General Debate 18 March 2021

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment391

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (391)

Login to comment or vote

Happychappy

MIQ squeeze means mother will wait months to claim son’s body.
Jacinda Ardern her Loving ,Caring and Wellbeing Government are a load of crap and full of hot air when it comes who gets on MIO.
Obviously this is about who and how famous or how much wealth they have as Film Companies, American Cup Sponsors Musicals cCast have been given special exemptions on getting through MIQ without problems but a
Mother whose son died in February and his body that is starting to break down quicker than usual because of skin grafts he had won’t get to see him or grieve for him and feels cheated as she has only been able to secure a MIQ Voucher for June 11th 2021.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/124566158/miq-squeeze-means-mother-must-wait-months-to-claim-sons-body
What is it coming to when a Prime Minister is able to turn Tragedy into votes and recognition while mother wanting to grieve and bury her son is locked of New Zealand.
84 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:00am
- Bobba Fret
  
  And yet somehow, the Mexican and his boyfriend were suddenly able to get two spots at short notice in MIQ (apparently without any special favours). – Tui Ad – Yeah right!
  
  110 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:14am
  - hullkiwi
    
    Don’t forget the Wiggles and crew!
    
    51 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:37am
    - sooty
      
      Lion King, 126
      Celtic Dancing, ?
      Americas cup, 1,000 crew, Spectators thousands.
      
      46 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:06am
      - Maxx
        
        And yet a lot of this could be solved by letting organisations who want/need to bring in people to manage the isolation process themselves.
        
        Make them pay a $10,000 bond per person that they want to bring in, which is returnable once it has been confirmed they completed 14 days without infraction. Include a management fee as well to pay for monitoring and spot checking, job done. But hey, thats thinking through a problem!
        
        28 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:21am
      - Ruawai
        
        The problem could also be solved if we had a bubble with Australia so all MIQ spaces taken up by Australians would be available for others. It would be interesting to know how many Australians have tested positive for Covid in MIQ and the total percentage of people traveling from Australia that have been in MIQ.
        
        21 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:06am
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  There are very limited spots in MIQ.
  The new catchphrase is not Be Kind.
  It is “Hakuna Matata”.
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:45am
  - Ruawai
    
    Reow, reow!
    
    12 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:06am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Per Stuff headline, more than 35,000 non New Zealanders have entered the country since lockdown. They then add ‘123,934 citizens and permanent residents’ have entered.
  
  There is no breakdown between citizens and PRs. Sorry, but I’d like to know that breakdown. PRs may be wonderful people, but New Zealanders they are not. They should be in the queue behind citizens.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:48pm
Thought Criminal

It’s March already. Shouldn’t we be hearing about Labour’s annual sexual abuse cover up scandal?

Are they not doing that this year? Or are they just better at covering them up?
62 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:03am
- Nickc2
  
  I think you have answered your own question. However, during one of the many lockdowns, all that stuff that had been swept under Cindy’s office carpet was secretly removed in order to make room for new stuff.
  WATCH THIS SPACE,
  
  49 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:21am
Tony Stuart

Remember to go about your business quietly today. There will be a lot of people nursing St Paddy’s Day/America’s Cup hangovers!
37 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:03am
- Biscuit
  
  Worse, Tony, is that some of us have birthdays today.
  
  My 69th, sniff.
  
  I used to be so y-o-u-n-g…
  
  [Nah, that’s not a ‘pitch’ for any presents … though I rather fancy my personal Kiwiblogger downticker will give me his usual, anyway!]
  
  49 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:18am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Happy birthday Biscuit. Having clicked over to 65 last year, I know exactly what you mean! Oh, to be young again, but to know what I know now!!
    
    38 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:33am
    - David Garrett
      
      Tony: Yes indeed…I worked with this guy in the North Sea… He was a medic…one of those wiry little guys…He used to say: “Kiwi, with ma heed on your shodders [shoulders] we could rule the fucking wer-old!”
      
      (Said with a thick Glaswegian accent)
      
      34 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:08am
      - plc
        
        He didn’t call you “Aotearoan”?
        
        8 3
        Report
        March 18, 2021 10:05am
      - Paulus
        
        Word Ooterooa probably wasn’t found at the time – the word is still a new special contribution – for money of course.
        
        6 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:05pm
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      Yep, getting old is not for the faint hearted . . .
      
      18 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:18am
      - tf78
        
        PG, quite right I never realized how many things go wrong after reaching 60 let alone 66.
        
        7 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:07am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Happy Birthday
    “that’s not a ‘pitch’ for any presents ”
    Of course it is and so what.
    Prize for those (especially young ones) who figure out my grans riddle.
    Those that ask don’t get.
    Those don’t ask, don’t want.
    So how did we get that wonderful cake on her coffee table?
    
    10 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:52am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      We waited, politely, to be offered.
      
      7 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 8:53am
    - tf78
      
      RW, Grans just know!
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:08am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Grans advantage
        Without repercussion can teach your kids, all the stupid shit you got up to when you were their age.
        Call it ….Grans revenge
        
        4 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:56pm
  - pdm
    
    Just a boy Biscuit – just a boy.
    
    I see the downticker has a birthday special for you – 3 already.
    
    19 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:57am
    - sooty
      
      I giv’um one in case he missed out!
      
      7 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:09am
  - Apropos of the Wet Snow
    
    Biscuit, what’s that now: must be 69 three years running?
    
    16 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:00am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      My wife claimed to be 21 (x)….ie 65.
      
      9 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:33am
    - Biscuit
      
      Ouch, Apropos!
      
      And thanks sooty … I feel so l-o-v-e-d!
      
      8 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:25am
  - David Garrett
    
    Biscuit: Many happy returns old boy…glad that you are fit and well (I presume) at 69…
    
    16 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:09am
    - Biscuit
      
      So fit I’m d-a-n-g-e-r-o-u-s I tell my partner, David.
      
      She reacts to such statements by laughing maniacally…
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:27am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        The reaction from a much loved and loving partner.
        
        4 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:58pm
  - Happychappy
    
    Happy birthday Biscut and many more them.
    
    16 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:16am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    Clickity click for me, a day earlier and I would have been a Patrick.
    
    What unknown, useless and banal organisation on the planet are Biscuit and I sharing with Mike?
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:16am
    - Loddenthinks
      
      The UN?
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:28am
  - doublehappy
    
    I’ve always thought 69 had a nice ring to it, especially in French :o).
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:06am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I’m not bothered with tracking along into my late 60s.. but one of my babies will be 40 this year!
    How did that happen?
    
    14 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:53am
    - Flossie
      
      Just wait till they’re 50 Maggy! Happened to me a couple of months ago.
      Obviously I was a teenage bride….
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:14am
    - alwyn
      
      “one of my babies . . . . How did that happen?”
      I think it may be a bit late to tell you how it works Maggy.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:28am
    - Paulus Gnome
      
      The usual suspect Maggie, sex . . .
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:29am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Just in case
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAPoxEdwLJM
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 1:00pm
graham

So watching One News last night (the news program of choice for SWMBO), we were once again treated to being told about the jubilation in Tamaki Makaurau, how the racing was a great success here in Tamaki Makaurau, the crowds were pumping in Tamaki Makaurau … I guess there was probably an “Auckland” thrown in very occasionally, but I missed it.

The marketing campaign to “normalise” (I think that’s the current favoured phrase) the use of “Tamaki Makaurau” rather than Auckland to refer to the biggest city in New Zealand has been pretty aggressive for some time now, with the media and local bodies using “Tamaki Makaurau” at an increasing rate of knots. I don’t know whether it’s a concerted, carefully planned campaign across the board, or whether these organisations have just independently succumbed to the unconscious bias that now appears to be deeply entrenched within their culture, but the marketing campaign would seem obvious to all.

I wonder if they’re doing it simply to feel good about themselves (“look at us, we use Maori words and phrases all the time, aren’t we great!”), or if it is rather more than that and it is a very deliberate push to get more and more people using the name “Tamaki Makaurau” in everyday conversations? Presumably done from the best of intentions, but if it is the latter, then you would have to mark their achievement as “F” as in “Fail”, as in more accurately “Big Fat Fail”, wouldn’t you?

Because how often do you hear your friends, co-workers, acquaintances, ANYBODY outside of the media and the local body organisations refer to this city as Tamaki Makaurau? I’ve never ONCE heard anybody outside these organisations call it that. Everyone I know calls it Auckland, or occasionally something else if they live outside of Auckland 🙂

Does anyone EVER refer to Auckland as Tamaki Makaurau in casual conversation?
97 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:03am
- Frank the tank
  
  OneWokeNews’ reporters are fully indoctrinated in the cult of (little) Aotearoa and are instructed to speak pidgin English. I wouldn’t be surprised if Simple Simon gets a facial tattoo over the next 12 months. What a woketard he is.
  
  68 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:25am
  - amospicton
    
    You have to wonder whether the next generation will be able to be properly understood when they travel overseas. The liberal infusion of Maori into the language will put us at a disadvantage globally.
    
    53 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:42am
    - Flossie
      
      Kiwis who haven’t been here for few years will feel like they’ve arrived in a foreign country when they return.
      
      42 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:10am
    - EssenX
      
      I had a call with a US software team last week. They thought New Zealand was in Sydney. These are well educated people. What happens when we start using Aotearoa? No one will know we even exist! The intentions of using greater Maori in conversion may be a good one, but the implications haven’t been thought through.
      
      22 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:40am
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    You will find that the Te Reo names are used for good news and victory, but the English names are used when reporting disaster and bad news.
    
    For example.
    Victory in Tamaki Makaurau!
    Homeless death in Auckland!
    
    Pride in Aotearoa!
    New Zealand’s shameful racism!
    
    87 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:03am
    - Frank the tank
      
      LOL so true. I never thought about it like that – well done!
      
      43 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:40am
    - Apropos of the Wet Snow
      
      Similarly, UK news reports featuring the tennis player Andy Murray:
      
      Scottish when he lost, British when he won.
      
      15 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:07am
  - Paulus
    
    Appears all media ladies in Tamaki must now have a face tat called a moko I believe.
    That identifies that they are special – and it is rapidly increasing – very shortly there will be a College row over it, and it will be approve by Cindy for her special people.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:09pm
- hullkiwi
  
  In general, no, in answer to your questio n, unless you are a paid up member of the Labour/Green/media/public bureaucracy/woke effort to show “cultural inclusion”.
  
  31 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:27am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Wait be accused of racism if you don’t.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:55am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  It’s a load of crap, just like ‘Aotearoa’, ‘Otepoti’ etc. and it needs to be stamped out, but the silent majority keeps getting ignored.
  
  64 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:29am
  - CaptainCompromise
    
    Best bit was when ETNZ was described as Team Aotearoa, which is about as culturally inclusive as calling Luna Rossa “Team Red Moon” or “Marama Whero”.
    
    46 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:55am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      It’s all becoming a bit sickening when they keep ramming Moari shit down your throat.
      How about fucking off?
      
      7 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 4:11pm
  - tf78
    
    Captain, I never know where or what they’re talking about so I figure it doesn’t affect me.
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:44am
- Ruawai
  
  Good old PJ Montgomery still referred to it as Auckland, New Zealand, maybe he didn’t get the memo.
  
  71 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:39am
- Inandout
  
  graham, Team Aotearoa was wonderful and the joy in Tamaki Makaurau was wonderful. Kiora and all that stuff.
  
  8 34
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:41am
- CaptainCompromise
  
  The said at one point that 21 years ago the America’s cup was successfully defended in Tamaki-Makaurau.
  
  Last time I checked, 21 years ago we called it Auckland.
  
  62 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:48am
  - Nickc2
    
    It’s still called Auckland! Only racist fuckwits call it anything else.
    
    66 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:00am
- Jade Warrior
  
  No they don’t and they won’t because “Tamaki Makaurau” is too much of a mouthful to pronounce. I can say the word “Auckland” three times in the same amount of time it takes me to say the Maori version.
  
  I have been told that there is now an editorial policy at TVNZ which requires all presenters to say a minimum number of Maori words per hour. If that’s true then I guess Simon was just fulfilling his quota last night. But this kind of pidgin “Maorish” language is just irritating to listen to and fails to satisfy both speakers of Maori and English (and 98% of New Zealanders speak the latter).
  
  I am reminded of a quote by Friedrich Hebbel: “If language had been the creation, not of poetry, but of logic, we should only have one”.
  
  47 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:57am
  - graham
    
    Bang on, Jade Warrior.
    
    I’m no language expert, but Auckland just seems to roll off the tongue with relative ease compared to Tamaki Makaurau. Probably because, as you allude to, it’s a nice simple 2 syllables as compared to 6.
    
    33 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:12am
  - crikey
    
    “But this kind of pidgin “Maorish” language is just irritating to listen to…”
    
    Agreed, but let’s call it Minglish as it is on the way to becoming NEW ZEALAND’s 4th official language.
    
