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May 24, 2020 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 24 May 2020

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Harriet

I don’t think she will look so buoyant in a couple of months time — as she has never faced the hardships she’s about to hear about daily. She lacks character due to lack of experience. The big end of town will be all over her lack of policy insight.

She’ll choke. 😎
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May 24, 2020 8:02am
- Swifty
  
  I strongly believe our situation is about to become so bad, and so starkly bad (one might say so openly and transparently bad), that she will fail at containing the backlash – and none of her attempts to paper over the cracks will continue to wash with the bulk of the population.
  
  I also strongly expect to see spin and deceit to start flowing from the CoL like never before – we’ll see daily attempts to convince us that day is night and vice versa.
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:19am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    W already had that–I agree it’s going to get worse, what more can Ardern R. do?
    
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    May 24, 2020 8:55am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      Resign. Let the grownups take over crisis management and economic recovery.
      
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      May 24, 2020 3:44pm
  - burt
    
    Hard and fast comrade, hard and fast.
    
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    May 24, 2020 8:58am
  - RPP
    
    What we’re going to see and be told
    https://youtu.be/jGgsv8ycA0I
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:50am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.
    
    quote from what is increasingly apparent is …her mentor.
    ― Joseph Goebbels
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:32pm
  - rouppe
    
    They only need to keep the dream alive for a few more months. Then it won’t matter
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:39pm
  - JackRabbit
    
    Yes, she has passed the point where she can’t even stop her own ego from poisoning those around her, and the cardboard cutouts around her will be like shrinking violets.
    
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    May 24, 2020 6:30pm
- Happychappy
  
  The media won’t let her choke, you only have to read pieces like this from senior Journalists.
  Have you ever heard so much bull shit in one line from Luke Malpass at Stuff, it is difficult to shake one overriding thought, is this man really going to beat Jacinda Ardern, an exceedingly popular but also “ruthless PM? Or, given the circumstances even come close?
  https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/121602166/todd-muller-wins-nats-but-can-he-really-win-the-country
  The arrogance of senior Journalists and lies , can anybody point out what they mean by Ruthlessness
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:24am
  - projectman
    
    What Malpass actually said was “Is this man really going to beat Jacinda Ardern, an exceedingly popular but also deceptively ruthless PM?”
    
    Where is the evidence she is ruthless? You certainly can’t say that about how Ardern has dealt with people who have transgressed.
    
    I would leave out ‘ruthless’ and end with ‘deceptive’, particularly applying that to her steady taking of NZ to the extreme left, the long-march goal for her. Ardern calls it ‘rebalancing’ of the economy; it’s nothing of the sort.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:03am
    - Justitia
      
      She may lack the moral courage to despatch useless Ministers to the sidelines but her lockdown, which went well beyond the limits recommended by the government’s advisers, has shown she has no pity nor compassion for the bereaved, for those wishing to comfort a dying loved one, or more widely for small business owners. It is often a quality of people with dictatorial characteristics that they are weak when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but are capable of extreme and ruthless behaviour towards the anonymous masses.
      
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      May 24, 2020 10:46am
      - theoldbloke
        
        The lockdown was nothing about compasion or being ruthless.
        It was all about Panic because they(DGH & Gvt) hadnt done anything towards screening at the borders,(They didnt have to close the borders).
        Making sure that the country had good testing andtracking systems and checking they had enough PEP.
        Remember at the beging it was all about flatening the curve to ensure enough hospital beds etc.
        
        NOTHING about elimination. That was a FOP to justify the over reaction.
        
        and NOW they(DGH & Gvt) have had a taste of absolute power they aint gunna give it up easy.
        
        Prediction. Level 1, relaxing borders(tourism) anounced day Early voting is allowed.
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:03pm
    - Brian McDonald
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      Don’t know about deceptively ruthless, but she showed she was deceptively strong and single-minded at the press conferences when there were arguments to lift the “lockdown” early. To me that was an emphatic “no.” She did not back away from her resolve to see the plan through. I think that would have spoken volumes to many observers watching her resolve be tested.
      I know it is normal here to latch on to a common theme and follow it through the mud. But I also remember the Government clearly saying on numerous occasions that things were going to get worse before getting better. This makes the common theme here about the economy obsolete, it’s not new news and it hasn’t been hidden. The public will hear that from the Government going into the election cycle, any good news as I’ve mentioned before, maybe such an Aussie bubble if things look ok over there and they see it as a goer, will provide a boost. There will be many other things in the pot and expect to see them regularly over the next 3 months.
      The bottom line is that many KBs are still fixed on gripes from a few weeks ago whereas others are moving on. Part of that I think is because there is a fair amount of retirees here maybe not seeing that things are ramping up. The $85,000 debt per household doesn’t have the impact the nats hope for, there seems no support for my pet theory that wage subsidies should be paid back. To me, that would be a policy no MP would possibly have the guts to advocate for, with KBers seeming very socialist about it. If we are going to have referendums that would be one if not party policy.
      Few people are under the delusion that everything is corker because it is not, but people are not giving up. House market is moving already and I noted what many of the young first home buyers were saying on TV last. It’s life different from a message board out there folks.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:08am
      - 2ic
        
        And it’s going to get a whole lot different for many of the 1.7 million New Zealanders on the wage subsidy when it ends…
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:32pm
      - RW Capitalist
        
        “Don’t know about deceptively ruthless, but she showed she was deceptively strong and single-minded at the press conferences when there were arguments to lift the “lockdown” early. ”
        More like doubling down on a serious blunder….
        Lockdown was not necessary if:
        1. She was actually paying attention to the viruses progress, BEFORE if actually got here.
        Instead she was busy ironing her tea towel in preparation for her celebration…err commemoration of the mosque shootings.
        2. She actually understood that we are 1200Km from the nearest source of the virus. There was almost no community spread, all come from overseas, stop that, you stop the virus in it’s tracks.
        So, just like meningitis and measles after it, her actions and inaction are entirely responsible for the resultant deaths.
        
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        May 24, 2020 2:10pm
      - igm
        
        Or Lees-Galloway, Sroubek, the Labour sex camp pervert, etc, etc.
        
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        May 24, 2020 2:35pm
      - Tony Stuart
        
        I like the way Muller has framed things Brian; that Labour did a pretty good job overall managing the health crisis, but that National are the ones to manage us through the impending economic crisis.
        
        Before last week, jobs were being lost at the rate of 1000/day. That picked up last week, and will continue to increase becasue the initial twelve week wage subsidy has only three more weeks to run, and employers are now letting people go when the subsidy expires. A lot of people got termination notices last week. A friend of mine consults to a number of businesses. He was informed on Friday that one is closing its doors permanently, and the other is downsizing by 50%, and his help is no longer required. The downstream effects of job losses will start to be felt throughout the economy in the next couple of weeks.
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:34pm
  - emmess
    
    Ruthless, yeah. Just ask David Clark
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:15am
    - sooty
      
      Or Clare Curran.
      
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      May 24, 2020 10:08am
      - sooty
        
        Or special K.
        
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        May 24, 2020 10:08am
      - sooty
        
        Or Megan Woods.
        
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        May 24, 2020 10:08am
      - JackRabbit
        
        All three are totally ineffective, and the product of nepotism. i.e. Granting favours and jobs to friends or relatives in various fields, including business, politics, entertainment, sports, religion and other activities, despite the fact that they have no significant professional or political experience.
        
        In Jacinda’s case, this is ‘Desperation’ Nepotism, where you appoint idiots and dullards to positions of office, (or allow on a party list), because you are desperate to get numbers and put bums on seats, because intelligent and effective people will never follow your cause.
        
        In which case a willingness to be a “yes” man is more important than intelligence or understanding. It usually attracts people of low intelligence or people unable to succeed in the private sector, and this is their “big opportunity”.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:16am
  - Chris R
    
    “Ruthlessness:” Perhaps it means she doesn’t have Ruth Richardson’s spine/brains/fortitude/integrity/strong backing from a sound government etc etc?
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:24am
    - Jack5
      
      Interesting you should mention the very smart Ruth Richardson. She was axed by Bolger, who seems to be a Muller political patron saint.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:33am
  - SmokerGuy
    
    To be fair, there is a 30 point gap. I personally think National are more than capable of pulling this one out of the fire with a good leader (I’ve been hugely impressed with Muller so far). His articles have been very good actually, I don’t think he is wrong to pose the question.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:38am
    - andrewo
      
      Agreed SmokerGuy
      
      A lot of the popularity is on the back of the lock down – and that will fade fast once:
      1. The consequences of the lock down hit home
      2. Reports begin the percolate through that it wasn’t necessary
      
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      May 24, 2020 10:16am
      - Brian McDonald
        
        You are out touch if you think that people supporting the lockdown are going to change their minds. Muller is aware of that, which is why he shoved it aside so he wouldn’t be seen as disagreeing with the great majority.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:25am
      - rouppe
        
        Further to Brian McDonald’s comment, those things aren’t going to become apparent in time for the election.
        
        Labour have given themselves 50 billion ways to delay the inevitable until after the election and the question of whether it was necessary can easily be brushed aside with “would you rather have had 21 deaths or ‘tens of thousands'”, the latter number from a “scientific model” which then provides her with the necessary frightening headline as well as an arms length excuse for responsibility for its (lack of) accuracy
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:05pm
  - Nickc2
    
    The Herald have already declared war on the new National leadership. Today they have a feature column dedicated to the fact that Todd Muller has a MAGA cap in his office. The author being Damien Venuto, a leftist spin maggot no less. I guess that’s another example of what $50m plus will buy.
    Another good reason not to subscribe to the Herald.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:41am
    - Jack5
      
      To be fair to Muller, his cap’s been on New Zealand TV and Muller’s explanation was plausible: that he had a lifelong fascination with American politics including an unattainable boyhood ambition to be US President.
      
      But what’s wrong with the hat? “Make America Great Again” is a brilliant slogan, firing up people all over the political spectrum, though Trump’s created much of its force. Here’s what GQ Magazine says about it:
      
      “Has there ever been a piece of headwear as contentious as the Make America Great Again cap? Not since burning bras, hijabs, miniskirts, hoodies, and baggie jeans has fashion ever been so political. But the MAGA hat beats them all for the visceral hatred it both symbolises and inspires.”
      
      Is everyone who wears a hoodie a thug? Did wearing a hijab make Jacindarella a Muslim? Does having a MAGA cap make you a Trump (not that it would necessarily be bad or evil).
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:44am
      - Tricati
        
        I thought MAGA stood for Make Ardern Go Away, and its totally appropriate the Muller has one in his office.
        The puff piece by Venuto, and the Twitter ref to some Ardern sycophant, says it all really and that is the left don’t like other points of view so attack the man – Muller has already won the argument as Venuto couldn’t structure a reasonable counter to Muller’s selection.
        
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        May 24, 2020 2:46pm
      - rouppe
        
        Plus they never mention that sitting on the shelf next to it is a Hillary for president button
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:07pm
  - rockape
    
    If she was “ruthless” a few ministers would be gone and a few sexual perverts would have been ousted.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:03am
    - JackRabbit
      
      Leaving an empty Labour party leadership team.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:21am
- Wangas Feral
  
  Sorry – I don’t think you understand Harriet. The media party will keep nothing but good news and St Cindy stuff in the news. The spin will be – sure, the economy is bad – but St Cindy saved your granny. Going bankrupt or losing your home is totally worth it because ….feelz.
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:42am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    How are the media party going to deal with rising prices?
    I need to buy some more containers and the cost price is up 50%. That will mean an increase of 25% on the retail product.
    The tsunami is coming to a shop near you.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:00am
    - Master Mariner
      
      Fully agree from foot on the ground. Liner services are reducing daily, look at Singapore tonnage for month.
      Liner services reduced and stopped to NZ. I really dont think anyone has a handle on this at all and cost of shipping is going up daily.
      Another elephant in the room is the lack of crew changes world wide on all vessels.
      Things are going to come to a grinding halt soon.
      Heard it from here.
      
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      May 24, 2020 9:35am
      - DeepBlue
        
        29 countries have ceased airfreight to NZ, so many cheap and quick options for overseas purchases will fall away too. People have decreasing choice. Many will not have experienced this before.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:23am
  - Harriet
    
    Everyone has their house and job on this.
    
    Bills, banks, mortgages, loans, fees, charges, income, pay and security – are the words the public will have at the forefront of the minds.
    
    She will lose relevancy with all stakeholders — those who have the bills to take their vote seriously. She has to start communicating. 😎
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:04am
    - Suze Wainwright
      
      I think you’re underestimating the vital importance of legalizing cannabis…
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:01am
  - Gravelroad
    
    Yes, agree, Wangas Feral.
    No disrespect intended but many on this forum seem to have no real idea of how ordinary, non-politically invested people think.
    They adore and respect St Jacinda – no question.
    Many enjoyed the lockdown and would be happy to go back.
    Yes, they might have lost work, but most have still be paid one way or another.
    The expectation is that this easy access to money will be continued by the peoples’ government.
    All they have to do is print more money and hand it out.
    That is what St J and Robbo will do.
    They will not sit by and let reality take over right before a general election.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:25am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Money from the govt doesn’t satisfy the longing to work. Many have gone into personal lockdown. I’m seeing that with employees and the rest of us who may have had to refill our days with skeleton nothingness. Mental health has been badly affected and continues that way. I’ve been fortunate but family and others I know are affected.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:01am
  - JackRabbit
    
    Until the point where the media sense they are backing a sinking ship, and they will change overnight.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:23am
    - igm
      
      No, they will hang in for their share of taxpayers’ $50m, keep pushing communist doctrine that suits Ardern and Robertson’s agenda.
      
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      May 24, 2020 3:12pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        In my view losing the election is not a sinking ship, it is simply losing the war. A sinking ship is where everyone wants to get off to avoid being dragged down and drowned by association. Even rats will jump ship. Winston is a rat.
        
        Jacinda talks about NZ’s nuclear free moment. What Jacinda needs to be worried about is Labour’s Titanic moment, where the collective weight of their revealed misdeeds is too much for the cardboard cutouts to bear.
        
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        May 24, 2020 6:26pm
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  This heroic assumption is based on an illusion that Sheeple can think….dare I say more Harriet?
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:46am
  - quarterpack
    
    Sir Cullen, your reference to your fellow citizens as Sheeple was never funny, and repetition wont change anything. Perhaps it is time for some constructive utterances on your part, rather than the constant negativity and cheap shots
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:35pm
- Nightsky-one
  
  “She lacks character due to lack of experience.”
  In my view her lack of good character has been with her for the last 40 years.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:28am
- Clyde
  
  I wonder if some people here actually heard what Muller said the other day about the depth of the Labour cabinet? He acknowledged the excellent job the PM and the Finance Minister had and were doing. But Jacinda and Grant can’t do every job and that is the biggest issue they have got.
  
  So many people in the CoL cabinet are there because of their racial background. Nothing to do with talent, skills and ability, but everything to do with being “maori”. That is the weakness that Labour have and if Muller has any sense, and I think he has, he will exploit that mercilessly.
  
  I was interested to see Shane Jones on TV1 last night ridiculing these “maori” people in the far north uttering “mumbo jumbo” about cleansing the land etc. He was spot on, and like it or not there are many within NZ First that seem to have had a gutsful of this “maori sensitivity”.
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:20pm
  - JackRabbit
    
    Diversity Nepotism!
    
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    May 24, 2020 6:50pm
- coge
  
  When the wheels fall off prior to an election. Priceless.
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:24pm
- IC5000
  
  Damn, some real fuhrer-bunker posts in this thread. Shouldn’t you guys be trying to come up with policies that put you above the 25% instead of exercising your obviously vivid imaginations.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:15pm
Yvette

Along with such articles now as “‘Useless’ MP says it was an ‘easy choice’ not to vote for Bridges” and “Muller still figuring out what to do with Bridges and Bennett”, there is of course
“National’s new leader Todd Muller won’t rule out working with Winston Peters as election looms”.

Mr Bridges told TVNZ1’s Breakfast in February: “I can’t trust New Zealand First and don’t think New Zealanders can either, and I want to end the charade we’ve had in the past and I think we will have again if New Zealand First is there.

That seemed a no-brainer – and even more so using your brains – with Peters bringing Election eve legal action against people he would supposedly negotiate “in good faith” towards a Coalition that would never happen, and to be proved wrong in his related super accusations he had made (he claimed “the leaks go all the way to the Prime Minister), and now is returning to the courts for another bite at this (echoing Labour precedent of not taking a simple matter to the Police).

The man is obviously obsessed with his own importance to the extent he ignores a simple fact – that mistakes can have consequences. Like: being responsible, when a straight forward form, expected to be completed competently by most 65 year old people, was filled out in Winston’s case for him by an official, but not checked by him before signing to confirm it was correct. Had he not made a dopey mistake, nobody could have leaked the fact that he did.

But having made that mistake there is Winston’s reaction to it.
Exemplary in correcting it with in 24 hours.
But fucking abysmal in the accusing, litigative, obsessive, near psychotic behaviour that has now lasted 1094 days (2 years, 11 months, 28 days) since August 26, 2017 when Newshub’s politics reporter Lloyd Burr asks Mr Peters whether he was overpaid superannuation and Mr Peters refused to give a straight answer.

Quite apart from this, it is a blatant loophole, mistake or whatever you want to call it, that in a democracy, any group as small a 7.2% (and smaller than that when you consider what voters thought Winston may choose) can decide an Election, rather than the majority.

If it appears Muller will accommodate Winston, I will vote for someone other than National – and of course other than New Zealand First.
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May 24, 2020 8:05am
- KevO'Brien
  
  No one can acccommodate Winston. He may even be taken out by the SFO.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:02am
- GazzaW
  
  This morning’s two main Herald headlines.
  
  “Todd Muller’s Make America Great Again cap is not OK.”
  
  “Secrets, leaks & betrayals: inside Todd Muller’s coup.”
  
  How many of those $50 million taxpayers’ dollars did NZME pocket?
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:13am
  - oldfella
    
    Just noticed that the Herald illustrates the story with a picture of Muller by showing 3 (yep, THREE) MAGA caps, not the single cap sitting in Muller’s office. So for someone just scanning the story, the image implies that somehow the new Nats leader has a hat-stand full of them sitting in his office, ready to sell/give to his followers.
    No wonder I stopped buy the Herald years ago.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:54am
- yossarian
  
  I’m with you. I’m most likely going to party vote Act anyway, but if Muller doesn’t rule out Winston, then there’s no chance of me voting National
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:21am
- Chris R
  
  He did NOT say he would accommodate Winston in the Newstalk interview I heard on Friday night. Quite the opposite…he said he MIGHT deal with NZ First and no mention of Winston. There is a difference and it is a profound difference.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:27am
  - Yvette
    
    Chris R, I do not feel the difference is profound as you suggest.
    There does seem to be a gap between what headlines say and what Muller actually said –
    “It’s quite possible, maybe, that in the future we could refresh that – I don’t know. The Caucus position is very clear, it has been clear since January.
    “Let’s see if it changes in the future.” – Newshub
    
    Todd Muller leaves door open to working with Winston Peters after election – headline, Stuff
    Article itself – When asked about this decision at his first press conference as leader, Muller said it was a caucus-decision that still stood.
    But he left the door open for it not being final, saying it was “quite possible” that the decision could be revisited in the future.
    “Look if that changes in the future you’ll be the first to know, but look the decision stands,” Muller said.
    
    Herald article – New National leader Todd Muller says he expects to be Prime Minister after September’s election and won’t rule out a deal with Winston Peters and New Zealand First.
    
    Interest co nz – Todd Muller says it’s ‘quite possible’ that ‘maybe’ National could change its position and work with Winston Peters after the election
    
    Election 2020: Todd Muller won’t rule out working with Winston Peters – Newshub headline
    Article itself – “The decision from Caucus still stands – if that changes in the future, you’ll be the first to know but at the moment that’s our Caucus position,” he told reporters on Friday.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:05am
    - Chris R
      
      At best you could argue that he is leaving the door open but not to Winston but to NZ First. That is the difference I was alluding to.
      
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      May 24, 2020 10:20am
      - Happychappy
        
        Chris R he has left the door open for disenchanted National Voters to do what they do most Elections vote for Winston to keep all other major Party’s honest and if you want to look at what has happened in the past it means disaster so do no deals at let him and his Party let them fight for their own survival which doesn’t look so good at present in the polls or with the Fraud office.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:33am
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Nonsense Happychappy. He said quite clearly that caucus had made the decision not to go with Peters, and it would be up to caucus to change their mind. But Peters is headed out the back door anyway; he’s burnt off too many people over the years, and crying wolf again about keeping someone or other honest won’t cut it.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:36am
      - Steve Todd
        
        Chris, the idea that National can negotiate with NZ First, but not with Winston, is just nonsense.
        
        If NZ First is returned to parliament in September, the party’s chief negotiator will be the party leader, Winston Peters. If Todd Muller says, sorry, I will negotiate with anyone but Winston, the NZ First negotiating team will simply withdraw from the discussions.
        
        It is simply not possible to pick your own team and your opponent’s team, as well. Life just isn’t like that.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:50am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Please vote NC and add to the tally of wasted votes. National will appreciate your sacrifice.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:48am
- Bill Felt
  
  I read the Muller statement as the situation was decided by caucus, and that decision stands today (not deal with Winston) but the caucus may review things over the coming weeks. – This does not mean he will work with Winston. Indeed I will take a bet against anyone that National will not deal with Winston.
  
  Winston will be unable to reach 5% and will not win a seat.
  
  Besides the SFO will be charging NZF and that there is the end of NZF anyway!
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:43am
- Loddenthinks
  
  “But having made that mistake there is Winston’s reaction to it.
  Exemplary in correcting it with in 24 hours.”
  
  Surely you jest. Peters’ reaction to it was anything but exemplary, except as an example to us of what a lying charlatan he is. For a start, he incorrectly filled out an application form in 2010, and signed the application to say it was true and correct. Maybe that was a mistake, maybe it was deliberate – we have no way of knowing, but it’s like any legal document. It’s your job to ensure you give accurate and complete information. He didn’t. He also said that his partner Jan Trotman accompanied him when he completed and signed the form as true and correct. MSD staff dispute this.
  
  Let’s be charitable and say that – despite Peters being a lawyer and despite him understanding that words matter and that signed application forms are legal documents, which is also spelled out on the form, right next to where you sign it – it really was a mistake, albeit one that benefited him to the tune of $18,000.
  He didn’t correct it within 24 hours; it was more than 7 years before it came to light – after which he paid back the money. It was his job to be aware of what he put on the form. It was his job to notify MSD of any changes to his circumstances that could affect his super – including having a live-in partner.
  
  What else did he do that might be called exemplary?
  
  When it was reported he’d paid back $18,000 he told RNZ that the figure was “not only incorrect, but was far too high.”
  
  “To say that I have repaid $18,000 is just demonstrably false,” Peters told Morning Report in an interview on August 28, 2017.
  
  The amount he repaid was $17,936.43.
  
  Peters also “made a mistake” when he said that the “over-payment was not because he had been paid the pension amount for a single person instead of the amount for a person in a relationship.” He claimed it was an error in how his tax was calculated instead, which was false, and he knew it was false.
  
  Earlier in 2017, when asked by Radio NZ if he was paid the single person rate when he should have been paid a lower partner rate, Peters said: “No.”
  
  So he has lied, dissembled, obfuscated, blamed it on everybody except himself, and raged at somebody for overstating the amount he was overpaid by 0.0035% or around 1/3 of one percent.
  
  It’s exemplary of something alright. The man’s a charlatan and can never be trusted. I was delighted for those that he attempted to sue that he got such a humiliating defeat – tempered of course by the fact the charlatan will again use public money for futile private purposes.
  
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  May 24, 2020 3:35pm
  - Yvette
    
    Loddenthinks, I am sorry I did not spell matters out clearer, however when I wrote “But having made that mistake there is Winston’s reaction to it”, I meant after the seven years or whatever exactly that period was, and DMS notified him, he was “Exemplary in correcting it with in 24 hours.”
    He dropped work in Wellington and flew (probably at our expense) to Auckland, and rectified the mistake in person.
    
    Having established that position very favourably showing his correction of the matter, to his advantage pre-Election, especially compared to Metiria Turei’ amoral mess of benefit fraud, Winston then engaged in accusations and media reported –
    
    Winston Peters has told media he will “lodge a serious action” when his lawyer returns from an overseas holiday today.
    “This is humbug. It’s tawdry. It’s dirty. It’s filthy, and they should not succeed on that”, Mr Peters said.
    Mr Peters said “they would try and impute my character straight away. That’s exactly what the typical what I might call ‘band of rascals’ went out to do.”
    “I’ll find out every last thing.”
    Mr Peters claims the leaks go all the way to the Prime Minister.
    “You’ve got a political party that’s been deeply exposed now. That’s all the way to the Prime Minister. Don’t tell me Paula Bennett knew and the Prime Minister didn’t know,” Mr Peters said.
    “It’s underhand, and it’s dirty politics. It’s probably, in my view, illegal. Utterly, utterly wrong and apparently they knew even before I knew.”
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/anne-tolley-given-heads-up-over-winston-peters-pension-overpayment.html
    
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    May 24, 2020 4:31pm
- Lee C
  
  I think ACT need to step up.
  
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  May 24, 2020 3:50pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    Yep. Put up a few unknowns to take the list seats that might come off Seymour’s coat tails. The ACT ‘party’ – under 2% of the vote last two elections – one MP existing by gift of the Nats. Much hooha about their ‘budget’ that Seymour won’t ever get to present.
    
    Wow …. any idea who the people are that you will be supporting with your party vote? DG where are you 🙂
    
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    May 24, 2020 5:46pm
Jacinda is not a Princess, she's a very naughty girl

Apparently Auckland will run out of water soon.

Fear not, fellow Aucklanders, whose pathetic lives involve such menial activities as working to support themselves, their families and an army of bureaucrats and beneficiaries whilst destroying the planet.

The great St. Jacinda will save us.
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May 24, 2020 8:10am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Why blame Jacinda? – Sheeple.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:48am
- Jack5
  
  Here’s Todd Muller in the Hooerald today on water:
  
  “I am a passionate believer in water as a strategic enabler and I look at it through the climate change lens and think we could use our remarkable water resources to massively decarbonise or electrify our transport fleet over time our industrial fleet over time. That is a real challenge over a generation right?”
  
  ~~Mullet~~ Muller is Woke!
  
  Global warming, water power … and where will he find the geographical features, the Norwegian-style valleys that will store sufficient water for our soaring power demand?
  
  We need gas power and nuclear power, and fewer Leftist Woke politics.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:48am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Jack, using made-up names like Hooerald and Mullet are childish, and add detract from any argument you put forth. Please stop it.
    
    We have plenty of Norwegian-style valleys and a fair bit of water in the region named for its similarity to Norway’s fjords.
    
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    May 24, 2020 3:43pm
    - Jack5
      
      Loddenthinks proclaims: “We have plenty of Norwegian-style valleys.”
      
      Not true. Several of our hydro schemes are “run of the river” with no storage, or else storage sufficient only for three or so days of generation.
      
      There’s a lot of water in Fiordland, which is a national park and largely inaccessible. Loddenthinks, please tell us just which which as yet unharnessed Fiordland lake can be controlled and raised and is adjacent to a potential hydro-generation site?
      
      You would lose a slab of the electricity in transmission loss in the 1200km to the main market around Auckland, and then only after building new transmission lines and expanding cross-strait transmission.
      
      It’s a myth that NZ has potential for new large hydro-power generation plants. There are a few small, private schemes that have been blocked by conservationists, but then Muller and Kaye are greenies. It’s a conundrum for Greenies: remember the uproar over the initial plan to raise Lake Manapouri to increase its storage.
      
      Norway is part of an international electricity distribution system that also includes Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. It exports about 10 per cent of its electricity. NZ in effect exports some of its electricity by selling it to the Bluff aluminium smelter, but this electricity is likely end up being gulped up by our road transport if Muller has its way.
      
      Fiordland is a remote corner of the South Island with a handful of fiords. Norway has more than 1000 fiords.
      
      As for how I describe the NZ Herald: if the Moderators don’t ban a term, I’ll use it. It’s been the “Hooerald” and much worse for years on Kiwiblog. That you are commenting on it suggests to me that you may be part of a Team Muller roped in to smooth over reaction to the Muller Mutiny.
      
      Muller himself raised the name “Mullett” on national TV last week, when asked how his name, “Muller,” was to be pronounced. He pointed to his head and joked, “remember mullett”.
      
      [Edited for spelling. Mod.]
      
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      May 24, 2020 8:15pm
      - Jack5
        
        ..[Edited for claridy – mod.]
        
        “Muller” is not an uncommon name in New Zealand. I’ve known a few people with this name and I have praised one or two of their families for their forebearers who didn’t buckle and change the spelling of their name during the vicious anti-German prejudice in and shortly after World War 1.
        
        Müller, with an umlaut over the “ü”, is the most common German surname, and is the equivalent of our “Miller”.
        
        Many of us have surnames with unusual national origins, and I have special sympathy with people who felt forced to change surnames because of prejudice – for example, “Müller” to “Miller”.
        
        “Muller” is neither a mouthful, nor unusual. We’ve had plenty of prominent New Zealanders with German surnames: Freyberg, Kippenberger, Nordmeyer, Lange, von Tempsky, Christian Cullen, and more.
        
        For anyone interested in common German surnames, you’ll find the surnames of a few NZ families on the list here:
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_most_common_surnames_in_Germany
        
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        May 24, 2020 8:39pm
      - Jack5
        
        Memo to Moderator: Thank you for fixing my spelling error! Cheers.
        
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        May 24, 2020 9:22pm
  - krazykiwi
    
    Muller clearly has no idea about the Climate Change™ rort, nor the return to the caves required to ‘de-carbonise’ our economy.
    
    A ‘climate change lense’ doesn’t work when ones head is firmly planted in the sand.
    
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    May 24, 2020 4:57pm
- Tall Man
  
  No need, she’s living in Wellington so doesn’t care.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:56am
Lee C

No, she’ll announce her engagement.
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May 24, 2020 8:15am
- Tarquin North
  
  Who to?
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:18am
  - chaos
    
    The UN
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:02am
- RPP
  
  She’ll fly away like Nixon
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:26am
  - Harriet
    
    …and with the concern of Wallis Simpson and George viii. 😎
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:22am
    - Steve Todd
      
      Edward VIII.
      
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      May 24, 2020 12:00pm
- Harriet
  
  What with a photo of a huge diamond ring?
  
  Jeffros off the hook! 😎
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:39am
- GT Build
  
  Do you mean re-announced her engagement the media will run stories like it never happened before then we will hear about the success in the potty training
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:39am
- igm
  
  Lee: Or announce she is in foal.
  Maybe the old grey mare should have her mane dyed again.
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:42am
  - Martin Williams
    
    Todd Muller would not be happy with this comment.
    
    5 25
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    May 24, 2020 10:06am
    - Tall Man
      
      An irrelevant and typically ignorant comment.
      
      Why do lefties think they’re clever when they miss the entire point? That’s right, they fail the “think” part.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:55am
- Unity
  
  Or Baby number two!!
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:45am
- seismac
  
  No No she will announce she is having twins call Covy and 19
  Then the wedding on election day in the middle of the Viaduct Basin on the Boy’s wee tinnie
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:45am
  - burt
    
    Twins named Hardcore & Sroubek.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:04am
  - igm
    
    Burt: Think you’re wrong, one would be named Abdul or Mohummad.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:04am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Sorry, upticked by mistake.
  I thought she was already engaged.
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:55am
- Charmaine Hawke
  
  Hasn’t she done that already the next thing is the wedding date.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:23am
Jade Warrior

I despair over New Zealand’s media sometimes. I really do. The following is a classic example of fluff over substance:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334259
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May 24, 2020 8:20am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  MAGA hat in his office? Two thousand words on a $7.00 hat? Really?
  
  Make Adhern Go Away, don’t those journalists know anything?
  
  Maybe there were not enough Savage pictures in the basement that adorn every labour office, to go around.
  
  Good to know we have passed peak journalism.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:01am
  - rockape
    
    I know at least 8 other National MPS have those hats, some blue and some red, why do I know? Because I gave out a dozen I had printed in Nelson at the last National Conference. Judith wore it best!
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:11am
- JB.49
  
  Damien Venuto is a fool
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:01am
- Inandout
  
  Jade, at least Todd hasn’t paraphrased Biden and said ‘if you don’t vote for me you are not a Maori’. I always keep in mind that the Herald has been bought by Jacinda for 50 million pieces of silver.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:09am
  - Jack5
    
    Jacindarella was conned then. That price is way, way, way over the top.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:50am
- kowtow
  
  You’d wonder what his credentials for being a “business ” reporter are . Very woke . I feel no pity for the media going down the shitter when all they come up with that utter drivel .
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:12am
- Gravelroad
  
  Absolutely pathetic, immature and cringeworthy article – but it is an opinion piece.
  End of.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:30am
- Bobba Fret
  
  The media have a new target now Simon is gone.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:31am
- chaos
  
  Muller is right it is a piece of political memorabilia. He collects it from both sides of the American political circus. This is just the leftie trolls trying to stir things up but they are failing
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:03am
- OTGO
  
  Yes I read that too and Venuto must be patting himself on his back because he connected all the dots, white supremacists, nazi’s, Trump and Muller. Disgraceful from The Herald. Who the hell buys that trash?
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:10am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    My cafe.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:57am
  - Inandout
    
    OTGO, the left media is crumbling worldwide and I would give the Herald 6 months before it crashes.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:00am
  - Jacinda is not a Princess, she's a very naughty girl
    
    My wife. Unfortunately.
    
    I have, however, refused to go out today into the rain to retrieve the sodden mess from our letter box.
    
    Additionally I informed her that I will only touch the Herald (after she has read it) in order to clear the table and throw it into the trash.
    
    Any other suggestions as to how I should punish her?
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:05am
    - Sarkozygroupie
      
      Burn her at the stake!
      
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      May 24, 2020 8:55pm
  - Gravelroad
    
    I don’t care if Mr Muller has a MAGA cap or not.
    But would I display it in my office knowing that our left wing media would immediately make a negative issue of it?
    No.
    I note that a recent photo taken in Ms Ardern’s office featured hand drawn cards with rainbows and unicorns sent in by brain washed 6 year olds.
    Now that’s working the media.
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:29pm
    - Lee C
      
      .. and therein lies the difference, Gravelroad – ….
      
      National just put a pale old guy who opposed abortion up as their front-man, canning a young Maori guy.
      
      The current PM has unicorns in her office.
      
      I’m not judging him, but by crikey the media will be!
      
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      May 24, 2020 3:53pm
- niggly
  
  The article author, Damien Venuto, is the NZH’s business reporter.
  
  So why on earth is he venturing into “advocacy ~~journalism~~ opinion writing and why did the NZH think that would be a good idea? His “advocacy opinion” writing is amateurish, poorly thought out and written and actually reveals more about himself.
  
  For example I detected that Damien Venuto is actually a racist.
  
  Yes according to him only “white men” wear MAGA hats and they oppress “women and people of colour”.
  
  (Is he ignorant that “”women and people of colour” are also Trump/MAGA hat wearing supporters? I’m sure he his with Kayne West wearing such hats)!
  
  The other example I detected is that the guy is an uninformed idiot. He brings up comparisons with Nazi Germany!
  
  Seeing Damien Venuto has no sense, hopefully the NZH will shows they do and ask Venuto to stick with his knitting and write about business issues rather that arse-holely articles showing up his ignorance and prejudices!
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:25am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Labour attack dogs have started their job already.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:50am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Bastards never stopped, just moved their sights a little . . .
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:59am
- oldfella
  
  What’s wrong with Make Auckland Great Again hats? I’m sure that includes The Auckland Herald which was once a respected newspaper. I used to get it delivered, and read it every day. Now… meh.
  No wonder they no longer allows comments from readers. Can you imagine the scorn that would have been poured all over this pathetic click-bait cra*p?
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:15am
Komata

FWIW:

These are the ‘Founding Principles’ of the New Zealand National Party, as enunciated by Sid Holland in 1936.

“To promote good citizenship and self-reliance; to combat communism and socialism; to maintain freedom of contract; to encourage private enterprise; to safeguard individual rights and the privilege of ownership; to oppose interference by the State in business, and State control of industry”.

On the basis of the above, methinks that messers / medames Muller and Kaye would have no future within the original party and that Sid Holland would have shown them the door.

Perhaps, given the cosying-up that is happening with their nominal ‘enemies’ and since the Party Admin seem to also from the same affliction, the ‘Party needs to change it’s name to ‘Better reflect the NZ National Party’s Twenty-first Century values’.

Perhaps the ‘New Zealand Firvour party’?

It is no longer any different from the rest…
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May 24, 2020 8:28am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Not even Sid Holland ever did much in government to act in accordance with those principles.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:04am
  - Chris R
    
    Have you forgotten about the Waterfront Strike? Mr Holland’s management of it was brilliant and sadly unimaginable today.
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:29am
    - Ian Boag
      
      Yeah. You could go to jail for giving food to a striker’s family. Ditto for trying to publish anything putting forward the strikers’ side of things. There was more along these generally repressive lines.
      
      Brilliant? If you say so.
      
      Unimaginable today? Thank goodness.
      
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      May 24, 2020 9:43am
      - Tall Man
        
        Really, you can “organise” a police visit to your neighbour’s house by “reporting” them for having too many visitors.
        
        14 1
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        May 24, 2020 11:51am
      - Nickc2
        
        @Tall Man 11:51AM
        
        The more fortunate these days can expect a call from a couple of friendly patched Mongrel Mob members with regard to a complaint by your neighbour about having too many guests the day before.
        Whilst there, one of the Mob will be checking out your Marijuana patch to see if it’s ready for stealing.
        
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        May 24, 2020 12:31pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Ah, the waterfront ~~strike~~lockout. Not exactly the finest hour for safeguarding individual rights.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:22am
      - rockape
        
        Is today ?
        
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        May 24, 2020 12:17pm
    - Jack5
      
      Chris, Holland has a big rural constituency to back him in the 1951 strike with temporary strike-breaking labour, and after 38 years there were still memories of the Waihi goldminers’ strike, when workers and their families were hunted through the streets, according to the site linked to below.
      
      Few people today would accept a ban like that of 1951 when it was illegal to give food to strikers’ families.
      
      More relevant, the proportional voting power of farmers, who were those whose pockets were hit by the waterfront strike, is far less today.
      
      https://nzhistory.govt.nz/striker-killed-at-waihi
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:59am
- Inandout
  
  Komata, Sid Holland knew nothing of social media, or indeed mobile phones.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:11am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    A mobile phone was as far as the cord stretched! The good old days!
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:01am
- MCos
  
  The National Party back then apposed the introduction of the welfare state by way of the Social Security Bill which would come into law after the 1938 election, which the lost.
  Those were different times and back then they probably thought state housing, free public hospitals, etc was bordering on communism.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:31am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Exactly. The National Party, right form its very founding, has been true to its principles of opposing every policy introduced by Labour, and then retaining those very same policies once it becomes the government.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:21am
Michael NZ

She’s a liberal communist/socialista, she knows best, hates people of faith, ruthless, uncaring, wants to reset Kiwi society and redistribute wealth.
She has no idea how an economy works, nor how entrepreneurs and innovators grow value.
As a front end she is brilliant, don’t get in her way.
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May 24, 2020 8:30am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  59% sheeple don’t think that way. This is a democracy and majority rules. So back off bro.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:51am
- oldfella
  
  No, I suspect Cindy only hates people of SOME faiths. Not faiths that garner her nice headlines in sycophantic international media when she dresses up in that faith’s garments and shows us all her felzy/hugsy side.
  I wonder what her Mormon parents make of all that?
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:24am
I remember when

ARE YOU ******* KIDDING ME
Apparently, according to all the interviews so far, the most important subjects for Party Leaders are Abortion, Assisted Death and Cannabis. It doesn’t matter that they are personal opinions and Parliament is supposed to reflect the views of all the general public.
When we are waist deep in borrowed cash I am sure these three subjects cover all the most important current problems.
Basically, they are single vote matters and then those views will be replaced by the legislation. At best these are nice to knows depending on which camp you are in.
Holy shit! And he’s catholic. Hope he takes his lead from the head of the Anglican Church, King Henry VIII. He knew how to treat the views of women with respect.
We are in deep crap people let’s concentrate on trying to get out of it as quickly as possible.
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May 24, 2020 8:32am
I remember when

Muller takes small business. It used to be big business but Labour have fixed that.
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May 24, 2020 8:34am
- kowtow
  
  Not much point in the tourism portfolio ……
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:13am
  - Chris R
    
    That is why it rests with Kelvin Davis at present.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:29am
Tomtoddy

The Ferald has something on Muller. They searched high and low to find something to take him down. Something that might indicate a dark, frightening foible in his otherwise solid, impenetrable facade. If only there was some bit of dirt, a throw away line to pin on him, a tawdry act from his school days, maybe, some even minor indiscretion.

And they have it. Caught him and it only took two days of relentless and thorough searching.

Muller has a hat, a MAGA hat.
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May 24, 2020 8:34am
- JB.49
  
  Make Ardern Go Away?
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:04am
- Inandout
  
  Tom, were they to look into Jacinda’s past there would be enough material for a novel.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:12am
  - Janabelle
    
    They don’t look for dirt on Jacinda – I wonder why that is
    
    13 1
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    May 24, 2020 12:06pm
- kowtow
  
  Rather the leader of the Nats to be sporting a MAGA hat than a Mao hat .
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:33am
  - oldpark
    
    If he wore a “Mao hat” they would just about want to marry him . Figurtively speaking .
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:22am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Wear it proudly. Fuck the media
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:40am
  - MCos
    
    I would suggest if the Leader of either of our major parties were to wander around habitually wearing Trump campaign paraphernalia they would be looking for a new job quick smart.
    
    3 1
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    May 24, 2020 12:47pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      What if they wore Biden stuff?
      
      6 3
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      May 24, 2020 2:14pm
- alloytoo
  
  Make Ardern Go Away?
  
  28 0
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  May 24, 2020 10:00am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Wait until it means ‘Made Adhern Go Away’
    
    15 0
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    May 24, 2020 11:02am
- lifesgood
  
  Anyway, what is wrong with wanting to make America great again?
  
  29 2
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  May 24, 2020 10:17am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Best part is watching triggered lefties losing their shit. Hilarious
    
    30 2
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    May 24, 2020 10:42am
- Fletch
  
  Reading the story, he also has two Hillary pins. He says he got them all because he loves politics, but people usually spot the MAGA hat as it stands out.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:54am
Souvlaki

Now is the time for a concerted campaign by those of us like minded individuals to rise up against the absolute bullshit coming from NZ Herald.
This journalist seriously has to get a life!
The fact it LEADS on the website demonstrates how out of touch with everyday people this ” woke PC deadshit” really is!
https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334259.
Make Ardern Go Away!
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May 24, 2020 8:34am
- freemark
  
  Yeah but we can tie the Woke up in knots of confusion & hypocrisy by simply saying…
  Make Aotearoa Great Again
  🙂
  
  32 2
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  May 24, 2020 9:08am
- Rich Prick
  
  The pile on is revealed. Just pathetic.
  
  33 0
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  May 24, 2020 9:29am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  MAGA!
  
  29 2
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  May 24, 2020 9:54am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    MAGA MAGA MAGA out out out! said in a north Yorkshire coal mining accent with whippet on string and ‘alf a Ridleys
    
    13 0
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    May 24, 2020 11:04am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  For 50M handout, they have to do something right?
  
  22 0
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  May 24, 2020 10:53am
- Lizziep
  
  Its very easy to do Souvlaki. Do not ever buy the herald, if they offer it for free, then refuse. They would have to close down and too bad, how sad, never mind. They are well past their use by date anyway.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:31am
  - Roberta
    
    They are always offering it for free around here (Ponsonby), I’d never take it on principle.
    
    1 0
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    May 24, 2020 9:02pm
Luke Piewalker

What a contrast at the next election

A bunch of bumbling fools spraying money around and have nothing to show for it.

Or a well thought out program getting NZ working again

Cindy you had the worst government in NZ history. Yes you are that bad.

I look forward to National making NZ great again
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May 24, 2020 8:35am
- Bill Felt
  
  “Cindy you had the worst government in NZ history. Yes you are that bad.”
  Can anyone disprove this statement?
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:23pm
Tauhei Notts

An anecdote I heard of over a few beers yesterday.
He was at home and the knocking on the door was at 11 p.m. He had been asleep for about an hour and his wife told him to get up to see what was that. It was Mr Plod! Their sons and daughter are aged 21, 20 and 18. He took a deep breath, stood up straight and said to Plod;
“Okay, which one is it.”
Imagine his surprise when Plod said no, it was not that.
“You had several visitors this afternoon and one of your neighbours complained that you were not following the social distancing rules.”
They went through the usual pleasantries and Plod left. When told about it the wife asked why Plod was not invited in for a few rums as they had feared awful news.
And what sort of person would pot a neighbour for having a few mates in for a beer or three, mid afternoon.
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May 24, 2020 8:37am
- yossarian
  
  Erich Honecker will be proud
  
  27 1
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  May 24, 2020 9:26am
- kowtow
  
  A couple of points.
  
  Why wait till 11 pm , that is not a reasonable time to be making what at that stage would be a “routine” enquiry . If it was important enough ie the wilful spreading of plague , they should have turned up straight away afterall Chief Plod has said they have all the resources they need to gulag us. ( perhaps they were busy assisting illegal “check points”)
  
  As to shit head neighbours , I ‘ve read people in the UK are getting fed up with the ritual Clap for Carers and someone there noted that it’s the most sanctimonious of their neighbours who are out most loud and proud. I can imagine it’s that type of c#nt who’d be quick on the blower if they suspected a non clapper of a breach of the stalag rules…..
  Me , no Teddy in my cell window, fuck that.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:30am
- Gravelroad
  
  The question I would be asking the head honcho at the police station is why was it necessary to send an officer around at 11pm on such a trivial matter?
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:35am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Boy racers doing burnouts up ones street having a night off . . .
    
    10 0
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    May 24, 2020 11:05am
- oldpark
  
  Think the cop was at wrong address. He should have been banging on the door of the complainant and charging him with wasting Police Time and being a nuisance . With one proviso. Maybe the newly elected Police Commissioner yes the guy who got that job because no-one else in Police Headquarters in Wellington wanted it and because he was an associate of the previous Commissioner who came out forcefully against certain allegations against the Partner of a well know Labour Party Politician and was told that that was the way to operate against innocent victims of whistleblowers. Just saying .
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:15am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  What sort of person?
  A Jacinda sycophant. They are everywhere, totally brainwashed
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:11am
- Nickc2
  
  I’m told by a friend of mine who is a plod that within the force, they are concerned that they have lost some of the respect they could normally rely on from the public. I wonder why?
  
  They could hire a brigade strength of psychologists and their hierarchy still wouldn’t understand that they (senior officers) have bought the dilemma on the force themselves.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:45am
Harriet

What with a photo of a huge diamond ring?

Jeffros off the hook! 😎
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May 24, 2020 8:38am
- Harriet
  
  Moderator.
  The delete button doesn’t work on both threads. Thanks.
  [ not something the mods can manage … sorry ]
  
  5 1
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  May 24, 2020 8:45am
  - Sacha
    
    Harriet, it doesn’t work for me either – or the edit button. Because we don’t use our full names?
    [ the edit button only works for a minute or so after posting ]
    
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    May 24, 2020 5:29pm
Justitia

The Far Left are obviously concerned about Todd Muller. Their attempt to take him down because of his ownership of a MAGA hat from the 2016 Trump campaign continues in the Herald today: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334259. I suppose $50 million of taxpayers’ money buys these kinds of partisan services. It is a measure however of just how extreme the media in New Zealand have become that they can publish this trash. Muller should ignore it.
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May 24, 2020 8:39am
mara

As I see it, the Nat hating media caused ructions in the polls leading Nat to depose a man who might have won government in September and to select one who will almost certainly see off Ardern in short order. Isn’t that right Tova?
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May 24, 2020 8:40am
- kowtow
  
  Tova cut quite the fashionable darling the other day , beret , sunnies and long woolen jacket . Looked very different to the rest of the rats .
  
  I wonder who’s dressing her .
  
  28 2
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  May 24, 2020 9:17am
  - niggly
    
    Probably did a bit of shopping the other day (Monday) when the 3News crew wandered down from their HQ into the heart 0f inner city Cuba St where the lefties and bohemains hang out and gave anti-Simon Bridges soundbites.
    
    Someone here said the other day there she was on Friday with her “Che” beret (I thought they were joking until I saw the news later that night). I guess the Cuba St op-shops got a lot of business from TV3 staff last week!
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:42am
  - Paulus
    
    Probably her pal JLR.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:53am
- niggly
  
  Yep I wouldn’t be surprised if Fraser House takes Tova off their Christmas Card list.
  
  Although her years of white-anting of Simon Bridges has “paid off” (she can gleefully claim two scalps – JLR and SB … although that I didn’t realise journalism was about that //), the result will see Labour loose office in September.
  
  So expect Fraser House leftie trolls on the blogs and twit-esphere to start calling Tova a “right-wing” plant (good forking grief – face palm)?!!
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:37am
NK

Some no-name loser is all worked up about Todd Muller’s MAGA hat and it is the lead story on that pathetic rag, the Herald.

It’s a piece of political memorabilia. I despise Trump but I’ve got one too.

What a shallow, insecure f***wit that “journalist” is.
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May 24, 2020 8:42am
- PaulP
  
  The same quality newspaper that reported employees could get $15 per week of free money from Inland Revenue before IR released a statement pretty quickly that it was bollocks and that the “free” money came from your employer, if they could afford it amongst this Covid shit storm.
  
  Even though Stuff is pretty useless they still picked up the correction and put the boot into the bullshit the herald was reporting.
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:50am
  - Lummox
    
    And the money was free, because the employer could claim it back!
    These journalists are so stupid it’s embarrasing. They have no idea how a business works. And obviously the old system of having editors who checked stories before publication is long gone.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:42am
- Chris2
  
  This eptomises the media in NZ as in the same breath Muller had also told the interviewer that he had a Hillary Clinton badge in his office too, but that no one ever noticed that.
  
  The media in NZ can’t help themselves, already making stories with one-side articles – no mention of Clinton in the story,
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:51am
- MrTips
  
  Well he seems to have made the most of his weekly spin the wheel “what crap shall I troll with” hasn’t he?
  
  Probably still amazed he has a job.
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:56am
- JerJer
  
  There is another hat available on Amazon.
  
  Trump 2020. F**k your feelings.
  
  Sold out too. I guess decent people are buying in bulk and burning them.
  
  15 0
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  May 24, 2020 9:10am
- emmess
  
  It’s official then, the Herald is now the Jussie Smollett of media.
  
  25 0
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  May 24, 2020 9:31am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Without the grace or charisma . . .
    
    10 0
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    May 24, 2020 11:09am
- Chris R
  
  Sadly Cameron Slater has done the identical hit job as the Herald did. What does anyone imagine will make Cameron his happy perceptive old self again.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:33am
- Bobba Fret
  
  I wish you were able to make comments on the story like the old days. Even Stuff hardly ever opens up stories for comments now.
  
  22 0
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  May 24, 2020 9:39am
  - GT Build
    
    Yes it pisses me off they offer opinion articles but wont let others have an opinion. Censoring the opposition to their views simular to North Korea and such
    
    23 0
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    May 24, 2020 10:38am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  He also has a Hillary badge, but nobody worries about that. The left see ‘MAGA’ and lose their shit
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:53am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    The Hillary badge is there to ensure he doesn’t get an Epstien
    
    11 0
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    May 24, 2020 11:11am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      A good luck charm, or a warning?
      
      5 0
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      May 24, 2020 12:16pm
  - Sacha
    
    I think they are worried in case the general populace rises in Opposition and starts wearing them for NZ election for the NZ situation.
    Seems as though a few bumper stickers and wee flags might find a ready market at $5 a pop. If there’s anyone left in NZ to make them, the small business situation being what it is. But! the new opposition spokesman for Small Businesses might know someone, eh.
    
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    May 24, 2020 5:37pm
Wangas Feral

Just about to go into town for first session of our RPG group since Feb and…..the damn water pump packs up so no bloody water. Sometimes you just don’t catch a break.
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May 24, 2020 8:43am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Rocket Propelled Grenade?
  
  There won’t be much eating left on the ducks.
  
  8 0
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  May 24, 2020 9:20am
- gorse
  
  Stop using acronyms, I have no idea what an RPG is. Acronyms aren’t cool.
  
  3 0
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  May 24, 2020 12:19pm
  - Wangas Feral
    
    Well, you could look it up on the search engine of your choice.
    
    2 0
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    May 24, 2020 3:02pm
krazykiwi

Dr Matt Ridley has some interesting commentary on the importance of vitamin D in limiting Covid-19’s impact.
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May 24, 2020 8:44am
- chaos
  
  Perhaps your link is Meant to be
  
  http://www.rationaloptimist.com/blog/growing-vitamin-d-evidence/
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:07am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Thanks chaos. iPhone fat fingers this morning
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:08am
burt

This guy is obviously not a Labour Party member because Mau isn’t silent about it.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/300018873/transtasman-universities-at-war-over-top-scholars-sexual-stalking
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May 24, 2020 8:49am
- WaveyDavey
  
  Yeah I skimmed that load of toss.
  
  They were sexting each other but apparently she didn’t feel comfortable doing it – didn’t actually tell him that so as per usual he was expected to be psychic
  
  This story translates to “I’ll flash my tits and get promoted” followed by “Waah you promised – I’ll get you.”
  
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  May 24, 2020 8:57am
- Paulus Gnome
  
  I saw that and did not bother because of the ‘Warning, graphic content’ label which is a flashing sign saying ‘pick me pick me’ that will end up being a blurred picture of breasts or something else equally innane.
  
  Oh, and it had a Mau label that makes it as palatable as something on the shoes after taking the dog to the hydatids dosing strip.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:12am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Yes but she is standing for Labour in Australia.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:40am
- Tall Man
  
  Send this to mau
  
  “Hey Alison
  
  How’s the research going on “Sarah’s” story of sexual assault within ardern’s office?
  
  Too sensitive for you maybe or is it different when the “left” do it?
  
  Cheers”
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:15am
  - Tall Man
    
    I got a response.
    
    “Here’s a few links for you since you seem incapable of doing your own
    research
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/115064334/alison-mau
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2019/sep/13/labours-metoo-moment-eats-away-at-jacinda-arderns-most-prized-asset-trust
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/115801937/when-people-speak-out-why-do-we-find-it-so-hard-to-believe
    
    Use your real name next time, coward.”
    
    Charming.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:29pm
MrTips

Good news: like most things exported from China, SARS-COV-2 appears to stop working properly after 11 days at least in Singapore.

Hopefully, this is true for everywhere else.
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May 24, 2020 8:51am
BeeJay

The shallow, insecure f***wit is some unknown called Damien Venuto! What an idiotic piece in the rubbish Herald! Also some clown on FB is trying to take issue with the hat without mentioning Todd’s other memorabilia from 2016 election – Hilary’s badge!
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May 24, 2020 8:53am
WaveyDavey

Question for today:

Given the recent polling that shows Labour has a 30% lead over National (59% to 29%) and that bringing the Greens into the mix makes a 34% lead.

And that the undecideds are 16% so not enough to change the outcome even if every one of them went to National.

What are the positive messages National can deliver to change the minds of the 18% that they need?

nobody cares about what’s happened to date, if they did then Labour wouldn’t have this lead. Mistakes are forgotten and forgiven as the numbers show and Nationals new leader might be good for a point or two but that’s all.
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May 24, 2020 8:54am
- WaveyDavey
  
  No answers. Telling.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:56am
- Tall Man
  
  Davey I just can’t get my head around the 29% figure.
  
  I don’t know a single National voter that would vote for ardern.
  
  Remember all the UK conservatives that joined labour so they could vote for corbyn during the leadership election. Is that a play here or was it just a “message to Simon”?
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:08am
  - WaveyDavey
    
    3 polls now. One I might say an outlier but not 3.
    
    The Corbyn thing’s been a bit overblown btw.
    
    Plus: Still no positive messages though and that’s worrying. The C19 shitstorm will only properly arrive after the election so there’s no cut-through there.
    
    All the other stuff that’s been raised? That’s gone. So what is the message that will win this election. Right now Labour doesn’t have to do a thing the onus is on National to do the appealing.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:57am
    - Tall Man
      
      “Right now Labour doesn’t have to do a thing the onus is on National to do the appealing”
      
      Agree but also labour can lose this by being overly and overtly arrogant.
      
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      May 24, 2020 1:15pm
      - WaveyDavey
        
        Well you’re right of course but it’s not a great election-winning strategy.
        
        I’ll just wait here for them to make mistakes. TBF it works when your opponent is Biden but not when they’re charismatic.
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:29pm
      - Sacha
        
        One person’s charismatic appeal is not universal. Some times it seems plain faux no matter who promotes it.
        
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        May 24, 2020 5:42pm
      - WaveyDavey
        
        You’re right it’s not universal just 84% of the currently decided
        
        I’ll take that figure going into an election in 3 months
        
        If they never appear in public or say anything again they’re going to win by a landslide
        
        Oh and still not a single positive National message? There’s the real problem – not the leader, not the strategy but a lack of a message for voters to get behind
        
        Look at the UK election “Get Brexit Done” v “This lot are shit” can you see a theme here?
        
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        May 24, 2020 9:24pm
WaveyDavey

I see the media running interference for Labour continues.

FFS the Herald is getting their Business reporter to write political opinion pieces now

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334259
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May 24, 2020 9:02am
- Tall Man
  
  MAGA is a great example of A grade politics.
  
  Trump’s 2016 win should motivate any aspiring politician.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:06am
KevO'Brien

I have already heard from Todd Muller. That man has fight.
Ardern R. does not know what has been unleashed.
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May 24, 2020 9:07am
- Tall Man
  
  Moi aussi.
  
  I’d like to see what he plans before I commit funds.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:03am
- Philview
  
  I thought on the lead story on TVNZ news last night Todd’s reply that his Catholic faith instructing his heart was a brilliant come back. His intellect appears to be sharp as a nail and he will be formidable against young journalists with a weak agenda.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:51am
- Jack5
  
  KevO’B: Lots of us have already heard from him. Muller’s obviously been given Bridges’s emailing list.
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:29pm
  - Tall Man
    
    Shows a mature transition possibly.
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:17pm
oldpark

Cometh the hour Cometh the man . Come on down Todd Muller NZ needs you. Yes already I see and hear the Mainstream Media sycophants and the band of arse licking pretenders of the present regime or is it the present gang of no hopers masquerading as Politicians . Yes they are running scared especially the North Korean edition known as the NZ “toilet paper” Herald. Yes leading the charge to kneecap NZs next PM Todd Muller, what a web they will weave as they and the other pack of reef fish Picture Print, Sound Media declare war on the only chance to make sure NZ is not turned into the Commie/ Socialist Republic of the South Pacific.
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May 24, 2020 9:07am
Lee C

Kev, his ‘fight’ will be exploited to portray him as a mysogynistic bully.

That is the line the press will adopt.

You read it here first.
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May 24, 2020 9:14am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Going by Muller’s leadership speech, he may be able to side-step that accusation.
  He won’t have to go head-to-head with Ardern… he can leave that to Nikki Kaye.
  He just has to demolish the support structures propping Ardern up.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:35am
  - Lee C
    
    Maggy – did he vote for or against
    
    ‘a woman’s right to be trusted to make her own decisions about do what she wants with her body’ Bill’?
    
    Game, set, match.
    
    8 17
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    May 24, 2020 9:45am
    - burt
      
      So just making sure I understand this, to run a country we need male & female leaders because that brings balance but to decide the fate of a life created by a male and a female it’s the womans choice?
      
      23 1
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      May 24, 2020 9:57am
    - chaos
      
      Actually no. It doesn’t matter. That is a vote that no matter what side a person is on someone will be butt hurt. What does matter is he voted in what he believed and he didn’t get up to try and push his views on to others to change their votes.
      
      15 1
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      May 24, 2020 10:10am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      @LeeC
      The Abortion Legislation Act 2020 has passed.
      
      It isn’t a topic that is now at the forefront of NZ Women’s interests.
      
      Labour has to be very careful about playing the bullying man card.
      
      Jacinda Ardern has demonstrably failed to protect her staff and young Labour devotees from abuse and bullying .
      
      25 1
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      May 24, 2020 10:25am
      - Tall Man
        
        It’s part of the “training programme”.
        
        “When I joined the Labor Party, it contained the cream of the working class. But as I look about me now all I see are the dregs of the middle class. And what I want to know is when you middle class perverts are going to stop using the Labor Party as a spiritual spitoon.”
        
        Kim Beazley snr’s assessment is still valid, maybe even more so.
        
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        May 24, 2020 11:01am
  - Harriet
    
    Exactly maggy.
    
    As I said above:
    
    Bills, banks, mortgages, loans, fees, charges, income, pay and security – are the words the public will have at the forefront of the minds.
    
    The election is then essentially the ‘short game’ something business people with experience understand — while political students don’t.
    
    She can talk all she likes to women in one ear about anything — but in the other ear they have the husband, banker, employer……
    
    She will stop resonating with ‘households’ —kwkiwigirl below lays out the damage Cindy and her fan club are increasingly doing. 😎
    
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    May 24, 2020 9:49am
  - gorse
    
    Nikki Kaye won Auckland Central, twice, against Adern. There’ll be no love lost there. I would imagine Adern is a bit nervous about this.
    
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    May 24, 2020 12:28pm
- Nukuleka
  
  Surely the simple solution to allay the MSM portrayal of Muller as a misogynist is to leave Kaye, Collins and others of the sisterhood to attack Ardern. Women are far more talented at tearing each other apart than men will ever be.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:36am
- KevO'Brien
  
  They can say what they like. I suspect strongly that Todd Muller understands the bully nature of the socialists and will not be as polite as they may wish.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:06am
  - Tall Man
    
    He has the look of this guy …
    
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/118176963/former-all-black-brian-jazz-muller-dies-aged-77
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:42am
I remember when

A note to Shaun Hendry.
Professor Karol Sikora:” We have to put an end to the pandemic and the psychology of fear. Fear of what could happen.
In the UK cancer patients are not coming forward for diagnosis.
Breast cancer at stages 1 and 2 has a 95% survival rate at 5 yrs. At Stage 3 that drops to 25%”
Time is important!
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May 24, 2020 9:18am
kwkiwigirl

I’m a shopaholic. Went for a stroll down Ponsonby Road yesterday. Now shopping is a drag not a fun event. Shops have varying degrees of contact tracing, it’s tedious filling out your name and phone number so many times, even having to get your phone out to QR code is as well (Is this what that academic Dr Alesha Verrell has prescribed for the whole country? Has that woman ever owned a small business), I must have sanitised my hands over ten times Is this necessary?

Some shops were more paranoid than others, where I was asked to queue outside I just kept walking. Several shops literally had tables blocking the front door. It seems the bigger the chain the more OTT the employees were about things. I didn’t buy anything. I can see many shops going under under this regime. It is going to destroy the Main St if regulations are not loosened up to practical and sensible levels.
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May 24, 2020 9:24am
- Jules99
  
  You want to try South Auckland. I visited two shops, only because I needed to, and was pleasantly surprised to see sanitiser offered but not compulsory and no sign in required. Even the post office didn’t ask for sign in details – but did require use of sanitiser.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:47am
  - Sacha
    
    I get peeling/broken skin if I use alcohol based hand washes. Every sanitiser I have seen has some alcohol content.
    I have disposable gloves.
    
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    May 24, 2020 5:50pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Don’t sign the contact tracing. The undesirables are photographing them and selling mailing lists.
  Low lifes.
  I did sign one the other day – Donald Duck, Hollywood
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:48am
  - alloytoo
    
    Colour me surprised.
    
    That’s exactly what I thought would happen when I saw these registers.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:10am
  - MCos
    
    I always knew Steve Otto was a nom de plume.
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:01pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Looks like Donald Duck will be getting spammed by Real Estate agents and viagra sellers
      
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      May 24, 2020 3:14pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      You get an uptick for humour. Thankyou
      
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      May 24, 2020 3:15pm
- DeepBlue
  
  Stupid,unclear messaging from Government. Retail stores do not need to keep a register or offer hand sanitiser. They do need to limit people to under 100 – which shouldn’t be hard in smaller retail stores.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:37am
I remember when

How has Singapore managed to contain Covid-19 deaths.
They have only had one death for every 603 recovered sufferers. They have never had more than 2 deaths a day . Despite the fact they have 17,163 Active Cases only 8 are shown as serious/critical.
Deaths per million are still at 4 and in the last 11 days there have only been two deaths.
Remember the glee in the media when their latest outbreak occurred. However it continues to be nothing to see here.
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May 24, 2020 9:35am
- Tall Man
  
  Basically a healthy base population.
  
  Had we kept the virus out of Rosewood NZ would look pretty good as well.
  
  Had we shut the inward travel from at risk nations like China, Italy and Iran we may have saved ourselves a great deal of economic ruin.
  
  Had we elected National on it’s own in 2017 we would have also saved ourselves a great deal of ruin and social hatred.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:57am
- MCos
  
  I don’t recall any glee anywhere when someone has died with/because of the virus.
  
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  May 24, 2020 2:03pm
- C-Town
  
  Most of the Singapore cases are foreign construction workers living in close proximity in hostels. So mostly fit young guys who work in the sun getting lots of vitamin D.
  
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  May 24, 2020 4:17pm
SpencerArnold

So Boris’ chief advisor has been caught doing an “unauthorised trip” during lockdown and basically told the media to get stuffed.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52782913

I would have asked them if they had run out of other peoples voicemails to read, but the sentiment would have been the same.
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May 24, 2020 9:37am
- Paulus
  
  Understand he went home where he wife was very unwell and they have a young baby.
  Good on him !
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:59am
Bobba Fret

A few of these unfortunate stories now starting to surface now.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300019000/coronavirus-death-of-auckland-baby-sheds-light-on-unreported-violence-during-covid19-lockdown
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May 24, 2020 9:42am
Joe Hunt

If you have a copy of yesterdays NZ Herald go to page A 3 and there’s a photo of Todd and Michelle. Cut it out, frame it and put it on your wall because Todd Muller is your next Prime Minister.
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May 24, 2020 9:48am
- Martin Williams
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  In 2029. Can an opposition leader last that long?
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:08am
  - Tall Man
    
    The sins of ardern, the hidden assaults, the silenced complainants will be back.
    
    National, the opportunity party not the party of perverts.
    
    “”When I joined the Labor Party, it contained the cream of the working class. But as I look about me now all I see are the dregs of the middle class. And what I want to know is when you middle class perverts are going to stop using the Labor Party as a spiritual spitoon.”
    
    Kim Beazley Snr got it right then and it hasn’t really changed.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:52am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    With Ardern R. there won’t be a NZ in 2029.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:09am
- Peter S
  
  Shades of Brash to Key.
  Brash managed to hit Labour hard in the polls, but did not have the x factor.
  A combination of low down dirty tricks from the left and collusion from the press ended up with him being replaced by Key, who ended up Labour’s worst nightmare.
  
  Hopefully this will be a re-run.
  
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  May 24, 2020 1:40pm
Lee C

I like the write your name, address and phone number on a bit of paper, so that everyone can see it idea – if she’s hot, I record her number for later, (maybe take a covert snap) so I can harass and text her when I’m drunk.

If she’s not, phone a friend to go rob her house, because we know she’s out having a coffee at the moment.

Just saying.

In the rush to ‘do the right thing’ – it appears all those laws to protect confidentiality and privacy don’t appear to mean anything these days.
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May 24, 2020 9:51am
- Gravelroad
  
  Yep, family member was required to sign in to her sizeable workplace with name, phone number (thank goodness not residential address).
  Nec minnit pervey phone calls started……….
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:20am
- Maggie Pie
  
  Went to the Chemist Warehouse last week to get some of my fave Chanel fragrance.
  There was an Indian guy at the entrance taking everyone’s temperature.
  Told me he thought I was hot, but let me in anyway.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:40am
  - Lee C
    
    I hope you didn’t trip over his guide dog Maggie.
    
    32 1
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    May 24, 2020 10:54am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      😀 😀 😀
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:19am
      - Lee C
        
        Eye thenkyu.
        
        5 0
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        May 24, 2020 3:57pm
- Ruahine
  
  I just right my initials and my cellphone number which I usually cannot quite remember.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:22am
- Peter S
  
  Just sign in as J Adern, 666 Controll Freakery Crescent (Moon) ph 666 666 666.
  
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  May 24, 2020 1:37pm
emmess

US CDC estimate the death rate of coronavirus is 0.26%

https://www.conservativereview.com/news/horowitz-cdc-confirms-remarkably-low-coronavirus-death-rate-media/
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May 24, 2020 9:54am
- cmm
  
  We have been fed a line of panic. This is what is behind all the irrational decision making.
  
  It has been well known for generations that when people panic they stop thinking. This is why, for example, the military do so much training. They train until responses become automatic so that people don’t freak out when presented with problems.
  
  Why do you think they feed us the bullshit lines: 80,000 will die in NZ, 2.2 million will die in USA, etc etc? They do this to shut down the thinking part of our brain so that the illogical, emotionally driven, part of our brain kicks in: fight or flight.
  
  Without this we’d not be making decisions to spend many tens of millions of dollars per life “saved”, when those are short lives anyway.
  
  We’d be making far better decisions with better outcomes, but costing way less (ie. saving more lives but costing us only a small fraction of the money without cratering the economy).
  
  Manufacturing a panic is part of this.
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:25am
  - kowtow
    
    A few months ago it was the Italian army truck death convoys , then it was the NY City sirens , today the aerial shots of mass graves in Brazil.
    
    All very powerful and carefully chosen and delivered images of the plague and death stalking the world.
    
    Which it isn’t.
    
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    May 24, 2020 10:38am
    - cmm
      
      Yup, lying through facts is the most effective way to lie, especially with photography/video which has high emotional content.
      
      Crop a photo or choosing an angle can change a photo from informative to bullshit. Use a photo out of context and it is way worse.
      
      Due to normal mortality, Brazil needs to cope with approx 6700 deaths a day on average, so probably 10k deaths a day during flu season. and 5000 per day out of flu season.
      
      Adding 1000 deaths a day (their current CV19 death rate) outside flu season (which it is now) and they’re burying 6000-7000 a day from all causes. This leaves a number below what flu season brings. This should not overwhelm their ability to cope.
      
      The reason for the bodies stacking up and all the refrigerated trucks is not because a massive extra death rates, but because the normal systems to handle them have been compromised by the lockdowns etc.
      
      It is basically the same reason we have a shortage of flour: not an increase in demand, but a breakdown in logistics.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:11am
      - Nickc2
        
        Very true!
        
        11 1
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        May 24, 2020 11:36am
  - Ruahine
    
    I am just wondering what the next manufactured panic is going to be around march-April next year if Arderns mob get back in power. Then we can have ANZAC Day cancelled again so that will make it three years in a row. just see the headlines now. Ardern wins the Trifecta.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:19am
Gulag1917

New Zealand conspicuous by its absence
Joint Statement from the UK, Australia and Canada on Hong Kong
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-from-the-uk-australia-and-canada-on-hong-kong
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May 24, 2020 10:09am
- chaos
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/417367/nz-govt-concerned-over-china-s-security-law-for-hong-kong
  
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  May 24, 2020 10:33am
- KevO'Brien
  
  We are smart to keep out of it. Hong Kong is part of mainland China and those people living there cannot secede as they please.
  Aus has had it barley sales to China stopped by a massive tariff because of taking side over Taiwan.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:15am
  - Tall Man
    
    So we buckle to big bullies?
    
    I don’t like bullies any more than I like liars.
    
    17 1
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    May 24, 2020 11:36am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      It’s China’s own large country and they’ve managed to live there thousands of years. We don’t have to like their systems or rulers but we do have to live with them in the world.
      It’s smart to live in tolerance of your neighbours. We can’t change them. Are we going to attempt to wipe them off the face of the earth to prove we can be successful bullies too? Peace is a state of mutual agreed co-existence.
      
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      May 24, 2020 12:08pm
      - Jack5
        
        Kevin, China signed an international treaty for the timetable of the handover and now they’re breaking it.
        
        Young people are out in the streets of Hong Kong demonstrating for preservation of democratic rights.
        
        NZ is caught between its trade with China on the one hand, and on the other Australia (equally important economically to NZ), the United States, the UK, and Canada. Trump is putting the heat on China trade, and the big Western countries will likely follow. NZ is going to be lonely.
        
        If National wins the election, it will be particularly hard for us, with a National list MP who was formerly in China’s military intelligence system. There must be pressure to squeeze NZ out of the West’s Five Eyes intelligence network.
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:21pm
      - Tall Man
        
        100% agree until they flex their muscles at us.
        
        “Your right to swing your arms ends where my nose begins”.
        
        It will not be easy and “what’s in it for wynston” is not the man for the job but we need to teach China that lesson even if we have a “medium term” cost.
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:40pm
      - Gulag1917
        
        The Hong Kong people were not consulted about the transfer from the UK to China. What is required is a referendum.
        
        7 0
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        May 24, 2020 1:52pm
      - James Stephenson
        
        The Hong Kong people were not consulted about the transfer from the UK to China. What is required is a referendum.
        
        They weren’t consulted when the territory was leased to the UK for period of 99 years either.
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:04pm
      - KevO'Brien
        
        Govts are never going to take kindly to youth causing mayhem. It took years for France to overcome that too.
        Agreements do have limits based on necessity–interference by force has been long excused.
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:39pm
      - Jack5
        
        Kevin has a track record on this – in Tibet and Xinjiang. Stalin prompted Communist China to seize Xinjiang in the 1940s.
        
        June 4 is the anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
        
        Meanwhile, China is taking a tougher stance towards Taiwan.
        
        As for your:
        
        “Agreements do have limits based on necessity–interference by force has been long excused.”
        
        That’s how Britain and France wrote off Hitler’s takeover of Czechoslovakia. The necessity, in Hitler’s mind, was the interests of the three million German people living in Czechoslovakia.
        
        Thank goodness the Western world has a strong United States to balance Communist power.
        
        On James Stephenson’s point. Few of Hong Kong’s present people are descended from the folk who were there when Britain leased the land. Most Hong Kongers are, or are descendants of, refugees from communism.
        
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        May 24, 2020 5:31pm
    - MCos
      
      China ain’t the only bully in town.
      https://nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12334351
      
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      May 24, 2020 5:00pm
Maggie Pie

Just had a bit of a lay-in and listened to Bryce Edwards. He was giving his predictions for Nationals’s new lineup. He thinks that since Paula went on the List, her political career may well be over. (If true, that would be sad)
I was a bit surprised that he didn’t mention a promotion to the front bench for Nick Smith. Whenever i watch QT, doctor Nick is the only one that manages to bend the entire CoL out of shape – from the Speaker down 😀
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May 24, 2020 10:34am
- barnacle bill
  
  Nick Smith, now I know that you are a comedian Maggie pie.
  
  If Dr Smith gets promoted to the front bench, it will show just how devoid of talent the Nats are.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:07am
  - Tall Man
    
    But we know they aren’t.
    
    Spin it how you want but labour take the “idiot assembly” prize and will for the foreseeable future.
    
    17 3
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    May 24, 2020 11:32am
    - barnacle bill
      
      @TM
      Surely it is the right time for National to bring younger talent through TM.
      
      Same for Labour, if the polls are right, then there will be a major shake up in their cabinet, and justly so.
      
      But to keep on promoting the old fossils cant be the way to go.
      That is not the way to attract the younger voters.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:54am
      - Tall Man
        
        Sure and I’m not promoting Young Nick but he does have a very loyal voter base.
        
        Personally I would prefer an experienced bunch in charge and that means experience outside of politics first so that does tend to eliminate the “ardern” type politician and the downside is that “youth” does miss out. I can live with that as I believe ardern’s lack of real world experience is hurting New Zealand.
        
        7 1
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        May 24, 2020 1:49pm
      - barnacle bill
        
        @TM
        Your hatred for Labour and Jacinda in particular is well known.
        
        Types like you will never see reason, no matter what.
        
        You are blinkered in the past Tall Man.
        Either that, or you are just plain jealous of a successful woman.
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:39pm
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Smith needs to be given a specific role, and told to sink his teeth into the Minister opposite. He’s a bit like a dog with a bone, but he and Mallard don’t get on, so it’s pointless having take up too many questions.
        
        He is however a very well regarded electorate MP, and has held Nelson for 30 years now, despite the best efforts of Labour and the Greens to gerrymander the seat away from him. He has at least twice got into legal difficulties as a result for sticking up for his constituents, and sticking up for your constituents is what being an electorate MP is all about.
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:44pm
      - Tall Man
        
        Jeez billy boy, I didn’t realise I’d hit a nerve.
        
        I’m married to a very successful woman so that crap won’t wash with me.
        
        I don’t like ardern because she is a bloody liar and the bulk of her supporters are feral trolls as the regular posts on here demonstrate.
        
        Saying I’m blinkered in the past is just trite crap. The labour/left ideology is well mired in the past with worker/evil boss mentality which will ultimately create a chasm where none has existed in NZ in recent years. Look at the anti landlord shit espoused by these twit heads. What positive outcomes for renters has that created…. None.
        
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        May 24, 2020 10:15pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Under rate Dr Nick Smith as you please. He has abilities vastly superior to all on the COL benches.
    
    15 1
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    May 24, 2020 12:12pm
    - Tall Man
      
      As previously stated, my neighbour’s dog has abilities vastly superior to all on the COL benches, even when he’s wearing his “naughty dog” electronic collar 🙂
      
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      May 24, 2020 1:53pm
  - rockape
    
    Funny then that he has served longer in Parliament then even Winston. He must be doing something right. Sure there has been the occasional cock up along the way but he works bloody hard for Nelson and the party.
    
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    May 24, 2020 12:49pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Nicks due to retire. I would nominate him for the next Speaker.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:16am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Isn’t Anne Tolley being lined up for that role?
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:22am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Speaking of Tolley, East Coast used to be a strong Labour seat and it was only due to her that National took it and held it for so long. Now that she’s going list only I’d be very surprised if Kiri Allan didn’t win it unless National comes up with a very good candidate.
      
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      May 24, 2020 11:45am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Yep,
        While Nats are out with their knitting, Kiri Allan and Meka Whaitiri are schmoozing.
        http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/local-news/20200522/great-conversation-at-town-hall-meeting/
        
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        May 24, 2020 12:16pm
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Time will tell.
      Kiri Allen? Surely you jest?
      
      7 3
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      May 24, 2020 12:15pm
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Actually, Allen is probably the best performed of Labour’s 2017 intake. She’s intelligent, speaks well, and works constructively across the House. She definitely has a ministerial role in her future, although she may have to wait another nine years.
        
        Anne Tolley will be an excellent Speaker.
        
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        May 24, 2020 3:47pm
  - chaos
    
    Nope he’s not
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:25am
Durden

Another of Ardern’s lies by omission. We did not have stocks of Covid testing kits. The holiday in Oz in Dec – Jan meant PTPM was sleeping on the job.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300019031/testing-times-how-a-health-workforce-jumped-up-to-help-stampout-new-zealands-coronavirus-crisis
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May 24, 2020 10:38am
Maggy Wassilieff

Graphed info on how Covid-19 is progressing in 102 countries
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/covid-19-in-graphs-compare-each-country-s-coronavirus-curve
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May 24, 2020 10:41am
- rockape
  
  I keep thinking it’s a warm season cold season thing. The graphs seem to support that.
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:53pm
Steve James

Jo Biden will be gone-burger now….. unless of course the media turn this around and blame President Trump. Check the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFUjtsxb3OI
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May 24, 2020 10:43am
- Nickc2
  
  I predict the Dems will swap Biden out before the election. I think they have Michelle Obama and Hillary on standby. They will probably do four years each as president with Michelle Obama serving the first four years as POTUS and Hillary as VPOTUS, then swap roles for the final four years (if re-elected).
  Michelle Obama will be there to regain the Black vote for the Dems.
  I think there is no way they (Dems) will wheel out Sanders for a run in the election once they dump Biden.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:06am
  - Inandout
    
    Nick, so still no female President (well you gotta take into account the internet photos..lol)?
    
    5 2
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    May 24, 2020 11:26am
  - Steve James
    
    I think you are right Nick. Maybe not so the candidates but the Dems are desperate to halt investigations which could hurt them bad. They are so corrupt it is almost unbelievable.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:35am
    - Nickc2
      
      They are also rushing to introduce ‘vote-by-mail’, another recipe for corruption.
      An election official in Philadelphia has as recently as yesterday pleaded guilty to vote rigging by stuffing election boxes with fake Democrat votes.
      
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      May 24, 2020 12:14pm
- Steve James
  
  Check out the leaked phone call between Biden and the Ukrainian president. Especially about 8 minutes in but watch the whole thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvIRVHNTsr0
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:33am
Captain Mainwaring

My sister, my wife and her circle of female friends (all National supporters) were very anti-Bridges and were worried about whether their votes would be wasted. They couldn’t stand the man.
Now with Muller in the big seat you couldn’t meet a more enthusiastic bunch of National supporters.
I suspect this is going on with female voters all over the country and if I’m right Cindy is in big trouble.
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May 24, 2020 10:51am
- cmm
  
  I was wondering about this last night: What does Bridges lack?
  
  Bridges is a bit jump-up-and-downy. He looks like he would be excellent in court (and I hear he was).
  
  But it is not what people want as a PM, especially during a crisis.
  
  Muller looks, and sounds, more like the captain of a ship. A firm hand on the tiller. The sort of bloke you’d trust to steer you through a storm.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:16am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Bridges lacked nothing. The Labour bulldozer can only be dealt with by a massive mining truck. National so far have kept to good manners but too much is at stake to let NZ be taken down the gurgler by incompetent wannabe communists.
    
    Their belief that “might is right” is not one of Government but power–not for the people who will become serfs but their new political owners with dacha in Queenstown.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:24am
    - MCos
      
      “Bridges lacked nothing.“
      A majority of his caucus mates plus more than 90% of the voting public thought he lacked leadership.
      
      8 13
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      May 24, 2020 1:05pm
      - Jack5
        
        Is that what the polls asked, MCos?
        
        I thought they asked “who is your preferred Prime Minister”?
        
        9 2
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        May 24, 2020 3:05pm
      - cmm
        
        Not all leadership is the same.
        
        I would say Bridges is an excellent leader of the opposition. He took his job seriously unlike Little who did nothing, was ill prepared and only seemed to say “Kiwis deserve better.”.
        
        However a good opposition leader is not necessarily a good PM. A PM needs charisma too.
        
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        May 24, 2020 5:26pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Imagine if Bridges had been a media whore willing to exploit his family at the drop of a hat…
    
    wouldn’t weekly pics like this in the MSM have melted everyone’s hearts?
    https://scontent.fpmr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p526x296/99160986_3289010847797728_6123969292116426752_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_sid=110474&_nc_ohc=FlEVDvO6ul0AX9lsUCf&_nc_ht=scontent.fpmr1-1.fna&_nc_tp=6&oh=b56d02f4484db93f12941a4e69697ed7&oe=5EED8C0E
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:49am
    - MCos
      
      https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/simon-bridges-admits-its-a-challenge-juggling-family-and-career-38909
      
      4 5
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      May 24, 2020 12:56pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Yep,
        a statutory article in the womens’ rags…
        
        We weren’t bombarded with attractive images of him and family for 2 and half years.
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:23pm
      - MCos
        
        All those rugby magazines didn’t seem interested in second best, but here’s another one. https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/at-home-with-new-national-party-leader-simon-bridges-and-his-family-36832
        
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        May 24, 2020 1:52pm
    - Tall Man
      
      I used to get “moderated” for using that phrase……..
      
      Is it different when a lady does it 🙂
      
      [Mod. Comment: No you didn’t – you got moderated for actually calling someone that name. Bullshit again and take another holiday.]
      
      4 4
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      May 24, 2020 1:59pm
      - Tall Man
        
        I had numerous comments deleted for using “media whore” relating to ardern.
        
        Your “holiday” bullying is just that. Bullying.
        
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        May 24, 2020 10:17pm
  - Jack5
    
    Bridges wasn’t lacking.
    
    He was overthrown by his colleagues. It was about who has the power.
    
    It would be good if we could have the names of the MPs who deposed Bridges. I’m interested to see if my electorate National MP was one of them.
    
    Bridges was humiliated by a State radio reporter who talked over him in an interview, perhaps with the help of volume controls. If they had been upstanding people, Bridges’s colleagues would have gone after Red Radio rather than throw Bridges in the fire.
    
    We’ve been left with a Woke politician to the Left of Bridges heading the opposition to Jacindarella. Muller says he is centre-right, but look where he stands on climate change.
    
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    May 24, 2020 12:16pm
    - Lee C
      
      I’ve made no secret of my anger at the toppling of Simon Bridges.
      
      I can’t help but reflect the people who took over stood back and allowed him to take all those bullets.
      
      that includes the guy now front and centre – what’s his name again?
      
      Ergo this is a party I will not be voting for.
      
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      May 24, 2020 2:39pm
      - Cod Weyne
        
        Like you I am not happy with the backstabbing coup.
        
        But the shanking has been done and a new leader arises, he had better be good and live up to his own hype.
        
        My vote will be split.
        
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        May 24, 2020 6:01pm
      - Captain Mainwaring
        
        So you’ve never been a committed Nat and are now going to join the sewer rats who vote Labour.
        Good luck to you.
        
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        May 24, 2020 9:05pm
      - Jack5
        
        Wow! Lee, Captain Mainwaring’s going to put us into the open launch and sail the ship to Pitcairn Island.
        
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        May 24, 2020 9:26pm
  - Sacha
    
    I don’t think Simon Bridges is a ‘front-man’ type. I hope he will be given a role that fits his talents and allows him to shine. Todd Muller is getting a lot of ticks – let’s hope he earns them.
    
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    May 24, 2020 6:04pm
- Jules99
  
  I’m female and I judge leaders by their policies and achievements. I don’t have to like them – lefties do that sort of thing. I thought Bridges was fine, and I didn’t like the sneaky way this was done in collusion with the media. Muller has a long way to go to show that he’s a decent person.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:21am
- kevn
  
  @Captn… The gals should have considered the ‘team’ within the Nats rather than focusing on Bridges.
  They have an amazingly good collection of people. Add those who have yet to make it in.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:25am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    I’m aware of that kevn, but most voters are not like you and I who analyse the whole scenario. To them, it’s the badge on the front that’s important and this is where Bridges fell down.
    
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    May 24, 2020 11:41am
  - David George
    
    Of course that’s true Kev but we’re not entirely rational beasts, masters of our thoughts.
    I don’t know whether others noticed, could be just me but Bridges has a slightly mad look to him. Perhaps he’s a bit cross eyed, something subtle but possibly off-putting.
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:00pm
    - Jack5
      
      👎 Wow, David, that’s right up there for nastiness. Talk about putting the boot into someone when they’re down. Or were you by any chance just being sarcastic?
      
      If not and you were in the National caucus would you have voted for Todd Muller on cosmetic grounds?
      
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      May 24, 2020 2:54pm
      - cmm
        
        It’s being honest and it reflects how voters respond.
        
        Shallow or not, people do respond to visual cues. For instance, taller people get more respect and confidence than shorter people.
        
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        May 24, 2020 5:51pm
      - Jack5
        
        Height’s one thing, and there have been a lot of short stirrers: Churchill, Hitler, Stalin, Napoleon, Muldoon.
        
        But talking about a person being cross-eyed is a step too far, IMHO.
        
        I see on the Net, that research indicates taller people on average earn more than short people. Maybe that’s where the term “short changed” comes from.
        
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        May 24, 2020 9:39pm
  - alloytoo
    
    I suspect the problem was Jami-Lee Ross, not the accusations that Ross made, but the fact that the viper got so close to the centre.
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:36pm
- MCos
  
  “I suspect this is going on with female voters all over the country“
  You sound like you think Saudi Arabia made a mistake when they allowed women to drive.
  
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  May 24, 2020 1:11pm
- Tony Stuart
  
  I’m told traffic on the National Party website was extremely busy on Friday afternoon and evening with membership renewals, new members and donations aplenty.
  
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  May 24, 2020 4:00pm
Jimmy the Brush

My wife and I were talking with a friend of ours last night who is going through a nasty break up of her marriage to a violent thug, this started at Christmas last year. During her her drop off for a supervised visit with her Ex Husband she was talking to a social worker who works closely with the Police and OT, she was saying that there has been 26,000 domestic call over the lock down….. Has anyone seen this reported elsewhere?
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May 24, 2020 10:57am
- Tauhei Notts
  
  The cop I play golf with was talking about this. He was surprised there were so many useless violent bastards in our community. He has dealt with several violent drunks in the past, but during the Lockdown it was sober violent men. Very scary.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:15am
- chaos
  
  I very much doubt one social worker knows the nation wide case load under the lock down. Sounds like another case of Chinese whispers.
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:23am
  - Tall Man
    
    A family member in Waikato winz telling the same story.
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:01pm
- cmm
  
  Unless we have some context, it is hard to know if 26,000 is high or low.
  
  According to stats I saw were 118,910 incidents in 2016 or about 10,000 a month. Thus, for a 6 week lock down you’d expect approx 15,000 incidents. 26,000 is almost double.
  
  http://www.areyouok.org.nz/family-violence/statistics/
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:23am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I’ve only seen reports detailing a 20-22% increase .
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/415553/domestic-violence-calls-to-police-increase-in-lockdown
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:36am
  - Harriet
    
    They are being dodgy in aussie with domestic violence stats also — the reports all go something like this;
    
    The media report that there has been no increase in numbers of ‘domestic violence’ during the last few weeks but ‘we won’t know until much later’ —then— they quote someone from a ‘women’s phone in service’ where calls for ‘support’ have quadrupled.
    
    When the topic of ‘women’ is discussed by the media, polity and health dept. etc. I no longer believe any of it.
    
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    May 24, 2020 12:56pm
Tasman Terror

Labour are toast. Yes many people get sucked in by the media but the economy is rooted and those that need to have a future beyond govt dependency will vote for hope not platitudes from Ardern. Malpuss must live in a parallel universe to think she is ruthless! Remember 10 per cent of voters decide their vote when in the polling booth. Dozens of studies have shown this. By then the mum and dad who have lost their job, their house and their hope don’t give a stuff about”kindness” and other drivel. They vote for a future. The feedback from mates of all political persuasions has been complimentary of Muller. We need to have that conversation.
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May 24, 2020 11:05am
- Jacinda is not a Princess, she's a very naughty girl
  
  I hate to admit it but I am someone who decides in the polling booth as to whom to vote for. This is despite me being a natural National Party supporter.
  
  I once foolishly voted for Swarbrick because she was a young women and I like to look at younger females rather than Goff.
  
  Only later did Swarbrick announce her engagement to another female. Never mind, she had lost my vote before that 🙂
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:43am
  - alloytoo
    
    Indeed when she “Came out” for the Greens.
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:40pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/121606376/diy-dream-come-true-building-consents-for-low-risk-projects-scrapped
Didn’t a National MP mention this recently as something they would do ?
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May 24, 2020 11:05am
Nookin

https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/121606376/diy-dream-come-true-building-consents-for-low-risk-projects-scrapped

A very sensible move. Not surprising that the idea comes from someone other than Twyford.
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May 24, 2020 11:16am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Socialists relinquishing control? Well I never
  
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  May 24, 2020 11:25am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Hey Jacinda, something for you:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o928pwjdox9b62i/sheeple.jpg?dl=0
7 2
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May 24, 2020 11:20am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  One sheeple already LOL
  
  7 2
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  May 24, 2020 11:25am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Could use road cones, they are lying all over the Country at the moment – unused
  
  7 1
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  May 24, 2020 12:20pm
kowtow

Talking of the dying media and bullshit , I never thought this guy was funny . Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

Oscar Kightley

‘Being a former newspaper journo, I was keen despite worrying I’d run out of things to say after only a couple of weeks.

Eight and a half years and over 450 weekly columns later, that gig is up, another casualty of the economic crunch that industries everywhere face in this new Covid-19 world order.’

And he we go ….

‘By all accounts, the National Party’s new leader Todd Muller is a decent bloke. If he is really serious about being a PM for all New Zealanders, he needs to lose the red MAGA hat in his office.

I’m sure he’s not a racist, and probably doesn’t associate that hat with anything hateful. But thanks to the white supremacist leanings of the US President, the red MAGA cap has around the world become a symbol of hate, prejudice and discrimination. ‘

What utter shit.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300019308/there-are-no-goodbyes-for-us-wherever-you-are-youre-always-in-my-heart
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May 24, 2020 11:54am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Yep,
  I won’t be missing his columns…
  I can’t remember any of them.
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:20pm
  - Jack5
    
    The Samoan sense of humour isn’t easy to grasp.
    
    4 1
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    May 24, 2020 12:35pm
- Inandout
  
  Good night Knightly, sweet dreams.
  
  9 1
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  May 24, 2020 1:00pm
- Tony Stuart
  
  I used to have some time for Oscar Kightley until I met him and a female companion (another high-profile actress) in a corporate lounge at Westpac Stadium a few years ago. Maybe it was the free beers talking, but it was not a meeting I will remember fondly; entitleitis was in the air!
  
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  May 24, 2020 4:04pm
chaos

* Prominent political pundit Matthew Hooton has withdrawn from commentary for the time being because of a conflict caused by his link to the successful leadership bid of National MPs Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye.*

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300019440/prominent-pundit-matthew-hooton-pulls-back-over-todd-muller-link
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May 24, 2020 12:07pm
- MrTips
  
  Hooton is a bottom feeding Myxiniforme that most people would turn the hose on, but he does have a point about the left wing-right wing hypocrisy on this. https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/24-05-2020/hooton-is-withdrawing-from-punditry-critics-say-hes-at-least-a-week-late/ Labour and the Greens have the entire MSM in their pocket and no-ones allowed to comment on that? I don’t think so Tim.
  
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  May 24, 2020 12:34pm
  - Gravelroad
    
    Haha – so let me get this right:
    For months people have been going on about alleged dodgy dealings and relationships with journalists and “influencers” that have been managed by the Labour Party to gain political advantage.
    And now we have Matthew Hooton “influencing” the National Party leadership coup and going on media outlets as a supposedly neutral commentator immediately beforehand.
    Classic!
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:26pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5876/hagfish
    
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    May 24, 2020 1:32pm
    - Cod Weyne
      
      Nailed it.
      
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      May 24, 2020 6:08pm
  - Jack5
    
    The best bit of the item linked to by Mr Tips in his post about Hooton is:
    
    “Heaven knows how RNZ chose repeatedly to use lobbyist Matthew Hooton as a commentator… when most journalists know that Hooton has been working on Muller’s behalf to help achieve this outcome,” BusinessDesk editor Pattrick Smellie wrote in a piece re-published by the Herald late on Friday.
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:59pm
Tasman Terror

Muller v muddler.
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May 24, 2020 12:24pm
Fisiani

Muller has made a very good start and Newshub will be seething when they have to report the next poll and National are up to 41% and Labour have dropped (dare they say plummeted) from 59% to 47% They will be even more embarrassed to report National being on 45% and Labour on 44%.
“Covid was handled well BUT now the economy has to be recovered.”
“Covis was handled excellently BUT we need action that really works.
Muller will not argue with anything before the BUT.
What will win the election is what come after the BUT.
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May 24, 2020 12:30pm
chaos

* Federated Farmers backs Todd Muller’s agri-business background as ‘vital’ for National Party*

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2020/05/federated-farmers-backs-todd-muller-s-agri-business-background-as-vital-for-national-party.html
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May 24, 2020 12:32pm
chaos

Hmmm so Auckland isn’t even prepared for being allowed to take more water

* Even if Watercare was allowed to take more from the Waikato River it wouldn’t make any difference because it has to treat this water first and it hasn’t built the infrastructure required to do that.

“At the moment the constraint isn’t a consent constraint, it’s the infrastructure to treat the water that comes out of the Waikato River,” Environment Minister David Parker says.

The delay the Mayor complained about was, actually, in Watercare’s own words, “future planning” to meet demand 10 years from now*

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/05/clash-between-auckland-and-waikato-over-water-rights-as-drought-worsens.html
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May 24, 2020 12:40pm
- WaveyDavey
  
  Which of course fails to mention that you can’t actually get on with building treatment plants until you know you’re going to get access to the water.
  
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  May 24, 2020 1:23pm
  - chaos
    
    Actually you can forward think and prepare by building the plants for when they are needed.
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:31pm
    - WaveyDavey
      
      Yes let’s invest hundreds of millions of dollars building treatment plants to find out
      
      (a) Waikato won’t let us have the water
      
      (b) They’ll charge us what they want because we’ve built the plants
      
      Do you really not understand?
      
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      May 24, 2020 4:39pm
- Tall Man
  
  Sounds like the “management team” are destined for the labour front benches.
  
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  May 24, 2020 2:07pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  They sure make a noise if you don’t pay your bill on time
  
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  May 24, 2020 2:19pm
Swifty

The sound of victory:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6c3v9iihgw

A flight of 16 Spitfires…..
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May 24, 2020 12:46pm
- Lee C
  
  I see your 16 and raise you one:
  https://youtu.be/4iOoiEbtf2w
  
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  May 24, 2020 2:35pm
  - alex Masterley
    
    I agree with what the commentator said when the spitfire flew over head.
    
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    May 24, 2020 3:38pm
  - Swifty
    
    The pilot of that Spitfire was Ray Hanna, an Aucklander, and who also did this (among many other things)….
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3UtmHLKUU
    
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    May 24, 2020 3:53pm
    - stigie
      
      Wow just brilliant, makes the hairs on your hairy backside stand up..?
      What a beautiful plane !~
      
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      May 24, 2020 5:06pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Thanks for that Swifty.
  Always brings a lump to the throat seeing spitfires in the air.
  One of my father’s brothers joined the RAF, although born and bred in Christchurch (as were his parents) and flew Spitfire R6757 in the Battle of Britain.
  He was shot down over the English Channel on 11/08/40 – his 26th birthday.
  Two of the three brothers died that war.
  
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  May 24, 2020 2:45pm
- kevn
  
  @Swifty and Lee C… Thank you. Thinking of my Uncle, a young Spitfire pilot who died in action over Malta. 🙁
  Great young fellow by all accounts.
  
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  May 24, 2020 3:43pm
oldfella

Wow, according to the NY Times, our Cindy sold a drastic lockdown to NZers using straight talk and mum jokes.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334291
Is there anything this wonderful woman can’t do? I don’t know how she does it? As well as saving 80.000 lives, she’s recently potty trained her daughter, and is (probably) caring for her parents who are living with her and who knows what else? I’d have also suggested turning water into wine, but her parent’s are Mormon so maybe not…
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May 24, 2020 1:00pm
WaveyDavey

Staggering the way this story is framed. We’re apparently meant to feel sorry that Aussie is deporting a bike-gang leader.

The poor sausage has been there for 10 years and shouldn’t be sent back to NZ (although he did spend the first 22 years of his life here)

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/121596509/coronavirus-feared-rebels-bikie-boss-pleads-to-be-deported-to-new-zealand-after-becoming-stranded-in-australian-detention-centre

“ Had he been given the chance, he would have left Australia voluntarily with no escort as he wasn’t a threat to anybody.

… he’d amassed convictions for assault, threatening behaviour, possession of an imitation firearm and unlawfully presenting a firearm at a person.”
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May 24, 2020 1:18pm
- Michael NZ
  
  Wavey
  We don’t want him or his genes, can’t they drop him off halfway!
  
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  May 24, 2020 4:21pm
- oldfella
  
  TBH, this guy sounds like a piece of work, as do his gang…
  — Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said “I have cancelled the visa of a senior member of the Rebels in Victoria because the Rebels is a notorious group of thugs, drug dealers and thieves.”
  Makes you appreciate our home grown gangs. Basically nice, socially-responsible people who work tirelessly distributing food parcels, and supporting local police run authorised road blocks keeping troublesome whitey’s out of Maori areas. Kind of like Rotary with patches. What’s not to like?
  
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  May 24, 2020 4:32pm
Nickc2

China’s oppression in Hong Kong goes un-mentioned by NZ’s CoL. Sez a log really.
The UK, Canada and Australia issue a joint statement condemning China’s oppression against Hong Kong, but not a ‘Dicky Birds’ from NZ. Come on Cindy, stand for something FFS. Let us peasants know which side of the world’s political divide you stand.
https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2020/05/joint-statement-from-uk-canada-and-australia-on-chinese-oppression-in-hong-kong.html
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May 24, 2020 1:19pm
- Jack5
  
  I made this point in a post early yesterday, Nick, but by late in the afternoon, Winston Peters had made a statement about Hong Kong (link below).
  
  Now let’s hear where National stands on Hong Kong rights.
  
  https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/concern-introduction-national-security-legislation-hong-kong
  
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  May 24, 2020 1:26pm
  - Nickc2
    
    TKS for that Jack.
    
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    May 24, 2020 2:53pm
- chaos
  
  Might want to read nz news
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300019340/new-zealand-raises-concerns-over-chinas-contentious-new-security-law-for-hong-kong
  
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  May 24, 2020 1:37pm
Faroffsound

Anybody seen any stats re Kiwis voluntarily repatriating themselves because they’re not eligible for welfare assistance in Oz?

I read somewhere that there are 660,000 NZers in Oz and about 200,000 of those don’t qualify for any help but not sure how accurate that was.

More of a load on the welfare system!
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May 24, 2020 1:41pm
- Jack5
  
  Are they allowed into NZ at present?
  
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  May 24, 2020 3:02pm
  - rouppe
    
    Cannot deny nz citizens entry, they’d have to quarantine for 2 weeks. Whether there are flights though…
    
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    May 24, 2020 3:38pm
BlueDevil

The attached essay is a thoughtful read for a Sunday.
It discusses how by dividing us in to them and us, the mythology of Separation, discussion can be suppressed and alternate views can be demonised.
How the left have become the defenders of the status quo and other views have become (right wing) conspiracy theorist.
How politics and power have corrupted rational thought and the search for truth.
https://charleseisenstein.org/essays/the-conspiracy-myth/?_page=4
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May 24, 2020 2:09pm
cmm

Interesting that the MSM were having a big pile on about Sweden’s recent antibody testing showing that Sweden has 7% of its people have antibodies. They were blithering that this is not enough for herd immunity – although the Swedes have said this will take some time to develop.

But in all the screaming, there is something they miss:
* Sweden has had 700k people infected (70,000 per million)
* Of those only 33k people have become “cases” (3,300 per million), 99% of those “cases” are not serious.
* 4000 have died (400/million).

The real take-aways that they missed are:
* the deaths per infection rate is only about 0.5%
* The actual number of infected is about 20x the case rate – 95% of people did not even become “cases”.

We’ve been sold, and continue to be sold, seriously over inflated numbers.
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May 24, 2020 2:10pm
- Peter S
  
  The figures early on looked grim. The initial decision to lock down was called for by both sides, and, at the time was justified on the evidence available.
  Even then, 80,000 looked well over inflated, though not totally impossible.
  It is in the lack of correction and the continued use of figures that we can now see are totally without credibility that the lie is.
  At first you can say it was a reasonable mistake. Now it is just deception.
  
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  May 24, 2020 2:50pm
  - rouppe
    
    Trouble is, it is impossible to prove that the 80,000 figure would never have happened.
    
    If we’d taken Sweden’s route, more than 21 would have died, no question. How many more we can never know. That is what Adern is going to rely on. She’s already used the “we saved tens of thousands of lives” line
    
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    May 24, 2020 3:42pm
    - Peter S
      
      It is actually not that difficult to prove that the model that the prediction was based upon was grossly wrong, so the prediction was wrong.
      
      I have been mulling over writing a paper on the problem with the way the model was used. I am short of the available time, which is what has stopped me so far.
      
      There was a comment the other day on this site quoting how the figures are inflated because they are designed to give a margin in case things are worse than expected.
      
      This highlights a fundamental issue with the thinking.
      Put really simply, when you are modeling, you have an absolutely best case scenario, but you know that in reality events will conspire against that (the old everything that can go wrong will). So you build corrections into the model.
      
      The wrong thinking is that the model with pandemics is modeling what could go wrong, and that every negative will tend to inflate the issue.
      In fact, the model is modeling things going right (for the virus or infection), and negative events (such as a person isolating or dying too quickly before they can pass on the infection, or sunlight and time killing the virus in the droplets) will all conspire to lessen, not worsen the outbreak.
      
      The models have been shown to be 15x (Sweden) to 150 times the prediction to the actual (same in the past too).
      
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      May 24, 2020 6:14pm
      - rouppe
        
        If you can, I would encourage you to do so, and not only disclose it here but make it available to the campaign team.
        
        The only weapon against bad data is better data
        
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        May 24, 2020 6:37pm
chaos

Profits last year mean nothing this year, and that wage subsidy went to its employees.

* Pania Newton, spokesperson for the disputed land block at Ihumātao, has again called on its current owner Fletcher Building to return the land to New Zealanders ‘at no cost’.

“They should show some goodwill to the New Zealand public and to Aotearoa in allowing this whenua to be gifted back to the people to hold in trust for all New Zealanders to enjoy,” she told The Hui.

It comes after it was revealed that Fletchers will cut 1000 jobs in New Zealand despite receiving $68 million in wage subsidies and reporting a profit of $259 million last year.*

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/05/fletcher-called-on-to-return-ihumatao-block-after-collecting-68-million-in-taxpayer-funded-wage-subsidies.html
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May 24, 2020 2:17pm
I remember when

So the lockdown is the wall that National can’t get over or around.
Will the economy be the wall that Labour can get over or around?
8 2
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May 24, 2020 2:28pm
IndividualResponsibility

Nickc2 & Jack5 – Muller might have more difficulty explaining to the left if he thought MAGA stood for “Make Ardern Go Away”.
10 3
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May 24, 2020 2:48pm
rouppe

Aliya Danzeisen of the Islamic Women’s Council said she understands it’s a souvenir, but the cap should be kept at home.

So she thinks that headgear that elicits division should be kept at home…

Tone deaf much?
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May 24, 2020 3:23pm
- cmm
  
  Doesn’t he also have a Clinton button souvenir?
  
  But that’s good right?
  
  14 2
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  May 24, 2020 3:43pm
  - rouppe
    
    Yes, I believe it sits on the shelf right next to the hat. There is certainly a button (pin) there, and Muller said he got one on the same trip.
    
    Do you think we should point out the hat sits on the left side of the shelf rather than the far right?
    
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    May 24, 2020 4:01pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    On the other side of the button is Biden …..
    
    4 1
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    May 24, 2020 4:11pm
- burt
  
  Well spotted rouppe.
  
  I wonder if she noted the irony in her comments or maybe she was just saying what a male told her to say?
  
  9 3
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  May 24, 2020 3:44pm
  - rouppe
    
    No, it’s a much better more subtle strategy.
    
    Ever been to a time share hard sell? They spend an hour presenting you with things and asking questions where the only reasonable answer is “yes”. Once you’ve said “yes” 20 or 30 times, the question of committing to buy comes up and the momentum built up makes it statistically much harder to say “no”.
    
    In this situation, you get someone to capitulate over something insignificant. Do that enough times each time over something slightly more significant and the momentum built up makes it much harder to stand your ground later.
    
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    May 24, 2020 4:07pm
- Swifty
  
  Nice one rouppe.
  
  9 2
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  May 24, 2020 3:46pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Boom! She is so fucking ignorant with the head gear on.
  Good post rouppe.
  
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  May 24, 2020 4:10pm
Wired-one

Can anyone tell me why we are still in level 2? Its absolutely ridiculous.
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May 24, 2020 3:35pm
- burt
  
  Because we’ve got a shortage of oral contraception and letting people go out in large numbers will put an extra burden on abortion clinics. We’ve got to ‘flatten’ the curve.
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/121606153/contraceptive-pill-rationed-amid-countrywide-shortage
  
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  May 24, 2020 3:42pm
  - cmm
    
    As I said above, the logistical problems of all kinds are not due to the virus themselves, but the reaction to the virus.
    
    The same reason we struggle to get flour is the same reason some countries are struggling to bury their dead, or you’re struggling to get your favourite pet food. The demand for flour or burials is not up, nor pet food, but the logistics have been compromised due to lockdowns.
    
    It has now extended into the supply of medicines.
    
    Many types of medication are in short supply due to logistical failure. If you get a 90 day prescription then most of the time they will give you the full prescription, but for some drugs (eg. Dabigatran) they only give you a month’s worth at a time and tell you to come back in a month for the rest.
    
    In the last two months or so, that policy has been extended to many routine medicines (eg. thyroid meds). This is not because of a rise in a demand, but due to government overreactions messing up supply chains.
    
    I’m struggling though to see how you can “ration” contraceptive pills for contraception. These need to be taken every day to be effective. If you’re going to skip days then you may as well give them up completely and switch to some other means of contraception.
    
    Sure, the contraceptive pill is often prescribed for other purposes (ie. those that exploit side effects – such as clearing up acne) and I suppose those patients could be rationed or switched to other drugs.
    
    10 1
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    May 24, 2020 4:00pm
    - Michael NZ
      
      CMN
      Incl some who just regulate their periods 🙂
      But that is fine too.
      
      1 1
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      May 24, 2020 4:16pm
    - chaos
      
      30 day supply of pills covers all prescription meds now. It’s a pain in the butt because I can go through 30 days med in 15 to 29 days if I need to double it
      
      4 0
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      May 24, 2020 4:16pm
      - cmm
        
        Seems like an excellent way to spread CV19 – force people to go to get meds 3x as often.
        
        At least we can get them couriered for $5, but then you’d better have a week’s worth in reserves because courierpost has become damn slow.
        
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        May 24, 2020 5:58pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Best oral contraception is blowjobs.
    Tell me I am wrong – fuck, I am 68, I know this shit
    
    7 5
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    May 24, 2020 4:16pm
- rouppe
  
  Two words.
  
  Election 2020
  
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  May 24, 2020 3:45pm
Tasman Terror

Isn’t it interesting that the lefties are getting stuck into Muller because he’s a Roman Catholic? Close your eyes and imagine if they got stuck into him for being a Muslim. Why is it acceptable to demean one religion but not another? A bit like the lefties anti semitism.
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May 24, 2020 4:07pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  I agree. All religions are equally absurd.
  
  10 13
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  May 24, 2020 4:35pm
  - Fletch
    
    You do realize that most of the world is religious, right? According to the CIA World Fact Book –
    
    Christian 31.2%, Muslim 24.1%, Hindu 15.1%, Buddhist 6.9%, folk religions 5.7%, Jewish 0.2%, other 0.8%, unaffiliated 16%
    
    https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html
    
    That’s 84% of the world following some sort of religion. When I last looked back in 2012 at the same site it was 88% so it has dropped a little but it’s still true to say that if you’re not religious then you’re in a minority.
    
    11 2
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    May 24, 2020 5:22pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      How is that relevant. Just because lots of people pretend to believe in fairies does not make said fairies real.
      
      7 7
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      May 24, 2020 5:46pm
      - MrTips
        
        That depends on whether people can be bothered to investigate it more than they would a new brand of potato chip.
        
        6 3
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        May 24, 2020 6:20pm
    - Swifty
      
      The popularity of an idea bears no relationship to its truthfulness.
      
      7 0
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      May 24, 2020 5:57pm
    - Alex13
      
      Intelligent, well educated and capable of thinking people are in a minority too.
      
      5 0
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      May 24, 2020 7:37pm
  - Peter S
    
    Including atheism.
    
    1 5
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    May 24, 2020 5:58pm
  - MrTips
    
    How would you know? Have you been a member of all of them apart from smug atheism?
    
    2 5
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    May 24, 2020 6:17pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Atheism is not a religion.
      
      6 5
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      May 24, 2020 7:00pm
    - Peter S
      
      Mm.
      Atheism can’t even define its self without a reference the divine.
      Of course it is a form of beliefs, so is no different to religion which is all about beliefs.
      It deserves the same protections and restrictions and any other belief set under the law.
      
      Denying it is just a set of beliefs like any other (and expecting any extra kudos or privilege above any other set of beliefs) is just the same smug hypocrisy that is decried in other belief sets.
      
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      May 24, 2020 9:36pm
Tony Stuart

There are strong rumours doing the rounds that Megan Campbell will be Todd Muller’s Chief of Staff. If they are true, it’s a brilliant appointment.

Megan, who is a good mate of DPF’s, is a very capable and sassy woman, who won’t be afraid to bang heads together when necessary. She lost the Coromandel National Party selection to Scott Simpson a few years ago when the seat became vacant, and would have been an excellent MP.
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May 24, 2020 4:07pm
Swifty

Oh FFS, is this the best Labour can do?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12334288

Just more CTU/PSA unionists? Just more Labour Party luvvies?

NZ deserves better. Much better.
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May 24, 2020 4:37pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  It’s almost as if the Labour Party were part of a wider movement…
  
  2 18
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  May 24, 2020 5:18pm
  - Swifty
    
    Oh, I quite agree, and what a very narrow movement it is to draw from.
    
    9 1
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    May 24, 2020 5:54pm
    - Swifty
      
      And, I should add, increasingly narrow.
      
      Just look at the wide pool Labour used to draw from 30, 40, 50 or more years ago.
      
      Now, not so much.
      
      11 1
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      May 24, 2020 6:26pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Dunno. Their job is to select people, and the public can vote.
        
        1 10
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        May 24, 2020 7:01pm
      - Swifty
        
        Unfortunately there is a sizable chunk of the NZ electorate who vote simply for those who promise them the most stuff.
        
        Labour caters to this crowd quite well.
        
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        May 24, 2020 8:12pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Epsom?
  That means third behind Seymour and Goldsmith.
  Why bother? Her grandfather Jim the former mayor of Wellington was the most famous person who will ever bear the surname Belich.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:17pm
Fletch

Jacinda wishes the Muslims of NZ a happy Eid.

https://www.facebook.com/nzEidDay/posts/2920889121328862

Well, she’s never done the same for Easter for the Christians has she? Or the Jews a happy Ramadan? I wonder why she only seems to offer well-wishes to the followers of one certain religion?
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May 24, 2020 4:50pm
- Billy Collins
  
  I assume you mean Passover or Hannukah?
  
  12 0
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  May 24, 2020 5:03pm
- Fletch
  
  ps, yes Ramadan is also a Muslim holiday (just looked it up) but you know what I mean. A happy Passover, etc…
  
  8 2
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  May 24, 2020 5:04pm
- Jules99
  
  She looks frightened to me. Maybe she worried about potential jihadis – oops sorry, that was racist.
  
  6 2
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  May 24, 2020 5:16pm
Billy Collins

More than 1/3 of Americans would be less interested in a covid-19 vaccine if Trump says it’s safe. How much more proof does one need for the reality of TDS?

https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-more-than-one-third-of-americans-less-interested-in-vaccine-if-trump-says-the-vaccine-is-safe
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May 24, 2020 5:00pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  It’s almost as if large numbers of people refuse to believe anything that compulsive liar says.
  
  5 12
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  May 24, 2020 5:21pm
  - MrTips
    
    You really shouldn’t talk about Cindy like that
    
    11 2
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    May 24, 2020 6:22pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      All politicians lie, by commission or omission, to one degree or another.
      Trump has elevated the art to a whole new level of unceasing and blatant untruths.
      
      6 4
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      May 24, 2020 7:03pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Bah!
https://babylonbee.com/news/biden-if-you-dont-let-me-sniff-your-hair-you-aint-a-woman?fbclid=IwAR1Jxhk8coQ4G67A9N84OQ-q2xyEecr09f3hJkMKpEpfHtxF9rAO4Dl2pMU
4 2
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May 24, 2020 5:20pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

It is/was raining.
On the Shore.
BBQ and beers.
Some whisky/whiskey.
There is a spa pool.
Umbrella hats.
TTFN
7 2
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May 24, 2020 5:30pm
- stigie
  
  Party at Steve’s house, bring your own sheila’s !~
  
  6 0
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  May 24, 2020 5:56pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    And apostrophe’s?
    
    6 6
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    May 24, 2020 7:04pm
chukar

Have you all noticed that the CoL are now doing what National should have done years ago?
They have just reformed the building act to give landowners more freedom to alter and build on their own property without the need for consents.Cost $18m
National only paid lip service to reform whether or not it was the RMA or Building Act.
Regulation proliferated during their 9 years reign.
Unnecessary regulation should have been a target for National but now they have been totally gazumped.
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May 24, 2020 5:57pm
- trout
  
  @chukar Fools gold: buildings will still have to comply with planning ordinances and the Building Act. Which means they will have to be signed off by a Licensed Practitioner. Unless under 10sq.m or less than 1m high (as in decks). And anything ‘structural’ like relocation of openings will need Engineer’s sign off.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:54pm
  - chukar
    
    Thanks Trout
    Certainly only encourages the belief that there is a huge goldmine of votes for any party that gets rid of unnecessary regulation.
    A goldmine for NZ in business activities as well.
    
    Amazing the growth of regulation during Nationals term vs deregulation under Labour even going back as far as the Lange government.
    Not in either manifestos either
    
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    May 25, 2020 10:58am
Inandout

I am amazed that the lines at New World are almost down to six or seven and the lines to get out are shorter. I have a feeling the supermarkets are hurting because the shelves are pretty much all filled and the number of buying customers is limited. If I can enter Mitre10 or Bunnings and mingle with countless customers who are fingering and turning shelf items, crowding in the aisles and seeing no obviously sick customers, what gives?
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May 24, 2020 6:02pm
- DeepBlue
  
  100 person limit at Bunnings, the door staff have counters.
  
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  May 24, 2020 7:01pm
Fletch

A poll on the Newshub website –

Is Todd Muller a serious threat to Jacinda Ardern?

Currently sitting at:
Yes: 49%
No:51%

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/05/poll-is-todd-muller-a-serious-threat-to-jacinda-ardern.html
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May 24, 2020 6:02pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  That’s a bit better than 5% to 62% or whatever it was.
  And hardly anyone’s heard him in action yet.
  Can’t wait until QT Tuesday.
  
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  May 24, 2020 9:30pm
surfing

Should Todd Muller keep the cap? Sure. Nothing wrong with it and many leftist clowns twisted the meaning to what they want it to be.

Pragmatically, should he keep it? No, because it will lose more votes than he will gain.
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May 24, 2020 6:22pm
- rouppe
  
  What he should do is challenge the next “journalist” that brings it up to talk about the other memorabilia he has on that shelf, and if they won’t, tell them to fuck off
  
  8 3
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  May 24, 2020 6:42pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Oh, does he have other racist symbols on that shelf?
    
    2 17
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    May 24, 2020 7:10pm
    - Wired-one
      
      Oh so campaign memorabilia that you dont like is racist now?, how truly pathetic you are. Typical lefty dribbler playing the race card…so are all those Hispanic, Asian and African American wearers of that cap racist to? If you are going to try trolling, at least learn how to do it first.
      
      10 1
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      May 24, 2020 8:38pm
    - Fletch
      
      Did you not read the whole story? He also has two Hillary pins from her campaign. He likes collecting political memorabilia. Should he throw those out, too?
      
      1 0
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      May 24, 2020 11:19pm
- cmm
  
  Will it really lose more votes?
  
  I’m not too sure the baying media reflect what most people think.
  
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  May 24, 2020 7:20pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Interesting point. The media might not reflect what you think, but there is no reason to suppose that it does not represent, fairly approximately, the view of NZers more generally.
    
    1 13
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    May 24, 2020 7:25pm
MrTips

Here’s one for KB ostrich tas.

Unprecedented lockdown suicides in northern Cali: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/california-doctors-say-theyve-seen-more-deaths-from-suicide-than-coronavirus-since-lockdowns

This was always going to happen. Initial reports are that we have no increased suicides here but we won’t know for sure what the true numbers, as well as other cause of deaths, until early 2021 due to reporting and economic developments.
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May 24, 2020 6:26pm
Lee C

Our good ‘mate’ Bridges axed, but our other good ‘mate’ Hooten, after a couple of months of undermining Bridges in the press appears to have now given up ‘punditry’.

Stating it is a conflict of interest.

Because now it becomes apparent he’s working with his ‘mate’ the new leader of the National Party.

And apparently has been for a while.

I can’t help but wonder if we have any other ‘mates’ out there quietly doing their bit for the nation, that so far we don’t know about?

I can’t help but feel a book by Nicky Hagar would put it all out there just before the election. But of course, there’s not a lot of time for research.

It’s almost as if, contrary to the narrative of this being a snap reaction to a ‘bad poll’ – that the timing of this knifing of Bridges and Bennett was factored into the equation quite a long time ago.
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May 24, 2020 7:01pm
Maggie Pie

You would have to question why Tova O’Brien is first out of the blocks to congratulate the new ‘Labor candidate’ for EPSOM!
Someone was telling us that Tova actually lives in Mt Roskill 🙁

https://twitter.com/Camilla_Belich/status/1264339350520623110
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May 24, 2020 7:03pm
Kiwi_in_Paris

Must watch.

The biggest and most dire hoax in human history:

https://www.bitchute.com/video/bZ2yliCyu373/
0 1
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May 24, 2020 11:07pm
Fletch

The liberals are worried and lashing out –

I’m a exhausted of the MAGA hat debate without the context of a man who voted as Trump would on every law affecting women and minorities.

We can’t ignore the substance behind MAGA and how terrifying it is if that shrill bullying ethos becomes casually mainstream in NZ politics

golriz ghahraman
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May 24, 2020 11:08pm
Kiwi_in_Paris

Watch the movie Plandemic, and decide for yourself, about what is going on. It is on Bitchute, and is about twenty minutes in length.
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May 24, 2020 11:42pm
Kiwi_in_Paris

OK so you are shadow banning my comments about Plandemic. But why? I thought Kiwiblog was all about the freedom of speech and opinion? I have taken a screenshot of the posts which were banned and the times, FYI.
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May 24, 2020 11:44pm

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