls who aren’t using their brains – how come this was decided yesterday (rather than a week or two ago when Parliament resumed) and how come it was sent by an official, not from from someone with senior ranking?
  
  Simon is right, this so called open and transparent govt is scared of Simon and National, and no longer want to give them a platform to highlight their shortcomings.
  
  Now watch as biased journos like Tova and some of the other Press Gallery journos ignore these “inconvenient facts” and instead lay into Simon Bridges, painting him as a “dummy”?
  
  And while we are at it, where the fuck are those traitors – Muller, Kaye, David Bennett, Erica Stanford, Paulo Garcia, Tim Van de Mollen, Agnes Loheni (as named by Banksie) , what are they doing to counter this Govt? Silence, crickets, tumbleweeds, nothing? Yet they want to lead or be prompted to portfolios?
  
  Useless twits, get out there and focus on pointing out the Govt’s incompetence!
  
  Oh too hard is it? Would rather take the Slater/Hooten path of white-anting National’s leadership in the shadows (like they did with John Key and Bill English)? Well then go join their other hero, JLR , you’ll all make fine bed fellows!
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:37am
Lee C

Simon Bridges – release this tweet to the media.

https://twitter.com/simonjbridges/status/1262875081585246209

Use it to announce that the Government of ‘Kindness’ is playing silly games.
You are no longer participating in the exercise and that you are now in full-time electioneering mode because the country deserves better than this cloak-and-dagger administration..
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May 20, 2020 11:21am
- Benedict Yu
  
  This seems odd. If the ERC now no longer has a function, it should be disbanded.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:31am
  - niggly
    
    Exactly, it’s Labour panicking (about their incompetences being exposed by National’s ERC Team) and not being open about the fact that their MP’s and officials have been gagged.
    
    So they have offered up a lame excuse (instead of closing the ERC as you say), which of course leftie trolls and MSM Jacinda fan club reporters will swallow uncritically!
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:54am
- chaos
  
  Of course the letter he has posted also stated why they don’t need to turn up, because parliament is sitting again and questions can be asked in question time to them
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:49am
  - marcw
    
    There is no Parliament sitting days this week, and we are still in Epidemic Lockdown Level 2.
    
    12 2
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    May 20, 2020 12:10pm
    - chaos
      
      That’s right, the house rises every few weeks. They sat last week and have risen for a week then will sit again. No need to keep this going the house is back to normal business
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:16pm
      - marcw
        
        So by your logic, we don’t need to be in L2 lockdown anymore? No Parliament this week, no ESC, why the lockdown then?
        
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        May 20, 2020 12:25pm
      - chaos
        
        No by my logic there is no need for this any more as the house is back to normal businesses. That means that the ministers can be questioned in the house. How you can take that and completely twist it to proclaim we don’t need to be in lockdown 2 is truly bizarre.
        
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        May 20, 2020 12:29pm
  - Tony Stuart
    
    If you think the questioning of Ministers in the House keeps them accountable, might I suggest you’d be in a very small minority.
    
    One of the most frequent comments about the ERC has been the detail of questioning from MP’s of all parties, with very little of the confrontational theatrics we see at Question Time, and without the Speaker’s pedantic interventions.
    
    However Mallard mimself last week agreed that the ERC should continue, and based on the evidence they have heard this morning from businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector, there is still plenty of scope for the ERC to operate effectively. It’s providing a forum where those who are being most severely affected by the Government’s response to the Covid pandemic are being given a voice.
    
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    May 20, 2020 12:40pm
    - niggly
      
      Excellent points and the other issue is, if the ERC ceased (because of or when Parliament is sitting), then how on earth are the “people” going to have a voice?
      
      People, organisations, businesses etc, have the means to raise their concerns and/or have their views taken into account.
      
      This will be near impossible if the ERC ceased (after all people can’t speak up during QT).
      
      Speaker Mallard has actually done the right thing, whilst the country is still at alert level 2!
      
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      May 20, 2020 12:57pm
      - niggly
        
        And come to think about it on another level, just how easy it is for citizens to appear via Zoom (rather than traveling to Wellington to appear before a Select Committee etc). This is actually a good thing for democracy!
        
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        May 20, 2020 1:00pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I should think that all the select committees returning to business will take care of that. No real need for one over-arching committee now?
        
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        May 20, 2020 1:29pm
Suze Wainwright

It would actually be mildly entertaining to see Tova get egg on the face for making an incorrect political analysis…

I see Tamati Coffey’s received a grilling today for making tone deaf business comments. How can this be? Everyone loves Tamati! (Well, Tamati thinks they do). Between now & election date it’s possible other Labour Party figures may make ‘tone deaf’ indiscretions too
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May 20, 2020 11:27am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Coffey made an absolute dick of himself this morning when questioning a fellow Rotorua bar owner (without a $170,000 MP salary to fall back on), telling him that the PM had been “doing it tough” too.
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333360
  
  Coffey’s tone-deafness, and his patronising, arrogant attitude flies in the face of the PM’s call for kindness. It was disgraceful
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:05pm
  - secondcumming
    
    As a wife and mother himself, you’d think he’d have more empathy 😎
    
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    May 20, 2020 12:15pm
  - Martin Williams
    
    I see no one had the guts to put their name to that scurrilous piece.
    
    Bridges and Seymour had the chance to make a difference with their butchers and bakers committee but they couldn’t help using it for their own grumbling and complaining.
    
    The public saw it and now National is dog-tucker.
    
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    May 20, 2020 2:40pm
  - Simon Gotlieb
    
    Here’s the actual words Coffey was slammed for. Make up your own mind:
    
    “Thank you, Reg. Thank you for that. You made the comment that obviously you’ve been tested mentally, and I just want to acknowledge that. We all have, not least our Prime Minister, who has had to make that decision, big bold decisions, based on the country’s best interests.”
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:13pm
Benedict Yu

Hilarious. Stuff journalist does not understand markets.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/121563072/coronavirus-small-businesses-cant-afford-to-take-advantage-of-nzs-goodwill

With women especially, there is pent up demand for hair styling just now. Salons can either ration with a waiting list, or with price. Both are legitimate choices, but you need one or the other.
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May 20, 2020 11:28am
Tauhei Notts

I think there might be an interesting documentary on Al Jazeera channel 90 at midnight this evening. It is about Manos Island and I can predict some towel head rubbish coming. Set your My Sky for it.
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May 20, 2020 11:35am
chaos

Hmmm, it would appear that all news must now be Covid 19 related. God only knows why a leadership challenge is such.

* Covid-19 coronavirus: Simon Bridges faces National Party leadership challenge from Todd Muller, Nikki Kaye

New Zealanders will hear today how life in level 2 will soon become even less restrictive – and what we might expect in level 1 – but life just got a whole lot harder for Simon Bridges after the National Party’s disastrous poll ratings.

Bridges this morning confirmed two MPs – understood to be Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye – will challenge for the National Party leadership and deputy leadership respectively at the party’s caucus next Tuesday.*

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333257
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May 20, 2020 11:41am
krazykiwi

UK Teachers’ Unions blocking re-opening of schools despite government and British Medical Association saying it’s safe.

The facts: There are 16,733,000 young people aged <20 years in the UK. Just 10 have died of Covid-19, and every one of them had existing rare or complicating health issues.
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May 20, 2020 11:46am
- MT_Tinman
  
  KK, Add, perhaps, that there is not a single recorded incident, worldwide, of a child transmitting the new-flu to another child.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:52pm
chaos

Another labour law cock up

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/real-estate/121566744/coronavirus-rental-freeze-hits-mum-and-dad-landlords-hard

* Mary*, who has asked to remain anonymous, says she served her tenant the required three-months notice in January to vacate the property in April, because it was no longer fit for purpose, and she had other plans for the site.

But now, under the new rules, the tenant is entitled to stay, and Mary has been told the old villa must be brought up to the new standards required for rental accommodation. In addition, she has been told she must pay the tenant $3500 for the “inconvenience of living in an unsatisfactory house over the winter”.

“I now have to bring a house I was intending to pull down, up to scratch,” she says.*
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May 20, 2020 11:47am
- KevO'Brien
  
  This sounds like a massive injustice and probably not enforceable. The original notice must govern the state of the relations. It is doubtful there is an actual tenancy but a forced occupant through State edict.
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:38pm
- Martin Williams
  
  Sounds like “Mary” is the one who screwed up by renting out a substandard house.
  
  It’s because of landlords like “Mary” that we have such poor quality rental stock in this country.
  
  Sooner she gets out of the game the better.
  
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  May 20, 2020 2:35pm
  - Dougal10
    
    ???
    
    2 0
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    May 20, 2020 4:48pm
emmess

Hmm, I wonder where we have heard these words before?

CHINA’S President Xi Jinping has caused outrage after claiming the communist country acted with openness and transparency during the coronavirus crisis.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1284212/China-coronavirus-news-Xi-jinping-investigation-cover-up-latest-update
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May 20, 2020 11:49am
- cmm
  
  Well Xi Jinping is seeing how well it is working for Her.
  
