About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

November 29, 2022 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 29 November 2022

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment257

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (257)

Login to comment or vote

Tony Stuart

The Herald delivers another hitjob on Christopher Luxon this morning, as a useful distraction from the government’s many current woes:

Six MPs and their parties are creaming more than $140,000 in perks each year from the taxpayer, thanks to a generous quirk that allows them to rent offices they own back to Parliament.

The MP taking the most, National leader Christopher Luxon, enjoys a $45,000 annual top-up to his salary as Opposition Leader of $296,007.

A spokesman for Luxon said the “arrangements for his electorate office have been declared to Parliamentary Service and comply with all of the relevant rules”.

The perk has been exploited for decades by MPs, but recent changes to disclosure rules has meant the MPs who made use of it, and the rent they charged the taxpayer, has never been published by Parliament.

That has changed – MPs must now disclose any such deals between themselves and Parliament, along with an independent valuation of the property’s market rent, and the rent they charge the taxpayer.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/six-mps-creaming-140000-in-perks/X2LJS644DFFC3PVVI4AVXEO4PE/?utm_campaign=nzh_tw&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=nzh_tw#Echobox=1669654273-1

There’s nothing remotely illegal about what Luxon and five other MP’s are doing, including Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. The Herald has only been able to report this BECAUSE the rental arrangements have been publicly disclosed. That hasn’t stopped the Herald featuring Luxon prominently, including a photograph of him at the office he owns.

Surely, there are more important political issues at the moment of breathless exposes and innuendo about MP’s “creaming” the system, when in fact they are doing nothing illegal. Maybe the Herald is aware that polling is imminent…
75 3
Log in to Reply
Report
December 29, 2021 8:17am
- Harry Knuts
  
  Deflect, deflect, deflect. Jacinda’s instructions to the paid up MSM of the PIJF.
  Labour MP’s have been doing the same for years. It’s not actually news. Just a petty hit job.
  
  52 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:27am
  - Paulus
    
    I see that you use the initials PIJF but you forget the missing Capital P for Public “Propaganda” Interest Journalism Fund.
    
    16 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:45am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Internal polls must be bad.
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:18am
- Frank the tank
  
  It’s Thomas Coughlan. Read anything he says with a grain of salt.
  
  He goes to bed with a Jacinda doll; lead the charge on Uffendell; and otherwise is tribal Labour. He also has a major bee on his bonnet with Luxon.
  
  Barely above Simon Wilson on the creditability stakes.
  
  59 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:40am
  - igm
    
    You are correct, but there are many imbeciles and misled elderly out there who take their news from MSM as gospel.
    Many believe what they see on Tv and will never move from 1 or 3 nightly. This, combined with taxpayer funding, makes it really hard for other parties to defend claims or get their messages across.
    We are going down the same path as Nazi Germany in more ways than one!
    
    18 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:48am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      There was a woman on radio with Kerre this morning, she was crying because her beloved wish of a Labour government had failed, she has turned her back.
      
      11 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 11:26am
    - H. Upmann
      
      The next election will be closer than most followers of this blog think and it will be low information voters, “MSM as gospel” who will make it so.
      I cannot see a landslide against Labour happening; it will be close as current polling indicates.
      
      13 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 11:27am
      - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
        
        Upmann – It will be a close, but a clear win for Labour-Greens-Maori nightmare gummit for sure.
        
        4 11
        Report
        November 29, 2022 11:44am
- Nickc2
  
  Agree. There are much more worthy headlines available eg Entrenchment Collusion.
  Let’s enquire about the collusion between Sage and Mahuta WRT 5Waters Legislation Entrenchment, especially when Labour had been advised of the legalities of Entrenchment.
  
  46 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:40am
- mandk
  
  Yes, they are all doing it, but it is as sleazy as anything, even if it is completely legal.
  
  26 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:43am
  - Local Miller
    
    Sorry, I don’t believe it is sleazy. Sleazy implies under hand and done to cheat the tax payer, but it’s nothing of the sort.
    This is done with submissions to PS and public disclosure, and submissions of the open market value of the office space. If he is over charging PS then there’s a problem, but he needs office space and why not use his own rather than someone else’s where he could be being charged more. I note the article doesn’t tell us what the market rate is, but from what I know of rental markets $865/week for office space is a pretty low rent to be paying.
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:23am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Why? If Luxon owned his office and rented a separate office which is possible, then it would be the same cost but a wasted office space
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:28am
  - Nickc2
    
    It’s not sleazy at all. People who use their own vehicles for a company they work for’s business are entitled to claim expenses, aren’t they?
    This is an MSM beat-up!
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 12:03pm
    - Jim
      
      Agree it’s absolutely not a public interest story, just demonstrates the media bias or (more likely) where the public $$$$ have gone.
      
      My guess is it’s shill media selling your children’s future.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 30, 2022 6:19am
- Mike H S
  
  Indeed. I saw the photo and correctly thought “This is another hit job”. I note that there are three Labour MPs (headed by one N Mahuta) as well as three National MPs and yet they highlight National with the photo. Biased, $55m? Nothing to see here.
  
  59 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:49am
  - All_on_Red
    
    Reason #5789 that NZ Journalists are scum partisan hacks.
    
    35 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:10am
    - Nickc2
      
      Bought and paid for Scum!!
      
      12 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 12:47pm
  - Tricati
    
    Maybe Coughlan would should be remined of the rort with Ginny Anderson, and her collusion with the fire fighters union, over her Labour Party office in the Hutt Valley – That was above being a perk, just plain deceptive.
    
    41 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:11am
    - peterwn
      
      And Robbo’s office – in a union owned building in Willis Street.
      
      13 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 12:25pm
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    But they still want another $4.99 so you can get a further 2 months of such shi…………
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:26am
- kowtow
  
  And then there’s the subliminal assault .
  
  Their story on 3 waters entrenchment review uses language like “backdown” and “turn back”.
  
  But last week when Luxon was in the cross hairs it was “Flip flop”. As they try their best to create a negative image of him for the electorate .
  
  Likewise today a story headlined ” Donor Money buying access” right next to a photo showing Act /nat billboads” while the story also implicates Labour . But no red billboard displayed.
  
  They must have such fun in the editor’s
  office doing the 9th floor’s bidding.
  
  51 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:51am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    They said Luxon flip flopped, all he said was it won’t happen in their first term, I seem to remember Key needing to do something similar over tax cuts delaying till the following term because of economic insecurity. I would have thought Luxon was using corporate common sense in this point, he always said depending on Labours damage
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:34am
- Flossie
  
  I was so exasperated when I saw that. They could have highlighted Mahuta and given Luxon a break.
  No of course they couldn’t.
  
  39 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:55am
  - septic skeptic
    
    That would be racist.
    
    17 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:23am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      So is picking on the white 51 year old 😃
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 11:35am
  - kowtow
    
    PIJF
    
    “Active protection”
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:53am
    - nathie
      
      Labour’s Zoom calls to news editors.
      
      “Enforcement”!
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 11:07am
- pdm
  
  Did the clown that wrote this not think that they would pribably make even more if they rented the properties on the open market?
  
  The only difference being that Government rent is pretty much guaranteed – except perhaps under the current government.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:57am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Interesting take. My bet is the government pays MORE than they would get on the open market.
    
    4 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:24am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Exactly, Luxon could have rented out at higher prices, and rented another office
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:36am
    - rouppe
      
      But why would you?
      
      He has security of tenure, not going to have to move offices, and on the flipside as a landlord, security of income, and a low risk tenant
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 12:41pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  IMHO the Nats need to run a positive campaign in Election 23. This will contrast with Labour who cant. I mean how can a Party who hasnt achieved any of the policies they campaigned on in 2017 or 2020 say anything positive. All they can say is elect us for a third term and we will do better. Come on.
  The Nats need to run their campaign on the theme of Restoration.
  1. Restore the economy thru tax and labour market reforms.
  2. Restore security in the comminity thru measures to deal with and get on top of crime.
  3. Restore education standards by dealing with truancy restoring alternative education such as Academies.
  4. Restore democracy and freedom by repealing Labours various attempts to destory these and putting in place legislation and regulation that enshrine deomocracy and freedom.
  
  40 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:00am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    And The Nats should take every opportunity to mock our Dear PM….as Gaurav Sharma did yesterday
    
    (from 1.25 in …..)
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018868991
    
    19 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:14am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Sounds good to me.
    
    6. Keep on bringing up all of Labour’s failures.
    
    15 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:32am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Like the crying Labour supporter on the radio today who realised her beloved Labour are a failure
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 11:38am
      - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
        
        Giant – That crying supporter could be a mole set up by ACT party. Possible….just sayin…
        
        0 11
        Report
        November 29, 2022 11:58am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        @Cullen.
        Bullshit
        
        5 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 12:02pm
  - Flossie
    
    But what are they going to say when asked “but HOW are you going to Deal With Truancy?”
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:14am
- Wayne Mapp
  
  More than not being illegal, it is not even a perk. All the MP’s concerned own the office accomodation. They then rent them to Parliamentary Services. But they could just as easily rent the offices to someone else. In fact in all cases in the Herald they are paying less than market rentals.
  
  Why do they do this? Generally so they can have their offices just as they want and without the need to consult someone else if they want to alter their offices.
  
  31 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:17am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    Exactly. Only a Lefty moron or a lying Lefty journalist would write as though the rent charged was all costless profit.
    
    Despicable media we now suffer.
    
    19 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:49am
- Hugh Jarse
  
  Isn’t it amazing how stories seem to appear when their beloved government gets in trouble. I would have through an article on the entrenchment might have been a good story ?. I imagine it’s written by the press secretaries and they have them pre-pared ready to roll out.
  
  24 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:25am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    End of the month, new poll rounds started, th last month has been a shambles so the polls won’t be good, red media trying to level the ledger
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:41am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      “No matter what we do, no matter what we say, the polls are not moving” or something.
      Who said that?
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 12:06pm
      - Nickc2
        
        The Bradford Brat (Katie).
        
        6 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 12:09pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Yes Nick. It sure was Katie Bradford.
        She still does not know that her job is to report news, not make news.
        
        1 0
        Report
        November 30, 2022 10:19am
- Local Miller
  
  Additionally $45,000/year on office space is only $865/week, which is not at all exorbitant for office space. The alternative would be to rent from someone else, possibly at a higher rate, but someone has to provide the office space. If he rents from someone else he then has to let out his office to someone, and it just becomes a money-go-round.
  He’s probably actually saving some money by using his own office space and charging it to PS than if he were renting from the open market.
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:17am
- Ra Henare
  
  Interesting interview with Sky Australia with Jordan Peterson.
  Explains why National(conservative) is rather pathetic in fighting back against Ardern
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfGOSpg9Pds
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 2:04pm
Warren

Labour moves back on Three Waters entrenched clause as advice shows MP’s
warned of Constitutionally problems year ago.More lies from our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern andLeader of the House Chris Hipkins when admitting to not being aware that the fresh move to entrench a part of the bill had been added until after it was passed.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-moves-to-back-down-on-three-waters-entrenchment-clause-as-advice-shows-mps-warned-of-constitutional-problems-a-year-ago/5GGSR5FEHFBRNOA3XXOAKPM4II/
Oh dear does the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Leader of the House believe the public of New Zealand are stupid , no Leader would not know as it has been contentious since day one and it’s the Prime Minister’s job to know everything that is in the bill and this is just another lie in her list of hundreds she has told since becoming our Prime Minister.
46 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:03am
- Yvette
  
  … not being aware that the fresh move to entrench a part of the bill had been added until after it was passed
  
  Here, Warren, is perhaps the smoking gun you seek –
  
  … Mahuta knew very well at that stage that it would be a highly controversial undertaking. In her April Cabinet Paper the Minister stated:
  Support for this provision will be tested when the Bill reaches the committee of the whole House …
  https://cranmer.substack.com/p/entrenchment-the-latest-storm-engulfing?
  
  26 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:42am
  - rouppe
    
    So Mahuta had lied because the clause was inserted after it left the committee ?
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 12:49pm
    - Yvette
      
      No, Rouppe – I understand there may be a credibility problem with those who treat it as a surprise move, when it was clearly discussed back in April, and perhaps more so – even into the realms of deception – that it was then still inserted when it reached the Committee of the whole House – as predicted – and was passed?
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 4:35pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  So Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins admit they are incompetent.
  
  39 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:52am
  - septic skeptic
    
    It wouldn’t surprise me if Ardern wasn’t aware of the proposed entrenchment. Her role is more public relations spokeswoman than CEO. I think it’s fair to surmise that she spends far more time in makeup than either Shipley or Clark did.
    But Hipkins is leader of the house and it looks awful for him whether he knew and was complicit or didn’t and is incompetent.
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:43am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  They have always thought the voter is stupid, life time labour voters yes, but not the floating centrist voter.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:43am
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Warren – “Oh dear does the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Leader of the House believe the public of New Zealand are stupid” – otherwise how do you explain 50% voted for Labour in 2020??
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:59am
krazykiwi

Here’s a freedom of speech inflection point. Elon Musk: “Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why”
36 2
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:04am
- virtualmark
  
  Maybe because Apple has very clear policies about content moderation in social media apps, and Elon has sacked most of the content moderators?
  
  Elon may find he has similar problems with the FTC and the European regulators too.
  
  3 32
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:18am
  - krazykiwi
    
    These would be the ‘clear policies’ that allow Muslim terrorists and pedophiles to continue to use the platform, while banning eminent cardiologists for recommending Vitamin D?
    
    39 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:41am
    - virtualmark
      
      https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
      
      Written in plain English.
      
      I’ll hazard a guess that 1.2 is becoming more of an issue with Twitter.
      
      1 20
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 8:44am
      - virtualmark
        
        And maybe your “eminent cardiologists” are struggling with 1.4?
        
        2 19
        Report
        November 29, 2022 8:52am
      - All_on_Red
        
        Hey VM, here is Elon replying to you;
        “This alleged expert is saying things that are flat-out false. I have now said several times of Twitter that incitement to violence, obviously including threats of physical harm, will result in account suspension.”
        
        https://hotair.com/david-strom/2022/11/28/the-musky-smell-of-hysterical-people-n513467
        
        14 2
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:29am
      - ClanMcleod
        
        Taking vitamin D is bad for you? Shit virtualmark, you really have drank the Kool aid haven’t you. 🙄
        
        19 1
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:30am
      - virtualmark
        
        Red,
        
        Apple’s guidelines, set out in plain English, go beyond just not allowing incitements to violence.
        
        Twitter is allowed to have its set of policies and guidelines. Apple is allowed to have their set. I see no problem with that. I thought we like free markets?
        
        And Clan … I’m interested to know just what these “eminent cardiologists” were recommending you take the Vitamin D for. Maybe there’s more to this story than meets the eye? If it is an innocent “Vitamin D is good for your bones” then fine. But if, hypothetically, it was something like “Vitamin D will cure all cancers” then I could imagine a company like Apple, highly protective of its reputation, might have a problem with being seen to host that sort of messaging.
        
        5 17
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:36am
      - All_on_Red
        
        Yes VM, did you expect Musk to spell all their policy out in a tweet?
        Sad if that’s all you can pick at.
        Twitters Policy hasn’t changed. Its the same so Apple and Google shouldn’t be concerned
        What has changed is that its being applied evenly. And left-tard’s are squealing and trying to pressure coys like Apple. Really really squealing.
        Butt- hurt much?
        
        12 3
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:43am
      - virtualmark
        
        Sigh.
        
        Red, what has changed is that Twitter has sacked nearly all of their content moderation people. Here’s a direct quote from Apple’s app review guidelines:
        
        “Apps with user-generated content present particular challenges, ranging from intellectual property infringement to anonymous bullying. To prevent abuse, apps with user-generated content or social networking services must include:
        * A method for filtering objectionable material from being posted to the app
        * A mechanism to report offensive content and timely responses to concerns
        * The ability to block abusive users from the service
        * Published contact information so users can easily reach you”
        
        Elon has talked about (a) getting rid of human content moderators and (b) replacing them with an AI system instead. Look, fine, if that works then fine. But AFAIK he’s done (a) but not delivered (b) yet. And even if he did have (b) it would take time to train it and to demonstrate that it works.
        
        So I could imagine Apple having reservations about content moderation at Twitter just right now.
        
        3 10
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:53am
    - Tom Hunter
      
      First, let’s take a look at people who weren’t banned from Twitter under the previous management:
      – Chinese genocide apologists
      – Hitler-worshiping Hindu nationalists
      – Iran’s terrorist leadership
      – Antifa goons actively planning assaults
      – Pedophiles
      – People illegally distributing puberty blockers to children (who were also pedophiles, strange coincidence there)
      – People running mass-reporting schemes (who were yes. also pedophiles)
      
      People who were banned from Twitter previously:
      
      – The New York Post for news stories inconvenient to Democrats
      – James Lindsay and the Babylon Bee for accurately identifying an adult male
      – Nick Rekieta for being the victim of a mass-reporting scheme
      – Libs of TikTok (off/on since she only ever showed what insane Leftists were posting themselves on TikTok).
      – Trump for being Trump
      
      15 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 10:13am
      - krazykiwi
        
        This is where VM’s pleading, hands outstretched argument falls flat. The issue isn’t one of policy content, but rather lack of integrity in the application of policy.
        
        9 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:59am
      - virtualmark
        
        Krazy,
        
        How does this make my argument fall flat?
        
        My argument is that Apple, like every company, is allowed to make their own decisions based on their own principles.
        
        Tom’s post is about Twitter’s decisions. They may have been decisions you didn’t like. May even have been inconsistently made. But that’s for Twitter to deal with, and bear any consequences of. As I’ve said further down this thread, if Twitter wants to kick every “libtard” off their platform they’re free to do that.
        
