General Debate 29 April 2021

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Happychappy

Officials not tracking how much money is given to Emergency Housing Moteliers for damage, Carmel Sepuloni admits that’s ‘not ideal.
Unknown sumsof money are being handed over to Moteliers to cover damages caused by emergency housing clients- officials aren’t keeping track of what’s being spent and can’t put a figure onit, system “not ideal ” Minister says.
In the last three months of 2020 Emergency Housing Grant’s cost about $82 .5 million for 8,500 clients, however some people have” high and complex needs and can act out in ways that causes damage to motels”, Carmel Sepuloni says.
Damages or loss are charged to the client and they are required to repay it back to MSD in a way that does not cause hardship she says.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/04/officials-not-tracking-how-much-money-given-to-emergency-housing-moteliers-for-damage-carmel-sepuloni-admits-that-s-not-ideal.html
How can the public tolerate such incompetence and stupidity from a Government lost in it’s own self importance when distributing taxpayers money.
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April 29, 2021 8:00am
- cmm
  
  $82M for 8500 “clients” is near as dammit $10k EACH for a 3 month period. That’s over $3k a month.
  
  Here’s a better way to handle them. Give them each a $300 tent and sleeping bags and put them up in a camp ground where they can do their own washing etc. If they set their own tent on fire, then give them a tarp.
  
  But screw it eh, it’s only taxpayer money.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:23am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Yeah, camps with plastic tents especially if they have young children or babies, shanty towns to make you feel like it’s home in South Africa cmm. I bet you miss that.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:49am
    - cmm
      
      Hey dickhead I am a New Zealander and, I would say, am more entitled to call myself that than you are since you have deliberately distanced yourself from the citizenry.
      
      No, not plastic shanties but nice tents. A reasonable tent can be bought for $300 or so, especially if bought in numbers.
      
      When my family was between houses a few years back we lived in tents in the campground for about 3 months. It was not at all unpleasant.
      
      Even if it did come down to shanties, why does anyone who smashes up the place that we’re hiring for them deserve better?
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:37am
      - redflagged
        
        Hear hear. Good enough for the Army, good enough for people getting paid to do nothing.
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:44am
    - Tony
      
      If Labour had been on track with their promised 100k houses then we probably wouldn’t have this problem.
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:10am
- David Garrett
  
  [people with] “high and complex needs”
  
  translation: anti-social arseholes; gang members, associates or wannabes.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:27am
  - igm
    
    You overlook the fact that most of these “people with needs” lived in groups, now they can sponge off taxpayers in motels.
    The remainder are mainly rent defaulters, property abusers, or just useless self-entitled leeches . . . the Labour brand!
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:31am
  - Maxx
    
    Yep. I’m all for helping people who need help, but it’s a two way street. If you can’t show some appreciation for the support and look after what is given to you, well fuck off. To be fair, if they could do that though then most wouldn’t need the emergency accommodation.
    
    It’s probably also true as well that if a question was asked around how many people who are in emergency accommodation are there because of evictions due to property damage or anti-social behaviour, no one would be able to answer that.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:44am
  - Prince
    
    It’s astonishing how, when you put ‘vulnerable people with high, complex needs’ up in motels free of charge and issue emergency payments on demand, you find there are a lot more of them, and the numbers grow exponentially.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:57am
    - igm
      
      This is increasing by the day . . . some of these leeches have never had it so good.
      Guarantees Labour votes.
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:19am
      - sooty
        
        Free money!
        No wonder they are lining up!
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:40am
- Ehlana
  
  The Auditor-General needs to look into this. As a government department, MSD should have an accounting function which tracks every cent they spend. The name of every creditor they pay should be on record along with details of the reason for the payment in a searchable database and internal controls should be operating over every payment. Finding out how much has been paid to a specific motelier, or how much has gone out for a specific type of expense should take minutes.
  
  Perhaps someone could put the Minister in touch with CAANZ, the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand, for professional assistance?
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:31am
  - Prince
    
    The potential for fraud on a grand scale is high, as payments made to moteliers are only kept in Beneficiary’s individual files. Just find a friendly motelier to split the proceeds and you’re away laughing.
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:00am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Treasury are the accredited money management experts for the the Govt. They are however less friendly to the Commie Chick and chickadees. MBIE has been shanghaid to do what they were never set up to do.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:14am
- Rich Prick
  
  Just what are “high and complex needs”? Hookers and meth making equipment?
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:35am
  - David Garrett
    
    RP: See my helpful translation above.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:39am
    - Rich Prick
      
      Ah, yes, most helpful. Cheers.
      
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      April 29, 2021 8:40am
      - David Garrett
        
        …and hookers most definitely are NOT people with “high and complex needs”…all they “need” is a nice clean motel to work in and a co-0perative owner… they want to be invited back, so the chance of damage being caused is extremely small
        
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        April 29, 2021 8:48am
      - Loddenthinks
        
        ADG: I bow to your superior subject matter expertise ;-P
        
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        April 29, 2021 9:50am
- Colville
  
  Govt have admitted they are paying average of $900/wk for a 2 bedder.
  
  That will be exclusive of cost of damage which will be high!
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:37am
- Keith White
  
  I hear that her boss saved 5 million lives so they can do anything they like…
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:39am
- Gravelroad
  
  Always excuses have to be made for bad behaviour rather than face up to problem solving.
  I don’t believe many, if any, of these motel dwellers will ever be charged for damage they cause.
  No consequences for violence, drug abuse,drunkenness and thievery.
  Always someone else to blame and to pay.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:41am
  - David Garrett
    
    Gravel: Indeed…note that the tenants will be charged for damage so as to not cause hardship
    
    translation: $2 per week off the bene…forever.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:55am
- CaptainCompromise
  
  Maybe their “clients” should stop damaging rooms.
  
  I know a few moteliers through my occupation. One motel has about 15 rooms and has these people in there. One guy has anger issues and punched holes through all through a wall and kicked doors in. Two people smoked so much P in the two weeks they were in there the room had to be decontaminated. One lady keeps threatening to kill herself and the police have had to break down the door twice. One guy broke smashed the glass out of another room to break in and steal some stuff. One guy just about burnt the place down after leaving a burning blunt on his bed. This all happened in the last 4 weeks.
  
  These people need help not money.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:44am
  - Tall Man
    
    I’d love to see your ideas on how to help.
    
    From my experience many of these issues are not resolvable.
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:41am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      If you are receiving free housing from the govt there has to be good behaviour requirements imposed – with failure to do so resulting in a deterioration of accommodations to something like shipping containers in a field and curtailing of benefits.
      
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      April 29, 2021 12:11pm
    - artemisia
      
      And yet, Tall Man, some of these folk lived in private rentals, including boarding houses, before moving to a motel. Subsidised by taxpayers (Accommodation Supplement, TAS and more).
      
      Not necessarily causing trouble at all, but also maybe perceived as a bit risky. For those people landlords had a limited window to terminate tenancies because of that potential risk, even if slight.
      
      And following on from that, landlords are now seriously risk averse so even thinking about someone in emergency accommodation would be a turn off.
      
      Of course, the risk is caused by government policies.
      
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      April 29, 2021 1:41pm
  - Nickc2
    
    All this damage and behaviour problems and the Labour Govt (taxpayers) are going to build brand new houses and put these people in them – you have to be joking!
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:49am
  - igm
    
    Imagine what they will do to their new state houses . . . these types are not worthy of anything better than a tent.
    Taxpayers/ratepayers should not be responsible for these left-wing Labour supporting leeches.
    They are the products of self-entitled unemployable losers who should not be paid to breed.
    Stop DPB and it will be gone in a generation.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:14am
    - Local Miller
      
      We have about 60 State Houses going up where I live, replacing the existing houses, but at about 3 times the density. At a meeting I asked if they would ensure only low risk beneficiaries would be put into these new houses, one; Since the houses were new you don’t want the risk of them being ruined, and two; At the increased density there was more risk of problems. The Answer: No, MSD can’t use any evaluation of behavior to determine who gets into which houses, it’s based on “need” only!
      To me this is BS, poor/destructive behavior should be sanctioned, and you don’t get a better house until you can prove you are looking after the current one.
      One thing I believe Nation were doing right was sanctioning bad behavior of beneficiaries, and by default rewarding good behavior. Liebour are rewarding poor behavior, but what the hell, it’s what they do!
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:35am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    They are probably in this super accom as they got thrown out of their State House for default.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:16am
  - lifesgood
    
    Where have all these arseholes come from?
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:28am
- I remember when
  
  It would be interesting to see some real research into the reasons people find themselves in this position.
  Addiction, mental health, unemployment, reduced rentals available, increased cost of rentals, bad tenants, etc.
  However, perhaps it is better for the reasons to be ‘hazy’ so that the bad news is hidden. Not, mind you, that the emergency housing situation isn’t bad news.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:45am
  - kowtow
    
    No , research is rational . In the Cultural Revolution that we are undergoing , emotion and lies are all that’s required and all evils that were once put down to the class dialectic can now be attributed to “racism/colonialism”
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:59am
  - Fuzzysnuggleduck
    
    “the trauma of colonisation” is the reason given by experts for differences in health outcomes, so my bet is there is your answer for housing for many who are current clients.
    Not families, upbringing, lack of aspirations, poor education, poor life choices, lack of role models or anything approaching personal responsibility.
    
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    April 29, 2021 1:04pm
- WaveyDavey
  
  And a disgraceful response to the OIA request;
  
  “The request was refused as it would require staff to “manually review thousands of individual emails and file notes… the greater public interest is in the effective and efficient administration of the public service”.
  
  Again, the request was rejected because staff would “have to review over 5000 individual files to determine if they were paid for property damage”.
  
  Five f*cking thousand? Put 10 staff on it and give them a week.
  
  FFS, where is the oversight?
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:02am
  - Nickc2
    
    What a fucking disgrace!
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:49am
  - artemisia
    
    There’s these newfangled things called computers. Sometimes they even have upscale things called codes to track, umm, money.
    
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    April 29, 2021 1:50pm
- Surely Knott
  
  I wonder if this excuse also works with IRD when you hand in your business tax return? Sorry I just didn’t track where the money went? Of course they know.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:07am
- Don Beckett
  
  The manufacturing of psychosis & previous implementation.
  This is the forerunner to the article/video I posted yesterday. It is equally as compelling.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFie-UCFV_s
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:37am
- Philview
  
  The media are largely covering for the Government. We are living in corrupt times and not exactly sure what we can do to get reporting of truth back into the media. I am aware that there are a small number of journalists doing their job and holding this Government to account so hats off to them.
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:09am
- I Hate Wordpress
  
  Isn’t it a criminal offense not to keep records?
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:28am
- Frank the tank
  
  “How can the public tolerate such incompetence and stupidity from a Government lost in it’s own self importance when distributing taxpayers money”
  
  You forget a large majority of the people are in a covid, house inflation based delusion that everything is awesome. Doubly so if you don’t have a penis.
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:47am
- Paulus
  
  Easy answer, 53% of the voters voted for her and most of the Motel dwellers do not vote, and will not do so again at the next election as they do not care a damn only somewhere to live for “free” and you owe em !
  
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  April 29, 2021 1:32pm
wreck1080

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/aucklands-main-street-is-a-disgrace-auckland-council-official-sued-over-queen-st-pedestrian-trial-saga/ZHUA6Y6JOIWDRTS6EODA5I27VQ/

Yep, all of that, but this annoys me most….
“Align Chiropractic owner Dr Brian Kelly says in his affidavit the Queen St barriers are “a serious safety hazard for all road users”

At what point in time are chiropractors allowed to call themselve’s “doctor”? More like witch doctor!

This needs to be addressed, as the term “doctor” applies to real science, not quack science.
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April 29, 2021 8:04am
- Maggie Pie
  
  And lets nor forget ‘Doctor Cullen’ 😀
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:35am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Who actually has an advanced degree, unlike medical doctors.
    
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    April 29, 2021 12:45pm
- Bobba Fret
  
  And isn’t David Clark a Dr as well!
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:46am
  - Paulus
    
    The Very Reverend Doctor David Clark as he correctly confirmed once earlier, has a Phd in Divinity I believe.
    
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    April 29, 2021 1:35pm
- MCos
  
  ‘Doctor’ is not a term. It’s a title given to a person who has acquired a doctorate.
  It seems to become a chiropractor requires a Bachelor degree in NZ, not a doctorate.
  Dr Brian Kelly studied in Oz and doubtless has a doctorate otherwise he would have been shot down in flames by the Medical Council or whoever police these things.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:54am
  - fernglas
    
    Medical doctors do not have to have a doctorate. Dentists are now calling themselves Doctor, and chiropractors usually study in the US where the chiropractic degree is a PhD.
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:26am
    - NoCash
      
      Seriously, what kind of insightful or ground breaking thesis do the PhD students write when studying for their chiropractic degree… I wonder.
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:50am
      - NoCash
        
        Looks like I might have upset a few chiropractors… 🙂
        
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        April 29, 2021 11:11am
    - Jack5
      
      The honorific “Dr” has been diluted to little distinction. Next to go will be “professor”, given some of the pseudo-academic subjects to which the title now applies.
      
      Of the politicians mentioned above who style themselves “Dr”, add Megan Woods, whose Ph.D. was in feminist history. Ayesha Verrall is a medical practitioner, and Deborah Russell has a Ph.D. in political science.
      
      Dentists have been “doctors” in America for a long time. “Doc” Holiday, a dentist and temporary law man, fought beside Wyatt Earp at the Battle of the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, in 1881.
      
      Vets use the “Dr” prefix in many countries. If vets and dentists, why not physiotherapists?
      
      People who sharpen saws for a business have been “saw doctors” since the days saws were first powered by human muscle.
      
      In Britain, surgeons can officially use the honorifics “Mr, Mrs, Miss, or Ms”, acknowledging the trade’s origin in barber shops. Someone may tells us whether this applies in NZ.
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:57am
      - Ian Boag
        
        In North America, the term “professor” is almost synonomous with what we (NZ, Oz, UK) call “lecturer” …
        
        Their surgeons are called “Dr” ….
        
        Horses for courses. Go figure.
        
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        December 29, 2020 1:31pm
      - NoCash
        
        I’ve used Drain Doctor, more expensive than a medical doctor, but he also fixed the problem.
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:20pm
      - oldfella
        
        Jack, you’re right about the barber shop origin. Barbers had the sharpest instruments back in the day so were called on to do the amputations and other surgery. The striped barber’s pole actually represents bloody bandages (explained to me one day by a local surgeon).
        And no NZ medical surgeon uses the term Doctor. The men are all “Mr”.
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:45pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Most PhDs require more academic grunt (ie, original research) than is needed to become a medical doctor, vet, dentist or physiotherapist, let alone chiropractors and other imagined professions.
        I like the idea re ‘saw doctor’. They should definitely use the honorific ‘Dr’. tree surgeons, however, must remain ‘Mr’.
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:49pm
    - MCos
      
      There is a NZ College of Chiropractic where one can obtain a BChiro.
      https://www.studyinnewzealand.govt.nz/study-options/course/details?courseid=2509723&institutionid=142434&course=Bachelor-of-Chiropractic-(BChiro)
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:02am
  - I Hate Wordpress
    
    Chiropractors are specifically barred from calling themselves doctors in that context, though in this case I presume he’s a doctor of something and he is the owner.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:31am
    - Jack5
      
      That can’t be true. On the web page of the NZ College of Chiropractic, the recruitment officer is listed with a “Dr” honorific.
      
      http://chiropractic.ac.nz/study-with-us/find-out-more/
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:01am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Possibly has a PhD is researching the lack of efficacy of chiropractic…
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:49pm
  - kowtow
    
    Is it listed under his own qualifications on his website.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:01am
  - Clyde
    
    And look at Megan Wood’s doctorate. Her thesis so helpful in Energy, Science and Housing – NOT.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:30am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Yes, and on that reasoning, why is Paul Goldsmith, with a master’s degree in history (not even a PhD FFS), the opposition finance spokesperson?
      
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      April 29, 2021 12:53pm
- namron
  
  “Doctor” is an official qualification worked for and
  presented at Universities, following success in the appropriate study.
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:00am
Scott

I was incensed to hear that the FBI raided Rudy Giuliani Wednesday morning. Giuliani was Trump’s lawyer and advisor. His opponents are relentless and vindictive. According to the Wall Street Journal –

“…authorities arrived at Mr. Giuliani’s apartment at 6 a.m. and seized his electronic devices. Mr. Costello (Giuliani’s lawyer) said the search warrant describes the investigation as a probe into a possible violation of foreign lobbying rules. Mr. Costello said the warrant sought communications between Mr. Giuliani and individuals including John Solomon, a columnist who was corresponding with Mr. Giuliani about his effort to push for investigations of Joe Biden in Ukraine.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/rudy-giulianis-new-york-apartment-searched-by-federal-investigators-11619628650

So let me get this straight. Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate Biden, Joe Biden and Hunter Biden, for political corruption. Among other things Hunter Biden was paid at least $50,000 per month for sitting on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Hunter Biden had no energy experience and no experience in Ukraine. Joe Biden had also publicly declared that he got the Ukrainian prosecutor fired, while he was vice president of the United States, who was investigating Burisma.

In the end the Democrats impeached Trump over Ukraine but he was not convicted.
However now that Joe Biden is Pres he is persecuting the people who were investigating his son for corruption in Ukraine. Does anyone else think that this is political pay back? Does anyone else think this is using the office of President of the United States to persecute his political enemies?

And will the mainstream media raise a whimper in protest? Of course not. CNN called it “unusual”.
Pres Joe Biden is running amok and the mainstream media will not do a thing about it. The FBI is continuing their partisan witchhunts and allies of Donald Trump continue to be persecuted as we speak.
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April 29, 2021 8:05am
- David Garrett
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Scott:..FFS man, your boy LOST! Lost fair and square! Get over it…go to church…or something.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:31am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    He does need to get over it, but surely you can see that going after a lawyer because he represented Trump is getting into dangerous territory.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:50am
    - David Garrett
      
      Nigel: if they were going after Guiliani “because he represented Trump” that would indeed be disturbing …but “representing Trump” is not a criminal offence.
      
      The FBI apparently had a search warrant…even in the US, to get one of those you have to convince a judge that evidence of criminal activity is likely to be found…and as I said, representing Trump is not criminal activity.
      
      And either way, this is happening in another country far away, and thus is of limited interest to me.
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:07am
      - Tall Man
        
        “Limited” …..
        
        Surely it’s not that high 😉
        
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        April 29, 2021 9:37am
      - Charmaine Hawke
        
        David it should be of interest to you because whatever happens in the USA comes to the rest of the world eventually.
        Yes Trump lost but your TDS is still in full force.
        
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        April 29, 2021 9:46am
      - BeeJay
        
        DG – You’re pushing the proverbial uphill trying to debate sensibly with the Trumpers who contribute to KB! The fact that the DOJ will certainly have evidence that has resulted in the court order to seize items in relation to the charges has flown over the head of these guys! This evidence will be presented in a Court, and will prove or not, the charges against Rudy! If you believe in due process you understand what is going on!
        
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        April 29, 2021 11:03am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      They are not investigating Rudy for representing trump. working for Trump is stupid, but not illegal in itself. They are investigating Rudy for possible violation of lobbying rules.
      
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      April 29, 2021 12:56pm
      - virtualmark
        
        Mike,
        
        It seems more likely that they are investigating Rudy for his colludy-Rudy activities with Russian-aligned Ukrainians.
        
        They also searched Victoria Toensing’s house today, and there’ve been stories out of the Ukraine about recent interviews with the FBI where the Ukrainians took the FBI through all their texts and messages with Rudy.
        
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        April 29, 2021 5:33pm
      - virtualmark
        
        FWIW, when the FBI raided Michael Cohen’s house in 2018 they already had their case assembled, and he pled guilty within 4 months of the raid.
        
        I suspect we might see something similar here … they’d only go after Guiliani if they already had an ironclad case they’re ready to lay charges on.
        
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        April 29, 2021 5:45pm
  - Bluegrass
    
    “Lost fair and square!”.
    
    You should consider writing a novel – your grasp of fiction is impeccable.
    
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    April 29, 2021 12:36pm
    - artemisia
      
      If it was all fair and square, and the populace thought it so, why are the Dems trying so hard to stop the recount in Maricopa County. Well trying via lawfare, not so much by fronting up with the million dollars collateral the previous judge required.
      
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      April 29, 2021 1:57pm
      - RichardX
        
        Have you researched the people conducting the “recount”?
        
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        April 29, 2021 5:14pm
- Inandout
  
  Scott, many US citizens go nowhere near their MSM for reliable news. Even the Academy Awards are being ignored and this year may well be its last. How CNN is going to broadcast Biden’s Congress speech without editing is a tough one. The FBI refused to co-operate with Trump and have buried the Hunter scandal; they are a law unto themselves much like when Hoover was boss. Of course Hoover got a free pass because he knew where the politicians’ secrets lay.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:32am
  - Batman
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Hahahahaha god I love some of the stuff you chaps come out with.
    
    The Oscars are knobby rubbish but will continue on with a bigger in-person audience next year.
    
    The Biden speech will be live on most networks, including Fox probably, as most Presidential speeches are.
    
    The FBI shouldn’t ‘cooperate’ with any president. The fact is that the lies about Hunter Biden are just that… Lies. And now Rudy Colludy is finding out what the consequences are for spreading foreign disinformation. In fact, given that Rudy’s lies nearly sent Biden to a drug induced death last year, and had bullhorns outside his house while he was recovering and his wife was pregnant, it just goes to show how low and immoral the Trump world is.
    
    Happy Thursday!
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:38am
    - Keith White
      
      Oh dear. Trump is still living rent free in the Bat-belfry…
      
      40 4
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      April 29, 2021 8:40am
    - Scott
      
      Thanks for that Batman. So it was ultimately Donald Trump who got Hunter Biden to almost kill himself because of a drug overdose?
      And it is not true that Hunter was on the board of Burisma earning at least $50,000 per month when he had no energy experience or Ukraine experience?
      
      And it is not true that Hunter Biden left his laptop with the repair shop who leaked the contents to the media? And it is not true that we have videos of Hunter taking drugs while cavorting with prostitutes?
      
      It’s all not true! It’s all Donald Trumps fault! Thanks Batman. Got it 🙂
      
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      April 29, 2021 8:57am
    - Inandout
      
      Bat, if we didn’t respond you wouldn’t need to be a moderator. The Academy Awards have descended to their worst year since records began in 1974. Viewers are sick and tired of woke movies, they want escapism, not lectures. If you think Hunter is innocent then you are one deceived individual.
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:55am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Personally, I thought Nomadland was a fine film, and Frances McDormand a fine actress.
        
        4 7
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        April 29, 2021 12:59pm
      - virtualmark
        
        If you think Hunter is guilty then it would be helpful if you could detail just what charges he is guilty of.
        
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        April 29, 2021 5:46pm
  - Sacha
    
    The Academy Awards have lost their way.
    What used to be a celebration of theHollywood entertainment industry, which used to give pleasure to people around the world, has become a grim, politically correct function which no-one (except the humourless & politically correct) is interested in watching.
    I remember Bob Hope many years ago. His endless stream of one-liners kept everyone laughing . . . . .
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:55am
- kowtow
  
  Justice Dept in US doing investigations into a number of police depts where “race” shootings involved too .
  
  In the counter Cultural Revolution these overt acts of state oppression are rightly called “Lawfare” .
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:33am
- Simon
  
  They had to cheat to steel the election
  
  Robert Barnes
  @barnes_law
  
  California identifies 20% of signatures not matching in Newsom recall petitions. Yet, magically, more than 99% of signatures matched during November election for mail in ballots?
  
  It’s not only the Dems but the GOPe who let it happen
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:37am
  - Albert_Ross
    
    Don’t understand. What is the logic?
    These are two different, separate exercises. What is the fact that one of them has been shown to have been tainted by corruption, supposed to indicate about the other?
    
    3 14
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    April 29, 2021 9:02am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Wait till the Chinese want their reward for swiping the election. Biden and them will look like useful idiots. Much more fun to come this year.
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:20am
  - virtualmark
    
    And yet … in this survey, https://morningconsult.com/2021/04/27/biden-100-days-global-views-america/ released yesterday, Biden’s presidency has seen the US become more popular with its traditional allies but **less popular in China.**
    
    The Chinese know that a Biden administration is going to be tougher on China than a Trump one.
    
    And the US intelligence agencies assessment was that … “China sought stability in its relationship with the United States, did not view either election outcome as being advantageous enough for China to risk getting caught meddling,”.
    
    The idea that China “swiped” the election for Biden is just a fever dream.
    
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    April 29, 2021 5:55pm
    - Batman
      
      Fever dreams is a great podcast tbh…
      
      And you’re correct in your analysis VM. Though I apologise for giving you the kiss of death by endorsing it ?
      
      2 1
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      April 29, 2021 6:48pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Poor ol’ Rudy fell from grace after being named ‘America’s Mayor’ and has hit every branch of indignity on his way down. It’s remarkable. From being Trump’s clown to admitting to crimes on live TV to Four Seasons Total Landscaping to ‘tucking in his pants’ to accidentally butt dialing reporters to hair dye flop sweat to literally farting TWICE in the middle of a Congressional hearing and now this…
  
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  April 29, 2021 2:27pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Washington Post had the best headline:
  Giuliani’s long quest to put himself in legal jeopardy appears to have paid off
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/28/giulianis-long-quest-put-himself-legal-jeopardy-appears-have-paid-off/
  
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  April 29, 2021 4:23pm
Maggy Wassilieff

No new update story this morning on the referral of the Maori Party to the SFO, as far as I can see.

You don’t get referred to the SFO for filing a late return, so the Police must have some other concerns about these undeclared donations.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/124974834/police-refer-mori-party-to-serious-fraud-office-over-328000-in-undeclared-donations
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April 29, 2021 8:10am
- Ehlana
  
  Maggy, I think its a little early for the “defund the police” brigade. But I’m sure that’ll be their answer to any story that combines police and indigenous persons. Racism, colonialism, police brutality, etc.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:19am
- Happychappy
  
  Remember the large donation to the Matt McCarten’s fund for the interns from overseas that were to campaign for Labour in 2014, we all called slave gate well it was rumored then that the donation was given from the source but nobody was charged because they apparently could not trace where it came from. Well read the story and it’s quite apparent that the same person is involved in this donation. Maybe they were slapped with a wet bus ticket last time and though they could beat the system again.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:27am
  - sooty
    
    Where and what is Matt McCarten doing?
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:47am
- mikenmildagain
  
  The story was published yesterday. What further update do you think was to come today?
  
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  April 29, 2021 1:00pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    The story was released late to the media.. missed the 6pm News on TV One and RNZ.
    
    8 3
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    April 29, 2021 2:28pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      I saw your comment last night. So what updated information did you think the media should have today?
      
      2 7
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      April 29, 2021 3:08pm
WaynelSexton

The right launch a competitor to Marvel and DC who are actively turning your favourite comic characters into women, gays, and minorities.

The site, found at Arkhaven.com , launched with five series including Alt-Hero, Midnight’s War, Deus Vult, The Hammer of Freedom, and Go, Monster Go. Each of these titles will release new episodes every Wednesday.
In a press release, Arkhaven Comics detailed that “in addition to the 17 series that have been announced, an additional 17 comics from Arkhaven Comics, SuperPrumo, and other publishers are already scheduled for release and will be announced over the next week on the date of their first appearance on the new digital comics site.”
https://boundingintocomics.com/2021/04/28/arkhaven-comics-unveils-all-17-titles-for-its-newly-released-arktoons-platform-promises-17-more/
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April 29, 2021 8:10am
- Raphael
  
  My biggest problem with this is that the time Vox is taking sorting this out means he’s not working on the next Throne of Bones novel (yes I know Chuck Dixon has been adapting the novels into comics as well)
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:22am
- Fuzzysnuggleduck
  
  Dave Chapelle has a good skit about a gay superhero.
  Appreciative people kept asking who their heroic saviour was.
  He wasn’t recognised because this gay superhero kept changing his outfit.
  Proposed title was “Same Hero: New Boots”.
  
  At least his was humour, and aware of it, rather than the New Doctrine of shoe-horning in diversity in all places.
  The black lesbian Batwoman was taking diversity to the max. A shame that it stunk/stinks so bad it has a 3.4/10 rating on IMDB. Seldom seen a rating that low, even for true crap.
  Already into its 3rd season though! Yet reviews compare it to ‘rubbing sandpaper on your eyes’.
  {story}..”Ryan Wilder, armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, a lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence”
  
  LOL, a passion for social justice, lesbian first and street fighter second – just what the viewing public is looking for!
  
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  April 29, 2021 1:33pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Do we need Maori Science advisors in key Government agencies?

https://www.teaomaori.news/new-report-wants-independent-matauranga-maori-science-entity
39 2
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April 29, 2021 8:13am
- peterwn
  
  The Suppression of Tohungas Act was repealed years ago.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:21am
- cmm
  
  The call for Maori science is scary stuff. It isn’t too new either.
  
  In 1992, when I’d been in NZ for just over a month, I was sent to Wellington for a two day course and ended up in a hotel with a bunch of out of town teachers there on some meetings/conference/whatever.
  
  I got chatting to them and they were hugely annoyed that there was an activist element pushing for the inclusion of Maori science on an equal footing in schools including adding taniwha to biology, and tales of Maui pulling up fish in with plate tectonics. as fact – not as mythology.
  
  When my wife raised the issue of doing homeschooling two years later I did not object.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:32am
  - Inandout
    
    cmm, Maori science stopped when they tried to draw a wheel in the sand; sadly the tide kept washing it away.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:39am
  - 0A
    
    Sounds familiar.
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9SiRNibD14
    
    1 3
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    April 29, 2021 9:11am
- Simon
  
  Maori science can’t be any worse than the clown show government fake climate science.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:42am
  - Jack5
    
    There is no such thing as “Maori science”. There is only science. Maori have knowledge, but not their own science.
    
    “Maori science” is usually indigenous activism that, in established universities, is polluting science and engineering courses.
    
    A Skeptics article from 2006 that skewers the concept of Maori research methods:
    
    https://skeptics.nz/journal/issues/81/is-kaupapa-maori-research-methodology-credible
    
    An even earlier Skeptics article (2006) on “Maori knowledge” v “science”:
    
    https://skeptics.nz/journal/issues/32/maori-science
    
    New Zealand Skeptics have been silent in recent years while Maori activists and Woke Whites try to define Maori “knowledge” into science.
    
    Time to stand up, NZ Skeptics!
    
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    April 29, 2021 2:35pm
- NoCash
  
  A genuine question, who are the renowned Maori scientists in the NZ STEM community?
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:02am
- KevO'Brien
  
  Maori science?
  Whatever will happen if they get skewered by a random vector or encounter a Hamiltonian?
  Are we to get slathered in manuka oil when the Aussie tea tree is much superior?
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:25am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Whatever will happen if they…encounter a Hamiltonian?
    
    Chlamydia?
    
    9 4
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    April 29, 2021 1:03pm
    - Jack5
      
      More likely to get a headache than chlamydia from the “Hamiltonian” that Kevin O’B is talking about:
      
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamiltonian_(quantum_mechanics)#:~:text=In%20quantum%20mechanics%2C%20the%20Hamiltonian,kinetic%20energy%20and%20potential%20energy.
      
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      April 29, 2021 2:46pm
Maggie Pie

Jacinda is not now, nor ever has she been, qualified to be Prime Minister of this country. Just saying.
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April 29, 2021 8:13am
- Simon
  
  Labour Greens have 75 seats in 120 seat parliament. Basically they can implement any policy to fix any problems or make good any grandiose promise their tiny little minds have conceived and sold.
  
  They have an open cheque book as well. RBNZ will print any budget the clown show will cook up.
  
  Labour Greens have an unprecedented opportunity to implement and make changes they have spent their entire working lives championing.
  
  However watch them fail utterly in all their programs and grand ideas. Like all left they are frauds or clowns on the grift. Useless grifters promoting fake ideas to fool voters. The only result will be a banana republic.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:00am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    A Majority doesn’t make govt, it may ruin one.
    The PM has gone far too far in assuming authority she never was granted at the ballot box. Effectively she is the Queen’s Prime (first/Chief) Minister in the realm of New Zealand. She is bound by her Oath of Loyalty to HM.
    That constitutional nicety should be brought home to her.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:30am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Gosh you write some rubbish. How, specifically, do you imagine the prime minister has violated the oath of allegiance?
      
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      April 29, 2021 1:04pm
      - RichardX
        
        Apparently you don’t get a mandate from winning an election either.
        
        1 1
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        April 29, 2021 2:11pm
      - KevO'Brien
        
        The Auditor has pulled her up for attempting to bypass Parliament in paying for Ihumatao.
        Also would HM approve the Police being obstructed in their duties to allow activist to break the law?
        
        Ardern has no concept of constitutional obligations. She has essentially taken on Royal authority. That happened at an early stage when she cancelled Taranaki.
        She is way outside the rules.
        
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        April 29, 2021 4:31pm
    - Paulus
      
      But why would she care about such niceties for the women who voted for her last time still think she is wonderful because the media say so !
      But her danger is that if she loses a number of those former National middle New Zealander women so she must tread very carefully because it could and is happening already and no amount of money thrown around will necessarily help her.
      Opinion polls have already shown her drop 15% in popularity – it will happen.
      
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      April 29, 2021 1:49pm
- Albert_Ross
  
  No.
  
  Jacinda is not and never has been fit to be Prime Minister. But there is no case that she is not qualified. She became an MP through the normal process, she was duly elected by proper process to be leader of a political party, and that that duly won a properly conducted general election. Under our constitutional settings that is all that is needed to become Prime Minister.
  
  You don’t have to like the outcome, but it is unconstitutional and antidemocratic to call it illegitimate.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:23am
  - Tall Man
    
    He didn’t call it illegitimate, he said she wasn’t qualified.
    
    Surely when an extensive cv is required to gain a middle management job, the leader of a country should have more skills than ……… Correct, she has zero skills.
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:35am
    - Faroffsound
      
      True – if Ms Ardern applied for a position as CEO of a medium sized commercial entity she probably wouldn’t even make the short-list. And yet here she is running a country …
      
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      April 29, 2021 3:31pm
- Happy1
  
  MP, you don’t need any qualifications to be PM. Holyoke never went to high school yet did a good job. Big test for Jacinda coming up. We have to get a high percentage to take the jab in order to achieve herd immunity and to be able to open up to the world. Test of her leadership and communication skills. Personally I can’t think of anyone better at that than the current PM.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:48am
  - oldfella
    
    Happy, talking of Cindy and the jab… why is she still unvaccinated? Chippy and co have had there shots.
    
    22 1
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    April 29, 2021 10:13am
    - Happy1
      
      Old fella, she can only get jabbed once and it would have more impact later in the rollout. I don’t think she will get the jab until it’s her cohorts turn. There are those who would criticise her if she jumped the queue just as there are those who have a go at her for not being first. The rollout will mainly depend on supply of vaccine. The 100% Pfizer decision, made in January has been imitated by Aussie (March) Canada, May and now the EU. I think we may well be treated well by Pfizer, partly due to Arderns standing and the fact that NZ is seen to have done well. Also NZ will be the only country to be 100% Pfizer which could be an advantage to them in future.
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:55am
      - Nickc2
        
        IMO, she will wait until the whole country has had theirs and all MSM complete with Cameras etc are assembled when she will announce that she put her country before herself. All the peasants will rejoice and the wondrous miracles performed by St Juscinda will spread throughout the land just in time before an announcement is made that the World Bank has declared NZ bankrupt.
        
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        April 29, 2021 1:12pm
    - oldfella
      
      Whoops, ‘their’ shots.
      
      3 0
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      April 29, 2021 12:47pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    The quicker she is gotten out of power the quicker NZ will get sound government again.
    We are not going all out commie without a referendum.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:32am
    - Red Fred
      
      Kev stop smoking the shit you are on is giving you hallucinations.
      
      3 4
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      April 29, 2021 4:07pm
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Holyoake was a successful farmer amongst other things. He also had uncommon common sense and resonated with people.
    
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    April 29, 2021 4:37pm
  - david
    
    Comparing Cindy to Kiwi Keith in terms of schooling is a false equivalence. Try comparing their life experiences and positions held at the point at which they became PM.
    Also I would venture to suggest that Holyoake’s education was more thorough than whatever branch of crap subjects that Cindy took at Waikato U.
    
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    April 29, 2021 5:07pm
info@cruzpro.com

Google wants to use your Android smart phone to detect earthquakes and notify everyone of any potential danger.

Apparently you can turn off the notifications if you don’t wish to participate. What is less clear is can you also choose not to have them use the accelerometer in your phone? Google says they are able to use the accelerometer even if your phone is turned off.

I don’t trust Google for one second. Next they will secretly monitor all conversation in the room so as to be able to automatically call the police if they detect anything untowards happening.
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April 29, 2021 8:15am
- G152
  
  That ‘gadget’ will be able to detect your car driving.
  Be prepared for automatic ticketing
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:27am
  - cmm
    
    You do know that they do that for assessing driving to give people better/worse rating for insurance?
    
    Drive around running the insurance app for a week and it assesses whether you are driving aggressively by detecting the sorts of acceleration and braking you do.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:42am
  - Paulus
    
    Under consideration is a Car User Pay version like a Diesel vehicle where you but a kilometerage – Dollar rate can be adjusted very regularly like diesel.
    And it is cash up front too.
    
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    April 29, 2021 1:55pm
- cmm
  
  The issue with “off” is that there are varying degrees of “off”. If the phone is completely off that accelerometer is not running, but for most people “off” means that it is in a semi-sleep mode.
  
  This function is used by things like walking tracking apps that continue to count steps while you have the phone in your pocket.
  
  Such a system does not provide the sort of safety information in NZ because NZ has a pretty good monitoring system using well calibrated equipment, but it could potentially be useful in some places in the world that have poor earthquake monitoring.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:39am
- Raphael
  
  Google says they are able to use the accelerometer even if your phone is turned off.
  
  Google must really love being on the receiving end of class action privacy law suits.
  
  They have just had a big one land on them for harvesting kids under 13’s data to use in targeted advertising (illegal in the US and already have paid the FCC a fine, the parents are now suing)
  Viva Frei gives the details https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43FPlBbC4QM
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:26am
I remember when

In Media, We Don’t Trust. Newsroom:
Not quite true.
Should read we don’t trust their opinion of the news.
Everyone has a right to their opinion of the news except the reporters telling us the news.
They should just tell us what the news is so we can evaluate it.
By all means show people who represent different views, just don’t force your opinion down our throats.
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April 29, 2021 8:16am
- Unity
  
  And please stop spouting Maori at the beginning and end of everything and often in between. It is very irritating and cringeworthy. We ALL speak English.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:48am
  - Paulus
    
    Do we ? – I sometimes hear people speaking and they would purport to say it is English, but even non decipherable.
    
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    April 29, 2021 1:56pm
- Maxx
  
  It’s not often I read Stuff, but when I do it’s because there’s an article that says they’re shit (and all the others).
  
  Fewer thank half of people trust the media according to an AUT survey run by Horizon Research. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124954449/fewer-than-half-of-new-zealanders-trust-the-news-aut-study-suggests
  
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  April 29, 2021 1:10pm
lazza

Quoting Happy Chappy … today:

“How can the public tolerate such incompetence and stupidity from a Government lost in it’s own self importance when distributing taxpayers money”.

Or to put it this way … Had they (the Sheeple) known the full extent of the incompetence and sheer uselessness of this useless government, what would the 2020 election result have been?

Never mind, only another 30 months of ruination of our economy to suffer,
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April 29, 2021 8:22am
- kowtow
  
  No , the latest iteration is ;
  
  Look at India , thank God for St jacinda.
  
  19 1
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  April 29, 2021 8:49am
  - alex Masterley
    
    Can we send St Jacinda to India to work her magic? She has the Mother Theresa look down pat!
    
    29 2
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    April 29, 2021 9:32am
    - kowtow
      
      The Mo T analogy is apt , back then they were also taking sick , elderly and abandoned people in from the gutters so they could at least die in dignity .
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:37am
    - lifesgood
      
      Don’t insult Mother Teresa, she actually did something to help the poor, needy and dying, she didn’t make announcements.
      
      12 2
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      April 29, 2021 11:39am
      - theoldbloke
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Missionary_Position:_Mother_Teresa_in_Theory_and_Practice
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:54pm
  - Surely Knott
    
    Interesting article from the Times of India prior to the current outbreak.
    But current outbreak highest death toll day is 3,200 died yesterday of coronavirus which is horrid.
    But also worth noting 2,000 die a day of diarrhoea in India!?! And 1200 a day in India from TB. And heart disease is the biggest killer. Where has been the news on these other health issues. Why doesn’t the worldometer and the media report on these. Are the additional coronavirus deaths in India on top of the normal flu stats or have flu deaths disappeared? What is the excess mortality?
    
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/these-diseases-kill-many-more-than-coronavirus/articleshow/74670863.cms
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:08am
    - SB2
      
      Surely Knott, so let’s allow the highly infectious Covid Pandemic run its course and hopelessly hope herd immunity prevails causing a rain of ruin on Indian and other economies.
      
      Just another death statistic!
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:45am
      - Surely Knott
        
        SB2. Yes. That’s right SB2. You only want to talk about Covid – look at the bunny. What about the 2000 people dying a day who regularly die of diarrhoea in India. Where have the media been? Where were the governments volunteering to send money for better sanitation. Do only politicised deaths count? Sweden’s highest daily death rate which received extreme media coverage peaked at 100. Not 2,000.
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:33pm
- Gravelroad
  
  @lazza- you may recall that St Jacinda and her professional acolytes pitched 2020 as the “Covid Election” and the terrified peasants voted accordingly.
  There’s still plenty of money flowing and regular podium of truth updates about various Covid issues.
  If another election was held next month the result would be the same.
  Move on.Worship at the feet of our Saviour.
  Be kind.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:52am
Tony Stuart

More government money disappearing down the drain:

Unknown sums of money are being handed over to moteliers to cover damages caused by emergency housing clients – officials aren’t keeping track of what’s being spent and can’t put a total figure on it.

That’s “not ideal”, admits Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni, who wants a system that can better monitor those costs and the damage being caused.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/441407/cost-paid-to-emergency-housing-motels-by-govt-for-damage-unknown?fbclid=IwAR1UOUu3DyPaPsXU1RNa6KJVR9pxQpitD9R1ZcX7bSJ_u1shEq9MFieoR-M

“Not ideal” Ms Sepuloni? Wow, talk about an understatement!

But wait; there’s more:

Some moteliers are also speaking out, saying they’re being demonised while trying to do right by their guests; dealing with crime, intimidation and violence all too regularly – driving some out of business altogether.

National’s Nicola Willis asked MSD for information about any discussions with suppliers about “costs for damage or concerns over bad behaviour in their premises” in January and February this year.

General manager of housing Karen Hocking responded by saying that would be held with the “ministry’s frontline staff and recorded on individual email records or case files”.

The request was refused as it would require staff to “manually review thousands of individual emails and file notes… the greater public interest is in the effective and efficient administration of the public service”.

So what is the total cost for the first two months of this year? MSD can’t answer that either.

“Damages to properties are classified and paid out as ‘other emergency grants’,” – a fund in which payments aren’t specifically tagged to damage or loss in emergency housing.

Again, the request was rejected because staff would “have to review over 5000 individual files to determine if they were paid for property damage”.

It is difficult to put a number on how much damages are actually costing, but MSD says it will “secure a client’s undertaking to meet the cost of damages or loss in motels where there is evidence of damage”.

What a cop-out from MSD, claiming they can’t give the Minister or the taxpaying public relevant information. It most certainly IS in the public interest to know what it is costing to repair damage caused by “tenants”, given that it is OUR taxes being spent. That is the least we should expect from “the effective and efficient administration of the public service”.
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April 29, 2021 8:23am
- rangitoto
  
  Surely each item of expenditure is coded such that it identifies what it was for? Their accounting system should be able to spit out the answer in a few seconds.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:37am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    You’d like to think so Rangitoto. Simply refusing to answer an important question from an Opposition MP is unacceptable, and definitely not what you’d expect from “the most open and transparent government New Zealand has ever seen”.
    
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    April 29, 2021 8:53am
    - Tall Man
      
      ““the most open and transparent government New Zealand has ever seen””
      
      Of all the phrases/slogans that were appended to this current governement I think the only one that has stood the test of time is
      
      “ardern is a liar”….
      
      Dontcha think?
      
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      April 29, 2021 8:57am
      - SB2
        
        Tall Man , no more than you or Judie for that matter
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:46am
      - sooty
        
        I think they have to have the staff sitting in a row with shoes and socks off to count the big numbers!
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:52am
- kowtow
  
  The only issue I have there is ,it isn’t govt money .
  
  We must get the message across , the govt has no money of its own , only yours and mine and heh heh here’s an angle , by wasting so much money now they are robbing future and unborn generations of their wealth too .
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:51am
- graham
  
  I seem to remember this came up a few weeks ago, probably when the story first broke. My memory is hazy, but the original story may have been around the cost of simply putting up emergency housing clients in motels, quite apart from the question of damage.
  
  At the time I was gobsmacked that the MSD refused to provide the information because, as above, they claimed it would divert staff from their core functions.
  
  To say it would require staff to “manually review thousands of individual emails and file notes” is just unbelievable.
  
  Like rangitoto and Tony Stuart, I find it highly unlikely that MSD do not have an accounting system that can churn this information out in a few seconds. Or that they do not keep records of such expenditure. Especially as they have a section on their website called “MSD Insights”, where they proudly proclaim “Insights from our research, evaluation, data and statistics help us make better decisions about the services we provide for New Zealanders.”
  
  https://msd.govt.nz/research-insights/index.html
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:09am
Maggie Pie

A friend of my partner tweets. Thort I’d share it 🙁

“The power of SERCO – should we be concerned?”

…..SERCO controls immigration and owns a Pathology lab in the UK and runs detention centers, prisons and hospitals in Australia & New Zealand.

https://znews.tv/2019/03/21/5g-cull-humanity-behind-now-exposed/
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April 29, 2021 8:30am
- info@cruzpro.com
  
  5G to be used to eliminate 90% of the world population. What a load of malarkey!
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:42am
- Keith White
  
  SERCO actually has a better track record than governments around the world in running prisons. Of course, that is “damning with faint praise…”
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:43am
- Tall Man
  
  I’d rather Serco was in charge than ardern and her numpties.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:46am
  - Keith White
    
    I’d rather Serco was in charge of Ardern and her numpties. After proper trials for treason, of course.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:04am
    - Keith White
      
      I see Fraser House is awake… and hitting the downtick button…
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:34am
    - virtualmark
      
      Okay, I’ll bite. Section 73 of the Crimes Act says:
      
      73 Treason
      Every one owing allegiance to the Sovereign in right of New Zealand commits treason who, within or outside New Zealand,—
      (a) kills or wounds or does grievous bodily harm to the Sovereign, or imprisons or restrains her or him; or
      (b) levies war against New Zealand; or
      (c) assists an enemy at war with New Zealand, or any armed forces against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between New Zealand and any other country; or
      (d) incites or assists any person with force to invade New Zealand; or
      (e) uses force for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of New Zealand; or
      (f) conspires with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.
      
      So which of sections 73(a) to 73(f) are “Ardern and her numpties” to be charged under? Can you detail the charges?
      
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      April 29, 2021 12:21pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Kev O’Brien might have some random thoughts about Magna Carta…?
        
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        April 29, 2021 1:07pm
- SB2
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Serco does not control and run Prisons and hospitals anywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand. It may run contractual services.
  
  That is all.
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:49am
  - WaveyDavey
    
    Unsurprisingly incorrect as ever…
    
    SecureFuture have in turn subcontracted the operation of the prison to their operator Serco.
    
    So, controlling and running…
    
    https://www.corrections.govt.nz/about_us/working_with_us/partners/service_providers-Serco
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:13am
  - KevO'Brien
    
    Who runs the Fraser House basement services?
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:35am
    - JibberJabber
      
      Sponge Bob given the state of quasi-literate and infantile logic that emanates from there by way of SB2s random battering of his keyboard
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:58am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Where is this ‘Aotearoa New Zealand’ place?
    
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    April 29, 2021 12:24pm
    - Paulus
      
      I see in today’s RNZ Noon news that the weather section had NO Cities and Towns in English now – not evern adjunctive.
      
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      April 29, 2021 2:02pm
Captain Mainwaring

Has anyone asked how it is possible for a cop to drink so much that he was five times the drink driving limit WHILE ON DUTY?
And we’d probably never know about it if he hadn’t crashed the car.
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April 29, 2021 8:40am
- Keith White
  
  One link here:
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/441359/police-officer-sentenced-for-drink-driving-crashing-while-on-duty
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:44am
- Maggie Pie
  
  Had probably been reading the new Police Commissioners Manifesto setting out the way ahead for Nga Pirihimana Aotearoa.
  😀
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:48am
- Tall Man
  
  Why bother?
  
  Over the years I have worked with many who obviously have a problem with the booze and a few who managed to stuff up by mismanaging a “few” drinks.
  
  As far as I am concerned it is an internal matter and will be dealt with appropriately withiun the force.
  
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  April 29, 2021 8:54am
  - Flossie
    
    I have to disagree that it’s an internal matter. Anyone drinking and driving is of concern to all of us. It especially concerns me that someone sworn to uphold the law can so blatantly disregard it.
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:55am
    - Tall Man
      
      How do you know that he “blatantly” disregarded it?
      
      And of course it is an internal matter now that he has been found guilty.
      
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      April 29, 2021 11:07am
- Benedict Yu
  
  I am fairly sure he will lose his job. There is no coming back from that.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:01am
  - Paulus
    
    Police Union dealing with it !
    
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    April 29, 2021 2:03pm
- MCos
  
  I’m sure there’s plenty of upstanding citizens driving round the streets and roads of NZ right now pissed as farts who are in little danger of getting caught.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:22am
  - Keith White
    
    And even more drunk-skunks in Parliament.
    
    Having alcohol in Parliament precincts is about as smart as having a bar in an operating theater. In fact it is worse – even a surgeon can only kill or injure one person at a time. Parliament can do that wholesale if less directly.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:25am
    - Batman
      
      I don’t know if you’ve ever been there but the parliament bar is hardly thumping these days. To paraphrase, too much work and earnestness makes Johnny a dull boy.
      
      Plus the pubs nearby are better after work
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:45am
      - Keith White
        
        If you like your doctors and your legislators to have a booze buzz on when they’re deciding your fate, then you do you.
        
        6 2
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        April 29, 2021 10:47am
      - kevn
        
        @bat… The parly bar. Your stamping ground?
        
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        April 29, 2021 11:25am
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Keith, I don’t know about now, but once upon a time every police station had a bar.
      
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      April 29, 2021 1:09pm
kowtow

Once again the eco fascists are allowed to get away with it.

How the Cops refuse to charge and why Kiwirail don’t sue their arses is beyond me.

” Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said nobody was arrested in connection with yesterday’s incident, but he warned people protesting on the tracks were putting themselves in great danger.

“Each action has its own response.

“We can say enough is enough, but we prefer to work with those parties that are voicing their concerns.”

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/climate-activists-again-block-rail-tracks

And yet yesterday it was reported some clown had a slew of charges for walking through a rail tunnel. If only he had said he was doing it to save the planet.
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April 29, 2021 8:55am
- Keith White
  
  They won’t be charged or fined as they are a protected species.
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:47am
Maggie Pie

Remember last week I posted on GD that my partner’s mum and a friend had walked the length of Queen St and described it as…. “a f * * ing disgrace!”

She has just sent me this link 😀

https://twitter.com/nzherald/status/1387473127693852675
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April 29, 2021 9:14am
- graham
  
  I had reason to walk down Queen Street just yesterday, for the first time in several months.
  
  What a nightmare for traffic. Any cars that are brave enough (or foolhardy enough) to venture past Wellesley Street will find themselves forced into one lane, often with double decker buses in front and behind. The traffic lights seem to be phased to favour pedestrians with frequent interruptions to traffic flow to allow pedestrians to cross. Any vehicle trying to turn into a side street (Durham Street West, for example) has to battle with pedestrians and hold up traffic behind them. Looks like an entire lane has been appropriated for a cycle lane, probably on each side.
  
  I dread to think how long it would take someone to drive from Wellesley Street to Customs Street at lunchtime.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:56am
  - SB2
    
    Thats largely the result of work on the underground rail system.
    
    Next time get a bus or train and enjoy a stroll along the viaduct basin with plenty of eateries.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:57am
- SB2
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  MP, a little bit of road maintence. Is that all?
  
  Where are the throngs of beggars?
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:54am
- WaveyDavey
  
  Auckland centre is an unworkable hole – Exactly what AC wanted
  
  I can’t imagine what would possess anyone to go there
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:16am
I remember when

Labour Health Reforms:
Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger.
“If something is being done out of Wellington, the more rural and further away you get, the less it seems to be recognised.”
Former South Taranaki Mayor Ross Dunlop said he is worried about the loss of democracy.
“I hope there is still going to be some link to our community so that our voice can be heard.”
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April 29, 2021 9:15am
Benedict Yu

I was in an Uber last night. Got me thinking about immigration.

The driver was very talkative but his English was terrible. He told me that he had been in New Zealand for 12 years. He came here to do an English language course. Then somehow got permanent residency. He has always been a taxi / Uber driver.

There are tens of thousands like him. Why have governments allowed this? All this guy has done is add to housing demand.

He told me that when he came to New Zealand to “study” his focus was on getting permanent residency.
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April 29, 2021 9:17am
- kowtow
  
  ‘Why have governments allowed this?’
  
  Short term boost to GDP .
  Virtue signalling .
  Stupidity.
  Incompetence.
  
  Red and Blue team ,both.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:32am
  - NoCash
    
    I don’t buy this “Short term boost to GDP” bit, surely the politicians and/or govt officials are not that dumb (I hope), otherwise we just need to mandate everyone to charge and mow their neighbor’s lawns, that would boost the GDP.
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:02am
    - kowtow
      
      Not that dumb ?
      
      What’s the climate scam they’ve all bought into .
      
      Red ,blue and yellow .
      
      I rest my case.
      
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      April 29, 2021 12:22pm
  - Red Fred
    
    Nah this is down mostly to team blue.I wonder if our learned host could give us the breakdown on number of immigrants vs the number of houses built under the last National govt.
    
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    April 29, 2021 4:22pm
- Brian McDonald
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Besides adding to housing needs, he also drove you around giving you a chance to badmouth him the next day.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:35am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    What an ignorant response.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:42am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I don’t know why I bother replying. I am not badmouthing him. He was perfectly friendly and I generously tipped him. I was using him to illustrate poor policy settings. One of hundreds that are sending New Zealand out of first world status.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:45am
    - Observer of Life
      
      We had some concrete laid a couple of months ago. 3 of the 5 men doing it were Philipino, at a guess would have been in there 30’s, had NO English apart from “hello” and “thank you” (pretty much). I couldn’t help but wonder how they managed to get PR visas or citizenship. Surely we’d aren’t crying out for labourers?
      
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      April 29, 2021 4:53pm
- Paulus
  
  If his English was bad imagine what he will do with Te Reo ?
  
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  April 29, 2021 2:07pm
- potato
  
  Our country is bulging at the seems, Governments which control our boarders have not planned sufficiently for infrastructure to accommodate with the huge amount of new immigrants, But we have needed immigrants to do the work Kiwis won’t, Tourism must have utilised a lot of foreign labour
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:21pm
Brian McDonald

The quiet revolution:
Went to a case heard in the Supreme Court a few years ago where the clerk addressed each sitting in Te Reo.
Since then the Court has accepted the right for the Peter Ellis case to be heard as a test of Tikanga. Last year I think it was they accepted the case of a Wellington man with mental health issues who was sentenced under the 3 strike act.
If Tikanga isn’t in Law yet, it’s right on the edge.
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April 29, 2021 9:30am
- kowtow
  
  ‘If Tikanga isn’t in Law yet, it’s right on the edge.’
  
  I’ll believe that when the culprit/accused is taken out the back given a whack and chucked in a pit for dinner .
  
  Can’t have it both ways.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:35am
  - David Garrett
    
    kowtow: Quite so…no home detention or community service back in the pre-European day…
    
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    April 29, 2021 9:59am
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      They had the muru “the theft” instead, whereby socially frowned upon infractions resulted in all of your stuff being taken by members of your tribe as punishment. This system prevented any Maori from getting rich as excuses for Muru would be manufactured if anyone got too wealthy. So the great kiwi knocking machine was active even before Europeans arrived.
      
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      April 29, 2021 12:22pm
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Like this kowtow:
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/mokomoko-pardon-awesome-emotional-day/2SWYOEDNO4OWAFTZIOBUO3JR5I/
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:40am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Here’s how it began kowtow. At a time when the wobbly knees were crapping themselves because they were still outnumbered and unable to advance their land grab. That happened after Mokomoko was falsely executed as the law now observes. And why the compensation won’t stop in our life times.
    
    https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/the-death-penalty/the-first-execution
    
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    April 29, 2021 11:03am
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      Your own link didn’t say that he was pardoned because he was innocent.
      Volkner was murdered, strung up, ritually killed and mutilated, and the locals knew who pulled the ropes and the like. One of the killers (a Pai Marire prophet) was nicknamed the eye eater afterwards, since he scooped out the priests eyes and swallowed them (which was a pre-Christian practice). This Kereopa Te Rau was caught in Te Urewera many years later by Ngati Porou assisting the Crown. He was hung too, and a reward split by Major Ropata with other Maori who brought the killer to justice.
      So the murder happened, and locals took part in it, and the modern pardons are more about trying to lay the bad feeling to rest rather than saying that ‘Nothing happened’.
      In fact, the family (your own link said) felt shame since he brought the wrath of the government down on the region.
      Try not to twist history around into a fiction which suits you.
      
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      April 29, 2021 2:03pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        1. Volkner was likely a spy, and had been warned to stay away
        2. Kereopa’s conviction and execution was probably a miscarriage of justice.
        
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        April 29, 2021 4:11pm
    - Fuzzysnuggleduck
      
      Your flippant comments about wobbly knees and land grabs don’t make you seem clever. You evidently have a poor grasp of the facts of the NZ wars and early settlement based on other comments you have made which were patent nonsense. You seem to have a skewed Goodies and Baddies view of what happened.
      In the case of the hanging of Maketu you failed to note that the killing, the application of law (which some Maori saw as a benefit of British presence) meant that a potential war between Maori was averted.
      And this guy is no pin up for injustice. He killed a family because he got spoken to harshly, and he killed a well-connected Maori at the same time.
      All quite brutal, and pointless.
      
      from your link:
      ..”he had split Thomas Bull’s head open with an axe while he slept. Maketū then killed Elizabeth Roberton, her two children and Isabella Brind, granddaughter of the Ngāpuhi leader Rewa, who lived with the Robertons….”
      
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      April 29, 2021 2:17pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        Brian was talking about Mokomoko. His link was to a longer article about the death penalty, which Maketu was the first to face after British law was introduced to parts of the country.
        
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        April 29, 2021 4:13pm
- KevO'Brien
  
  Not bloomin’ likely. Too much Maori is disturbing.
  Time to get our “settlement” payments back. They have been most unsettling given a smidgin of power.
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:39am
Maggie Pie

We haven’t heard much about ‘Palmerston North’ of late.

Do they not have Motels there?
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April 29, 2021 9:34am
- SB2
  
  MP , is Palmy your must holiday destination?
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:59am
Thought Criminal

The simple fix is to ban gang members.

F their high and complex needs.

Should be a big saving straight away.
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April 29, 2021 9:41am
- Tall Man
  
  It’s not like they don’t have the funds to make their own arrangements.
  
  It’s time the state, you and I, stopped funding their lifestyle.
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:49am
David Garrett

Michael Collins, the largely forgotten astronaut of Apollo 11, has died aged 90.

I have seen many interviews with Collins; he always came across as a lovely self effacing guy. While he readily admitted his was the least glamorous job on the mission – he stayed in the Command Module circling the moon while Armstrong and Aldrin walked on it – he also regarded his job as vitally important – which of course it was.

Buzz Aldrin, also now aged 90, is the only one left from that fantastic project.
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April 29, 2021 9:41am
- David Garrett
  
  Edit that: Aldrin is the only astrounaut left from Apollo 11…of course there were many many more who all had their part to play…I read somewhere that in July 1969 NASA employed 400,000 people …and there were probably similar numbers working for contractors.
  
  And amazingly, more than 50 years later, ALL of them have kept the “secret” that it was all done in a sound stage in Hollywood!
  
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  April 29, 2021 9:51am
  - graham
    
    Was it Buzz Aldrin who thumped somebody stupid enough to suggest that to his face? 🙂
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:01am
    - Batman
      
      Yep! Absolutely fantastic stuff.
      
      “Conspiracy theorist who got punched by Buzz Aldrin in the face still believes the moon landing was faked” https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/07/conspiracy-theorist-who-got-punched-by-buzz-aldrin-in-the-face-still-believes-the-moon-landing-was-faked.amp.html
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:09am
      - graham
        
        Heh:
        
        “I was very surprised that he hit me. I thought it was very foolish of him to do it in front of two video cameras,” Sibrel told reporters at the time.
        
        Let’s think about this … you’re accusing a living legend, who carried out one of the bravest and most famous missions EVER, of lying about the whole thing, and you’re surprised when he reacts?
        
        As far as hitting him “in front of two video cameras” … I suspect Buzz Aldrin never thought about it, or, if he did, knew damn well that if it got as far as him being fined people would be falling over themselves to contribute to the fund.
        
        Plus, he probably figured it would be worth it anyway. 🙂
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:28am
      - Batman
        
        Aldrin was in that phase where he was getting a bit kooky so it probably helped his legacy no end!
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:44am
      - sooty
        
        Bit like Sir Bob Jones whacking Rod Vaughan on the hooter with on camera! He didn’t expect it either!
        
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        April 29, 2021 11:00am
      - JibberJabber
        
        I’m sure if Aldrin had found himself in court he’d have done a Bob Jones and asked if he could pay double the fine, could he thump him again…?
        
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        April 29, 2021 12:11pm
    - David Garrett
      
      graham: Yes indeed it was…but the best response I ever heard to the “it was all faked” conspiracy theory was from Charlie Duke, capcom for Apollo 11 and who also later walked on the moon…When asked for his response, he said this: (or something very close)
      
      “We went to the moon nine times…why the hell did we fake it nine times…if we faked it?”
      
      That’s a game set and match response for me.
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:13am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Six times.
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:58am
      - cmm
        
        The truth is that it would have been harder to fake it properly than actually go there.
        
        For example, I spent a while going through some films of the time they were working on the moon looking for some stuff that would be tells.
        
        One of the things I watched was an astronaut working with samples at a trestle table. He bumped a sack that was hanging from the table so it was swinging. By counting frames etc, you can work out how fast the sack was swinging slowly and from that you can use a few equations of pendulum physics to work out the gravity that was present (ie. it would have swung faster on earth). It was not earth gravity, but the expected gravity for the moon.
        
        Now I grant you it is technically possible that someone at “Studio NASA” would have set up the scenario to have an astronaut bump the sack, then use a bit of cotton (hidden) to swing the bag at exactly the right speed to fake it. However that would be exceedingly careful eye for detail.
        
        And there are a million of these tiny details that have been looked at.
        
        Naah, bugger it. Going to the moon would be much simpler than faking all the little details. At this stage I’d be more impressed if they’d actually faked it.
        
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        April 29, 2021 1:11pm
      - Weetbix3ways
        
        Benedict: 9 times, but only 6 landed. 8,10, and 13 all went to the moon, but did not land.
        
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        April 29, 2021 2:41pm
  - Don Beckett
    
    :lol; 😆
    
    4 2
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    April 29, 2021 10:03am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    David – you beat me to the punch line! But I do remember our physics class at high school sitting around the trans(istor) with our teacher listening to the live Hollywood production.
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:09am
    - David Garrett
      
      70and: And of course the Russians – who were desperate to get to the moon first – were also listening to every second of that “faked” mission…and the tracking stations all around the world – one in Western Australia – they were all in on it to…
      
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      April 29, 2021 10:29am
      - 70andstilllearning
        
        Yep – about the same amount of coordination required to maintain the “fake” global pandemic conspiracy.
        Note: That’s not a judgement either way on it’s handling by the way.
        
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        April 29, 2021 10:45am
  - kowtow
    
    ‘of course there were many many more who all had their part to play’
    
    Yep , what was it old Wernher von Braun said …….
    
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    April 29, 2021 10:51am
- graham
  
  An amazing website which, I believe, has the entire commentary from launch to splashdown.
  
  https://apolloinrealtime.org/11/
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:05am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Collins wrote a very good autobiography, described by a reviewer as “generally regarded as the best account of what it is like to be an astronaut”, and was also the first director of the Smithsonian’s Air & Space Museum.
  
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  April 29, 2021 1:16pm
Maggie Pie

And it appears ‘UK Conservative’ MP Tobias Ellwood, Chair of Defense Select Committee no less, has picked up on my post here yesterday about the CCP pressuring National not to allow Parliamentary Debate on the matter of Uyghur Genocide 🙁

https://twitter.com/Tobias_Ellwood/status/1387292726383812608
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April 29, 2021 10:00am
Rusty

We all know Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon but how many people know who was the last man to walk on the moon?

Not giving the answer yet.
6 0
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April 29, 2021 10:08am
- Ruahine
  
  Mr E Cernan.
  
  11 0
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  April 29, 2021 10:21am
- Weetbix3ways
  
  Gene Cernan, who passed a couple of years ago. Heard him speak in person (alongside Jim Lovell) back in 2011 at Oshkosh Airventure.
  
  Of course, plans are afoot to put more people up there in the coming years, so he’ll lose that position of prominence soon, all going well.
  
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  April 29, 2021 10:37am
I remember when

HB Today: Napier-Taupo road:
NZTA Waka Kotahi using ‘junk maths’ to justify speed limit drop traffic expert says.
A Waka Kotahi NZTA claim that a drop of 20 kmph on a 83 km stretch of highway would delay commuters by an average of one minute has been labelled (paywalled).
The speed limit between Rangitaiki and Esk Valley on SH5 changed from 100 km to 80 km.
Greg Murphy has stated speed is not the problem.
Obviously the NZTA spokesman knows a shortcut.
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April 29, 2021 10:12am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  NZTA want money
  
  4 2
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  April 29, 2021 2:22pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Add to that. If they want money, why not make all State Highways toll roads?
    Oh wait, we already pay petrol tax and road user charges.
    Milk it you socialists.
    
    3 3
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    April 29, 2021 2:25pm
oldfella

This was briefly on Stuffed’s front page earlier this morning. Then suddenly fell down a hole. Wonder why?

“The Government’s flagship infrastructure programme, the most expensive in modern history, is in danger of collapse, with Transport Minister Michael Wood now refusing to say whether all the 22 projects promised nearly a year ago will actually be built in the way they were announced.
That puts the fate of $6.8 billion worth of road and rail infrastructure up in the air, and could lead to projects like Auckland’s $1.3b Mill Rd, or Wellington’s $817m Otaki to North of Levin and $258m Melling Interchange either pared back or dropped entirely.
In January last year, the Government announced the NZ Upgrade Programme, a $12 billion infrastructure package which included upgrades to schools, hospitals and infrastructure needed to combat climate change.”
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300287913/government-may-axe-promised-roads-as-costs-mount-in-12b-infrastructure-package
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April 29, 2021 10:33am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Wonder why? Couldn’t possibly be a ” please remove that front pager – quickly” request, could it?
  
  It’s been relegated to well down the National page sub’d Politics. Also seems to have been re-titled :
  “Wood may cancel roads, u-turning on Government pledge” .
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:14am
- cmm
  
  Oh well, it’s the thought that counts.
  
  Oh well, they meant well.
  
  Oh well, it’s probably for our own good in the end.
  
  Oh well, we should probably send the money to [insert shithole of your choice], they need it more than we do.
  
  7 2
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  April 29, 2021 12:57pm
- Paulus
  
  That’s why it is known as a Gunner Labour Government – Gunna do this and Gunna do that !
  
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  April 29, 2021 2:11pm
Maggie Pie

While we’re on ‘QUEEN ST’, one of the girls at tennis reckons 80% of the Retailers located in the Malls and Arcades are mostly Chinese junk shops.
Always with a sign in the window…. ‘Back in 20 minutes’

Sounds like they could be just a ‘front’ for something else perhaps?
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April 29, 2021 10:45am
- Ehlana
  
  I’m not sure the Council is the main reason for a fall in foot traffic on Queen Street. Covid-19 response travel restrictions have kept out both tourists and foreign students, while two brand new malls have opened in the vicinity – the much delayed Commerce Bay at the bottom of Queen Street and the far more on-time Westfield Newmarket.
  And if you miss the train to Newmarket from Britomart, the next one may take you to Sylvia Park, another shopping destination which has opened new stores recently.
  Perhaps any of the three is simply a more attractive destination than Queen Street – no wind, no rain and all the stores you could possibly need close together under one roof.
  
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  April 29, 2021 11:04am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    OMG – isn’t ‘Commerce Bay’ absolutely fab!! 😀
    
    Although with the Council selling the Downtown Carpark won’t help the shops much unfortunately.
    We’ve ever really been ‘train people’ to be honest.
    
    9 2
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    April 29, 2021 11:48am
  - lifesgood
    
    The place is awash with obese beggars….go and have a look some time. That has nothing to do with lack of tourists. I steer clear of the slum it has become.
    
    15 1
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    April 29, 2021 11:49am
- SB2
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  MP, your saggy bosom bud has obviously not been there.
  
  Stick to being aced at your Rackets club.
  
  3 36
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  April 29, 2021 11:05am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Hiyaa SB!
    You get out of bed the wrong side this morning? 😛
    
    17 2
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    April 29, 2021 11:59am
- Keith White
  
  MP on Queen St shops: You mean they could be out the back cooking up a quick chow mein takeaway? Possible…
  
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  April 29, 2021 12:31pm
Surely Knott

Tech company Basecamp stands up for freedom from political interference at work and twitter go nuts. The tech company has new rules that you can no longer politically advocate and discuss party politics on their company internal slack channel unless it’s something to do directly with the industry and the job at hand.

DHH their owner says ,”Basecamp should be a place where employees can come to work with colleagues of all backgrounds and political convictions without having to deal with heavy political or societal debates unconnected to that work.” “You shouldn’t have to wonder if staying out of it means you’re complicit, or stepping into it means you’re a target. That is difficult enough outside of work, but almost impossible at work.”

“We also encouraged you to exercise your right to activism and political engagement outside of work. It’s none of Basecamp’s business how or whether you choose to spend your time, money, or voice to support charities, causes, or political action groups.”

Nicely said. A win for freedom of conscience and democracy and push back against the push to use companies and economic leverage to push an ideological compliance.

https://world.hey.com/dhh/basecamp-s-new-etiquette-regarding-societal-politics-at-work-b44bef69
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April 29, 2021 10:52am
- Ehlana
  
  Good on them. Everyone needs to earn a living, including people who think differently from you. Hiring based on ability to do the job rather than group allegiance is what we should be aiming for. Replacing the “old school tie network” and racism/sexism with recruitment by wokeism is not progress.
  
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  April 29, 2021 4:11pm
Happychappy

I wonder when the new identity for Maori Health is set up whether those in charge of setting the new pathway that Maori want that they will look back at those that were in charge of administering look back on this failure and many before this like Rheumatic Fever and Meningococcal disease and make sure they are not at a the top of the new Maori Health Ministry.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/441397/northland-dhb-misses-covid-19-vaccination-target-by-nearly-4000-doses
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April 29, 2021 11:03am
Jack5

Now America and its allies are quitting Afghanistan, let Hager the Horrible and Co. step up and protect Afghanistan’s women from the Taliban.

Hager gave our troops in Afghanistan a rough time. He made a crusade out of incidents that occurred there. NZ journos joined in, too. Some went to Afghanistan to get material.
Now let Hager and his media allies get ready to go to Afghanistan and report on the coming disaster for Afghan women. Let them show the world women being whipped in public and girls shut out of schools.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9515693/Woman-pleads-mercy-lashed-40-times-Taliban.html
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April 29, 2021 11:07am
- JibberJabber
  
  With a display like that surely Afghanistan will be put on the UN Council for Women?
  
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  April 29, 2021 12:16pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Do you have any sensible suggestions about how to improve the lot of Afghan women?
  
  1 14
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  April 29, 2021 1:18pm
  - Libertarians are right
    
    Colonisation.
    Taking over the schools, justice, healthcare and bringing in secular law.
    
    8 2
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    April 29, 2021 2:18pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      You don’t think 20 years of war was long enough to show that cannot be achieved?
      
      1 6
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      April 29, 2021 4:03pm
      - Libertarians are right
        
        I’m not talking about assisting the local Islamic government, I’m talking about totally taking over.
        
        5 2
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        April 29, 2021 4:21pm
  - Jack5
    
    I will rely on Hager the Horrible and his Lefty media allies. They have in their tiny way helped undermine the Western intervention against the Taliban. So they must have some viable strategy to rescue the women and girls of Afghanistan.
    
    Now don’t tell me that you, Milky, are to be judge of “sensible suggestions”. I can’t go along with that.
    
    8 3
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    April 29, 2021 2:26pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Seems like a cop-out, Jack. Surely you would have betters ideas than the ‘Lefty media’.
      More seriously, do you really believe that journalists cannot criticise anything unless they are prepared to step in personally and do a better job?
      
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      April 29, 2021 4:05pm
      - Jack5
        
        Critical journos don’t have to do a better job but they have or had an idea of how it could be done better. They can put this idea forward.
        
        Hager the Horrible and the journos didn’t think the coalition troops were doing their job correctly. They didn’t suggest then how else the Taleban could be subdued.
        
        Now is their chance. What is the suggestion of Hager and our Leftist media for protecting Afghanistan’s women and girls from the Medieval Taleban?
        
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        April 29, 2021 4:32pm
  - Fuzzysnuggleduck
    
    Probably only by doing something like the Chinese are doing to the Uighur, and then give it a few generations.
    i.e. close the Islamic schools and mosques, re-education. In the short term the medicine is no better than the cure.
    The ideology can only be rooted out entirely or else suppressed only temporarily. No outside influence, education or moral persuasion can ever succeed.
    
    4 1
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    April 29, 2021 3:27pm
  - Keith White
    
    Why yes mma, yes I do. A 5 step plan.
    
    1. UN troops shoot the Taliban leaders.
    
    2. Mercenaries hired by the UN shoot the next diehards to step up to the Taliban leadership.
    
    3. Arm Afghani women with concealed carry S&& .357 revolvers; the right balance between weight of round and weight to carry.
    
    4. Offer bounties and letters of marque on Taliban slef-identifying leaders and Taliban supply ships and convoys.
    
    5. Rinse and repeat as necessary.
    
    2 3
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    April 29, 2021 5:51pm
lifesgood

As a matter of interest 27,000 people died in India every day before Covid struck. Their population is a billion. The numbers dying of Covid are actually tiny per capita. Enough of this hysteria.
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April 29, 2021 11:41am
- 2ic
  
  I had a look at the figures (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/) and worked out that India would need to have 3,000 people die every day for the next 2 years for there deaths per million to get to where other countries like USA, UK and Brazil are now.
  
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  April 29, 2021 12:27pm
- I remember when
  
  But the media just know that the death toll is much higher than the stated total.
  Perhaps it is and perhaps the story doesn’t sell so well if it isn’t.
  
  8 1
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  April 29, 2021 12:39pm
- kiwibird
  
  So why are the burial / cremation sites not coping ?
  
  5 6
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  April 29, 2021 12:48pm
  - kowtow
    
    That’s just the Media Party saying they’re not coping .
    
    We’re constantly being lied to .
    
    It was the same with the New York and Italy “crises” .
    
    Have you noticed how serious the climate crisis is . Well there isn’t one .That’s because it’s been manufactured by activists , politicians and the Media Pardy .
    
    14 3
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    April 29, 2021 1:13pm
    - SB2
      
      kowtow, so you concur with Trump that the Climate crisis is a Chinese hoax?
      
      What a seriously sad and delueded individual you are
      
      2 21
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      April 29, 2021 1:42pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Fuck you are a stupid boy.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9t_KDGqOmE
        
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        April 29, 2021 3:43pm
  - cmm
    
    k’bird: CV19 responses (tighter controls, fearful people etc etc) mean that the supply chain gets buggered up.
    
    That stuffs up supplies of food in some places, supplies of burial services in other places.
    
    It could also be that informal processes (eg. backyard funerals) have been banned forcing everyone to use formal sites.
    
    Bottom line is that India has a population of about 1.3 billion people and a life expectancy of 69 years. That means over 50,000 people die per day on average (not the 27,000 quoted above). During times of sickness (eg. winter, monsoons, whatever) the numbers will be higher than that.
    
    So if you add another 3000 to the 50,000 that’s only a 6% increase. Surely not enough to bring the party to a grinding halt by itself.
    
    Either:
    1) there are other issues at play (ie. other supply chain issues because everyone is hiding and nobody is chopping and delivering fire wood) or
    2) the numbers are way, way higher than the 3000 per day quoted in official numbers.
    
    2 1
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    April 29, 2021 4:54pm
I remember when

So Phil Goff thinks landlords and business executives suing the Council is ‘ironic’ and ‘unfortunate’.
He forgot to say whether the ‘unfortunate’ applied to the Council or the landlord and business potential losses.
10 2
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April 29, 2021 12:42pm
- Ehlana
  
  Unfortunate because as ratepayers, those suing will be paying towards both sides of this dispute?
  
  3 1
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  April 29, 2021 3:39pm
mikenmildagain

General question; has anyone else had comments disappeared without explanation?
8 3
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April 29, 2021 12:43pm
- sooty
  
  If only!
  
  7 0
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  April 29, 2021 1:13pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  Nope – never ever.
  
  8 1
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  April 29, 2021 1:43pm
- Nickc2
  
  YES, twice.
  
  5 3
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  April 29, 2021 1:47pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Only on Facebook. That is why I am in jail – for telling the truth. Cancel Culture Factcheckers can’t stand the truth
  
  11 5
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  April 29, 2021 2:01pm
- Keith White
  
  Yes, when I questioned the methods of the rise to power of Biden* and Harris.
  
  2 0
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  April 29, 2021 5:54pm
graham

Naww. Another 11-year-old writing to Jacinda Ardern … how sweet. Or perhaps not …

11-year-old writes to Jacinda Ardern ‘mad’ about $250 million Parliament upgrade as Starship Hospital faces ICU shortage

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/04/11-year-old-writes-to-jacinda-ardern-mad-about-250-million-parliament-upgrade-as-starship-hospital-faces-icu-shortage.html

Cooper Sinclair wrote to the Prime Minister on April 14 asking if she’d consider giving some of the money to upgrade Parliament to Starship, which is seeking $8 million from the public to pay for more paediatric intensive care units.

Starship, one of the first purpose-built children’s hospitals in New Zealand, had earlier this month secured $7 million in pledges and donations for the $40 million project. The Government has committed $25 million. The rest is being fundraised.

Cooper said the Starship story made him “sad” while the Parliament spend-up story made him “mad” because his 9-year-old cousin Max recently had his open heart surgery at Starship postponed five times because there weren’t enough ICU beds.

“Max lives in Methven with his mum, dad and sister, Honor, so they have had to come up to Auckland and fly back to Christchurch each time the surgery was postponed. It was a really stressful time for all our family and I was worried,” Cooper wrote.

“I know being a politician is important and you need office space and nice surroundings to work in but don’t you think that children like my cousin Max are more important to New Zealand? If so, why don’t you take $7 million from the Parliament building money and give it to Starship?“

Very good question, Cooper. So how did Ms Ardern respond?

Turns out she hasn’t replied yet …
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April 29, 2021 1:54pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  11 year olds can write? How about that? Was it written in Moari?
  Mum wrote this and threw it to the media.
  $250,000,000 Mum?
  See, the difference between a billion and a trillion is three zeros. Zeros have no value, so there is no extra cost (AOC)
  
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  April 29, 2021 3:50pm
- Fletch
  
  If it doesn’t involve a missing teddy bear and tons of PR, she isn’t interested.
  
  3 1
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  April 29, 2021 4:32pm
Maggie Pie

Does anyone else find those two morons on the ‘ZB 12 – 4 Show’ overbearingly sickly to listen to?

Honestly, whenever they end a call from someone, both of them always say “Goodbye” about 8 times, and then discuss among themselves… “What a wonderful person that was” or….. “What a lovely lovely bloke”

Yet whenever I hear my partner end a call from somebody, all he ever sez is…. “What an Arsehole!”
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April 29, 2021 2:01pm
- Nickc2
  
  Agree, it’s sickening when you hear a couple of old gits trying ever so hard to be woke and un-offensive. Painful in fact.
  That Tim Beveridge gets up my nose as well, self-righteous pompous woke git.
  
  12 3
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  April 29, 2021 2:14pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    And that pommie ‘Myles’ is in the same boat as well. Putting on that false cockney accent 🙁
    None of them ever do any prep for their show – just re-heat some boring shite from the previous days Herald.
    The only callers they attract are mainly new immigrants or old incontinence sufferers.
    
    Bring back Shorn!!
    
    13 3
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    April 29, 2021 4:05pm
  - Observer of Life
    
    Have you listened to Magic Talks boring couple – Panapa abs Watson. Jesus wept… get rid of them.
    
    4 3
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    April 29, 2021 5:07pm
    - Maggie Pie
      
      Nope – ever since they reintroduced that plastic maori Danny Watson I haven’t tuned in to Magic since. Shorn Plunkett he ain’t!!
      Pity really, cos i didn’t mind Leah on her own. Would have love to see her teamed up with Banksie…,ratings would have been stratospheric!!
      
      5 2
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      April 29, 2021 8:14pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Seems Trump was right. This shambles is FAR from over. Trump 2024.
https://thebeltwayreport.com/2021/04/breaking-court-confirms-dems-violated-election-law-trump-was-right-the-whole-thing-was-a-sham/?
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April 29, 2021 2:02pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Isn’t there a new Q line of thinking that the supreme court will restore him to office by August?
  
  5 8
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  April 29, 2021 2:28pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Fuckwit, as usual
    
    8 6
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    April 29, 2021 3:51pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Maybe you are right, and Trump will run again in 2024. Let’s hope so. Who will be the VP candidate – Uday or Qusay?
      
      4 5
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      April 29, 2021 4:00pm
  - Surely Knott
    
    Interesting. Where are you tuning into Q Mikenmild. Link?
    
    3 3
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    April 29, 2021 4:23pm
    - Keith White
      
      Split Enz wrote a song about it.
      
      “His alien love speaks to him on ultra-high frequencies…”
      
      3 2
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      April 29, 2021 5:55pm
    - Mike
      
      Just reading comments on an amusing US blog. As I understand it, ‘Q’, the person pretending to be an insider exposing the corrupt, Satan-worshipping pedophiles, hasn’t issued any messages for some time.
      
      3 0
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      April 29, 2021 6:40pm
      - Batman
        
        They stopped posting after the election.
        
        Clearly Jim and Ron Watkins realised they needed to transition to a new shitpost model.
        
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        April 29, 2021 6:43pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

MAGA rallies to start next month. He’s back.
https://thebeltwayreport.com/2021/04/breaking-trump-makes-huge-announcement-hes-baaaaack/?
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April 29, 2021 2:05pm
Tasman Terror

Does Ms Davidson live in a free Ministerial house provided by the taxpayer, some of whom live in emergency housing?

Does she get driven to Parliament in a Ministerial deisel powered BMW?

Has she ever stayed in a motel?
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April 29, 2021 2:24pm
- Ehlana
  
  Perhaps we could “right-size” Ministerial accommodation? After all, they’re not permanent residents of Wellington, so a motel should answer their needs very well. One from which they can bike or walk to Parliament, of course.
  
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  April 29, 2021 3:38pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Ah! She has stayed in motels, same as Kamila Harris has.
  Oh boy, that will upset the mods (Batman?)
  
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  April 29, 2021 3:53pm
  - Keith White
    
    Steve, we hardly knew ye before ye got the Bat-boot. Hopefully you won’t though.
    
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    April 29, 2021 5:55pm
Maggie Pie

My partner just called ‘HeadQuarters’ to arrange a table for Saturday.
Asked to speak with Leo.
Receptionist said, “He’s out at the moment. Call back in 50 hours”

LOL!!!
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April 29, 2021 2:51pm
graham

Is this irony, or just plain hypocrisy?

Ten years on from William and Kate marrying, the NZ Herald has decided to rehash the story about … Pippa’s backside.

The irony/hypocrisy, I feel, comes in this line:

The sexism and objectification in a post-#MeToo world is stunning to remember.

This, in the middle of an entire article that is really based on just one incident – Pippa’s backside and the attention it garnered.

So who is doing the objectification now, NZ Herald, by rehashing this all over again for what appears to be the sole purpose of filling column inches?
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April 29, 2021 2:54pm
Maggie Pie

And very sad to hear that ‘WORLD’s flagship store on Ponsonby Rd won’t be renewing it’s lease after 30 years! 🙁

Just another one fallen prey to this ultra left Council and it’s decision to remove car parking.
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April 29, 2021 3:14pm
- Ehlana
  
  Don’t people in Ponsonby walk and cycle? They wouldn’t be driving Remuera tractors now, would they?
  
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  April 29, 2021 3:36pm
Tony Stuart

Why is the Government’s housing agency Kainga Ora competing with first home buyers in a housing market which is already out of control? Check this out:

Newshub can reveal the Government has been buying up hundreds of houses to turn into state homes, directly competing with first-home buyers in our cooked housing market.

Since 2017, the Government has bought – rather than built – 1054 houses. Analysis by Newshub shows nearly a quarter of them were affordable homes, the type of houses the Government has been giving away free cash to get first-home buyers into.

“There might be a specific home in a specific community that is required and it does make sense to go and buy it because the house exists,” Housing Minister Megan Woods told Newshub.

Newshub analysed the purchase price of every state home Kainga Ora bought since 2017, rather than built, in that time period.

We checked them against the price caps for the first-home buyer grant – the free money the Government gives to try and get people into their first home.

The analysis found that in 2018, Kainga Ora bought 55 starter homes under the first-home grant caps. It bought a further 117 in 2019, 72 in 2020 and another 10 this year. It’s a total of 254, meaning nearly a quarter of the homes it’s buying rather than building are affordable homes.

“The Government likes to demonise property investors for outbidding first-home buyers. It turns out the Government is one of the biggest property investors of them all,” says National’s housing spokesperson Nicola Willis.

The Housing Minister argues that the Government has “drastically” reduced the number of homes it’s buying rather than building.

But Willis says first-home buyers can’t outbid the Government.

“The Government has endless capacity to borrow and very deep pockets.”

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/04/government-buys-hundreds-of-houses-in-direct-competition-with-first-home-buyers.html

Is it any wonder that first home buyers can’t get a break at the moment, when the Government has bought 1054 “affordable” homes?
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April 29, 2021 3:30pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  This Government has no intention of helping the young battlers who work and want to improve their lot.
  
  It is deliberately pricing housing out of the reach of young working-class and middle-class couples.
  
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  April 29, 2021 4:08pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Ah! She has stayed in motels, same as Kamila Harris has.
Oh boy, that will upset the mods (Batman?)
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April 29, 2021 4:13pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Just installed the Dominion/Smartmatic fitness app.
Took a walk and got 270,000 steps.
Now it wants to sign my steps to my neighbour
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April 29, 2021 4:17pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Are the defendants in Dominion’s libel cases still trying the “no one takes me seriously” defence?
  
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  April 29, 2021 4:25pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    No Mike, most are heading for the hills before they get sent to jail
    
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    April 30, 2021 8:01am
Fletch

Forget Biden’s speech to Congress. Check out the response by Republican Senator Tim Scott.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_LKUJdr1Jg
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April 29, 2021 4:52pm
- Mike
  
  Why?
  
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  April 29, 2021 6:44pm
- Batman
  
  How much trouble do you think he will be in for not paying sufficient homage to Trump?
  
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  April 29, 2021 6:51pm
greybeard

Looks as though a few admin and top people in NZ Rugby are expecting some nice cash deposits very soon.
Bastards.
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April 29, 2021 4:58pm
- kowtow
  
  Once anything goes “professional” ,it’s just a matter of time.
  
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  April 29, 2021 6:39pm
Maggie Pie

One of the gals from tennis has just tweeted this to us….
nearly spat my Chablis everywhere. LOL!!!

https://twitter.com/LadyJustice6910/status/1387499926360297475
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April 29, 2021 6:47pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Fashion never dies..
  https://www.cam.ac.uk/sites/www.cam.ac.uk/files/inner-images/150324-portrait-of-antonio-navagero.gif
  
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  April 29, 2021 7:00pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    lol – reminds me of what someone posted here on GD last week…..worst job in histoery ‘Groom of the Stool’
    
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    April 29, 2021 7:34pm
    - Mike
      
      The King’s bottom-wiper. Actually a very sought after position.
      
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      April 29, 2021 9:02pm
cha

Heppest dudes on the planet.

Bands FC
@_Bands_FC
We saw a photo of Neil Armstrong @AstroMCollins
& @TheRealBuzz
, they looked like they could be coolest freeform jazz trio ever, so we made it into an album sleeve for them.

https://twitter.com/_Bands_FC/status/1199242453590724608
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April 29, 2021 8:25pm
Britany Henninger

Recently my boyfriend and I were both tested for HSV 1&2. I had a swan test while he had a blood test. My results were positive for hsv 1 but not 2 while his we’re positive for too. we used Robinson buckler herbal product for herpes simplex and the results was really amazing. Highly recommend, Email_________ Robinsonbuckler11 @gmail. com……
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April 30, 2021 8:39pm