    18 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:40am
    - Debsta
      
      Manglish would seem more appropriate
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 19, 2021 7:43am
  - EssenX
    
    Question: how does any of this improve Maori outcomes?
    
    Answer: it doesn’t but it makes elites feel like they’re doing something. This is sad because time and effort should be spent on things that materially help those in need, not help those who don’t need it feel better about themselves.
    
    24 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:43am
- doublehappy
  
  It’s all to get us ready for dual governance where one side makes the rules and the other one pays for it. It’s coming to New Zealand and Auckland quicker than you think.
  
  15 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:42am
- Unity
  
  Interesting to read your post, Graham. Watching the America’s Cup the past days I’ve often remarked to my husband how fed up I am with all the Maori words being slotted in here, there and everywhere and especially Tamaki whatever. It was totally irritating and spoiled some great viewing of the race. Scott Morrison even seemed to pronounce English with a Maori accent if that is the correct description. When is there going to be a pushback that those of us who are interested in learning Maori will but the rest of us are fed up with hearing it? If it was the Maori channel well and good but please let us have English only on the other channels. AND it is Auckland not those other two words. I’m sure they are trying to indoctrinate us but it won’t work and will just drive us to other channels. Also interesting that the boat had a Maori name which I can’t even remember. For me it was just Team NZ.
  
  15 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:13am
  - Countrygirl
    
    Scott must have been pulled up as earlier he ranted for ages in Maori. Maybe someone told him that the overseas viewers hadn’t got a clue what he was talking about. I doubt many NZers did either. But didn’t it feel as though he was busting to burst into Maori at any minute?
    
    9 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:37pm
    - Batman
      
      Nobody overseas was watching the useless TVNZ coverage. They get the much better world feed.
      
      Incidentally, that feed featured a daily segment on Maori culture, traditions, and about the region’s history. It was a very slick advertisement for NZ and our unique cultures.
      
      The funny part of all the anguished comments above is that you’ve all used far more te reo and even used Tamaki Makaurau correctly!
      
      So the joke is on you, the increased use of it is working to make it normal, despite the openly racist comment further up which explicitly states that use of the Maori language should be stamped out.
      
      5 9
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      December 18, 2020 1:26pm
      - graham
        
        So the joke is on you, the increased use of it is working to make it normal
        
        Really?
        
        Okay Batman, please do enlighten us. As I asked at the beginning, how often do YOU – YOU personally, Batman – hear your friends, co-workers, and acquaintances, refer to this city as Tamaki Makaurau?
        
        I’d honestly be interested to know. Because it may have escaped your attention, that far from making an “anguished comment”, I was merely making an observation. That there is a quite obvious campaign to “normalise” the use of “Tamaki Makaurau” rather than Auckland to refer to the biggest city in New Zealand. And from my own observations, it simply isn’t having any effect.
        
        Or is it? Do you have some friends who regularly talk about visiting relatives in Tamaki Makaurau, or calling a friend in Tamaki Makaurau, or how they’re planning on escaping from Tamaki Makaurau over Easter? Or do they all talk about how bad the traffic is in Auckland now, how Auckland is bursting at the seams, and where their favourite restaurant in Auckland is?
        
        Do let us know.
        
        9 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 2:13pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Plenty in NZ watched the Youtube live streaming Batman, I did. The morons just can’t stand play school TV1 with their target audience of 13 years old
        
        6 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:16pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Not sure whether I should be asking for subtitles
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 8:53pm
  - lifesgood
    
    Scott Morrison has shocking vocal delivery. He sounds like an uneducated country bumpkin. Why the faux maori accent? I bet he grew up and went to school with european kids so he has consciously developed that awful accent. He knows stuff all about yachting and was only on AC commentary to fulfill the maori quota.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 3:59pm
- Fletch
  
  Yep, I noticed this multiple times during the racing coverage itself. Pointed it out to those here. The media are really trying to push it. I kept on shouting, “AUCKLAND!” at the screen.
  
  12 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:24am
- kloyd0306
  
  …..and if translation is needed it is to English.
  Why not use English?
  One fact is undeniable: Give a speech in English, everyone in the room understands what the speech is about.
  Te Reo. Not even close.
  
  19 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:34am
- Don Beckett
  
  Many of us south of Auckland simply call it “Jaffaland” 😆
  
  7 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:16pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    South of Auckland must be where that Aotearowa place is
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 4:18pm
- BAM
  
  The government is wanting to setup shared governance with Maori by 2040, 200 hundred years after the Treaty of Waitangi.
  
  This is all part of getting the population ready process.
  
  9 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:50pm
- Philview
  
  I refer you to The Government’s Vision 2040 he puapua roadmap. This is part of a structured plan with and end goal of self determination for Maori.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:53pm
igm

To think our taxes go into keeping this refuse?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124564484/police-raid-central-wellington-emergency-accommodation-motel-seize-drugs-and-stolen-property
These are what Sepuloni gives taxpayers’ homes to with lifetime tenure and daily repairs, even when they default on rent.
58 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:06am
Maggie Pie

Life seemed so much better under JK.
70 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:08am
- igm
  
  Not for unemployable, self-entitled, leeching lefties/public servants.
  
  64 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:10am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    There is no one in real life in New Zealand that incessantly speaks crap that you do. You’re probably a googled-eyed dwarf that sneaks around the streets at night muttering about being followed by leeches. Get a life.
    
    6 66
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:45am
    - graham
      
      Get out of bed the wrong side this morning Brian??
      
      42 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 8:51am
      - David Garrett
        
        graham: The prick ought to give thanks he actually gets to get out of bed every morning…
        
        42 4
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:12am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      Not an argument Mr McDonald…reasoned or otherwise.
      But maybe you could just list a few things saying why we are better off now, NZ as a whole or individually?
      
      37 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:00am
      - sooty
        
        I think Brian looked in the mirror, before he fired up the computor too!
        
        25 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:15am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
        Did you really think he needed to make some kind of argument, reasoned or otherwise, to counter jgm’s little whine?
        
        5 43
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:18am
      - Brian McDonald
        
        Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
        I’ll try RW Capitalist.
        The economy hasn’t gone backward. With another GDP announcement this morning I think.
        Future growth is looking good worldwide as I posted details of yesterday.
        A vaccination programme is in place, which was arguably unthinkable last year.
        As of last Sunday week, around 120,000 people had entered NZ in the calendar year and there were few problems with Covid that resulted.
        The building industry is roaring away.
        Immigration has dropped allowing a catch-up on housing. What could be helpful if there were councils having live building permits listed because without those figures its all a bit dark at the moment. In other words shortage, what is approved, and what is under construction.
        Getting empty containers to the South Island finally after some delays. Auckland Wharf should soon be back up to speed, perhaps not more than 3 months.
        Not everyone’s cup of tea but an unbelievable America’s cup, the Blues looking solid and the Warriors pack has got some go forward at last.
        
        2 41
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:43am
      - Flossie
        
        Oh dear Brian. Seems like things did go a bit backwards financially in the last quarter of 2020 after all.
        
        14 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:58am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        AAAHHH Maybe you shouldn’t have.
        yes it did go backwards That is the very meaning of the word RECESSION.
        growth BEFORE covid had more than halved.
        Vaccination program in place….more like wishful thinking, they have received about 40000 per month, and state (as if we can’t count) they will vaccinate all before the end of the year, that will require 40000 per DAY (nearly).
        
        8 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:06pm
    - Brian McDonald
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      Actually I think its a joke that one speaks like that day in and day out.
      
      3 40
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:22am
      - rockape
        
        Brian Building industry figures down, NZ in recession, debt at record levels and rising quickly. Is that realy your sign of a successful economy ?
        GDP declined 2.9 per cent over the year to December 2020, the largest annual fall ever in GDP for New Zealand, StatsNZ said.
        At the industry level 7 out of 16 industries declined. The two largest contributors to the drop were construction, and retail trade and accommodation.
        
        19 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:35am
      - 70andstilllearning
        
        Rock – these’s no hope in hell that he would have remotely comprehended what you just said.
        
        10 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:07pm
    - JibberJabber
      
      Interesting that McDonalds personal attack on another commenter gets to stand, yet when I turn it around with facts, mine gets deleted?
      
      FYI, I knew Margaret Bell and her family, they were neighbours and family friends.
      
      [Take comfort that regular KB contributors down-ticked his to oblivion. Another Mod]
      
      13 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:59am
      - JibberJabber
        
        ?
        
        8 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:09pm
    - Manu-Rau
      
      Says the guy who snuck past an Auckland nightclub one night a murdered an unsuspecting waitress.
      
      15 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 12:37pm
    - igm
      
      The type of retort one expects from a person of limited intelligence and propensity for violence!
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 19, 2021 6:54am
    - igm
      
      -1
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 19, 2021 7:56am
- Thought Criminal
  
  Not for people with Key Derangement Syndrome. They were really miserable the whole time..
  
  Mind you, they are still miserable now.
  
  63 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:11am
  - TWEEDSE
    
    But at least we will all be miserable. The goal is shared misery under comrade Ardern.
    
    43 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:30am
    - RW Capitalist
      
      The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.’
      
      -Winston Churchill, House of Commons, 22 October 1945
      
      37 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:01am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
        Not long after the British public rejected Churchill in favour of a welfare state.
        
        2 42
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:16am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        AHH Mikie
        and then re elected him, after realizing their mistake.
        
        35 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:38am
    - Sacha
      
      Equality!
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 1:09pm
- hullkiwi
  
  It was, but sadly wokism had already taken root in NZ before JK. National cycle path anybody? And igm your dig at public servants is a slutr on those public servants who aren’t lefty woke troughers. Unfortunately, the woke left now dominate the running of the public service, and Key/English did nothing to stop it happening!
  
  28 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:35am
  - Batman
    
    Hullkiwi, your point about igm’s slur is correct.
    
    Lest people here forget that a huge chunk of the right wingers who worked for the last government are now dispersed around the public sector in positions of influence like CE offices and directly filtering things through to Minister offices.
    
    Igm and their consistent denigrating of public sector employees is knuckle dragger thinking. If they were all fired, the cosy superannuation and infrastructure systems etc would all cease and leave many here outraged as to why their fortnightly payments haven’t come through.
    
    3 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    December 18, 2020 1:36pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      You are of course referring to the Labour/NZF Government right Batman?
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 4:23pm
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Key/English did nothing to stop it happening!
    
    They at least reduced the “core” public service, that only existed to increase the dominance of the public service.
    
    27 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:04am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      the previous government imposed a ‘cap’ on core public service numbers. Department got around that by hiring more contractors (not counted under the cap), naturally at higher pay rates.
      
      8 21
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:15am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        It shows. Now not only is the Gobblement incompetent they haven’t got an adequate Public Service either. NZ is going backwards.
        
        This apology for sandpit supervisors must go now. They show no respect for law and have no concept of their apparent criminal negligence of continuing in an executive role which they cannot perform.
        
        29 4
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:30am
    - sooty
      
      But it’s expanded ten fold since labour took over and the defacto public service, the NGO!
      
      25 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:17am
      - KevO'Brien
        
        Once there were Public Servants. Even Labour administrations worked and were respected.
        
        15 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:31am
      - RW Capitalist
        
        Yes Kev….consigned to history now.
        But “gliding on” Public service did exist in reality.
        
        11 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 9:41am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      I do wish commentors would stop calling them ‘Public Servants’ They serve only themselves, they are State Sector Employees
      
      9 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 4:30pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        And should add – they do NOT pay TAX
        
        3 3
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:31pm
G152

Used to sail (and pull) whalers and cutters in that part of the Harbour.
Got all the way up to 5 knots I reckon 🙂
18 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:12am
- fightingtemeraire
  
  TRy a 32′ cutter on the Menai Straits in mid winter
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:12am
  - rockape
    
    Rowed/sailed through there on the3 PeaksRace
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:51am
- Nickc2
  
  Character building eh?
  
  3 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:23am
Frank the tank

Some observations:

Why wasn’t the Blairite there with the team? Surely it wasn’t by design and quietly did Dalt’s tell her to fuck off as payback for the Phil Tywford political hit job on TNZ earlier on.

Travel Bubble by Easter – the focus group polling must be bad. Love to be a fly in the room when the Blairite has to tell St Ash we are opening up. Imagine the teddy bear toss from St Ash.

Why was there a 10min Maori song and dance as part of the celebrations – clearly tribal and radical Maori hate the event which is the most white event in the world sporting calendar.

A senior male minister making barnyard noises at a junior female opposition speaker. Is the reason there is no story here because he is part of the Maori caucus? Does racism trump sexism in woke land?
62 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:14am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  The pouwhiri was important because Maori have a proud sailing history. If they didn’t know how to sail they would never have got here in the first place.
  
  21 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:32am
  - CaptainCompromise
    
    Have to agree here, by no means was Maori culture (as with any culture) blameless as some may make out, but they and the Polynesians as well were bloody impressive navigators of the pacific.
    
    20 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:58am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    There are accidents.
    
    8 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:32am
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      Hi Kev, if you mean the ancestors of the Maori reaching NZ, then it wasn’t accidental. Consider the archaic Maori bought food crops for planting- yams, taro, kumara, paperbark, gourd etc. and came here to settle these lands.
      There were 2 way voyages in the earliest parts of the settlement of NZ but they ended long before Europeans arrived. Similarily with the Chathams, contact with NZ was lost in the archaic period. The initial exploration and two way voyaging is laid out in NZ archaeology even in the 1950s, by arhaeologists, such as Roger Duff. It is not a modern woke-glamourisation of Maori like the current vogue. Even Capt. Cook noted that these people had populated far flung islands as he explored the Pacific, and saw 2 hulled vessels well out to sea and understood this well enough when a Tahitian could speak and be understood by NZ Maori. (And the Tahitian interpreter with Cook could even tell the Maori had lost this knowledge to return, since he pointed out they didn’t have domestic chickens in NZ! – moa BTW, in the islands, just means chicken)
      In any case, fishermen blown off course (an accident) cannot be an explanation of the Polynesian settlement here.
      Credit where credit is due.
      
      12 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:05am
      - Unity
        
        Nga Puhi Elder David Rankin said that his ancestors came to these shores ‘on a tidal drift’. If they were such great navigators why did they never return to where they came from or sail elsewhere – Australia for instance.
        
        8 4
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:22am
      - Nickc2
        
        Fuzzy logic too?
        
        3 4
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:27am
      - Fuzzysnuggleduck
        
        Unity – they likely did reach Australia, but would not settle where there were more numerous previous inhabitants. This was put to me by a (since passed) notable NZ archaeologist.
        It is quite reasonable.
        The peoples of the Pacific reached South America, and brought away the kumara from the ‘new world’.
        There wasn’t any Polynesian settlement there either.
        The journey to South America was also two way, quite evidently.
        Why is it hard to credit the ancestors of the Maori with being great sea farers?
        I am dead set against the mythology around pre-European Utopia and Colonisation which is coming up lately, but I surely can’t pretend that Maori or Pacific people are less than human, and can’t have made journeys of exploration rather than it all being ‘oppsie daises’.
        
        7 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:29pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Your careful explanation of the well-known facts of Pacific navigation is wasted on some … [deleted – lay off your abuse. Mod.], I see.
        
        5 8
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:31pm
      - Fuzzysnuggleduck
        
        Nick, I am glad to see the big brains entering the debate here.
        Yes, logic.
        Do fisherman bring plant crops with them? Do you take seed kumara, yam or gourd with you when going out for Snapper?
        Note that paperbark is not for eating, so they are not carried her by accident.
        There were many plants brought to NZ by the ancestors of the Maori – Cook noted extensive and well tended gardens of cultivars.
        And yes, two way voyages in the early part since traditions about this land mass, and names of explorers who are known in NZ (even being the basis of placenames) were also known in the islands when anthropologists started to investigate from the 19th century.
        I would suggest books like ‘The Prehistory of NZ’ or ‘The Moahunting period of Maori culture’.
        These concepts pre-date wokenness, social justice, or political agendas.
        They are just what they are.
        It is not about scoring points for one race or diminishing another in some pissing contest.
        
        8 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:43pm
  - Nickc2
    
    If they didn’t know this place existed, how did they navigate their way here? It’s more likely they were out on some rape, pillage, plunder and eat excursion somewhere in the Pacific among islands they inhabited and they got blown here in a storm.
    
    12 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:04am
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      If you want to understand the ways in which people navigate oceans without a compass or sextant, do some research.
      They didn’t use GPS though, but there are means.
      And not every exploration is successful, and when a land is ‘discovered’ and that person returns, then other people might seek to reach the same location.
      Every island of note was found by Polynesians or other sea farers.
      Cook marveled at this, but it seems some people today know better….or maybe they simply can’t bring themselves to have one single positive thought about Maori.
      
      I am far far from a cheerleader for Maori promotion of themselves as both victims and paragons of virture and all the recent hoo-hah – I am extremely suspicious about what might be taught in schools: White is Bad, Brown is fantastic.
      But jeez, people here are going the other extreme.
      Full retard.
      Consider even remote islands which were unoccupied have been found to have stone tools on them, showing people reached there, but left. Not every windswept bit of rock was worth returning to or lingering upon.
      And not every sea going vessel was out there to “rape and pillage” when they head out over empty ocean.
      FFS.
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 12:52pm
      - Unity
        
        I’m not trying to denigrate Maori but it would be good to have the truth e.g. there were other people here before them. As David Rankin said – in stories handed down it was said there were always others here before them. Trying to make Maori out as this touchy feely people is so wrong and I know they are going to teach a much reinvented history in the schools. There were docile Maori but too many were a fierce warlike Stone Age group and if it hadn’t been for the many peaceful ones signing the Treaty there would probably be no Maori left. Their numbers were diminishing markedly because of their warring up and down the country with their prized muskets killing and eating each other. Maori were not indigenous – they came in boats like the rest of the colonisers.
        
        7 3
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:24pm
      - Batman
        
        Fuzzy there are words that can be used to describe people who espouse such views.
        
        Sometimes it’s better just to file them under ‘full retard’ as you have wisely done.
        
        5 4
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:39pm
  - tf78
    
    Captain, I was wondering about that – did the Maori actually have sails or did they just paddle.
    
    6 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:56am
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      Yes, they had sails and double hulled canoes. When Europeans first entered the pacific they observed the ocean going vessels of the Polynesians. Maori had been isolated from the pacific for centuries by this time, and just like certain fishing gear or types of stone adzes found in the Pacific were unknown to the Maori which Captain Cook found here – they had BECOME Maori, and were no longer the same people that left many centuries earlier, i,e the ocean going navigation was lost to them.
      Note that even tropical pearl shell lures, bonito style lures, and archiac style adzes of the types found in the Pacific have been found in sites in NZ (and I have also found these on sites in NZ, and have ‘archaic’ East Polynesian artefacts in my possession – these are not of the Classic Maori or Cook-era type)
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 12:35pm
      - tf78
        
        Fuzzy – thanks so much for that.
        
        6 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:55pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Lots of info here:
      https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322211713_A_Review_of_Archaeological_Maori_Canoes_Waka_Reveals_Changes_in_Sailing_Technology_and_Maritime_Communications_in_AotearoaNew_Zealand_AD_1300-1800
      
      and here:
      Changing perspectives upon Māori colonisation voyaging
      https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03036758.2017.1334674
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 4:04pm
- Simon
  
  Cindy is on ice for the moment. She fucked up the actual lockdowns, attacked and insulted Ro patients, can’t handle even mild paid off media, messed up bubble with Aust and badly fucked up lockdown announcement messages by making them all about her.
  
  She is on ice for a while. 2020 was the year of the sheep and thats over.
  
  68 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:33am
  - yossarian
    
    Hmmm…I wonder if she stayed away because there could have been some booing coming her way. And can’t have that on the Tele.
    
    51 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:06am
    - sooty
      
      Bet she’s away on holiday as soon as she can. She’ll call it a catch up with other PMs or some sutch. But we all know better, don’t we!
      
      14 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:23am
    - Nickc2
      
      Bugger, if I knew she would be here and some booing was going to take place, I would have gone over to the viaduct myself just to add to the volume of booing.
      
      17 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:10am
    - Unity
      
      I was amazed she didn’t attend such a momentous occasion for New Zealand. Oh that’s right, there weren’t children and touchy feely things involved. Her absence was not a good look.
      
      13 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:24am
      - Sacha
        
        “a momentous occasion for New Zealand” ?
        Momentous for all those in Auckland who were interested in boats/sailing/ crowd partying, but for the rest of us was simply an interesting sporting event, and of course it had New Zealand’s name on it, so a bit of patriotic interest there. But momentous for all?
        I don’t think so.
        (But at least it put the pandemic on the back benches for a few days, so I suppose we could be grateful.)
        
        7 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:22pm
      - TWEEDSE
        
        I believe she didn’t attend as the boat design and racing involved skill, technology and leadership. None of which the Blairite can comprehend.
        
        9 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:30pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Let’s see if she fronts next week.
    
    18 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:01am
    - tui47
      
      Has been appeared at QT this week? She definitely seems to be laying low since last week.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 1:12pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        No, she hasn’t been at QT.
        
        7 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:05pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Stop picking on the President of the Republic of South Venezuela //
    
    9 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 4:38pm
- MCos
  
  Considering the event wouldn’t have taken place in Tāmaki Makaurau without taxpayers money I doubt Grant Dalton would have been so rude to the PM.
  Whether or not it’ll be held here next time is also dependent on government support.
  
  7 21
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:03am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Don’t mind Frank. He’s just upset that Ardern wasn’t there so that he could have a moan about here hogging then limelight.
    
    4 32
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:13am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      Her stress levels are showing.
      
      43 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:33am
    - rangitoto
      
      She was there but no podium for Cindy.
      
      17 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:50am
    - Frank the tank
      
      I admit it – I missed her. I do find it odd considering Key was there with the team in San Fran. There is something afoot no doubt. Scomo wouldn’t have missed a free press opportunity like that.
      
      23 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:52am
      - Batman
        
        It may well just be the fact that she is based in Wellington and probably travelling at that time of day.
        
        Could be as simple as the boundaries of time and space not allowing her to get there to make it worth the effort. That does happen with ministers and their schedules.
        
        6 5
        Report
        March 18, 2021 1:52pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Batman, 757 takes 55 minutes AK to Wellywood
        
        5 3
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:40pm
  - Frank the tank
    
    LOL – you haven’t met Dalton have you. Question for you lefties would you poor another $100m into another event or not. Bomber quite clearly points out the flaws and your mates over at the standard were having wet dreams over a $100m Maori dance contest instead of?
    
    20 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:48am
  - Unity
    
    Would people please stop referring to Auckland as Tamaka M….!! It’s Auckland.
    
    16 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:25am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Go tell play school TV1, they are the main culprits along with Red Radio
      
      6 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 4:41pm
- Libertarians are right
  
  Actually, sexism from Peeni Henare (which it probably is) is a lesser crime than what they claim it to be.
  They say he wasn’t make the cat sounds because she was a female, he did it because they were talking about Lion King.
  So, instead of him being a misogynist, he’s a child that can’t hear the word Lion without making cat sounds and who thinks it’s appropriate to do so during a discussion about the terrible consequences for people that can’t get MIQ spots (like hort businesses, marriners, Pacific communities that rely on seasonal work etc).
  
  Honestly, that’s far worse.
  
  49 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:05am
  - Nickc2
    
    and what did Mallard do? Sweet FA! If it was an opposition MP doing the same thing to a Labour MP, the woke brigade (which includes our MSM) would be calling for their head on a platter.
    Fucking hypocrites!
    
    23 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:34am
- RW Capitalist
  
  It’s a bit like kiddie poker.
  Jokers, aces and red 2’s are wild, but only for the left.
  
  18 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:06am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    All trumped by the brown face card . . .
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:40am
- rangitoto
  
  If Dalts said no, then he should be appointed King of NZ.
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:50am
- Flossie
  
  I really didn’t wonder why the PM wasn’t seen… was just grateful.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:40am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    Yes…you may catch me …..daily…screaming at the TV…”why is that … [deleted] on my TV AGAIN?”
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:11pm
slightlyrighty

Trevor Mallard in the house yesterday said…

“It was punished – but I am going to make it very clear that I will indicate to the House when I’m unhappy with the amount of shouting down either of ministers or of my deputy or assistants”

Is this a tacit admission that he is actively protecting ministers over the integrity of the house??
60 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:19am
- Simon
  
  Trevor Mallard corrupt. Its a very bad signal for the rest of the country from the heart of government.
  
  There goes Trevor Mallard he is corrupt but knows the right people. Thats NZ.
  
  55 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:38am
- mandk
  
  It was also a massive deflection.
  Bridges was complaining about abuse of a female National MP by a government minister.
  
  56 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:42am
- GazzaW
  
  Trev was in a hurry in the House yesterday because three hours later I am sure that I spotted him down at the Auckland Viaduct clad in a black tee shirt and obviously on his way to a free piss-up. Does the Speaker have an official connection to the Americas Cup (he’s not the Minister of Sport), who paid for his return airfares from Wellington and who paid for his accommodation?
  
  51 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:45am
  - sooty
    
    No, he just likes free shit!
    
    18 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:27am
  - alwyn
    
    “who paid for his return airfares from Wellington and who paid for his accommodation?”
    You have to ask? I can only assume that you are not a taxpayer.
    If you were a taxpayer you wouldn’t have to ask because the answer would be obvious.
    You did baby. You did.
    
    33 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:35am
    - GazzaW
      
      It was a rhetorical question…….
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:30am
      - alwyn
        
        I did realise that Gazza. When it comes to Trevor the Muss though I can’t resist temptation.
        I would have to say that he is the most miserable $@&!* of an MP I have ever met.
        
        11 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:35am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    If he was not able to make it, then the tickets would have been on Trademe
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 4:49pm
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Yes, that figures. He vacated the Speaker’s chair immediately after Question Time, with Jacqui Dean taking the chair for the General Debate.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 5:52pm
Apropos of the Wet Snow

I observe that the ultra-conformist PC thought police have infested Wakatipu High School’s upcoming production of the musical Grease.

“Some points of the show have been tweaked if actors felt uncomfortable or unable to disconnect with the content.”

‘‘We have also organised trigger warnings and support during the show’s season.”

‘‘Student wellbeing was always a top priority throughout this show.’’

https://www.scene.co.nz/features/pc-filter-for-grease/

It seems that this has its origins in the inevitable Twitter outrage following a recent screening of the film on BBC One. Oh, Sandy!
47 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:23am
- graham
  
  Seems like for some people, it would just be far simpler if they sat at home, in their own little bubble, drinking a nice soothing cup of camomile tea, and watching the dozen or so films that they’ve watched 50 times already but at least they know there won’t be any nasty unpleasantness in them …
  
  … and let the rest of us just get on with enjoying ourselves.
  
  Seriously, what is wrong with these people? How have they made it through life if they get so upset and “triggered” by Grease?
  
  40 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:58am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    I’m closing the curtains now, have you been spying on me?
    
    16 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:13am
- RW Capitalist
  
  I will sort of quote the advice of Laurence Olivier to the then young Dustin Hoffman (I believe), when he was trolling the pubs to learn how look drunk.
  “It’s acting dear boy….acting”
  
  16 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:11am
- Fletch
  
  Tell me more, tell me more….
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:35am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    That went ‘whoossshh’ Fletch. Must be children here today
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 4:51pm
- oldfella
  
  Apropos, wait till someone takes offence at The Lion King.
  Isn’t pretending to be an animal some kind of ‘species appropriation’? /s
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:57am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    ‘species appropriation’
    for a minute there, I thought that sexual offending against animals.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:14pm
Yvette

Ihumātao
The Memorandum of Understanding with Kingitanga allows a governance group Roopu Whakahaere to decide what happens with the land.
The Roopu Whakahaere will consist of seven members made up of three Ahi Kā [those able to trace back to primary ancestors who lived on the land] representatives chosen by the Kīnigitanga, a separate representative from Kīngitanga, two people selected by the Crown and one observer from Auckland Council. [1]

But – A redacted section of a Cabinet paper says: “Funds received from the sale of the land for housing or support for housing, or any other uses which are deemed to be more suitable than housing, will be returned to the Crown.” [2]

How normal or legal is it for the Government to acquire land and then ask a specially selected group (with self-conflicted interests) what should be done with it – including indicating to them that if need not be used for housing, as is publicly stated as the purpose of purchase, and using funding allocated for housing?
If that decision is yet unknown how did Government negotiate the purchase with any due diligence, unless they do have another unstated purpose?

And doesn’t the redacted section of the Cabinet paper, quoted above, confirm there has to be re-payment to the Crown for whatever purpose the land is used.
So who sets that value to be repaid?

Is Pania Newton not commenting on this matter until she secures one of the three Ahi Kā representative positions on the Kingitanga governance group?

[1] https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ihumatao-no-done-deal-anytime-soon
[2] https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/03/government-accused-of-trying-to-hide-treaty-of-waitangi-implications-of-ihum-tao-deal.html
46 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:31am
- Clyde
  
  Yet another below the counter deal done with the East Polynesians. It was amusing watch Woods in the House trying to defend this nonsense in her normal breathless head-jerking way. Apartheid is alive and well in NZ.
  
  47 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:09am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Who are these ‘East Polynesians’ to whom you refer?
    
    6 28
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:42am
    - Clyde
      
      You have been informed many times. Time to learn.
      
      17 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:10am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Here in the westernmost part of Polynesia, I really have no idea why … [deleted. Mod.] think it is some kind of cleverness to refer to Maori as ‘East Polynesians’.
        
        3 13
        Report
        March 18, 2021 12:35pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        They are the indigenous peoples of East Polynesia.
        
        East Polynesia, a vast area lying between Hawai‘i, Rapa Nui, and New Zealand,…..
        
        Human settlement of East Polynesia earlier, incremental, and coincident with prolonged South Pacific drought
        https://www.pnas.org/content/117/16/8813
        
        7 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 3:08pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Nice Maggy. Care to have a guess at why some of the Kiwiblog denizens prefer to refer to Maori as ‘East Polynesians’?
        
        2 6
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:47pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        That is just Mike being Mike – a smartarse
        
        7 4
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:53pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Probably for the same reason official documents refer to me… born & bred in NZ…. as European or Caucasian.
        
        3 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 8:24pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Yeah sure, Maggy, it’s probably not racist code at all…
        
        0 0
        Report
        March 19, 2021 6:34am
    - Dougal10
      
      You really don’t read other peoples comments before you down tick and troll do you.
      
      12 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:27am
- KevO'Brien
  
  This stinks of criminality by the Government. They have a duty to uphold the laws of New Zealand not override them.
  
  Now, all registered land titles must be considered nullities if the PTPM and her band of
  Executive Councillors have conferred on themselves the Sovereignty of New Zealand.
  Not recognising the sovereignty is vested in Parliament as a whole, not its Parties, cost King Charles I his head.
  
  Any government that cannot recognise that long established principle must be gone.
  
  29 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:47am
- Sofia
  
  Is the assignment of decision-making to a Kingitanga governance group, Roopu Whakahaere, in fact delegated legislation, and has it been stated to be such in Parliament and will it be subject to a select committee or the Regulations Review Committee for the examination of delegated legislation?
  
  As pertinent paragraphs were redacted in the Cabinet paper for public release, has the same information been made formally or openly available to Parliament?
  What remuneration and timeframe is set for the Kingitanga governance group members who will be doing the work of Government members?
  
  15 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:33am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Have we now got a separate Maori Parliament?
    This is out of control.
    Is it time to go Berko?
    
    15 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:25pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      I don’t think it is anything to do with a separate Maori Parliament.
      It is diversion of public monies to some mates of the NZ Labour Party.
      
      8 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 3:18pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        That is so accurate. Also buys future votes
        
        6 2
        Report
        March 18, 2021 4:54pm
I remember when

The 510 trial for Hydroxychloride seems to have a rather interesting mix.
Originally meant to have 510 patients then after 479 decided result determined and no further research needed.
Participants from 34 hospitals which would appear to make standardisation unlikely.
Also 290 were Latino/Black who make up the most affected portion of the population.
12 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:35am
- hullkiwi
  
  Its called big Pharma skewing the results before the study can happen. Now why would that be?
  
  16 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 8:44am
- RW Capitalist
  
  about 11 per hospital tested wow…how under whelming.
  Yet 1000’s were given it in Texas, via gp’s and others, ALL saying it had a positive effect on ALL patients, best results were when caught early in the disease.
  It prevented hospitalizations and saved lives
  2 points
  1. the initial and subsequent fears, were that hospitals would be over run and other causes of death would go untreated.
  (How are cancer treatment waiting lists?)
  2.Why weren’t these anecdotal accounts, taken into account? (Orange man bad? and/or pharma wanting large profits in the future?)
  Wonder how many politicians were funded by big pharma?
  
  11 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:21am
  - hullkiwi
    
    There has been a paper published by a group of Doctors in Newcastle, UK (UK NHS) about the reduced levels of Covid hospitalisation resulting from the combined use of Vitamin D and hydroxychloride. However, these doctors have been attacked for not toeing the NHS perceived wisdom.
    
    10 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:45am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Yes, how are cancer treatment waiting lists? My next appointment for prostate cancer just got cancelled. WDHB and North Shore Urology will be getting a ‘please explain’ call tomorrow.
    Time waits for no one, this is all 3 months past the active surveillance schedule
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 5:08pm
lazza

Quote; “Maybe the Government should do something like, well, take firearms off gangs”.

How did it come to this?

In a law abiding nation with a stable and independent Judiciary, “we” (not me!) elected a useless government who somehow now considers it has a mandate to go soft on crime?

We are reaping the whirlwind of a failure by the general populace to place enough importance on principles and more on cheap policial optics.

And Oh BTW … appoint a wet snowflake luvvie as Police Commissioner … for crissake!

Ardern and Little and their pathetic followers will have a lot to answer for … with another 32 months more of this travesty … to endure.
38 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:43am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The Govt bought back shotgun barrels at $300 a go I think. Plod was too thick to grasp that the are now 87 sawn of shotguns out there, beside all the others that have been there for years.
  NZ is a smart Country …..
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 5:15pm
KevO'Brien

A new WHO Advisory suggests the testing regime is producing 97% false positives and re-tests are needed. With obscure refs a little hard to follow. Emeritus Professor Michel Chossudovsky is excellent researcher and analyst.

“The WHO Confirms that the Covid-19 PCR Test is Flawed: Estimates of “Positive Cases” are Meaningless. The Lockdown Has No Scientific Basis”

https://www.globalresearch.ca/nucleic-acid-testing-technologies-use-polymerase-chain-reaction-pcr-detection-sars-cov-2/5739959
(WHO Advisory included.)
21 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:47am
I remember when

US military personnel to be sent to Mozambique to train soldiers fighting a jihadist insurgency in that country’s north.
Save the Children have had reports of 11/12 year-olds being beheaded and rape.
More than 2500 people have been killed and 700,000 have fled their homes since the insurgency began in 2017.
In its report, Save the Children did not specify who was behind the attcks, but displaced people had reported gruesome scenes in the gas-rich northern province which borders Tanzania.
The insurgents are known locally as al-Shabab, which means The Youth in Arabic.
The province is one of the poorest in Mozambique, with high rates of illiteracy and unemployment.
Discoveries of a huge ruby deposit and a giant gas field in 2009/10, has not resulted in jobs or a better life for many local people.
23 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:47am
- Adroit
  
  At least Mozambique, and the rest of Africa, got rid of pesky Whitey. How glorious the rule of our capable, honest, and competent African brothers has been.
  
  42 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:01am
  - Phronesis
    
    Don’t forget that Western countries will always benefit from more black people because, diversity. Apparently Africa doesn’t benefit from more white people, despite what history shows.
    
    29 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:38am
  - oldfella
    
    Adroit, yes, just look at the triumph that turned Southern Rhodesia into Zimbabwe, converting the bread basket of Africa into a despotic hell hole. But at least it’s a black-run hell despotic hell hole having driven out most of the whites.
    
    11 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:04pm
lastmanstanding

IMHO the CCP will seek to “reunify” Taiwan within the next 4 to 5 years. But that is the excuse not the reason. the reason is they seek the geopolitical control of South East Asia and the Western and South Pacific including NZ.
The US wont provoke a nuclear attack so will put up only a token resistance. they are already arming Taiwan to defend itself rather than getting too involved.

Of course the Past President of the International Socialist Youth or wwhat ever it was called and the Greens will welcome this.
It is their wet dream.

Alas they will be at the top of The List to be dealt with first.
31 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:48am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Most of the worlds top computer chip fabs are in Taiwan. That presents a huge strategic risk to the world. Taiwan needs nukes now.
  
  24 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:00am
  - SB2
    
    UN,” Taiwan needs nukes now.”
    
    Idiocy. The US nuclear umbrella is quite adequate, thank you kindly
    
    3 17
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:51am
- Odakyu-sen
  
  If China gets cute over Taiwan, things could turn ugly really quickly.
  Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs1ahNtj498
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:07am
mikenmildagain

American would prefer not to use Arabic numerals:
https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/56-percent-of-americans-dont-think-we-should-teach-arabic-numerals-in-school/?fbclid=IwAR3r-a14QNjHHTRouLFPhCtwyXURNbkBi6_hrP2_mz1m5xLaROtueDR1cUQ
8 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:50am
- Odakyu-sen
  
  Question: What percentage of Americans in the survey knew what the term “Arabic numerals” meant?
  
  (They probable think it means “Hal-al numerals” or something like that.)
  
  22 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:09am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    With many of the kids off school ,because the teachers want to be paid to stay home, is the ignorance surprising?
    
    13 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:27am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Exactly. Reminded me of the survey a few years ago that found a majority in favour of bombing Agrabah (Aladdin’s fictional home).
    
    10 9
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:45am
  - Flossie
    
    I wonder how many New Zealanders also would not know what an Arabic numeral looks like.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:11am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      ‘0’ It is that simple
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 5:19pm
- MCos
  
  . . . . . or Imperial units.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:00am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Units of Imperial stormtroopers?
    
    3 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:37pm
- rangitoto
  
  They are fine with Hindu numerals though.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:00am
  - oldfella
    
    Bugger numerals and that white-privilege educational crap.
    Our kids can all do a haka, so their education is paying dividends.
    
    11 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:09pm
- Nukuleka
  
  Very easy to mock what you might regard as American ignorance and prejudice. Try asking a random sample of kiwis about ‘Arabic numerals’. Similar results I’d guess. Most people would not know that 12345 etc are ‘Arabic numerals’ as opposed to Roman numerals. Stupid survey producing stupid results producing stupid kb post.
  
  14 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:17am
  - Odakyu-sen
    
    In Japan Arabic numerals are used in digital devices.
    Kanji numerals are used in the newspapers for dates, and for the ages of individuals.
    The old formal Kanji for numerals are used on banknotes.
    
    Example:
    2 (Arabic numeral)
    二 (day-to-day Kanji)
    弐 (more complex Kanji for “2” that is harder to modify)
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:30pm
  - James Stephenson
    
    If there’s one thing that really grinds my gears, it’s the sort of up themselves, sneering, middle-class types that create surveys like this, and “laugh” at John Oliver “jokes”.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 2:30pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Today’s homework:
  
  MCCXXIII + MCXIV =
  
  XC -XL =
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:34am
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    Roman numerals.
    A friend who has had three divorces must never meet a woman named Ivy. She might become wife # “iv”.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:43am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      It’s not working for the stupid, is it?
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 5:23pm
  - hullkiwi
    
    Answers
    1. MMCCCXXXVII (2,337)
    2. L (50)
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:35pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Eu!
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 3:29pm
WaveyDavey

Can anyone with a legal background explain how this is not murder?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/124558073/man-admits-causing-death-of-threemonthold-baby-during-covid19-lockdown
24 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:52am
- mikenmildagain
  
  I don’t have a legal background, but I believe murder requires an intent to kill, which can be hard to prove. There is some incentive for offenders to plead guilty to manslaughter, as they will get some credit for the plea and admission of guilt, and probably avoid a life sentence.
  
  16 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:07am
  - WaveyDavey
    
    Does it? Or is the qualification “a reasonable expectation…” to cause death?
    
    I’m honestly not sure
    
    This is the English law standard: “Because murder is generally defined in law as an intent to cause serious harm or injury (alone or with others), combined with a death arising from that intention, there are certain circumstances where a death will be treated as murder even if the defendant did not wish to kill the actual victim.”
    
    Surely if you punch a baby as hard as you would punch an adult in the boxing ring you must have an intent to cause harm?
    
    22 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:13am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      The proof that the blows caused the death is hard to establish. In a tender infant another cause is possible.
      These are always difficult issues for all concerned. Our Judges are fair and will agonise too over their sentence.
      
      3 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:17am
      - WaveyDavey
        
        Right…
        
        “At about 6pm…
        
        Dean then assaulted Thalia, “thumping” her at least five to six times in the head.
        
        He later told police he had used a seven to eight out of 10 force, similar to “jabbing” an adult in a boxing match.
        
        After being struck, Thalia “went out” and her body became loose, the documents say.
        
        Dean called to Kumu who ran into the lounge in a towel.
        
        Thalia was struggling to breath and her eyes started to get droopy before CPR was administered by the pair and an ambulance was called.
        
        The three-month-old was taken to Middlemore Hospital where she was declared dead at 7.40pm.”
        
        5 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:41am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Here’s the legal definition of murder mikenmild, from S167 of the Crimes Act:
    
    167Murder defined
    Culpable homicide is murder in each of the following cases:
    (a)
    if the offender means to cause the death of the person killed:
    (b)
    if the offender means to cause to the person killed any bodily injury that is known to the offender to be likely to cause death, and is reckless whether death ensues or not:
    (c)
    if the offender means to cause death, or, being so reckless as aforesaid, means to cause such bodily injury as aforesaid to one person, and by accident or mistake kills another person, though he or she does not mean to hurt the person killed:
    (d)
    if the offender for any unlawful object does an act that he or she knows to be likely to cause death, and thereby kills any person, though he or she may have desired that his or her object should be effected without hurting any one.
    
    You’d think that a 21 year old striking a three month old baby in the head six times would be an act “likely to cause death”. However the Crown may not have thought they had a strong enough case to take to a jury, and accepting the plea to manslaughter was the safer option.
    
    21 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:17am
    - WaveyDavey
      
      Unbelievable that he admitted punching a 3 month old 5 or 6 times:
      
      “He later told police he had used a seven to eight out of 10 force, similar to “jabbing” an adult in a boxing match.”
      
      Five or Six times remember…
      
      16 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:21am
    - WaveyDavey
      
      I’d have thought “reckless” would cover this particular case too
      
      7 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:28am
    - NoFax
      
      The Crown should have pursued a murder charge under the 167(b) Crimes Act 1961. Hitting a baby that hard in the head would likely lead to death and the offender was reckless that death ensured. The Crown could also have allowed an alternative of manslaughter for the jury to consider.
      
      However, research has shown over the years that when parents (or step parents) kill their children they are treated way more lenient than if children kill their parents. To be honest that’s hardly surprising given the way we treat children in general. And yes I do have legal training but did not practice criminal law.
      
      9 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:02am
- MCos
  
  To be quite honest I can’t bring myself to read stuff like that.
  
  25 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:12am
  - WaveyDavey
    
    With all due respect avoiding the issue isn’t going to make it go away
    
    Next step denial of the problem? The new Stuff approach to Maori infanticide
    
    25 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:22am
    - MCos
      
      I know there’s a problem, which I’m not ignoring.
      I don’t need to read about the blow by blow details.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 10:06am
      - WaveyDavey
        
        Sorry, it wasn’t directed specifically at you MCos
        
        More that the more people “turn away” the more it becomes hidden/ignored/acceptable
        
        It should be put front and centre in front of everyone all the time and then maybe, just maybe change might happen
        
        9 1
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:36am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        I got part way and stopped when I read the chap’s excuse that because the baby wouldn’t settle, he “reasoned” that it couldn’t have been his baby.
        
        Where do folks get such disordered ideas from?
        
        Couldn’t the chap consider that perhaps the baby was:
        uncomfortable, overtired, sick, just being a baby?
        
        23 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 11:43am
    - KevO'Brien
      
      The problems of doing justice are separate from those of ill treatment of children. There are many instances where no one is comfortable with the judicial outcome–the child least of all, if it’s still alive.
      Child protection has to start before the Police are called. Some group values may need adjusting too. At present NZ seems to be going backwards.
      
      6 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 12:35pm
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  Someone like this should be sent to the vet, and ‘fixed’ so that they can never have children again.
  Anyone who punches a baby in the face multiple times has got a screw loose.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:21am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Have we got a Han fight-gene loose in the varied populations among us? The warriors that Kubla Khan and his lot came out of swept through parts of Europe and Hungary is named after them.
    
    Polynesia also is tracked back to at least Taiwan, a likely Han connecting point, and curiously has similar violence. One national group jokingly refer to themselves as the “Irishmen of the Pacific”, knowing of the Irish reputation for fighting. Did the Irish also pick up this gene on their early transit through the Spanish regions?
    
    1 10
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:52pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Racist gobbledygook.
      
      8 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 1:25pm
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      Hi Kevin,
      the prehistoric movement from Taiwan into the pacific was long long before the birth of Christ.
      Long before the people known as historical ‘Huns’ made an appearance.
      So there is no connection between Huns and Maori, like you might be implying(?).
      
      I am married into a Taiwanese-Chinese family and have looked into their pre-historic archaeology with interest.
      The Han Chinese only arrived in Taiwan quite late. Taiwan had some contact with Chinese (shown by ancient coins turning up), but Chinese only really came to settle en-masse in 2 waves from the end of the Ming dynasty (turfing out the Dutch) and then Nationalist Chinese evacuating to Taiwan after defeat in the civil war.
      So for this reason also, the ancient Taiwanese-origin genetics of oceanic peoples is not the same as the recent Han-Chinese population of Taiwan.
      
      Nor is the “Han” and the “Hun” the same thing like you might be implying (?).
      Hun is likely a phonetic evolution from what ancient Chinese called Xiongnu, which were horse riding tribes of nomads from the steppes – and mortal enemies of the Han people. The Greeks and the Persians faced a people with a similar material culture, and called them Sythians. In some translations of Han-Chinese texts, the word Xiongnu is sometimes called ‘Hun’. Different tribes, different periods however, but all similar pastoral-nomad people who rode and shot bows very well.
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 5:14pm
      - KevO'Brien
        
        This is all in the dim dark past. I’m just pencilling in similarities and inquiring about possible explanations. I have lived among violent people. Genetics do play a role in inter-generational traits.
        
        3 3
        Report
        March 18, 2021 6:27pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Kublai Khan was a Manchu….not Han Chinese.
      
      Han Chinese originated south of the Steppelands.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 5:39pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  SOCKs
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 5:25pm
Maggie Pie

“Come! Don’t come!”

https://twitter.com/mbracemoore/status/1372169954791981057
16 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:58am
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, one day he is sane, next day confused, next day lies, next day is bed ridden, Harris assumes Presidency. The plan is in place, merely a waiting game.
  
  27 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:08am
- Apropos of the Wet Snow
  
  He wants them all to come, and to come in vast numbers every year, and, once eligible, to perpetually vote for Democrats, to displace people who may be more likely to vote against Democrats, and to depress the wages paid by his corporate donours. That’s at least three reasons for Joe’s open borders.
  
  20 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:09am
  - Batman
    
    So what you’re saying is that there no hope of the GOP appealing to new voters as they’re so unpalatable that a vote for D is the only likely outcome?
    
    2 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 2:08pm
    - Apropos of the Wet Snow
      
      I’m telling you how third worlders DO tend to vote vote, as opposed to how they OUGHT to vote.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 19, 2021 8:23am
- SB2
  
  The President said no such thing about Mexico US border migrants to come or open borders.
  
  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/03/16/president-joe-biden-migrants-border-surge-unaccompanied-minors/4726104001/
  
  1 20
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:06am
  - Fletch
    
    He may not have “said” to come, but his actions sure did. Or do you think these illegals all just decided to up and come through for no reason at all? Hell, even the liberal media know it is true –
    
    And that crisis — or situation — is at least partly of the Biden administration’s making.
    
    The president campaigned on easing immigration controls, including a moratorium on deportations, an end to former President Donald Trump’s “wait in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers and halting construction of the border wall. That platform gave migrants good reason to believe it would be easier to get into the United States if he were elected.
    
    Since taking office, Biden has also given them good reason to think they might be allowed to stay, as his immigration bill would offer legal status and a pathway to citizenship to much of the U.S. undocumented population.
    
    https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/biden-immigration-policies-cause-predictable-border-crisis-why-didn-t-ncna1260992
    
    The number of illegals is up 600% and they are building more tents and movable containers. ICE isn’t even allowed to do its job and detainees are being let go. And as for “kids in cages” – it’s massively expanded. So don’t tell me it’s not Biden’s doing.
    
    14 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:45am
    - oldfella
      
      Fletch, talking of Old Joe and co…
      So, the recent US presidential elections were all above board? Maybe not, according to this gathering of top criminal profilers.
      When you are at the table with some of the top criminal profilers in the world, talking about industrial scale election fraud, you do more listening than talking. And the listening was interesting. The profilers have zero interest in U.S. elections. Two of them did not vote and had unflattering opinions about both presidential candidates. Their comments were most insightful because they saw the current questions about election fraud so differently than the American media.
      To them, 2020 election fraud was an industrial level crime. It was of such magnitude that it moved from the category of an election crime to a sovereign crime.
      https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/03/the_sovereign_crime_of_industrial_scale_vote_fraud.html
      
      8 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 12:50pm
      - Batman
        
        Oldfella, criminal profilers are not investigators or electoral law experts. You may as well have brought in the actors from Criminal Minds to pontificate about how eBay scams are the same as electoral fraud.
        
        Second, this is an article on a conservative website which is written in the first person. It’s self-promotion.
        
        Third, it takes the position that all the claims are true, even when there are court documents which show that the postal claims, for example, were a lie.
        
        This blog post is no better than the terrible font and format of the website it sits on.
        
        3 5
        Report
        March 18, 2021 2:18pm
all true

Why New Zealand celebrate greatly the St. Patricks Day and their own National Day is barely a non event?
Every country proudly celebrates their national day.
7 9
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:59am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Apart from people going to the pub, I don’t detect any great celebrations on St Patrick’s Day.
  
  11 14
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:08am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Mike, don’t go to the pub – it is hard enough to understand you now
    
    5 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 5:31pm
- Apropos of the Wet Snow
  
  A manufactured sense of White guilt? St Paddy’s Day will eventually be verboten too.
  
  18 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:11am
  - sooty
    
    Because it’s turned into maori day and everyone’s turned off and tuned out and go’s do’s their own thing as it’s no longer New Zealand, eg, beach, BBQ, etc!
    
    22 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:43am
  - SB2
    
    It will not!
    
    1 13
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:15am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    To be replaced by St Manu day because maori had saints too doncha know, and the wheel, and . . .
    
    15 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:52am
    - greybeard
      
      Writing.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 6:55pm
- doublehappy
  
  I don’t recall a NZ National Day. When is it?
  
  9 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:02pm
- James Stephenson
  
  Yeah not so much. April 23rd is not a holiday in England.
  
  At least in NZ, if you fly your National flag on February 6th, nobody calls you “Far Right”.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:15pm
- Flossie
  
  I have heard that St Patrick’s Day is very low key even in Ireland. I was in New York on 17 March about 20 years ago and was amazed at the parades and TV programmes all going wild about it.
  Same for a lot of expat Kiwis and Aussies – you do tend to get a bit misty eyed and want to join in when you hear strains of Pokarekareana (or Waltzing M for the Aussies)
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:18pm
Kiwi_in_Paris

Something we will be hearing a lot more about are “leaky vaccines” and Marek’s disease in chickens. The leaky vaccines only reduce symptoms of a virus or disease, they do not prevent transmission, or them from getting the virus. Over time the chicks have been injected at one day old, and then, due to the asymptomatic transmission of new strains of the virus, unless the chickens receive the vaccine they die.

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/leaky-vaccines-can-produce-stronger-versions-of-viruses-072715

It is very interesting then, that the countries where Covid vaccine trials took place, the UK, Brazil, and South Africa, are the exact same countries where the new more virulent, and perhaps more deadly (according to the medical experts) strains of Covid came from:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32661-1/fulltext

Just another coincidence?
12 6
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:59am
Inandout

What a strange looking man.
https://trends.gab.com/item/60512688e8ce2b52a4e56d1c
He can try.
11 5
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:03am
- SB2
  
  From courtesy WND!
  
  1 11
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:28am
Tony Stuart

Trevor Mallard gave National more ammunition yesterday to use against him if their No Confidence motion is ever debated. It began with this comment from Mallard during Q10, from Barbara Kuriger to Megan Woods:

SPEAKER: Order! Order! Can I just say that both for Minister Carmel Sepuloni and for this Minister there has been a lot of attempting to shout them down. I don’t want to reflect on some of the reasoning behind that, but it doesn’t look good.

The implication from Mallard, unsupported by any evidence, was that National MP’s were being sexist. After Barbara Kuriger had finished her supplementary questions, Chris Bishop, as Shadow Leader of the House took a Point of Order, and this exchange followed:

Chris Bishop: Point of order, Mr Speaker. During the back and forth around the first answer to the primary question by Dr Woods there, you made what was clearly a reference to—essentially, accused the front bench of the National Party of some sexist behaviour. Yesterday, I note Peeni Henare essentially made an animal noise at one of the female members of the National Party, and it went completely unpunished, so I’m just questioning here, really, the standards.

SPEAKER: I think the noise, which I didn’t recognise as an animal noise—the out-of-order noise that was made—resulted in a question being gained by the National Party. It was punished, but I am going to make it very clear that I will indicate to the House when I am unhappy with the amount of shouting down either of Ministers or of my deputy or assistants. I just make the point that there has been one thing that has been in common with the people who have been shouted down.

Hon Simon Bridges: Point of order, Mr Speaker. You’ve now, over a number a weeks—and I got kicked out of the House for it—made personal remarks about members on this side of the House. It’s simply not right, and I ask you, as a senior member of this Parliament, to stop doing it.

SPEAKER: Well, I’m going to ask the member to leave the House.

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20210317_051060000/10-question-no-10-energy-and-resources

Mallard repeated his implication of sexism in his ruling on Bishop’s Point of Order. When Simon Bridges asked the Speaker to desist from making derogatory remarks towards National MP’s, Mallard’s instant reaction was to boot him out.

Has it occurred to Trevor Mallard that National MP’s are “shouting down” Megan Woods’ answers because they are crap? Or those of Carmel Sepuloni, or even the Prime Minister, although she has been MIA this week?

Trevor Mallard’s anti-National bias is no longer hidden. It’s out there, for all to see, and at times he even seems proud of it. Unfortunately for him, it’s also completely against the rules surrounding the role of the Speaker (my emphasis added):

Election of Speaker
Members of Parliament vote to elect the Speaker at the start of each new Parliament (after every general election). This is the first task of every new Parliament once members have been sworn in.
Candidates are nominated by another member and, after the election vote, the Speaker-Elect visits the Governor-General to be confirmed in office.

The position of Speaker is high-ranking — the Speaker commands the respect of other members. This is because the Speaker is the member that the House chooses to communicate with the Sovereign on its behalf.

It is important that the elected Speaker is not biased towards any political party. This ensures that every member of Parliament has an equal chance to contribute to debates and take part in other business in the House.

Despite this, the Speaker of New Zealand’s House of Representatives is allowed to maintain links with their political party, but must not show political bias when chairing business in the House. The Speaker must not show either preference or disrespect for any political party, for the Government, or the Opposition. All members of the House must be treated equally.

https://www.parliament.nz/en/visit-and-learn/how-parliament-works/office-of-the-speaker/role-history-of-the-speaker/role-election-of-the-speaker/

Is Trevor Mallard treating the National opposition MP’s equally? Does he show disrespect for the Opposition? I think we all know the answer to that.
60 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:08am
- Clyde
  
  Of course Mallard is biased, but he knows for him to be kicked out of his VERY cushy job, his own Labour Party would have to agree and as it is as plain as a pikestaff that he is protecting some very poor performers in his Party, that won’t happen. A case of the rules being unenforceable.
  
  46 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:13am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Mallard is one of the worst speakers ever. Everyone knows it (even the left know it, but will never admit it and just snigger to themselves about it). But they know that he is untouchable and cannot be removed due to the Labour majority.
  However, I still think National should highlight his bias at every opportunity and although it is doomed to fail, still voice their no confidence in the speaker as often as possible.
  
  53 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:17am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Wow the down ticker is working overtime today and very promptly down ticking all the sensible comments.
    
    35 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:32am
  - Billy
    
    The Greens are showing their true colours by not speaking up about it.
    
    Even if being Lefties, they at least use to put on the mask that they cared about abuse of position and partisan behaviour in politics.
    
    18 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:29am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    “One of”? I’ve followed politics since my teens, and I can now say that Mallard is the worst Speaker in that time. I always felt the bar set by Dr Gerry Wall was pretty low, but Mallard has managed to go even lower.
    
    28 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 10:40am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Margaret Wilson was useless
      
      24 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 11:48am
      - Tony Stuart
        
        Useless, yes, but not openly biased, bullying and as disrespectful to the institution of Parliament as the incumbent.
        
        9 0
        Report
        March 18, 2021 5:55pm
- Ruawai
  
  Why is Jacinda Ardern not visible this week, is she Away?Sick?Busy?In meetings?????
  
  18 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:21am
  - Flossie
    
    Down at the Viaduct?
    
    10 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:05pm
  - Countrygirl
    
    Arranging for her wedding dress?
    
    9 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:55pm
  - tui47
    
    Last week was a tough week, especially after the furore when Ardern cancelled Hoskings. Is it getting too much?
    
    15 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:18pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    RSA Morrinsville maybe. Keeping right wing rifraf out for the event?
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 5:39pm
- oldfella
  
  Shame that neither TV 6pm news bulletin covered this last night. Too busy with wall-to-wall coverage of the boat race thingy. You know, how some cup or other will stay in ayoteearower.
  
  10 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:18pm
- hullkiwi
  
  Tony, these circumstances show just how hypocritical the Labour left and woke luvvies have become, with Newshub reporting that a Wellington artist Sarah Jane Parton has tweeted excusing Henare’s behaviour and accusing Bishop of wasting time.
  
  As we regularly write, it is different when the left do it.
  
  15 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:57pm
bythesea

Cracking pieces by Glenn Greenwald (journalist) on substack about woeful state of journalism and media. This is the latest one about how they cover for each other https://greenwald.substack.com/p/how-do-big-media-outlets-so-often

There is a free subscription level to get these weekly stories – highly recommend. https://greenwald.substack.com

He has a number of articles on censorship, including his testimony to congress
15 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:22am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Greenwald is a repeater
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 5:41pm
Master Mariner

Reasonable article on Myanmar. First one pointing out its strategic location.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/myanmar-coup-protests-anti-china-sentiment-belt-road-14426482
12 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:22am
john1234

So, AirNZ repaired some gas turbines that turned out to be property of the Saudi Navy. Mayhem ensues and shouty lefties are calling for heads. Incidentally AirNZ has some political connections to the National Party.

Turns out subsequently that there was no requirement for AirNZ to get permission for this work. Silence from the shouty lefties and barely mentioned in the media.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2103/S00271/air-new-zealand-gas-turbines-review-further-update.htm

Now we hear that government Callaghan Innovation Fund cash (Labour/Green government) is invested in firms blacklisted by other countries for providing technology used by PRC to oppress Uighur minorities in China.

That’s right, the NZ government is effectively supporting genocide in China.

Now, where is the outrage? Where is the daily headlines and breathless TV reporters? Where is Golly Golriz, demanding heads? Oh right, Golly defends Genocide supporters such as Simon Bikindi, doesn’t she? The Greens may by hypocrites, but at least they’re consistent.

Can barely find one article about all this, and it treads very gently.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/03/deputy-pm-grant-robertson-seeks-more-information-on-possible-government-link-to-uighur-atrocities.html

If the National government was behind this, shouty lefties like Golly Golriz and the sycophant media would be losing their shit over it.

Nothing but silence. Expect this story, along with Air New Zealand’s vindication, to be allowed by the media to die off quietly.

Naturally the Nats and ACT can try and expose all this in Parliament, but that would require an unbiased speaker to allow it…
40 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:23am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Incidentally AirNZ has some political connections to the National Party.
  
  Incidentally Rob Fyfe, the Air NZ CEO immediately prior to Christopher Luxon has some political connections to the Labour Party. Fyfe was re-hired by Jacinda Ardern as her Covid-19 conduit to the private sector in July 2020, and recognised in the 2021 New Year’s Honours. He reportedly talks to the PM on a fortnightly basis:
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/123843701/from-rock-star-ceo-to-new-year-gong-rob-fyfe-recognised-for-service-to-business-and-tourism
  
  26 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:45am
  - plc
    
    [Deleted – sick attempt at humour. mod.]
    
    0 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:55am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    And Fyfe is the same guy who wrecked a once very successful company called Icebreaker.
    Moral: Never put a lefty in charge of a business.
    
    17 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:57am
I remember when

Tight Labour Market for Dairying:
In a normal year, there would be 300-400 farm jobs advertised weekly.
Last year there were 800-1000.
‘That number has not shifted.’
So I take it that, the farming jobs we were holding while we train the jobless urban workforce are still largely vacant.
20 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:27am
Fisiani2

https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2021/health/global-covid-vaccinations/index.html

I started growing a beard when I heard Chris Hipkins lie to us that we would be “at the top of the queue for a vaccine”. My beard is a political protest. They now say that I will be vaccinated in the middle of the year. That’s 1st July. My beard will be down to my belly button when I finally get a vaccine and if you believe that will be in July then you have been duped.
28 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:30am
- john1234
  
  Has Labour ever hit the mark for an ambitious target? There’s ZERO chance of making their immunisation target, late as it is. Look at the numbers. 2 million people in the last 6 months? Remember it is two jabs. So 4 million jabs in 180 days. 22,000 a day. They’ve never once hit that level of COVID testing in one day, let alone every day for 180 days. And you can get a COVID test in a car park. An immunisation has to be done in a much more controlled and prepared environment.
  
  Don’t start on the first 2 million – even less time available. It’s taken them months to get 50,000 done.
  
  ZERO chance.
  
  The only two things these muppets are capable of achieving are: banning stuff (including freedom of movement, association and activity) and creating working groups/committees. Hardly surprising when you look at the backgrounds of the government’s members. Union flunkies, professional students, failed lawyers and fish&chip executives are just not that good at getting the hard stuff sorted.
  
  19 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:17am
Maggie Pie

TRENDING

I was thrilled to find GOD had his own Twitter account 😀

https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/status/1372267910018654209
11 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:38am
- SB2
  
  From God, Homosexuality is not a choice but Homophobia is.
  
  https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/status/1371474899198386180
  
  1 27
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:12am
  - mandk
    
    Instead of making stupid comments, how about providing some evidence that people choose to have a phobia?
    
    15 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:05pm
lazza

Quote:”

However, I still think National should highlight his (Mallard’s) bias at every opportunity

Until the Nats move to civil (though legal) disobedience in the House, Useless Ardern is under no pressure to beach The Duck.
33 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:43am
- peterwn
  
  Judith and co will be looking at every opportunity to have a crack at the Government. However great care is needed as such moves can easily backfire (and have backfired) causing self inflicted damage. This is even if the other side (and its acolytes) defend by being economical with the truth.
  Hence great Machiavellian skill and cunning are required when on the attack.
  Having spokespeople who are right on top of their shadow portfolios and who can probe weaknesses during Question Time (without being caught flat footed) and with written questions as well as having good ‘unofficial’ sources of information goes a long way towards mounting successful political attacks. It is very much a ‘black art’. Even a skilled operator like Judith Collins does not get it right all of the time.
  
  9 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:00pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    I’m glad you recognise we need to take the fight to the others as they are doing to us.
    
    6 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:58pm
Happychappy

Ihumatoa land deal under scrutiny as Megan Woods accused of using Kiwibuild as a slush fund .
Why wouldn’t the Opposition in Parliament call for this as it is blatant misappropriation of funds and this is the second time in as many months that Treasury has warned Labours Finance Minister after Grant Robertson and Adrain Orr the Governor the Reserve Bank were warned of a deal they were about to put in place.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/03/ihum-tao-deal-under-scrutiny-as-housing-minister-megan-woods-accused-of-using-kiwibuild-as-slush-fund.html
This is becoming a habit with this Labour Government and the media are just ignoring what could become what many call Corruption without upholding the very basis of what Journalism is there to do.
30 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:51am
- KevO'Brien
  
  It it much more than merely re-arranging some finances. The land title was appropriated by the Govt who allowed the Police to not carry out their duties.
  
  No govt of NZ has the right to change the law on its say so. Parliament is Sovereign not them. They have compounded several crimes against the people. For that they must go. A King lost his head for accordingly.
  Is Ardern to reverse Magna Carta?
  
  23 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 10:29am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    She didn’t know what GDP was so what are the chances of her knowing what Magna Carta is.
    
    … [Deleted – Mod]
    
    10 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:01pm
  - oldfella
    
    Kev: JaCarta ArderMagna?
    Nah, sounds too learned and posh for the Morrinsville Muppet.
    
    8 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:26pm
70andstilllearning

GDP -1% recession here we come!! More bad news for the government.
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 10:47am
BeeJay

If you think electric vehicles are the be all and end all, think again. As electric vehicles become more common, more information is emerging on battery fires resulting from serious crashes.
Recently, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) renewed its warnings for collision repairers and vehicle recovery operators to take particular care around EVs involved in high-speed, high severity crashes.
The main risk in lithium-ion batteries after an accident is thermal runaway, where the temperature of the battery continues to increase to the point where a fire occurs. It may also happen after the vehicle has caught fire, but the battery pack hasn’t cooled sufficiently leading to re-ignition.
EV battery fires in the US have ignited up to five days after an accident and one fire was recorded three weeks after a crash, as the temperatures inside the battery continue to rise unchecked.
(Source – NZMTA Radiator March 2021)
20 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 10:51am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  And think of the child labourers in Congo up to their ears in muck digging for cobalt.
  You don’t hear about that from the electric car fanboys.
  
  21 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:00pm
Tony Stuart

GDP growth for the December quarter was -1.0%, so the “rebound” in Q3 was short-lived. Analysts are expecting the numbers to be even worse for Q1 2021, given the various lockdowns and business interruptions, so despite Grant Robertson’s bravado, we’re headed for recession.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124541330/recovery-falters-nz-probably-in-recession-after-surprise-1-drop-in-gdp
27 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 11:04am
- Tony Stuart
  
  According to Liam Dann from the NZ Herald, the annual figure for the year to December 2020 is -2.9%, which makes this the the largest annual fall ever in GDP for New Zealand according to StatsNZ.
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/gdp-shock-economy-slumps-in-final-quarter-of-2020/22KZFRGAODMCEJMQDZAXXCRWM4/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1616018534
  
  Add to this the way in which our debt figure has blown out, and things are not as rosy as the Government would have us think.
  
  28 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:16am
  - Spring Bank Westie
    
    Not to worry, when Cindy is confronted with this, yet another, failure, she will ask Stats NZ to recalculate their measurement s and come back with some positive data, just like the Child Poverdy rejig.
    
    22 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:18am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    I think these are the key take outs Tony:
    
    “Some industries are down, but others have held up or risen, despite the ongoing impact of COVID.”
    
    At the industry level 7 out of 16 industries declined. The two largest contributors to the drop were construction, and retail trade and accommodation. Both industries saw strong September 2020 quarter results.
    
    “Falls in construction services, commercial building, and infrastructure were partially offset by continued growth in residential building activity. Construction activity remains at historically high levels, despite this quarter’s fall,” Pascoe said.
    
    Where there is emerging agreement is that the economy will basically track side-ways from here until we make progress on opening borders.
    
    Materials supply is critical to both retail & construction and there is clearly a logistics issue on that front which may, or may not be sorted out by mid year. So how long do they ( the government) really think they can keep the borders shut? Also note that the previous YoY data was revised downwards from .4 to .2
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:44am
    - greybeard
      
      Any components of GDP which are not allied to exports are useless.
      The only thing which can drag NZ out of this financial black hole is to increase EXPORTS, and garner more overseas capital.
      Selling bits and pieces to each other within NZ does the NZ economy no good.
      Japan proved this the 1950’s and 1960’s.
      
      5 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 7:07pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    The supermarkets are showing that. How’s our esteemed Minister of Finance, trained as sub-bookkeeper in a uni cafe, going to control prices with his wild spending of freshly created money. It’s got to go somewhere, why not prices?
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:02pm
- artemisia
  
  The Herald pic accompanying the GDP announcement shows a shop window plastered with For Lease signs.
  
  Yesterday I travelled most of Wellingtons (not so) olden mile – lost count of the number of empty ground floor premises. And who knows how many floors above are now empty.
  
  Not to worry, Mr Robertson will be along soon to tell us we are better than …. Greece? Venezuala?
  
  18 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:37am
- Cobolt24
  
  Credit card spending is down in Jan/Feb and Auckland had a lockdown, GDP is sure to be negative in Q1 this year.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:41am
- Nickc2
  
  Wow, who would have guessed? Well, I suppose that’s what you get when you put a rabbit (Robertson) in charge of a lettuce (NZ Economy).
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:07pm
curry4me

ASTERISK PRESIDENCY: Episode 9.
Direct from Harveywood, here is this week’s episode of Asterisk Presidency. Brought to you by the CCP, Wall Street, Apple TV, and Burisma.
Will Beijing Biden remember the name of his Defence Secretary? Will ‘VP Harris model the new ‘maternity flight suits’? Will they only be available to biological women? Will the SPLC sue? Will the Duchess of Woke run in 2024? Will that bump ‘granny killer’ Cuomo from the short list? Will Harry identify as a woman so he can be the first lady? Will Beijing Biden cancel student loan debt? Will NPC University students be eligible? Will Beijing hold another press conference with questions in 60 days? Will the teleprompter malfunction? Will Dems ram through trillions of new spending? Will the pope wear a funny hat on Sunday? How’s the FBI investigation of Hunter going? Did they interview Xi yet? Will Beijing Biden be dubbed the ‘green screen’ president? Will there be a special prosecutor for nursing home deaths in MI? What about NY? Will ‘VP’ Harris be briefed on kids detained at the border? Stay tuned folks!
11 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 11:08am
- Ed Snack
  
  And even better, as Biden has gone a record (for modern times) of not fronting up for any Press conferences, a couple of videos have been released purporting to show Joe answering questions for the press on the WH lawn. Check Bloomberg’s channel and watch closely.
  
  Only problem is……the editing is faulty and a couple of times the superimposed Biden figure overlays the supposed foreground microphones.
  
  Not only are they fakes, they’re bad fakes. At what point to our Biden fanboiz get to realise what a con they’ve been sold ?
  
  8 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 1:34pm
- SB2
  
  How’s the FBI investigation of Hunter going?
  
  Why should there be one?
  
  2 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 3:14pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  you forgot the biggest players in the election: Facebook, Google, Twitter and Amazon (world services WaPO).
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 3:24pm
Maggie Pie

BREAKING……

‘NEST OF SPIES DISCOVERED IN AUSTRALIA’
And mainly Chinese according to the report.
Will we ever know what is going on here in Aotearoa 🙁

https://twitter.com/newscomauHQ/status/1372296684617695233
15 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 11:14am
- SB2
  
  Otherwise known as Chinaphobia.
  
  0 29
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:21am
- Unity
  
  Maggie, I enjoy your posts but can I please ask you not to call our country Aotearoa. It’s very irritating and is not the name of our country which is New Zealand.
  
  29 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:34am
  - mandk
    
    I don’t have a problem with people calling our Aotearoa.
    
    As long as they are talking or writing in the Maori language, that is.
    
    15 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 11:58am
    - Unity
      
      Yes, but Aotearoa was a pet name given to the North Island only and by a white man at that, so surely it’s inappropriate in the Maori language too but those who speak it can call anything whatever they like as we won’t know about it or care.
      
      18 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 12:21pm
  - doublehappy
    
    Here, here!
    
    15 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:09pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Where? Hear hear!
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 5:55pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    One country only “New Zealand”.
    
    17 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:03pm
- peterwn
  
  But even the ASIO (similar to our ‘Security Intelligence’) is having to get with it and use more politically correct language. Saying Islamic (or Left or Right) Extremism is out – saying “religiously motivated violent extremism”or “ideologically motivated violent extremism” is in.
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:45am
  - Paulus Gnome
    
    White supremacists, white extremists, right wing and nazis will remain current though right?
    
    10 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 12:05pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  I don’t care what is going on in that ‘Aotearoa’ place, but I’m quite keen to find out what’s happening in New Zealand.
  
  22 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:03pm
- Tall Man
  
  “Spiders” Maggie “Spiders”……..
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:09pm
john1234

BBC: Covid response killed more children in Asia than Covid killed people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56425115

Covid took a toll on mostly the frail elderly, who had few years left. Of course those numbers were also inflated by treating died “with Covid” the same as died “from Covid” But the response to Covid, the shutdowns, the unavailability of food and medical care, killed more, and they were children.

Think about that, next time someone tells you about “kindness”
12 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 11:14am
Jack5

Sorry for the length, but this is an an intriguing story of a big business collapse under way, and it has an almost local angle…

Japanese giant Softbank and Credit Suisse are two of the companies suffering from the collapse of British-owned Greensill Capital, and in America, a coal mining group owned by one of the United States’s most colourful politicians is in the melee.

It looks as though Softbank will lose more than $NZ2billion it put into Greensill two years ago. Softbank, after Toyota, is the biggest company with shares are traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and it’s one of the world’s 40 biggest companies.

Greensill had been hailed as one of the leading emerging “fintech” firms. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron was an adviser.

The founder was Lex Greensill, who grew up on Australia’s biggest sweet potato (kumera) farm at Bundaberg, started work as a law clerk in the town, and then worked for the Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association. From there he became an entrepreneur in supply-chain finance, founding Greensill Capital in 2011 to provide quick finance for growers waiting for payment.

“We see ourselves as the Amazon of the working capital world,” Greensill said in an early interview with the Australian Financial Review.

Greensill Capital’s main business has been supply-chain finance, paying suppliers and collecting money from buyers later.

Credit Suisse, which has 46,000 staff in 50 offices around the world, has frozen $NZ14 billion of managed funds that bought notes issued by Greensill Capital, and which Credite Suisse marketed to clients such as pension funds and wealthy individuals. In addition, Credit Suisse lent Greensill Capital $US150 million last year, and has been able to get back only $US40 million so far.

Greensill’s operations seized up after it couldn’t renew credit-insurance policies that Credit Suisse and other investors relied on to make the investments safer. Credit Suisse stopped buying new investments from Greensill and froze the funds on March 1.

The Wall Street Journal says pension funds, corporate treasurers and wealthy investors put $US10 billion into the funds as a higher-yielding alternative to money-market funds. The funds made some risky investments, leaving Credit Suisse in a potential standoff with its clients.

In America, Bluestone Resources, which is owned by the billionaire Republican governor of West Virginia, James Justice II, has begun legal action. Greensill allegedly lent hundreds of millions of dollars to Bluestone Resources based on income the company might never actually earn.

Bluestone also alleges that Greensill sought to solicit business from the US company for its biggest client, British steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta. Justice ran as a Democrat in 2016, but after winning the election switched to the Republicans as a Trump supporter, and won again last year.

Early attention was on a bank Greensill Capital owned in Germany, which has gone into receivership hitting German local bodies with losses of about $NZ330 million. Greensill Bank AG, was offering a tiny interest rate to depositors while most German banks are charging negative interest on deposits.

If you’re interested in what a “fintech” firm is:

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fintech.asp
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 11:52am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Gambling with other people money.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 1:07pm
  - I remember when
    
    It’s not gambling when it’s other peoples money!
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:21pm
SmokerGuy

I wonder if the government will be so keen to take the credit for the GDP fall as they were when it went up?
20 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 12:11pm
- Suze Wainwright
  
  Foolz!
  
  It’s not about the economy! Jacinda is our savior!
  
  11 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 12:38pm
  - SmokerGuy
    
    Ahh yes all hail comrade Jacinda!
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 1:53pm
    - Tall Man
      
      “Fail” you fool not “Hail” ….. 😉
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:08pm
70andstilllearning

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300254800/government-to-give-control-of-water-fluoridation-to-the-health-director-general-ashley-bloomfield-wresting-power-from-councils

More power to the peop …no …..government!!!!
8 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 12:36pm
- I remember when
  
  Oh dear. Ashley about to find out you can’t be a saint (in the eyes of all of the 5 million) forever.
  
  9 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 1:19pm
oldfella

I think this is a problem most western countries are having these days with followers of that ‘religion of peace’…
++
Denmark has announced it will limit “non-Western” residents from forming more than 30 per cent of any neighbourhood – but have pulled back from using the controversial term “ghetto”.
Danish Interior Minister Kaare Dybvad Bek said the law was designed to avoid “the emergence of religious and cultural parallel societies” and is part of nation’s hardline immigration policies, which are some of the most restrictive in Europe.
The new bill is a review of existing laws which were enacted to combat the formation of “ghettoes”.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/denmark-to-limit-non-western-residents-in-neighbourhoods-to-30-per-cent/AHQVGC6KX4TGSTI6OWICDM65LA/
16 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 12:48pm
- marcw
  
  If the UK had announced policies such as this prior to Brexit, how would the EU have reacted? Hungary were persona-non-Grata with their population policies. How will Denmark fare with this decision, especially since the EU is being a little attacked and defensive now they are not the omnipotent force they pretend.
  
  10 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 1:04pm
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Their policies may be among the more restrictive in Europe, but they could have easily avoided the need to plan and execute a clean-up act if they’d simply followed Poland’s immigration policies.
    
    8 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 2:14pm
  - Frank the tank
    
    I’d wager they would be more worried about the far right taking the upcoming Italian and French elections – Silvini and Le Pen are strong front runners atm.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 2:50pm
Maggie Pie

One of the girls at tennis was telling us her hubby knows Grant Dalton.
With negotiations about to get underway again, reckons he’ll skin Robbo & Nashie alive.

Just saying.
23 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 12:49pm
- SB2
  
  Skin alive for what?
  
  1 12
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 3:12pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I actually preferred the old ‘stephieboy’
    
    The new one sucks!
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 6:49pm
    - Tall Man
      
      Back to that phobia thingy again Maggie …..
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:07pm
Swifty

Does anyone here remember the case here twenty or so years ago where quite a few cattle were shot overnight in a paddock?

Does anyone remember what year it was?
4 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 1:33pm
Maggie Pie

Ever since they gave Plunkie the DCM, there’s nobody worth listening to now, so thort I might as well watch Question Time.

Other than Q8, that looks pretty f – -ing boring as well 🙁

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/list-of-oral-questions/oral-questions-18-march-2021/
7 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 1:33pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  It is not serious, it is a Govt attempt at comedy.
  As usual, epic fail
  
  7 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 5:59pm
Fletch

Queensland’s vaccination hubs have begun rolling out notices for severe allergic reactions after four cases of anaphylaxis were recorded in 48 hours across the state during the administration of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
8 4
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 2:11pm
Jack5

National MP Chris Bishop’s dad, John Bishop, lashes Aussies in a Stuff article. It includes:

“Australia is a nation of selfish, boastful, patronising, condescending rat bags.”

Imagine, and I emphasise “imagine”, that Bishop senior thought this about Tonga, or Western Samoa, and said Tongans, or Samoans were “selfish, boastful, patronising, condescending rat bags.”

Meng the Merciless would be thundering warnings, Red Radio, State TV, and Stuff would be rolling out righteous but furious opinion pieces.

Aussies are okay. Most of us have relatives in Australia, many of us have Aussies in our family tree, some of us have children who are Australian citizens.

And sorry, John Bishop, but when it comes to Woke bullshit, the Aussies are more mature than us.
19 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 2:16pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Does anyone get to be a Stuff columnist on the back of having a son for an MP (and no discernible talent for writing)?
  
  4 9
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 4:49pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Oh dear..
    You need to get out and about a bit more
    https://johnbishop.co.nz/about-john/
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 7:21pm
    - Tall Man
      
      Best he stays home in mum’s basement.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 18, 2021 9:06pm
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Jeeez Mike. I understand that you can get otc cures for a bilious stomach….
    
    Do you every contribute anything positive?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:51pm
Fletch

Thousands of illegals are crossing into the U.S

Border Patrol agents in the nation’s busiest sector continue to encounter large groups of migrants illegally crossing from Mexico into South Texas. Nearly 24,000 were apprehended in the last two weeks alone — nearly 28,000 for all of February.

On Saturday morning, agents assigned to the Rio Grande City Station encountered a group of 134 migrants after they illegally crossed the border near Las Lomas, Texas. The agents identified 128 migrants as family units — mostly from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

A few hours later, agents from this same station encountered another large group of migrants near La Grulla, Texas. In this incident, the agents apprehended 113 migrants composed of family units and unaccompanied alien children, officials stated. Included in the 113 migrants were 17 Romanian nationals. The balance came to the U.S. from Central America, officials stated.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2021/03/17/large-migrant-groups-continue-crossing-border-into-texas-24k-in-two-weeks/

I doubt anything can stop them now, even if the Democrats wanted to stop them, which they don’t. And apparently they are 7 times more likely to have the virus.

It’s a disaster. And the price of gas is going up. Inflation is coming. And the Democrats want to tax anyone much more making over $400,000 a year.

And they are talking getting rid of the filibuster (as we knew they would). They are changing the law to allow fraudulent voting, removing all protections. It will put Dems in power for the next 100 years.

Hell, even Lindsey Graham and the Republicans have thrown in the towel and are promoting amnesty. WTF is wrong with them?

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/03/17/lindsey-graham-house-republicans-promote-amnesty-for-illegal-aliens-amid-border-crisis/
15 3
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 2:18pm
Maggie Pie

A person with knowledge of these things, just txt my partner to say…..we will have a ‘bubble’ with Australia on or before April 19th.
7 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 4:59pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  About bloody time.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 7:22pm
- Flossie
  
  Friend of the fisherman is he?
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 11:16pm
Jack5

The young Muslim who planned a terrorist attack in Christchurch on 23 July 2017, about 21 months before the terrorism murders at the Christchurch mosques, has been granted final suppression of his name.

At the age of 17, he planned to ram a car into a group of Christchurch people, then stab them.

Judge Stephen O’Driscoll sentenced him to supervision rather than prison, and this led to publicity about the young man receiving golf lessons.

The Christchuch Star, in a report by Kurt Bayer, reports that for the last three years, the man, now 21, has been coming to court every month, and latterly evey second month, for Judge O’Driscoll to get progress reports on his judicial monitoring.

The man breached supervision order four teims, which by using his mother’s cellphone to watch pornography, and caused a hunt in 2017 when he walked out of supervised accommodation.

The Star report says:

”After 51 Muslims were massacred in the shootings, the man told Judge O’Driscoll he felt disgused when thinking of the harm he could’ve done to ‘innocent Kiwis’ who are ‘his people’.”

The man thanked the Judge for taking an interest in his well being and vowed he would try to stay out of trouble and said he hoped to get into the work force.

Judge O’Driscoll granted the man final permanent name suppression, saying naming him publicly would like to cause him extreme hardship and put progress he’d made in jeopardy.
11 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 5:13pm
- Jack5
  
  Edit: The man breached supervision order four times, ~~which~~ twice by using his mother’s cellphone to watch pornography, and caused a manhunt in 2017 when he walked out of supervised accommodation.
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 5:29pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  Now rumored to have been shortlisted for a part-time position with the Christchurch franchise of Alan’s Snackbar.
  
  9 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 6:46pm
  - Tall Man
    
    I think it’s the Hawaiian franchise, “Aloha Snackbar”. Saw it posted the other day.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 9:05pm
Cobolt24

I notice the One News correspondent said that attack in Georgia was racially motivated yet TVNZ put an article out 12 hours ago which says the shooter said “its not about race”
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/us-massage-parlour-shooting-suspect-says-attack-not-race-describes-sex-addiction-police
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 6:26pm
- Batman
  
  Why wasn’t he shooting up brothels of white women?
  
  Why target Asian women specifically?
  
  Race. At the very least a fetisation of race.
  
  3 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 7:20pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    You’ll probably find that the commonest brothels in the districts he went to were those stocked with Asian ladies.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 7:32pm
  - Jack5
    
    From an Atlanta web site:
    
    The toll:
    
    – Cherokee County at Young’s Asian Massage Parlour, four people killed one wounded . Those killed were two Asian women, a white woman, and a white man.
    
    – At Gold Spa parlour in Atlanta, three women dead.
    
    – Aromatherapy Spa, across the street, one woman dead.
    
    A South Korea Foreign Ministry official has confirmed the four women killed at the Gold Spa and the Aromatherapy Spa were Koreans.
    
    With so many guns in the community in the United States, you would think someone might have shot back at the killer.
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 7:51pm
  - hookerphil
    
    Wrong according to the Local Sheriff, he has been to the various parlours.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    March 18, 2021 8:53pm
    - Jack5
      
      Phil: Are you talking about the shooter or the sheriff?
      
      If the sheriff, he was just looking. ?
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      March 19, 2021 9:41am
info@cruzpro.com

“A woman who stole about $1 million from the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) and spent it on a lavish lifestyle and gambling can now be named.”

3 years jail time. Likely get out in less than half that. Taxpayers money. Not bad wages so not really much of a deterrent is it?

As a tax payer I am disgusted at such a light sentence. Should be forced to pay it back at $50 a week so it actually hurts a bit for the rest of her worthless life.

Also jail time for the people that allowed this to happen!
10 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 6:44pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  And I see on FOX…..stealing a ‘Saguaro Cactus’ from the dessert in Arizona, will get you 25 years in prison!
  
  7 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 7:37pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  What kind of useless accountants run a financial system whereby somebody can pinch $50,000+ without any internal controls.
  It is almost impossible to 100% prevent a fraud of less than $50,000, but twenty times that sum!!!
  The accountants should also be locked up.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:45pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300255760/the-medical-aftermath-of-st-patricks-day-in-dunedin
Publish names and photos of the scummy students who cause problems.
The problems would cease in about 5 minutes.
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 7:34pm
- Tall Man
  
  Students?
  
  “In one, $13 of stolen items were placed in the jacket of a 49-year-old man who was stopped by security and later trespassed.”
  
  “The 44-year-old man approached the group and swung at them, but missed. Police reviewed the incident, arrested the man and issued him with a warning.”
  
  Not a lot of sudents on New Years Eve in Dunedin.
  
  “was similar to that of New Year for Dunedin Hospital’s emergency department”
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 18, 2021 9:01pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Oh Dear

Someone has had a falling-out with the Labour Party.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/124569668/former-labour-candidate-in-dispute-against-party

Why on earth would our PM know anything about the matter?
Instead, he referred any further questions to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 7:44pm
lazza

“I don’t want to “JEPRODIZE” that”.

From our … [deleted] PM … Ms Ardern showing her ignorance and gapped education again.

Its “jeopardize” …. dopey.
6 2
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 8:54pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Sure it’s not ‘jeopardise’, dopey?
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  March 19, 2021 6:37am
Jack5

Bob Jones on why women feel unsafe in the Wellington central business district at night …

He says it’s because the “Welfare Department” is putting Maori gangs into the city’s central hotels for accommodation.

https://nopunchespulled.com/2021/03/18/time-for-a-change/#more-2376
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
March 18, 2021 9:39pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Guest Post: Saving Dolly

So very sad »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Highlights

The Kiwis are fleeing
Inflation by term
Houston we have a problem
Our immunisation disaster

Never miss a post

Email Address

Links

Professor Robert MacCulloch: NZ's Worst PM Ever - Chris Hipkins
Breaking Views
"Fascism and communism are not two opposites, but two rival gangs fighting over the same territory"
Not PC
Has he only confirmed the suspicions?
No Minister
Woman of the day
Hompaddock
US v. Google: do complaints have to be internally consistent?
Utopia
Eruption of pro-Palestinian protests on American Campus evidence of a conscience – the difference between Anti-Semites and Anti-Zionism
The Daily Blog
Open mike 26/04/2024
The Standard
Maori Party (with “disgust”) draws attention to Chhour’s race after the High Court rules on Waitangi Tribunal’s summons
Point of Order
"Comity" versus the rule of law
No Right Turn
Jacinda’s legacy – Increasing number of abortions
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
REEFTON – THE NEW PARIS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
United Rugby Championship Predictions for Week 15
Stats Chat
Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
Kiwipolitico
Despair - construction consenting edition
Offsetting Behaviour
Coalition Promises
NZCPR
Tougher than that
Croaking Cassandra
ABs stripped of 2011 title after try disallowed
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker
Angie Warren-Clark: Meet the Newbies
Dan Moskovitz

editor@kiwiblog.co.nz

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: