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February 7, 2022 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 07 February 2022

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General Debate

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Warren

We have had Shaun Hendry,Micheal Baker, Micheal Plank
and and now Rod Jackson the Epidemiologists who have predicted many deaths and lives that will be lost for Covid-19 , the Delta Variant and now Omicron.
So now we have Rod Jackson fawning over the Omicron response saying New Zealand is set to better anybody else’s response as Omicron surges around the world, he says New Zealand continues to manage the new variant better than most Countries around the globe. So much so New Zealand cases saw a drop in numbers on Waitangi day with the Ministry of Health announcing 208 cases on Sunday compared to Saturdays record day of 243 covid infections.
Just Like our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern these Epidemiologists show no bounds in their predictions and with statements like this leave them selves wide open to criticism “I think we are going to do better than anybody else, just like we have done better than anybody else to date with the previous variants, Jackson told Newshub.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/covid-19-epidemiologist-rod-jackson-says-new-zealand-s-omicron-response-set-to-be-better-than-anybody-else.html
Wow you have to wonder what the Government is paying these people to get this sought of hearsay out to the publc.
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February 7, 2022 8:00am
- bronny1
  
  I saw that. What an arrogant dick, to think like that, that he can control a virus that nobody else in the world, even places with competent governments have.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:02am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Someone should tell Jackson the team of 5 million is no more.
  Many have unsubscribed
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:11am
  - Paulus
    
    How can I get off being one of the 5 million – I have had enough under this so called Government.
    Where is this place Mahi that Ardern referred to that has not been finished,
    I know that Transmission Gully has not been finished but how many other failures has she got.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:09am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Simple, just email Jaspinda and tell her to take you off the subscribed list.
      You may not get a reply, she is very busy you know
      
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      February 7, 2022 2:14pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  Might be worth asking Jackson if he understands the correlation between case numbers and the number of tests, pro tip, he doesn’t. Like the rest of the pandemicists he will grab any statistic and twist it to support his nonsensical narrative.
  The consensus among genuine experts is clear, we will almost certainly all get covid eventually.
  The “vaccine” has failed to do what Brenda and co said/hoped it would do. Evidence indicates that it may actually be driving cases. It remains to be seen what almost 2 years of hiding, excessive hygiene and social distancing and a sustained psychological campaign to terrify the population into obedience will bring us. I doubt it’s going to be anything good.
  It’s time to shut down the pandemicists. Look at the real world data. Look at what the rest of the world are doing, and stop this madness. Get back to the original pandemic preparedness plan, the one that was dumped for no sane reason at the beginning of covid clown world.
  Protect the vulnerable. Vaccinate those who want it because they think it will help them. Drop the mandates. Drop the vax passport. Move on.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:25am
  - Overworked
    
    You left out one essential item from your scenario: deny COVID-19 related hospital level care for those who have chosen not to vaccinate. Those unable to vaccinate should continue to receive care, obviously.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:05am
    - mawm
      
      Now do the same with obesity, smokers, alcoholics, those that partake in dangerous sports, and people who use cars – all who have preventable hospital admissions, whereas vaccination with mRNA “vaccines” is seemingly now driving hospitalisation with Covid-19 (check out any competent statistical analysis of Israel’s latest data) and vaccine harm with admissions for myocarditis, acute coronary syndromes, neurological damage, etc.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:57am
      - Fight4NZ
        
        If only there was a vaccination, freely provided, for all those conditions you listed, that would make a case of sorts.
        
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        February 7, 2022 2:28pm
      - Mr_Blobby
        
        Life is all about assessing risk.
        
        Some people actually volunteer to race cars and jump out of airplanes.
        
        Without risk, life is not worth living.
        
        So Jacinda you can take your, “out of an abundance of caution”, and stick you know where.
        
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        February 7, 2022 6:13pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Great idea, just ensure you add drug users, alcoholics, avoidably obese, adventure sports participants and physical contact sports participants, people who drive vehicles and basically anyone who partakes in an activity that has a remote chance of causing them to need hospital attention.
      Once you advocate for that I’m fully onboard. Otherwise you are talking out of your rectum. Do you work for Brenda by any chance? It’s a common trait. Possibly a prerequisite.
      
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      February 7, 2022 11:07am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Mate, anyone working for Brenda would definitely NOT be Overworked.
        
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        February 7, 2022 2:37pm
    - bronny1
      
      And all the fatties and those with type two diabetes also.
      
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      February 7, 2022 11:58am
    - ISeeRed
      
      https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/comments_policy :Personal Abuse
      
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      February 7, 2022 12:48pm
    - ross.mc
      
      [Deleted – trolling, nothing to do with the post you are responding to. mod.]
      
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      February 7, 2022 12:57pm
    - Stellaboxer
      
      Overworked you going to refund the tax I’ve paid for social health care? Who pays for the now majority of cases presenting at hospitals that have all the prescribed jabs Pfizer?
      
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      February 7, 2022 2:21pm
      - Fight4NZ
        
        More than abundantly covered by the tax collected from the 95% who are vaccinated. The same that already paid for the treatment the antivaxxers have refused. Why should we throw good money after bad?
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:35pm
    - Overworked
      
      Of course no-one would implement the witholding of treatment, settle down in the back stalls please.
      
      However, it is worth remembering that if the hospitals are dealing with an oversupply of unvaccinated people who are acutely unwell, there will be other people with less obvious conditions who will go without and who will suffer the consequences – completed stroke, MI, conditions which are less easily diagnosed. And the usual cancers will be missed or have treatment delayed to the point where outcomes have changed.
      
      The moral question is: which group should be given the limited resource? And why?
      
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      February 7, 2022 8:50pm
  - cmm
    
    “Might be worth asking Jackson if he understands the correlation between case numbers and the number of tests, pro tip, he doesn’t.”
    
    I’ll bet he does understand.
    
    But there’s no benefit in pursuing that line of reasoning.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:13am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    ‘Excessive washing’
    The only thing that has been washed thoroughly is our brains
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:16pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      2 downtickers still got water in the head
      
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      February 7, 2022 3:27pm
  - Fight4NZ
    
    Disclaimer:
    – the “vaccine” has worked surprisingly effectively along side non-medical measures. Compare Delta outbreak in NZ to other countries where it got into the community.
    – No evidence shows any driving of cases by the vaccine. This is simply antivaxxer unfounded speculation.
    – Few in the population are terrified by the virus, the vast majority have just taken the sensible precautions on offer. Most fear-stricken are antivaxxers of the vaccine which has proven to have a very high safety record internationally.
    – the minimal inconveniences of the non-medical measures will be quickly forgotten in the return to normality.
    – the process to return to normality is underway with the arrival of omicron, with NZ moving along its own schedule which will be argued to be slow or fast but ultimately of minor consequence.
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:59pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Fight4NZ do you wear a badge stating “I implicitly trust the government without question and I’m proud of it”?
      
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      February 8, 2022 10:18pm
- 2ic
  
  So NZ is handling a seasonal virus in the middle of our summer better than the northern hemisphere are in the middle of their winter? Who’d have thought?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:26am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    2ic – while using the most draconian measures on the planet. Yes, she’s amaaaazzziiinnnnggg!
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:16am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Be interesting to hear Jaspinda’s excuses during/after the winter.
      Tune in for more word soup waffle (anyone got a decoder???)
      
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      February 7, 2022 2:19pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        She intends being out of the country during our winter
        
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        February 7, 2022 2:23pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Alaska Maggie? Pop 750K or something, 300K in Anchorage. Great place to disappear in!
        Alaskan summer is just like Auckland summer, only short – less than 9 weeks.
        Head for the interior and nobody will find you except the bears.
        Huge, been twice.
        
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        February 7, 2022 3:32pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        “Head for the interior and nobody will find you except the bears.”
        
        That thought has crossed my mind a few times with the way things are heading.
        
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        February 8, 2022 10:13pm
- Peter Lane
  
  Anyone with half a brain would realise that the low rates at the moment are entirely due to the fact that no one is being tested, partially due to apathy but mainly, in my view, due to the ridiculous self isolation period that is imposed if you test positive.
  
  Add that to the fact that the main symptoms are those of a common head cold and it’s little wonder the numbers are so low.
  
  Personally I couldn’t give a flying f*** what the numbers are but they seem to govern the way so many people currently live their lives.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:33am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Lefties don’t understand human nature, i.e the creation of incentives/ disincentives drives behavioural change.
    
    It’s just ‘easier’ to ban stuff, so they do, and wonder why the expected outcomes don’t materialise.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:08am
    - Loddenthinks
      
      To be fair they do understand that there are consequences of their initiatives; it’s just that the consequences are invariably unintended and make the situation much worse.
      
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      February 7, 2022 12:55pm
    - Mr_Blobby
      
      May need to bring out the incentives again, KFC vouchers, Free coffee, pies etc
      
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      February 7, 2022 6:18pm
    - Fight4NZ
      
      “ creation of incentives/ disincentives drives behavioural change”
      So you would support CGT or sugar tax as disincentives of undesirable human behaviours?
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:43pm
  - Overworked
    
    Another factor in low testing rates could be anger with the government. If we had readily available RATs for instance, people could test without losing half a day’s work or personal time. At the moment it’s a major hassle to get tested, all down to government incompetence and purist thinking around relatively minor testing specificity and sensitivity issues. They’re still better than no test at all.
    
    If we had oral antivirals there would be a point to early testing in terms of personal, family, social and health system protection.
    
    We have neither because of government incompetence. Medsafe approval is pending for the oral antivirals and has been for far too long, almost certainly through no fault of the committee members. The government could easily amend legislation to allow us to accept Australian, Canadian or UK approvals, but the government for some inexplicable reason pretends that this is impossible.
    
    They’ve shown no previous reluctance to rush through major legislation in a day or two or to spend huge amounts of money on social vaporware, so why start being parsimonious now?
    
    And of course they’re so incompetent that the placing of forward orders is impossible for them to conceive.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:19am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      If you were to read the Risk Management plan provided to Medsafe which they used to make their decision to approve the Pfizer jab, you would likely change your mind.
      I don’t know who the people are who approved it, but they either didn’t read it, didn’t comprehend it or they are paid shills. No other alternative is possible.
      
      https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/COVID-19/Comirnaty-RMP.pdf
      
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      February 7, 2022 11:22am
      - Fight4NZ
        
        So I read it and wondering what specifically you thought made the vaccine unsuitable for approval?
        
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        February 7, 2022 2:36pm
      - Overworked
        
        Nothing in that document to cause fright. A list of (then) unknowns together with anaphylaxis, a standard risk with exposure to various antigens, myocarditis/pericarditis which has a much greater incidence after covid-19 infection, and vaccine-associated enhanced disease which is a concern that was put to bed some time ago.
        
        The other substantive questions have been satisfactorily answered.
        
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        February 7, 2022 8:56pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    The Whoreald must be reading Kiwiblog.
    
    “Testing numbers plunge…..”
    
    Baker and another muppet believe it is people becoming complacent due to covid “fatigue”. No, it’s because people aren’t stupid. They know the implications of getting a test that isn’t fit for purpose and the impact on their lives.
    
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-testing-numbers-plunge-as-fatigue-sets-in/ESFTNUU4A2WYM2FKJCHD66GCBQ/
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:19am
  - JerJer
    
    This is exactly right. People are not getting tested due to a combination of a) not caring any more, b) understanding that the threat is much reduced, and c) understanding that isolation rules will needlessly disrupt everyone a lives.
    
    This gives me back some confidence in the public’s ability to sum up the situation. Sure, if you are really sick, go get help. If your not, do what a normal person does, and stay at home until you are well, like we always did.
    
    This lack of getting tested is providing the added bonus of no numbers to scare people with, and making the experts look rather silly at the same time….
    
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    February 7, 2022 1:20pm
    - Fight4NZ
      
      The vast majority have always had the ability to sum up the situation. It is only a small minority who have regrettably been exposed to scare mongering by the anti vaxxer cult and for what ever reason not recognised the non-scientific misinterpretations of data or flawed data used in their arguments.
      Thankfully with the arrival of the new situation some antivaxxer thinking is starting to fall into line with reality.
      
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      February 7, 2022 2:40pm
      - ClanMcleod
        
        F4NZ – you couldn’t have read the Medsafe RMP, if you did then your comprehension skills are woeful.
        
        Or did you accidentally skip page 3?
        
        ” Important identified risks – Anaphylaxis
        Myocarditis and pericarditis.
        Events of anaphylaxis have been reported.
        Events of myocarditis and pericarditis have been reported.
        Most frequently reported in adolescent and
        young adult male patients following the second dose of vaccine; however, reports have been received for males and females of broader age range and following the first vaccination also.
        
        (This will explain the explosion of young athletes and soccer players collapsing while participating in sport.)
        
        AND – Important potential risks – Vaccine-associated enhanced disease (VAED) including vaccine associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD)
        
        Of most concern would have to be the “Missing information”
        
        – Use in pregnancy and while breast feeding
        
        – Use in immunocompromised patients
        
        – Use in frail patients with co-morbidities (eg, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, chronic neurological disease,
        cardiovascular disorders)
        
        – Use in patients with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders
        
        – Interaction with other vaccines
        
        – Long term safety data
        
        All quoted directly from the RMP from Pfizer which Medsafe used to approve this experiment as “safe and tested”. Yet they don’t have information for the above groups.
        
        But you couldn’t see any problem? I look forward to you explaining how none of the above is a problem. Take your time.
        
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        February 7, 2022 5:16pm
      - Fight4NZ
        
        Won’t take any time. Like every medicine, in fact anything at all taken into a body for some this will have some level of deleterious effect. That’s what has been reported. As the outcomes from billions of doses received confirm the number of these unavoidable events is tiny and even more rarely lethal.
        They had at that time not completed testing for some minority portions of the population. This means different approach in those cases until further data available. Not complicated.
        But you know this right? You have been told this many times, and have comprehension skills? So was there something else there?
        
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        February 7, 2022 6:09pm
      - Overworked
        
        ClanMcleod -you clearly don’t understand the Medsafe RMP in context, and in any case it’s outdated. Please stop spreading disinformation.
        See my answer to your previous point about the same document.
        
        No-one is trying to poison you.
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:04pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    They ‘govern’ with fear porn
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:21pm
- I remember when
  
  Is the Sixth Mass Extinction going to be Epidemiological advice.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:43am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Only for the idiots that take it, I hope!
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:56pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    This planet will still be here billions of years after the idiots have fucked with it
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:23pm
- kowtow
  
  It’s good . These ‘clever’ profs , making complete arses of themselves and so publicly .
  
  Some day people might also get woke to academictivist’s bullshit about the weather .
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:51am
- Biscuit
  
  Warren, I just laughed myself silly.
  
  Well, sillIER! ?
  
  From Stuff:
  
  Professor Michael Baker is going on about his new-found belief that we should move away from reporting daily Covid case numbers.
  He is quoted as saying:
  “None of us likes to predict the future…”
  He omits what he should then have carried on to say:
  ‘Especially when highly-respected professors like me who have been HAPPY to make predictions get egg all over our faces when those predictions – 80,000, wasn’t it, Michael? By Waitangi Day? – prove to be about as reliable as the daily newspaper Horoscopes…’
  
  Sheesh…
  
  Horoscope For Tomorrow:
  ‘A loudmouthed, wimpish-looking, occasionally pink-haired academic will opine on some topic of the day. Cover your ears, shut your eyes, and run for the hills! But if he/she/it recommends a horse number to back, put a dollar or three on because, heh, he/she/it HAS to be better at THAT sort of thing than at Covid-modelling…”
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:53am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Those working in ED and ICU at North Shore get tested every 5 days. Add that up for all the DHBs.
    That is a lot of tests keeping the numbers up, but hey, Labour think we know nothing about numbers right?
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:26pm
- Fishing in the dark
  
  As I wrote many times here and directly to them, they are only 3rd class professors and our Show Pony has no class at all, all what she is expert in is in lying and fish n chips wrapping and rest around her which she has selected are truly bunnies.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:14pm
- SmokerGuy
  
  We may have less deaths than other countries but they have completely fucked our economy and this will hurt New Zealand for a long time in many ways. It’s not his job to take this into consideration but it is the governments. Sadly they give almost zero fucks about our economy but they will when it costs them votes and possibly the next election.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:42pm
- Mr_Blobby
  
  1. Stop watching the news, I guarantee you will be a lot happier.
  
  2. More and more Governments around the World are calling time on Covid.
  
  I doubt that they are ready to admit that they were not able to contain it and that all they did was delay the inevitable.
  
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  February 7, 2022 6:08pm
Pongo

Be interesting if the government would re start given the number of people scanning in at the moment.
With the insane self isolation period its rare to see people scanning in anywhere.
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February 7, 2022 8:04am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I look at the body language of those scanning and think ‘yep, you are one of them, a sycophant’
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:12am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    3 people looked in the mirror and downticked!
    Congratulations on finding out you are one of ‘them’
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:36am
    - mawm
      
      You’re too kind. Mindless sheep – but are now too embarrassed to repeat the down tick.
      