  Next week he’ll get hair died and have a photo-op outside a restaurant.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:23pm
  - emmess
    
    Way ahead of you there
    
    https://www.inkstonenews.com/politics/xi-jinping-breaks-away-communist-party-hair-dyeing-tradition/article/3001068
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVKD9Bs-7Fg
    
    1 0
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    May 20, 2020 1:36pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    And he will get a haircut with $6 scissors
    
    4 1
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    May 20, 2020 1:42pm
Wired-one

I like Bridges and I want him to be a minister again because he is extremely competent. But you are deluded to believe he can win the next election. The media is completely against him and he is not resonating with many middle voters, that is not going to change. I have meet both Muller and Kaye and they’re both just as competent as Simon, but have something Simon doesnt, a clean slate and broad appeal amongst our media. We all need to smell the roses, Simon cannot win in the current environment, I’m not happy about that and neither are most of you. But do we want to win the next election? Or just stay principled with the status quo? Please Simon, do a Andrew Little and step aside, Little will not be regretting his decision now, neither should we.
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May 20, 2020 12:09pm
- The worm that turned
  
  Spot on wired. Comment of the day.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:33pm
- marcw
  
  If you think the media will just lay off National because they have new leaders I think you are sadly very wrong. In fact, they will use the fact that Bridges had to step down as more evidence that National are “running scared”. National will do best if they stick with the current team, that’s why the media are running interference. I think this apparent disunity in the Party atm is probably going to do more to reduce National’s chances than any new leader will fix.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:36pm
  - The worm that turned
    
    Thes media won’t lay off, but it will take some time for the public to turn off . No one is listening to Simon anymore, at least the phone will be on the hook for a new leadership team.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:53pm
  - Bobba Fret
    
    All this attacking of Simon is possibly because the left see him as a threat.
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:17pm
    - Simon Gotlieb
      
      No, I don’t think so.
      
      It’s exactly the same thing they did when the same thing happened to Labour. The media just like taking scalps. And whatever party isn’t doing well at the time is gonna cop it. Labour copped it when things were going bad, and now National cop it.
      
      I don’t get why so many of you think it’s some kind of major conspiracy when it’s exactly the same thing they’ve always done.
      
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      May 20, 2020 9:19pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Left hate Maori who won’t play into their cliched indentity politics stereotypes. I agree Simon has a lot of talent, but a more likeable/sympathetic character like Kaye would hit Ardern’s support base (Karens) where it would hurt most.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:37pm
  - niggly
    
    Well if National solely wanted to “hit Ardern’s support base” then perhaps a Simon Bridges and Nikki Kaye leadership team should have been put forward back when Bill English resigned. It has merits. But it also has risk.
    
    But the MP’s made their decision in 2018 and this is today, live with it to the election, Simon Bridges is the leader.
    
    (Whom would no doubt do the honorable thing and resign if National lose the election anyway, so a time will come but who thinks about loosing when the aim is to win)!
    
    He’s out there giving 110% to Labour, we know that, we see that, good on him …. but tell you what the usual leftie operatives (Lab Greens) and some bedazzled journalists (wake up, PR show-biz does not run an economy and protect society) are also seeing that and are attacking him, including the despicable character assassinations and biased reporting (and negative photography etc etc).
    
    Simon Bridges needs support (and so does his family and kids – they are witnessing total strangers, Labour’s “attack dogs” and people in the media (and the traitorous right-wing Slater, Hooten and co) describing their husband and father as some sort of monster, which he clearly isn’t!
    
    Fuck them all – what wankers!!!
    
    And National’s “traitor” MP’s want to join that pile on? Seriously???
    
    They should be getting behind Bridges and taking it to the COL, that’s their no 1 and only priority!
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:48pm
- Tony Stuart
  
  Well said WO. The media seems to have decided that Bridges cannot and will not lead National to an election victory. Given the dependence many voters have on mass media, that’s a major obstacle to Bridges succeeding. It’s not good, but it is the current reality. I recall going and hearing the likes of Kirk, Marshall, Muldoon and co in packed theatres in the early 1970’s as a young bloke; today’s voters form their opinions, by and large, from what the TV is telling them.
  
  I also hope that Bridges stays on and becomes a Minister again, because he is very competent. He could take heart from Bill English, who could have buggered off back to the farm after 2002, but didn’t, and we should all be grateful he reinvented himself, steered us through the GFC and Christchurch earthquakes, and finally became PM in 2016. He came within a whisker of winning National a fourth term.
  
  Bridges is a comparatively young man, and still has a contribution to make to the NZ political scene, if he chooses that path.
  
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  May 20, 2020 12:48pm
  - Jules99
    
    Of course, once a new National leader is in place the media will leave them alone and let them romp to victory. /sarc
    
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    May 20, 2020 12:59pm
- WaveyDavey
  
  There’s only one winner in the forthcoming election and she’s already sitting in the office
  
  Anything else? Deckchairs on the Titanic
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:52pm
Maggie Pie

Meanwhile….JLR is also quietly plotting his return 😛

https://twitter.com/jamileeross/status/1262832397126496257
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May 20, 2020 1:08pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  scary stuff.
  
