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May 20, 2022 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 20 May 2022

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General Debate

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Scott

Reading stuff this morning they are talking about five families and how the budget affects them. They have an example of a solo mother who with all the benefits and subsidies will receive just over $1000 per week. Doesn’t that seem a lot? Particularly because a mother staying at home looking after young children and with a husband who is working will often be paid less and there is an example of this in the article.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/300592908/how-budget-2022-works-out-for-five-kiwi-families

As the good book says – “the one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” – 2 Thessalonians 3:10. And I know personally some solo mothers who don’t work because they know that they will receive less money working than they receive from the government. So the government is giving them a positive incentive to not work and instead rely on the taxpayers who do.

I just want to remind people that this country is built on a work ethic. It’s often called the Protestant work ethic, sociologist Max Weber commented on it. Hard-working industrious people who are prepared to forego spending on luxuries for the sake of building up capital and passing on the fruits of their labour to the children. But sadly that work ethic seems to be undermined by government policy.

Can hard-working New Zealanders reconsider whom they vote for come the next election? We need an aspirational government that rewards work and endeavour. Certainly we should look after the poor. But we should not encourage people to be idle. That is not kind and it is not fair to those who are working to earn their bread.
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May 20, 2022 8:05am
- Ross Campbell
  
  All the points you make are fine but the one thing you don’t say in relation to implementing your vision is who exactly are we supposed to vote for after we have done all the reconsidering?
  The reason I say this is, is that I don’t see any of the major political players promising welfare cuts or any serious cuts in anything for that matter and the mooted tax cuts are so tiny they cannot possibly redress the imbalances you are talking about so what gives…
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:01am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    National’s Social Investment put together by Bill English was a fantastic initiative and well worth another look. Designed to improve the lives of beneficiaries basically by holding them to account, it’s the sort of thing Jordan Peterson has been advocating for years.
    
    https://www.treasury.govt.nz/information-and-services/state-sector-leadership/cross-agency-initiatives/social-investment
    
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    May 20, 2022 3:18pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  $1000 a week ? WTF I guess that maybe before tax, it better be, I am on reasonably good money for what I do, and I don’t quite get $1000 in the hand a week, if she gets that in the hand, hen what’s the point anyone working at all?
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:22am
- Scott
  
  Ross Campbell – couldn’t agree more. I would say that the New Zealand taxpayers union, which DPF is part of, are doing great work in highlighting the massive problems with the budget.
  
  I do think Christopher Luxon is making encouraging noises about cutting government spending. And of course David Seymour has come out and explicitly declared that Act would make big cuts to government spending.
  
  I guess I would suggest that the right of the political spectrum is more aspirational. On the left they tend to take prosperity as a given and want to make everyone equal. Given our current policy settings it will not be long in my opinion before everyone is equal all right. Equally miserable.
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:28pm
  - noodlum
    
    Luxon has said this many times. Maybe you only watch TV and don’t search for the truth.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:16pm
- Hebe123
  
  and who are you thinking of to form this “aspirational government”?
  
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  May 20, 2022 1:18pm
- Southern Raider
  
  No different to Child Support situation where the assessed income isn’t based on what a party could earn if they worked fulltime or tried, but based on what they want to do. Means the other party ends up cross subsidising the other parties lifestyle
  
  Also the cost of living calculator is automatically increased by inflation (6.9%) plus assumed salary is also inflation adjusted, whether the costs or income are actually realised
  
  Life in NZ for a full time salaries worker is just taxes, on taxes on taxes, plus levies and every other form of Govt theft
  
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  May 20, 2022 1:56pm
- Loddenthinks
  
  “…prepared to forego spending on luxuries..” is a given for those of us with a strong work ethic (or who were raised Catholic and are heavily into delayed gratification, and guilt).
  
  Nobody who gets free stuff is prepared to give any of it up, and in any case, Codys, Netflix and smokes are necessities, not luxuries!
  
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  May 20, 2022 3:22pm
pdm

`The Bollocks Budget’.

So said Mike Hosking just before 6am today.

Impossible to disagree.
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May 20, 2022 8:08am
- oldfella
  
  pdm: Nicola Willis today called the budget a “spray and walk away approach”.
  Love it!
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:27am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    She is possibly saying that after finding out that Treasury warned against the 350. Clearly Labour are so very desperate to buy votes off the gutted centre
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:26am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  By petrol cost have gone up 1k a year since last year, what the hell does $350 make to inflation when it only covers a third of the petrol price rise
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:24am
  - rouppe
    
    Those that already get the Winter Energy Payment (beneficiaries) are furious they don’t get this as well
    
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    May 20, 2022 3:04pm
krazykiwi

A good post from eugyppius: Liberalism, Progressivism, Leftism

After describing liberalism and progressivism he continues …

If liberalism is the water, and progressivism the illumination, then leftism is the invasive algae that has taken over our aquarium. The term should be used in its broadest possible sense, to include any egalitarian ideology that seeks to overcome human inequality and natural hierarchy via special technological, social or legal interventions. Leftism wants, or pretends to want, a great flattening, a world where everyone is the same.
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May 20, 2022 8:10am
- cmm
  
  At least algae can be harvested and can generate numerous useful products: oils, stock food, compost etc.
  Labour – completely bloody useless for anything.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:45am
- Tomtoddy
  
  This is interesting but it overlooks the core element – elitism or putting another spin on it – totalitarianism. The worst aspect of the left is their arrogant demand to be in charge and fatten themselves at the expense of everyone else.
  
  The “great flattening” is for all except them basking in luxury while the rest of us get cut down to the lowest common denominator.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:51am
  - crikey
    
    “ The “great flattening” is for all except them basking in luxury while the rest of us get cut down to the lowest common denominator.”
    
    Indeed. That is how communism works in practise.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:35am
    - kowtow
      
      The great fattening.
      
      For the Wokeratti , consultancy , etc classes.
      
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      May 20, 2022 10:56am
  - Nickc2
    
    and fatten themselves at the expense of everyone else
    Can someone please inform the Mahuta Clan that they’ve arrived?
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:18am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Eugyppius is one of the finest blogs out there.
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:28am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Agreed. Rational, lucid and intelligent commentary.
    
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    May 20, 2022 2:12pm
Tauhei Notts

For tax accountants out there.
If my income to 31 March 2022 comes to $70,250, can I deposit $300 in the Income Equalisation Scheme to make me eligible for the Grant Robertson lollies?
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May 20, 2022 8:13am
- rouppe
  
  In that theme, my 16 year old son does 2 life guard shifts a week at the local pool.
  
  Does he qualify for the $350?
  
  In short what is the qualifying criteria?
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:19am
  - rouppe
    
    Ah, 18 and over. Typical.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:25am
- Ron Jeremy
  
  Your income would have to come from farming to use it .
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:07am
Maggie Pie

HUH??

“The budget does nothing to address LBGTQI transqueer climate poverty in Aotearoa”

– Marama Davidson (Greens co leader)
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May 20, 2022 8:15am
- rouppe
  
  Astonishing the Greens have circa 10% support with weird statements like that
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:16am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Chloe’s 200 k fraud may well put some of the wealthy Auckland wives off.
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:28am
    - Nickc2
      
      $200k is nothing to the Latte Slurpeing Blue Rinse Brigade who are waiting for their hard-working hen-pecked husbands to croak.
      
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      May 20, 2022 12:52pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Mayb, but just perhaps they may not like the waste
        
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        May 20, 2022 1:31pm
  - krazykiwi
    
    That was my first thought. As lamentable as this is woke word salad is, that fact the the Greens have so much support despite, or perhaps because of utterances like this is astonishing.
    
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    May 20, 2022 5:15pm
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  She must carry toilet paper to wipe her chin after such eruptions.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:19am
  - RightFirstTime
    
    On the subject of Marama’s chin, isn’t it about time she got a moko? That would surely be her tangible and clearly visible commitment to the culture that she is demanding the rest of us embrace.
    
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    May 20, 2022 4:29pm
    - UrbanNeocolonialist
      
      Yeah, but she probably doesn’t want to (literally) deface herself.
      
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      May 20, 2022 5:35pm
- peterwn
  
  That is a classic piece of DoubleGoodDuckSpeak. She is conflating three separate issues.
  It will only get worse when James Shaw gets the heave-ho in due course.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:20am
  - peterwn
    
    Correction – I meant DoublePlusGoodDuckSpeak.
    
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    May 20, 2022 4:47pm
- CJames
  
  The budget does nothing to pay for her trip back to planet reality from the Rainbow unviverse more likely.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:21am
  - kowtow
    
    ‘sfar as I’m concerned she can live on whatever whackjob planet she likes, the worry is 10 % of voters want to share it with her.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:25am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Gives you a clue about how loopy the fruitcake Greens are.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:21am
  - Taieri
    
    Gives you a clue about how loopy the fruitcake Greens are.
    ————-
    
    Gives you a clue about how loopy the fruitcake 9% of the voters are.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:17am
    - Captain Mainwaring
      
      Yeah that too.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:03am
- Nickc2
  
  Should you ever expect words of wisdom from Marama Davidson, you’ll be sadly disappointed, Maggie.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:23am
- alloytoo
  
  The budget accelerates climate poverty for everyone, but I imagine since most rainbow people are Dinks without children they’re probably better off and have less investment in the future.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:26am
- slightlyrighty
  
  This, in one sentence, is why these nutters should not be let anywhere near the reins of power.
  
  Look at what the Greens have done to Wellington City. Imagine what they would do on a nationwide level!
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:30am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  I was going to ask what the Budget had done for the Rainbow community yesterday, but Marama beat me to it (and she’s being serious of course. The Green Party of Aotearoa/New Zealand must really be trying to stitch up the LGBTQI++ vote).
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:33am
- pdm
  
  MP – that is because it was New Zealand’s Budget.
  
  I suspect that the mythical place Aotearoa does not bother with budgets – just hand outs.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:34am
- graham
  
  Proof that you can be speaking entirely in English, and still leave everybody with absolutely no idea what the hell you’re on about.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:43am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    I want the te reo version!
    
    That way, I’ll have a reason for not understanding.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:29pm
- Simon
  
  The Greens are there just make National / Labo axis look better than they really are. National / Labo think through taxation & regulation in NZ it can control global temperatures.
  
  The Greens are a front for NatLabo to say look how bad it can get it. Dont worry Natlab are here.
  
  Look at that dope Luxon. He thinks he can control global temperatures. Objectively that is in no way removed from “LBGTQI transqueer climate poverty in Aotearoa” Its the same thing.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:44am
- Benedict Yu
  
  “Golriz Ghahraman
  @golrizghahraman
  
  18hThere wouldn’t be historic funding to combat #ClimateCrisis or the epidemic of family and sexual violence in Aotearoa without our stellar @NZGreens Minister, @MaramaDavidson and
  @jamespeshaw. That’s my #budget2022 thought today. Much more will come with a Greener Gov next round
  _____
  The stuff she says is so bizarre it is like she is permanently high. And I say that without any sarcasm.
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:05am
  - Swifty
    
    She thinks that family and sexual violence can or will be solved by more government spending?
    
    How hopelessly and dangerously naïve.
    
    Show me one example of where that has ever happened.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:16am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Appears NZ has one of the highest rates of family and sexual violence in the developed world.
      
      Over $100m will also go towards family and sexual violence services in New Zealand, which has one of the highest rates of family and sexual violence in the developed world.
      
      https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/19/poorest-new-zealanders-lose-out-to-squeezed-middle-in-budget-inequality-experts-say
      
      I wonder how that $100m will be spent…and how much will filter down to the victims of the violence.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:32am
      - TS Child
        
        Wait. I’ve got this. Follow the money … The government spends more to CREATE worsening family and sexual violence!
        
        Why do they want to do that? Is it so they can deflect from the lack of housing and education and civil expectations like working for a living?
        
        If we have more children raised in poverty and distress, well we’ll end up with more criminals and … oh! We’ll need more public servants to manage it all! So this is all about re-establishing a three tier class system… deliberately. Because it’s good for us. The poor downtrodden with no free will. The working middle who pays for everything. And the ruling elites who spout nonsense and blame everyone else when the roads don’t work and the lights go off…
        
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        May 20, 2022 1:05pm
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    Whatever Golriz has been sniffing; I want 5 grammes of it.
    
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    May 20, 2022 10:29am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    They want to legalise the stuff that makes them say silly things?
    
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    May 20, 2022 10:35am
- Rich Prick
  
  Mad Marama mashes two leftie causes together to make a “thing”. Gay climate change?
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:13am
  - cmm
    
    What happened to her last big thing: period poverdee?
    
    They’re really good at this: making some bullshit nothing into The Big Issue, so that everyone is distracted from what is really important.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:33am
    - hullkiwi
      
      What her inability to solve the social housing problem?
      
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      May 20, 2022 10:09am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    It’s Maggie Pie, RP. A good pinch of sodium chloride is recommended. You’re welcome.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:42am
    - Rich Prick
      
      That’s the trouble, it’s too plausible.
      
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      May 20, 2022 9:54am
  - Ruawai
    
    Gay poor climate change.
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:27pm
  - Surely Knott
    
    Yip Except it’s not just Mad Marama. It’s the whole ideology. Auckland Council has a page on the Green New Deal and how climate change is all about equity and equality. From the page council links to- “The Global Green New Deal is, by nature, a holistic, intersectional approach to climate action, recognising that climate, social and economic justice can only be achieved together.”
    
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    May 20, 2022 3:14pm
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Nor Maggie, does it do anything to address the stupid. Marama should have had 10 pages devoted to putting people as dumb as her in some sort of institution.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:35am
- curry4me
  
  I guess that was a genuine post from the ‘Greens’; and not one from a bot set up to discredit them?
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:44am
- Harry Knuts
  
  Marama Davidson is back on smoking unicorns as her day time pleasure
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:35am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  She’s right, though. Where are the free unicorns? What about (I’ve run out of examples: this statement is just bizarre).
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:27pm
CJames

See the Democrats have their own version of “National’s 9 years of neglect”. The administration gets bad press, so they try to bills through the House with a lot of spending attached to them, some of it even related to the crisis de jour. Look how little of their omnibus infrastructure bill was infrastructure. When Republicans vote against the bills, the Democrats blame them for causing the problem. And the compliant media lap it up. Latest own goal was their babymilk crisis that anti-Trump saps like Batman tried to bring to yesterday’s GD .
No doubt later this year, empty supermarket shelves in NZ from suppliers who have lost their workers to Oz will be blamed on National as well.
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May 20, 2022 8:19am
- artemisia
  
  So Elon Musk is stirring the pot again.
  
  “In the past, I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican. Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold,” he tweeted.”
  
  That has a familiar ring.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:33am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Idiot Biden has only him self too blame, he was told in January there was a problem and this would happen. At the border where 10s of 1000s of illegal scum are entering the country (50% not from South America or neighbouring islands) there is a large supply of baby formula for the illegals, not just a stock pile, they have an over supply, why the he’ll is this so? They also receive a free apple phone FFS
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:37am
Maggie Pie

#BUDGET2022 – The amount earmarked for welfare payments in the next year is $42.4 Billion. That’s ONE THIRD of total government expenditure!

The ‘squeezed middle’ are catching up to the poor 🙁
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May 20, 2022 8:26am
- kevn
  
  @Maggie… “Own nothing and be happy”. Klaus WEF says, basically endorsed by his acolytes.
  Every pollie wants to be on his team.
  Rooting NZ.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:39am
  - Master Mariner
    
    The thing I find strange Kevn is the lack of reporting from media as all the dots are there to connect.
    Peter Williams was the last one to ask questions and look where he ended up.
    The most obvious conclusion is steering everyone in the face.
    I firmly believe there should be a “Social contract” putting NZ front and center for the betterment of all NZ’ers.
    Is leading NZ down the path of some “Nutters Club” Idealogy paramount to Treason by deception ?
    In addition I believe all Politicians should be Pyscometric tested and results released to Public prior to voting.
    Then and only then will you get a true “Diverse” and functional Government, Same with Councils as well.
    
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    May 20, 2022 10:56am
    - mawm
      
      I believe that any one wanting to be a politician should be disqualified immediately. The community should be looking for leaders amongst those who have selflessly served the community and ask them to represent us. There are a lot of good competent people out there.
      
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      May 20, 2022 4:37pm
- bjools
  
  It’s the old gag
  How does Labour own a small business?
  They start with a large business and work from there.
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:15am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  The squeezed middle were catching up with the poor before COVID, this is the Marxist plan I am sure.
  I have noticed Luxon of late giving figures of these fools failures, and he has before COVID and after COVID, everything was clearly going in the wrong direction well before COVID, I like what he is doing, he appears to be slowly turning the screws
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:42am
Maggy Wassilieff

So far for NZ the Covid Fatality rate for Pakeha is 1.5X higher than that of Maori.

The Covid Fatality rate for Pasifika is 1.3 X higher than Maori.

https://sciblogs.co.nz/app/uploads/2022/05/Figure-2.png

https://sciblogs.co.nz/public-health-expert/2022/05/11/covid-19-case-fatality-risk-infection-fatality-risk-important-measures-to-help-guide-the-pandemic-response/
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May 20, 2022 8:29am
- Matt Long
  
  Time for an agency to address equality in health outcome then.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:38am
- cmm
  
  Can’t argue then: all those lollies handed out to Maori for CV19 worked!
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:40am
- kevn
  
  @Maggy… I wonder what the rates for jab adverse reaction is for the 3 main race types as above?
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:42am
  - Ra Henare
    
    We are all part of the human race. 🙂
    Perhaps you meant the 3 main ethnicities???
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:53am
- UrbanNeocolonialist
  
  NZ ‘maori’ population is something like 10 years younger on average (though really majority european ancestry), and risk from covid was approx 3x higher with every 10 years of age. Pacifica similarly young.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:58am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Yes, that is one of the key factors, I would think.
    
    The paper authors acknowledge this in their article.
    
    Care must be taken when interpreting these statistics, for example, there are different testing levels (along with underreporting), different vaccination levels and furthermore, different ethnic groups have differing age structures, ie, Māori and Pacific peoples have a much younger age structure compared to European/other which inevitably lowers the total CFR.
    
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    May 20, 2022 10:49am
- Phronesis
  
  Entirely unsurprising as most of the people who have died OF covid were aged WELL over the average life expectancy for maori.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:44am
- curry4me
  
  As we have a government that likes to use ‘racism’ to get votes, I’m sure they’ll come up with a ‘Pakeha Covid Health Authority’ in 5,4,3,2,1……
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:50am
- krazykiwi
  
  Vaccination rates (two doses):
  
  💉 Asian: 93.8%
  💉 European: 86%
  💉 Pacific peoples: 81.5%
  💉 Maori: 72.4%
  
  And the Maori and PI folks have lower Covid-19 fatality rates, you say?
  
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  May 20, 2022 5:32pm
Bobba Fret

Good news that our inflation has already peaked at the 6.9% according to Robbo on Newstalk ZB this morning! Apparently that is the treasury forecasts so I guess he will blame them if they are wrong…..or 9 years of neglect.
Cant believe I heard Andrew Little still using the 9 nears of neglect excuse. These guys have been in government for nearly five years!!!!!
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May 20, 2022 8:37am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  He is so full of shit, we still have 2 quarters of .5% to flush through, they will be replaced by 2% in each quarter, so add 3% we get 10%
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:03pm
Maggie Pie

Watched a replay of the Budget last night on Sky.
Grant has got sooo BIG!
Must be the cheese-rolls 😛
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May 20, 2022 8:40am
- cmm
  
  I would too. Stock up for the hungry times coming for him in September next year.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:41am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    It may well be hungry times for all of us
    
    https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2022/05/19/what-nz-can-learn-is-greenpeace-listening-from-sri-lankas-blundering-to-combat-climate-change-by-going-organic/
    
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/19/ukraine-war-has-stoked-global-food-crisis-that-could-last-years-says-un
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:46am
    - Loddenthinks
      
      Is Greenpeace listening? Are the Greens listening to anything that contradicts their narrative?
      
      I assume these are rhetorical questions, Maggy!
      
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      May 20, 2022 9:46am
    - cmm
      
      Indeed, but we will not starve first.
      
      Even the most poor in NZ are incredibly wealthy on the international scale and we would all survive a doubling of food prices (maybe not comfortably, but we’d survive).
      
      Africa etc will have massive problems. Many are already struggling to feed themselves and a doubling of food prices will cut many of them off from food entirely.
      
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      May 20, 2022 9:46am
      - Phronesis
        
        We’re trying as hard as we can though by planting fully functional productive farms in carbon forestry.
        
        Turns out the Climate change promoters were right. Climate Change really is going to cause global food poverty and the death of millions.
        
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        May 20, 2022 10:49am
    - Master Mariner
      
      The interesting thing for me is the total reliance on Ukranian Wheat, cooking oil for most of African Countries which some are 100% reliant.
      Hence the panic by UN agencies.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:00am
  - kowtow
    
    Redblue Uniparty will find a job for him some where .
    
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    May 20, 2022 10:14am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Wonder if he thought of freezing them?//
    
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    May 20, 2022 10:44am
- Tony Stuart
  
  Robbo has said in the past that sausage rolls are his downfall, and they’re served at almost every Labour Party function he goes to!
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:50pm
Alwynn

I wonder what the cost of administering this $350/annum lolly scramble will be?
At least with the Winter Energy payment they had records available for the people who qualified. The Super and benefit records already existed. Here they will have to start from scratch and if there are two million people involved I imagine that the cost of setting up and running the system will exceed the amount paid out.
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May 20, 2022 8:51am
- Ehlana
  
  Yes, think of all the jobs created. Only for a few months of course, but by then the new Health agencies should be up and coming and can re-employ those same folks, doubling the number of new jobs created by this government.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:51am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Apparently it’s going to require 750 FTE staff to implement the payment of the helicopter money.
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:51pm
- rouppe
  
  18+ with PAYE transactions from IRD – Community Services Card from MSD
  
  It’s the half price transport for those with CSC’s that’s going to be a real kicker. How will the Snapper terminal on the bus know?
  
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  May 20, 2022 3:22pm
  - Hebe123
    
    What about the self employed?
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:46pm
Opie

A tornado went through levin this morning, taking out the back wall of labour MP Terisa Ngobi’s office.

Fortunately she wasn’t in her office at the time although there was zero chance of that being the case given she would have done less than an hours work in the last 18 months.
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May 20, 2022 9:06am
Rich Prick

And now for something you’ll never read in the mainstream media …

https://www.thedailyexaminer.co.nz/all-in-the-mahuta-family/

Remember that glass of milk we heard about over and over for a month?
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May 20, 2022 9:07am
- lastmanstanding
  
  A great piece of analysis but no surprise. We have very poor governance when it comes to conflicts of interest and thast across all sectors. I have seen it in the private sector where mates and rellies are employed who dont have the skills for the job.
  As I have posted before NZ corruption is not about cash in a brown paper bag. It is much more sophisicated thats why we score so well on the international charts. Ours is hidden.
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:24am
  - cmm
    
    “thats why we score so well on the international charts”
    
    The real reason is that the index is not the corruption index, but the corruption perception index.
    
    Perception and reality are different.
    
    Ours is hidden, but we also pretend it’s not happening and ignore it when it is obviously there.
    
    We just don’t want to believe there is this level of corruption going on in Godzone, hence we ignore it and don’t perceive it.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:50am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      A lot of dodgy stuff going on there. Just as bad as Burisma Energy – having someone on the Board who knows SFA about energy, Hunter Biden.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:05am
    - Master Mariner
      
      You really have to see who and how this corruption Index is run by.
      As far as NZ goes they scan articles regarding NZ. and matters of corruption.
      Heres NZ very own chapter,
      http://www.transparency.org.nz/
      Donate now to get NZ a high rating
      Nothing open and transparent that’s for sure.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:28am
- Matt Long
  
  You need to understand that concepts like ” conflicts of interest,” ” corruption and nepotism” are white colonial oppression concepts and not applicable to superior indigenous cultures.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:31am
andretti

The whole steaming shit show is about to collapse like a house built of poo.
We have been ruled by complete morons for years,spend borrow,give,borrow some more and lots of free stuff.The last straw was govt around the world taking complete control of economies,we all know how that ends,so we are seeing it now.As i said in another post its about to get litt.
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May 20, 2022 9:07am
Maggy Wassilieff

So, another wellbeing budget…

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/19/poorest-new-zealanders-lose-out-to-squeezed-middle-in-budget-inequality-experts-say

(And what exactly does that weasel word wellbeing mean?)
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May 20, 2022 9:07am
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, some beings in myth live in wells.
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:19am
- Swifty
  
  It means whatever the NZ Labour Party wants it to mean at any given time.
  
  It’s purpose however is very clear. The purpose of Labour using the word ‘wellbeing’ is that they can substantiate any idea, any spending programme, any restriction of our freedoms, any other hair-brained scheme by simply saying that they ‘contribute to our wellbeing…’
  
  How, they almost always never say. It just does.
  
  It is a word all of should shun and despise. It is a cloak for Labour’s increasing governmental domination of our lives.
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:22am
  - Master Mariner
    
    Yes pretty obvious is’nt it.
    Reminds me of the word ” Uhuru” which in Africa means anything and everything.
    Also a bloody good book.
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:31am
- Loddenthinks
  
  I think it’s shorthand for:
  
  “Well, being as how we haven’t a clue, we’ll just throw some darts at the board and see where they land.”
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:52am
- Phronesis
  
  Wellbeing is the state of being in a well. Wells are generally cold, dark, and wet. Much like a NZ house in winter. Wells are also famously hard to escape from.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:52am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Lassie, go get the rope!
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:22am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      2022 version, on a smartphone. “Dad? I’ve fallen down the fucking well again”
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:59am
      - Its only I
        
        Unless the kid drowned while pouting a selfie to show their friends as the first response to an emergency.
        
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        May 20, 2022 12:53pm
- curry4me
  
  I think ‘wellbeing’ is the illiterate woke version of feeling well, or being healthy. Just another stupid woke buzz word.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:55am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  ‘wellbeing’ is a Jaspinda slogan. Comms degree taught her.
  
  11 1
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  May 20, 2022 11:14am
- Sean OConnor
  
  It means “welfare”.
  It’s an extremely efficient piece of marketing.
  Ctrl-H, tab, Swap out “fare” for “being”, replace all.
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:03pm
- rouppe
  
  And what exactly does that weasel word wellbeing mean?
  
  Comes from the same list as Comprehensive and Progressive
  
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  May 20, 2022 3:23pm
westernScientist

How many more Robbo bucks will get handed out?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/300593059/the-coming-food-catastrophe
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May 20, 2022 9:10am
- curry4me
  
  I’m surprised Egypt is on this list. With the Nile river providing irrigation to a strip of land 10 miles wide, by 1000 miles long, I thought they’d be a food eporter. The elephants in the room are ‘alternative energy’ and globull warming’. One relies on sunshine, and wind. The other has stopped oil, and gas exploration and exploitation in several dopey first world countries.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:04am
  - westernScientist
    
    you might find this interesting:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAEQXUVqoyg
    
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    May 20, 2022 1:11pm
    - curry4me
      
      That one on Egypt’s irrigation projects was interesting. I did’nt realize their population was that big. The Caspian Report always makes sense.
      
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      May 20, 2022 6:42pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    I’m surprised Egypt is on this list
    
    Your surprise is noted. It ill impress the people who made the list. They were probably working off some reasonably reliable figures – having said figures queried by an anonymous blogger at the bottom of the world will have them worried …..
    
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    May 20, 2022 4:35pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      If you google “Egyptian wheat imports” or something similar you will get the whole story. Egypt is the world’s second largest wheat importer after Indonesia …..
      
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      May 20, 2022 4:41pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Used to be the granary of the Roman Empire.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:43pm
- rouppe
  
  Quite frankly an international flotilla of warships to break the blockade of Odessa, because Russia’s actions are causing a global catastrophe.
  
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  May 20, 2022 3:25pm
I remember when

Dr John Campbell has highlighted a report from the Office of National Statistics UK.
This report states that people are less likely to test positive for covid now if –
* They have previously had covid.
* Travelled abroad in the last 28 days ( confined in enclosed area with air travel suggested as reason).
* Lived in multiple occupancy household.
* Have had contact with hospitals (greater chance of contact with virus).
* Lived in deprived areas (population density).
* Lived in a household containing someone 16 or over (the school breeding ground).
* Spent more time socialising outside their home.

Don’t expect any details from our governmental sources anytime soon.
Mandm will say we are vindicated shortly.
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May 20, 2022 9:10am
Taieri

And what exactly does that weasel word wellbeing mean?
———-

It means exactly bugger all.
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May 20, 2022 9:19am
- mawm
  
  wellbeing (noun) – the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.
  
  It is the usual practice of the left to choose pleasant sounding words to describe something without any concern as to the relationship with it at all and most probably is being used to hide their true intent.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:15am
Maggie Pie

Called my partner’s mum to see what she thort of the Budget.
Said she felt sad Pensioners weren’t included in the extra $27pw.
Not for herself, but with power prices now so high, the Winter Energy Payment means f–k all to most people she knows! Her last Genesis bill was $447…the gst alone was about 58 bucks!

Just out of interest, she went back thru her bank statements.
Reckoned on an ‘average’ month, her spending includes something like $1100 in gst. There was one month last year, it was in excess 6k! (Although the bulk of that was to her Plastic Surgeon, so not likely to re-occur for another couple of years or so)

But as she said….”I’ve certainly got NO qualms about taking the Super from the thieving pricks”.
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May 20, 2022 9:23am
- MCōs
  
  My power bills are the same this years as last year.
  My one at the beginning of May was $129
  Last year $133
  Year before $131
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:39am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I recall you posting how you lived in a house without water.
    If we did that, we could save at least $400 a month as well.
    
    23 4
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    May 20, 2022 9:45am
    - MCōs
      
      That house is in Bangkok where the temperature now is up around 40deg so the ‘cold’ water is luke warm.
      
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      May 20, 2022 9:50am
      - MCōs
        
        The house has running water.
        It didn’t used to have hot water.
        It does now in the bathrooms.
        
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        May 20, 2022 9:54am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  It’s not just pensioners getting the winter energy payment, dole bludgers, and even families that are poorer receive it as well, meaning Labours remaining support, the broken down bumfeeders will not be happy
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:12pm
- Hebe123
  
  she is clearly a profligate user of power then. Our two person household gets close to $200 in mid winter and $100 in summer. In Christchurch where we use both heat and aircon.
  
  I often wonder how people use that much power. We all shower, wash clothes and dishes, cook, heat/cool and use lights. Richer people generally have more efficient applicances. So how is it possible to use that much?
  
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  May 20, 2022 1:28pm
  - Ross Campbell
    
    Long days slaving away under the blow dryer and 24 hour a day running of the heater for the Maltese.
    
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    May 20, 2022 4:04pm
westernScientist

This is just depressing, look at the 2nd chart:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/128692604/a-calculated-risk-budget-2022-in-five-charts
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May 20, 2022 9:26am
MCōs

Budget speeches these days are not exactly gripping affairs full of tension and drama.
They’re as predictable as Country Calendar without the gorgeous scenery.
The worst thing about them is the obligatory intensive mastication that always follows, which is tediously predictable.
All the main protagonists could have pulled someone else’s name out of a hat and written their response for them . . . . . . a week ago.
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May 20, 2022 9:28am
- Maggie Pie
  
  How’s your wife’s wrist Cossie?
  
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  May 20, 2022 9:32am
  - MCōs
    
    Not 100%
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:41am
  - MCōs
    
    She got a frozen shoulder from wearing a sling too long and that more of a problem, but everything’s gradually coming right, but it’s a slow recovery.
    
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    May 20, 2022 9:46am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      Or could be frozen from not putting the heaters on do you think?
      
      9 5
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      May 20, 2022 9:49am
      - David George
        
        It’ll be The Jab, for sure.
        
        13 2
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        May 20, 2022 10:07am
    - curry4me
      
      I hope she makes a full recovery sooner than epected.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:06am
chukar

MW,
Those weasel words are a license for our Councils to spend on whatever social project they like!
And they do!
Been removed from LGA by ( National/ACT ) and replaced again(Labour ) last term.
Fits in totally with the political abuse of ratepayers and theft of their rates!
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May 20, 2022 9:31am
I remember when

Do Labour have to add the spending in the budget to their election expenses?
What is the return on Capital spent?
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May 20, 2022 9:35am
ecco

Fairly predictable that Ardern and Robertson have done a last minute about turn and canned all their climate change moves they had planned and tried to throw out a few crumbs that won’t really please anyone. If they had wanted to buy more votes they should have included the superannuitants in the $350 lolly scramble.

Wonder how much of that money will go on booze, cigarettes, sky tv subscriptions and the TAB with their under $70k households.

The first home grant changes are also a non event. No one will really qualify. Obviously Robertson hasn’t been out in Auckland trying to buy a property. $900k ain’t going to get you much in Auckland except a dog box of an apartment. That will just serve to push first home buyers into high body corp/rates apartments that have no capital growth and are unsuitable for when you start a family.

Of course all of the money throw around will also eventually feed through to inflation and hurt their voter base even further. Will be interesting to see how long they string out the cut in fuel tax. Gonna be problematic for Robertson later on eh. Although I don’t think he gives a toss really about what he does to the NZ economy and it’s people anyway.
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May 20, 2022 9:36am
I remember when

Catholic schools have a better attendance percentage than state schools.
Would that be because the parents have to pay more for students to be there.
Who would ever have guessed that decile 1 schools have the highest non-attendance.
A clue to why Chris Hipkins is keen to abolish the decile system.
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May 20, 2022 9:41am
- kowtow
  
  I heard on the “news” the decile system being described as “controversial”
  
  Really ? Hadn’t heard that before .
  
  I imagine the “news” reader was reading from notes supplied by the 9 th floor spin masters……..again.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:54am
- Paulus
  
  His Teacher Mother’s Union told him to do it.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:12am
Maggy Wassilieff

Oh shitty ditty

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/128704400/tawa-college-in-another-lockdown
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May 20, 2022 9:52am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Tawa Intermediate locked down in sympathy. It is 700 meters away!
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:38am
- coge
  
  False alarm? People on edge after the last lockdown?
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:06pm
Swifty

Ardern and Robertson’s economic rationale behind the budget:

“Too much spending has gotten us into this mess and even more spending is gonna get us out….”

Oh well, this is what you get I guess when you vote for people who since childhood have “dreamed of ending child poverty” and no doubt sprinkling magic fairy dust wherever she goes…..

Naive. Utopian. Unachievable. Dangerous.

(When your definition of poverty is a mathematical calculation based on a percentage of the median income – it becomes something that can never be solved unless every singly person in NZ is earning exactly the same.)

Hell, even far-left fan-boy Max Rashbrooke says she’s headed for massive child poverty alleviation failure:

“Labour has three main child-poverty targets for 2024; as things stand, it will miss at least two, and perhaps all, of those targets. This is potentially disastrous for a prime minister who has put such store by this issue, and for whom kindness is supposedly paramount.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/128691517/budget-2022-poorer-kiwis-sidelined-in-rush-to-help-squeezed-middle

My advice for Max, wake up son.
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May 20, 2022 9:58am
Maggie Pie

TRENDING

There’s another Pandemic on the way….

Looking forward to your ‘Monkey-Pox’ jab?

https://twitter.com/JordanSchachtel/status/1527115133327122441
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May 20, 2022 10:02am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Great thing is, it’s hitting the gays and bi-sexual only
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:19pm
  - skyblue
    
    Like AIDS in its early stages.
    
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    May 20, 2022 4:03pm
- westernScientist
  
  careful what you wish for:
  
  https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/britain-offers-smallpox-shot-monkeypox-cases-spread-europe-2022-05-19/
  
  at least we know the smallpox vax works, might be time to go lick some cows (for those who dont know, cowpox is a virus people who work with cattle get and provides cross immunity to smallpox)
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:24pm
- westernScientist
  
  Want a conspiricy theory, this is from 2002 (20 years ago):
  
  The Soviets decided they did not want to work with smallpox by the late 1980’s “and there was significant discussion of the possible use of monkeypox as a biological weapon instead of smallpox,” Ken Alibek, who was former deputy chief of the Soviet biological weapons program and now resides in the U.S., told UPI.
  
  https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2002/06/09/Monkeypox-could-be-used-as-bioweapon/19421023612300/
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:44pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    The scary thing is…they even mention the spread of ‘Camel Pox’
    
    Just another reason to avoid Mt Roskill 🙁
    
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    May 20, 2022 1:41pm
oldfella

AgResearch embraces mātauranga Māori, creates new department to support it
AgResearch is putting its money where its mouth is after announcing mātauranga Māori and Western science are equal.
The crown research institute has launched its Māori Research and Partnerships Group and said it was central to the institute’s vision to have of mātauranga Māori on an equal footing with Western science.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300591606/agresearch-embraces-mtauranga-mori-creates-new-department-to-support-it
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May 20, 2022 10:06am
- Swifty
  
  I despair.
  
  Isn’t there just ‘science’, rather than ‘Western science’ or ‘Maori science’?
  
  Also, AgResearch doesn’t have any of its own money.
  
  It’s all ours.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:26am
- chukar
  
  The end of any credibility for Ag research .
  Don’t know what they do now but once they had some respect.
  Not now!
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:10pm
- graham
  
  From the “Stuff” article:
  
  AgResearch is putting its money where its mouth is after announcing mātauranga Māori and Western science are equal.
  
  The article includes a hyperlink to a definition of “mātauranga Māori”, which yields this:
  
  “Māori knowledge – the body of knowledge originating from Māori ancestors, including the Māori world view and perspectives, Māori creativity and cultural practices.”
  
  So AgResearch is quite literally stating that Māori creativity and cultural practices are equal to science. Unbelievable.
  
  I’d be fascinated to know where scientific methods such as objective observation, evidence-based approaches, critical analysis, and peer review fit into the “mātauranga Māori” model. My suspicion is that such methods would be summarily dismissed – not allowed to question Maori culture, you see.
  
  So glad I didn’t choose science as a career … and so sorry for those who did.
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:12pm
  - wilderbeast
    
    Agreed. I went through the humanities, and they were showing signs of being well f*cked 25 years ago. Accordingly I thought I’d encourage my growing kids into STEM fields so they could avoid the indoctrination I was subject to. But then this….not sure where I’d point them if they asked. Previously I would have unthinkingly encouraged them into university study. Now I’m not sure I would, seems to me they’re a pale shadow of what they used to be.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:27pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Some of our Maori Politicians and Health providers seem to have a very limited understanding of NZ’s health system.

Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency director of health reforms Lance Norman said compared to the $11b spend for health overall, $168m for Māori pales in comparison.

“If you divide that by four years and then divide it by 800,000 Māori who live in New Zealand, you get to about $50 per person to address the health discrepancies that we have,” he said.

“And then when I look at $11.1 billion into the whole health system you could say that is disproportionate relative to the need we have in our communities.”

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/467488/maori-health-workers-unsure-how-far-budget-funding-will-go

It is not disproportionate … it is ADDITIONAL.

Every Maori in NZ is entitled to exactly the same access to the NZ Health System as every other citizen.

On top of this Maori can access the services being funded by the Maori Health vote.
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May 20, 2022 10:08am
- Swifty
  
  I noticed that and he’s not the only one I’ve seen draw that long bow.
  
  Also, his maths make no sense.
  
  $168 million divided by 800,000 Maori equals $2,100 per person – over four years is $525 per person, annually.
  
  Where does he get $50 from?
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:24am
  - rockape
    
    Maths a bit out there!
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:40am
    - Swifty
      
      Sorry, you’re right, I cocked that up.
      
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      May 20, 2022 11:51am
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Your maths are faulty, Swifty;
    $168 million over four years = $42 million per year.
    $42 million between 800,000 Maori = $52.50 per year per Maori.
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:01pm
    - Swifty
      
      Yes, my apologies.
      
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      May 20, 2022 1:38pm
  - Cassandra
    
    It’s what’s left after they’ve paid the board, management and the consultants. Maoris want their share (fine by me) plus extra for being a Maori (not fine). Health outcomes for Maori are exactly the same as everyone else – fat Europeans and Eskimos also get diabetes etc.
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:16pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    They may be calculating how many will use the money, say 5% May only use it
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:21pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  Exactly. The spending targeting Maori is additional, intend to help overcome disparities in accessing services.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:55am
  - Sean OConnor
    
    Me and milky are going to defend this policy together.
    I for one commend Labour for prioritising Maori, be they middle class, wealthy or poor.
    
    Poor non Maori people should get sick and die. After all, fuck them, they’re white (or Pacific Islander or Asian), so we *know* that they as individuals don’t face significant barriers of the sort that *every* Maori faces. That’s obvious.
    
    Did you know that if you’re the chairman of Tainui you’ll have absolutely no connections and face huge obstacles getting good service in a hospital?
    
    It’s not like targeting need would send more to ethnic groups with disproportionate needs, either.
    
    All in all, it’s wonderful to see Labour finally just acknowledge that in the end, class just isn’t that important.
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:17pm
    - wilderbeast
      
      😂
      
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      May 20, 2022 8:29pm
  - Cassandra
    
    Bus fares? Why not just go to your doctor and take his/her advice? Why do they need more money for that? My Maori family members do just that. No problem.
    
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    May 20, 2022 12:19pm
Captain Mainwaring

Wonders will never cease. Sharon Murdoch does something funny, and anti-Labour.
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May 20, 2022 10:14am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Proves that when she picks a Labour target the funny stuff comes naturally but when she focuses on the Nats she really struggles.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:20am
ClanMcleod

The fourth estate’s reputation is already so deep in the gutter it’s hard to imagine what more they can do to make it worse, but apparently they keep finding ways. The last two years of government funded covid propaganda saw this decline increase rapidly. They’ve now taken the same approach to the war in Ukraine. The outcomes will be the same reputation loss.

In an article in the Daily Sceptic blog, the writer is pointing out that the reporting around the end of the fight at the Azovstal is pure disinformation of the worst kind. It has been called an “evacuation” at the end of a “combat mission” when it is nothing of the sort. It is a surrender after being heavily beaten.

https://dailysceptic.org/2022/05/18/western-audiences-have-a-right-to-be-accurately-informed-about-this-war/

The sad part of all of this is that the writer of the article felt compelled to write this:

“Note: this has nothing to do with being ‘pro-Russia’. This is about journalists using language that actually corresponds with reality. Which prompts the question of why? Why are they going around describing things in transparently misleading terms?”

This is the important question. Why do they feel the need to lie so blatantly? All this does is further erode any remaining semblance of trust people may have left in the fourth estate.

As Kim Iversen from The Hill asks, why aren’t we allowed to know the truth?

“Piss-Poor Ukraine War Reporting INSULTS American’s Intelligence”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hD1mNrY6R4

Jimmy Dore asks similar questions.

“Media calls Ukrainian Surrender an “evacuation” – no kidding”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQmHAK3ytyw

As pointed out by one of the writers above, this isn’t about “pro” or “anti” anybody. It’s about serious concern over what is now obvious. The mainstream media is seriously compromised and cannot be trusted for information. As with our health authorities, the more they lie and deceive us, the more any trust in them erodes. This will get to the point that it will be almost impossible to stop.
The truth can be hard to swallow, but the alternative is very, very dangerous. Particularly loss of trust in critical institutions such as health.
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May 20, 2022 10:16am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Downtickers. lol
  
  “You can’t handle the truth!!’
  
  Doesn’t make it go away though! 😉
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:25am
  - Aunty
    
    No it doesn’t make the truth go away, Clod, and here’s some more of it for you to enjoy.
    
    It’s in Russian, (from Russian TV) but I don’t think you will have any problems with that, no doubt you are well versed in the language. But don’t worry there are English subtitles if you’re not.
    
    https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1526293852704890882
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:00am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Now you’re being silly!! Russian television being truthful????!!!!!! lol
      We’ve been told repeatedly that unlike western media which is honest to a fault, Russian media is the most corrupt propaganda on the planet! It isn’t possible for them to tell the truth! This must be satire!
      Nostrovia!
      
      I simply pointed out some actual, verifiable facts, and the dangers of our media constantly lying about this. Just as they did with every aspect of covid. It is a dangerous situation. It concerns me, and your idiotic assumption that because I point out the truth I must therefore be a “Putin troll” is beyond stupid. It’s moronic.
      
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      May 20, 2022 9:09pm
  - mawm
    
    From that link I have copied and pasted the examples given. There can be no doubt that this is a resounding victory for the Russians and many Ukranian troops have been captured/surrendered. Look at the lies and the media outlets involved. Not one of these major networks has any credibility left.
    
    ‘Mariupol: Hundreds of besieged Ukrainian soldiers evacuated’ – The BBC
    
    • ‘Hundreds of Ukrainian troops evacuated from Mariupol steelworks after 82-day assault’ – The Guardian
    
    • ‘Azovstal steelworks evacuated as Ukraine ends combat mission in Mariupol’ – The Times
    
    • ‘The battle for Mariupol nears end as Ukraine declares ‘combat mission’ over’ – CNN
    
    • ‘Ukraine ends bloody battle for Mariupol; Azovstal fighters evacuated’ – The Washington Post
    
    • ‘Ukrainian authorities declare an end to the combat mission in Mariupol after weeks of Russian siege’ – The New York Times
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:40am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      mawm – whatever you do don’t do “truth” ffs!!! As with covid, many in this country (and even on this blog) apparently struggle to deal with facts, even when they are slapped around the head with them. Astounding, most of them are otherwise intelligent people. But the refusal to accept reality in the face of constant propaganda is something we’ve witnessed during the last 2 years of the covid circus. Mass formation is the name.
      
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      May 20, 2022 8:48pm
- Littletramp
  
  If you genuinely want to better understand the Russian motivation for the Ukraine invasion, take the time required and watch the superb interviews/documentary available on You Tube (4 parts @ 58 mins each, filmed over 2 yrs and first screened in 2017) of Vladimir Putin by Oliver Stone.
  You will then realise that what is unfolding in Ukraine, is Russia addressing no more or no less than what Putin expressed as being his concerns and goals back then from the Russian perspective.
  You will also come to the realisation that what we are being dished up by our western news sources is total propaganda & B/S, again.
  The support for Ukraine, stemming again from the United Nations (funny that), is the next “Covid” like & “Climate Change” like reason for Western Govts to rape & pillage their taxpayers $$$’s under the guise of “supporting a good cause/threat rather than building community services & infrastructure with the money”.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:51am
  - Ross
    
    Hi for all you down-tickers there is a red pill moment coming. 1700 captured from Avostal steelworks and counting. discussion that there may be up to 3.5k in total in process of surrendering. decisive victory for Russia.
    The Ukrianian forces in Donbass are surrounded and surrendering in significant numbers. Maybe up to 15k more POW’s from that region alone.
    The EU sanctions are in process of completely falling apart as sovereign countries realise economic Damage if they do not pay for oil in Roubles.
    Turkey has rained on Amerika’s parade re NATO membership by Finland and it its buddy next door.
    When this all collapses the Finns and Swedes are going to be very angry.
    What do you expect when the biggest corruptocracy run by none other than Joe Bribem is leading the EU to disaster.
    And finally have we watched 2000mules yet
    
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    May 20, 2022 1:34pm
    - mawm
      
      It’s funny how reality is diametrically opposite to the narrative, and yet the majority still believe the media.
      
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      May 20, 2022 4:51pm
    - cjn
      
      Joe Bribem! This is up there with Ursula Van de Crazy. Mr 10%. Thanks a bunch!
      
      2 1
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      May 20, 2022 6:58pm
  - MCōs
    
    Oliver Stone you say?
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/11/oliver-stone-film-ex-kazakhstan-president-nursultan-nazabayev
    
    3 1
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    May 20, 2022 1:44pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      The Guardian you say….Now where do they fit on the bias monitor…?????? somewhat left/very left
      
      https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-chart
      
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      May 20, 2022 2:06pm
    - Littletramp
      
      I prefer to watch the face to face interaction, cross check the assertions with historic actions and make up my own mind, than be told by The Guardian what I should think.
      Do you think they have an unbiased viewpoint?
      You do you and I’ll do me.
      
      4 3
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      May 20, 2022 2:34pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      The Graun??? Spare me.
      
      1 1
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      May 20, 2022 8:53pm
  - westernScientist
    
    Lex Fridman just did an interview with Oliver Stone on the subject, havnt watched it yet but is probably worth a listen, Lex is a good podcaster.
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygAqYC8JOQI
    
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    May 20, 2022 3:02pm
    - westernScientist
      
      So I dont know much about stone, and have no real memories of watching his documentaries, although have probably seen some of them. I had no real preconceptions going in. From the interview, Stone comes across as self-involved and very much has an “I know best” attitude. He also has a hatred of the US that goes to the point that it appears he thinks any opposition to the US on anything is by default good.
      
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      May 20, 2022 4:01pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘The mainstream media is seriously compromised and cannot be trusted for information.’
  
  100%
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:52am
- curry4me
  
  If the MSM didn’t contain disinformation it would only have ads, celebrity fluff and a weather report.
  
  Breaking News! Reich Minister for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment announces a successful withdrawal from Stalingrad. The 6th Army has completed it’s combat mission. In further news Panzer Armee Afrika willl shortly complete its mission and be evacuated from Tunisia. In addition, Reichmarschall Goring has announced that no more allied ‘terror fleigers’ will appear over Berlin.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:15am
Aunty

This does make for distressing reading, but I think it’s time that the belief that rape in war is a crime committed only against women is shown to be the myth that it is.

Rape in war is a crime committed against and upon all, men, women, children, and of all ages.

https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1527320390388703236
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May 20, 2022 10:19am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Rape is a crime anywhere, anytime, not just during a war or conflict. Also the source of this is very dubious. I’m presuming you know who the person is and the channel it is coming from?
  “The first casualty of war is truth.” Always has been, always will be.
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:11pm
ClanMcleod

George bushing vying for demented comment of the year, up against bumbling Joe Biden I thought he was pushing shit uphill, but he’s giving it a good shot here.

– When he was president, George “Dubya” Bush became known for “Bushisms” – poorly phrased statements and other gaffes, which often proved to be very funny. For example, there was his observation in 2000 that “human being and fish can coexist peacefully”.

Then there was this 2004 statement: “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

However, Dubya’s latest gaffe may be his most sensational. Addressing an audience at the George W. Bush Institute, he referred to “the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine.” Bush then whispered “Iraq, too”, before saying “I’m 75”. –

Oh dear.

https://dailysceptic.org/2022/05/19/dubyas-latest-and-most-sensational-gaffe/
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May 20, 2022 10:24am
- cmm
  
  The difference is surely that he’d [he’s] no longer a sitting Prez. It no longer matters how his dementia might or might not be going.
  
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  May 20, 2022 10:56am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Well it helped him tell the truth about Iraq!
    
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    May 20, 2022 11:41am
  - Cassandra
    
    Just a slip of the tongue, Dubya isn’t demented.
    
    4 1
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    May 20, 2022 12:22pm
  - cmm
    
    Thank you for the typo correction. Editing isn’t really worthwhile since Tarrant broke Kiwiblog.
    
    10 3
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    May 20, 2022 12:27pm
  - cjn
    
    He is feeling guilty. Yung could tell you that. Also of course he was describing the election processes and corruption of the USA but believed he was talking about Russia. It’s the end of the uni-polar era and its the end of the light on the hill. Pretty sad.
    
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    May 20, 2022 7:06pm
- Sean OConnor
  
  I didn’t think anyone could beat Biden and Harris, but that must be the worst gaffe of the year. It’s an absolute classic.
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:19pm
curry4me

https://theplatform.kiwi/opinions/the-column-the-new-zealand-herald-wouldn-t-publish

The column the New Zealand Herald wouldn’t publish

Simon O’Connor (National): if you want to hear different views from across the political spectrum & to engage with more arguments – distance yourself from woke progressive politics taking hold in NZ.
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May 20, 2022 10:31am
- Raphael
  
  I want to see a response to Te Pou’s latest piece. he seems to think that the $350 payment just blows every argument National had out of the water….. I suspect he doesn’t have to decide about things like “petrol for the car or food for kids” each week.
  
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  May 20, 2022 12:10pm
  - curry4me
    
    I hope The Project does an item on Mr Te Pou’s response.
    
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    May 20, 2022 6:50pm
curry4me

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

Dear Americans, play by the “India Rulebook”.

Billionaires, and rich corporates set the ‘woke’ agenda. Americans would prefer they stuck to selling goods and services. With Roe v Wade gone Tesla, and Apple will help employees travel to blue states for abortions. Now a slim majority of voters don’t wish to deal with companies that have a political agenda. Nationalist Indians know a thing or two about boycotts, and buycotts. They work. Some Americans, and red state governors have cottoned on to this. [5:22]
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May 20, 2022 10:31am
curry4me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIV4ZeO2jzI

Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain, Episode 27 “Battle Of The Ballots”.

This Saturday, millions of Aussies will head to the polls and decide the future of this nation once and for all. No one can say for sure what will happen but what you can be sure of is a vote for One Nation is the best way to ensure there is someone in parliament who will be able to clean up the mess and hold the Government to account. This Saturday vote for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and put Australia and Australians first. [It looks like the Oz election is heating up. 2:49]
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May 20, 2022 10:31am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Sent that to my sniveling socialist Brother in Coff’s Harbour.
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:55am
Maggie Pie

Might be time to update the password?

L G B T Q Q I P 2S A A

Stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit(2S), androgynous and asexual.

You’re welcome 😀
28 5
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May 20, 2022 10:54am
- Suze Wainwright
  
  You’re easily the most non-inclusive, un-diverse person I’ve come across Maggie – why have you not included the ‘gender questioning’ and ‘curious’ people out there?
  
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  May 20, 2022 11:46am
  - Suze Wainwright
    
    Apologies, I stand corrected. You did include questioning – very progressive of you…
    
    12 0
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    May 20, 2022 11:47am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      Where do you fit in their Suze?
      
      Asking for a friend 😛
      
      11 2
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      May 20, 2022 12:54pm
      - Suze Wainwright
        
        Heh, we might have lots in common Maggie…
        
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        May 20, 2022 1:34pm
- Ehlana
  
  I’ve opted for the shorter, easier to spell and all inclusive H.U.M.A.N.
  
  21 1
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  May 20, 2022 11:49am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  I’m starting to understand why queer got another meaning.
  
  16 0
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  May 20, 2022 11:49am
- skyblue
  
  The mental health alphabet.
  
  1 1
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  May 20, 2022 10:13pm
Maggie Pie

No sign of milkey this morning?

Maybe he’s having a ‘threesome’

LOL!!
14 6
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May 20, 2022 11:48am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Probably crying because he earns $70500!
  
  22 2
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  May 20, 2022 11:57am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    All good…see one of them signed in @11:55
    
    14 5
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    May 20, 2022 12:00pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      What should we talk about Maggie?
      
      9 15
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      May 20, 2022 12:15pm
      - Cassandra
        
        Happy National Devil’s Food Cake Day.
        
        12 1
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        May 20, 2022 12:24pm
      - Maggie Pie
        
        its no good trying to butter me up milkey…
        i wouldn’t sleep with you for a thousand dollars.
        
        just saying.
        
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        May 20, 2022 12:25pm
      - Cassandra
        
        Or National Quiche Lorraine Day if you prefer savoury.
        
        13 1
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        May 20, 2022 12:26pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        I’d go for the quiche, thanks. The other one sounds a bit too satanic.
        
        8 9
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        May 20, 2022 1:06pm
      - mikenmildagain
        
        And I see Maggie’s a cheap date. Probably top of the market in Otahuhu though.
        
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        May 20, 2022 1:09pm
All_on_Red

Bad news for Joe Biden. Latest Quinnipiac Poll has his Approval down to a new low of 35%
https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3846

This isn’t going to help either…
‘From 2013 through 2018 Hunter Biden and his company brought in about $11 million via his roles as an attorney and a board member with a Ukrainian firm accused of bribery and his work with a Chinese businessman now accused of fraud, according to an NBC News analysis of a copy of Biden’s hard drive and iCloud account…’
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/analysis-hunter-bidens-hard-drive-shows-firm-took-11-million-2013-2018-rcna29462

In Polling, apparently 10% of Democrats said they wouldn’t have voted for Joe if they had known about the Laptop and the Biden family corruption. No wonder Twitter, Facebook and the MSM suppressed the story before the Election.
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May 20, 2022 12:45pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Charlie Kirk on Donald Trump.
“The best argument for Trump 2020.”
It applies for 2022/2024. The end is interesting. [6.11]
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=521224416022711
9 3
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May 20, 2022 1:02pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I messed that up perfectly. Here is the link:
  https://www.facebook.com/realCharlieKirk/videos/244101960025803/
  
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  May 20, 2022 1:03pm
- mikenmildagain
  
  I’m worried about you, Steve. Reading garbage from the likes of Charlie Kirk will only further rot one’s brain. Like alcohol, consume with caution.
  
  5 19
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  May 20, 2022 1:13pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    It’s Friday. Seeing as I am now a retired old pensioner, I might get on the piss earlier. Start early, go to bed early.
    After 2pm, you can bet all the Public Sector employees are already in the pub! Except for the teetotalers.
    
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    May 20, 2022 2:11pm
    - mikenmildagain
      
      Wish I was at the pub.
      
      5 7
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      May 20, 2022 3:24pm
Tasman devil

I luv this gummint!

One of our rentals becomes available in August so we can charge $27 more per week to the newbies.

Under Labour the rich get richer and the poor vote Labour. I say good on them.
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May 20, 2022 1:28pm
Maggie Pie

We haven’t been out to Butterfly Creek for ages.

Looks like the croc breeding program has been a success….

https://twitter.com/Green_rabbit42/status/1527376700023025689
13 3
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May 20, 2022 1:31pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Whack that bastard right between the eyes, and the croc too.
  
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  May 20, 2022 2:06pm
UrbanNeocolonialist

I used to think renewable energy was a fantasy, but looking at the tech and economics we are actually on the cusp of switching the whole world to PV-Hydrogen at prices that massively undercut normal consumer prices, because of one key issue: it is way cheaper to pipe hydrogen gas into homes than electricity – eg natural gas charges to a home user are about 0.09/kWh vs 0.30/kWh for electricity. (0.05 and 0.20 distribution costs respectively

Desert PV can make electricity at $0.02/kWh in essentially unlimited quantities (no shortage of desert). That can make shippable liquid hydrogen at about $0.06/kWh, which can be converted into electricity costing about $0.12-0.15/kWh in a home fuel cell (with battery backup to meet peak demand). That is half current wholesale electricity costs – enough margin for distribution to make it a low risk inevitability. It’s cheaper than paying for and maintaining an electrical grid – that could eventually be done away with.

And no need to muck about with fitting houses with PV etc. We could build GW scale PV farms hydrogen production in sunny parts of NZ (like MacKenzie country) for energy self sufficiency if we wanted.
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May 20, 2022 2:00pm
- alloytoo
  
  Or we could invest in modular nuclear reactors and end energy poverty.
  
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  May 20, 2022 3:51pm
  - UrbanNeocolonialist
    
    Yes nuclear produced hydrogen would be another good option – can be done directly using a couple of different thermochemical processing cycles – particularly with modular nuclear plants built in ship yards and floated to a coastal location (waaay cheaper to have a high skilled construction workforce at a fixed base rather than a remote shithole) like Thorcon propose. But the key point is that it is cheaper to distribute hydrogen than electricity to domestic consumers.
    
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    May 20, 2022 5:42pm
  - MCōs
    
    In America nuclear accounts for about 20% of electricity generation. It is the world’s largest nuclear generator and has hardly built a new power plant since the Three Mile Island meltdown. Some new reactors have been added to existing plants.
    Power plants are fabulously expensive to built and twice as expensive as hydro to operate; a bit less than wind/sun.
    https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/us-nuclear-industry.php#:~:text=Electricity%20generation%20from%20commercial%20nuclear,is%20about%2040%20years%20old.
    
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    May 20, 2022 8:35pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Got something for you Mike:
“I’m gonna be the President, do-dah, do-dah!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0s2F0JRsQc
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May 20, 2022 2:01pm
Maggie Pie

HERE WE GO!

Elon was correct…it was only going to be a matter of time 🙁

“the SpaceX employee said Mr Musk exposed his erect penis and rubbed himself against her….”

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1527438623452413952
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May 20, 2022 2:15pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The left are running scared, so they put up this stuff on social media. The same thinking idiot spread it. No fact checkers at Twitter? or only anti Musk/Trump ones?
  Labour/Green supporters here are doing the same, but on a lesser scale.
  
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  May 20, 2022 3:06pm
  - mikenmildagain
    
    Why would you be worried about this item. Isn’t Musk all about bringing ‘free speech’ to Twitter?
    
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    May 20, 2022 3:23pm
Maggie Pie

Sky reporting NSW has it’s first case of ‘Monkey Pox’
A 40yo male who just returned from Europe.

Can’t say i didn’t warn ya….
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May 20, 2022 2:35pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Prager U on CRT. James Lindsay.
What is Critical Race Theory? Why is Jacinda Ardern going to Harvard to get a Doctorate?
The sniff test is not working for me (I may have covid LOL)
https://www.prageru.com/video/what-is-critical-race-theory?
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May 20, 2022 4:57pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Kiwiblog (DPF) may want to expand this and do a Post.
  I know you are a busy man David
  
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  May 20, 2022 4:58pm
Maggie Pie

Just heard HDPA getting it on with the…. ‘Political Reporter’

Why would they send a boy to do a man’s job?

Where’s Barry??

SHEESH!!!
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May 20, 2022 5:24pm
[email protected]

Difficult to believe 6.9% inflation rate. Ordered some Indian food delivered tonight. The delivery fee was doubled to $10.00 from $5.00.
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May 20, 2022 6:41pm
Maggie Pie

Watched the news on TV3 about the Tornado that ripped thru Levin.
They interviewed a few residents outside homes that had been damaged.
You’d think knowing they were going to be on prime time TV, they might have at least taken a bit more pride in their appearance.
I don’t even bring our Wheelie Bin in without putting makeup on.

Just saying.
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May 20, 2022 7:53pm
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Give them a break Mags. This is Levin, not Remmers.
  
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  May 20, 2022 8:48pm

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