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      February 7, 2022 11:04am
  - Zoro
    
    That’s my observation too.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:57am
- DeepBlue
  
  If you open the Covid scanner app and look at the dashboard it shows the days scans. There is also a link through to the spreadsheet of daily totals.
  
  So far people are still scanning.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:42am
- kevn
  
  @Pongo… Lot’s of pretend QR scanning going on.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:42am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Or just sign in. Donald Duck – Hollywood. Phone? Don’t be silly, ducks don’t have phones
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:29pm
  - Fight4NZ
    
    The pretend scanning is by those that believe pretend science and are bereft of community spirit or responsibility.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:53pm
- Marcus Vinicius
  
  The MOH Tracer app data is here for anyone who wants to debate the statistics:
  https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-data-and-statistics/covid-19-nz-covid-tracer-app-data
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:01am
  - Marcus Vinicius
    
    LOL!
    Why a down tick just for posting where the MOH data is? I don’t have any skin in the game re whether or not the data is accurate or fake.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:13am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Only one? The rest of the rabid socialists must be still cycling back from their long weekend holiday
      
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      February 7, 2022 2:31pm
artemisia

Eric Crampton in his Stuff article today is all in favour of the government proposal for the unemployment insurance scheme. Provided it is implemented as actually proposed.

Unemployment insurance: The rorts to come

Interestingly he has taken a look at the Canadian scheme, sometimes mentioned on Kiwiblog as an exemplar.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/127701161/unemployment-insurance-the-rorts-to-come
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February 7, 2022 8:04am
- I remember when
  
  Would Unemployment Insurance result in the massive increase in ‘long covid’ that has been predicted.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:52am
- Ipanema69
  
  EC makes an extremely good points in his column. However the primary purpose of tge scheme is twofold IMO.
  
  Firstly it is an attempt by Robbo to create a legacy policy like the “Rich Prick” fund (also known as the Cullen Fund). I think deep down he knows that he will not be MOF next year.
  
  Secondly I think it is also an attempt to create a signature policy that is seen to belong to him. If he does decide to challenge Cindy for the leadershio he needs such a policy to hang his hat on.
  
  I think he does have leadership aspirations. Furthermore think he will position such a challenge on Cindys inability to deliver anything. It is not commented on much but Cindys personal popularity is tanking. This is the only asset she has for Labour. As it dissipates she becomes vulnerable.
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:05am
kowtow

The notion from the Maori Party that the ToW can be “divorced” from the monarchy and for the country to then be based on said same treaty is utterly ludicrous and shows how silly and shallow said callers to be.

Makes as much sense to call for Maoris to be divorced from the treaty .

Innit.
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February 7, 2022 8:06am
- lastmanstanding
  
  The ToW was NOT a Partnership. As I have repeated before Queen Vicky didnt do partnerships. She didnt have to. She could have annilated the Maori race with her troops and taken the land.
  
  Instead she offered protection from the French and British citizenship to the Maori.
  
  It was the Idiot Palmer in the 1980s who made up the partnership bull shit. There is no mention of it in any version of the ToW.
  
  However if the Maoris want to play the game then I say the ToW becomes null and void the minute NZ stops being a consitutional monarchy and becomes a republic. The “partnership” with the UK Crown will no longer exist in law or in reality.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:19am
  - Simon
    
    “Instead she offered protection from the French and British citizenship to the Maori.”
    
    ToW was a mechanism to acquire land, settle issues down until the Brits could gain critical mass. Many Maori went along with it. ToW was a sucker punch but given the broad sweep of history, just inevitable. Ho hum.
    
    To call it a partnership of course is a lie. This hides the true nature of the British Empire. Its just another cope. There are so many.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:41am
    - oldfella
      
      simon, Chris Trotter dusts off his lefty credentials and sounds the alarm.
      Driven by the 15-strong Labour Māori Caucus, which must, itself, keep an eye on the even more unabashed radicalism of the Māori Party. Aided by a mainstream news media determined to make good the historical harms inflicted upon Māori by its deeply prejudicial coverage of New Zealand race relations. The drive towards constitutional transformation has acquired an momentum that cannot now be easily, or painlessly, slowed.
      http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2022/02/thoughts-on-waitangi-day-2022.html
      
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      February 7, 2022 12:44pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    She could have annilated (sic) the Maori race with her troops and taken the land.
    
    Could not.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:41am
    - Michael Johnston
      
      I don’t often agree with you, but you could be right about this. If it had come to an all-out war a lot would have depended on whether Maori could have overcome their internal divisions and presented a united and at least reasonably coordinated military force. If they could, then I agree that they would have been a formidable guerrilla force andvery difficult to defeat. That’s a very big ‘if’ though. Not only were they riven with inter-iwi hatreds that went back a long way, some would have sided with the Crown in return for concessions.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:44am
      - mikenmildagain
        
        The British were not able to win the first all-out war, in 1845.
        Following the Waikato and second Taranaki wars, the British government got tired of providing blood and treasure to enrich colonialists who wanted to be able to settle more land.
        Crushing Maori independence and establishing a settled pastoral economy across the most valuable parts of the north island took many more decades.
        
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        February 7, 2022 6:29pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Exactly! These Maori Academics should be aware that should we become a Republic, the ToW is meaningless because the Queen would no longer be our Head of State. Instead, we would have a President as our Head of State.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:43am
  - Unity
    
    We most certainly don’t want to become a Republic. Imagine Jacinda as our overall Head of State. Naaah!!
    Anyway the Treaty is not our founding document and I can’t understand why people keep on calling it such. When it was signed we were still administered from NSW. Queen Victoria’s Royal Charter/Letters Patent dated 16 November 1840 separated NZ from NSW and made New Zealand into a British Colony with a Governor and Constitution that set up NZ’s political, legal and justice system under one flag and one law, irrespective of race, colour or creed. This Royal Charter superseded the Treaty of Waitangi. Once the Treaty was signed it had achieved its purpose and was filed away with New Zealand remaining under the jurisdiction of NSW until 3 May 1841 when the Royal Charter/Letters Patent dated 16 November 1840 was enacted.
    It’s time NZers learned our true history. It is all there written down and total indisputable.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:46am
  - Paulus
    
    Was not Queen Victoria asked by Maori to help them stop exterminating each other ?
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:11am
    - Bridgenag
      
      YES ………… Hona Hika got the muskets and wiped out 1/3 of the 150,000 Maori population in 1839 Not necessarily wiped out of course. A larder and mobile larder was useful too.
      
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      February 7, 2022 1:14pm
  - Positan
    
    Even now the idiot Palmer should be charged with high crimes for all the resulting damage his Treaty-twiddling wrought. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful and highly fitting end for a person, who imagined himself to be a constitutional lawyer and pretended the intellectual depth to be a professor of law. He’d then learn first-hand (a) that no one is above the law, and (b) that the serious damage he has caused to the welfare and interests of the state has severe legal consequences.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:37am
  - oldfella
    
    But, but, lastman, a reporter on one of the 6pm news bulletins last night said according to the MAORI version of the treaty said it WAS a partnership.
    Who to believe? /s
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:38am
    - lastmanstanding
      
      Show me the word ‘partnership” anywhere is any version of the ToW. It aint there. There is no reference to anything resembling a ‘partnership”. Never was. Palmer made it up as he is a gutless wonder with a guilt complex hand wringing pathetic wimp.
      
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      February 7, 2022 11:53am
      - Unity
        
        Can anyone imagine Queen Victoria going into partnership with a bunch of warring natives? The Crown could not go into partnership with any of its subjects. This huge reinvention needs to be acknowledged and dispensed with immediately and the Treaty filed where it should have long gone.
        
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        February 7, 2022 2:02pm
      - Observer of Life
        
        Lastman: Or has it kept him in work after parliamentary life?
        
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        February 7, 2022 6:34pm
      - riffer
        
        I would be most curious to have a mod explain how lastmanstandings personal insults of Geoffrey Palmer, who was an MP at the time, do not fall foul of the following in the comments policy:
        Abusive nicknames for MPs such as “Ardern the liar”, “Golly G”, “Simple Simon” will be unacceptable. You can critique something they have said or done, but not just repeat an abusive nickname.
        
        This blog of late has descending into name calling and insults of people with a political bent different to the prevailing opinion on here. While it is to be expected that a right wing blog won’t agree with many things that happen in a centre-left government, I fear this blog less and less is prepared to actually debate politics, and more and more to follow somewhat extremist opinions.
        
        It’s sad to see.
        
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        February 7, 2022 7:46pm
  - Loddenthinks
    
    “Instead she offered protection from the French and British citizenship to the Maori.”
    
    Don’t forget the main protection Maori wanted – from each other. They desperately wanted a rule of law to stop armed marauders sacking and looting and seizing their lands, ironically almost always having done the same to a weaker tribe to get the lands in the first place.
    
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    February 7, 2022 1:02pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Actually the partnership concept didnt come from Palmer but a Decision b the Court of appeal in 1987 in then Justice Robin Cooke, president of the courts said
    
    “the Treaty created an enduring relationship of a fiduciary nature akin to a partnership, each party accepting a positive duty to act in good faith, fairly, reasonably and honourably towards the other”.
    
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    February 7, 2022 6:04pm
- Dougal10
  
  If NZ becomes a republic the treaty with the english crown should become null and void
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:21am
  - Ra Henare
    
    The same logic was applied by the USA when it expanded NATO contrary to an agreement with the USSR.
    It said the same agreement didnt apply to Russia as it was not the USSR, the USSR no longer existed.
    
    and interesting concept if NZ becomes a republic then it would have to address the TOW and its so called principles.
    Of course no political party would disconnect from teh TOW.
    
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    February 7, 2022 6:07pm
- nathie
  
  That is clearly a radical idea.
  
  So let me help out Stuff (and woke TVNZ and Radio NZ).
  
  When you guys cover Maori issues (particularly under the guise of the Public Interest Journalism Funding and its guidelines (such as “acknowledging Māori as a Te Tiriti partner“), well guess what guys, that does NOT mean you need to be uncritical of radical ideas espoused by the likes of The Maori Party, Maori radicals and radical academics … you can actually debate these radical ideas by providing a counter view for balance (balance is (or was) integral to the goals of journalism).
  
  Yes that’s right Stuff (and others), you do not need to uncritically repeat radical views without a counter view or argument (even under PIJF guidelines)!
  
  So how do we know the Maori Party suggestion to “divorce from the Crown is radical”?
  
  1. It’s called Common Sense – think about what they are saying.
  
  2. Think about what “divorcing from the Crown” means and apply that to the ToW or Te Tiriti etc – why it becomes null and void. (Is Stuff really promoting the dissolving of the Treaty/Te Tiriti? Woah that’s brave of them, expect Hikois from all over NZ marching on to Stuff newsrooms denouncing Stuff as “racist” and “how dare they” determine what’s best for Maori, especially when the majority of Stuff’s senior staffers are Pakeha)!
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/about-stuff/300153543/meet-stuffs-senior-editorial-team
  
  3. Then think about the counter view – if “radical” Pakeha NZ’s were promoting the view that the Treaty/Te Tiriti should be torn up and “divorced” … well would you uncritically cover that? No you guys wouldn’t even cover it at all.
  
  4. Even the likes of Don Brash have said, he doesn’t want the Treaty/Te Tiriti done away with. No, on the contrary, he says he supports retaining the ToW (as NZ’s founding document) but wants an equal society.
  
  5. So why are Stuff (and State media TVNZ and RNZ) banning the likes of Don Brash from appearing in their media or from being interviewed?
  
  6. But you will allow Maori “radical” views but not Pakeha “radical” views or even non-radicals (such as Don Brash)?
  
  7. So how about allowing the Pakeha voice, for the interests of balanced debate?
  
  8. Otherwise Stuff and TVNZ and RNZ you are enabling radical Maori views only which will only end up in unrealistic expectations (for them), a divisive society or worse, civil unrest (and deaths) and society tearing itself apart as people take sides.
  
  9. We’ve seen this overseas so many times (let alone if one studies history), do you actually do any of these things Stuff/TVNZ/RNZ?
  
  10. Will you be held to account in the future (when peace returns after the mayhem, death and destruction) for your actions in inciting and uncritically promoting division?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:36am
  - Nickc2
    
    Soooo correct. Let’s face it, News Papers are only interested in profits and these profits only come from sales and advertising. Any News whatsoever (copied and pasted or opinion) is just a means of filling in space advertising can’t fill hence journalism is often seen as an unnecessary expense.
    As for TV and Radio, any form of News is once again only there as a means to fill in time between advertisements.
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:29am
Rich Prick

Is Covid over yet?
67 1
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February 7, 2022 8:09am
- curry4me
  
  Rich Prick: Yes, but don’t tell Stalinda.
  
  54 2
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  February 7, 2022 8:12am
  - Don Beckett
    
    It is for me and has been for 18 months. Still, some silly pricks won’t let me into their shop to spend my money. Oh well, their loss.
    Life goes on. 🙂
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:13am
  - riffer
    
    Again, insults and name calling. curry4me blatantly violating comments policy. And getting away with it. No wonder this blog is descending into an echo chamber.
    
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    February 7, 2022 7:48pm
- Gravelroad
  
  When will the Labour Party make their announcement (or announcement of the announcement) that having a booster will be the requirement of being awarded a new vax pass?
  Or has it already been announced?
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:19am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Or has it already been announced?
    
    No, it hasn’t already been announced.
    
    The Government has to run its buttering-up the public propaganda campaign first….
    then when all the boosted folk are convinced that it is the unvaxxed or double-dosed spreading the virus through the country, the Government will declare that only vaxxed & boosted folk are worthy citizens.
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:30am
    - Rich Prick
      
      Who will be the truely “clean” though? Boosted once, twice or twenty times?
      
      44 3
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      February 7, 2022 8:34am
    - Hollyfield
      
      The wording has already changed.
      
      On 17th January Jacinda said she was “open” to the booster being part of the vaccine pass.
      
      On 28th January, Chris Hipkins said it was “not mandatory”.
      
      On 2nd February, Chris Hipkins said it was “likely”.
      
      52 1
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      February 7, 2022 8:40am
      - Nickc2
        
        Aren’t we lucky to have a decisive, transparent and open Govt?
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:16am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      It’s going to be interesting watching the boosted blame the double jabbed for all their problems. The untermensch are at home eating popcorn, they aren’t allowed out to play.
      
      30 2
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      February 7, 2022 9:31am
    - cmm
      
      They’re clever about how they do the mandates.
      
      First you wait until as many as possible have done it voluntarily, then you apply coercion sin layers – not all at once.
      
      That way, the people that have done it voluntarily become your shills. They feel they’ve done their bit and others should too or, at least don’t feel a desire to resist because the coercion does not impact them.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:17am
      - ClanMcleod
        
        And don’t ever think this is all coincidence.
        
        As per the UK, a lot of time and effort has gone into the psychology of how to manipulate people to control their behaviour. It’s one of the most insidious things about the whole circus. Applied psychology used on a mostly unsuspecting population. When this is clear to enough people, those responsible are history. The sooner the better.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:23am
      - kowtow
        
        Clan
        
        I’m not so sure.
        
        I think there’s that many people so heavily self invested in the whole lockdownwas the only option to save the tens of 000’s , and the fact the Media Pardy are being carried by the govt ( via the taxpayer) that it will be a long long time before anyone will be held responsible.
        
        Meanwhile those who should be holding the govt to account and exposing the scam , said media Pardy keep up the distractions ie gold medal at the winter olympics , ukraine , dead kids in wells ,looney canadian truckers etc
        
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        February 7, 2022 11:04am
    - RightFirstTime
      
      So does that mean there are now three classes of citizens in this country? As one of the dirty unvaxxed I am feeling more and more like one of Hillary Clinton’s “deplorables”. //
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:45am
    - Ra Henare
      
      Keeping in mind that the Pass is all about getting people vaxed.
      A some point it will appear to the really dimwitted that it is a nonsense.
      
      Just a small look at Portugal, Denmark and other highly vaxed countries that have exploding numbers of cases…..
      
      At least the Danes, the Swedes and the Poms amongst others are coming to the conclusion that vax passes are stupid if they are intended to stop the virus spread
      
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      February 7, 2022 6:17pm
  - Opie
    
    Hipkins has said it’s likely…
    
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/02/likely-that-people-will-need-a-booster-for-vaccine-passes-covid-19-response-minister-chris-hipkins.amp.html
    
    Considering that all passes expire 6 months from download or June 1st (whichever is earlier) it’s always been their intention i reckon.
    
    Hopefully the current wave will have passed by then and they wont be able to justify it but because they went to red so early it’s really delaying it from getting going… this means we could have a longer period of omicron than the rest of the world
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:31am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      A longer period with omicron, or worse, the evidence that vaccinating during a pandemic will cause a new and far more dangerous variant to emerge.
      Original Antigenic Sin. Evidence is emerging in many places that suggest the jab programme is driving infections.
      
      “80% of serious covid cases are fully (triple) vaccinated”
      
      https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/321674
      
      “We are not on the verge of the endemic phase, we are in it. 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
      
      This is an exercise in insanity.
      
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      February 7, 2022 9:49am
      - Overworked
        
        Meaningless without knowing the age/co-morbidity figures and % of population/vaccinated population. Does the statistical profile of the seriously ill match that of the entire vaccinated population or are his patients mostly drawn from those unfortunate vulnerable people who are covid sitting ducks despite vaccination?
        
        Can’t be bothered answering those questions myself. Never argue with religious faith.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:28am
      - Fight4NZ
        
        Further disclaimer
        – there’s no evidence vaccination can lead to more virulent strains. Unsubstantiated antivaxxer scare story.
        – the rare phenomenon of Original Sin has not been observed with Covid-19.
        
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        February 7, 2022 11:34pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      [No, once was definitely enough. mod.]
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:22am
      - RichardX
        
        How have you tested the veracity of the claim?
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:50am
  - Simon
    
    Or has it already been announced?
    
    Hon Chris Hipkins: Kia ora everybody. In setting up the vaccine passport arrangements, we deliberately put an expiry date into all of the vaccine passports that were issued for people who have had their first two doses so that we could then make decisions about whether or not to simply roll that over or to introduce a booster dose requirement.
    
    We’ve not made a formal decision about introducing a booster dose requirement in order to keep your vaccine certificate or get a new one, but I have previously signalled that I think it is likely that later on in the year, in order to keep your vaccine certificate people will need a booster.
    
    https://covid19.govt.nz/news-and-data/latest-news/covid-19-media-conference-2-february-2022/
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:33am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Most passes expire in May. Hopefully the thing is over by then.
    
    Next month will be interesting. I doubt that the “cases” are going to expand into the thousands. Because you would need to be mental to be tested.
    
    I will “isolate” if I develop any cold like symptoms. Friends will deliver food to me. We already have it organised. But I will do out for walks and drives being careful to avoid people. But if I get tested, I will need to be worried about being reported to Kiwistasi.
    
    There were 200 cases reported yesterday. There is no way that means there were only 200 new infections in New Zealand yesterday.
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:36am
    - Andrew Worth
      
      That’s the position in this household as well, if we get symptoms we’ll avoid contact, but NOT getting tested will be a priority.
      
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      February 7, 2022 8:47am
      - John Pakes
        
        Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
        Brilliant, and how staunch!
        Avoid the test!
        We will look after ourselves!
        The Government is doing nothing!
        The only reason you are able to adopt this attitude Andrew is precisely because of the steps that the Government has taken.
        Compare the deaths per 100,000 population of, for example, the state of Minnesota, which has a population that is approximately that of NZ. They read 207. Care to work out what it is with us?
        Bet you wont.
        The only reason you and Benedict and others on this blog can show defiance is because of the work that our Government has done.
        If you were living in Minnesota, you would never be so bold.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:03am
      - Andrew Worth
        
        John pakes, when the government gets it right I support their policies, when they get it wrong I don’t, the elimination policy for the earlier variants when there was no vaccine I think made sense. Omicron is more contagious, less deadly, we have vaccines and now the virus is in NZ and it’s here to stay. So the best scenario is for it to spread at a rate that doesn’t overload the health system and for us to accept the other realities that go along with that spread. We have to change to the changed circumstances. One of those is that the tracing of the spread is being abandoned and will be increasingly impractical as case numbers increase, at that point it’s up to people to think for themselves rather than trust in government.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:19am
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        @JP, nonsense. In Minnesota you would be doing exactly the same – looking after yourself because the government can’t.
        
        If you test positive here you are literally on your own and under house arrest. The Government actively prevents you from accessing helpful medication. And a whole lot of other people are also arrested too late to stop them catching or spreading the disease.
        
        The alternative is to minimize risk situations, protect others at first sign of symptoms and seek medical help if and when symptoms worsen. The result of that will be as effective as mass testing while avoiding the huge costs and disruption of enforced compliance.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:21am
      - emmess
        
        @John Pakes
        Of or with?
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:24am
    - pdm
      
      `Because you would need to be mental to be tested.’
      
      Great turn of phrase BY – worth more than one uptick.
      
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      February 7, 2022 8:52am
      - lifesgood
        
        It is really interesting to see these comments, which btw I agree with and which have all gone into yellow. I made very similar comments a few days ago and my comment was deleted with the comment that I was inciting law breaking!
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:56am
    - John Pakes
      
      Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
      So, Benedict comes first.
      To hell with the majority.
      The mantra for the rest is to test, test, test.
      But not Benedict.
      He should not have to put up with the burden of isolation, after all, he is Benedict.
      And why should he. After all, he is so intelligent that he already, in advance, understands how he will be fed, so he must understand how to take a careful walk or drive.
      Like the queen, he can look forward to waving to the common folk from behind his closed windows.
      
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      February 7, 2022 9:22am
      - Peter Lane
        
        What an ovine comment.
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:37am
      - RoboRob
        
        This is what the ‘rules’ make decent people do. Unless you want all your firends, family and workmates to be put into isolation for 10 days, you don’t get tested.
        
        Benedict cant help it that JA made stupid rules that perversely work against stopping the virus.
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:41am
      - Andrew Worth
        
        Omicron is going to sweep through the population, it’s a question of balancing control of the spread with looking after peoples ability to support themselves and their families. Government policies at the moment are not recognizing the need for that balance.
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:42am
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        Yes, John. F the majority. They gave us this lunatic Government and can pay for it as far as I am concerned. I wash my hands of it and its nanny state. I’ll keep on looking after myself, family and friends as best I can and the politicians and bureaucrats can go to H.
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:45am
      - Charmaine Hawke
        
        John you can test, test and test again because you are a good comrade. Those of us who are not terrified of a cold will just get on with life.
        Oh and winter is coming so I hope you have your 3 month personal lockdown plans handy to avoid this years flu as well.
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:45am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        So, Benedict comes first.
        
        Of course he comes first.
        
        This Government has clearly told us WE ARE ON OUR OWN when the epidemic sweeps through the country.
        
        https://www.facebook.com/jacindaardern/videos/a-quick-summary-of-the-omicron-preparation-we-announced-today/1567061007010907/
        
        https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/127570956/stay-at-home-and-look-after-yourselves-gps-urge-preparation-ahead-of-omicron-wave
        
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        February 7, 2022 9:54am
      - RalphT
        
        Peter Lane: when you say an ovine comment are you suggesting that it involves people following like sheep? Personally, I see it as more bovine; loads of bullshit.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:00am
      - ClanMcleod
        
        It must be painful watching your princess and her narrative collapsing into a pile of excrement. I almost feel sad for you. Almost.
        Get used to it JP. This isn’t going to get any better for her or you or any of her other reducing number of supporters.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:00am
      - JimBobJoe
        
        John – we know you are vulnerable (you have told people on this blog over and over), however I and others are not responsible for your health status or its management.
        
        COVID19 just like all the other corona viruses circulating in the human population (3 or 4 other families of them iirc) along with RSV, the Adenoid-virus and Rhino-virus and countless other viruses is now ENDEMIC.
        
        You know these viruses (and COVID19 has joined the ranks) are always there, always infecting humans…. and there is little you can do against endemic viruses except manage your health as well as possible to ensure your immunity system can deal to those endemic viruses.
        
        So you can stay home, you can invest in a bio suit like the kid in the Boy in the Bubble movie and you can manage your situation as best you can. But it is not Benedict or anyone elses responsibility to take unnecessary action to protect you
        
        Grow up, take responsibility and embrace life with all its risks and challenges… ffs
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:03am
      - I remember when
        
        JP:
        Test, test, test.
        With what?
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:05am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        What a stupid response.
        
        I am vaccinated and boosted. I am going to isolate if I have symptoms. And you are portraying me as irresponsible. I am not going to be put in a position where I am being audited and prevented from driving to a deserted beach.
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:07am
      - The Feed
        
        Poor John and his sputtering, dying narrative.
        
        Covid is endemic now.
        
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        February 7, 2022 12:49pm
      - Tom Hunter
        
        @John Pakes
        
        Hahahahahahaha.
        
        Rage, Rage against the dying of the light.
        
        As others have explained above, you’d have to be mad to get tested knowing the consequences and that this government have said that you’re on your own in self-isolation. No treatments for you buddy boy.
        
        Yeah, I’ve always loved authoritarian pricks like you watch their systems vanish into the ash heap of history. I’ve had to put up with two years of crap, but I get the long victory and you get – to paraphrase Kennedy – to taste the ashes in your mouth.
        
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        February 7, 2022 8:15pm
    - RichardF
      
      I haven’t scanned in anywhere since late Jan,
      no way I want to get caught up in this isolation nonsense.
      
      27 1
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      February 7, 2022 9:45am
      - The Boss
        
        Haven’t scanned ever. Does not even have it on my phone.
        
        18 1
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        February 7, 2022 11:47am
      - Joely Doe
        
        Have never scanned or signed in anywhere, ever.
        Have never loaded anything onto phone either.
        Never will.
        
        18 2
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        February 7, 2022 12:10pm
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      I actually think you are doing the country a favour if you help spread it faster, at least up to the point where hospitals are approaching limits. Getting sick in summer is less dangerous, and will get NZ back to normal sooner, so ideally we should bring the peak forward as much as possible. Deaths are inevitable and unavoidable because it is so contagious that 90% are going to get it before we get herd immunity and vaccines don’t stop that. Govt have not been rational or balanced in their response for a long time now.
      
      17 0
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      February 7, 2022 10:19am
    - cmm
      
      BY: I really hope you don’t end up stuck up North.
      
      11 0
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      February 7, 2022 10:19am
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        Call on me if you do, BY. I have some accommodation options that are rather pleasant.
        
        14 0
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        February 7, 2022 10:25am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Thanks. We are leaving next Saturday. It is not ideal but I am not going to live my life in fear.
        
        18 0
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        February 7, 2022 11:50am
    - ross.mc
      
      The only reason I can see for getting tested is the slight possibility that the antibodies from prior infection will be recognised as an alternative to vaccination. If a positive test isn’t on your record, then it’s probably continued vaccination for you.
      
      8 0
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      February 7, 2022 1:19pm
  - bronny1
    
    It’s essentially been announced for gov mandated workers eg teachers, health profs. As in they have to have the booster to keep their jobs.
    
    Good thing all these people are going to home schooling as losing another fear percent of teachers will hurt.
    
    Pity we can’t manage all our health needs at home too.
    
    16 2
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    February 7, 2022 9:09am
    - Nukuleka
      
      Interestingly the MOE is forbidding any singing or blowing of instruments within schools and so those teachers who involved in teaching school children either to sing or blow an jnstrument- no matter whether they are boosted or not- are currently banned from working in schools.
      
      16 2
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      February 7, 2022 11:30am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Some resistance in Australia, especially South Australia and other pockets – largely unreported by the MSM of course.
    
    10 1
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    February 7, 2022 1:23pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    It will be very likely in the pipeline. Their ideological mates overseas are already rubber stamping that through and drawing up plans for a fourth shot of these um according to flight4nz “surprisingly effective” vaccines. 🙂
    
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    February 8, 2022 10:32pm
- RalphT
  
  No, but I’m over it.
  
  20 0
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  February 7, 2022 8:21am
- pdm
  
  As good as over as far as I can see.
  
  Only the scaremongers and bludgers off the government like Hendy, Wiles, Baker and Jackson want it to keep going.
  
  68 3
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  February 7, 2022 8:24am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    Are all NZ scientists ‘bludgers off the government’, or just the ones with whom you find some political reason to disagree?
    
    6 59
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    February 7, 2022 8:39am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Just the ones funded by Brenda. There are plenty of doctors and experts in NZ not in her pocket who have disagreed completely with the “single source of truth” from the beginning. They have been sacked, deplatformed, bullied, harassed and otherwise shut down by her and her compliant attack dogs in the media. But the truth is emerging and it is emerging faster every day.
      
      It’s falling apart. Get used to it.
      
      19 3
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      February 7, 2022 10:12am
    - Stellaboxer
      
      Not all scientists just the ideologically aligned and the ones clinging to their brief brush with fame.
      
      16 3
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      February 7, 2022 10:18am
    - Opie
      
      Just the ones that have taken a political position which interferes with their ability to be a scientist.
      
      14 1
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      February 7, 2022 11:21am
    - pdm
      
      Mikey – the ones I mentioned are always dead keen to be in front of any camera and microphone around.
      
      Hendy and Jackson groosly exaggerate, Wiles is New Zealand leading hypocrite and Baker just likes the personal exposure as far as I can see.
      
      15 0
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      February 7, 2022 12:37pm
  - Simon
    
    Chris Bishop is like a child in a candy shop. A fat greedy child at the Willy Wonka Chocolate factory is Chris.
    
    14 27
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    February 7, 2022 8:44am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    The PMPR team have given Jackson a new message to deliver seeing that doom/gloom is being ignored.
    
    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/02/covid-19-epidemiologist-rod-jackson-says-new-zealand-s-omicron-response-set-to-be-better-than-anybody-else.html
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:46am
- ClanMcleod
  
  What is covid?
  
  11 3
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  February 7, 2022 9:29am
Maggy Wassilieff

Eric Crampton is looking forward to the many rorts that Labour’s Unemployment Insurance Scheme will generate.

Labour has come up with a mechanism ensuring higher-earning women face fewer costs when having children, while doing fairly little for women on lower wages.

If a right-wing government had come up with the scheme, it would be accused of doing it deliberately, and possibly with eugenic intentions.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/127701161/unemployment-insurance-the-rorts-to-come
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February 7, 2022 8:11am
- Rich Prick
  
  A taxpayer funded personal grievance scheme would never be abused. Go Labour, this is a winner, I fancy an extended holiday in the south of France (Cindy permitting). Please do it.
  
  58 1
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  February 7, 2022 8:20am
- Lee C
  
  More ‘Socialism for the Wealthy’ Maggy.
  
  35 2
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  February 7, 2022 8:24am
curry4me

This is a video of the NZ truckers rally from Leighton Baker. Last night, they drove up Brougham Street, beside Sydenham Park, Christchurch. I watched for about 20 minutes. A bystander said she had been watching for 90 minutes. https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=notif&v=1003977456997536&notif_id=1644132340685509&notif_t=live_video
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February 7, 2022 8:11am
Benedict Yu

How stupid.

“Motor Trade Association’s Graeme Swan warned drivers to get their cars checked if they planned to drive the route as cars and brakes could overheat on the road north of the Wainui Saddle, where the gradient of 8 per cent was comparable to the Ngāūranga Gorge but for double the length.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/127672805/transmission-gully-warning-as-grade-compares-to-ngranga-gorge

No people do not need to be fearful driving on Transmission Gully. If people can’t drive up and down an 8 percent grade on a motorway there is something wrong with the drivers or the cars.
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February 7, 2022 8:14am
- Rich Prick
  
  We live in a time of hysterical fraidy cats. A hill is now public safety warning #1. Really?
  
  62 2
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  February 7, 2022 8:23am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    A dumbed down driver population have never heard of engine braking or even gears. I’m continually amazed at them all riding their brakes down the hill while I’m just cruising down after down-shifting. I guess that’s why they have to be told what speed to drive and need a million road cones to show them where. The national IQ must be trending down fast.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:53am
    - 70andstilllearning
      
      ‘……dumbed down driver population……’
      
      If you learn all your driving skills in a modern vehicle that does all the thinking, on smooth tarmac roads, and at urban speeds generally less than probably 70k what do expect. When I taught my boys to drive I got them out on some metal roads so to overcome that deficiency.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:15am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Idiot Swan needs to learn about truck braking operation. Air pressure keeps the brakes off. Loss of air pressure, the brakes come on. Known as a spring brake. The idiot is scaremongering.
  I have Class 5 License.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:24am
- Andrew Worth
  
  Gradients expressed as percentage isn’t something that was covered when I was at school so I looked it up, 8% – that’s 12 across for 1 up, is about 4.5 degrees.
  That really is nothing.
  
  31 2
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  February 7, 2022 8:25am
  - DeepBlue
    
    12 across, 1 up, is the building code for a dissabled ramp. I guess it is the length that is the issue.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:49am
  - cmm
    
    8% is really easy to figure out.
    
    It is 8 cm over a metre. A healthy % of driveways are far steeper than that.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:22am
- greybeard
  
  There is also a very long and steep hill near Taihape which is worse than the Gorge.
  
  31 1
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  February 7, 2022 8:26am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    The “Taihape deviation” has been there since ’63 if my time/place recall is reliable (which might be debatable according to some) but was a great hill to bike down. Also in those days, you (not the cars computer) automatically used your gears for such hill descents as you’d discovered when learning to drive cars that relying on brakes on steep hills where most of the roads were gravel was an extremely bad idea.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:51am
    - Alwynn
      
      “was a great hill to bike down”.
      So was, and I guess still is, the Ngauranga Gorge. Tino Tabak was apparently clocked at 75 mph coming down the gorge near the end of one of the Dulux cycle races in the 1960’s.
      
      “relying on brakes on steep hills “.
      If you are going back as far as I remember you also have to allow for the fact that most cars in those days had drum brakes that faded badly when they got hot. Only the really flash cars, Jags and so on, had disc brakes.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:31am
      - 70andstilllearning
        
        Lol Alwynn – not only were they drums but my 1st car (an Austin 10) had mechanical linkages from the brake pedal. Remember a bike cop ( he was known by the nickname “Bulldog” ) pulling me over and trying to fail my car on the brakes. He could just about move it with my foot on the pedal so thought he would have me for sure on the handbrake. He forgot ( didn’t realise ) the leverage ratio of the handbrake far exceeded the pedal. Almost did a major injury to himself. 🙂
        
        7 1
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        February 7, 2022 11:29am
- pdm
  
  How does that gradient compare with:
  
  Rimutaka Hill – either side.
  Top ofthe Bruce to the Chateau,
  Traffords Hill
  Titiokura and Taurangakuma
  Each end of the Whareratas.
  Old Hill Road – Porangahau either side.
  Takaka Hill either side.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:28am
  - Rich Prick
    
    I’d add Baldwin Street, Dunedin. No public health warning on that one.
    
    26 2
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    February 7, 2022 8:30am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Chaucer Road South in Napier.
      
      14 2
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      February 7, 2022 8:35am
      - Captain Mainwaring
        
        Now you’re being silly. Both Baldwin St. and Chaucer Road South are very short and carry almost no traffic.
        
        9 2
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        February 7, 2022 8:45am
      - pdm
        
        Went down Seaview Road in Napier a week or two ago – bloody steep as well as narrow.
        
        But my above was thinking of what used to be the `Open Road’ until JA Genter got some influence.
        
        14 0
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        February 7, 2022 8:55am
      - Alwynn
        
        @Captain M.
        I would go along with All_on_Red on that one. When I was a kid in Napier Chaucer Rd, or at the least the top bit next to the Botanical Gardens, was called Breakneck road a great deal more than it was ever called Chaucer.
        
        8 0
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        February 7, 2022 11:57am
    - peterwn
      
      Yes there is – there is a sign on a power pole just before it gets really steep that says ‘Residents and Authorised Vehicles Only’. While probably not legally enforceable it would presumably discourage most rubbernecks from driving up it.
      
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      February 7, 2022 9:08am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Au contraire. There’s a standard warning for students not to ride down Baldwin St in a wheelie bin or similar.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:14am
      - bjools
        
        To prevent Dawinism?
        
        6 0
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        February 7, 2022 12:34pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    I assume the speed limits for those road would be the same as for Transmission Gully.
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:41am
    - pdm
      
      Depends what JA Genter wants mikey even if she is not in Cabinet I bet she is in someones ear.
      
      20 1
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      February 7, 2022 9:15am
      - Gravelroad
        
        @pdm
        “Depends what JA Genter wants mikey even if she is not in Cabinet I bet she is in someones ear.”
        Or car.
        
        13 2
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        February 7, 2022 9:35am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Or the Otira Viaduct going to the West Coast. I shift back to 3rd gear and just tap my brakes for the corners.
    
    Back to Transmission Gully. It is a 100 kmh road. With no corners to worry about. You would just need to occasionally tap the brakes. In my car the auto transmission shifts back a gear automatically on a long hill when you tap the brakes.
    
    Anyway the idea that folks are going to have their brakes over heat on Transmission Gully is just insane.
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:43am
  - Blackbob
    
    The Bombays SH1 on the way into/out of Auckland.
    
    8 0
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    February 7, 2022 9:02am
    - Don Beckett
      
      State highway 29 over the Kaimais from Tauranga to Matamata.
      
      7 1
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      February 7, 2022 10:37am
  - Biscuit
    
    Don’t knock the steepness of the Rimutaka Hill Road, pdm…
    
    It does a pretty good job of safeguarding us civilised, salt-of-the-earth Wellington and Hutt Valley citizens from the uncouth hordes of Hawkes Bay types who’d otherwise flock to these parts…
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:32am
    - pdm
      
      Nah Biscuit – we go where the Ranfurly Shield is.
      
      Did you forget it was in Hawkes Bay – – – – – STILL!!!
      
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      February 7, 2022 12:41pm
  - crikey
    
    And Tangoio, north of Napier, SH2.
    
    7 0
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    February 7, 2022 9:51am
    - pdm
      
      Yep Crikey
      
      Devils Elbow both sides.
      
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      February 7, 2022 12:43pm
- Andrei
  
  Everything is stupid in 2022 Benedict Yu
  
  It is a depressing time to be alive where inanity rules and common sense is anything but common
  
  According to Stuff this a.m. my gas hob I use to make my breakfast is bad both for my health and for the planet
  
  Actually reading Stuff is bad for my health, it raises my blood pressure.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:29am
  - Inandout
    
    Andrei, why read it, have you not heard of the internet? The weather is covered for an up to date forecast and you actually read about things happening worldwide, like truckers in Canada and demos worldwide. I grew up slavishly consuming local papers, TV and radio and swallowed most of what was given out. The world is now your oyster, consume at your leisure.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:17am
  - kowtow
    
    I am doing my best not to click on any stuff stuff.
    
    Every click could be taken as an endorsement .
    
    People power , to drive ’em broke .
    
    Just like , let’s use more cash to keep cash alive .
    
    10 0
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    February 7, 2022 10:02am
- Opie
  
  The on/off ramps at Porirua actually look quite steep, as well as the main hill at the end of the wainui saddle as mentioned
  
  Hopefully they have used the more abrasive surface on the off ramp particularly as it’s also a fairly tight bend. But then again, those idiots couldn’t even lay the normal surface correctly…
  
  I suspect a few parts of the road will be beyond the capability of quite a few NZ’ers – given the low driving ability on display. Going to be some big crashes I suspect.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:39am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    “I suspect a few parts of the road will be beyond the capability of quite a few NZ’ers –…”
    
    That is shocking if correct. How would these drivers cope on Australia’s now thousands of km of motorways, where a strict “Keep Left Unless Passing” rule is enforced. Or heaven forbid Germany’s autobahns?
    
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    February 7, 2022 5:41pm
- mandk
  
  MTA trying to drum up business for its members.
  
  In other news, supermarkets warn that people will starve if they don’t do their grocery shopping.
  
  28 1
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  February 7, 2022 8:40am
- Gravelroad
  
  Maybe Mr Swan left out the word “electric” .
  Too much potential for Green and manufacturer outrage if electric cars were the real target for his advice/warning.
  
  16 1
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  February 7, 2022 8:46am
  - Andrew Worth
    
    Electric cars have regenerative braking, I don’t understand your point . . Though I’m not sure what happens if your battery is already fully charged at the top of the hill.
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:52am
    - bravefart
      
      On my Leaf, at any rate, when the battery is >~90% there is no regenerative braking. Back to 100% good old friction braking. That old concept that has been working for well over a century…
      
      10 1
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      February 7, 2022 9:11am
- Benedict Yu
  
  James Shaw down ? ticked me ?
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:47am
  - Biscuit
    
    That THE James Shaw, BY?
    
    If so, I’m surprised he found the energy what with him only slowly recovering from all that first class travel, all that first class wining and dining and all that first class waffling at the (latest) Climate Conference he so nobly represented New Zealand at…
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:17am
- Albert_Ross
  
  If people can’t drive up and down an 8 percent grade on a motorway there is something wrong with the drivers or the cars.
  
  And do you think that there’s nothing wrong with any of the drivers or their cars in New Zealand?
  
  Of course a competent driver in a well maintained car should have no problems negotiating an 8% gradient. But there are less than competent drivers, and less than well maintained cars, out there. If they need a bit of extra help and advice that you don’t, where is the harm to you in them being provided with that?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:06am
  - Andrew Worth
    
    “If they need a bit of extra help and advice”
    I suspect most incompetent drivers are incompetent because they’re incapable of acting on good advice and people with poorly maintained cars are either not in interested in or not capable of maintaining them.
    
    7 1
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    February 7, 2022 10:42am
- Tauhei Notts
  
  That garbage is a consequence of click bait journalism.
  Let me explain.
  Journalists get the minimum wage. They get a bonus based on the number of clicks to their article.
  It follows that they must publish fear mongering crap as that is guaranteed to get plenty of clicks.
  Hence we have so much fear mongering garbage on news sites. Garbage that I am getting thoroughly sick of.
  None of those journalists have ever read Aesop’s wonderful fable;
  “The little boy who cried wolf”
  One day they will correctly call wolf and nobody will believe them.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:40am
  - Overworked
    
    So does this explain why Stuff/Herald headlines change every few hours or so? Looks like a new article, click, read first sentence, leave.
    
    7 0
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    February 7, 2022 10:49am
- emmess
  
  $1.25 billion new stretch of State Highway 1
  
  Compared to the $15 billion Auckland Light Rail announcement, what is the more useful project?
  
  Ignore the pricetag and vote up for Transmission Gully and down for the light rail project?
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:34am
- Peter S
  
  Agree with you.
  In the UK (before they went to the EU system of % for grading hills) they used to grade hills by ratio on the signs, which was a much better way (IMO) of showing steepness in a way you could read and understand quickly.
  1:4 (25%) is really steep (1:3 the maximum for tar sealed roads I encountered).
  My parent had a Morrus J2 van (converted to a camper) that they towed a small caravan with. The thing only had a 1500 cc engine, and the max grade my father used to drive up or down was 1:7, or 14%.
  An 8% gradient is only 1:12, which hardly inspires fear.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:12pm
Tony Stuart

There’s been very limited media coverage of Convoy 2022, as it gathers momentum in both Islands.

The South Island convoy leaves Christchurch en route to Picton then Wellington today, while the North Island one splits at Hamilton. Once group will go down the coast to New Plymouth then through Whanganui to Palmerston North. There it will join up with the other convoy, which is headed to Taupo, Napier and Hastings, then the big line heads to Wellington.

Photos and video on social media yesterday showed large numbers of vehicles in both islands, and big crowds lining the roads, and especially motorway overbridges. As with the Groundswell protests, the Government (and the media) should ignore this at their peril.

https://twitter.com/BaconSteveNZ/status/1490179182634192896/photo/1
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February 7, 2022 8:19am
- kevn
  
  @Tony…. Appears many Auckland motorway cameras are turned off.
  Why would that be?
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:32am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    What’s the bet that it is a ‘technical error?’
    AT would not turn them off ……..
    
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    February 7, 2022 8:44am
    - kevn
      
      @Steve O… Depends who is asking/telling.
      I’m sure the cameras will magically get turned on when the time is right.
      
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      February 7, 2022 9:00am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Just an unfortunate coincidence. Look closely at the photo on the tweet I linked to, and as well as the crowd on the overbridge in the foreground, you can also see flags waving on the next overbridge down the Auckland motorway.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:19am
    - BAM
      
      Same “unfortunate coincidence” in Hamilton
      
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      February 7, 2022 9:43am
    - kevn
      
      @Tony… So not 100% camera shutdown then.
      
      6 1
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      February 7, 2022 9:46am
      - Gravelroad
        
        I can see why the authorities would shut down the cameras to fit in with instructions from the Labour Party.
        But on the other hand, it would be tempting to use images off them to start paying a few visits to trucking companies for inspection purposes.
        Have you got your papers? Are they in order?
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:49am
  - bythesea
    
    here is a link showing how many are turned off
    https://twitter.com/search?q=#Convoy2022NZ&src=trend_click&vertical=trends
    
    This has to be soviet level media manipulation right?
    media – paid off – no coverage
    national infrastructure – manipulated and turned off
    wtf?
    
    then they will all go on and they will be gaslighting us telling it never happened.
    Same playbook as Canada – same thing happened
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:59am
    - Batman
      
      This may be because the convoy falls into the realm of comedic shambles rather than a serious movement or indication of anything more than a few percent of disgruntled citizens exercising their rights.
      
      “There’s also no agreed plan for the South Island convoy once it reaches Christchurch.
      
      Some are going further to Picton.
      
      Some may try the ferry (though this requires a vaccine pass or negative test)
      
      There’s also talk of blocking access to the ferry????”
      https://t.co/pSKBx741Zi
      
      2 13
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      February 7, 2022 1:30pm
      - BananaLlama
        
        The only comedy here is your cope posting. You know that we can watch what is happening on FB right and that what you post does not match with observable reality.
        
        6 1
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        February 7, 2022 2:34pm
- Nukuleka
  
  Great to see the support the very large South Island convoy received as it made its way along Hills Road in Christchurch last evening. As my neighbour rather aptly commented, ‘The wheels are coming off the narrative.” More and more people are turning against the fear factor that has been driving the Ardern government. Freedom is in the air.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:33am
  - oc35
    
    Why 2 downticks for a rational comment? Deranged support for the Govt?
    
    49 3
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    February 7, 2022 8:48am
    - coge
      
      Two ticks in favor of a steadfast continuation of the grotesque authoritarian imposition on every NZer. Those days are over.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:32am
      - Batman
        
        Calm down chaps. This blog isn’t North Korea and anyone disagreeing for whatever reason doesn’t automatically fall into the ‘traitors who support the regime’ camp.
        
        They could merely be downvoting for a sub-part of the comment, or the tone, or the statement about its size.
        
        3 12
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        February 7, 2022 1:34pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Media critisize the Govt Covid performance? Never. How dare they?
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:36am
- info@cruzpro.com
  
  Hundreds of people lining both sides of the street in Whangarei yesterday. Most waving flags and holding signs in support of the Freedom Convoy 2022. Not a single mention in today’s local Northern Advocate.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:38am
  - Other_Andy
    
    The Northern Advocate is not your local.
    It is published by the government media, the NZ Herald.
    
    20 1
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    February 7, 2022 9:50am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Will they be led by the Mongrel Mob like the recent protests?
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:43am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    You’re confusing protest marches with funeral processions mikenmild.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:00am
    - Don Beckett
      
      Nah Milky, the Mongrel Mob only escort Stalinda when she pays them to be her personal bodyguards.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:44am
      - Batman
        
        When was that, Don?
        
        At least try to remain within reality and not fever dreams.
        
        2 10
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        February 7, 2022 1:35pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Just going by what I observed at the last two large protests in Wellington.
      
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      February 7, 2022 11:16am
      - pdm
        
        On the 9th floor looking out were you Mikey?
        
        9 2
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        February 7, 2022 12:47pm
  - RightNow
    
    Why – has there been reports of white supremacists waving nazi flags?
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:08am
- Opie
  
  Good to see the real numbers of support, although I think there were more than 100 people packed on those bridges. I hope they at least provided a scan in sheet. Oh wait…
  
  [Deleted – unsubstantiated rumour is just that, no need to repeat it here. mod.]
  
  No evidence to support this but I would laugh for a month if it’s true.
  
  In all seriousness, is there any way of confirming if a person is on home d or in jail in nz?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:07am
  - coge
    
    Well they want people to scan into the public toilets at Waikanae beach. Another grotesque govt imposition.
    
    8 3
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    February 7, 2022 10:52am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Quite a bit going on in those clips. Comments are interesting.
  Has anyone shown Jaspinda?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:37am
- curry4me
  
  Tony Stuart: Thanks for posting the pics of the ‘fringe minority’.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:49am
Lee C

Here’s another, Tony – I was out cheering them in Waitaki.
https://www.facebook.com/614898685/videos/643498403658317
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February 7, 2022 8:20am
- bronny1
  
  I will be out cheering and holding a sign on the last leg in the South Island today! Suggestions for my sign? It’s a very large (2m x1m election board) to have a can of spray paint applied about an hour from now…
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:18am
- Sacha
  
  “This content is unavailable right now . . . . . “
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:50am
  - Nickc2
    
    Yep, Govt censorship at work again?
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:33am
  - mawm
    
    Same for me. Jacinda’s been on the phone with her mate Zuck….
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:49am
blue collar

Labour keeps on floundering
Waitangi film got a national yawn and zero attention.
More interest in queens jubilee
The miq flip flop looked like the knee jerk reaction it was , Bellis 1 – govt nil .
They could’ve got alot of capital from opening up but mared it . Now old mate is on a hunger strike , international mob hopefully pick up on it .
Rent out of control as predicted when they started meddling in the housing market .
First gold medal in kiwi winter Olympic history , haven’t heard a peep from Robbo . Sports minister or chief trough feaster ?
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February 7, 2022 8:20am
- Other_Andy
  
  “First gold medal in kiwi winter Olympic history”
  Haven’t watched the communist genocide games.
  Probably won’t. Not very keen to show any support for a dictatorial communist regime that has concentration camps and gave the world covid.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:53am
Opie

This might have been covered already but how come there have been 3,972,866 2nd doses administered but 5,058,000 vaccines passes have been downloaded?

A million more? All I could think of was people re downloading if they lost a paper copy but wouldnt think it would be that high.

Surely the system wouldnt be counting repeats though?
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February 7, 2022 8:22am
- bronny1
  
  Of course it is.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:18am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Must work like the Democrat Dominion vote counting machines///
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:45am
  - Batman
    
    Steve you should join the telegram channel, you’d enjoy the QAnon themes and general air of reality suspension just like your comment does!
    
    https://twitter.com/StrayDogNZ/status/1490436684634210305?t=_mywoGBfDNUDb44bRAw7ow&s=19
    “Some thought-provoking discussion in the chat this morning on the place of Trump flags at the Convoy.
    
    Apparently the very pro-vaccine Trump is on their side and has “done a lot behind the scenes.”
    
    Trump’s involvement -would- explain the absolute state of the Convoy ?”
    
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    February 7, 2022 1:45pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      TDS is strong today Batman. Trump is not involved, Trump supporters are though. People in Canada support Trump, as do people in NZ (except you of course)
      There is a ‘convoy’ going through NZ or did you not know (not much of play school TV1 ewes)
      Auckland motorway cameras not working, same Hamilton, Wellington. Prob most cities/towns infested with lefties.
      Canada was not just a few hundred trucks. Why has the Mayor declared state of emergency?
      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/07/ottawa-declares-state-of-emergency-as-canada-trucker-protest-paralyses-city
      
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      February 7, 2022 3:57pm
- mawm
  
  5 million passes for 5 million people! – so all the kids and unvaxxed have them too? One gets to doubt all their numbers more and more. Who said the left can’t do math?
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:53am
- Batman
  
  it will be counting the number generated in total, including the email version and then the copies added to digital wallets.
  
  Some people probably have the version they got sent, then another if they went and got a printed copy sorted for them by a library or other community service centre etc.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:42pm
Lee C

The media will ignore it Tony, as they did the Canadian convoy.

But being in denial does not make the reality go away.

I think the major parties will have a rude awakening next election, unless they do what they are suppose to do, and actiually reperesent the people of this nation, instead of living instead of living in their self-made fantasy-bubble in Wellington…
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February 7, 2022 8:23am
- Gravelroad
  
  Depends on what instructions are issued at today’s Prime Minister’s departmental propaganda
  session to tell editors what they can report this week and be given a mock up of acceptable questions to ask.
  Although with today being another holiday, might have to wait until tomorrow for the questions handout.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:26am
  - Biscuit
    
    Gravelroad:
    
    Agenda
    
    1.00 pm
    Blank podium.
    TV One’s autocue-reader-of-the-day tells us ‘the Press Conference will begin shortly’ and ‘brings in’ Jessica-I’m-the-one-not-called-Tova to give us her opinion as to what we might have expected if the Prime Minister had been on time.
    Jessica is surprisingly opinionated (remember when ‘The News’ was ‘The News’ and not ‘Jessica’s Opinion’) and subsequently proves to be SO spot on with her analysis that, who’d ever have thunk, eh?, you almost begin to think ‘Te Media’ have been a) tipped off as to the day’s Pronouncement, b) alerted as to the main points so that BREAKING banner headlines can be flashed across the screen as they are made and c) tipped off as to relevant questions that could oops should oops MUST be asked…
    
    1.11 pm
    HM The Jacinda makes an appearance, gazes into ‘her’ camera with her so-soothing ‘I’m here, you’re all safe now, my Team of Five Million’ expression and begins by making a generic Maori greeting…
    
    1.16 pm
    The nitty-gritty of the announcement is made.
    
    1.20pm
    HM graciously accedes to take hard-hitting questions from ‘her’ Media.
    We will learn nothing more that the nitty-gritty had told us…
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:55am
- Gravelroad
  
  Have just viewed footage of the convoy reaching Hamilton last night.
  Absolutely amazing.
  But not amazing enough to be newsworthy apparently.
  Perhaps the organisers should have paid someone…….
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:45am
  - Other_Andy
    
    You know the media has an agenda when a dozen ragtag left-wing ‘greenies’ such as ‘Extinction Rebellion’ hold their latest ‘protest’ and this cult gets front page coverage and plenty of time on “Te News” to spout their socialist propaganda while thousands of people protesting this government on a weekly basis are relegated to the back page or totally ignored.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:37am
  - kevn
    
    @Gravel… Not a word about the NZ (or Aussie) convoy in our usual MSM.
    Somehow they have linked Trump to the Canadian convoy though. Best they could do.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:40am
  - Batman
    
    Gravel they couldn’t even organise themselves into Hamilton on time or even know where they were staying.
    
    Good luck to them getting to Wellington! They will actually need luck to get there.
    
    https://twitter.com/StrayDogNZ/status/1490245987318722561?t=4uog6Rq3190YzHKRfNkC4g&s=19
    
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    February 7, 2022 1:47pm
pdm

Anyone else sightEd the Prime Ministers Waitangi day diatribe?

Seemed to be about a mythical place called Aotearoa and no (or very little) mention of the country that has been my home for almost 76 years -NEW ZEALAND.
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February 7, 2022 8:32am
- Rich Prick
  
  Look on the bright side, Harawira Day went largely unnoticed this year. Finally, something positive from Covid.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:43am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    John Hatfield will not be impressed
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:47am
- mikenmildagain
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  You will be very upset if you ever read your passport.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:44am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    How many in Homeland Security and Customs point at that strange word and say “What the fuck is that?”
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:49am
    - Batman
      
      Tells us all we need to know about the knuckle staggers working for TSA and DHS then!
      
      Or the US school system, which is world leading in its failures.
      
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      February 7, 2022 1:49pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Nice diversion. Wtf has the school system to do with NZ passports?
        GD but you are misleading the readers.
        
        6 2
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        February 7, 2022 4:01pm
- mandk
  
  It’s a holiday today.
  
  I am sure all the descendents of the leaders who signed the ToW will be giving thanks for 70 years of faithful service by their monarch.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:45am
- Dougal10
  
  If you don’t agree with our PM anymore you are to be labeled a separatist . The madness is growing.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:48am
- nathie
  
  Interesting that Luxon turned up (his own personal choice by the looks eg he didn’t force other Nat MP’s to attend) but Ardern didn’t even bother!
  
  Where was the PM? On Wiltess protection again (perhaps because she previously told Waitangi attendees to hold her to account)?
  
  Or just another day off for her? Sure Waitangi Day might be a holiday for everyone but since when has the PM of NZ ever missed working on Waitangi Day?
  
  Taking about the PM taking time off, in previous years she treated Waitangi Day as a week long holiday in the north. With Waitangi Day celebrations being cancelled what will be her excuse this year if she decides to take the rest of this week off on holiday?
  
  Ha, Simon Bridges’ PTPM (Part Time PM) description is still apt!!
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:02am
- coolas
  
  pdm … and that John Key and Chris Luxon use Aotearoa is doubling gutting.
  
  In a NZHerald op-ed Key wrote of ‘Aotearoans’ ffs.
  
  And, last week, on RNZ, Luxon said ‘morena’ instead of ‘good morning,’ and he talked about the ‘motu’ whatever that is.
  
  How these people choose a Māori name instead of Dutch (Zeeland) is beyond me.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:18am
  - Jack5
    
    Luxon’s Labour Lite, and I hope he uses NZ Pidgin as much as possible. The more he does it the bigger role ACT will have in the next government.
    
    New Zealand has been the name of this country in the English language for centuries now.
    
    Someone could stretch the argument for this name by pointing out that Zeeland (and parts of Zealand) are homeland of Frisian, the language which is English’s closest relative. From that you can have a strong guess that there are genetic links between Zeelanders and the English, who provide at least as many genes to New Zealanders as Maori do.
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:30pm
    - Batman
      
      It just shows that you losers who are obsessed with denigrating Te Reo and demand a white only language policy are irrelevant and going to be left behind by the rest of the country.
      
      Get over it, or it’ll consume you.
      
      2 17
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      February 7, 2022 1:52pm
      - Jack5
        
        ?Batty’s version of English as white only language policy…
        
        Countries with English speakers include: USA 376 millon, India 194m, Nigeria 178m, Philippins 64m, UK 62.9m, Bangladesh 19m, Pakistan 19m, Egypt 28m, South Africa 16m, Ghana 18m …. and more, and more.
        
        To a total of 1.179 billion people.
        
        Put your keyboard where your mouth is, Batty, and post in Maori! ?
        
        13 1
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        February 7, 2022 2:28pm
      - BananaLlama
        
        @Jack5
        I would like to be the first to congratulate Benedict Yu on his Whiteness.
        
        7 3
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        February 7, 2022 3:38pm
- Blog-aholic
  
  It was really, really odd yesterday when the Olympic commentators were talking about our team and country and they kept calling it NEW ZEALAND….I could not figure out why they did that?
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:34am
KH

Maori claim they have greater respect for water, so they should control it.
Never seen any evidence they actually have that respect.
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February 7, 2022 8:33am
- Rich Prick
  
  I have enormous respect for the latest E63. Can I be given one?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:23am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Nope. Maybe if there is an electric version
    
    7 1
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    February 7, 2022 9:51am
    - Alwynn
      
      What about an EQS? If it is available in New Zealand yet.
      
      4 0
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      February 7, 2022 12:02pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    M5
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:18am
  - geoff3012
    
    I have one…..love it
    
    6 0
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    February 7, 2022 10:45am
  - kevn
    
    @RP… Great when new. Sell when warranty expires. Next owner will be connected to the MB franchise with an tech ‘umbilical cord’ for servicing.
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:16am
- Nickc2
  
  If Maori have greater respect for water, why do they keep drowning in the stuff?
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:45am
Hollyfield

I am so completely over covid restrictions and the ever-changing alert level and traffic light requirements, that I took no notice of the recent announcement of changes to MIQ. I have no faith that what was announced is what will actually happen.
However a work colleague, who is here on a work visa and therefore more invested in the announcement than I am, is spitting mad for the reasons listed below. I have no idea if her interpretation of the announcement is correct, and on looking up the PM’s speech it is very light on details so I haven’t verified my colleague’s interpretations. However, this is what she says:
* in July when work visa holders are allowed to come in, it is “mainly available to workers earning over the median wage as part of the Immigration Rebalance changes.” (from the PM’s speech) As a mother, my colleague works part time so she earns less than the median wage, and she says this policy is discriminating against women who are more likely to work part time
* She can’t go to her country’s embassy in Australia to renew the children’s passports, as she then can’t come back, but her husband can go
* this policy is saying wealthier people don’t spread covid but poor people do
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February 7, 2022 8:33am
- MCōs
  
  If she needs to go to her embassy in Australia to renew her passport surely that’s not NZ’s issue?
  The NZ passport, for example, can be renewed from anywhere.
  To go offshore to renew a passport is no small thing at the best of times and impossible if the old one is expired. What happens then?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:52am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  “PM’s speech it is very light on details”
  More word soup waffle?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:57am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  ‘this policy is saying wealthier people don’t spread covid but poor people do’
  
  That’s probably true, to the extent that poorer people are more likely to live in over crowded housing and be obese than wealthier people.
  
  It’s surprising to see this acknowledged by Jacinda, though.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:22am
- The Housekeeper
  
  Why would we want poor immigrants? Why can’t they renew their passports online? Is she working in a skilled job that could not easily be done by a New Zealander? What is her husband’s job? Why don’t they live in Oz?
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:36am
  - Hollyfield
    
    1. They are not poor. As a married couple with several young children she chooses to work part time. Hence her individually earning less than the median income.
    2. I don’t know why the country they were born in requires the passport to be renewed in person. And since their country of birth doesn’t have an embassy in NZ they have to go to Australia to renew the passports.
    3. Her job is not especially skilled, but his is, and regardless of the skill level of her job, no NZers applied for the vacancy when we advertised it late last year. Hence we employed someone on a work visa, who is therefore legally allowed to work in NZ.
    4. Don’t know her husband’s job – she hasn’t been with the company long so we don’t know every detail about each other yet.
    5. Why don’t they live in Australia? Why do you think they should? They had originally been planning to move to Australia, but the husband was offered a great job in NZ before he was offered a job in Australia. Hence the family moved here, and have made NZ their home. They would not be able to live in Australia given that their job and work visa is for NZ. We are actually two different countries, so having a work visa for NZ does not give them the right to live in Australia.
    
    She is very much looking forward to gaining residency so that she can vote. She is very vocal about who she will NOT be voting for.
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:08pm
blue collar

LABOURS GAME PLAN
They want to market themselves , or Brenda at least , as the party that saved the nation . See how they are marketing the low omicron numbers as best in the world .
We all know their draconian isolation rules means no one is testing out of fear , nowhere near delta testing numbers .
Was that their plan ? Present a victory over omicron true or not .
I believe they wanted emergency powers up until election , hog the limelight , put money where they want , change the rules .
NOW I think the end is in sight too early for them so they will bank everything on covid n how Brenda saved us .
Let’s face it , they hv excelled in nothing else except turtle funerals .
It is in all our interests to test like fuck and get the positive numbers up , take her ‘she saved us ‘ rug out from under her feet . Spread it wide n far n watch canutes tide come in .

Trouble is to do that we also screw purselves . But only if we follow the rules . Let’s face it , no ones coming around home to see if you’re isolating , I’d keep my business going whether it’s on a close contact list or not .

Power is given .
We don’t hv to do what anyone says .
Let’s take it back
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February 7, 2022 8:33am
- Over Taxed Worker
  
  NZH has testing numbers by DHB. Auckland DHB at 40% of Delta levels.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:58am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Let’s go Brenda
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:59am
Yvette

Yesterday, official Waitangi Day, with Luxon seeming – well, actually not seeming anything!

Ardern, with the Governor General and a couple of blokes from the Navy, risked their lives against covid and had of course to be tested for that, going two weeks before yesterday to record a fake powhiri at Waitangi, without inviting Luxon.

Which yesterday on the Day of Complaint, with the Maori Party calling for a divorce, and Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon calling for compulsory te reo Māori in schools, Ardern had left herself really as the only obvious representative of the Crown with her head above the parapet.

I wonder if in her cunning plan, including Luxon as out, Jacinda had anticipated how dopey it in fact was to focus Waitangi Day on herself as the only Crown around, to pathetically – yet again – admit “The mahi is not done” –
since with Ardern’s Labourless Government, the work is never done.
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February 7, 2022 8:33am
- Rich Prick
  
  What is a mahi? Even autocorrect wants it to be a place in Hawaii.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:09am
  - Dougal10
    
    I think it has something to do with mountain and river Gods.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:36am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Fish – nice taste
    
    15 1
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    February 7, 2022 10:01am
  - Nickc2
    
    mahi
    Courtesy Google:
    work or an activity. mana. dictionaries usually translate this as ‘authority, prestige, pride, or status’. Fluent speakers of Māori are aware that this concept in Māori can mean something else that is not always expressed well by the English translations.
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:46pm
- I remember when
  
  Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon calling for compulsory te reo Maori in schools.
  
  At the same time 1250 people are matching in Rolleston against compulsory Covid legislation.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:39am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Who carried on with the second & third languages they “learnt” at school?
    
    I dropped Latin and French as soon as I could.
    
    I can’t see that making school pupils study a language they have little interest in is the way to save a language.
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:10pm
    - Nickc2
      
      A few years ago, the authorities in NZ wanted to make another modern invented language (Esperanto) compulsory in schools but that never got off the ground for various reasons.
      Esperanto: an artificial language devised in 1887 as an international medium of communication, based on roots from the chief European languages.
      I think there will be a massive backlash if another modern invented language (Te Reo) is made compulsory in schools also.
      IMO, if Maori want it, they should do it themselves using their own resources.
      
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      February 7, 2022 1:00pm
    - Russ the Muss
      
      Ha! Well the not so secret game plan is exactly that. However they want us to drop English. 5 years ago if u had said that too me I’d laugh. Now having meet many public servants of late, I believe this is exactly the intention long term by a good many people in power
      
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      February 7, 2022 5:09pm
Pavel

I’m confused. Today there is an article on stuff and they say the traffic light system is in place to slow the spread of omnicron
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/127687530/covid19-what-does-the-red-light-setting-actually-do-to-combat-the-omicron-outbreak
Only about 2 months ago Michael Baker was telling us “The traffic light system won’t help us very much because it was never designed to dampen down transmission, it was only designed to nudge people towards vaccination,”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/10/new-zealand-not-prepared-for-omicron-outbreak-expected-in-matter-of-weeks-experts-warn
Who do I believe? Stuff and their expert panel of fact checkers or NZs most qualified infectious disease expert? I’m confused.
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February 7, 2022 8:38am
- Blackbob
  
  Believe neither is the correct answer.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:08am
- Taieri
  
  Who do I believe? Stuff and their expert panel of fact checkers or NZs most qualified infectious disease expert?
  ———–
  
  The Prime Minister is the Aotearoa’s sole Source of Truth. She said so Herself. Many times.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:36am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Lower yourself to kindergarten level and you will understand
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:03am
I remember when

The Sixth Mass Extinction may be Sooner than we Thought: The Daily Digest:
Now scientists fear that the Sixth Extinction might have already begun.

I hope that it is just evolution.
13 1
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February 7, 2022 8:38am
- Ruahine
  
  When I was born there were 3 billion people on Earth. Now there are nearly 8 billion. I had great hopes for Covid-19 to help in whitling down the numbers but it has turned out to be just a pfizzer.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:52am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  I trust those “scientists” will be high priority for extinction.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:32am
Warren

Auckland working class could cop $1,000
light Rail tax being considered by the Government.
The Government is considering a possible Auckland light Rail tax of a $1,000 a year that will hit working-class
families in several Labour seats.
The tax on homes within walking distance of 18 stations is one of the sources being considered by Finance Minister Grant Robertson as he looks for options.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/aucklands-working-class-could-cop-1000-light-rail-tax-being-considered-by-government/ZPTQBA2YANQQLWA7TZ5BTZBXYY/
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February 7, 2022 8:41am
- Taieri
  
  The tax on homes within walking distance of 18 stations is one of the sources being considered by Finance Minister Grant Robertson as he looks for options.
  ————-
  
  Is he going to use the Associate Professor Wiles’ definition of walking distance?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:38am
- Yvette
  
  The tax on homes within walking distance of 18 stations is one of the sources being considered.
  What of people who now work from home?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:51am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Could be a crazy socialist idea to drive house prices down. Think like a rabid leftie and it becomes clear
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:08am
- Stellaboxer
  
  What happened to the Auckland fuel tax oh sorry levy?
  
  10 0
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  February 7, 2022 10:40am
  - mawm
    
    It’s still there but Goff hasn’t found a vanity project to spend it on yet.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/auckland-sitting-on-285m-fuel-tax-windfall-with-more-than-half-of-all-fuel-tax-unspent/SJ7CZTRYORTV5JALUH2V5QNERQ/
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:07pm
UrbanNeocolonialist

Follow-up to the massive, recently published Itajai study found that strict regular use of IVM led to a 100% reduction in hospitalization, 90% reduction in death.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cadegiani-Flavio/publication/358386329_Strictly_regular_use_of_ivermectin_as_prophylaxis_for_COVID-19_leads_to_a_90_reduction_in_COVID-19_mortality_rate_in_a_dose-response_manner_definitive_results_of_a_prospective_observational_study_of_a/links/61ff2f341674b45977c9a985/Strictly-regular-use-of-ivermectin-as-prophylaxis-for-COVID-19-leads-to-a-90-reduction-in-COVID-19-mortality-rate-in-a-dose-response-manner-definitive-results-of-a-prospective-observational-study-of.pdf
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February 7, 2022 8:42am
- bronny1
  
  Who would have thought of repurposing one of the safest drugs in the world (much safer than paracetamol) which has known anti viral activity, to fight covid?!
  
  16 1
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  February 7, 2022 9:22am
  - Don Beckett
    
    That’s why I and a couple of friends have imported our own little supply of IVM for when (or if) the dreaded Omicron comes to visit.
    I somehow doubt I’ll need it, as I have always brushed off most ‘flu in my life, including the very bad Asian ‘flu of the 1958-9 as well as the ones in the ’90’s and 2000’s.
    But being a bit old & crusty now, ya neva know.
    
    10 2
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    February 7, 2022 11:10am
I remember when

Tremain: The Woke Times; All the news that’s fit for you to read:

I guess he could equally have said. “The news for people that don’t have time to think for themselves.”
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February 7, 2022 8:43am
dai

So people who own trucks don’t like the government. Wow.
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February 7, 2022 8:44am
- kevn
  
  @dai… Lots of people with cars don’t like the gummint either. Especially those paying $3 a litre while their jobs and businesses disappear.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:15am
  - MCōs
    
    I would suggest if anyone wants to grizzle about the price of petrol they should direct their attention to the oil companies who are absolutely creaming it at the moment.
    https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-prices-take-breather-opec-sticks-output-plans-2022-02-03/
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:02am
    - Nickc2
      
      Wrong! The greater the Fuel price, the greater the tax take and that also goes for the special tax on fuel imposed in Akld by its Labour affiliated Mayor.
      You get what your vote for.
      
      11 2
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      February 7, 2022 12:34pm
      - Batman
        
        Nick you supplied zero evidence that Mcos isn’t correct.
        
        It is well established that NZ is a price taker, and our oligopoly retailers make the most of that with their cut of the profit.
        
        3 11
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        February 7, 2022 1:57pm
      - Nickc2
        
        Batman @1:57PM
        Sorry, I reported you by mistake.
        Touchet. However, no evidence is required, it’s self-evident in this instance. Prove me wrong if you can.
        NB: The greater the price, the greater the tax incurred. All taxes on petroleum fuel are %age based on sale price, not import price.
        
        9 3
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        February 7, 2022 2:13pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        “All taxes on petroleum fuel are %age based on sale price, not import price.”
        
        Wrong. Only GST is percentage based.
        
        The fuel excise, the ACC levy, and the Emissions Trading Scheme levy components are ALL fixed at so many cents per litre – i.e the take does not increase as petrol prices increase.
        
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        February 7, 2022 4:18pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  All our lives depend on trucks.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:00am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    You food got to the supermarket by train? Then delivered by a small truck to you door?
    Yes, more unticks for you.
    If you had breakfast today, thank a farmer and a truck driver
    
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    February 7, 2022 4:09pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  People who don’t own trucks also hate the Govt
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:10am
- RightNow
  
  Mum says your computer time is over and you need to tidy your room now.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:17am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Must be your Mum.
    Room? There is a bed in here somewhere.
    So my granddaughter told me years ago
    
    5 1
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    February 7, 2022 4:12pm
slightlyrighty

So Te Pati Maari is calling for a divorce from the crown and a rebirth of the country based on the Treaty of Waitangi.

As the Crown was one party of the treaty, if you divorce from the Crown, then there is NO treaty.
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February 7, 2022 8:47am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Exactly..
  
  and why should folks who arrived in this country post 1840 give a stuff about an arrangement that the Maori Party wants to break?
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:17am
  - Taieri
    
    and why should folks who arrived in this country post 1840
    ————–
    
    Everyone, with no exception, currently present in this country arrived here post 1840. As not even the oldest Aotearoans are 182 years old.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:43am
- Black with a Vengeance
  
  No treaty means it’s all Pasifika, inclusive of Maori, land, sea and sky.
  
  I’m sure many Maori would love to cancel the treaty!
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:27am
  - Jack5
    
    Dream on, Maori would never share power with you Pasifika folk, BWAV.?
    
    11 1
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    February 7, 2022 12:34pm
    - Black with a Vengeance
      
      What…You reckon my Maori kids would leave me out in the cold ?
      
      Under a single Pasifikan currency and Pan pasifikan federation we’d be fine.
      
      Now wouldn’t that be a nightmare for you colonists ?
      
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      February 7, 2022 1:16pm
      - BananaLlama
        
        They would join up with Australia and their standard of living would double while yours would plummet to the level of Papua New Guinea.
        It wouldn’t even be a competition, colonial domination would be total.
        
        10 1
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        February 7, 2022 2:06pm
      - Jack5
        
        A Pasifikan currency! Shells and shark teeth?
        
        Being of Samoan heritage, BWAV, your resentment of colonisation is understandable. The Tongans must have been tough colonisers. ?
        
        9 0
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        February 7, 2022 2:34pm
      - RightNow
        
        Well I suppose it worked ok for Zimbabwe
        
        6 0
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        February 7, 2022 4:36pm
All_on_Red

Oh what a surprise.
Black Lives Matters turns out to be a scam.
California and other States have frozen donations while an investigation can take place.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10477429/The-collapse-BLMs-scandal-plagued-charity-hurt-Black-people-Blame-donors-KIRA-DAVIS.html
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February 7, 2022 8:52am
- kowtow
  
  Not original but;
  
  BLM actually stands for ” Build Large Mansions” .
  
  In the int’l press I see more reference to the buyer’s regret that those white middle class comfortable types are having over their faddish ,childish , immature support for defund the police etc as they watch violent crime in their own neighbourhoods and near their work have a real impact on their own once safe existence …….
  
  Turkeys and Christmas comes to mind.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:17am
Maggie Pie

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
According to that lefty soft-cock ‘Sigh’ on 1ZB, Waka Kotahi have issued a directive to VTNZ…. that they should fail all older vehicles for a WOF for the most minor of reasons. Making them unaffordable for owners to maintain and getting them off the road.

He gave the example of his daughters car, a 1990’s Corona, being declined a Warrant, because it had ‘a dent in the drivers door’…..which might have cost more to repair than the car was worth. LOL!!

IF true, bloody good job I say. The more of these old smoke-blowing heaps they get off our streets, the better.
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February 7, 2022 9:02am
- greybeard
  
  Another case of unintended consequences: owners of such cars will simply not bother to get a WoF, and the number of unwarranted and unregistered cars will increase.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:24am
  - MCōs
    
    Lately I’ve taken to glancing at the regos on the cars I pass as I pound the mean streets of my neighbourhood.
    A surprising number of them are out of date, including some quite recent models.
    We sold our previous car for only 4k. If it had taken, say 4.5k to pass a WOF, what’s the point, some people might say.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:15am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Good to see you have a hobby and are getting out and about
      Kia Kaha
      
      9 2
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      February 7, 2022 11:43am
      - MCōs
        
        Selling second hand cars is something I wouldn’t consider a hobby. It’s a pain in the arse I only subject myself to when necessary.
        
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        February 7, 2022 5:30pm
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, lovely stuff because the more Labour voters that get pissed off the better. Petrol up, WOFs up, rents up, food up…oh the joy of the present government forcing the proletariat to tighten their belts.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:42am
- Rich Prick
  
  But that would leave your average Greenie carless. And they wouldn’t like that one bit at all.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:44am
- Nickc2
  
  Hey Maggie, I have a Classic Car that I pat, polish and maintain and only drive on Sundays. Will the Politburo take that off the road too?
  Two Asian cars could be made out of one door handle of my Classic Car.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:59am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  We didn’t get the full story about that one. Apparently the dent was not in the door but in the sill panel below the door and it was the size of a tennis ball. That is a structural part of the car and with a dent that size it is seriously weakened. and yes, it’s probably not economical to repair as you can’t just bog it up.
  
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  February 7, 2022 9:59am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    Replace the door?
    
    7 3
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    February 7, 2022 10:03am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      As I said above it’s not the door. Sill panel is much harder to replace than a door. You have to dismantle the whole side of the car.
      
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      February 7, 2022 10:05am
      - Captain Mainwaring
        
        Not worth doing on a car worth less than about 5K.
        
        9 0
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        February 7, 2022 10:06am
      - Alan Wilkinson
        
        Yes, sorry, didn’t read it properly.
        
        8 0
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        February 7, 2022 10:34am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      Or do what we saw a family doing in Moerewa once….
      just drive around without it.
      
      LOL!!
      
      14 1
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      February 7, 2022 10:07am
    - kowtow
      
      Don’t park near tennis clubs .
      
      9 0
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      February 7, 2022 10:19am
      - kowtow
        
        biscuit
        
        I posted before I read your comment. Also tried to delete , but didn’t work.
        For my penance I’ll do a “Benson Pope ” and stick a tennis ball in my gob.
        
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        February 7, 2022 11:11am
    - stewmar
      
      Replace “Sigh”
      
      5 0
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      February 7, 2022 11:08am
      - Biscuit
        
        Ha, kowtow…
        
        What is that they say?
        ‘Sick minds think alike.’
        Something like that, anyway…
        
        Into February we are now and that’s the first time I’ve thought of/remembered David Benson-Pope in 2022…
        
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        February 7, 2022 11:29am
  - Biscuit
    
    Captain, we could of course just ban the likely cause of that dent:
    
    Tennis-playing in the suburbs
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:07am
  - Nickc2
    
    Yes, I heard the discourse on ZB. If the dent is that size, it can be cut out and another piece of panel steel fashioned, welded in, ground off (finished), bogged over, and painted. AFIK, there’s no law against that but it must in the first instance be signed off by a registered Panel Beater.
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:20pm
- andydownhere
  
  What say the car isnt smoking? What do the kids drive for their 1st car? A Range Rover, the Remuera tractor? Jolly good show//The cost of insurance for under 25s is huge, so its best not to have an expensive car for them.
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:13pm
Cassandra

Bob Jones (“No punches pulled”) has an interesting column and prediction just now: Labour decimated next election (I think he means annihilated) and also comments on Sweden’s successful handling of the virus. History will not be kind to Ardern, he muses.
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February 7, 2022 9:12am
- Lee C
  
  Cassandra –
  https://www.facebook.com/joanne.dorne.1/posts/10158501907943873
  says it all…
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:59am
Rusty

How many months now have we been hearing in the news about the Ruskie military build up on the Ukraine border?

The media never tells us why this is happening which makes you wonder if it is a media beat up to distract world attention from other important matters —such as why isn’t covid and its variants not causing mass death and mayhem in this world?
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February 7, 2022 9:13am
- kowtow
  
  In the Anglo world the most prominent leaders are in the shit .Creepy Joe and Bojo the Clown.
  
  This is a distraction and the Media Pardy playing it for all it’sworth.
  
  Bit like when theYanks zapped that guy the other day . The Media tried to via immagery etc tie it in to the Abbotabad hit.
  
  Creepy Joe in command , watching authoritative etc (hopes for boost in flagging polls)
  
  Sir Humphrey Appleby would approve.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:27am
- emmess
  
  Tucker Carlson covered the bizarre US State Dept press conference, yesterday
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hroe2LSBraU
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:51am
- Bob
  
  or the buildup is an attempt by Putin to deflect world attention from the deteriorating economic condition of Russia.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:56am
  - Batman
    
    Bingo, Bob. You’re right on the money.
    
    It’s all part of Putin’s rebuilding the empire narrative.
    
    He views Ukraine as Russian and that he has a right to it.
    
    Anyone who believes in borders should push back against him.
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:02pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    I understand that even with the buildup of 100,000 Russian troops. They are dwarfed by the Ukrainian army at 200,000.
    
    It all leads to another lie from the USA.
    
    Remember the great Weapons of Mass distruction lie
    Even JFK lied to the American people for political purposes.
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7Ng75e5gQ
    
    If you are short on time skip to 1:10:0
    
    Remember this was filmed in 2018~!
    
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    February 7, 2022 7:05pm
kevn

@Maggie… The old Jappas are the next generation of collectible cars. You could not imagine what your 80’s Corolla is worth now.
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February 7, 2022 9:17am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  1980 Toyota Crown? Elegant
  
  9 1
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  February 7, 2022 10:16am
  - kevn
    
    @Steve O… Mate had an Toyota Crown coupe. Special even then.
    
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    February 7, 2022 10:43am
- Batman
  
  A mint condition Mazda RX-3 in Christchurch went for about a hundred grand.
  
  Lovely thing it was, too.
  
  7 2
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  February 7, 2022 2:03pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Better than Bank Interest eh?
    
    6 1
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    February 7, 2022 2:06pm
I remember when

Rotterdam may dismantle historic bridge for superyacht reportedly owned by Jeff Bezos: CNN Business:
The Dutch city has recieved a request from a local shipbuilder to remove the central section of the historic Koningshaven Bridge so that a superyacht can sail to sea.
The ship, which has three masts, will be the world’s tallest sailing yacht when completed/delivered later this year.

So the yacht is being built it the Netherlands at a reported cost of $744 million.
There seems to be a lot of envy because Jeff Bezos is the owner.
The only thing that is certain is that whatever happens, Jeff Bezos will still be extremely rich and the protesters will not be any richer.
Surely the answer to to make sure Jeff Bezos pays his fair share of the cost and any inconvenience.
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February 7, 2022 9:25am
- mawm
  
  The City says it has received the request but not made a decision. Who builds a boat without a guaranteed access to the sea! Such hubris from one of the worlds richest men.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:19pm
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Why can’t it pass under the bridge and have the masts fitted downstream?
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:06pm
    - I remember when
      
      That doesn’t sound very newsworthy or photogenic.
      
      6 0
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      February 7, 2022 3:28pm
    - Alan Wilkinson
      
      You must assume that is Plan B if they can’t get the city to cough and get publicity shots of the masts passing through the broken bridge.
      
      4 0
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      February 7, 2022 3:41pm
tf78

I see Auckland Council staff could be in for a $57m pay increase – looks to be coming from the 3 Waters windfall. Otherwise the council have no option but to cut services.
I’d like to know apart from rubbish, what services they supply right now. Very soon we will be able to take the GST off our rates as there will be no Goods or Service.
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February 7, 2022 9:26am
- MCōs
  
  The biggest item on the budget is transport. The council maintains the roading system, buses, trains.
  Next is the three waters, without which you would flounder, unless you live out in the Styx.
  Everything else is way down the list.
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:25am
Maggy Wassilieff

An excellent article by Kenan Malik on Whoopi Goldberg’s confusion about race and the Jewish Holocaust.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/06/whoopi-goldberg-holocaust-remarks-were-born-of-ignorance-not-racism
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February 7, 2022 9:28am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Backtracking like Alec Baldwin?
  
  9 2
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  February 7, 2022 10:18am
- Jack5
  
  The Jerusalem Post says Whoopi Goldberg was right about race but wrong about the Holocaust:
  
  https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-695683
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:02pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Summer holidays are over for our politicians tomorrow.

https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involved/features/confirmed-house-sitting-programme-for-2022/
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February 7, 2022 9:33am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  About 90 days? How will they fit that in whilst being busy doing nothing?
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:21am
- MCōs
  
  Back in Muldoon’s day parliament didn’t resume until April.
  In earlier days it was the middle of the year.
  
  2 3
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  February 7, 2022 11:54am
Maggie Pie

Is the CCP disappearing Olympians now?

‘The 5 most used words over the coming months will be:
WE TRIED TO TELL YOU.

– Anonymous

https://twitter.com/MichaelPSenger/status/1489710649286348801
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February 7, 2022 9:37am
Yvette

It says Māori children are exposed to about twice as much unhealthy food and drink marketing than non-Māori, which is an example of the Government failing to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi. [1]

“It” is a “report” by Protect Kids From Junk Food Marketing [2] and says –
Children living in more disadvantaged suburbs have greater exposure to unhealthy food outlets and marketing than children living in less deprived neighbourhoods in NZ and around the world17,18,19. As more than half of Māori whānau (families) live in deprived neighbourhoods, Māori children are exposed to around twice as much unhealthy food and drink marketing than non-Māori. This is an example of the Government failing to uphold the Ōritetanga (Equity) article of te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Obviously the Government answer should be “plain package” fast-food outlets in Maori predominant neighbourhoods – paint such buildings white and allow identification of their trade to be limited to lettering of a certain size, standardised location – once only – on each building facade, and in a neutral typeface, like Univers, Folio or Helvetica in Regular or Thin style, not Bold (fat), and on entrance facades require photo murals showing common effects of obesity and related illnesses like heart attacks, or amputated limbs, just as cigarette packs show cancer imagery.
Next alcohol outlets

[1] https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/127667178/calls-for-government-to-address-childhood-obesity-by-regulating-junk-food-advertising
[2] https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60f78d380982f4218ed6914b/t/61fae45bae1cb13e22104f06/1643832417590/Evidence-Snapshot-2022-Final-Web.pdf
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February 7, 2022 9:57am
NK

I expect the number of cases to be recorded today to be about 49,000 – a large jump from the ~220 or so recorded yesterday. Why? Because the “experts” said so: https://nominister.wordpress.com/2022/02/05/only-49791-to-go/
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February 7, 2022 10:03am
- Bob
  
  We were supposed to have a 1000 cases a day by Waitangi Day, as we head towards the 6-8000 predicted by the Otago Uni experts and Hipkins.
  Another ,fail to achieve a target moment’ for Labour.
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:59am
  - Batman
    
    Success is actually failure? Cool, duly noted.
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:04pm
Biscuit

Maggie, I’m useless at Winter Sports.

Can’t ski, can’t jump, can’t Snowslope, fill nappies just THINKING of Luge and Skeleton, have eyes that can’t cope with snowglare…

But I watch most of the Games coverage…

I remember reading once that New Zealand was thinking of applying to host a Winter Games.

We’d have been ideal this time around, no? Our ‘crowds’ would be just as big as in Beijing or its other venues in these Covid-afflicted times … and our Leader smiles at least 5% more often than President Xi does…
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February 7, 2022 10:05am
lifesgood

Hypocrisy from Jacinda, again. I heard on ZB that she actually said a Christian prayer starting with “Heavenly Father” She who professes loudly that she is an atheist! Is there no end to her hypocrisy? ZB also reminded listeners of how vilified Judith Collins was after being photographed in church. Judith IS actually a practising Christian not a pretend vote chasing one. Every day I detest the lefties more.
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February 7, 2022 10:09am
- Rusty
  
  @lifesgood – Jacinda comes from a mormon/ family background.
  She left the church in her youth because she disagreed on their position on homosexuality.
  
  Shes entitled to her views but the LDS/mormons and many other church groups are entitled to their views on homosexuality as well.
  
  Agree it was hypocritical of her to pray to God considering her and the lefts disdain for christianity in this country.
  
  btw – in my view mormonism is not orthodox christianity but that’s another topic.
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:41pm
Maggie Pie

My partner dropped me off to tennis once in a yellow Lambo that he’d traded.

One of the girls said the same thing about him…. 😀

https://twitter.com/NbrewerNeil/status/1490195144410234883

(the comments!!)
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February 7, 2022 10:15am
- RightNow
  
  “Pronouns Me/me/me” – classic
  
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  February 7, 2022 10:23am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    My fave….”Easy to mistake him for a pom”
    
    You still see them ‘sunbathing’ at Mission Bay 😀
    
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    February 7, 2022 11:21am
Black with a Vengeance

Mad props to the uber talented snow princess Zoi SS!

Here’s a nice little fluff piece on why it’s a BIG DEAL…

https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/300512014/winter-olympics-why-zoi-sadowskisynnotts-gold-is-a-win-for-all-women-in-sport

Written by a Professor Holly Thorpe at Tron U who…

“In 2008, I finished my PhD titled ‘Boarders, Babes and Bad-Asses: Women in Snowboarding Culture’.”

I lol’d.

Makes complaining about Te Reo and indigenous studies seem trivial.
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February 7, 2022 10:36am
- Jack5
  
  Mmmm…
  
  Holly Thorpe’s from Waikato University,a home of Maori “science” and educator of at least some of the researchers who think Maori paddled canoes to Antarctica.
  
  Woke rot spreads through the cultural hull.
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:49am
  - Black with a Vengeance
    
    Sailed cuz. Paddles were just for around the coast…
    
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    February 7, 2022 1:21pm
wreck1080

https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300511276/we-are-maturing-as-a-nation-by-embracing-and-progressing-our-use-of-te-reo-and-tikanga-mori

Maturing as a nation, so why didn’t they allow comments?

Because, they are only open to one side of the story.
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February 7, 2022 10:38am
- Black with a Vengeance
  
  Oh and of course you’re open to both sides…lol
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:12am
  - oldfella
    
    Black, of course Stuff is open to both sides. They already speak out of both sides of their mouth.
    
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    February 7, 2022 12:11pm
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    I find myself ignoring opinions that don’t brook questioning. So Stuff merely preaches to its bubble as CNN did and will eventually suffer the same fate when its political mistresses can no longer finance it.
    
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    February 7, 2022 1:09pm
The Boss

I would like to know what happened to our good friend from THE CONSERVATIVE. I have always enjoyed his contributions. Have not seen the link for a very long time though. He did mention at one point that he was not well, and the doctor suspected cancer. I just hope he is OK. Does anyone know?
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February 7, 2022 10:38am
Blog-aholic

Roger Childs has written a good truthful article on the TOW.
Truth supported by fact rather than the selective ‘truth’ we get presented as fact.

https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2022/02/roger-childs-waitangi-day-what-we-need.html
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February 7, 2022 10:39am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Yesterday, scientists in the United States revealed that beer contains small traces of female hormones.
To prove their theory, they fed one hundred men twelve pints of beer each and observed that 100% of them started talking nonsense and couldn’t drive.
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February 7, 2022 10:54am
Lee C

More from yesterday:
https://www.facebook.com/joanne.dorne.1/posts/10158501907943873
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February 7, 2022 10:55am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

From FB.
Do they allow loud laughing in Hawaii?
Or just a low ha.
I’ll get my hat and coat.
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February 7, 2022 10:59am
- Black with a Vengeance
  
  I’ve always preferred a low ha to some boorish twat laughing loudly at his own jokes.
  
  Ha is the breath of life best shared with family, friends and lovers.
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:16am
- Biscuit
  
  G
  R
  O
  A
  N
  
  !
  
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  February 7, 2022 11:23am
70andstilllearning

I was somewhat surprised at the lead news item order on 3news last night:

1) Zoi’s win (as it should be)
2) Something about the Queen (Monach) saying what she would like Camilla to be known as once Charles becomes King
3) Finally some waffle about Spinda’s virtual/faux Waitangi celebrations….

Wonder if they think the PM’s star is waning so not quiet as important now to make her #1 ……?
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February 7, 2022 11:13am
- oldfella
  
  70, I had exactly the same reaction. Hmm…
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:20pm
- kowtow
  
  Sorry , can’t agree that essentially a sports item , when there’s a specific section for sports would lead the “news” over HM the Queen’s 70 th . She is afterall also our Head of State , the Queen of New Zealand. Historically longest ever serving monarch in UK ( and therefor our ) history.
  
  I have no doubt the editors would have scratched their heads over the lead and did the snow one first , one as a kick in the guts to “crusties” , 2, to show how mature we are as an “independant thinking ” nation , 3 as a feel good item , Lil NZers are suckers for “we punch above our weight”.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:42pm
- Bridgenag
  
  Like Spinda ….better than Cindy Thanks
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:33pm
  - Scooter
    
    Or Jaspindalot
    
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    February 8, 2022 12:25am
Yvette

In an article headlined “Michael Baker suggests a move away from daily case numbers” [1] it says –
New Covid infections yesterday plunged from Saturday’s record tally but one epidemiologist believes the daily case numbers may not reflect the true extent of community spread.
There were 208 new cases reported in the community on Sunday, down markedly on Saturday’s record 243 infections, which was the highest daily total since the pandemic reached New Zealand nearly two years ago.

And the last line of the article says –
Across the country there were 16,873 tests carried out in the last 24 hours – almost 8000 in Auckland. but it should have added that Saturday’s “Number of tests total (last 24 hours) was 21,471”

16,873 tests against 21,471 is 78.5 percent and that portion of Saturday’s record 243 infections should be down about 191 cases on Sunday
But they were 208, so not a rate “down markedly on Saturday’s record” – instead markedly higher.
If both days cases were from the same number of tests, Sunday’s cases should theoretically have been 264, somewhat above Saturday’s “record” 243.

Simplistic perhaps, but if Baker is playing with theoretical numbers, what can he not ‘figure’ this out.
And if he “moves away from daily case numbers”, what will he count? – or will Baker count at all?

[1] https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/461007/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-michael-baker-suggests-a-move-away-from-daily-case-numbers
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February 7, 2022 11:28am
- NK
  
  Of course he wants this. He doesn’t want to be embarrassed by his outrageously wrong “predictions” coming back to haunt him.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:16pm
- Yvette
  
  OK – today: 188 community cases
  Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 12,830
  
  Yesterday’s 208 cases related to 16,873 tests
  
  So today’s cases should relate to 76 percent of yesterday’s = 158
  but at 188, they are 30 above that!
  
  And at 60 percent of Saturday’s related tests, that percent of 243 cases should be 145
  so 188 is 43 above that
  And related to Saturday’s record 243 cases, today’s rate would translate to 406 cases.
  
  Saturday’s “record” case rate per 1,000 tests is 11.37 cases
  Today’s case rate per 1,000 is 14.65 cases
  
  Rough and simplistic as it is, is not such a calculation a form of modelling÷ – use basic assumptions or collected statistics along with mathematics to find parameters for various infectious diseases?
  What is missing here – besides an “investigative journalist” or useful expert?
  
  So I suspect the infection rate is creeping up – not “plummeting”
  
  But Jacinda would be pleased if experts took no tests at all – then you’d not kind any cases of delta or omicron.
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:17pm
  - septic skeptic
    
    Too many unknown factors for an accurate comparison. If less people were getting infected you could assume less people would feel sick enough to bother going for a test. But on the other hand, I think a substantial number are going to avoid testing and take whatever measures they deem appropriate – unless by some chance they get sick enough to want hospital.
    
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    February 7, 2022 6:11pm
Jack5

Good article by Zoe Strimpel on the Woke crap at Cambridge University’s Jesus College. The article’s outside the paywall at the Telegraph.

A sample, about the college’s “Legacy of Slavery Working Party”:

They lost no time in entering the frenzied emotional state that has become their trademark. They are offended! They are upset! They feel sick! They cannot possibly live in the same college, let alone attend the same chapel, in which a plaque of this benefactor hangs, however quietly.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/05/woke-student-puritans-care-history/
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February 7, 2022 11:28am
- kowtow
  
  yer but they’re all more thaan happy to attend and benefit from the legacy of slavery by being at those colleges.
  
  And as Mary Beard , now newly in the anti cancel culture club ,says they all use tech devises that have been made with or from the result of modern slavery , with no qualms of conscience.
  
  Hypocrites.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:54pm
The Boss

Another excellent article on how we are being lied to, but still people believe the lie.
https://thebfd.co.nz/2022/02/07/lies-run-sprints-but-the-truth-runs-marathons/?utm_source=envelope&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=SocialSnap
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February 7, 2022 11:39am
- Rodion Raskolnikov
  
  We are being lied to for good reason: if the truth were (even more) widely known, then nobody in their right mind would be getting these vaccines. This article contains explanations and links to some very interesting information gleaned by the Department of Defence, with respect to the massive uptick in various medical conditions that can plausibly be linked to vaccination.
  
  https://stevekirsch.substack.com/p/this-medical-data-from-the-us-dod?r=o7iqo&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  
  “On February 1, 2022, US Senator Ron Johnson sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on February 1 highlighting the dramatic rise in adverse events reported in the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED) after the vaccines were rolled out to the military. If the vaccines are truly “safe and effective,” these increases are difficult to explain.”
  
  Very sobering and worrying stuff.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:42pm
- DimChappie
  
  Have you looked into the bit about ACC having an avalanches of vaccine claims? Dynamite evidence if true!
  I am not a vaccine supporter but this suggests there has not been an avalanche: https://www.acc.co.nz/assets/oia-responses/GOV-015250-Injuries-related-to-the-COVID-19-vaccination.pdf
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:22pm
Maggie Pie

-1
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February 7, 2022 11:53am
Tony Stuart

Fantastic news; Kurt Lehndorf is going to be released from MIQ today and allowed to self-isolate with his family, especially his dying father.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-hunger-striker-in-miq-told-he-can-self-isolate-with-dying-dad/6O5HEXCEXWKNYPI5KEKFQHYKJU/#

But no person should have to go on a hunger strike to be able to be with a close family member during their last hours of life. Thank God MIQ is almost history!
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February 7, 2022 12:09pm
- oldfella
  
  Tony, I will be ready to thank God when this govt is history. Enough, already!
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:23pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Let us hope that is the last demonstration of our Dear Government’s kindness.
  
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  February 7, 2022 12:31pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Good Grief..
  This is absolutely indefensible
  
  Lehndorf said his father had to read about his own mortality in media reports and broke down in tears when he read a story, quoting his son, on Sunday.
  
  “This is the most horrendous thing I have ever heard of,” Kurt said.
  
  Who ever thought that Jacinda Ardern and her Labour mates would oversee such an inhumane regime?
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:51pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Story in “stuff”
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/127703803/we-won-nilbymouth-striker-confirmed-he-will-be-let-out-to-see-dying-dad
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:54pm
Jack5

The Ardern Government has set dates for Matariki holiday weekends for the next 30 years.

The dates coincide with the Maori lunar year, and are based, says RNZ, on Matariki, the star cluster also known as Pleiade.

“Älso known” by billions of people in Western countries as the Pleiades.

The RNZ report says:

“Matariki will be our first public holiday that recognises Te Ao Maori and will be one that is uniquely New Zealand,” Acting Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Peeni Henare said.

Someone might spell out for us how the Matariki holiday will recognise Te Ao Maori in a way that Waitangi Day does not.

The holidays:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/445990/matariki-public-holiday-dates-for-next-30-years-announced
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February 7, 2022 12:15pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  So we have descended to star worship superstition. Next, Sun Gods.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:15pm
  - Batman
    
    Is that any different to sky fairy holidays like Christmas and Easter?
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:08pm
    - Alan Wilkinson
      
      I think so, even as an atheist. There is an important human life and story in those even if inflated and mythologized.
      
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      February 7, 2022 3:02pm
    - Alan Wilkinson
      
      “the (Matariki) ceremony involved viewing the individual stars for forecasts of the year to come, mourning the deceased of the past year, and making an offering of food to replenish the stars” – Wikipedia.
      
      Maori astronomy. Who ate the food?
      
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      February 7, 2022 3:11pm
      - andydownhere
        
        The cuzzies stole it and ate it. But the rest of the tribe thought the Gods took it and so they kept giving to the Gods every year
        
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        February 7, 2022 10:05pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  So the Maori Lunar Calendar has to give way to the
  Gregorian Calendar to ensure that Matariki Day can always fall on a Friday.
  
  Oh Dear, looks like we will have to keep on living under the hegemony of colonial timekeepers.
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/maori-astronomer-weve-got-matariki-wrong/TYFIP4R3UPXWOED7NSI25OUHRA/
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:37pm
  - nathie
    
    For crying out loud! Can’t Ardern get anything right when her focus groups “approve” these public holiday ~~voter bribes~~ policies??!!
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:13pm
- Batman
  
  Matariki is the lunar new year.
  
  Waitangi is the signing of the treaty.
  
  I’m sure you can understand that, even if acknowledging indigenous culture makes you angry.
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:10pm
  - Hard Cheese
    
    Such a smart idea creating more days off – as if our economy had a high productivity rate and wasn’t $150 billion in debt, and we could afford to.
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:44pm
  - Jack5
    
    ?Batty’s Matariki is the lunar new year.
    
    Nope, Matariki is the Maori lunar new year.
    
    In China it’s the (lunar) New Year in February, in Vietnam it’s Tet, in Korea it’s Seollal.
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:48pm
  - kowtow
    
    Maoris aren’t indigenous , they came here by boat only some 800 years ago.
    
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    February 7, 2022 3:15pm
    - Swifty
      
      The word has changed meaning in the last 20 years or so.
      
      It can also now mean, in addition to originating from, the first people to occupy a place.
      
      Hence Maori are now ‘indigenous’ to NZ and can be spoken about alongside Native Americans, Australian Aborigines, the Inuit etc etc and who measure their occupancy in the thousands of not tens of thousands of years.
      
      Seems like a bit of sleight of hand to me….
      
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      February 7, 2022 5:05pm
- Hard Cheese
  
  Since Maori have Matariki, we should have another public holiday on November 7 to celebrate Cook’s Birthday.
  
  See how that goes down //
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:47pm
waripori

Rained hard all day here yesterday so not much to do except watch the winter games. I had never seen any snow boarding before except a couple of minutes on the news. Those jumps are bloody enormous and the camera work from underneath them shows how dangerous it is. Like sky diving without a parachute and hoping you land somewhere soft.

Those x games graduates are really a different breed of athlete. The pile on hug after Zoi nailed her final run from the two women she had just beaten should make all those sulky tennis players deeply ashamed.
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February 7, 2022 12:21pm
- MCōs
  
  I watch some sport on TV including American baseball. Now, those guys all seem to know each other. You see them chatting on the field occasionally.
  However.
  At the end of the games they pretend the other blokes don’t exist. Never a handshake, never anything!
  Interestingly behaviour between players from opposing national cricket teams has improved a lot since the advent of franchise T20 competitions. Pretty hard to cuss & spit & fart at a bloke whose your best mate in an IPL team.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:58pm
Nookin

When will it ever stop?
Not soon, I fear. The PM whacked a wedge in the door with Ihumatao.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300512097/land-back-greens-call-to-return-stolen-land-and-revisit-treaty-settlements
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February 7, 2022 12:32pm
- Swifty
  
  The Greens and the left generally are remorseless, relentless, unsatisfiable.
  
  Nothing will end their holy warrior quest to make New Zealanders compliant with their view of the future. And, you’ll notice, with the almost constant use of state force.
  
  They ultimately want everyone the same and no loss of freedom or liberty is too great in the pursuit of this.
  
  They will never stop.
  
  Ask them. When will it be enough? When will you be satisfied? You’ll never get an answer.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:16pm
  - Blog-aholic
    
    Greens have always been ‘do as we say, not as we do’ sorts of people. They are the most sanctimonious group you could every have the displeasure of meeting.
    
    They are the reason why we have so much virtue signalling crap going on they literally have to make a show of being morally superior to other people.
    
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    February 7, 2022 3:13pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Might be difficult for the Greens to reconcile Treaty settlements with the Maori Party’s desire to divorce us from the Crown.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:46pm
Maggie Pie

TRENDING….

As part of CCPs ‘Belt & Road Initiative’, China submits proposal to build dedicated MIQ Facility on NZDF land at Waiouru.

https://twitter.com/songpinganq/status/1480157037681995779
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February 7, 2022 1:14pm
- Nickc2
  
  Couldn’t happen in a nicer place (Waiouru that is).
  I wonder if they’ll update the Army Museum whilst they are at it by putting in a statue of John Campbell holding a bunch of stolen War Medals.
  Yes, I know he didn’t personally steal them!
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:19pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  That is horrific, Maggie.
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:20pm
- kevn
  
  @Maggie… MIQ guard goes home for dinner, “just following orders Ma”
  
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  February 7, 2022 1:48pm
- Batman
  
  Oddly enough Maggie, I know a Kiwi who went through the Chinese MIQ and it was a standard hotel room!
  
  Though the food left a lot to be desired. Chicken feet and all kinds of local delicacies which a westerner wouldn’t go for. A lot of it was cooked poorly or the veges had bugs still attached ??
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:12pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Did he get an Anal Swab ?
    
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    February 7, 2022 2:17pm
  - MCōs
    
    Chicken feet!
    My wife wants to know where to sign up?
    Those bugs on the veggies might be the delicacies.
    I bought some muesli in a Bangkok supermarket once and the women behind me at the checkout wanted to know if it was pig food.
    When I first met my wife her sister fancied a pizza so I dropped one off. They’re never had one before, took one bite and chucked it out, apparently.
    Someone went out and brought back a good feed of chicken feet and vegetables & bugs.
    
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    February 7, 2022 4:23pm
Maggie Pie

One of the girls from tennis has just re-tweeted this. With a warning….

“Well I hope you’ve all had lunch? This is IRAN TODAY” 🙁

https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1490050311460896768
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February 7, 2022 2:08pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  So vile and cold-blooded they make our gangsters seem half decent. Yet similar atrocities were common in this country pre-European. The missionaries had case and deserve credit for making it successfully. Matariki would be better named Samuel Marsden day.
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:27pm
  - MCōs
    
    Samuel Marsden may have left a good impression this side of the Tasman, but not so much in Australia.
    You say atrocities were common in this country pre-European. I would suggest Europeans have been responsible for some pretty wild stuff themselves.
    That includes Samuel Marsden.
    https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/marsden-samuel-2433
    
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    February 7, 2022 4:11pm
    - Alan Wilkinson
      
      You wouldn’t have wanted to be a pre-European slave in NZ or even a widow.
      
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      February 7, 2022 5:50pm
Batman

It seems the wheels on far-right supporters and influencers online are falling off.

https://twitter.com/LouiseMensch/status/1490478558367694853?t=bt-zwyDq7HAiBhyhzh_Ejw&s=19

Conspiracy-pushing bot accounts pushing all the usual narratives about US institutions and motivations of other countries are eventually exposed as fake, but not until suckers absorb the propaganda they’re pushing and it organically filters through conservatism and the GOP base via low rent media.
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February 7, 2022 2:18pm
- Jack5
  
  ? Batty, I genuinely appreciate the volunteer work of you moderators, even when. rarely. the queue extends for hours.
  
  Not so bad then if Batty, rostered on, is doing the lawns or swatting for another crack at NCEA, but if he’s distracted by Woke crap on Twitter ….?
  
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  February 7, 2022 2:41pm
- BananaLlama
  
  Find your Russian hackers yet?
  
  10 1
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  February 7, 2022 2:50pm
kevn

That bloomfield guy is tricky.
Double speak about the RAT supply ‘arrangements’,
aka = lies.
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February 7, 2022 2:46pm
- waripori
  
  Double speak was saying “consolidated” when he actually commandeered. Saying he had not “consolidated” any RATs in NZ when he must have known they had intercepted the Roche ones cannot be tolerated. Running interference for an incompetent minister or two might be in his job description but outright lies from the podium of truth ought to be discouraged by a public flogging surely.
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:01pm
- kowtow
  
  Well when he declared swimming wasn’t swimming when one of his influencers pals went swimming I thoughtthat would be peak wuflu bollocks , but it still just gets worse and worse.
  
  We do live in a South Seas version of Animal Farm .
  
  22 1
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  February 7, 2022 3:11pm
- EssenX
  
  I just saw that and thought the same thing too! What else is he covering up? It was very clear, to anyone, that the questions asked were about all suppliers, not just Abbott’s tests, and so he must have deliberately misled the media when he answered that nothing in country was taken. This is really bad and I have lost what little respect I had left for him.
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ministry-of-health-admits-requisitioned-rats-already-in-new-zealand/KZBQFKQ5IH5PWAAZDVPYIEEWDY/
  
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  February 7, 2022 5:20pm
BananaLlama

I’m watching people from small town New Zealand turn out in numbers in the bucketing rain, cheer on the convoy as it drives through their towns while Jacinda Ardern the most popular Prime Minister in New Zealands history has to flee from her adoring public in a van.
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February 7, 2022 2:49pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Yeah, the mental trauma of evasive action to escape being asked a few questions.
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:21pm
- fightingtemeraire
  
  BL
  
  I was part of that in the S Waikato. The crowds in the teeming rain were incredible. A real X section of NZ and the cars heading N were honking their horns and flashing their head lights.
  
  I drove as far as the Mangakino turn off and I passed the tail end Charlies just N of the Kinleith turn off. Approx 30kms.
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:47pm
Colinfrog

Ashley lying again! How often can he lie before he gets fired?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ministry-of-health-admits-requisitioned-rats-already-in-new-zealand/KZBQFKQ5IH5PWAAZDVPYIEEWDY/
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February 7, 2022 2:50pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  It is not just Bloomfield that has misled the Public… Jacinda Ardern has also.
  
  She told us:
  “If you’re implying we have taken the supply of others – absolutely not.”
  
  https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/01/26/govt-absolutely-not-taking-rats-off-businesses-ardern/
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:20pm
  - Warren
    
    My previous post never made it past the moderators but Jacinda Ardern, Ashley Bloomfield, Labour Party Minister’s and the Media are laughing at us because they can lie their arses off as no one will stand up and say enough is enough and we will not stand for this disgraceful and disgusting behavior any more.
    Youngsters looking to get into Parliament at some time in the near future will believe this is exceptable behavior if we keep allowing this to happen.
    
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    February 7, 2022 5:17pm
- nathie
  
  Could it be the “Anna Fifield Effect”? That is Ministries are now coming clean before the media exposes them?
  
  (Or could it be more like the Ministries are taking the wrap [rap] as they are being thrown under the wheels of the Labour Bus – so that the Ministers are protected of course)!
  
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  February 7, 2022 4:08pm
kevn

@Colin…. Indeed, I do wonder how he sleeps at night.
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February 7, 2022 3:08pm
- Colinfrog
  
  the rather large salary probably helps
  
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  February 7, 2022 3:10pm
  - lifesgood
    
    He’s a right little weasel, isn’t he? One of those nasty little yes men we have all had the displeasure of working with at some time.
    
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    February 7, 2022 4:38pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Joe Brandon – paraphrased. Source Dan Bongino.
If a Company has 59% vaccinated, the 99% are vaccinated it looks good. That is 59 out of 100 employees vaccinated. The Company fires 41 of the 100 employees and that means the Company is 100% vaccinated.
Fuck Biden is brilliant. Variable arithmetic is wonderful. See how this works Labour? Take note//
18 1
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February 7, 2022 3:16pm
Cobolt24

What ever happened to those two shots for summer ads? Will it become 3 shots (or more) for summer or do they want us to forget that they even had that campaign?
11 1
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February 7, 2022 4:30pm
- alloytoo
  
  Was that for vaccines? I thought it was for booze, before you got down to serious drinking.
  
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  February 7, 2022 6:59pm
Alan Wilkinson

Just had a Countdown delivery. 6 of the 9 paper bags had torn in this humid weather. Why 9 bags? Because paper is so weak it can only carry a few things.

Why not the useful, reusable plastic ones? Because somehow ours get to the sea despite us never seeing them there, almost all of the micro particles that do come from the Greenie luvvies’ synthetic clothing laundry and most of the visible waste coming from fishing boats.

The vast majority of the waste volume at our recycling centre is now cardboard cartons and the supermarkets are celebrating their customers paying to dispose of it for them. Such is modern environmentalism.
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February 7, 2022 4:58pm
- tf78
  
  Allan, maybe they could burn them instead of the coal Indonesia won’t be selling us anymore.
  
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  February 7, 2022 8:56pm
kevn

@Alan… The old plastic bags were very good. Last longer than the woven type thrust upon us. I have a few old bags still in uses. Must be 18 months + old now.
Now, the plastic fruit stickers… still being used. Another broken promise?
11 1
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February 7, 2022 5:06pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Sorry fat finger downtick was supposed to be an uptick and this dumb software won’t reverse it.
  
  3 0
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  February 7, 2022 5:36pm
Joely Doe

Interesting exercise to download the NZ Covid tracer App data set and plot the number of scans over time…
There was a dramatic drop off in scans on 23 Dec and it has not picked up again in the following weeks. From a high of 3.9m scans pre-Xmas to a post-Xmas high of 2.7m scans ( 28/01/22).
Surely there is a stats/data expert on this site who could make something of that… it can’t all be down to holidays any longer, can it?
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February 7, 2022 5:28pm
- alloytoo
  
  It took the tracers 7 days to tell the PM she had been exposed.
  
  More than double the incubation period of Omicron.
  
  What’s the point?
  
  PM should have scrapped it there and then.
  
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  February 7, 2022 6:56pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Aussie opening its borders to all double-vaxxed visa holders from Feb 23rd.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-07/international-covid-borders-to-reopen-scott-morrison/100810580
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February 7, 2022 5:40pm
70andstilllearning

Hilarious – New political ed Jenna Lynch on 3News absolutely gushing over their newest poll result. I’d use another descriptor but I’d probably be booted off the site…….
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February 7, 2022 6:14pm
- greybeard
  
  Rubbish poll.
  Desperate attempt to reverse public opinion.
  
  16 1
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  February 7, 2022 6:29pm
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    Must admit I found her comparative between Jacinda moving Labour up 9% immediately prior an election poll in 2017 and Chris moving National “only” (her word) 4.4% in a poll run immediately after the country’s been on holiday and simultaneous with the PM’s MIQ /Border demise announcements a bit of a stretch for poll comparability.
    
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    February 7, 2022 7:09pm
    - nathie
      
      [Deleted – inappropriate end, so the lot goes. Try again. mod. 😉 ]
      
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      February 7, 2022 9:05pm
  - barnacle bill
    
    Sounds like you need to get out and about a bit more GB.
    Why is it that if it doesn’t suit your agenda, it becomes a rubbish poll ?
    
    2 9
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    February 7, 2022 7:25pm
  - Humble Capitalist
    
    The Reid Research internet panel still vote Comrade Ardern
    
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    February 7, 2022 7:35pm
- BananaLlama
  
  They are certainly polling against the trend but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Luxon faffing it and killing off ACTs support in the process.
  
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  February 7, 2022 7:47pm
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    ACT needs to get it’s numbers up from the centre left on it’s own merits. Sucking up pissed off National’s who switched to give their party a message, which is what I believe happened last year, doesn’t lift the right bloc vote overall. I’m wondering whether this poll reflects his SotN speech mocking of Ardern that may have upset the centre left ladies.
    
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    February 7, 2022 9:09pm
WaveyDavey

Looks like Oracle Wavey was on the money

Labour is definitely going to win the next election
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February 7, 2022 6:28pm
jon

Re the Kantar and Reid polls i understand they both contact 500 people by phone and the other 500 are made up of a online panel. What would be interesting to see is a separate breakdown of the party support for the phone and online panel to see if there is a variance. I view rightly or wrongly these online panels with some suspicion. I note the comment that in tonites Reid poll that Labour was saved from a bad poll by their announcement of the border reopening and that the details of this will follow.
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February 7, 2022 7:06pm
kevn

1 Ewe News… The trucking convoy went for a ‘FEW” kilometres the presenter said.
One convoy was 20 km’s long and the other was 40 km’s long I gather.
Classic mSM re-jigging the news to suit ‘their’ sponsor.
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February 7, 2022 7:14pm
Maggy Wassilieff

I wonder if any Journalist will bother to ask Bloomfield and the PM why they deliberately misled the public about taking RATs ordered by private companies.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2202/S00045/government-admits-it-took-tests-already-in-nz.htm
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February 7, 2022 7:50pm
Tauhei Notts

Tip your hats to those tough Aussies; Dean Hewitt and Tahli Gill.
Tough? Yeah. What did they do after they contracted the deadly Corona virus? They won gold medals at the Winter Olympics.
8 1
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February 7, 2022 8:02pm

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