  6 0
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  May 20, 2020 2:01pm
burt

Just watched Dr Bloomfield discussing the contact tracing app. Great news that all information on where we go etc is stored locally and only shared if we agree.

BUT…

Then he goes on to say a subsequent release will have the ability to push notifications to people who have been at a certain location if an incident occurs.

OK, so how is that going to work if all the details are only shared when required and with our consent.

Either that ‘future’ functionality is BS or the saying the information is only shared with consent if required is BS – which is it?
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May 20, 2020 1:09pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Perhaps those notification will only go to those who have agreed to share data – a positive opt in.
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:24pm
  - burt
    
    What would be the point of that. How do you claim your APP protects your data when you have to give them your data to get the real functionality required to make the app useful.
    
    5 0
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    May 20, 2020 2:02pm
- rangitoto
  
  This could be done by sending the coordinates of the incident location and time to ALL phones running the app. The app then checks its local info to see if it was at that location in the relevant time frame. IE It doesn’t need centralised information. I’m not saying that is how the evil Tyranny plan to do it.
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:29pm
  - burt
    
    All phones could regularly check for ‘flagged’ locations and check them against your history – that would be simple. But that’s not how the comment was phrased about future functionality.
    
    Now I know Dr Bloomfield isn’t an IT nerd – but somebody briefed him and I assume somewhere in that briefing chain a nerd told them what the app could do.
    
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    May 20, 2020 2:05pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  He is lying. PTPM told him to obfuscate.
  If the data is deleted after 31 days what use could it be? The bastards are tracking you – creating mailing lists.
  Today at the mall I saw someone take a photo of a sign in/sign out book. Data harvesting.
  The left are as cunning as a shithouse rat
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:40pm
  - burt
    
    Deleting after 31 days makes sense, if we only quarantine for 14 days then it should actually be deleted after 14 days not 31 – but that’s another issue.
    
    What is interesting is how an APP would notify people who had “checked in” at a location if the details of that “check in” were only stored locally on your phone.
    
    I guess they could flag certain locations and your own phone could check your history against those locations – but that’s not a ‘push notification’ which was the phrase he used.
    
    As a developer I know these issues and deal with them daily, what we are being told (in the way we are being told it) makes me think they aren’t being honest about where and how the data is stored.
    
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    May 20, 2020 1:47pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      14 days, good point burt.
      “makes me think they aren’t being honest about where and how the data is stored”
      Don’t beat about the bush burt, say it! They are fucking lying!!
      
      6 1
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      May 20, 2020 1:59pm
      - burt
        
        They might not be, we may just not understand how their app works. That’s what I’m curious about.
        
        To be honest, I don’t need to think much about government honesty – nobody really needs to waste their time believing government puts people ahead of it’s own interests.
        
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        May 20, 2020 2:01pm
      - sam green
        
        Oh Steve- go fire up the brai and have a rest from all that paranoia. Go put a aardvark the barbie.
        
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        May 20, 2020 11:15pm
    - rangitoto
      
      Don’t worry folks. As long as you only go to locations approved by Cindy, your social score will remain high enough to avoid a 4am visit from the authorities (otherwise known as the mob).
      
      5 0
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      May 20, 2020 2:32pm
      - burt
        
        [ thinks …. ] – yes, that’s an approved place to briefly visit.
        
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        May 20, 2020 3:34pm
- krazykiwi
  
  “stored locally” is the operative piece of weasel wording. He could mean on the device, or he could mean in New Zealand – somewhere.
  
  Either way, you’ll need to pry a ‘contact tracing’ app into my cold, dead hands.
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:57pm
  - burt
    
    Same, as someone who’s got good insight into what an APP on your phone can provide to a central repository of interesting information about you and your whereabouts – I need a little more than a pretty smile to make me trust it.
    
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    May 20, 2020 2:29pm
  - MrTips
    
    Except its not stored locally. The app was written by Amazon Web Aus Pty, (so much for supporting local business eh Cindy and Robbo!!!???).
    
    Which makes sense given they’re all at it together now: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/mayo-clinic-epic-amazon-and-others-collaborating-to-increase-covid-19-testing-vaccine
    
    To whit:
    
    An industry coalition of health systems, tech giants and healthcare vendors are collaborating to increase COVID-19 testing and coordinate early therapies……
    The idea behind the effort is to crowdsource capabilities from the private sector and use data analytics and evidence-based decisions to respond to the health crisis…….
    Coalition members include big tech companies Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Salesforce as well as healthcare technology vendors Arcadia.io, athenahealth, Buoy Health, Epic, and nference.
    
    Who’s establishing a data facility here soon??
    
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    May 20, 2020 3:58pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    I thought you admired the Taiwanese and South Korean approach ….
    
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    May 20, 2020 5:08pm
MH

is Winston gonna take a class action against PRC for negligence or whatever for deaths of NZers, shutdown costs ete etc? Preemption
4 0
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May 20, 2020 1:11pm
HemiT

got a bit vitriolic over hearing Matt King mp being threatened at roadblock .
they need to shut these turkey’s down

as one commenter pointed out and how are they going to make income from tourism if it’s not being let into the region

story should be on one news tonight .
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May 20, 2020 1:21pm
Swifty

For those who miss Dime:

https://twitter.com/dimenz76
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May 20, 2020 1:53pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

From my Alaskan friends.
“Why di you wear a mask when you don’t need one?”
“For the very same reason I carry a gun”
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May 20, 2020 1:53pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  *do. ffs
  
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  May 20, 2020 1:54pm
- burt
  
  Stop this line of thought immediately. I don’t want to see the PM wearing some symbol of female subjugation telling us which masks are now banned!
  
  4 0
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  May 20, 2020 2:11pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    It will only be the military style assault ones burt
    
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    May 20, 2020 2:16pm
    - burt
      
      God help the hospitals if anyone ever chokes someone using a surgical mask!
      
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      May 20, 2020 2:46pm
MrTips

Have been reading the tea leaves, pondering the penseive and consulting the Oracle.

They all told thus:

Winston wants Bridges gone and is being ably abetted by well known rabble-rousers. With a new deck on board National, Peters will suddenly warm to the idea of possibly working with them post-election.

Winston is also going after someone in the media for his “breach of superann privacy” – this is designed to generate support from those disgusted by the blatant left wing media free ride Cindy is getting, ie. centre right votes.

Combining the above gives him the ability to increase his clout with Cindy while at the same time espousing “sticking up for democracy and keeping Labour honest”.

In other words, keeping himself kingmaker.
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May 20, 2020 1:58pm
- niggly
  
  Yes, that makes the most sense!
  
  (People that diss MrTips do so at their peril, he delivers)!
  
  So the usual suspects (Banksy referred to them something like the lurking in the Auckland political scene’s shadows – which they’ll like no doubt), destabalising National”s leadership, connection to Winston and a well known blog and soon no doubt good ol’ Bazza Soper (and HDPA) will be fed a few juicy tips and swing into Bridges/Bennett attack mode … and hey presto an attempt to revive NZF and in coalition with new National leadership…. the same lines the BFD push from time to time. Sigh!
  
  Well the money’s on them and they are desperate I suppose!
  
  If NZF sinks there goes lifelines to these turkeys!
  
  And some traitorous National MP’s want to be used by being a part of these shenanigans???
  
  How did that work out for everyone in 2014 – muddied reputations to this day for people all over the place?!!
  
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  May 20, 2020 2:20pm
  - Rachael Membery
    
    No way should national throw Wynston a lifeline regardless of who is leader, will we never learn if that is the intent.
    
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    May 20, 2020 7:12pm
I remember when

No new cases of Covid-19 again today.
However, just introduced a new tracing ap so that should justify should another free TV election opportunity.
Another chance to show the masses how much my acting skills have improved. Notice the forceful and masterly way I point as I indicate who the next question will be from.
Someone really on top of the growing unemployment total.
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May 20, 2020 2:04pm
I remember when

Preview:
Tomorrow there will almost certainly be no new Covid-19 cases again.
However, we may well discover that some previous case may have to be added to the number of positive cases.
Probably slipped under the list of instructions that had to be issued daily so that everyone knows what they have to do.
Don’t want anyone letting the other 4,999,999 down. DO WE!
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May 20, 2020 2:10pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Lefties – some facts on Covid 19.
Don’t get triggered OK?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ItHHbR6qOE
2 2
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May 20, 2020 2:14pm
- krazykiwi
  
  Pesky facts. Interesting isn’t it that so much of the Covid-19 panic is led by the left. Not all, obviously. But the most extreme lockdown and head-in-the-sand responses tend to be from the left.
  
  Why?
  
  Simple really. Just like the manufactured fear of Climate Change™ , the manufactured fear of Covid-19 paralyses public objections thereby allowing the state to accelerate its socialist agenda.
  
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  May 20, 2020 2:34pm
Maggie Pie

Popped over to the neighbor’s place and returned the towel she left in our sauna. Got invited in for a coffee. Now to be honest, i’m not that big on coffee, preferring Tea mostly.
But, O.M.G. She made me a really strong ‘Moccona #12 Instant’, poured over a dollop of Condensed Milk.
I’m a convert!!
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May 20, 2020 2:20pm
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, ask Mr Pie to drop the towel back next time.
  
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  May 20, 2020 2:49pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  You need to find a Vietnamese cafe..
  https://thewoksoflife.com/how-to-make-vietnamese-coffee/
  
  or a cheap eatery in Hongkong if you’re into milk (condensed) tea.
  https://www.thespruceeats.com/hong-kong-milk-tea-recipe-766128
  
  (I kept my 7 year-old very happy in HK by dining out where she could have milk toast each night…
  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/condensed-milk-sandwiches_n_5bd09f22e4b055bc94878dfe)
  
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  May 20, 2020 3:47pm
  - sam green
    
    Vietnam – Everything with sweet milk. (My ears heard “swees meelk”). Love it hot or cold.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:19pm
- cmm
  
  Maggie, if you’re ever in a traditional working class South African Indian household and are offered tea, be careful what ask for.
  
  “Plain tea” is made by steeping (and maybe boiling) the tea leaves in a mixture of half water and half milk.
  
  You will be offered milk. If you say yes, you will get a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk added. If you are a growing lad (as I was when I first found this out) you will get two tablespoons.
  
  You will be offered sugar. If you say yes, you will get a tablespoon of sugar added for each sugar.
  
  So don’t commit to tea with milk and two sugars until you’re sure what you’re getting!
  
  4 1
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  May 20, 2020 4:35pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  There once was Caffeine & Muck, a commercial product in early days. It’s still out there and agreeable.
  
  1 1
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  May 20, 2020 5:59pm
Ehlana

So this Government could change the contact tracing requirements for small businesses the night before they were due to open (and not tell them about it), change the number allowed at funerals and tangis (and tell everyone about it) but when it comes to religious services, they suddenly feel like they should not make piecemeal changes – dangling 10 people this week, 20 people next week. Really?
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May 20, 2020 2:44pm
Hapuku

To all of those thinking that Muller and Kaye are too milksop liberal, you do know that elections are won in the middle, right?
I’m sure that Simon Bridges is a good guy but he just doesn’t hit it off with the public. If my household is anything to go by, none of them will vote National while he is leader. Unfortunate but true.
The idea some of you have that attacking Jacinda is the right thing for National to do is a sure way to alienate the swinging voter. I would like to see Muller not go head to head with Jacinda but to acknowledge her particular set of skills and then say
“A vote for Jacinda is also a vote for her team:
Phil (Kiwibuild) Twyford
Kelvin (MIA) Whatshisname
Ian (Czechmate) Lees-Galloway
David (walkabout) Clark
Etc, etc.
If NZ is looking to rebuild its economy who do you want to be in charge, the bunch of incompetents who have shown that they can’t deliver or a team with some business nous?
And by the way, thanks National for keeping a brake on spending so that we have got some rainy day money now.”
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May 20, 2020 2:49pm
- niggly
  
  If my household is anything to go by, none of them will vote National while he is leader. Unfortunate but true.
  
  Seriously?!! I don’t suppose your household happened to write to Simon Bridge’s facebook page the other day saying they were all former National voters who lived in [insert exotic location here] and who will never vote for him again whilst leader?!!
  
  And that your household votes on “personalities”?!!
  
  Nice try Todd!
  
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  May 20, 2020 3:40pm
  - Hapuku
    
    Yes, like most of the population, personalities do influence their vote. My 21 year old son is going to vote ACT on the grounds that David Seymour seems like a funny guy. Might even vote for him myself!
    
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    May 20, 2020 4:20pm
    - niggly
      
      Heh, good stuff!!
      
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      May 20, 2020 6:38pm
  - Dougal10
    
    My household is right of center and Simon just isn’t doing it.
    
    3 2
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    May 20, 2020 4:58pm
rangitoto

I’d recorded some TV News last night. Just watched it and had to laugh about NIWA admitting they were among the worst pollution offenders with all their excessive and unnecessary travel to meetings.
4 2
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May 20, 2020 3:03pm
Batman

https://twitter.com/andrewtychen/status/1262639539962576896?s=19

For anyone interested, here’s a good breakdown by an expert of what the Covid tracing app does and what it doesn’t do (track you).
2 2
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May 20, 2020 3:23pm
- rangitoto
  
  Is the source code available on github? If not, then no thanks.
  
  6 0
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  May 20, 2020 3:42pm
- krazykiwi
  
  Respectfully, that’s not a good breakdown. It’s a tweet, linking to a download page.
  
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  May 20, 2020 4:14pm
UrbanNeocolonialist

Ardern advocating a 4-day working week in Grauniad. She really is utterly clueless as to how commercial world works.
5 1
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May 20, 2020 3:39pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Is Ardern too chicken now to front up with her fantasies known as policies in NZ?
  
  3 1
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  May 20, 2020 5:54pm
- Peter Lane
  
  Just read that in The Telegraph from the UK.
  
  No doubt embattled employers will be expected to still pay for five days work.
  
  As you say, utterly clueless. Unfortunately the sycophants will lap this up as another illustration of her inspirational leadership.
  
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  May 20, 2020 8:19pm
- sam green
  
  No UC – it’s about positing ideas that may be helpful. Do you have any? Something like – maybe if you are 40 hpw – doing that over 9 days and having a 3 day weekend every second week? Great – short break in Q Town – Rotorua – etc. Any ideas from you?
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:31pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Mike Rowe?
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1360247047509673
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May 20, 2020 3:39pm
oldfella

I like this guy… Of course Cindy’s fanboys and girls on Facebook hate him because he punches back and doesn’t take any crap.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333489
2 3
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May 20, 2020 3:42pm
- krazykiwi
  
  MP and top bloke. The money quote was: “You are blind at the altar of St Jacinda.”
  
  3 2
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  May 20, 2020 4:08pm
  - sam green
    
    What a crybaby.
    
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    May 20, 2020 11:25pm
rangitoto

I see Winnie is saying no to the extra day off. Anything to stay in the news.
4 1
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May 20, 2020 3:44pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Freeview recording.
1pm every day we have the covid message.
But today, and other days it was not on the freeview guide!
Each day people set the recording for play school TV1 for constipation street at 1pm.
Well, that is a dirty fucking trick by Labour ($51M Labour)
Get home, watch the pommy recording and we get —– guess what???
I put up with this because the ‘speaker of the house’ likes it.
Going to the caravan to watch Simon get destroyed, and drink whisky, and whiskey
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May 20, 2020 3:51pm
coolas

Kia ora mods … I’m wanting to de-register from Kiwiblog but can’t find the means to do so … please help

[Mod. Hopefully, gone.]
2 0
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May 20, 2020 4:16pm
- Tall Man
  
  You’ll be sadly missed…..
  
  2 1
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  May 20, 2020 7:35pm
- krazykiwi
  
  School is back. Homework overdue. No time for KB… until a new troll alias turns up.
  
  0 0
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  May 20, 2020 10:42pm
- sam green
  
  Hey coolas – just call Tall Man ( who’s actually a short girl) a short girl. Bingo!
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:33pm
cmm

Stuff: “Trump defends use of unproven drug”.

Absolute bullshit Stuff.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was approved for use in 1969. It has been used for OVER 50 YEARS!

HCQ has been used for numerous conditions. Hundreds of million, if not billions of doses are used every year for malaria suppression.

In other words, an extremely well understood and very low risk drug.

Yes, it has side effects – as do all meds, but these are well understood and are nowhere near as severe as many other drugs out there. That means it is extremely safe to use this drug.

So what, I wonder, is Stuff’s benchmark for a “proven” drug? If HCQ does not meet that benchmark, what drugs do.

Fucking morons!
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May 20, 2020 4:19pm
- cmm
  
  Sorry people, after Tarrant won the internet I can’t be bothered going back and fixing typos.
  
  6 3
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  May 20, 2020 4:21pm
- fernglas
  
  Paracetamol has been proven for 50 years to fix headaches, so I am taking it to get rid of a boil on my arse.
  
  9 1
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  May 20, 2020 4:59pm
- cmm
  
  I can hear the lefty retort: “But HCQ is unproven for Covid19. No double blind studies and peer reviewed papers etc”
  
  Well surprise kids! Using that benchmark, no drugs have been proven for Covid19. It is a new disease and there has not been time for any drug to be fully proven yet.
  
  It’s all just “Orange Man Bad”, then try backfill with broken logic.
  
  8 4
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  May 20, 2020 5:05pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Sure. The president of the United State is simply using a drug which has no proven efficacy as a prophylactic against Covid-19 and is not recommended for someone of his age, weight and health status. Oh, and his idiotic promotion of this drug is apparently having a bad effect on supplies for people who actually need it.
    Still, at least he is not injecting bleach or trying to get ultraviolet light inside his body (that we know of).
    Oh, and we don’t even know if he is actually taking hydroxychloroquine. As an habitual liar, anything Trump says should be treated with utmost skepticism. Or, he might think he is chugging the wonder drug, but is being fed a harmless placebo by the white house physician.
    
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    May 20, 2020 5:26pm
    - cmm
      
      Don’t worry mma, I am sure he has discussed the pros and cons with his doctor who probably has a better handle on his age, weight and other health parameters than you do.
      
      So somehow his pointing out that some people have been doing interesting research with HCQ has caused a shortage? Really? This is an off-patent drug that is manufactured in many countries, and has been for many years. I doubt there is a shortage.
      
      No doubt if he said he washed his hands you’d blame him for a hypothetical shortage of soap too. And you’d say it way unproven.
      
      You keep on banging on about side effects. I’ll bet the side effects are less than the heart meds many people take.
      
      Even oxygen has side effects. Perhaps you’d be happier if they stopped using oxygen in hospital too.
      
      3 3
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      May 20, 2020 7:00pm
  - MCos
    
    Quite right. Not only is this particular drug not a proven cure for Covid-19, there is certainly no point in snowflakes like Trump using it to ward the virus either.
    
    3 5
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    May 20, 2020 5:33pm
    - cmm
      
      At this stage nothing is proven for Covid19, so if you have a headache caused by CV19 best not take asprin.
      
      3 3
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      May 20, 2020 7:01pm
      - krazykiwi
        
        Actually … doctors in the UK have learned that carefully prescribed anti-coagulants limit the mortality rate of Covid-19 patients. Dont bin the aspirin just yet.
        
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        May 20, 2020 10:49pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Unless a drug comes with patent fleecing rights attached it’s a non-starter.
  Some drugs in use 3000 years ago are still in active use–some as effective as diclofenac or better.
  Australian tea tree oil (melaleuca alternifolia) is another beauty used for thousands of years.
  
  3 3
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  May 20, 2020 5:50pm
  - cmm
    
    Certainly. The drug industry want to make a buck.
    
    Interesting you mention tea tree oil – that has huge numbers of side effects too.
    
    2 0
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    May 20, 2020 6:50pm
rangitoto

Doctors vote with their Hydroxychloroquine.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2020/04/09/another-study-shows-overwhelming-majority-of-doctors-would-prescribe-hydroxychloroquine-to-their-wuhan-coronavirus-patients-n2566585
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May 20, 2020 4:46pm
- sam green
  
  There’s a few rabbit holes there mate. Go down them at your peril.
  
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  May 20, 2020 11:54pm
Maggie Pie

Just heard WOBH on Magictalk with Banksie.
Sounds like he’s really bounced back after having that dreadful Stroke.
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May 20, 2020 5:33pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Yes, ’tis a miracle, and who could have seen that coming? Who needs credibility in the modern journalistic game anyway?
  
  7 0
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  May 20, 2020 5:39pm
- Inandout
  
  MP, some Maori phoned and berated him for not speaking PC Maori and ‘properly’ pronouncing place names. Personally Banksie is a breath of fresh air and he did remind the offended one that illegal road blocks are more important. He is a bit like Bob Jones, speaks his mind.
  
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  May 20, 2020 5:46pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    My partners mum has never filled in a Census Form for 20 years. That was ever since she heard Banksie tell his breakfast show listeners that they should never give the govermint any more of their private information – they have enough already!
    In fact he said if any Census Taker ever set foot on his property, he’d set ‘Muldoon’ on them. That was the name of his Alsation!! LOL.
    
    4 2
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    May 20, 2020 6:53pm
- doggone7
  
  You mean he’s been allowed back. He lives in a country in which when people do something wrong, or bad or stupid they are not to be given a second chance but chucked on the scrap heap.
  
  That’s the attitude John Banks demonstrated over many years including when he was on Radio Pacific.
  
  He gets the luxury of being said to have had a ‘chequered career’ for his ‘mistakes.’
  
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  May 20, 2020 7:02pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Let it go. That attitude reflects more on you than him.
    
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    May 20, 2020 9:23pm
Fletch

MP Simeon Brown today released the internal police guidelines which clearly state that places of worship can have up to 100 people present for religious worship services. In other words, Jacinda has come up with the 10 person rule herself?

On Monday the PM claimed I was wrong when I said this. Are the Police also wrong?!

The PM needs to front up and be honest with New Zealanders about what the rules actually are!

https://www.facebook.com/SimeonBrownMP/posts/1137729353271802
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May 20, 2020 5:59pm
Frank the tank

10km speed limits in dunedin CBD. We have reached full retard
8 0
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May 20, 2020 6:43pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Oh Grief…
  those coloured dots are for real.
  
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/05/outrage-as-dunedin-council-spends-40k-painting-dots-on-main-street-in-response-to-covid-19.html
  
  When I saw them on the News tonight, I thought they were some virtual overlay.
  
  (Ax shilly, I think they could be a tourist hit… I’m tempted to visit them)
  
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  May 20, 2020 9:08pm
- alex Masterley
  
  I grew up in Dunedin. The council back then (the’70s and 80’s0 focussed on the need to haves, potable water, power, waste water, roads. This lot have completely lost the plot. Don’t they want people in George Street?
  
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  May 21, 2020 6:58am

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