        5 1
        Report
        November 29, 2022 11:30am
      - All_on_Red
        
        It falls flat because Apple is as censorious as Twitter used to be.
        They don’t believe in Free Speech. Only Speech they approve of.
        https://thefederalist.com/2022/11/28/elon-musk-wants-answers-about-apples-support-of-censorship/
        Here’s Elon Musk again;
        “Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why”
        Seems odd Apple cant explain.
        Seems odd that a ‘right winger’ like you doesn’t mind Apple doing that.
        
        2 2
        Report
        November 29, 2022 3:49pm
      - virtualmark
        
        Red, yet again you seem confused and befuddled.
        
        Apple is a private company.
        They run a store.
        They are clear in saying “Anyone is free to put their product in our store, as long as it meets our rules”.
        For social media companies Apple’s rules are you have to a mechanism for stopping your users posting objectionable content.
        And a mechanism for quickly removing any objectionable content that slips past the first mechanism.
        But provided you’re good with those two things then you can use Apple’s infrastructure to access all of Apple’s customers.
        Oh, and since 99% of Twitter users don’t pay a subscription to use Twitter Apple doesn’t get any revenue, so Twitter is accessing Apple’s infrastructure and customers for free.
        
        Qu: Do you think that any part of that is unreasonable?
        
        Elon Musk has bought Twitter.
        One of the first things he did was dismantle the mechanism for stopping Twitter’s users from posting objectionable content
        Along with the other mechanism for quickly removing any objectionable content that slips past the first mechanism
        Twitter arguably no longer meets Apple’s rules for having a social media app in Apple’s store.
        But Elon Musk still expects Twitter’s IOS app to be in Apple’s store.
        
        Qu: Do you think that is reasonable?
        Qu: Do you think Apple should be compelled to host Twitter’s app, even if Twitter no longer meets Apple’s rules?
        
        If you do think Apple should be compelled to host Twitter’s app then tell me more about free speech and free markets.
        
        0 2
        Report
        November 29, 2022 4:56pm
  - virtualmark
    
    Clearly there’s a lot of butt-hurt Elon fans lurking on Kiwiblog.
    
    Elon’s free to use his money to buy Twitter. As the owner he’s free to change Twitter’s policies, to ban or allow users, to allow or dis-allow speech any way he likes. I have no problem with that.
    
    But other entities, such as advertisers and key partners like Apple, are also free to decide for themselves whether Twitter then fits with their goals and policies. I have no problem with that either.
    
    No one owes Twitter or Elon their undying support. And “free speech” is speech free of government interference, not speech free of consequences.
    
    8 18
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:57am
    - leoj
      
      Yet you are still pissed off that Twitter is no longer an echo chamber of your preferred leftist crap.
      
      14 6
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:28am
      - virtualmark
        
        leoj, you’re clearly one of the butt hurt.
        
        I’m not pissed off at Twitter. And I’m not a left-winger. I’ll comfortably wager that I work at a much more right-wing job than you.
        
        But the world doesn’t owe Elon anything. He can re-make Twitter in whatever image he likes. But if that, say, falls foul of Apple’s guidelines then that is what it is. He can either (a) accept that and plow on with Elon Twitter without Apple, or (b) decide that Apple’s support is critical and change Elon Twitter to fit inside those guidelines.
        
        Why is that such a hard concept for supposed right-wingers to understand?
        
        6 7
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:42am
      - Yabster
        
        butt hurt- what a weird term to use…
        
        4 2
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:48am
      - Tom Hunter
        
        And I’m not a left-winger.
        
        Like Rick Wilson and Bill Kristol and company are not left-wingers.
        
        Sure. If you were in the USA you’d register as an “independent”.
        
        Yet somehow you end up supporting almost everything that the Left does or proposes, including an almost endless defence of the Democrat Party in the USA, going back to the days of Obama.
        
        You showed your colours here in NZ with an equally relentless defence of every C-19 measure going, including mandates. Of course it’s entirely possible that some right-wingers fully support such massive State breaches of civil liberties, but I doubt you’d want to be given their label.
        
        The days when a person could define themselves as “right-wing” purely because of a support for cuts in tax rates and state spending, plus de-regulation, are long gone. “Socially Liberal, Fiscally Conservative” eh? It’s not the 1980’s. Even so I’m struggling to think of anything “right-wing” that I’ve seen you support. Even your claims here about the rights of private businesses seem to be conditional on whether that enables the Left to dominate in pushing their ideas.
        
        9 2
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:19am
      - virtualmark
        
        Tom,
        
        This thread, started by KrazyKiwi at 8:04am, is a simple example of my right-wing beliefs.
        
        KrazyKiwi’s original post was a re-post of an Elon Musk tweet saying Apple might “withhold” Twitter’s app from its App Store.
        
        My take on that: So what if they do?
        
        Apple is free to make its own decisions, based on its own principles and values. They have clearly published those principles and values, so they shouldn’t be any surprise to you or to Elon Musk.
        
        But it seems most of the commentators here believe that Apple following its own values would be wrong, or evil, or at least something to get angry about. Why would it be any of those things?
        
        Do you believe in free markets or not?
        
        4 4
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:51am
    - All_on_Red
      
      Why would Elon fans feel Butt-hurt?
      Musk is doing well at Twitter
      “Since Musk’s dramatic takeover, Twitter’s monetizable daily user (mDAU) growth has accelerated to more than 20 percent, while “Twitter’s largest market, the US, is growing even more quickly,” according to an internal FAQ obtained by The Verge that was shared with Twitter’s sales team on Monday to use in conversations with advertisers. Per the FAQ, Twitter has added more than 15 million mDAUs, “crossing the quarter billion mark” since the end of the second quarter, when it stopped reporting financials as a public company.”
      https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/7/23445476/elon-musk-twitter-user-growth-all-time-high-advertisers
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:33am
      - virtualmark
        
        Red,
        
        Twitter’s revenue line is driven by advertisers, not users. Busy doesn’t equal money.
        
        I really don’t care what Elon does with Twitter. He’s free to make it a raging success, or drive it into bankruptcy. But he has no automatic right to support from either advertisers or the likes of Apple.
        
        It’s a free market.
        
        6 5
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:44am
      - All_on_Red
        
        I think Musk understands the free market VM…
        There will always be advertisers seeking mediums which reach a lot of people so user’s increasing matter.
        For someone who doesn’t care, you sure are going on about it a lot
        Lol
        
        4 1
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:00am
    - Tom Hunter
      
      And “free speech” is speech free of government interference, not speech free of consequences.
      
      But there is now plenty of evidence that outfits like Twitter (pre-Musk), Facebook and Google were doing the US government’s bidding in banning speech, so the 1st Amendment does apply, although I doubt there will be any consequences.
      
      But you’re argument that it’s only about state suppresion of free speech is a common one and it’s wrong:
      
      The XKCD cartoon is often used to dismiss free speech arguments, but it is wrong: it not only confuses First Amendment law with freedom of speech, it doesn’t even get the First Amendment right.
      
      The concept of freedom of speech is a bigger, older and more expansive idea than its particular application in the First Amendment. A belief in the importance of freedom of speech is what inspired the First Amendment; it’s what gave the First Amendment meaning, and what sustains it in the law. But a strong cultural commitment to freedom of speech is what maintains its practice in our institutions—from higher education, to reality TV, to pluralistic democracy itself. Freedom of speech includes small l liberal values that were once expressed in common American idioms like to each his own, everyone’s entitled to their opinion and it’s a free country. These cultural values appear in legal opinions too; as Justice Robert H. Jackson noted in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, “Compulsory unification of opinion achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard.”
      
      While the United States Constitution limits only governmental behaviour on its face, its application sometimes requires the government to protect you from being censored by other citizens. For example, the government has a duty to protect you from being attacked by a hostile mob that doesn’t like your ideas or having your public speech disrupted by a heckler’s veto.
      
      And the advertisers who have, so far, pulled from Twitter have done so not out of any real concerns about the forum but because they’ve bent the knee to the same crowd that used to dominate at Twitter: the hecklers.
      
      Why so many corporates do so remains a mystery but it’s something that’s been observed since the days of Ralph Nader (ESG being merely the latest wheeze) and given the falling fortunes of Disney, Meta, FTX and others the question is how much longer such executives will continue to fool themselves that by aligning with the Leftist screamers and the crybullies they’re riding the crest of the latest wave of popularity?
      
      5 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 10:07am
      - virtualmark
        
        Tom, if there’s lots of substantiated evidence then let’s see it.
        
        Look, Elon’s free to kick all of the libtard leftard leotard-wearing wokesters off Twitter, and turn it into a larger version of Gab or Parler or Truth Social. I don’t care if he does.
        
        But if he does then I suspect Twitter’s pre-Musk advertisers will largely leave. And simple observation says Gab, Parler and Truth Social aren’t thriving businesses, so the holders of Twitter’s $13b of debt can take that up with him.
        
        1 8
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:23am
    - Libertarians are right
      
      Idiots keep saying “not free of consequences” to justify massively disproportionate discrimination based on ideological belief.
      
      8 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 10:27am
  - Simon
    
    “Maybe because Apple has very clear policies about content moderation in social media apps, and Elon has sacked most of the content moderators?”
    
    Within a week of Musk taking over all the pedophilia twitter accounts were shut down. Key word searches were used to sell / promote exchange child porn.
    
