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February 3, 2022 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 03 February 2022

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General Debate

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Warren

Oh didums poor Audrey Young: New Zealand’s International reputation Suffers over MIQ distress, and because this ar is under paywall you only get a paragraph. Some of the things written about Jacinda Ardern our Prime Minister
in the International media are simply appalling, a columnist in Britain’s Telegraphfor example discribed the decision by Ardern to cancel her own wedding …. , she has used this to create votes and controversy about menus , wedding venues and others who have been burnt , so what’s good for the goose is also good for the gander, asthe oldsaying goes.
Well Audrey Young what did you do to stop innuendo when the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Winston Peter’s, Jamie Lee Ross and Tova O’Brien did exactly the same to Simon Bridges when he became Leader of the opposition, the silence was deafening.
But I guesswork the media’s silence is bought and paid for by our Prime Minister who control the media what a hypocrite you are.
Jacinda Ardern has used deciet, lockdowns lies and Covid -19 to stay popular but now the chickens are coming home to roost and Jacinda has been found out by the overseas media and over half of her so called team , you seem to think you opinion maters.
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February 3, 2022 8:00am
- Charmaine Hawke
  
  I see Jacinda has made Mike Graham’s Plank of the Week for the last 2 weeks only being beaten out by Justin Trudeau this week for the honour.
  Our international reputation is taking a battering right now not only because of our PM but also our abject terror at what is rapidly turning into a cold.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:12am
  - Charmaine Hawke
    
    Just read the piece from Young, you would have thought it was written by someone just out of journalism school not a hard bitten political reporter of many years. What has happened to her?
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:21am
    - Suze Wainwright
      
      Young wrote numerous articles early in the PM’s reign saying that Ardern was ‘immensely popular’ but would never say exactly why Ardern was ‘immensely popular’.
      
      Aside from being part of a partisan media outfit, it would probably be a bit of a loss of face for Young if she has to start explaining why Ardern is no longer ‘immensely popular’.
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:02am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Young’s basic premise is summed up here:
  
  The damage to New Zealand is exacerbated by the fact that Arderns’s reputation and New Zealand’s are one and the same. Her international brand, through leadership after the Christchurch massacre, is a caring leader.
  
  Damage to New Zealand reflects badly on her; and damage to her reflects badly on New Zealand.
  
  Those from the political left who have been so vitriolic towards Charlotte Bellis absolutely despise Bellis because she has stripped away the “kindness” mantra so often spouted by the PM and her Ministers. MIQ, and in particular the lotteries to get a place, is inherently unkind, and finally the hypocrisy of the Government has been exposed, quite literally, to the world.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:20am
  - fisho
    
    There can be a huge difference between ‘brand’ and ‘reality’. In Jacinda’s case I suspect it’s a thin veneer.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:25am
  - Paulus
    
    And Bellis was inherently left wing when she worked here.
    Once back she will need a job where she can carry her left wing torch.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:27am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      You never know; perhaps her eyes have been opened to how self-serving the political Left is. And remember, the first MP to take up her case was a National MP.
      
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      February 3, 2022 8:49am
      - Warren
        
        Tony Stuart while I agree with what you have said on Jacinda Ardern’s wannabe kindness , I believe you cannot underestimate the damage Clark Gayford did to her over the Chemist saga and her reluctance to apologize to New Zealand .
        
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        February 3, 2022 8:59am
      - cmm
        
        “And remember, the first MP to take up her case was a National MP”
        
        Which Nat MP are you talking about?
        
        Some are taking up a cause because they think they can help.
        
        Some like GET BOOSTED Bishop are just doing whatever is politically expedient. He’ll drop this as soon as he can’t use it as a way to put the boot into Cindy.
        
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        February 3, 2022 9:37am
    - rouppe
      
      Maybe her time observing the Taliban had changed her view on authoritarian centralized control based on a deified figurehead.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:10am
      - kowtow
        
        The Kabul Caper was pure theatre ( like so much of kungflu) and imho the basis for a book , which will be in the bargain bin by Christmas.
        
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        February 3, 2022 10:05am
  - Gravelroad
    
    @Tony Stuart-
    I think that is one of the most depressing things I have read for a long time.
    There is no way that the reputation of one person can determine the reputation of a whole independent nation. No way.
    Ms Ardern is just a politician.
    Politicians come and go.
    No single person can be put above the whole population no matter what their devoted followers want.
    I am a proud New Zealander. That pride has nothing to do with Ms Ardern – at all.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:34am
    - dubya
      
      See, my image of Ardern has always been a shameless self promoter who care little about others and only in her born to rule, head girl/toxic mother-knows-best shtick. Plenty of friends overseas feel the same!
      
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      February 3, 2022 8:38am
    - kowtow
      
      The media and propagandists in particular like to simplify things in personifications so the hoards can get on message .
      
      Think Defiant England under bulldog Churchill , struggling India under ascetic Gandhi , luvvy touchy feely inclusive free South Africa under Bomber Mandela , ugly nasty USA under Trump ( we even got a new negative adjective Trumpian) .
      
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      February 3, 2022 8:49am
    - cmm
      
      Why not Gravel?
      
      Mzz Ardern’s “brand” completely changed the visible face, and fortunes, of Labour.
      
      We, sure not all of us, voted for her and that means we agree with what she represents, what she says and how she acts. Therefore her reputation/brand is our reputation/brand.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:40am
      - Gravelroad
        
        @cmm-
        Yeah -ok. What you describe is the election of the president.
        Is that what we want here?
        An individual elevated to power based largely on personality and a lovely smile (which was good enough for W. Peters).
        I don’t want a presidential style leader because the ego trip just gets too difficult for them to manage and their supporters get personally captured.
        
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        February 3, 2022 10:15am
      - I remember when
        
        cmm:
        Was it a vote or did many think it was just like answering a political poll.
        Doesn’t really matter we can change our mind next week.
        Social media phenomenon, saved our lives, removal of the ‘old, white guys,” and girl power.
        
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        February 3, 2022 10:28am
      - cmm
        
        Gravel
        
        It is not a matter of what you or I want or not. It is a matter of what we have.
        
        We have the Cindy Party in power, not the Labour Party.
        
        The Labour Party is still the pre-Cindy Labour party with Andy Little as leader, polling 26% or so.
        
        Increasingly everything is about feelz and image – far more than just 10 years ago.
        
        Substance does not count until it bites people hard in the pocket. Hard.
        
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        February 3, 2022 10:40am
    - pdm
      
      Gravel I think you nailed it with:
      
      `Ms Ardern is just a politician’.
      
      She sure as hell is not a competent Prime Minister and never ever will be.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:49am
      - mawm
        
        She is first and foremost a socialist. The ideology takes preference over everything else.
        
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        February 3, 2022 10:11am
  - kevn
    
    @Tony…. I feel shame that we cannot protect our little schoolkids from this stupid mask mandate.
    Our 8 yo Grand daughter came home from first day at school, sad after having to wear a mask ALL DAY.
    Even W.H.O says waste of time. Plus many other countries and US states.
    arden says do it.
    Never forget this folks…
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:44am
    - Scott
      
      Apparently in Jacinda’s announcement today will be the news that the border will finally be open in Oct. Subject to change of course.
      
      I think there should be a couple of new variants by then. It will be delayed while we get the booster of the booster.
      
      Expect this to go through to the election in 2023. Unless the people of NZ say “enough”!
      
      https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300509477/covid19-nz-border-reopening-to-begin-from-late-february-to-proceed-in-five-stages-stuff-understands
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:13am
    - tf78
      
      kevn, could you write MAGA on her mask perhaps.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:13am
    - MCōs
      
      Why did your 8yo granddaughter have to wear a mask all day?
      The mandate requires children in Year 4 and above to wear face masks while indoors only.
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:25am
    - bronny1
      
      she can get an exemption. Why wouldn’t you?
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:24am
      - Man Among the Ruins
        
        Or she and her friends could just give themselves an exemption. Continual compliance will change nothing and in fact will only encourage more demands. This is abundantly clear and is a first principle from which all else flows.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:35pm
  - Taieri
    
    Her international brand, through leadership after the Christchurch massacre
    ——————–
    
    I often (well, not THAT often really) wonder, what this famous leadership consisted of? Apart from the “they are us” of course…
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:59am
    - DeepBlue
      
      The Christchurch Call has long been forgotten.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:36am
  - Brian McDonald
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Your such a trier Tony. But making a purchase from the dedicated on KB is not even a fart in the wind. Glad you’ve found a new friend in Charlotte though. It’s quite touching. You might like to suggest to her that going into potential battle zones when pregnant is crazy stuff.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:10am
    - Suze Wainwright
      
      Oh Brian, might I suggest an organic kale and kinwa (quinoa) salad washed down with an organic soy latte (Trade Aid certified).
      
      For best results, evacuate bowels in squat position over an outdoor composting lavatory…
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:17am
    - alloytoo
      
      Perhaps the PM should be reminded that Banishment is very “unkind”
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:31am
    - The Other Enoch
      
      For God’s sake, going into a battle zone when pregnant is not the point Brian. The point that seems to be lost on you and other Jacindamaniacs is that Charlotte is a Kiwi. She is entitled to come home. Indeed, it is illegal to stop her just as it is illegal to stop others. Get that? It is ILLEGAL.
      
      Our ‘kind and caring’ PM has used covid as a tool in the pursuit of power. It is an absolute abuse of power and trust and at long last the general populace are waking up to her fascist ideals.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:42am
    - Northshoredoc
      
      Some music to calm you down Brian
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn5CrzxFMbg
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:52am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      You might like to suggest to her that going into potential battle zones when pregnant is crazy stuff.
      
      Being solely responsible for the life of another human sure focuses your thoughts and actions, I’ve discovered.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:57am
    - Jack5
      
      What if Charlotte got pregnant after and not before going into the war zone?
      
      Her partner’s been amid the action, too.
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:15am
    - Loddenthinks
      
      That’s a cardinal sin in your world, isn’t it McDonald? Trying, that is. Nothing worse than a try-hard – are you a careers adviser for rangatahi, by any chance?
      
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      February 3, 2022 2:10pm
    - Manu-Rau
      
      @ Brian: “You might like to suggest to her that going into potential battle zones when pregnant is crazy stuff.”
      
      You mean like what the newly (and secretly) pregnant Jacinda Ardern did when she took on the highly stressful and responsible role of PM?
      
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      February 3, 2022 3:47pm
  - rockape
    
    Do you think Jacinda will meet Charlotte when she arrives and give her a welcome home hug ?
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:41am
    - Alan Wilkinson
      
      Will she wear a burka to do it?
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:51am
  - RW Capitalist
    
    [Deleted – inappropriate. mod.]
    
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    February 3, 2022 3:02pm
- Frank the tank
  
  We’ve got another 2-3 days of this type of garbage as the spin doctors try to bury all the ‘bad’ news. Whenever there is a dip in the polls or some blatant government ineptitude sure as the sun rises there is 4-odd days of media fawning for this gong show of a government.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:24am
  - nathie
    
    Yep heard Hosking mentioning he interviewed a health expert who couldn’t understand why boosters are now needed after 3 months instead of the previous 4 months.
    
    Hosking concluded it was a “political” decision – nothing to do with health reasons.
    
    So when Labour’s incompetence is exposed (eg RAT test debacle, Charlotte Bellis etc), Labour it seems comes up with any number of “political” health related announcements and the clueless MSM lap it up each time, letting the PM & Labour off the hook, as they uncritically “repeat” Labour’s new press release annoucements.
    
    We deserve a better govt and a better MSM – why is the international MSM doing the job of our local MSM calling out Ardern’s and Labour’s cruel and poorly thought out and muddled thinking?
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:11am
    - Yabster
      
      politics 101- distract the masses when things are going badly- RATS/Bellis etc- you think it was a coincedence Robbo came out with the new job insurance yesterday? Hopefully this one back fires and it is seen as just another tax.
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:33am
    - Ra Henare
      
      This will throw some light on Government Covid decisions.
      INABILITY to admit original strategy was wrong,
      For Fauci /Bix read Bloomfield
      
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6kmm70ji5c
      
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      February 3, 2022 2:53pm
- kowtow
  
  Yes the second paragraph in she said that a UK correspondent said Ardern cancelled her wedding in “showy martyrdom” , Young said she stopped reading that correspondent after that comment , as it was simply appalling and haha , I stopped reading Young after she said she stopped reading .
  
  Perhaps Young could reserve some of her high dudgeon for her own stable …….in today’s Whoreald we’re treated yet again to another cartoon attack on Collins , it is as Young would say “simply appalling”.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:25am
  - Taieri
    
    we’re treated yet again to another cartoon attack on Collins
    ————–
    
    Why attack Collins? She’s irrelevant now.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:00am
    - kowtow
      
      One hundred million reasons , with more on the way?
      
      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/460701/covid-19-government-provides-more-support-for-arts-and-culture-sector
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:40am
  - RoboRob
    
    Didn’t Young rate JAs performance as 9/10 or some such?
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:06am
  - ecco
    
    Young should think back to the media treatment meted out by her establishment to John Key’s children when he was PM. That wasn’t very nice either and it was from the homegrown NZ media.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:27am
  - lastmanstanding
    
    Maybe just maybe Cindy cancelled the wedding for a reason that had nothing to do with Covid but was much more close to home and Covid was just an excuse.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:38am
    - WellingtonBFF
      
      Keep monitoring this line of thinking……..
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:57am
      - Observer of Life
        
        Welly: ✅
        
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        February 3, 2022 2:04pm
    - cmm
      
      Fix the hole in the fence so the dog can’t get out?
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:07am
      - bronny1
        
        My dogs are 100000% more intelligent and loyal than the first boyfriend ever will be. Please don’t conflate them.
        
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        February 3, 2022 11:27am
      - cmm
        
        bronny1: Please extend my apologies to your dogs.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:58pm
  - rjay
    
    The last sentence of her article reads: “Now, for the most part she (Ardern) is rightly being criticised.”
    Sometimes pays to read the whole thing.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:41am
    - cmm
      
      I didn’t bother, but I suspect it’s one of those false criticisms.
      
      eg. She tries too hard.
      
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      February 3, 2022 12:59pm
- Mr_Blobby
  
  Has our PM gone to ground.
  
  Nothing like a self isolation holiday.
  
  People will take advantage of the situation.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:03am
  - pdm
    
    Bet she did not do 24 days as demanded of others.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:52am
    - Steve Todd
      
      Wayne Mapp pointed out to you your ignorance on Monday (see https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2022/01/general_debate_31_january_2022.html#comment-3112840), yet you persist with it here.
      
      Did you really think you could take the same cheap shot at the prime minister and get away with it, just because a few days had passed? Silly boy!
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:38am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  I’m going to take the Democrat’s approach and argue that the rest of the world is just incredibly racist & misogynistic…
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:21am
NeverMindTheBollocks

I see the government has been paying attention to KB.

They have responded to recent commentary about the KO ban on ejecting bad tenants by introducing a 3 strikes system, after which such tenants could be moved to another property.

The irony of Labour favouring a 3 strikes approach for anything is compounded by the savage (& justified) criticism of the Catholic Church ex the Inquiry into Institutional Abuse, that formerly had a similar policy of moving abusive priests between parishes rather than kicking them out altogether.
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February 3, 2022 8:00am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  How much intimidation will the good tenants have to endure between Strike One and Strike 3?
  
  Why can’t the bad tenants be moved on as soon as it clear that they have contravened the terms of their tenancy.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:14am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I must ask my close associate. She has not mentioned the new policy.
    
    From what she has told me about some tenants she would be handing out a strike weekly, so it would not take long 🙂
    
    But the bigger question is where do they go to? Are they going to have all the bad folk in shitty concrete block properties on the outskirts of town? That is not the way they roll.
    
    I can see this just moving problems from Point A to Point B. And according to my associate, about 30 percent of tenants are ‘serious problems’ with about 10 percent being ‘nightmares’. That is a lot of people.
    
    Anyway I am sure my close associate will be handing out strikes all over the place – she will be like a pig in mud 🙂 🙂
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:20am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      That’s kind and caring Ardern ensuring she “spreads the love” right through the community. Everybody gets a piece. She’s wunderfool……
      
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      February 3, 2022 8:33am
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        I’ll measure her sincerity by how quickly KO shift bad tenants to Sandringham
        
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        February 3, 2022 8:37am
    - westernScientest
      
      put them on a bus and send them all to squat at the beehive.
      
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      February 3, 2022 8:38am
    - artemisia
      
      Suggest quietly start clearing a street or two, or sections of. Star flats or similar would work well. Buying private places as they come on the market and upgrading existing good tenants to a better home / area.
      
      24/7 security and police on speed dial.
      
      There are thousands of public housing tenants wanting a transfer. A few minutes analysis would pinpoint a few problem areas where tenants actually badly want to move because of issues. Start with those locations. Like Nuku Street, Strathmore Park.
      
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      February 3, 2022 8:57am
      - artemisia
        
        Recent article on Nuku Street.
        
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300493514/stabbing-the-last-straw-for-resident-who-fled-wellington-social-housing
        
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        February 3, 2022 9:06am
    - RoboRob
      
      I imagine we (tax payers) would end up paying the moving costs too!
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:07am
    - rouppe
      
      They should be out to the back of the queue. There are people waiting years for social housing who will be much better tenants and neighbors.
      
      Need is one thing, but it needs to be balanced against responsibility
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:13am
    - Russ the Muss
      
      This is a good point. What is the answer? I guess it gives the neighbour’s a break from the terror, but it does push it to someone else. It’s also morally right to kick them out to show there are consequences for bad actions. Maybe some will change due tonthis. But most probably not, what do we do with them? This is a huge problem that I see no solution
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:48am
      - bronny1
        
        that’s right. I don’t see why they should get to destroy THREE houses before they have to go.
        One strike, go to the back of the queue. If you don’t have housing for your kids we will sort that, but you’re on your own.
        
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        February 3, 2022 11:29am
      - Fuzzysnuggleduck
        
        No solution that our leaders have the stomach for.
        But the previous idea of another here on KB, of concrete dwellings which can be water blasted clean, and all the feral semi-humans housed amongst each other away from well behaved social housing customers or private homes, sounds like a winner to me.
        
        ….Or some tin shacks on the Auckland islands.
        Shacks to be self-assembled on arrival.
        
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        February 3, 2022 11:43am
      - rockape
        
        Stocks on the front lawn of every state house. Secure them there and let the neighbours have free fruit and rocks to sort them out. In cognition of course, may help them change their ways.
        
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        February 3, 2022 1:29pm
      - mawm
        
        Russ – there is a solution – prosecute them to the full extent of the law and if necessary make new laws such as the British Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO). What they are doing is criminal. It is the destruction of (public) property and intimidation of others.
        
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        February 3, 2022 7:12pm
    - cmm
      
      Where to go?
      
      How about fencing off a section of NZ and calling it Camp Aotearoa. Maybe do it at a skinny bit of land line Paparore. That would only need a 6km fence.
      
      Build everything out of concrete slabs. It is warm up there – no windows, carpets etc required.
      
      3S and you get relocated there for some years.
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:14am
  - Taieri
    
    Why can’t the bad tenants be moved on as soon as it clear that they have contravened the terms of their tenancy.
    ————–
    
    Not “moved on”. Evicted!
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:01am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Did you hear the interview of Poto Williams by HDPA on Tuesday? The Minister was asked repeatedly to give a yes or no answer to the question as to whether Kainga Ora’s No Evictions policy had been abandoned, and repeatedly failed to give that answer, instead waffling on. It was an absolute train wreck.
  
  And therein lies Labour’s fundamental problem; if Poto Williams is the best they have to serve as a Minister, imagine what the worst must be like!
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:26am
  - Frank the tank
    
    Poto Williams does a disservice to the term train wreck
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:43am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    No surprises Tony. She’s take a leaf from Mahuta’s refusal to answer Jordan Williams re 3 waters. Your question isn’t really a question. Mahuta, Williams, Hipkins, Robertson, Clark, Davis, Little, Ardern, Woods, Allan, Jackson et al, ARE the best they have. And they are terrible. I’ve posted before, but this is, as both a group and individually, the absolute worst Ministers in the history of NZ politics. There are none that have the skills and ability required to be an effective, successful Minister. The damage they are doing now, will take decades to undo. The people they claim to be looking after are not being looked after, and will suffer the most from their policies. I could say, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. But I go for laugh (and out loud and long), as those people that will suffer the most, keep voting for Labour. So they get what they deserve.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:57am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    Reminds me of David Seymour’s quote from a while ago now “If Kelvin Davis is no.2, and Phil Twyford is no.4 on the list, imagine what no. 50 is like”
    Or words to that effect!
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:14am
  - rouppe
    
    Poto is an associate minister of housing.
    
    They roll out the associate ministers when the portfolio is a mess and they need a body to throw under the proverbial bus
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:15am
- Paulus
  
  Load of PR Rubbish – nothing will change as usual.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:27am
- leoj
  
  Imagine the trashed houses after the third strike.
  And what about the irony? This bastard of a government wants to get rid of Three Strikes re crime yet introduce Three Strikes for bad tenants.
  Where’s Angry Andy?
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:39am
Frank the tank

https://www.foxnews.com/media/jeff-zucker-cnn-failing-to-disclose-consensual-relationship-colleague-i-was-wrong

LOL. Just LOL. This comes after Woopi Goldberg was outed as an anti-Semite yesterday.

Lamestream media in meltdown
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February 3, 2022 8:04am
- Gravelroad
  
  Shame that one of the world’s major celebrity “influencers” has been revealed as being just plain ignorant.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:17am
  - Yvette
    
    Gravelroad
    Whoopi Goldberg has been suspended from a US talk show after saying the Holocaust involved “two groups of white people”, trying to fit Hitler’s Ayrian race issues and Final Solution into a white supremist / Black Lives Matter meme and not much else matters.
    But Whoopi is not all that ignorant.
    First named Caryn Elaine Johnson, Whoopi Goldberg has no known Jewish ancestry and none of her ancestors were named Goldberg, but the US entertainment industry is greatly “influenced” by Jewish people, especially Hollywood.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:56am
  - Ehlana
    
    It’s an interesting one. The actual definition of race (Britannica) refers to “distinct groups on the basis of inherited physical and behavioural differences”.
    
    As far as I know, the Jews killed in the Holocaust were from Europe and did have white skins. Europeans of the time probably considered they could tell who was a Jew by looking at them, and there were certainly behavioural differences, so that would meet the definition.
    
    But perhaps to non-white people, all white people look (and seem to act) alike, in much the same way that people from outside the Pacific might not be able to tell a Tongan from a Samoan or a Maori. It would be interesting to know how many other black Americans shared Whoopi’s view.
    
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    February 3, 2022 3:49pm
- All_on_Red
  
  Zucker has now gone. Given how low the Childrens Naughty Network ratings have fallen, he should have gone ages ago.
  Racist Whoopi has been been suspended for a couple of weeks
  https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/02/02/abc-suspends-whoopi-goldberg-for-two-weeks-over-holocaust-remarks/?sh=a34dec251a14
  Heres Brendon O’Neill on her
  https://www.spiked-online.com/2022/02/01/whoopi-goldbergs-holocaust-revisionism/
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:29am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    You would have thought Caryn Johnson would have done a weee bit of background research on Jewish folk before she appropriated a Jewish surname for her stage act.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:41am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Fittingly, ‘Caryn’ is a version of Karen
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:01am
      - Yvette
        
        “When you’re performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a little gassy, you’ve got to let it go. So people used to say to me, ‘You’re like a whoopee cushion.’ And that’s where the name came from.” – Whoopi Goldberg, wikipedia
        OK, she is full of it – so have we done for her, already
        
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        February 3, 2022 10:44am
      - fisho
        
        Replying to Yvette – I’m surprised Whoopi could keep her mouth closed long enough to build up back-pressure.
        
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        February 3, 2022 1:48pm
- emmess
  
  Really, they are both divorced and he resign for that?
  Something doesn’t add up
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQTY02dFo9Q
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:35am
  - Frank the tank
    
    The mistress in question has links to Andrew Cuomo – I kid you not.
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:08am
- ClanMcleod
  
  The shitlib media eating themselves, looking forward to it eventually happening in NZ.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:36am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Caryn Johnson to you Frank. And yes, it’s bloody hilarious. Though shows ABC|Disney have shown their abject hypocrisy by only suspending Johnson. They fired Gina Carano (The Mandolorian) for less. But of course, she’s a conservative, not a rabid leftist.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:01am
Ipanema69

If the reported changes to MIQ that will be announced today are correct, how can anyone believe thst it is not a purely political decision.

For example what is the difference in public health risk between fully vaccinated nationals and foreigners entering the country?
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February 3, 2022 8:07am
- Gordon Shumway
  
  Correct. Why are we wasting time and resources testing healthy people who happen to have been in an airplane? The fatality rate of border cases is MUCH lower than the fatality rate in every DHB district that’s had a death (presumably travellers have fewer co-morbidities). We can’t “keep it out” at the border, so why the charade?
  
  Eventually we need to earn our way back to prosperity, and inbound tourism is a massive part of that.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:26am
SJ Actual

The social insurance scheme numbers don’t seem to add up. If 2.8% is being paid in annualy for every worker, the scheme will have enough money for every worker to use thier full ‘entitlement’ twice in thier working life (every 18 years).
Also everyone earning more than 130k will be paying in more than they can get out given the cap on payments.
Must only be a small portion of people that need this sort of assistance at all.
Either the admin costs are anticipated to be huge, or there will be a minority of people that use the scheme reguarly that get subsidised by the majority.
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February 3, 2022 8:08am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Should be as much as provided for on a user pays basis to discourage abuse. Using kiwisaver is the obvious answer.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:09am
- artemisia
  
  Many small businesses in our country and lots employ family and friends. Owners can and do lay off people if work volume falls, and guess what, those owners have all the say in what work they take on and when.
  
  It will need a lot of rules and admin to discourage workers from feeling they are owed based on their contributions.
  
  Not necessary a bad scheme, devil, details etc. Though it does look very much like tax the rich. (That would be those folk with in demand skills and often substantial assets. Ask France how tax the rich worked for them.)
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:18am
- trout
  
  Another good example of the ‘solution’ to a perceived problem making the problem worse. The proposed unemployment compensation scheme will of course increase unemployment.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:32am
- alloytoo
  
  It’s a effectively a Ponzi scheme which looks good with our current full employment.
  
  I predict that it will be topped up by the taxpayer either via direct grant from the crown or by increased levies in a relatively short time.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:37am
  - Ian Boag
    
    You could do worse than to look at the unemployment insurance scheme in Canada. Has been in place since the mid-40’s and was extensively overhauled in the early 70’s.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:40am
    - Yabster
      
      yeah- max you can get is about $60k, the rate is 2.9% but only up to $39k and the tax rate up to $216k is 29%- so as usual your dickhead mob are over taxing all NZers’s because the can’t help wasting money.
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:50am
    - zulumonster
      
      Always difficult to compare different countries schemes but the proposed NZ scheme appears rather more generous than Canada’s which has a weekly payment of 55% of previous wage, with a max. of Y5 pw. Compared to 80% and max. $1820 Robertson is proposing?
      Also the Canadian scheme is their only unemployment scheme – where NZ has the existing benefit scheme that you would fall back onto
      There will be different qualifying parameters but I suspect once something like this is introduced changes will inevitably made – and not to the benefit of the taxpayer.
      
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      February 3, 2022 12:30pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Canadian scheme is their only unemployment scheme
        
        The amount paid and its duration are based on how much you earn and how long you have been paying in. If you run off the end there is general welfare which is not all that flash,
        
        I would have thought KBers would approve of an insurance scheme like this ….
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:47pm
    - alloytoo
      
      You could look at the South African example which was broke when I left the country.
      
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      February 3, 2022 2:12pm
Yvette

Former Green MP Nándor Tánczos takes aim at Jacinda Ardern over Government commitment to addressing ‘growing inequality’
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/02/former-green-mp-n-ndor-t-nczos-takes-aim-at-jacinda-ardern-over-government-commitment-to-addressing-growing-inequality.html

Being quite a chronicle of Labour’s policy attempts and failures, especially the last part of this article, I wonder where Nándor Tánczos remarks end and writer Jamie Ensor summary takes over, saying more it seems than Tánczos may have, with many paragraphs containing red underlined phrases – like “KiwiBuild wasn’t the success it would have hoped” which links to Newshub article, “Labour’s flagship policy: Where did KiwiBuild go wrong?” (including a video of Megan Woods saying “If we don’t make a start now, it will never be solved” – and she was right)

Is this all Nándor Tánczos’s ‘material’? It seems he made a start and Newshub carried on.
Ardern: Did you write that, you naughty, naughty Newshub?
Newshub: No, Nándor did
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February 3, 2022 8:11am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Yes, it is a dreadfully constructed article.. It purports to be about Nandor Tanczos’s criticism of Jacinda Ardern.
  
  Then it morphs into a correct-think propaganda piece for Jacinda Ardern’s policies.
  
  But that seems to be the way the MSM is handling any criticism of Ardern and her Government.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:19am
Benedict Yu

How many of you are going to get your boosters today?

I don’t get how the science said 6 months gap then 4 months then 3 months. Makes me a bit nervous about the science.

I had my second shot on 27 August, but held off. I have relented and am booked in for booster on Saturday. The Tall Readhead made it clear that she was not happy at all about doing a 2 week trip to Northland without me being boosted. 🙁
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February 3, 2022 8:16am
- Frank the tank
  
  LOL. The Chipster already let the cat out of the bag with regards to boosters and vaccine pass extensions. Sorry Ben it’s get your booster or become one of ‘them’
  
  For the record I didn’t want the booster either and nor are convinced regarding the science around it. Unfortunately we are living in a cult where 40-50% of the population still believe the vaccine is effective against the son of Megatron strain.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:20am
- Allan
  
  If you are not happy about the booster and I can understand why, dont get it. Surely what has already been pumped into your system will give you enough protection to prevent you getting really sick if you get the sniffles which it would seem that Omicron is.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:26am
- Hard Cheese
  
  No boosters for me, I’m done.
  
  Hipkins saying that vaccination certificates probably won’t be valid unless you get a booster. Who cares, I’ve probably only been asked to show it 2 or 3 times since they bought it in.
  
  Question is, will you be prevented from travelling overseas if your certificate has expired because you haven’t had a booster?
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:34am
  - rouppe
    
    Yes
    
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/double-vaccinated-you-may-be-turned-away-from-visiting-these-countries/EL2XN24O35V6JWVEDUO6K55RVM/
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:20am
    - Hard Cheese
      
      Ultimately that will have to go by the wayside – a single booster isn’t going to protect you forever, and you can’t insist visitors to have multiple boosters as time goes on. Those countries are not going to end up with many tourists otherwise.
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:09am
      - Fuzzysnuggleduck
        
        Not interested in boosting my very healthy teenager against OhTheCon
        Means the most fearful countries will be off our families list, once the PriNZcess gives us the right to return from such a trip.
        SE Asia is our usual regional spot anyway. Will watch and see.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:10pm
- Littletramp
  
  Easy science to calculate, the effectiveness/ gap between shots is in direct relationship to the expiry date of the boosters held. As the expiry date nears, the gap required shortens.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:35am
- Tricati
  
  Benedict, I don’t think there is any science, just politics. The current bagging the government is getting for its abject incompetence across a number of fronts is telling, and this is their reaction.
  They will grasp at anything to regain the narrative, but hopefully, that boat has sailed.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:36am
- mandk
  
  The MoH’s chief scientist indicated on the radio yesterday that there is no scientific basis for it.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:38am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Correct; he was being interviewed by Heather du Plessis-Allan. Here’s a link to the interview:
    
    https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/dr-ian-town-at-risk-groups-should-get-boosted-sooner/
    
    If nothing else, it confirms that this was a wholly political decision, with no scientific basis to support it.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:18am
    - mandk
      
      Amongst other things, he also said that Maori should be prioritised for the booster, but there was clearly no scientific basis for that race-based priority either.
      
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      February 3, 2022 9:47am
      - david
        
        And isn’t racial profiling just about the worst moral crime that anyone can commit? At least that was the impression I had after years of listening to whinging about traffic stops using it, border (immigration & customs) security using it, police using it Etc etc ad nauseum.
        But suddenly John Tamahere has found a need for the medical records of one racial group and that’s OK, and vast sums of taxpayers cash has been doled out to one racial group but presumably only those who can connect to a recently refurbished meeting house, and prizes, cash and vouchers handed out to members of one racial group to encourage vaccination which must be a decision based on racial grounds even though there are a fair number of people from other racial backgrounds who are also “vaccine hesitant”
        All the animals are equal except some are more equal than others.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:50pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Good to see you following the “science”. 😉 I fully understand!
  
  The pressures on people are varied in type and degree of severity. However your anecdotal evidence helps contradict the nonsensical assertion of one of the Ardern acolytes who trolls here frequently. That over 90% have had their jab ergo Ardern has over 90% popular support.
  Not true, many have succumbed due to external pressures.
  Enjoy your trip, I’m sure it will be enhanced by your sagacious decision!
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:44am
  - Man Among the Ruins
    
    What sort of person gives in to getting a booster that they don’t need or, apparently, want, just to keep the Missus happy? She’d probably have far more respect if she was instead told “no.” Doing the “easy” thing in the present will only make things much worse in the future. However, many people are just weak and will not sacrifice for their longer-term benefit.
    
    If people refuse to get it into their heads that doing what they are told just because they are told to do it, no matter how injurious following orders is to your rights and/or your health, will prolong this charade indefinitely, and even encourage more of it, then they are setting themselves and everyone else up for a bleak future.
    
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    February 3, 2022 12:49pm
    - Benedict Yu
      
      “What sort of person gives in …”
      
      I think you should calm down. A few points..
      
      She is not my “missus”. We do not even live in the same house, and if I called her my “missus” she would punch me in the face.
      
      If I did not want to have the booster I would not have it. I have made it clear that I would PROBABLY have the booster. I had decided on a 6 months gap. So I brought it forward by 3 weeks. Big deal.
      
      I am having the booster because the protection I have against Omicron today is effectively zero and I am going on holiday. It is the rational thing to do.
      
      You are welcome.
      
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      February 3, 2022 5:52pm
    - Benedict Yu
      
      Oh I missed this.
      
      “Doing the “easy” thing in the present will only make things much worse in the future. ”
      
      You know nothing about me or my relationships.
      
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      February 3, 2022 5:54pm
      - cjn
        
        While I enjoy your comments it is unfair for you to say that the correspondent knows nothing about you or your relationships. It is your describing your relationships with the tall red head and her taking you to the West Coast in her small car to meet her relations that provides human interest to your more scientific pronouncements. You can’t have it both ways, Ben.
        
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        February 3, 2022 7:51pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Fair point.
        
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        February 3, 2022 8:23pm
- Mike22240
  
  Hi Benedict,
  My understanding is that the longer you wait the better immunity you retain. So it is about balancing the risk of Omicron being everywhere vs getting a smaller boost to immunity.
  
  I found the first half of this podcast useful but the second half they just talk about how scary Covid is:
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018828127/boosting-our-chances-of-dodging-disease
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:44am
  - Man Among the Ruins
    
    The thing is, you have still bought in entirely to the game they want you to play. This is not a good long term strategy. Rather than asking “how long do I need between boosters?” the better question is “why do I even need regular boosters?”
    
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    February 3, 2022 12:54pm
- burt
  
  Benedict
  
  Remember the good old days.
  
  https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2021/09/vaccine_debate_on_kiwiblog.html#comment-3020415
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:51am
  - Man Among the Ruins
    
    Lol. “There is no evidence that 4 monthly boosters will be required. You just made that up.” This was September 2021, when the writing on the wall re: booster demands was already obvious.
    
    I respect benedict for now freely admitting that nearly every claim he once made about Covid and Covid vaccines turned out to be false, along with most of the more prescient commenter’s predictions of future policies that later eventuated, that he initially poo pooed. It shows real humility and growth.
    
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    February 3, 2022 1:04pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Yes well I change my views with the evidence. And for a while there I was following the evidence daily.
    
    There is a well know leader who could follow my example of constantly reviewing evidence. Talking about “stamping COVID out like measles” 6 months after it was clear that the vaccines were not fit for such an objective. It was such a stupid and ultimately damaging statement.
    
    My core principles are unlikely to change that much during the rest of my life. But as for “this COVID vaccine is effective” – the evidence changed markedly and rapidly. I paid attention. If you know who had paid attention we would not have the vaccine pass system. Or MIQ.
    
    At the end of the day, whether Benedict is right or wrong is neither here nor there. But on things like a pandemic, we elect our leaders to make the best decisions they can based on evidence. And to pay attention when the evidence changes.
    
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    February 3, 2022 2:50pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Yes -interesting about the science, especially as the Data Sheet for Medsafe’s ” Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech): 12 years and older” approval states in section 4.2 :
  
  “4.2 Dose and method of administration
  Dose
  Individuals 12 years of age and older
  COMIRNATY is administered intramuscularly after dilution as a primary course of 2 doses at least 21 days apart. See dosing instructions below.
  A booster dose of COMIRNATY may be administered intramuscularly at least 6 months after the primary course in individuals 18 years of age and older.”
  
  This is the current version (pfdcovii11121) on their website. The last change noted in the doc control at end of documents is dated 8 November 2021.
  
  https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datasheet/c/comirnatyinj.pdf
  
  So if Medsafe haven’t changed the data sheet recommendation to something less than 6 months whose “science” is being used.
  Ash’s? Cabinets? The Man in Moon? ……..
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:52am
  - westernScientest
    
    That is really interesting, it says not less than 6 months as well.
    
    So if medsafe doesn’t approve something, is it an off label use? like how can anyone legally being given it at less than 6 months?
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:45am
    - 70andstilllearning
      
      wS – Your question was exactly why I went and checked the datasheet last night. I’ve also checked the Hansard record for yesterday’s presser since my earlier post and it is very interesting the comments made by the medical experts present appear to infer anecdotal rather than empirical support for the move.
      So I’m no medical legal beagle but Dr’s making recommendations outside of DS statements or non medically people making medication decisions seems odd – could be TMIM as I said.
      
      I wonder if some others with far better “research” resources that probably keep an eye on this blog site might find this situation somewhat interesting and worthy of further research and comment?
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:15am
  - RightNow
    
    It’s post modern science, you don’t even have to show your working out.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:00pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I’ll be holding off for as long as I can.
  
  I only got vaxxed so I can travel overseas…and was seriously put out when this Government brought in the Vaxx pass.
  
  Everything I had read in Scientific papers (not the media spin stuff) stated that a gap of 8-10 weeks between Vaxx 1 and vaxx 2 of Pfizer was optimal.
  
  Covid vaccine: Eight-week gap seen as sweet spot for Pfizer jab antibodies
  https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57929953
  
  And anything much less than that was not much better a single vaxx.
  
  But NZ suddenly rushed the vaccinations into a compressed time gap for many folk (who hadn’t been able to get vaxxed early on) by demanding the use of a vax pass …
  
  Hence this bloody big push for everyone in NZ to now get a booster.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:54am
  - RoboRob
    
    If only the govt rollout had not been such a shit show. We could have had jab 1, waited 8 weeks had jab two, waited 6 mths and had our booster by now. Instead we have Jab1 3wks Jab2 3mth Booster 1. All becuase Labout muffed the purchase and rollout.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:12am
    - mawm
      
      RoboRob – Lewis Carol warned us about all these jabs in his nonsensical poem Jabberwocky.
      
      “Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
      Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
      The frumious Bandersnatch!”
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:55am
  - curry4me
    
    Maggy Wassilieff: What is this ‘vaccine’ of which the writer speaks?
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:14am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      I think they are referring to the non sterilising jab, the one that was assisted by the convenient redefinition of what a “vaccine” actually is. The same system used to redefine the definition of “pandemic” and the definition of what is a “case”. This ability to redefine long held terms greatly enabled the circus we’ve been subjected to.
      
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      February 3, 2022 10:14am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Yeah, it’s all double dutch to me. If you don’t bother with the ‘experimental gene therapy’ that the govt. are pushing, life is much more enjoyable. Sure – can’t do things that I don’t do anyway, but can buy petrol, beer & wine, any groceries that are needed.
        And see all these people running around with nappies over their faces, waving their cell phones at a funny square sqiggly drawing done by a 2 y/o – forget it all and live the simple life. 🙂
        
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        February 3, 2022 11:10am
      - curry4me
        
        ClanMcleod: Thanks for the clarification. I’m unjabbed. Hopefully, by the time I wish to travel, all this ‘vaccine’ nonsense will have been banished by reality.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:35pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      What is this ‘vaccine’ /
      
      Pfizer juice
      
      Yep,
      I’m old school…
      I learnt about vaccines and viruses in the olden days when a vaccine stimulated an immune response that
      prevented infection.
      
      Looks like this pfizer juice must act some other way if being triple-vaxxed still fails to prevent infection.
      
      17 1
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      February 3, 2022 10:33am
      - bronny1
        
        and yet, you will go and have it. So you can travel in some mythical future. Why not wait until you can travel, and make a decision then? You will just have to manage the two years until then without a vax pass (but will avoid 7 boosters in the interim – unless the interval shortens again in which case you may avoid dozens!)
        
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        February 3, 2022 11:37am
      - curry4me
        
        Maggy Wassilieff: Yes, indeed. Regular vaccines are just fine. I’d rather not contribute to Fizzers next quarterly profit by taking a prophylactic. Nor to Stalinda’s next power trip. I hVE no desire to tithe to the Church of Covid.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:38pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Why not wait until you can travel, and make a decision then?
        
        I took the vax when Our Dear PM told us that NZers could return to NZ from Australia after Jan 14th.
        
        That would have had me at maximum immune response when I was in Oz (and not a burdern to their health system)
        
        But OUR PM changed the dates…all for a mildly infectious virus (assuming you are healthy….as I appear to be).
        
        Having been caught out by a previous lockdown..
        Our Dear PM is on Strike 2 – OUT – as far as I am concerned.
        
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        February 3, 2022 2:26pm
      - Observer of Life
        
        Major pressure is on. My partner HAS to have a booster to keep the job. Has had 2 Pfizer jabs.
        So questions to those of you who know your way around all this medical data/research …
        1) What would you accept into your body as “the best of a bad idea”?
        – AstroZeneca
        – Janssen
        – ?
        2) Can non-mRNA jabs be mixed with – mRNA jabs?
        Any advice considered. Cheers.
        
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        February 3, 2022 2:45pm
  - Peter Lane
    
    I’m the same as you Maggy. Only got the bloody thing for travel.
    
    There is zero chance of me ever getting a booster.
    
    21 1
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    February 3, 2022 9:38am
  - Man Among the Ruins
    
    Maggy, it’s up to you of course, but it is unavoidable that, sooner or later, you and everyone else will have to be prepared to say “no” and live with the consequences. I’ve said no already and haven’t complied at all. It will be easier to do so at shot number 3 than shot number 13. If anyone thinks that they can avoid drawing a line and making a hard decision then they are kidding themselves, because compliance will only perpetuate the whole sordid situation.
    
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    February 3, 2022 1:08pm
- Inandout
  
  BY, I would suspect catching Omicron on your trip into the unknown will be the least of your worries. The lovely residents of the North who choose to prey on tourists will be carrying on as normal. The message being: watch your valuables.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:56am
- rouppe
  
  Had it in November
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:18am
- alloytoo
  
  I suspect that by the time we reach the Vac Passport expiry dates the issue will be moot.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:39am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I’m hoping so… my passport runs out at the end of May.
    
    Are we really going to have to put up with a series of flip-flops from the Podium for another 4 months?
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:35am
    - Frank the tank
      
      “Are we really going to have to put up with a series of flip-flops from the Podium for another 4 months?”
      
      I’m assuming this is a rhetorical question
      
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      February 3, 2022 12:05pm
  - JohnRidd
    
    I think the plan is for us to need vaccine passports for the rest of our lives. Boosters required every 3 months.
    
    4 1
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    February 3, 2022 2:41pm
- Boomer Bad
  
  CDC recommend 5 months for the Pfizer booster on this page that was updated yesterday.
  Who to believe?
  
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:43am
  - Surely Knott
    
    Right but United Kingdom and Scanadanavia have all lifted domestic restrictions and Denmark says it’s no longer a socially critical disease. And little truths about the statistics are being told about the covid stats from the UK media. The time is ticking for NZ to get the boosters used up while they still have believers as the narrative is changing in the global media.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:58am
  - alloytoo
    
    Pfizer has seen the Omicron train at the end of their money tunnel.
    
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    February 3, 2022 2:13pm
- bronny1
  
  FFS BY, man up!
  you’re entitled to bodily autonomy, if the Tall Redhead doesn’t like it, that’s her problem.
  I actually had the radio on in the car yesterday, can’t recall who was talking but when asked about the science, he just cited the other countries who have reduced the booster interval. There is no science.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:33am
  - Man Among the Ruins
    
    Bingo bronny. If the Missus doesn’t like it, get a new Missus. I think a lot of people believe that they can avoid all discomfort and personal sacrifice and that things will just magically melt away and return to normal.
    
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    February 3, 2022 1:12pm
Frank the tank

Following on from the “job Insurance” scheme I’m convinced our government is following the plot of Animal Farm in regards to running this country with 1 EXCEPTION – there is 2 Napoleons and no Snowball.

When will Boxer (business) drop dead from exhaustion?
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February 3, 2022 8:16am
- Prince
  
  Boxer appeared happy enough to put his head on the block by supporting the proposal.
  Perhaps there was some encouragement offered.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:10am
Fisiani2

Glasgow Derby in half an hour Celtic play against 14 yet again ! The referee Bobby Madden is a Rangers supporter, he used to have a Rangers season ticket. No other country would tolerate such clear bias.
He has reffed 17 matches so far- his record
Penalties Rangers 5 Celtic 0
Red cards Rangers 0 Celtic 4
Yellow cards Rangers 14 Celtic 43
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February 3, 2022 8:22am
- Cassandra
  
  This is a religious matter. The ref follows Henry VIII. If he was RC the figures would be reversed.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:52am
  - kowtow
    
    Bit more complex than that.
    
    Celtic are Loon Irish Republicans ,while Rangers are Loyalist . And while that split tends to have an overtly religious expression , for long past historical reasons , I’d warrant very few of any of them could recite the Creed , Nicene or otherwise.
    
    Basically you’re dealing with two very ugly sectarian mobs who’re using the Beautiful Game to live out some thuggish fantasies.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:48am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Could it be that Celtic offend more, and are a dirtier team Fisian?
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:03am
  - Fisiani2
    
    Are you joking? You obviously know nothing.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:49am
- Fisiani2
  
  HT Celtic 3 Rangers 0
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:35am
  - Truman lodge
    
    7th Generation Glasgow Scots waiving Irish flags and chanting IRA songs is dirty and antagonist I would say. They even chanted Lee Rugby is not drumming now which is disgusting. It’s time Celtic moved to Dublin.
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:16am
    - NoFax
      
      Perhaps we could do a population swap – all those in Northern Ireland who think they are British could be swapped with the Celtic fans who think they are Irish.
      
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      February 3, 2022 3:18pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Rangers obviously didn’t pay the ref enough.
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:18am
  - Fisiani2
    
    FT Celtic -league leaders 3 Rangers 0
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:41am
- Jinky
  
  The masons in black are the scourge of the Scottish game.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:12am
  - Jack5
    
    Found an interesting piece on the Celtic-Rangers religion aspects and an explanation of “Masons in black.”
    
    It’s a bit like, if nowhere near as intense, as former Yugoslavia’s latent, and not so latent, hostility among its Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim people.
    
    The Black Masons (referees) link:
    
    https://simonmayers.com/2013/12/28/the-masonic-and-orange-orders-fraternal-twins-or-public-misperception-guest-blog/
    
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    February 3, 2022 1:01pm
    - Fisiani2
      
      If you want to know how ingrained the bias against Celtic is then you can watch this video with incredulity that the Scottish game is so rigged. Celtic win despite the Masons in Black.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jljnT6zRzCQ
      
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      February 3, 2022 2:11pm
- rockape
  
  Good on him, my school Govan Primary was right opposite the main Ibrox park gate. It is holy ground and I have been a fervent Rangers supporter ever since getting George Young’s autograph in 1952! Remember the immortal words of Billy Connelly. Don’t wear a blue scarf in brigetown or a green one in Cumberland Street, unless your a heavyweight champion or a hell of a quick on your feet!
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:33am
Rodney Hide

Hi Benedict

Good for you. I had pictured you as a hard numbers guy. I am delighted that whatever the numbers say two weeks cruising the north island with the red haired: I am getting boosted!

Clearly the trip is going to be wonderful. And the red haired is fortunate indeed.

Best wishes

Rodney
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February 3, 2022 8:24am
- Frank the tank
  
  Rod,
  
  Auckland needs a Mayor. A proper right-leaning one. Have you considered putting your hat in the ring? We need someone with a cost-cutting focus.
  
  Regards
  
  Frank
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:31am
  - Matt Long
    
    I don’t think Rodney exudes the correct slimy parochial patrimony to be successful in local body politics.
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:51am
- Cassandra
  
  Whoever said ACT was hard-hearted? What a nice thing to say. Enjoy, BY.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:42am
kowtow

‘A High Court judge has declined the bid of a group of parents to temporarily halt the Covid-19 vaccine rollout for children.’

Among reasons given were :

‘Justice Ellis also referenced the continued inequitable impact of Covid on Maori, Pacific communities and disabled people, and how halting the rollout would impede the Crown’s efforts to meet its obligations to Maori under the Treaty of Waitangi.’

Here was silly me thinking the courts dealt with facts and evidence , not fantasy.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/bid-halt-childrens-vaccinations-fails
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February 3, 2022 8:29am
- Cinematic
  
  The Courts have proven themselves to be next to useless throughout this whole scamdemic.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:25am
- Taieri
  
  “(…)Justice Ellis also referenced the continued inequitable impact of Covid on Maori, Pacific communities and disabled people, and how halting the rollout would impede the Crown’s efforts to meet its obligations to Maori under the Treaty of Waitangi(…)”
  
  Had to check the text of Te Tiriti. No mention of Covid-19 there. May be it’s written in an invisible ink?
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:39am
- alloytoo
  
  So putting healthy children at risk of side effects for no apparent benefit is an obligation under the treaty.
  
  My word this treaty must be a lengthy tome.
  
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  February 3, 2022 2:16pm
Maggie Pie

One of the girls from work was bleating last night that your average double income household, earning say 120k per annum, will pay an additional $42 per week under Labors new tax proposal next year.
Just to pay for some other losers 7 months redundancy.

I suggested to the silly bitch that she and her dopey husband not vote for them again next time.
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February 3, 2022 8:29am
- Frank the tank
  
  Poor man’s Gordon Brown knows what’s coming. He doesn’t want his year of being Prime Minister being overshadowed by a bunch of people losing their jobs and being unable to afford to put food on the table.
  
  The Chipster will take a bullet for Cindy but not for Grunter.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:38am
- Tricati
  
  So eloquently put Maggie, and as usual, right on point.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:38am
- westernScientest
  
  lets hope they take your advice. 42 a week is like a couple k a year, will need that to pay for the rates hikes.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:42am
- Antoine
  
  Fuck that compulsory insurance thing
  
  Why should I have to pay for someone else to have a 6 month holiday
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:48am
- Si334
  
  So of course its not 1.4%, its 2.8% coming out of your salary. Employers are going to take their contribution out of the total Rem pool, either individually or from any budgeted salary increment – its just the total salary cost after all. So double the numbers your friends talk about. 2.8% on $120k is $3400 ish, or about $70 per week.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:42am
  - oc35
    
    Logic always wins …. well said.
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:19pm
- ecco
  
  Most of the money collected in the levy will get sucked up in another Wellington bureaucracy. Labour will be able to buy a few more civil servants for the already bloated civil service which then = more votes for them.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:57am
  - Peter Lane
    
    I’m self employed and pretty certain they’ll take the tax from me but not allow me to claim if I’m ever out of a contract.
    
    Seems grossly unfair but can’t say it would be a surprise if that’s the case.
    
    Parasites.
    
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    February 3, 2022 2:39pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Maggie!!
  You work!!!
  Surely Not
  A Remmers gal like you would be too busy playing tennis or gossiping over lattes?
  
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  February 3, 2022 3:11pm
penguincouple

I’m totally for re-opening the borders.

What I don’t get is, how the “science” can be so flexible and our borders can go open (announced last year with an expected target of first quarter), then suddenly shut (in light of Omicron), and then open again (after this government suffers global embarrassment).

Can someone enlighten me what this “science” the government’s been following actually is?
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February 3, 2022 8:32am
- kowtow
  
  Best consult a pollster than one of their carefully chosen team of ‘health’ advisors .
  
  This has nothing to do with “science” , never did.
  
  It was and is all about politics.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:21am
- rouppe
  
  You know the answer.
  
  I’m eagerly awaiting the weekend by which time Hendy was adamant that the modeling saying we would have 50,000 cases a day was robust
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-modelling-suggests-nz-could-face-peak-of-80000-daily-infections/TAH4ABKCQ3ZPMNK5FVWQTVE4FE/
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:28am
  - westernScientest
    
    oh, its just proof cindy saved us from certain death. if we had have stayed at orange then we would all be dead by now. It was only the bold kindness of cindy putting us in red and closing the boarder that stopped that from happening.
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:19am
- ecco
  
  Of course it’s miles out before any actual action. ie according to Stuff the whole lot of reopening doesn’t start until 27/2, a whole bloody 24 days (3+ weeks) away. ie it’s really an announcement of an announcement. Ardern very quick to lockdown, opening up not so much.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:29am
- Gordon Shumway
  
  It’s all bullshit. We stopped about 2,000 border cases before omicron. Soon we’ll have more than 2,00 active domestic cases again, and soon after that we’ll probably have more than 2,000 domestic cases daily (despite underreporting). Give up the borders now because we cannot “keep it out” once it’s already here!
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:32am
Warren

Border will open without MIQ on February 28 in the Prime Minister’s New plan, isn’t it funny what a Government that is leaking votes like a sieve and their own stupidity can do .
It has taken one week for our Prime Minister to change her mind and try to recover the voters who have been Leaving her Party Labour in droves.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300509477/covid19-nz-border-reopening-to-begin-from-late-february-to-proceed-in-five-stages-stuff-understands
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February 3, 2022 8:32am
- Bobba Fret
  
  How the hell do Stuff and the Herald already know these dates etc. Isn’t the announcement at 11am today? So is Ardern simply confirming what they have already reported?
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:30am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    If you haven’t noticed..
    
    Stuff, Newshub and RNZ are drip-feeding us pre-announcements daily… hinting as to what is to come.
    
    If you think some bright little journo has worked out what is going to be in the PM’s speech all by himself, then you are mistaken.
    
    The pre-announcement leaks are Labour’s way of testing the waters..
    
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    February 3, 2022 2:18pm
- Phronesis
  
  Has anyone asked if they will let the eligible travellers who arrived a day before leave MIQ after one day or will they expected to serve the full stretch? Obviously the date is arbitrary, but then so is the detention.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:51am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  In 3 weeks time, half of Air NZ staff may be laid up with omicron or be in isolation as a contact…
  
  I can’t see that much will be changing this side of Easter, unless our Dear PM decides she needs a trip overseas.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:54am
hullkiwi

I’ve just watched the latest BBC Panorama programme. I know many of us will be in agreement that the BBC is part of the woke MSM, but none the less it was a programme with eerie parallels with New Zealand of today.

The subject of the programme was that of a country with a PM who rode high in popularity in 2019. Won an election with a massive landslide majority, and won seats that had been traditional opposition strongholds. This PM also wrote the forward to a Ministerial Code of Conduct that used words like “honesty”, “integrity” and “transparency”. However, over the past 2 years the behaviour of the government, and the words and actions of the PM has been anything but.

There have been a series of scandals centred largely on the PM, and these scandals have brought into question the honesty and integrity of the PM. Indeed, one of the scandals resulted in a minister resigning, a by-election and the loss of a seat the governing party had held for over 200 years.

Does this sound eerily familiar?

I am not talking about Jacinda and her government, but about Boris Johnson and his Conservative government.

It seems other than Boris being Tory, his behaviour in office is no better than Jacinda. As the programme pointed out, he has no problem stretching the truth to breaking point in Prime Ministerial statements given to Parliament, such that he could be accused of lying to Parliament.

In recent days because of apparent breaches of Covid regulations over the past 18 months, there is currently a ministerial investigation and a criminal investigation occurring. The ministerial investigation has submitted Part 1 of the report. The report is not favourable to Johnson & Downing St.

The question begs, what is it about politicians, whether blue or red whether NZ, the UK or any other number of countries, that they believe they are above the laws and votes of behaviour they expect of the populations they rule over?

Why do they believe the law of the land does not apply to them? Why do they believe they are untouchable?
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February 3, 2022 8:39am
- Taieri
  
  Why do they believe the law of the land does not apply to them?
  ——————-
  
  Because it doesn’t.
  
  Why do they believe they are untouchable?
  ——————–
  
  Because they are.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:41am
  - oc35
    
    Untouchable … until the next election or a vote of confidence!
    
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    February 3, 2022 8:48pm
- Pavel
  
  First and foremost, politics is all about self preservation. That comes first above all else.
  With a relatively stable system of governance in the West during the last 75 years, with a relatively civil and obedient population, many of today’s politicians are using office for self enrichment from all sides who lobby them due to the populations not holding them to a higher standard. Why do they keep going and keep lying? Many have not studied their history and seen what happens when leaders push their people too far. They are in panic mode now all over the world trying to silence, restrict and surveillance everyone. The pendulum always swings both ways and what today’s leaders seem to forget is that the same tactics they used to suppress people today will be used back against them by the very people they were suppressing. History is littered with examples of this. Many leaders, even kings and queens, have been overthrown and executed and the laws and rules they used were quickly used to round up and any remaing supporters before assigning them all to the dustbin of history. Tyranny, from either side of the political spectrum, will never work long term.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:44am
- Sparrow
  
  Power.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:54am
Simon

Build back better:

Written constitution, guaranteeing individual rights. Such as the ability to travel freely including freely return to NZ without hinderance. Any gubermint official or politician found in breach of constitution faces criminal prospection.
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February 3, 2022 8:43am
- oldfella
  
  Simon: ‘prospection’. Just learned a new word.
  
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  February 3, 2022 12:18pm
westernScientest

I might have to add canada back to my list of acceptable places to move to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FsKyalrR9U

groundswell take note
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February 3, 2022 8:47am
- oldfella
  
  WS, news just in…
  +
  ELMIRA, ONTARIO
  A convoy of Mennonite buggies are snaking their way through the country roads all the way from Elmira to Ottawa to demand their right to quilt whatever patterns they so choose.
  “Who’s Trudeau to say I’ve got to make a Star of Bethlehem or Nine Patch?” shouted Mrs. Bauman from the back of her buggy. “This is a free country and if I want to sew myself a Center Diamond or Trip Around the World pattern that’s my prerogative!”
  The Mennonites are up in arms about the new restrictions, which they believe might also affect their ability to stuff sausages as they choose.
  “I don’t need the government telling me what to stuff my sausage with,” explained local butcher Mr. Brubacher. “A man’s smoked meat is his own business!”
  The Mennonite buggies plan to gather on Parliament Hill and stay there until Trudeau himself comes out to speak to them.
  “We’re hoping to win him over with sausage and quilts,” said Mrs. Bauman. “At the very least we’re hoping our non-violent hymn singing and frowny faces will persuade him.”
  The City of Ottawa sanitation department has already assessed the situation and say they don’t believe the presence of a couple thousand Mennonite buggies and their accompanying horses will make any discernible impact on the level of horseshit in the capital.
  
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  February 3, 2022 12:21pm
Cassandra

The RBA (Oz central bank) says that the worst of omicron is over and that it will deal with inflation in an Australian way (which presumably will be to tell it to get stuffed, mate). A small interest rate increase is on the cards but it seems that they are not worried.
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February 3, 2022 8:49am
ClanMcleod

Further scientific evidence emerging that vaccinating during a pandemic is madness and may actually cause the evolution of variants, one of which could eventually be extremely deadly, unlike omicron.

“It is hard to imagine a worse strategy than universal vaccination against a single, obsolete virus protein. Every booster dose just further ingrains this off-target immunity, ultimately assisting Omicron in its spread.”

“There will be seasonal SARS-2 infection spikes probably for as long as humans walk the earth. The vaccinators, unless they are stopped, will only make these spikes more dramatic and disruptive.”

https://www.eugyppius.com/p/omicron-and-original-antigenic-sin?

Omicron is looking like the get out of jail card. Instead, Ardern is using omicron as a political football. Ardern is throwing it away in exchange for a couple of points of political capital. The woman is a dangerous narcissist. The pandemicists MUST be stopped.

“The Pandemicists Must Be Stopped
Corona has vastly expanded the ranks of pandemic planners and public health botherers. Unless something is done, these people will destroy all of society in their radical pursuit of a few viruses.”

Baker, Hendy, Plank, Wiles, Ardern, Hipkins, Bloomfield etc etc.

https://www.eugyppius.com/p/the-pandemicists-must-be-stopped
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February 3, 2022 8:55am
- mawm
  
  Clan – at this stage with Omicron not looking at all like the Wuhan virus I wonder if the “vaccine” is as much use as say using some thing like the measles vaccine and the effect of some immune priming as one would get from any vaccine is all that is being seen with the “booster”, and that the worry of creating mutants now a distant memory. I hope I’m correct on the last point.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:12am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    mawm I hope so to. So much unknown about the new. experimental technology that has been foisted on the planet. When Ardern and co. stated it was “tested and approved” it was the greatest lie they told, and they told plenty of lies.
    
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    February 4, 2022 8:36am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Doesn’t seem very logical to me. Why not encourage the less lethal strain by protecting against the older one? Especially where the newer one is anyway much more infectious and therefore preferred.
  
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  February 3, 2022 2:25pm
burt

Couple stunned that they never understood the contract they signed with the bank for their mortgage.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127650304/couple-stunned-as-bank-takes-half-of-home-sale-profit-without-consultation
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February 3, 2022 9:00am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  There are stupid people everywhere burt. Many, many more than you think.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:06am
  - kowtow
    
    But but but, she’s doing a masters and he’s got a hipster beard and cheese cutter cap .
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:53am
    - OTGO
      
      That is soooo Dunedin
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:13am
  - mawm
    
    IVV – they are everywhere …..and they vote.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:05am
- Biscuit
  
  I read it that way, too, burt.
  
  Tova O is justifiably copping flak for not realising a provision she had signed up to might actually be enforced.
  
  How is that different to these folk?
  
  The bank , probably well aware that many loans are going to hit default status as interest rates increase, are simply protecting their interests.
  
  Okay, if I’d been the bank, I’d have called the couple in first for a wee talk before I actually did any enforcing but…
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:26am
- ecco
  
  It’s a hit piece run by Ardern’s messengers Stuff to try and support the idiot Clark’s statement that the banks and not him are to blame for stopping the NZ housing market overnight with government induced credit crunch.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:32am
  - kowtow
    
    Only it’s still goin’ gangbusters.
    
    ‘The average value of residential property throughout New Zealand continued increasing over the three months to the end of January setting a new all time high.’
    
    https://www.interest.co.nz/property/114184/average-dwelling-value-new-zealand-hit-new-record-1028097-january
    
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    February 3, 2022 9:55am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  When you’re a “small business customer ” where banks usually hold cross securities between personal and business accounts it’s amusing when a bank discovers that while they hold personal to business transfer powers they omitted to do the converse. The phone call from my “nervous sounding” bank manager a few years back “wondering” if I could “consider” transferring some of the cash proceeds from a business asset sale to the personal loan because they couldn’t was hilarious 🙂
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:35am
- rouppe
  
  I wouldn’t have expected that either to be honest.
  
  Especially since the loan the money was applied to was fixed, was only $355k (house must be twice that), and there was no evidence of financial stress
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:43am
- lastmanstanding
  
  This is all part of a plan by the Banks to piss off borrowers so the Government will amend the Act to exempt Tier 1 lenders. The Banks told the Government at the SC that they didnt need to be part of the amendments they should only apply to lower tier lenders but they were ignores. Now the empire is stricking back and alreaad it looks like Act will be amendment.
  
  Yet another example of a dumb arse Government.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:53am
- Libertarians are right
  
  Yeah, I assume they used the rental as security over their home loan.
  
  When you sell a security asset, that security agreement obviously requires you to use some of that money to cover part of the debt it was security over. This is obvious yet it is mentioned no where in the article.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:19am
Southern Raider

Yesterday the Govt had another big handout announced

Large amounts of current and future spectrum assets going to Māori, plus huge sums of cash to fund a new Māori spectrum entity (they already had one) and also to enable them to buy for free a $25M tech business

This is direct theft from taxpayer and to make it worse they get to retain their active claim over spectrum so this isn’t the end

None of this money will flow through to the Māori at the bottom of the rung. This will feed already very well feed Māori directors and elite with more handouts
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February 3, 2022 9:00am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  and all the time the media distracts Joe public by having yet another announcement about how it is (mis)managing the Covid spread.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:01am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  The Maori masses get mana, their elite get money, Labour get votes. Everyone happy. Who says Labour can’t deliver?
  
  Not to mention 20% of the spectrum devoted to Lefty propagandising. And the Nats just watch and say nothing.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:19am
Opie

Most of Europe – dropping vaccine passes and restrictions.

NZ – you will likely need a booster to retain your vaccine pass.

Come on really. Keep taking the thing that doesnt work because we keep telling you that more of it will make it as good as we said it was going to be originally but it actually wasnt but we are sure it will be different this time.

Mask musings from day one back at school yesterday.

Any kid with glasses can get a mask exemption locally from their school principal, you just need to ask. I suggest you do this for the sake of your kids mental health. I have never seen so many kids looking anxious and stressed as yesterday. Disgraceful.

And… apparently schools are not allowed to ask to see a mask exemption if you say your kid has one.

In fact, the DPA has stopped giving out mask exemptions because so many people are requesting them. Oops.

I know of one 9 year old that got a mask exemption letter from a doctor because they have been vaccinated. Wait what, is that a thing?

I also heard of some colleges that have added a mask to their uniform policy so failure to wear one will result in disciplinary action.

Just remember, if masks actually worked, there is no way they would give any exemptions because by giving an exemption you would be liable if that person catches this horrible virus.

There are so many variations and loopholes that even the thickest amongst us must see this has nothing to do with health.

It is just an opportunity for jumped up authoritarians with clipboards to make up more rules because they get off on telling people what to do.

You know the types, they look like they have traded their personality for a high vis vest…
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February 3, 2022 9:02am
curry4me

https://trendingpolitics.com/election-fraud-deniers-will-have-a-hard-time-shrugging-off-this-never-before-seen-surveillance-video-watch-knab/

Election Fraud Deniers Will Have a Hard Time Shrugging Off This ‘Never-Before-Seen Surveillance Video’ (Watch)

It is still unknown how much fraud was carried out in the 2020 election. But the narrative needs to end that the answer is “none.”

Despite the widespread blanket denials from the mainstream media, surveillance video has bubbled up showing that ‘mules’ illicitly dumped ballots into Zuckerberg “drop boxes.”
The film contains startling video evidence of “2,000 mules” dropping off what appears to be thousands of illicit ballots into the drop boxes. The details of how the evidence was gathered is recounted by researcher Kanekoa on his Substack page. [Nothing to see here folks. It was the most secure election in history. Joe Biden got 80 bazillion votes. CNN told me so. Most secure election in history. And Breaking News: Ms Kardashian got a new dress. /sarc
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February 3, 2022 9:02am
Cassandra

The Unemployment Insurance Scheme is billed as a heritage step for Grant Robertson. It is no such thing. In effect it is minor – a redundancy scheme under another name, with an added sickness benefit. The consequences for small businesses are huge. Yet another cost imposed. All very well for big employers who can pass the cost on eg governments and supermarkets, but your local garage or cafe will hurt. All to no benefit to them – garages don’t make good mechanics redundant!
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February 3, 2022 9:03am
- Southern Raider
  
  What about for all employees who also get whacked with another tax. Pushes the top tax rate up to nearly 41%.
  
  Plus people on the top tax rate will be unlikely to ever use the insurance and will be paying multiple times more into the scheme than they could ever claim
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:46am
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OjkBo5uREE
Quebec Surrenders to Freedom Convoy as Trudeau Remains in Hiding!

Quebec announces that they are dropping plans on taxing the unvaccinated all as Canada’s soy boy prime minister remains hiding under his desk! In this video, we’re going to see the amazing developments coming out of the Freedom Convoy, we’re going to see how Justin Trudeau’s pathetic attempts at slandering the truckers is backfiring bigtime, and stick with me to the very end of this video when I’ll reveal what’s really happening in Canada. [9:51. Truck Foudeau. Twoies at the border are refusing to top trucks. I wonder if the RCMP will refuse to act against them. A certain Finnish unit in Petrograd refused to fire on demonstrators in 1917. The rest is history. Some politicians have already made concessions. Trudope looks a tad isolated.]
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February 3, 2022 9:05am
Frank the tank

https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2022/02/01/north-korea-claims-kim-jong-un-lost-weight-suffering-for-the-people/

Audrey Young’s next article in the Fearald. She’ll just substitute Kim-Jong-Un for Jacinda Ardern…..
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February 3, 2022 9:05am
westernScientest

oh FFS, they just cant do anything even remotely sensibly can they:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300509477/covid19-nz-border-reopening-to-begin-from-late-february-to-proceed-in-five-stages-stuff-understands
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February 3, 2022 9:08am
- Rich Prick
  
  Why “five stages”? It’s not as though the virus cares. The government just can’t help itself.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:28am
  - mawm
    
    RP – They’ve probably discovered a couple of more colours to use.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:20am
  - westernScientest
    
    yep….
    
    And finally, step 5 begins in October and includes all other visitors and students who require a visa to enter New Zealand, with normal visa processing resuming.
    
    This is after the Aussies sometime maybe in July
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:21am
I remember when

In the olden days, as children, we just loved to wear masks.
It was called playing cowboys and indians.
Difference was we decided when we had been wearing the mask for long enough.
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February 3, 2022 9:15am
Maggie Pie

TRENDING…

Fab to see ‘President Trump’ sending memes again !!

https://twitter.com/TickleTexts/status/1488951750832889858

The USA was far better off when it was run by a Twitter troll 😀 😀
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February 3, 2022 9:18am
- Frank the tank
  
  Trumpy was in fine form when he learnt Zucker was gone including the zinger “Lamestream media”.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:13am
surfing

It is pleasing that Bellis’ lawyer is not going to let Hipkins get away with bending the truth….

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/bellis-lawyer-calls-for-hipkins-to-clarify-misleading-statement-in-open-letter/ar-AATpsvy?li=BBqdg4K

This lawyer is going after every govt mistruth and act of incompetence. If 59 items of evidence were insufficient, I can’t imagine Hipkins being correct that just one more item would have secured her an MIQ spot.

Hipkins is like Papa Smurf, ‘not far now….’ to infinity.
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February 3, 2022 9:26am
- nathie
  
  Sooo does this mean Hipkins will “disappear” for a few days (to avoid scrutiny)?
  
  If so, he’d better hope Labour’s “witless protection” cupboard has enough room left and isn’t already fully occupied by some of his colleagues!
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:27am
I remember when

West Nile virus cases in horses rise in NSW as hot, wet summer fuels mosquito population:
Scone vet Lucy Cudmore said symptoms could vary, but often presented in similar ways to Hendra virus.
“They can look like they have a headache or look quite dull and depressed … sometimes they’ll have a fever.”
In the ‘good old days’ they would have looked listless, off-colour or may have had a fever.”
Horses usually recover within days and unlike Hendra can’t pass it on to humans.

How do you know when your children have a headache?
You ask them and they tell you.
You can talk to your horse – when they start answering you have a problem.
Let’s stop humanising animals.
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February 3, 2022 9:32am
ecco

Has anyone else been watching that new political reporter who replaced Tova, Jenna Lynch, on three news? She’s just another Labour syconphant in the same mould as Tova. Can’t even hide her bias. Body language and tone of voice give her away every time, not to mention the angles on her stories.

Nasty piece of work who is just as feral as Tova when it comes to criticising the opposition and praising everything that Ardern does. Where does tv3 find these people? Can expect every political piece to be biased towards Ardern and Labour with Ms Lynch.
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February 3, 2022 9:37am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  I think Tov was her mentor for at least a year or two ( or more?) – no surprises there.
  
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  February 3, 2022 9:52am
- Cassandra
  
  What goes round comes round. Surely National and ACT are keeping score and have a plan. Time for some, figuratively, brutal retaliation. Licences come up for renewal, that sort of thing.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:03am
  - curry4me
    
    Cassandra won’t do a thing. ACT are unlikely to prod them.
    
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    February 3, 2022 12:56pm
- rouppe
  
  And what’s with this thing these days where they draw out the words longer and longer?
  
  “The fire crews were there… alllllll…. daaaayyyyyy”
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:09am
I remember when

It is time we started asking officials for some scientific answers for vaccination passports.
How do Vaccination Passports prevent Covid/Omicron?
How many cases have they prevented to date?
How many people with Vaccination Passports have been infected by Omicron so far?
What is it costing businesses in time and goodwill to operate the Passport system?
How will they know when it is time to end the use of Vaccination Passports?
How many cases of Omicron do they expect Passports to have prevented by the time they are removed?
How much income have businesses lost because of people refusing to use them?
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February 3, 2022 9:43am
- Clownworld
  
  1) They don’t , we needed a way to control people better and move everyone to a future digital platform.
  2) None. However they are handy tool to keep people into two distinct classes, we needed a way to divide people in society so they don’t look at us the govt.
  3) Lots. ssshhhh ( it was probably endemic already)
  4) Only their very blood, flesh, sweat, tears and their souls.
  5) When we have better control of every person.
  Maybe never.
  6) It is unimportant detail. None, however this is about looks and feels.
  7) Hopefully lots so everyone looks to us the govt as their saviour.
  
  Note – the above is not from the one source of truth. Please comply get your vaccine and booster.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:37am
- mawm
  
  I remember – In the same vein the Austrian Constitutional Court has asked their Health Minister to provide data across a broad range of topics including hospitalisations and deaths ‘with’ as opposed to ‘from’ COVID-19, the efficacy of masks and vaccines, and evidence supporting the now-rescinded ‘lockdown for the unvaccinated’, etc. This is an interesting read.
  https://dailysceptic.org/2022/02/01/show-us-the-data-high-court-demands-austrian-government-justify-covid-19-restrictions/
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:31am
CAKE FACE1

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300509477/covid19-nz-border-reopening-to-begin-from-late-february-to-proceed-in-five-stages-stuff-understands

“Then in July the country is expected to open up to non-citizens from visa-waiver countries – like Australia, the USA, and UK, before the rest of the world joins them in October.”

The border won’t open properly until at least October!!!

Every time that I think that I can’t be shocked by this government anymore, it happens again.

Maybe she hopes to delay opening up further, to hold the next election as a hermit kingdom.

Cindy is bad for my mental health. Over the past year, she has given me more despair and depression than any other person has managed in my life.

Is it too much to hope for that she will resign?
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February 3, 2022 9:43am
- Frank the tank
  
  I’m quite confident she’ll be gone by Christmas. The momentum is building and unlike Clark I don’t believe she can handle a sizable proportion of the country hating her.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:15am
tedbear

https://waikanaewatch.org/2022/02/03/admission-from-the-fda-on-the-notoriously-unreliable-pcr-test/

” A document just released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) openly admits that the infamous PCR test for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) was developed not with actual samples, but rather with what appears to be genetic material from a common cold virus. In the FDA document, it is clearly stated that ordinary seasonal flu genetic material was used as the testing marker in the PCR test kits because the authorities knew that many people would test “positive” for it, thus allowing them to use these results to create the “Covid” narrative.

It is somewhat of a lengthy read, but have a look for yourself and see the deception in plain sight. There is no legitimate test out there that accurately identifies the presence of SARS-CoV-2. From the document: “Since no quantified virus isolates of the 2019-nCoV were available for CDC use at the time the test was developed and this study conducted, assays designed for detection of the 2019-nCoV RNA were tested with characterized stocks of in vitro transcribed full length RNA (N gene; GenBank accession: MN908947.2) of known titer (RNA copies/µL) spiked into a diluent consisting of a suspension of human A549 cells and viral transport medium (VTM) to mimic clinical specimen.” Another revelation in the document is the admission by the FDA that test results are “pooled” together to produce numbers that are inaccurate. The FDA has quite literally manufacturing data to support a false narrative. “
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February 3, 2022 9:47am
- chiz
  
  [Deleted. No personal abuse thanks. Mod] MN908947.2 is the SARS-CoV-2 virus genome. They didn’t have any samples of it to hand, so they made their own samples of the relevant part of the virus.
  
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  February 3, 2022 5:17pm
WellingtonBFF

Why is the media not asking the obvious questions?
1. If the booster is moved forward to 3 months after second vaccine are you saying, Mr Hipkins, that the vaccine does not work?
2. Grant Robertson has indicated he has frittered away billions of dollars and there is no money for a fourth booster, which must be needed in three months or so, so will you be getting rid of vaccination requirements and mandates?
3. Given the information coming from around the world and particularly Israel that the booster (including a fourth) is ineffective against Omicon, why are you continuing with your insane strategy which is neither effective nor affordable?

Or am I missing something here?……
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February 3, 2022 9:48am
- Frank the tank
  
  “why are you continuing with your insane strategy which is neither effective nor affordable?”
  
  Control, Control and more control. It’s quite obvious by now.
  
  That and a narcissistic desire to be the best in “covid” in the entire world. We are all playthings in her own little kindy.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:18am
- Its only I
  
  You cant ask anything that creates a conversation around efficacy.
  You must simply accept whatever you are told, do whatever your told to do.
  
  If you don’t agree with the above your a threat to NZ society, not part of the team and represent everything bad the Labour gov are going a wonderful job of protecting the good people of nz from, oh and your racist, sexist, ageist, prone to conspiracies, own a gun, detune diesel engines to smoke, don’t contribute to society, are a landlord, own a business, employ people and you probably voted for John Key who neglected something at some time…….apparently.
  
  Labour will be rolled next election!!
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:24am
- alex Masterley
  
  A question, also not asked, by the media is what happens after vaxcine passes expire.
  Or is that a date plucked randomly from some-one’s arse.
  
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  February 3, 2022 2:27pm
I remember when

There seems to be a firm belief, in some sectors, that in order to achieve educational excellence you must have teachers of the same ethnicity.
Surely this is an opportunity for our enterprising Universities to produce world leading research proving it to be true.
Perhaps, at the same time, they could look at the effect curries are having on Climate Change in India.
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February 3, 2022 9:51am
Rusty

Was it my imagination that I saw our PM being interviewed on tv last night — I thought she was meant to be in isolation?

If I’m wrong then why wasn’t she fronting up over the Bellis issue recently?

As for Jacindas announcement changes on border/MIQ and booster requirements — can we really trust anything she says anymore?

Come March and beyond and a new set of rules from her contradicting what she says right now is likely to happen.

As I have said before let Nzers look after their own health and concentrate on the vulnerable only.
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February 3, 2022 9:54am
- rockape
  
  I agree that we should look after our own health. That said some of us occasionally need the intervention of health specialists. Labour was going to do so much for the health service. Funny then that Nelson Marlborough DHB has currently 176 vacancies unfilled as at 0900 this morning!
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:43am
- MCōs
  
  “why wasn’t she fronting up over the Bellis issue”
  Why should she?
  She’s just another Kiwi complaining about the being caught up in the MIQ bottleneck.
  There are some unusual aspects to her situation. She’s high profile and laughably claims Afghanistan was the only place they could go.
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:43am
  - Taieri
    
    “why wasn’t she fronting up over the Bellis issue”
    Why should she?
    ————-
    
    Why not?
    She had no qualms about having a go at the KFC girl a while ago.
    
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    February 3, 2022 3:57pm
Tauhei Notts

Four days ago I studied a political poll and became depressed. Labour and Greens held the majority.
Then two days ago I studied the Roy Morgan poll and I felt better.
Last night my wife and I enjoyed drinks with several women aged 35-60 and gentle coaxing revealed that these all former Labour voters, have seen the light.
Now I am feeling much much better. The worm has finally turned.
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February 3, 2022 9:57am
- Cassandra
  
  My observation too, Tauhei. Just need a few more and The Great Nightmare will be over. Bye bye Jacinda. BYE BYE NANAIA!!!
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:05am
- Frank the tank
  
  Ardern only has the <35 female grouping left outside of those that rely on the government. She is slowing losing that as well as concerts, gatherings and events continue to be shit canned. The slide is definitely on as their own internal polling had them at 38%.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:20am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Bit of talk on Monday re reliability of RM poll so I did a comparison of Dec TPU and RM polls ( adjusted to reflect NZF as other in TPU result) and it looks like this.
  
  Party TPU Dec RM Dec Difference
  Labour 39.50% 35.50% -4.00%
  National 32.6% 31.50% -1.10%
  Greens 10.90% 8.50% -2.40%
  ACT 10.60% 18.50% 7.90%
  Māori 3.00% 1.00% -2.00%
  NZ First 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
  Other 3.40% 5.00% 1.60%
  
  Apart from the ACT difference number the results aren’t that different. Personally I don’t care whether the votes moving from the left to right go to ACT or National at this stage of the election cycle – as long as they keep moving right.
  Your anecdotal evidence also seems to be common.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:36am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    Bugger – spent an age formatting the columns in WP (:(:
    
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    February 3, 2022 10:43am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    I think the Morgan poll predates an ACT swing back to National after Luxon. The next one should clarify.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:31am
    - 70andstilllearning
      
      Your probably right about timing Alan – far as I can work out TPU was run early in month while RM seems to be spread across the month. Their release doesn’t specify a date range – that I can find anyway.
      
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      February 3, 2022 12:18pm
    - westernScientest
      
      Luxon took up leadership on the 30th of November, and that RM poll was done in the early December. I do agree though that RM is probably over estimating ACT
      
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      February 3, 2022 12:27pm
- vt
  
  I have been politically depressed since Oct 2017. The only sources of political comfort for me since have been after I heard Luxon’s first speech as National leader and this poll.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:36am
- Gravelroad
  
  @Tauhei Notts-
  Were they customary Labour Party voters?
  Or opportunists under the spell of Jacinda?
  There is a difference.
  For committed Labour Party voters, Jacindamania was a very useful bonus. But they likely will still vote Labour.
  For people who voted solely because they ardently admired their friend Jacinda, reality is starting to bite.
  
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  February 3, 2022 10:57am
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    Very good point Gravelroad. That is a matter that I should have raised. My guess is that they are predominantly opportunist voters. Just a guess, though.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:04am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    The female airhead vote just thought Jacinda was cool. They’ll return to random voting or not voting as soon as she isn’t.
    
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    February 3, 2022 11:27am
    - mawm
      
      I know some men (?) like that.
      
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      February 3, 2022 11:36am
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        I’m sure they identify as intelligent.
        
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        February 3, 2022 12:24pm
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        One of them doesn’t.
        
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        February 3, 2022 1:26pm
Surely Knott

New research invalidates Ardern’s 10 day lockdowns. New Research.
Experiment: 36 healthy young unvaccinated people had an early variant covid droplet inserted into their nose.
Outcome: Illness occurred in only half – all mild. “the virus took off rapidly, the first symptoms and positive test results appearing within just 42 hours” (“The science” shows we only need contacts to lockdown for 2 days before symptoms appear. Not 10. )
“The previous consensus had been it took five days from exposure to the virus to first symptoms.”(So why are we locking down for 10 if the consensus is 5)
They found the lateral flow tests were effective. (So why can’t we use those instead of the pfiz to predict & stop transmission.)
So did the DJ really get omicron before his 10 day isolation and it went undetected in two negative lateral tests. Or did the dj catch omicron in miq or his home isolation just two days before his infection showed. Because it is this case that is used as an example for why we have long lockdowns.

If it is now ethical to purposely infect people then lets perform the same experiment with the same droplets on the vaccinated and see some actual science. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-60229388
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February 3, 2022 10:08am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Of course the DJ got infected in MIQ.
  
  If Omicron took 10-14 days to incubate in folks , it could not have spread around the world so rapidly .
  
  NZers seem to be suckers for believing improbable tales of how a virus
  leaked” from our quarantine locations.
  
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  February 3, 2022 2:09pm
Jack5

The Washington National Footnall League team, which dropped its non-Woke name, Redskins, has a new name, the Commanders.

The Redskins name fell in 1920 after the BLM storm that blew up after the killing of George Floyd. The Wall Street Journal reports that FedEx, run by a then-part owner of the team, and sponsors such as Pepsico and Bank of America, then brought pressure for a name change.

Since then the team has been playing under the name Washington Football Team.

If “Redskins,” a name presumably created by Western pioneers, is racist, does this have implications for “Pakeha,” a name imposed by NZ’s indigenous people on Western pioneers.

Here’s a Maori perspective on the origins of “pakeha,” which after listing many potential origins concludes it’s most likely from Maori at the Bay of Islands imitating white sailors’ curse, “bugger ya,” and, if I may add to the Maori commentator’s view, Yes, as a matter of fact, we do have another good bridge for sale …

https://www.taiuru.maori.nz/origins-of-the-term-pakeha/
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February 3, 2022 10:28am
- Jack5
  
  Edit: The Redskins name fell in ~~1920~~ 2020.
  
  Sorry.
  
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  February 3, 2022 12:15pm
  - I remember when
    
    So we should be improvements to their (Native American) economic status, educational results, medical statistics and general well being next week?
    Next Year?
    
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    February 3, 2022 3:04pm
- oldfella
  
  Jack5
  
  The Washington National Football League team, which dropped its non-Woke name, Redskins, has a new name, the Commanders.
  
  In the US they’re already being referred to as the Washington Commies.
  
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  February 3, 2022 12:39pm
ClanMcleod

Ignore the podium of “truth”. Ignore Baker, Plank, Hendy, Wiles and the other “experts”. They are wrong. They are guilty of malfeasance. The empirical evidence is coming thick and fast, as it always would.

Here is comparison and detailed analysis of the various US states, their responses to covid and the outcomes. From the most draconian to the most liberal. It makes very interesting reading. It totally destroys the claims made by Ardern and her bevy of clowns.

https://brownstone.org/articles/grading-the-governors-who-locked-down-and-who-opened/
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February 3, 2022 10:33am
waripori

I saw Luxon’s speech to his troops in Queenstown and have been thinking about it a bit. He said among other thing there are 7 (8?) quarters to the election of which the last two are the campaign. His objective is for National to have improved its position at the end of each of those quarters and for each of his MPs to have improved things in their assigned portfolio areas. Luxon knows there is no election any time soon and he needs to put his party into the best possible position to fight one next year not this year.

Classic business planning and execution. get everyone in the team to agree to the plan, know what their role is and have regular accountability against KPIs. No excuse for wandering off the reservation.

Have just read DPFs patreon piece where he talked about Luxon’s many years of Brand development experience. Here he is seeking to rebrand national as a party that cares about all New Zealanders but that will actually do something to help them. As DPF says, any business needs to have consumers trust the brand before they can be expected to give the product serious consideration. No point coming up with detailed policy at this stage.

Luxon looks to me like he will be a much more effective PM than Ardern , mostly because he wont let factions of his cabinet seize the agenda and strange group think lead to weird knee jerk decisions.
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February 3, 2022 10:46am
ClanMcleod

So, they are already advertising $400 transtasman trips.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-miq-requirement-dropped-from-transtasman-flights-from-february-28/KNCSOZODIZPQ5DRZFJXEH3IQ4M/

After the previous lies from Ardern regarding the opening up and the pain and distress it caused thousands of people who booked on the basis of her lies, anyone falling for it again needs to get on Trademe and look for “bridges for sales”.
Why does ANYONE trust these people with anything?
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February 3, 2022 10:49am
Warren

If you have a look at the comments on the site of Interest.co.nz in the following link it looks like the knowledgeable are not in favour of Grant Robertson New suggested scheme for the that get sick or are made redundant, so Chris Luxon saying it’s just about anther job tax is not far off the mark.
https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/114208/income-insurance-grant-robertson-responds-criticisms-over-costs-and-fairness
How could you trust Grant Robertson to do the right thing when he already has been caught out transferring money from the Covid-19 fund to pay for millions of dollars worth of Labour bribes for votes from the publc.
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February 3, 2022 11:01am
Jack5

In case you missed it …

The Government is giving, free, 20 per cent of future commercial radio frequencies to Maori, plus more than $70 million to help them use it.

I posted on this in General Debate (near the end of the thread) late yesterday, but this rort is too vast to be allowed to escape unnoticed in the kerfuffle about Covid.

The report’s behind the Herald paywall, and this link is to the mundane, fact-less version in Minister Clark’s release, otherwise you can glean some facts from the post in yesterday’s General Debate.

It’s outrageous!

When it comes to choosing between National and ACT, we need to know where they stand on this.

Clark’s whitewash version –

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/māori-recognised-telecommunication-sector-leaders
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February 3, 2022 11:09am
- curry4me
  
  Jack5: National will keep it and manage it better. After all, scrapping it would be ‘raycist’. They’re terrified of being called that. ACT probably won’t be able to force a change because of that.
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:06pm
  - PeeJay
    
    Wouldn’t be so sure of ACT’s position.
    
    Seymour seems to be saying they’d scrap the treaty. Now when ACT were just Seymour and no mates, this could be laughed at – he might say it but it would never be government policy. If ACT get up to 20% of the electorate, and this is a big if, then this could be a game changer for NZ.
    
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    February 3, 2022 2:38pm
    - curry4me
      
      PeeJay: I’ve lost all confidence in ACT since they stsrted slagging off anti-mandate protestors, and advocating jabs for kids.
      
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      February 3, 2022 6:19pm
  - WellingtonBFF
    
    Seriously dude, they could repeal it, but I hate Indian-givers……wait, I take that back!!!
    
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    February 3, 2022 3:04pm
Biscuit

I see the taxpayer assistance to our Government now extends to an autocue on the camera for Jacinda to look earnestly into…

Sadly, the funds have run out before they could extend the assistance to fixing Jassy’s Flapping Hands syndrome…
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February 3, 2022 11:12am
- nathie
  
  That autocue has been around for a while … iirc Ardern used an autocue for her 2020 election victory speech – in other words, Ardern’s speeches are (almost) always scripted even when the moment (election victory 2020) didn’t require one – what’s wrong with speaking off the cuff and sincerely at a moment like that?
  
  No wonder Speaker Mallard always has to shut down the Opposition during Question Time when Ardern can’t handle robust debate and is floundering!
  
  (And remember back when Robbo and Willie used to whisper words for her to say at QT or when out and about)!
  
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  February 3, 2022 11:49am
BarryB

Ive just been listening to the PM preach from the pulpit of truth.

She thinks shes reading a fairy tale…………. Thats what her ramble sounded like.
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February 3, 2022 11:16am
- curry4me
  
  BarryB: If I did that, there’d be a fist sized hole in my laptop screen.
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:07pm
surfing

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/renting/127672790/nothing-off-the-table-as-government-considers-rent-controls-to-tackle-unaffordable-housing

Stuff article on rent controls, cowards turned off commenting.

Of course, rent controls will turn unaffordable housing into a lack of housing.
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February 3, 2022 11:29am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  Rent control is: The fastest way to destroy a city, other than bombing.” – Assar Lindbec
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:00pm
- artemisia
  
  Rent controls would work well for cashed up and clued up landlords as those under financial pressure sell up. Take the hit temporarily until rent controls hit the dust, sooner rather than later.
  
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  February 3, 2022 7:15pm
Opie

7 minutes of waffle to finally get to the point where a 5 stage plan was announced that will result in the border finally reopening in October.

Fucken October.

A buck gets ten that will get changed as well. 6 months is a long time when you are led by someone with a brain the size of a pea.
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February 3, 2022 11:34am
- MCōs
  
  Maths not your strong subject at school?
  
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  February 3, 2022 12:25pm
tknorriss

From the bat shit crazy files, the government is entertaining the idea of rent controls, despite overwhelming evidence that price controls cause shortages:

“Nothing is off the table, including rent controls, as Government officials search for ways to help people struggling with the cost of accommodation, Associate Housing Minister Poto Williams says”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/renting/127672790/nothing-off-the-table-as-government-considers-rent-controls-to-tackle-unaffordable-housing
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February 3, 2022 11:51am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Laughable stupidity by yet another thick-as-a-brick Minister.
  
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  February 3, 2022 12:30pm
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    Poto must read KB.
    
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    February 3, 2022 12:45pm
- Yabster
  
  yep more socialist bullshit from this shame of a government.
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:53pm
tknorriss

Another thing is why is the government prioritizing criminals from Australia over deserving Kiwi citizens?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300434756/covid19-501-deportee-flights-to-resume-dedicated-isolation-hotel-stood-up

They have their own dedicated MIQ facility, which must give them priority over other kiwis.

Why doesn’t the government just tell the Auzzies that the 501s won’t be allowed back into NZ until deserving Kiwi citizens can get back.
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February 3, 2022 12:20pm
MCōs

Shock Horror

Novak Djokovich is getting vaccinated.
A bitter pill to swallow for all his hardcore antivax supporters.
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February 3, 2022 12:22pm
- Libertarians are right
  
  Shock horror – a bunch of authoritarian idiots have forced a guy who has already had Covid twice (so the vax has zero real value) and as an elite sportsman actually has some risk from the vaccine to risk his career just so he doesn’t lose his career.
  
  People can be anti-mandate without being anti-vax. He’s a very good example of why the mandates are moronic.
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:02pm
kevn

@MCos… Novak getting Novavax?
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February 3, 2022 12:42pm
- MCōs
  
  Novavax
  The vaccine you get when you’re antivax?
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:19pm
graham

Is the farce that is “transgender athletes” starting to crumble?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/usa-swimming-updates-transgender-policy-after-college-athlete-beats-rivals-by-record-smashing-38-seconds/CYHX7MCPUKJ7I7TPRTKYZTWDWQ/

US competitive swimming’s governing body has amended its eligibility criteria for transgender athletes after a college swimmer beat her competition by 38 seconds.

Lia Thomas qualified for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships after beating the next best swimmer by a record 38 seconds at a competition in Ohio last year – around a full lap.

Surely with such a massive gap, nobody can seriously argue that this was fair.

Participants in women’s events will now have to have recorded low levels of testosterone for 36 months prior to competing, according to USA Swimming.

They will also be assessed by a three-person panel to determine whether “prior physical development of the athlete as a male” gives them an unfair advantage.

Finally, common sense would appear to be entering this ludicrous situation.

Even Caitlyn (formerly Bruce) Jenner gets it.

Transgender former athlete Caitlyn Jenner also said she did not support the NCAA.

“Her hands are bigger. She can swim faster. That’s a known,” she said.

“All of this is woke world that we’re living in right now is not working. I feel sorry for the other athletes that are out there, especially at Penn or anyone she’s competing against, because in the woke world you have to say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is great.’ No it’s not.”
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February 3, 2022 12:55pm
Surely Knott

Why isn’t the Pfizer Shot on the NZ national immunisation schedule? Is that because it’s not fully approved?
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/immunisation/new-zealand-immunisation-schedule
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February 3, 2022 1:05pm
- Surely Knott
  
  The law (Health Immunisation Regulations)
  requires the form of an immunisation certificate as:
  “(a) the full name of the child:
  (b) the child’s date of birth:
  (c) whether or not the child has been fully immunised against the diseases for the time being specified in the National Immunisation Schedule:
  (d) if the child has not been fully immunised, those diseases against which, in the vaccinator’s opinion, the child has been immunised or has developed laboratory-proven natural immunity:
  (e) such other particulars as the Director-General considers appropriate.”
  
  So the law considers “fully immunised: as having taken those vaccines as defined on the register. (Pfizer is not on the register) And that natural immunity that can be laboratory-proven is an acceptable form of immunisation.
  
  https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1995/0304/latest/whole.html
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:57pm
UrbanNeocolonialist

In a surprising piece of data it turns out Tucker Carlson now has more self identifying Democrats watching him than any other DNC aligned cable news show. That must have legacy media and DNC clenching their buttocks pretty hard, cause those viewers are unlikely to stay democrats over long term
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February 3, 2022 1:12pm
Maggie Pie

TRENDING RNZ 😀

‘Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Souvenir Crockery’ has been produced with a spelling mistake! LOL!!!

Instead of ‘Jubilee’…..it’s been printed as JUBBLY.

https://twitter.com/radionz/status/1488965452428881920

Googled it:

jubbly (noun)…. the breast of a female, usually pertaining to a BB cup or larger, especially during jiggling motions which display bounce involving any act with baby oil.

– Urban Dictionary
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February 3, 2022 1:18pm
- cmm
  
  Now there’s a collector’s item I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on!
  
  Apparently there was a lot of coronation crockery smashed and people asking for refunds when Edward VIII abdicated after less than a hear in the big chair.
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:30pm
  - Taieri
    
    Now there’s a collector’s item I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on!
    —————-
    
    Queen’s breasts? Oh, my god…
    
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    February 3, 2022 4:02pm
Benedict Yu

I heard someone on the radio banging on again about ‘inequitable’ access to the vaccines for Maori.

It does not stack up.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-vaccine-data

Maori vaccination rates for 65+ are 100 percent. For the 50-64 group it is 97 percent.

The group with the lowest rate is Maori 20-34, but even that is 87 percent and it is 82 percent in Northland.

So are these ‘experts’ saying that the health system is denying access to Maori in the 20-34 age cohort but not in those aged older than 50?

That makes no sense.
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February 3, 2022 1:21pm
- cmm
  
  It is not just Maori demanding Covid-equity and not making any sense.
  
  “fat activists around the world have challenged the problematisation of fatness and its effects,”
  
  Nope, being fat is not a health problem. The problem is that health institutions are “fatphobic” and not doing their job!
  
  And you and I are funding this nonsense!
  
  https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/about-massey/news/article.cfm?mnarticle_uuid=88CB5A32-157D-4E5E-85B6-ADB48361AD25
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:35pm
- 70andstilllearning
  
  So looking at that latest Vaccine Data update (today) 3 DHB regions still to get to 90% fully vaxxed overall. Whanganui & Tairawhiti with both in the 200’s to go, Northland needs 5145 overall, 5119 for Maori and therefore by difference 26 non Maori. Oh dear I forgot – the MSM told us some weeks back Northland’s problem in achieving 90% is the non Maori populations fault – not enough of them over the 90% number have partaken of the vaccine to compensate for the Maori who have chosen not to partake. I actually saw a guy i know interviewed on 3news the other night and with Omicron on it’s way he was “thinking about” getting the jab. I know bloody well that the vaccinators in the area he lives have been doing everything possible to get whanau vaxxed, including home visits. So your right Benedict, it doesn’t make sense.
  PS. I do note that Northland’s reached 90% first jab but that could have been reached before Xmas with some attitudinal change.
  OK – rant over!!
  
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  February 3, 2022 3:32pm
- curry4me
  
  Benedict Yu: Gotta keep the gravy train rolling. It needs frequent refuelling.
  
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  February 3, 2022 6:26pm
cmm

I see the name suppression has lifted on one of the men charged with the murder of 16-year-old Connor Whitehead.

A certain Daniel Nelson Sparks.

So how is this Sparks described by the Herald? A 43 solo father? Some violin music please.

Ok, can’t be this Daniel Nelson Sparks that was a one-man crime wave in 2011 and was 33 then?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/court/8050934/Ohai-man-jailed-for-terrifying-episode

Apparently, somehow a violent guy who has form attacking people with a pistol in 2011 managed to get his hands on a firearm again. Surely that is impossible in Magic Cindyland.

Inserting “alledged” where required is left as an intellectual exercise for the reader.
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February 3, 2022 1:24pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  Talk about a FREE RANGE ASYLUM out there!!
  
  Reading the story…it says he was given a ‘3 Strike Warning’ back then.
  So what would that actually mean now I wonder?
  
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  February 3, 2022 1:38pm
Jethrod

Here is an incisive piece from Muriel Newman fresh out this morning…..https://thebfd.co.nz/2022/02/03/a-cultural-con/
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February 3, 2022 1:41pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Off with his head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eobuu-IexvI

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/127674468/acts-david-seymour-mocks-red-queen-jacinda-ardern-in-stateofnation-speech
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February 3, 2022 2:00pm
- Its only I
  
  He was right on form with that one and it was laugh out loud funny in places.
  I can imagine the Jacinda Portrait Hangers and Polishers dept working up a little foam in the corners of their lips while hearing that.
  The Labour keyboard warrior troll farm will be working overtime and sadly that will include the major pro Jilta media.
  
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  February 3, 2022 3:09pm
PeeJay

I seem to recall that one modellers predicted 50,000 daily cases by Waitangi weekend. With the current count at 147 community cases today and the weekend starting, well tomorrow, without being too harsh, I think it’s fair to predict that this model is total crap!

Anyone kept track with the other models? None of them seem to be even remotely close to reality so far.

I’m sure case numbers will start to climb, and probably rapidly once omicron starts really circulating, but the predictions so far seem to have been hopelessly inaccurate.
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February 3, 2022 2:15pm
Harry Knuts

Open letter to Jacinda,
You have finally read the room and come to common sense in seeing these border restrictions to NZ citizens at least are not sustainable. the fact NZ has endured these for 2 years blows my mind that you managed to get away with this for 2 years. Was it the int’l media that shed light on this inhumane system you kept going and blew up internationally that got you to finally see sense. I can assure you, you will actually go down in history as NZ’s most unkind leader. So many peoples lives and savings ruined by your constant flip-flopping of borders open/borders closed. Safe to say 1mil kiwi’s abroad aren’t your voting demographic now and so it shouldn’t be.
Also from a business persepctive with closed borders = no commercial flights = constant constraints on goods supplied into NZ affecting business owners and in the end peoples job and income. that’s less GST in your govt pocket. Is that why your coming up with new and creative tax grabs like the so-called job insurance? highly likely me thinks.
Kind regards, Harry Knuts
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February 3, 2022 2:24pm
godruelf

Watched all Seymour’s speech and he really nails it.
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February 3, 2022 2:25pm
Maggie Pie

ANOTHER ‘BURNING’

Honestly, if everyone else in the country sees it like we all do….how come the idiots that actually run TVONE haven’t got the message?

https://twitter.com/NvrseenthisB4/status/1488947906803482626
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February 3, 2022 2:37pm
CAKE FACE1

“Pyrrhic victory – is a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat.”

I wonder if this fate will befall National / ACT, if they win the next election, as I suspect that they will?

The economy looks in terrible shape to me. Government spending (at both national and local levels) is simply out of control. There has been exceptionally poor quality with the spending largesse.

Inflation is running wild. I don’t believe that the current inflation we see is transitory, or that it has peaked. The “Aotearoan” dollar is in freefall. Interest rates must rise sharply, which could trigger mass defaults. Business is already on its knees. A substantial recession seems to me to be on the cards.

Hold onto your hats. This is going to get very ugly.
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February 3, 2022 2:52pm
- PeeJay
  
  While I understand your point, and 2023 could indeed be defined as a good election to lose, I believe that winning with the economy and finances falling off a cliff as is likely to be the case in 2023, this is actually a good time to get into power if you actually want to implement real change and not just do some form of managed decline. With the economy low and finances in a bad state, this could provide a reforming government with the perfect cover to implement a fairly radical change and implement some deeply unpopular policy. An electorate that wouldn’t stomach superannuation changes or reframing the treaty during good times might not be so against the thought if the economy is in the shit.
  
  Of course, National / ACT could just take their cue from Labour – don’t say anything, get in, rush through the big changes that you never mentioned in your manifesto, in year one and then spend the next two years being ‘normal’ and hope the electorate is over it by the time the election rolls around!
  
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  February 3, 2022 4:54pm
  - artemisia
    
    Good points about a chance to bring in far reaching policies. I hope that National / ACT spend some time digging deep into what they want and need to achieve and don’t get sideswiped by pretty slogans and activists pushing barrows.
    
    Though it would be truly karmic if Labour / Greens inherit the next government train wreck.
    
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    February 3, 2022 6:57pm
- surfing
  
  Print money, lower interest rates to nearly 0, then Finance minister crows that the economy is doing great.
  
  Like a fire burns really well when you throw petrol onto it. It’ll flare, but then burn out.
  
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  February 3, 2022 6:02pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

RINOs.
https://thepoliticalinsider.com/trump-rips-lindsey-graham-lindseys-a-nice-guy-but-hes-a-rino/
3 2
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February 3, 2022 4:32pm
kevn

@MCos…. Oh, well that’s ok then? Not.
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February 3, 2022 4:37pm
Maggie Pie

ANGRY loses his sh*t…..

“National have not employed any more nurses since Labor came to office 5 years ago”

– Andrew Little

(WTF??)
17 1
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February 3, 2022 5:18pm
- nathie
  
  I thought I heard Andrew Little saying that HDPA had an “attitude problem” and also said to her that “you are just wrong” when she interviewed him.
  
  Imagine if a National leader said that – the MSM would be outraged!
  
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  February 3, 2022 6:12pm
  - nathie
    
    https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/andrew-little-icu-nurse-recruitment-will-begin-later-this-week/
    
    Here it is, about 3/4 into the interview Little stated HDPA had an attitude thing (this afternoon) … looks like Labour’s media team are surveilling the likes of NewsTalkZB for “wrong group think” and passing that on to senior Ministers like Little (after all surely Little and Labour don’t sit around listening to talkback themselves, do they, because they are meant to be actually working???
    
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    February 3, 2022 6:20pm
- [email protected]
  
  1/3 of the way into that interview Little said that 1000 nurses had been brought into the country over the past two years. Can anyone verify or dispell that statement?
  
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  February 4, 2022 6:57am
greybeard

Judging by the cartoon on Stuff this morning Jim Hubbard is a very close bedfellow of Sharon Murdoch.
How sad their lives must be to get satisfaction from publishing vicious and venomous comments about their fellow New Zealanders.
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February 3, 2022 5:37pm
Maggy Wassilieff

As expected… Our Dear PM has lots of overseas Travel on her agenda …

How nice… to piss off from a NZ winter and have a nice wee break in UK and USA during their summer.
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February 3, 2022 6:11pm
Maggie Pie

First home-buyer from Mt Roskill, tells HDPA he regrets not telling bank about purchase of ‘Halal Scotch Egg’ after being turned down for mortgage.

Says…. ‘He will not make same mistake twice. Will borrow cash from one of his seven wives in future”.
8 1
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February 3, 2022 6:33pm
greybeard

Access to Kiwiblog is abysmal.
Do we have DoS situation ?

[The blog host has been alerted. Mods. cannot easily access comments, which is why there are delays posting. Mod.]
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February 3, 2022 6:37pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I was wondering if my Mac was going on the blink…
  
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  February 3, 2022 6:55pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  I’ve already phoned in to tell them I may be late for shift.
  
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  February 3, 2022 6:58pm
[email protected]

My arm was injured trying to start a petrol chainsaw. The doctor filed an ACC claim which ACC accepted. Then was charged a “surcharge” by the ultrasound organization. I thought that accidents were covered in New Zealand. Anyone have an idea why we would have to pay a “surcharge” for an accident?
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February 3, 2022 7:25pm
- bronny1
  
  All the ultrasounds I’ve had from injuries (3 or 4), I’ve had to pay half. It’s a big chunk of change if you are not working! I also pay $50 per physio visit surcharge – some physics have no surcharge but they are crap so waste of time.
  
  I think what’s happened is that the amount ACC will,pay for a procedure has not moved in 10 years while actual costs have just kept increasing.
  
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  February 3, 2022 8:19pm
  - Julie
    
    Correct, they reimburse travel expenses at 27 c km, not changed in over ten years. They will however pay your full public transport costs if you can get to your appointment this way.
    
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    February 9, 2022 6:01pm
Tauhei Notts

David Seymour has a minor touch of the tar brush, and with that touch he is going to make the lives of the likes of Willie Jackson, Nanaia Mahuta & Co a misery.
8 0
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February 3, 2022 8:04pm
Rusty

What world is Michael Baker living in?

He seems to have a doom and gloom mindset every time the Govt announces new rules on the covid response.

If he had his own way he would have every Nzer lock downed in their own homes indefinitely.

Of course he would demand he get special privileges because he is an essential worker but the rest of NZ can suffer through loss of income, small business close downs, unpaid mortgages, kids not learning, mental health and alcohol abuse and a host of other causes.

Why does our media continue to report his negative opinions?
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February 4, 2022 11:06am

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