    Musk got rid of the left wing woke pedo supporting employees. They are upset.
    
    16 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:58am
    - Simon
      
      Violent far-left group CrimethInc, which calls for arson attacks and political violence, was suspended from Twitter on Friday after the social media giant’s owner Elon Musk started suspending accounts that call for violence.
      
      https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1596871504712454144
      
      Political violence and pedos being shut down on twitter. The left are angry.
      
      16 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:09am
    - virtualmark
      
      Simon,
      
      Elon sacked over 4,000 employees and a similar number of contractors. I’d be amazed if Twitter had had 4,000 left-wing pedo supporters. And amazed if Elon could have worked out in less than a fortnight just which employees were the left-wing pedos and which were the right-wing righteous warriors.
      
      But perhaps you’re more easily swayed than I am.
      
      4 14
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:29am
      - All_on_Red
        
        I think he very quickly identified the censorious Karen’s who had dubious links to external lobby groups who did all the work combing Twitter to get accounts they didn’t like banned- well actually he tasked the top managers to identify them.
        Didn’t take long
        I hear Twitter code is pretty archaic too. He had teams from Tesla and Space X all over it.
        You seem to be protesting a lot.
        Say, you’re not the one butt-hurt are you?
        Lol
        
        10 4
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:38am
      - virtualmark
        
        Red,
        
        I’d be amazed if anyone could surgically assess a workforce of 7,800 people in a fortnight and decide which ones are right to let go and which aren’t. Elon is shooting from the hip, not making surgical decisions. But that’s fine … he’s the owner, he can do what he likes.
        
        And every large code-base has technical debt.
        
        And I really don’t care whether Twitter lives or dies. I just believe strongly that every person, and company (yes, including Apple) is allowed to make their own decisions based on their own principles.
        
        7 5
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:49am
      - Tom Hunter
        
        They were pretty easily identified, mainly because they just love advertising themselves to the world: check out the picture of one outraged ex-Twitter “worker” at this link.
        
        4 2
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:24am
  - Zoomfatigued
    
    If Apple enforced their policies Twitter would’ve been off the store many years ago. Hiding behind terms of service to cherry pick which views to silence is shameful and will lead to war eventually, it did every time before. We’ve learned nothing.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 30, 2022 7:34am
- WaynelSexton
  
  Free speech only protects the public realm not the private realm.
  Private companies have a right to ban whoever they want.
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:41am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    Not true, as companies attempting to ban people on the basis of their race found out long ago. And of course we’ve seen what’s happened in the small but famous cases of the Colorado cake baker and the florist when targeted by gay activists.
    
    5 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:09am
    - virtualmark
      
      Tom,
      
      Those were issues of discrimination under human rights legislation, not freedom of speech.
      
      4 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 10:33am
      - WaynelSexton
        
        Exactly virtualmark
        Just look at future President Ye West, he’s being banned for his speech, not his black skin.
        #Ye24
        
        4 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:51am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  The funniest thing about this when it first broke, someone in the States suggested to Musk that he start making his own phones. Musk immediately responded in the affirmative.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:56am
  - Ghost
    
    Tesla have been working on a phone for a while now, Tesla Pi 5G 2022
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:09am
alex Masterley

And in other news the Netherlands are looking at closing 3000 farms. James Shaw’s wet dream.
Watch, amongst other things, food prices go up. And farmers taking direct action.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/11/28/netherlands-close-3000-farms-comply-eu-rules/
47 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:05am
- krazykiwi
  
  Mark Rutte (PM) is a WEF acolyte, and he is actively pushing the Great Reset agenda. Channeling his contemporary, Trudeau, he recently called the protests “Small and unacceptable”.
  
  32 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:13am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    His WEF connection was nicely exposed in the Dutch Parliament by a rookie MP a year ago.
    There was a Youtube video with subtitles but I can’t find it. This website has the video and provides a transcript.
    
    https://www.europereloaded.com/rutte/
    
    18 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:36am
- Tony Stuart
  
  According to Liam Ratana at The Spinoff, New Zealand’s farm emissions compare hugely favourably with the rest of the world. Our sheep average 6.01kg of emissions against an international average of 14.2kg, whilst our cattle emit 8.7kg compared to an international average of 14.1kg.
  
  https://thespinoff.co.nz/partner/24-11-2022/setting-a-standard-how-our-beef-and-lamb-footprint-measures-up-against-the-world?utm_source=bulletin&utm_medium=sponsored-1
  
  Tell me again why the government is conducting a jihad against New Zealand farmers who are among the most carbon-efficient producers in the world.
  
  55 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:24am
  - krazykiwi
    
    Remember Tony, to compare emissions is to give the concept credence, which is to loose. There is no evidence of anthropogenic emissions leading to calamitous outcomes for humankind.
    
    By contrast, history is littered with evidence of tyrants and their central planning killing hundreds of millions.
    
    31 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:34am
    - Ehlana
      
      I don’t know that we can call emissions from animals “anthropogenic”. If humans didn’t exist, wouldn’t there just be more other animals, emitting whatever and whenever they felt like it?
      
      21 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 8:57am
      - krazykiwi
        
        True enough. Modern farming is often lumped in to anthropogenic emissions. But then again there were ~50m Bison roaming North America in 1800 long before farming at scale.
        
        11 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:44am
  - mandk
    
    It’s simple really.
    
    Virtue signalling trumps actually reducing emissions on a global scale.
    
    And besides, Greenies hate farmers.
    
    27 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:47am
    - Gravelroad
      
      @mandk-
      People do not seem to realise the amount of land, water and chemicals that are used in the growing of bulk vegetables, fruit, grapes for wine, hops for beer, rice, soy, wheat etc.
      And they don’t care either.
      Just demonise and blame the livestock farmers -because – easy and politically correct.
      Eat your chemically formulated meat from your urban based factory. That is the future.
      
      10 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:59am
      - Gravelroad
        
        And to the people who like genuine leather shoes, jackets, sofas and luxury electric car seats – do you realise that you are actually wearing and sitting on the hide of a cow?
        All clothing will soon be made from synthetic, oil based and chemical materials developed in a laboratory – along with your “meat”.
        
        9 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 10:13am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Plant based products use more water than stock farms
        
        7 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 11:48am
      - Its only I
        
        Remember when margarine full of trans fats was the best thing since something was sliced to put it on? Now its natural butter made from udder squeezings.
        
        Did trans fats start out as something else?
        
        4 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 2:37pm
  - Nickc2
    
    Because they’ve been advised they can’t Entrench the Emissions Legislation so they’re trashing the joint before they’re out on their arses.
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:05am
- Simon
  
  The goal here, with the attacks on farming, is patented bug meat. You will eat the bug meat and pay some US oligarch a royalty every time. Bug meat industry to replace farming is worth trillions.
  
  US oligarchs are driving man made climate fraud. James Shaw Gweens etc are useful fools of hyper global capital.
  
  28 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:25am
  - kowtow
    
    They want “farms” to move to cities and be in industrial complexes and to “rewild” the countryside.
    
    Any electoral map will show why this has benefits to the left wing and or “progressive elites”.
    
    25 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:31am
- Tomtoddy
  
  The unbelievable arrogance of these twits is beyond understanding. They sit in their airconditioned offices, every convenience, fly private jets, consume at their heart’s content turning off food production while in countries of Africa and Asia mothers are struggling to give their starving kids just one meal a day. The moral ethics of a rattle snake.
  
  37 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:35am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Tomtoddy – and if they get their “Great Reset” you can bet your boots they will stay in the privileged class who will give up nothing. They are narcissistic and very dangerous ideologues.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:50am
  - mawm
    
    Bill Gates and his “guilty pleasure” of owning 4 corporate jets. “A study conducted by Lund University in Sweden showed that in 2017, Bill Gates took 59 flights by private jet, emitting about 1,600 tonnes of CO2, compared to the global average of fewer than five tonnes per person”……and he’s a “climate activist”. He even wrote a book on “How to Avoid Climate Disaster”.
    
    https://simpleflying.com/bill-gates-private-jet-collection/
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 1:47pm
- Master Mariner
  
  Yep, NZ is not immune either,
  With SNA on private land and now the un insurable flood “zones” as outlined by council planning with IWI being immune.
  Outcome by stealth in Land is now unable to gain a Mortgage to purchase and will become unviable due to excessive insurance premiums.
  Outcome over time is land will be passed to IWI for peanuts.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:54am
Tomtoddy

Just got back from a couple of weeks in Malaysia. Travelled quite widely on their roads – national and local. There is evidence everywhere of a country committed to making roads more attractive for cars and motorists. New motorways and easier connections are being built in the cities, surfaces are far superior to ours, few repairs being done and with a minimum of cones, flashing lights on large trucks, and inconvenience. KL has a high population density that encourages diverse and modern modes of transport but petrol is very cheap and car numbers are growing rapidly. Their roads are vastly better than ours.
37 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:05am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Any Country does not have to try hard to have better roads than us.
  
  26 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:15am
- krazykiwi
  
  I visited KL a few times about a decade ago. One trip was 8 weeks following the previous one and I saw (and drove on) 20km of morotway – including two bridges and several overpasses – that were bare earth on the previous trip.
  
  Contrast this to the “Safer speeds” nonsense on SH1 Cobham Drive in Wellington. Work was started on a pedestrian crossing in May 2022 and it is still unfinished 7 months later.
  
  32 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:17am
  - septic skeptic
    
    I took a day trip by bus in China and went out through a major roadworks in a small city. Coming back through at the end of the day you could see huge changes. More than I see in any given three month period in the apparently permanent Dome valley roadworks.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:05am
- ClanMcleod
  
  The transport system in KL is excellent with numerous options available for getting around the city.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:23am
  - krazykiwi
    
    I particularly like the KLIA express: Check in for your flight at Sentral the city, drop your bags and get on the train for a 35 minute trip to KLIA airside. So simple.
    
    12 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:30am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Then on to the LRT and MRT. I was blown away by how simple and seamless it all was.
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:51am
- Master Mariner
  
  Yep, For sure.
  Does help to have a cheap supply of quality bitumen by local refineries.
  Who would have thought aye //
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:57am
  - MCōs
    
    Malaysian roads are concrete with a bitumen component.
    There are 2000k of privately built and operated toll roads. Neither feasible or acceptable in NZ.
    Labour is cheap making construction/repairs quick with work carrying on 24/7 for new roads. Never see that here.
    Malaysia has five times the population density & im picking further from the main roads the quality deteriorates, particularly after the wet season.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:50am
- Nickc2
  
  They have a Forward Thinking Govt, unlike us who have a Regressive one.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:17am
Matt Long

RTDs and. Meths about to get dearer.
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/300742276/fonterra-spends-40m-converting-trau-site-to-lactose-production
I guess ethanol for petrol will be sourced elsewhere as well.
11 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:09am
- Master Mariner
  
  Regarding Ethanol mandate , The Government can not come up with an actual requirement into its makeup.
  So how do you “plan” to operate a Ethanol plant when you are waiting actual Government guidelines?
  Another note, Queensland has Sugar cane, Brazil has Maize.
  What the hell does NZ have in abundance to manufacture Ethanol?
  This is just another disaster without thinking through actual consequences and with this Governments ” Law of unintended Consequences” will result in higher Co2 emissions and of course higher prices for a Net 1% gain ( Dis regarding transport costs via shipping overseas.
  You really cant make this up //
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:05am
  - Nickc2
    
    What the hell does NZ have in abundance to manufacture Ethanol?
    You can turn Bull Shit into Ethanol. We have a shit load of that and it’s self-generating. There’s a Warehouse full of the stuff in Wellington. The Warehouse is commonly referred to as the Beehive.
    
    12 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:25am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    When it comes to the inept Ardern, nothing she does that fails utterly surprises me any longer.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:53am
Paulus

Whilst I have no love for Grant Robertson I would ask that he do something to control the Labour Caucus which is an out of control factional mess.
Ardern appears to be incapable of anything now but photoshoots and overseas travel.
Grant as a consumate politician do something as it will only get worse in the coming year,
You have Caucus Mana – use it.
19 6
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:10am
- slightlyrighty
  
  If you think Grant is a consumate politician, then I want the same drugs you’re on!
  
  21 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:53am
- Justitia
  
  Grant is a plonker with a talent for conspiracy and back-stabbing. He is indeed a “consummate politician”.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:15am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    He was head of dirty politics in Clarks regime, he learned his dirt from his dad
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:52am
Yvette

“Gaslighting” — mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful — is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year.

gaslighting noun
■ psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator
■ what Jacinda does

example – vowing never to utter the name of the Christchurch terrorist, but actually name-dropping the March 15 event into speeches wherever seemingly appropriate, like at the UN or in London, to of course remind audiences of her internationally renowned handling of that situation, and other disasters.
Here the media can assist – having been gaslit themselves – or whoever posted clips of the Tarrant video [1] to coincide the current dairy and retail crime crisis – except denying that cris up until now was also gaslighting.
example – treatment of the the Wolf by the Three Pigs who made appointments to meet at the farmers market but kept going earlier than the Wolf.
Solution to <gaslighting is to blow their fucking House down – same goes for the Three Pigs.

See also: "3 Waters" for gaslighting missed-information and dissed-information
______
[1] Twitter fails to detect upload of Christchurch mosque terror attacks footage
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/479570/twitter-fails-to-detect-upload-of-christchurch-mosque-terror-attacks-footage
17 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:11am
- Harry Knuts
  
  Modern day gasligthing in action:
  Jacinda on AM’s show declaring a decrease in ram raids to the nation (by her stats). Deny a crisis at all costs.
  Then in the same day holding a press conference declaring better access to crime prevention funding for retailers and police releasing more powers to apprehend offenders while in pursuit.
  How hard was it for Jacinda to admit we have a crime crisis? How many more shop workers does she want to die before she admits the obvious?
  
  28 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:35am
  - Prince
    
    That was very funny.
    ‘Ram raids are down in November…those are the stats…’
    Well:
    1) November isn’t over.
    2) The November Stats would be up to around the 15th November- after that, still being collated.
    
    So another lie, or at best a carefully crafted obfuscation.
    
    19 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:11am
  - OlderChas
    
    When is the Commissioner of Police going to be allowed to comment on crime in New Zealand?
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:22am
Matt Long

In a weird development Coater notes than the policy of no pursuit of crimals has resulted in more criminals doing a runner. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/changes-tipped-to-police-fleeing-driver-policy-leaked-email-to-staff-reveals/JK7KBETVUNBQPIR2JIV4F3NGDY/
26 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:12am
- Harry Knuts
  
  If only Coster would say “we got it wrong”.
  Pigs will fly before that happens.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:36am
- kowtow
  
  A while ago they dropped pursuits because lives were put in danger.
  
  That led directly to the ram raid roll out.
  
  Then crime became an electoral matter of survival to the regime ( their polling must be shocking)
  
  So pursuits are back on .
  
  It’s not about safety it’s about re election. Power at any price.
  
  20 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:59am
  - Harry Knuts
    
    Another 12’ish months to go before 2023 elections. Labour can’t have this non-crime-crisis next year – bad for business.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:17am
- 70andstilllearning
  
  Coster’s allowed to talk to the media today? – can’t have had the “announcement” ready in time for the a.m. yesterday! Or more likely told not to “steal” the PM’s thunder before her Monday arvo announcements.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:07am
- MCōs
  
  Police pursuits have been contentious for some time in NZ.
  At one time police chased offenders at high speeds leading to regular crashes and sometimes fatalities.
  ‘The fleeing motorist crashed into a tree/car/house thirty seconds after police broke off the chase’
  Yeah right – police broke off the chase.
  Anyway
  After general public disquiet at the mayhem caused by these chases the policy was changed a couple of years ago and next year it’s going to be changed again.
  
  3 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 12:59pm
Matt Long

Coster, thanks auto correct, in other new poor innocent 16 year old children don’t face much in the way of consequences either. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hamilton-dairy-worker-made-to-kneel-on-floor-as-knife-held-against-his-neck/QWG5UPLORFHL5MTCR7I2U6U6PQ/
Apparently the correct response is just to let them do what they like, go broke and head back to India.
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:17am
emmess

Massive uprising in China against Jacinda’s zero covid policies
25 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:20am
- Harry Knuts
  
  Wonder why the NZ MSM hasn’t declared the protests in China as rivers of filth yet?
  
  23 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:38am
- krazykiwi
  
  New York Times Decides Lockdowns are Actually Draconian and Economically Destructive when China Does Them
  
  Three years ago, Zero Covid was the aspiration of public health bureaucrats and politicians across the West. Charlatan techbros like Tomas Pueyo appeared on national television to demand nationwide house arrest; leaders like Angela Merkel surrounded themselves with virus-eradicationist modellers and imposed unprecedented months-long closures upon their countries. When protests inevitably broke out, they were violently suppressed; the protesters were slandered as conspiracy theorists and fascists.
  :::
  China Protests Break Out as Covid Cases Surge and Lockdowns Persist is a lead headline in today’s New York Times: “Strict Covid restrictions are hurting the country’s economy and angering members of the public, who are taking to the streets,” we read in the article that follows. Western anti-lockdown protesters are fascists and conspiracy theorists; Chinese anti-lockdown protesters, on the other hand, are ordinary people who are just fighting the power
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:49am
  - Harry Knuts
    
    Let’s add socially destructive to the list.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:09am
  - ClanMcleod
    
    The hypocrisy is nauseating. El gato malo does the usual sterling job on the subject today. Particularly those with selective amnesia regarding their aggressive attitude towards the untermenschen who refused to bow down to tyranny.
    
    the final stage of changing jerseys is wiping out the evidence that you ever wore a different one
    
    they have not all come to their senses, learned their lesson, and become reasonable.
    
    this herd will act just as badly the next time the thunder scares it.
    
    so do not let recollection fade.
    
    gather receipts.
    
    use them.
    
    there needs to be a societal memory about who not to trust.
    
    besides, it’ll be fun.
    
    There are some memorable reminders of posts and tweets over the last few years. Well worth visiting, as always.
    
    https://boriquagato.substack.com/p/the-final-stage-of-changing-jerseys
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:15am
- MCōs
  
  Even under our strictest lockdowns, Lev 4, not used since 21-Sept 2021, we could still walk and drive around, go to the supermarket, dairy, petrol station, doctor, chemist, which was far more liberal that China.
  Those people in China are putting up with far worse than we ever did with no chance to ever vote anyone out of power.
  
  2 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:14pm
  - emmess
    
    So, you don’t mind a little bit of shit in your ice-cream?
    
    1 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 1:58pm
    - MCōs
      
      You think the Chinese lockdowns are similar to that which happened here? https://twitter.com/chenchenzh/status/1596419017069465601?s=61&t=KyT2YA9G-1ksnFZb-qtE6g
      
      1 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 2:43pm
  - MCōs
    
    https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/29-11-2022/the-protests-in-china-explained?utm_source=spinoff-share-button&utm_medium=spinoff-app
    
    0 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 2:39pm
Jack5

Anyone-else wonder what the trendy word “gaslighting” means?

The American dictionary publisher, Merriam Webster, has declared the term its “word of the year for 2022,” and the Wall Street Journal explains it derives from a 1938 play and subsequent film.

In it, a husband tries to make his wife believe she is insane by telling her the gas lighting in the house is dimming, though it is not.

The newspaper says that “gaslighting” thus means misleading someone for your own advantage.
20 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:20am
- nathie
  
  The newspaper says that “gaslighting” thus means misleading someone for your own advantage.
  
  Woah that sounds exactly like a certain Prime Minister!
  
  Yesterday she was trying to make the public believe they are insane by telling the public Labour are not soft on crime, when that is not the case (according to hundreds of protesting dairy owners, dozens of jewelry owners that are repetitively ram-raided, dozens of law abiding KO tenants that are assaulted by feral tenants and thousands of victims of crime each year)!
  
  22 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:34am
  - Philview
    
    Also gaslighting Adrian Orr telling the public that inflation is down to them. He and the Government made all the decisions that brought us to this point.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 1:15pm
- Tom Hunter
  
  Funnily enough it earned Ingrid Bergman her first Oscar win as Best Actress
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:38am
G152

I see where they renamed monkey Pox.
It is now M Pox because racism.
Which genus of monkey objected?
And
WTF do we call Chicken Pox now ????
32 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:25am
- hmmokrightitis
  
  I still prefer “schlong covid”.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:41am
- Jack5
  
  Cantonese slang for Europeans, and copied by some other Chinese: gweilo, for ghost man or devil man.
  
  No need to ban “ghost”. I prefer the Aussie approach. They are making Gweilo beer:
  
  https://gweilobeer.com/pages/our-story
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:49am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    You learn something new every day….
    
    Critics say the name ‘monkeypox’ plays into racist stereotypes about Black people.
    
    “Monkeypox should be renamed because there is a long history of referring to Blacks as monkeys. Therefore ‘monkeypox’ is racist and stigmatizes Blacks”
    
    – Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor (Senior Fellow Aspen Institute)
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 9:07am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Should I stop eating black pudding?
      
      16 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 9:45am
      - Maggie Pie
        
        I don’t know why you should.
        All the Kardashian’s do.
        
        😛
        
        9 0
        Report
        November 29, 2022 9:55am
- Yvette
  
  G152 – WTF do we call Chicken Pox now ?
  
  KFP
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:51am
- krazykiwi
  
  We’ll call it BocBocPox
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 8:58am
- Ehlana
  
  Outside of Africa, the current outbreak of monkey pox is most prevalent among homosexual men. And in the US, the groups most affected are black and Hispanic men.
  
  So the whole world is renaming a disease so that black and Hispanic gay men in the USA don’t feel bad.
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:06am
  - NothingLeft
    
    In august it had infected 7500 in USA, with 99% of them men. Ie essentially all homosexual transmission (otherwise there would have been women infected too)
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:41am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Is smallpox an insult to height challenged ~~midgets~~ people?
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:19am
  - G152
    
    Small pox is undersizing a medical condition
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:40am
- alloytoo
  
  My Father-In-Law refers to monkeys as the “Velvet Gentlemen” otherwise the dogs go moggy.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:08am
Yabster

Schwabs “new” plan- why was he at the the G20?

New Zealand farmers get a mention at 4.45 mark….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCxvWSipIXo
19 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:31am
NeverMindTheBollocks

More batshit crazy talk from Wellington City Councillors.

Just weeks after local body elections where I don’t recall anyone proposing confiscation of private property.

Is it any wonder that citizens are disillusioned with the political process.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/wellington-top-stories/130603780/as-plans-for-wellingtons-johnsonville-mall-revamp-stall-frustrated-councillors-talk-up-compulsory-acquisition
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:35am
- All_on_Red
  
  They should be careful what they wish for.
  Compulsory acquisition might be attractive to Stride.
  The place looks a real shithole.
  And is there really economic growth in Johnsonville?
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:36am
plc

Watching the World Cup this morning. Wondered why there is no blowback on Ghana and Cameroon fans turning up in “whiteface”?
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:38am
- MCōs
  
  Sean Plunket will be onto it.
  https://twitter.com/seanplunket/status/1174824743976914945?s=61&t=Cy29LymsAPL-N9RU67nUvQ
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 4:22pm
rjay

Teachers are failing to get students literate or numerate. Explains why they feel they deserve a pay rise.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/11/teachers-union-gives-government-an-f-on-new-collective-agreement-offer.html
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:40am
- Yabster
  
  who would admit to being a Teacher these days- hate to have a child at school currently!.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:16am
NeverMindTheBollocks

WHO rebrands Monkeypox, to avoid racism.

I didn’t know that monkeys were concerned about racism.

Perhaps Gay Rave Orgy Pox was too accurate for comfort.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/300751282/who-renames-monkeypox-to-mpox-to-avoid-racial-stigma
21 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:43am
- mandk
  
  For accuracy, it could be called [Mod – deleted]
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:48am
  - G152
    
    Thats why we want to see the unedited version if it was that good
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:41am
kiwikidsnz

Chris Trotter continues his case for excommunication from the Left

https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/11/29/has-labour-become-a-co-governed-party/
15 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:48am
Maggie Pie

TWITTER TRENDING…

“I’ve never seen a thin person drinking Diet Coke”

– Donald Trump.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1597165510595989504
12 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:52am
Jack5

It’s just not Jacindarella’s year …

Long but bold headline in London’s Daily Mail:

DAN WOOTTON: President Xi’s sick and deranged Zero Covid policy destroying his country is finally crumbling thanks to the brave Chinese freedom fighters. Shame on Ardern, Trudeau, Sturgeon and Hunt who backed such an approach in the West
25 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 8:52am
Rusty

Today in history 29th November 1877.

The Education Act was passed.

Free and compulsory education to all 5-13 year old PAKEHAS but only an option for MAORI kids if their parents chose to.

Somehow this sounds weird today and full of ironies.
18 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 9:02am
- Chris Nisbet
  
  Maybe somebody forgot to tell Maori that it’s no longer optional?
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 9:49am
- cmm
  
  From 1867 to 1879 Maori men had universal suffrage but Pakeha males did not. It was only in 1879 that universal male suffrage was extended to non-Maori too.
  
  So the parliament that passed this legislation was weighted in favour of Maori.
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:16am
- kowtow
  
  Maoris were free to attend if their parents wanted them to. So they weren’t “excluded” from education.
  
  Maoris therefor were given more freedom by the state than their non Maori counter parts.
  
  Recall too that settlers then were very largely town/city oriented while maoris were largely very rural .
  
  Child labour in both rural settler and Maori communities was probably seen to be a resource not to be overly interfered with , especially in a subsistence setting.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 2:05pm
  - MCōs
    
    I would suggest a more likely explanation might have been if education was compulsory for Māori at the time new schools would have been needed out in the back blocks and teachers provided.
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 4:20pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Stop Co-Governance. Julian Batchelor.
https://www.stopcogovernance.kiwi/blog/the-tragedy-of-losing-sight-of-the-big-picture/
https://www.stopcogovernance.kiwi/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-importance-of-seeing-the-big-picture-1.pdf
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 9:13am
grumpy

Wow!!!!

You don’t see this in our MSM.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11477951/Britain-worlds-SECOND-biggest-Covid-outbreak-currently-worst-20.html
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 9:18am
- Philview
  
  I read yesterday that 56 people died from it last week in NZ. It is no longer of political benefit to Labour to talk about.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:25pm
slightlyrighty

https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/z6obt9/dhb_mental_health_team_member_offered_to_send_me/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

If this is true, all I can say is “what the actual fuck?”
7 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 9:41am
Maggie Pie

Goodness!!
Sitting here painting my toenails with one ear on Kerry Woodham
All the callers to her show are 100% FOR the Police resuming car chases.
One guy says… he has no concerns whatsoever if a few of the little scrotes crash and die. It might be one way of getting the message thru. And certainly eliminates the recidivists.
26 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:03am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  Her name is Kerre.
  
  8 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:24am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Except the culprits kill others, mostly their passengers but not all.
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:00am
  - Alan Wilkinson
    
    The problem is not the police but the courts’ hopeless implementation of catch and release to do it again.
    
    12 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:03am
  - cmm
    
    I really don’t care much for the passengers either. They willingly got into the car with the scrote driver to participate in scrotish behaviour.
    
    They need to lean about consequences, cause and effect etc.
    
    Of course it is a different matter if passengers are there against their will (eg. kids with parent driving or cases of kidnap), but the majority are not. They are willingly participating in the crime.
    
    13 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:07am
  - Hugh Jarse
    
    And if there is a fatal accident the Officers feet won’t touch the ground before they are charged. The Police will throw them under the bus. I hope the staff factor that into their thinking when they embark on a pursuit.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 2:13pm
- Philview
  
  In the US they put them on live TV. I have found it compelling viewing to kick back in my LA hotel and watch a good car chase.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:28pm
The Housekeeper

Off to the capital for 3 days. First, friends I was to dine with cancelled after testing positive for Covid two days ago. They’re both fully boosted and feeling very sick. Next, my hair appt was cancelled due to the hairdresser’s husband testing positive and the hairdresser having to look after their child. Then, this morning I get a txt to say my restaurant booking for tonight has been cancelled due to staff off with Covid. Will be interesting to see if unvaxxed me comes home with Covid.
22 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:07am
- krazykiwi
  
  The only people I know to have had Covid a second time are all vaxxed. You’ll be fine. Find another restaurant.
  
  13 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:33am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Pretty good chance will 90% vax rates
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:58am
- Harry Knuts
  
  Geez didn’t know this whole testing for Covid was still a thing??
  Could this be a great excuse to not go into work?
  Asking for a friend…
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:42am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    People are testing if they feel sick
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 11:59am
Jack5

Karl du Fresne on his blog points to this article by a retired judge on freedom of speech in NZ (example: the “mission creep” of the Christchurch Call):

https://theitcountreyjustice.wordpress.com/2022/10/18/eroding-freedom-of-expression/
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:14am
ClanMcleod

Well, the leading contender for virtue signaling twat of the year has been found. The title of “I support the current thing 2022” must go to the person who invaded the pitch at the Uruguay v Portugal game in Qatar.

The game was interrupted in the second half by a pitch invader carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Save Ukraine’ on the front and ‘Respect for Iranian woman’ on the back.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/61047604
9 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:28am
- tknorriss
  
  I don’t know if that is a good example of virtue signaling. It certainly an action that is getting media attention towards very valid concerns.
  
  I imagine such an action would come at huge personal risk, given the location. I don’t think I would be brave enough, or stupid enough to do something like that in Qatar or similar countries.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 10:44am
  - tknorriss
    
    However, doing something like that down Queen Street Auckland during a gay parade probably would be virtue signalling.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 10:47am
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Let me know if they get shot, hung or jailed for 2o years. Otherwise, let me know what you think about all those who lost their jobs here in NZ for refusing to obey dictator Ardern.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 29, 2022 8:50pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    Maybe if they added in the illegal occupation of Syria by the US, the lockdowns in China, the west’s support of the Saudi attacks on Yemen, the Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, the Ardern government abuse of those who chose not to take her poison.
    It’s virtue signaling. The LGBTQ shit is gaslighting garbage. The US illegal occupation of Syria has been going on for years, Julian Assange is still being tortured for exposing US war crimes, this is just the “latest thing” to put on your Facebook profile.
    I won’t apologise, like the zero carbon and, BLM and Stop Oil morons. They all deserve equal derision.
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 8:48pm
Lee C

It’s great to see a journalist reporting state-sanctioned thuggery by the police against an anti-lockdown protest. Oh wait…
https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/watch-call-the-consulate-now-bbc-journalist-beaten-and-arrested-by-police-during-anti-lockdown-protest-in-china/ar-AA14CGiG?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=07a30074f9ed46cb89f596d8e682ba99
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:46am
103PapPap

Can anyone tell me if Eugenie Sage’s Three Waters order paper to Parliament included the co-goverence stuff?
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:46am
Jack5

The cryptocurrency decline continues, and a New Zealand citizen is drawn in.

The American Cryptocurrency lender BlockFi has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which gives temporary shelter to a company from creditors.

The Australian Financial Review says crypto lenders, the de facto banks of the crypto world, boomed during the pandemic, attracting retail customers with double-digit rates in return for their cryptocurrency deposits.

The collapsed crypto exchange, FTX, is reported to owe BlockFi $US275 million.

A company linked to Peter Thiel holds 19 per cent of the shares in BlockFi. Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, was granted New Zealand citizenship in 2011 under an “exceptional circumstances” clause of the Citizenships Act.

The Wall Street Journal says Thiel at the Bitcooin 2022 conference in Miami lashed out at Warren Buffett, Jamie Dimon and Larry Fink for their stances on crypto, calling the financiers “enemies” of bitcoin. He told the crowd that bitcoin represented a “revolutionary youth movement.”

Bitcoin against the US dollar is down another 2.24 per cent to 16,109.91, reports Yahoo Finance. This is down about 73 per cent from its 52-week high.
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:55am
Maggie Pie

Have you seen the huge Santa atop the Ponsonby Mall?
Red hat, big white beard, black boots, dress hitched up with his pink-knickers on display.

There are nowt so queer as folk.
12 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 10:58am
- Harry Knuts
  
  Only in Ponsnobby! They still doing the pride parade down ponsonby rd these days ???
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:52am
- Ghost
  
  Old article but shows what Maggie is talking about
  
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gender-busting-santa-on-display-at-aucklands-ponsonby-central/QMNVNJHI4BCMNZBWXLTFZ7DEDI/
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 11:57am
Alan Wilkinson

The worst government in our lifetimes is the combination of diligent idiots (Labour), dogmatic idiots (Greens) and corrupt idiots (Maori).

Together they are wrecking the country.
18 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 11:09am
oldfella

Meh, it’s only our money. Not like we can’t print more. //
RNZ-TVNZ public media merger: Private contractors paid $6000 per week on average
Private consultants working on the public media mega-merger are on contracts worth up to almost $9000 a week, and an average of almost $6000 a week.
The government has $40m to spend on the transition of two – RNZ and TVNZ – into one entity, and at least a quarter of that is going on contractors.
The bill for 17 of the largest contracts for individual jobs is almost $4m, on top of the $5m for the largest single contractor working on the transition, Deloitte. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rnz-tvnz-public-media-merger-private-contractors-paid-6000-per-week-on-average/CH6X4FMNERG4ZOJWBNI3KK5CSQ/
11 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 11:23am
Warren

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rnz-tvnz-public-media-merger-private-contractors-paid-6000-per-week-on-average/CH6X4FMNERG4ZOJWBNI3KK5CSQ/
And Grant Robertson our Finance Minister keeps on screaming that you can’t trust the National Party with the purse strings.
Another example of this Labour Government’s extravagant spending and what’s driving inflation but the Jacinda Ardern fawners can’t and don’t want to see the facts.
26 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 11:28am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Pretty sure no one listens to the human blowhard anymore
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 12:02pm
Master Mariner

A very interesting read,

https://gcaptain.com/end-of-the-world-is-just-beginning-book-review/

“The bottom line is that the oceans and supply lines are getting dangerous as certainty turns to a voyage in thick fog. Without the help of the US Navy, economies will collapse, famine could set in (as has been warned for months with still zero action from the US Navy in the Black Sea), and chaos could prevail. The future is not certain but new voyage plans will be required and The End Of The World Is Just The Beginning could serve as useful sailing directions.”

It appears only China fully comprehends Supply Chains and Globalisation with its Silk Road Project.

How does NZ understands the Strategic Importance of Shipping for an Island Nation at the “Arse end of the World” ? Not much would be my Guess.
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 11:52am
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Given their record of misdiagnosing every problem and making it worse please don’t tell the government.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 12:24pm
rouppe

Another lie from this government.

They were promoting the entrenchment provision as protecting water assets from sale into private hands.

But what it also would do is make revoking the whole Act impossible without 60% because revoking the whole Act includes revoking that “small” provision.

The underlying aim was to entrench the Māori water entities. In my opinion
9 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 12:52pm
- peterwn
  
  And when I indicated that on Facebook I was called ‘racistt’.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 2:54pm
igm

Where is this going to end?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300751538/farmer-who-chopped-off-teen-home-intruders-finger-sentenced-for-firearms-charges
This chap should have been given a medal, not a conviction. Is it vindictiveness at its worst by NZ Police Commissioner?
9 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 12:53pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Had to find a face-saver they could get to a judge without a jury.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 2:02pm
Jack5

Who are the mysterious “contractors” paid up to $9,000 a week to advise the Government on Wily Willie Jackson’s planned merger of TVNZ and Radio NZ?

That’s getting close to half a million a year, and no doubt the merger chat will drag out.

Voters need to know who the contractors are, their qualifications for the job, and whether they have any links with political parties.

Meanwhile, it seems staff at TVNZ and Radio NZ are unhappily comparing wage claims with the contractors’ rates.

The Minister for Broadcasting and Media, Willie Jackson, will be tested in assuaging the State’s scribblers.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/479694/rnz-tvnz-public-media-merger-private-contractors-paid-6000-per-week-on-average
11 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 12:56pm
- Nickc2
  
  There’s a good chance these consultants will be named Mahuta 1, 2 & 3 etc Jackson 1, 2 & 3 etc and of course Davis 1, 2 & 3 etc all under the umbrella of Mahuta Corp. //
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:09pm
- cmm
  
  $9000 a week? One hopes they’re reasonably competent.
  
  Remember these are consultants so only get paid for time on the clock. There’s no holiday pay, sick pay, maternity leave, medical insurance, Kiwisaver contribution etc.
  
  If they are working 45 weeks a year (reasonable assumption) then that’s $405k a year all up.
  
  PS: Cindy makes over $10k a week + a bunch of healthy perks probably worth at least another $2k a week at least.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 4:45pm
  - kowtow
    
    Competence just won’t matter.
    
    As Barry Soper just said this is all about getting more Maori faces on tv and presumably on air generally.
    
    That being the case the new company will just slip further down the gurgler to oblivion and be a huge waste of tax payer money.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 5:01pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Musk is a clever guy. CNN whined about a meme and had it fact checked, LOL!
https://thepoliticalinsider.com/elon-musk-can-only-laugh-after-cnn-fact-checks-his-meme-mocking-the-network/
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 1:04pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Dr John Campbell. Nikk had a bad Vax reaction.
I have not watched all, it is over 1 hour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB5oR2gFQEw
3 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 1:20pm
Maggie Pie

Had to larf…

Just called my partner’s mum to see what she was up to.
Said she had her feet up on the balcony enjoying a glass of french white and a sausage roll….”listening to the pair of greasy woke slimeballs on ZB’s noon-till-4 show”.

Reckoned you can tell immediately from the change in their on-air-personas, that whenever they chat with a female reporter whether she’s slim & attractive or fat and ugly.

LOL!!
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 1:34pm
- mogg
  
  Cold dry white with sausage rolls, or ice cold dry fizz with fish & chips. Fresh Terakhihi $18 kg today only in Countdown, coat in flour and quick fry in butter.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:50pm
- Ghost
  
  Knowing that Simon has looked after his wife since she had her brain op in 2018, she can’t speak, has trouble walking, I’d think he’s anything but a slimeball. He’s the kind of person most people would hope they have when ill.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:56pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

How many times has someone said, “Trump was right all along!”
Germany energy, COP27 Climate Change, Ukraine, gas and oil, Keystone pipeline, dealing with China tariffs, Iran Nuclear deal, evacuating Afghanistan, Inflation, unemployment, new jobs, bringing back manufacturing, Ivermectin. The list goes on.
https://thepoliticalinsider.com/classic-2014-trump-tweet-hightlights-bidens-2022-foreign-policy-failure/
Meanwhile Joe is destroying everything, especially the Trump based improvements.
Same as Jaspinda is doing here.
15 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 1:46pm
- kowtow
  
  The border .
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 1:52pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Soft on crime?

You betcha..

Youth driver involved in a fatal crash was:

breaching his bail
in association with Nomad Gangsters
driving with excess blood alcohol
driving with cannabis in his system
driving an unwarranted car
on a learner licence
in possession of meth
and
granted a full discharge

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130560603/its-not-what-i-would-have-done-but-its-not-wrong-high-court-says-of-wiping-youths-charges-for-fatal-crash
21 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 2:30pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Every lenient sentence creates a precedent for more. And reinforces contempt for the law.
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 4:54pm
Maggie Pie

Talk about blatant racism!

I see where ‘Air India’ is relaunching itself under new owners Tata Group.
Currently advertising for Cabin Crew.
One of the provisos….. ‘NO BLONDES’

Imagine the outcry if it was Air New Zealand 🙁

Just crickets.
10 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 2:31pm
- kowtow
  
  Yes but how will they know.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 4:57pm
  - kevn
    
    @kow… Check the carpet?
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 5:18pm
kevn

@Maggie… I wonder if there is a no tatts proviso as well? That would thin them out further.
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 2:54pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

This is what NZ needs. the Police are useless under Cuddles Coster.
Concealed carry for shop owners whether it is Jewelry store, or the corner dairy.
If you come to rob a store, you must might get dead.
https://gopnewsfeed.com/video-jewelry-store-owner-defends-his-property-by-opening-fire-on-robbers/
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 3:06pm
Maggie Pie

And I’ll tell you something else….

We’re yuge fans of American reality show ‘Storage-Wars’.

No way on earth would WE ever rent a Storage Unit to hide anything that might be incriminating.

Just saying.
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 3:08pm
- mandk
  
  Do share, Maggie – where do you store your incriminating stuff?
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 3:27pm
- Harry Knuts
  
  do you just bury your bodies in the backyard Maggie? haha LOL 😉
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 3:44pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I did make the girls from tennis pee out there when they came round during lockdown.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 29, 2022 6:51pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Get this shit. The dog ate my homework? Well similar.
https://nz.yahoo.com/news/police-india-rats-destroyed-marijuana-212938013.html
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 3:55pm
Maggie Pie

Why would HDPA want to get some clown like that Clive Matthew Wilson on her show to discuss why he thinks the Police shouldn’t resume chasing fleeing crims?

As my partner just said…. “What the F would he know? He couldn’t even correctly identify the model of the Mercedes that Di was riding in when she was killed in Paris”. LOL!!
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 4:18pm
Ghost

Well, Cindy, national couldn’t privatise the water, sewage, storm water infrastructure because the government don’t own it, the councils do. The only one trying to take public ownership away from councils is you.

Christopher Luxon has accused Labour of trying to “scare the public” into thinking Opposition parties could privatise water assets if elected into power.

He said National wouldn’t privatise the infrastructure if it entered Government, instead wanting the assets in “local control and ownership”.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/11/three-waters-christopher-luxon-accuses-labour-of-trying-to-scare-the-public-by-discussing-privatisation.html
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 5:14pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/130608449/youth-who-attacked-78yearold-in-his-home-said-he-did-it-because-its-mongrel-mob

Shoot the little bastards.
9 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 6:12pm
- Alan Wilkinson
  
  Yep. Execute the runt and hang him up as a warning to others. Just vile, useless and dangerous.
  
  9 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 6:46pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  See where Judge Bridget was appointed by Margaret Wilson.
  Bus Ticket will be soaking as we speak.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 29, 2022 6:48pm
Maggie Pie

OMG!! Brawl at McDonalds….. 😀 😀 😀

https://twitter.com/treydhakiid/status/1597098824325296134
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 29, 2022 7:34pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  No idea how to land a good punch. All it takes is one.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 30, 2022 10:24am
Schmegegge

“Māori digital rights expert @ktaiuru and @InternetNZ chief executive Viv Maidaborn talk to Kathryn about the findings of a review into racism at the organisation, following an incident last year involving a video threatening violence against Māori.”

https://t.co/WN5ofT6Il6

“InternetNZ brought in an independent expert, Dr Hana O’Regan, to review the organisation’s policies.

In confirming evidence of systemic racism, she made several recommendations – including an apology to those who raised concerns.

Kathryn speaks to one of them: Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, an academic and Māori digital rights expert. She is also joined by InternetNZ’s chief executive, Viv Maidaborn.”

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018869011/internetnz-says-sorry-amid-fallout-from-maori-threat-video

Internet-NZ-Independent-review-Report-FINAL-VERSION-v2.pdf
https://internetnz.nz/assets/Archives/Internet-NZ-Independent-review-Report-FINAL-VERSION-v2.pdf

Be interested to read David’s views on the situation at an organization he gave much to, and helped make it what it is today.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
December 1, 2022 3:36pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Possible backdown on entrenchment

Rare protests in China »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 13K other subscribers

Highlights

Target achieved II
Good progress on attendance
Health Target 5 – elective treatments
Health Target 4 – Specialist appointments

Links

"The principal view of human laws is, or ought always to be, to explain, protect, and enforce such rights as are absolute, which in themselves are few and simple."
Not PC
We Are a Country That Decided Housing Was The Economy
No Minister
My Opening Statement for the UATX Caplan-Jones Immigration Rematch
Utopia
Woman of the day
Hompaddock
Open Mike 04/06/2026
The Standard
Playing with numbers.
Kiwipolitico
A lot of fuss about a simple Bill – its purpose (to make English an official language) is spelled out in 22 words
Point of Order
A crime
No Right Turn
Another non-tariff barrier
Offsetting Behaviour
Rugby Premiership Predictions for Round 18
Stats Chat
Budget 2026
NZCPR
UK Conversion Therapy Ban, Digital ID, Rallies, Elections
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
A central banker’s fiction
Croaking Cassandra
THE WORKING FROM HOME RACKET BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Get Vaccinated Tomorrow Or Shut Your Pie Hole
Cactus Kate
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker

[email protected]

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: