General Debate 22 August 2023

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Benedict Yu

I tuned into RNZ yesterday afternoon while stuck in traffic. For no particular reason.

I encountered a segment where random folk give their views on random topics. It is called “I’ve been thinking”.

The first person had decided that there should be a “Minister for the South Island”. 😳 He urged the government to formulate a “South Island vision”. Just what we need. 😢 He went on to advocate for passenger rail services to “save the climate”. 🤡 More trains with ten passengers pulled by diesel locomotives. 😂

Then we got a person who urged us all to embrace the “Maori King movement”. There were all manner of celebrations over the weekend. Apparantly this movement is a force for good.

I don’t know anything about the Maori king. So I figured I would check what they had been up to over the weekend. This report caught my eye. The Maori king decided to change the English language translation of the phrase “mana motuhake” to better explain the purpose of co governance……

“Over the weekend there’s been a small but significant change to the well-known phrase ‘mana motuhake’, previously a catchcry for Māori independence meaning ‘by Māori, for Māori’. Now it is ‘by Māori, for everyone’.“

“”We have always known mana motuhake works. We know that a ‘by Māori, for everyone’ approach is right,” Kīngi Tūheitia said. “This is the model for us all. Letting te iwi Māori lead is good for this nation.”

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/08/maori-king-calls-for-greater-unity-from-political-parties-as-17th-koroneihana-ends-in-ngaruawahia.html

That is not reassuring 🤯😳

“This is the model for us all. Letting te iwi Māori lead is good for this nation”

I guess he came out and said what many had suspected about the practical effect of co governance, so that is something. However I would suggest that letting Maori lead the nation is a contestable proposition. 😳

Anyway that is enough RNZ for me for a while. 🤡
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August 22, 2023 8:00am
- pdm
  
  `Then we got a person who urged us all to embrace the “Maori King movement”. There were all manner of celebrations over the weekend. Apparantly this movement is a force for good.’
  
  That person was probably the `underpants man’ Tuku Morgan.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:16am
  - I remember when
    
    Seems like a good idea, at a time when the remaining 80+% of the population would like serious discussion on whether to retain the one that is our titular head.
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:17pm
- Biscuit
  
  I’d be a little more convinced about the King’s assertions if I could see any evidence that his leadership has much helped ‘his’ people.
  
  Where was his leadership durng Covid, or in getting his people into education, into steering them away from gangs, moving into gainful employment?
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:18am
  - David Garrett
    
    Biscuit: Be fair man/woman! The man was a truck driver before he became “king” FFS…I have nothing whatever against truck drivers – in fact having ridden in a few and seen how complex they are, I’m amazed they get paid so little.
    
    But as Hone the Racist has memorably said, “King Tuheitia is the king of Huntly” (Ngaruawahia to be precise, but Hone’s rohe is several hundred miles away and he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed).
    
    Anyone who thinks this guy can provide leadership of any kind for Maori is in la-la land. Just for a start, he is only recognised by his own tribe. And like all members of the Mahuta family, he is only in it for what he can get.
    
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    August 22, 2023 8:49am
    - kevn
      
      DG… Plus plenty of international travel, business class of course.
      
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      August 22, 2023 8:58am
    - Cassandra
      
      Hone, recently appointed to kingi’s cabinet, actually called Tuheita “the Hereditary Mayor of Huntley”. Presumably all is forgiven. Or forgotten. Can you think of anything worse than being led by Maori as of right? Their rangitira have got them into this mess of obesity, illiteracy and crime.
      
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      August 22, 2023 9:12am
    - OlderChas
      
      A complete disappointment after and radically different to his predecessor the Maori Queen who was known as “The Lady” and truly was one. I had the privilege of meeting her a couple of times.
      
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      August 22, 2023 10:12am
    - John Loveridge
      
      Hone probably couldn’t pronounce Ngaruawahia. “Nah… nah roo… nah roo uh… Huntly.”
      
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      August 22, 2023 11:11am
- Warren
  
  My message to Maori and the Kingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa would be well pay taxes like most other New Zealander’s pay tax and be honest with Maori intentions instead of trying to devide and dupe and blaming others for what you Maori have created.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:20am
- Warren
  
  My message to Maori and the Kingitanga spokesperson Rahui Papa would be well pay taxes like most other New Zealander’s pay tax and be honest with Maori intentions instead of trying to devide and dupe others for what you Maori have created.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:21am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Definitely worth posting twice, Warren
    
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    August 22, 2023 6:59pm
- Yabster
  
  King of what- Tainui? laughable. Captain underpants and Mahuta are the real power brokers.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:21am
- Gravelroad
  
  The other point of interest is it seems that the Maori king is able to change the meaning of Maori language words and phrases when it suits him and/or his supporters.
  That’s a bit strange isn’t it?
  What say another tribe doesn’t agree with altering the meaning of “ Mana Motuhake” from “Maori for Maori” to “by Maori for everyone”?
  Perhaps someone in a government department who is busily learning Te Reo could enlighten me.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:38am
  - All_on_Red
    
    Honesty and Consistency are just Colonial Constructs
    Nepotism and Corruption is the new way- same as the old old way.
    
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    August 22, 2023 8:49am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    The meaning of any Maori word can be changed to suit.
    Ngati Pakeha know nothing about the meanings.
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:03am
  - rjay
    
    Words meanings get changed all the time: gay, rainbow, woman, democracy…
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:10am
  - plc
    
    Wow…does that suggest that the Maori meaning of the Treaty may have changed over time……
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:27am
  - Bob
    
    change the meaning of Maori language words…..
    rather like the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland!
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:00am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Humpty Dumpty, I think you’ll find
      
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      August 22, 2023 7:01pm
  - cmm
    
    Yup, as I’ve said before a few times, this is one of the features of an unwritten language.
    
    Writing has the effect of stabilising a language and causing people to make things like dictionaries where we argue for years about the precise meaning of a word.
    
    With unwritten languages this does not happen. I’ve seen it in the past with Xhosa and Zulu. Now I see exactly the same thing with Maori.
    
    Of course words for physical items are relatively stable because, say, the sun or sea do not change over time.
    
    But for anything abstract: the law, thoughts, feelings etc unwritten languages are extremely unstable.
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:37am
- Opie
  
  I have no interest living in a country that is run by maoris.
  
  I could understand wanting to do things their way but when you lead all the wrong stats and outcomes, you don’t get to force your way on everyone else.
  
  When I was a kid we were raised to treat everyone based on their character and actions and that skin colour and race was irrelevant. Now it appears that was wrong and its the Maori way or no way.
  
  That’s not going to end well
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:38am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Manu Matuhaki, a hint about who will lead after the Coup?
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:43am
- Tomtoddy
  
  Maoridom is much more divided within itself that the divide between Maori and non-Maori. The Maori king would never be accepted by other Iwi, not in a million years. Fighting over the King movement goes back decades.
  
  I almost feel sorry for the guy involved. He was dragged out of a truck driving job and told to get a suit and tie on – looks like it was his grandfathers – and learn some Te Reo.
  
  He is a front for Tuku and the Ormsby’s. Nothing more.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:46am
- lastmanstanding
  
  As I have posted before one of the first jobs of the new Nat/ACT Government will be to restore race relations. Polling show citizens believe the country is more divided than ever before.
  The new Government must send a message to the Racists and Seperatists that there is no place of them in NZ society. The Racist must be put back in their box with the lid locked and sealed.
  A society that is divided against itself can never be a successful society.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:31am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Lastmanstanding: “As I have posted before one of the first jobs of the new Nat/ACT Government will be to restore race relations.”
    
    I hope you are right. National in the past have clearly been enablers of the divisive mess we now find ourselves in. Will they therefore apologise and declare a clean slate?
    
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    August 22, 2023 5:02pm
- Grunter
  
  This is why freedom of speech is so important – we need to hear what the nut job racists are thinking and planning.
  
  Imagine if a white supermist said “By European, for everyone approach is right….letting whites lead is good for this nation”
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:33am
- Ehlana
  
  And then in today’s Herald, we are told, “I can’t help but laugh when I hear scaremongering about the Māori elite coming to take over the country.
  Not even the most ardent of Māori nationalists have that fantasy. ”
  
  Apparently, Anaru Eketone, Associate Professor in social and community work at the University of Otago, hasn’t heard of the new meaning of mana motuhake. (https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/anaru-eketone-theres-a-lot-of-scaremongering-about-maori-elite-but-what-about-the-pakeha-elite)
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:28am
- Dave
  
  Alternatively…
  
  We know that a ‘by Pakeha, for everyone’ approach is right,” Governor Grey said. “This is the model for us all. Letting te iwi Pakeha lead is good for this nation.”
  
  How about it, Kīngi?
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:29am
  - I remember when
    
    Governor Grey could have said, “This would all work out a lot better if the Maori did have all/most of the land.”
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:38pm
- Loddenthinks
  
  “koroneihana” FFS. Why can’t they just say “coronation”?
  
  Well, one reason is it’s a BS made-up position, copying the British model in typical cargo cult fashion.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:30am
- John Loveridge
  
  Because my offsider still listens to RNZ and I’m consequently subjected to The Panel on days when both he and I are in the office, I got to hear all that too. That person who wanted us to embrace kingitanga is profiled here:
  
  https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/kathryn-graham
  
  She’s swallowed ALL the Kool-Aid.
  
  The Minister for the South Island was being advocated by silly old Garry Moore, harmless enough around Austin Sevens, but not to be trusted with responsibility.
  
  As for that wretched old king, well, letting Maori lead would be the quickest route to the bottom of the international league table in every measure conceivable. The only thing he and his fellow windbags do better than anybody else is hubris.
  
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  August 22, 2023 11:08am
- Jim
  
  BY, same here, I’m tired of being told what to think by the legacy media. But if you want fair balanced reporting and genuinely interesting interviews, that represent the sovereign interests of all New Zealanders (without any focus upon political leanings or certainly ethnicity), then just try
  Reality Check Radio. It’s really quite refreshing.
  
  https://realitycheck.radio/
  
  I believe the RCR back catalogue of interviews may well resonate with the comments in some of your earlier sage posts on kiwiblog.
  
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  August 22, 2023 11:41am
- Rich Prick
  
  Yeah, about now I say “no thanks” to Maori and run the risk of being called a white supremacist, even though I’m browner than many of them thanks to Spanish and German ancestry. This whole racial division has to stop. NZ is too small a country for it to carry on without poor outcomes if pushed this hard.
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:02pm
Warren

National and Act cement there lead in the latest 1 News Verian Poll with the bumbling, out of touch Labour Government under 30% which leaves them with there worst poll result in 6 years.
Hipkins told 1News that the campaign hadn’t started yet as they were still the Government meaning they still had work to do and vowing that he will turn that result around now he was in Campaign mode.
National and their Leader Chris Luxon though finally got some recognition for his work from the media with Tim Murphy penning on Election 2023, practice makes Luxon less imperfect and finding his feet ahead of the big show starting in just a couple of weeks.
The National Leader’s road show of policy releases and media photos is getting better oiled and more self-assured as it nears the start of the Election campaign.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/politics/practice-makes-luxon-less-imperfect
Have the media finally realized that Chris Hipkins is a dead man walking in this political race and the public has said we have had enough of this Government and the media so change is now needed.
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August 22, 2023 8:01am
- Simon
  
  Everyone will be happy to see the end of Labo. But National intend pouring billions into iwi mafia, are climate change bed wetters and are woke diversity is our strength true believers all after watching diversity is our strength Labo crash and burn.
  
  Six years later National hand everything back over to the wreckers and haters.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:36am
  - Don Beckett
    
    But as a Labour supporter Simon, isn’t that what you want?
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:23am
    - Tom Hunter
      
      Oh FFS Don, give it a rest. Most of us have been on KB long enough to know the Lefties from the Righties and the trolls from the consistent commentators who wish to engage.
      
      As far as I’m concerned Simon’s attacks on National are OTT, even as I have made a few of the same criticisms of National (and fucking ACT for that matter, who I may vote for). But even with the OTT that does not make him a Labour supporter.
      
      [Mod – if you don’t like peoples comments don’t read them, no need to write a blanket abusive statement of this blogs members]
      
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      August 22, 2023 3:28pm
- Vinicius
  
  Derek Cheng in the Herald yesterday was apparently arguing that Luxon could be some kind of dead man walking, not the Boy PM. No doubt he was leaning way over to the left when he wrote his opinion piece.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:40am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    I think Derek wrote his article about the wrong Chris. I’ve heard from several unrelated sources that Nanaia Mahuta and Willie Jackson are really unhappy that Labour’s Maori caucus is going to be torn to shreds in October.
    
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    August 22, 2023 12:27pm
  - Squeek
    
    The Herald’s weekly opinion by Claire Trevatt on Chris of the week is another very left leaning, laughable read. Pretty much every week she trots out some half-reasons why Chippie is COTW. Except I think on a couple of occasions when a cabinet minister was arrested or resigned.
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:11pm
- hullkiwi
  
  Warren, Chippy’s interview on am Show (TV3) was woeful.
  
  Chippy looked like he had Collagen in his lips.
  
  Bridge asked questions off script and Chippy humbled his answers.
  
  He is having yet another bad week, starting with the visit to the Otara market in an effort to launch Labour’s Maori/Pacific campaign.
  
  It is not a case of they haven’t started campaigning, their campaign is failing to resonate, and it just looks like they are failing to launch at all!
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:20am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Hosking pulled him up on the suggestion that the campaign hasn’t started yet. Hipkins’ breakdancing on the head of a pin would put Razor Robertson to shame!
    
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    August 22, 2023 12:29pm
- Grunter
  
  In my opinion – when Labour start full on campaign mode they will drop further because they will be crap at campaigning. The public backlash hasn’t started yet. Nightly TV News showing angry people shouting at Hipkins and his coalition of chaos will blow up in their faces. Supiloni won’t understand why so many Kiwis hate her. Angry Andrew will explode. Arrogant Parker will dismiss the feedback. Silly Willy will spew up his racist Maori seperatism rhetoric. And the Unions will all wet their pants.
  The 12% of Undecided Voters will make a call……. National or ACT??
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:42am
  - Burtland
    
    17% didnt vote last election – will they make a call ? – doubt it
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:02am
    - gravedodger
      
      That 17% will vote this time and be replaced by Rusted on Labour voters who could not vote away, they probably still have that photo Of Michael Joseph Savage somewhere.
      
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      August 22, 2023 3:42pm
- Handyman
  
  The election campaign will make things worse for Labour. They will lose control of the narrative and the “pulpit of truth”.
  
  The media still will try their best though to support their team.
  The media are obliged to give both parties equal time during an election campaign.
  Notice how they use that time… Tame on TVNZ stopped Simeon Brown contrasting National’s policy with that of Labour – “Don’t talk about Labour” while on RNZ the standard question is “Prime Miniter, what do you make of National’s policy announced today?”
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:38am
- Opie
  
  And the left on Twitter are losing their minds. It’s so good. Here is my favorite so far:
  
  “well that poll left a pit in my stomach. I just cant understand why NZers want to lurch so far to the right. Buckle up. Also why the fuck is climate change so low on people’s issues. Honestly I just cant deal with this insanity.”
  
  We are broke and you want to waste more?
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:50am
Simon

Even the immigrants now are social welfare level recipients. This is not going change.

Six years.
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August 22, 2023 8:08am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  What will change is honorary Citizenship so they can vote Labour.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:06am
Gravelroad

The Maori king talks much but achieves little.
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August 22, 2023 8:09am
- David Garrett
  
  Gravelroad: Can you point me to ANYTHING the King of Ngaruawahia has achieved during his “reign”??
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:53am
  - Yvette
    
    Ihumātao
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:49am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    I’m led to believe he was a reasonably competent tow-truck driver before his “koroneihana” elevated him to what seems to this observer to be a very colonial position.
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:39am
    - John Loveridge
      
      The Maoris, keen to ape the white invaders in everything, thought the pakeha kiwini was a great idea. All that interminable pomp and ceremony was right up the Maori alleyway, so they decided to do a kingi of their own.
      
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      August 22, 2023 11:17am
  - ProtectBabiesFromPredators
    
    Disavowed his Son, David.
    
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    August 22, 2023 7:36pm
- Bob
  
  The Maori King says very little; it is the activists, with another Agenda, around him who do all the talking!
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:01am
  - Tony Stuart
    
    Indeed, and have you noticed who immaculately they are all dressed. I guess Tuku Morgan set the standard in 1996 with the $95 pairs of boxer shorts.
    
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    August 22, 2023 12:31pm
Vinicius

Red Radio still going left as usual. That bloke called the Maori King never struck me as an intellectual heavyweight.
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August 22, 2023 8:16am
- Surely Knott
  
  To be fair on this one, the English King doesn’t strike me as an intellectual giant either.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:59am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    King Charles got a BA from Cambridge and can speak Welsh and French reasonably fluently. He is proficient at German. There has been talk that he can speak Greek to a reasonable level as well. He’s also a qualified helicopter pilot and has commanded Royal Navy vessels. Whether a Prince|King or not, you don’t get to do any of that stuff if you are thick. Well, maybe the BA, but from Cambridge, I reckon it wouldn’t have been easy. You can be thick as pig-shit and get a BA in New Zealand.
    
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    August 22, 2023 3:49pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      To be fair Charles was backed by fabulous wealth and had the best tutors and education.
      
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      August 22, 2023 5:07pm
    - ProtectBabiesFromPredators
      
      Spot On. We in the audience are all quick to judge.
      
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      August 22, 2023 7:39pm
  - cjn
    
    He is, however, a graduate of Cambridge, still regarded as one of the world’s top universities. And in the 1980’s he made the decision to turn all the Duchy of Cornwall’s farms organic and thus make a whole heap of money. He saved the Chippendale furniture collection for Scotland and ate British beef when the French were banning it because of “mad cow disease”. He’s no slouch. Has had to curb his opinions now, being King.
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:13pm
- NothingLeft
  
  1/ How much doe the tax payers pay annually for red radio?
  2/ Why do we pay anything for red radio when it is so implacably pitched against the interests and preferences of the majority of NZers, pushing destructive far-left anti-business racist ideology?
  3/ Can we expect Act/Nat to cease funding? If not why not?
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:36am
  - Ghost
    
    3) national won’t stop funding radio nz, nor will they sell tvnz, but they will hopefully let tvnz return to not being tax funded
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:39am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      If national is extremely thick they will say a public broadcaster is a must etc etc and will continue to force taxpayers to fund these woke activists. Basically just kicking the taxpayer funded commie/woke can down the road and leaving future generations to live among the wreckage.
      
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      August 22, 2023 5:13pm
Colville

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300954827/tova-obrien-labour-and-chris-hipkins-sent-violent-wake-up-call-with-latest-poll

Of 37 comments ONE is pro Labour.

The worm has definitely turned!!
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August 22, 2023 8:16am
- hullkiwi
  
  Colville, not just Stuffed, the Horrid was no different last night.
  
  There were 17 posts, only one in favour of Labour. As people asked, is the person an AI Labour troll as they always say the same things & give people a good laugh at their mindless statements!
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:24am
- sirknz
  
  88 comments at the moment. Watch as the number of comments is decreased as they’ve just closed comments on it.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:57am
- kiwikidsnz
  
  The $tuff Labour filter has been turned
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:05am
goNZ1

”Labour crashes in latest poll”
The airbag known as PM Chris Hipkins wont save them now.
Reckless driving of the NZ economy into huge indebtedness and swerving to the centre at the last minute wont work either!
The combined potholes of the loony Greens and separatist Maori radicals have convinced many Kiwis an engine flush is needed – the blue stuff.
The govt WOF expires on 14 October and they aint getting another one for a very long time…
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August 22, 2023 8:17am
- Paulus
  
  He didn’t do enough KFC for his people
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:29am
- David Garrett
  
  go NZ: It’s two months until the election mate…that’s a bloody long time in politics. That said, it must worry them a bit that the stupid policy to remove GST from fruit and veges doesn’t appear to have achieved anything.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:55am
  - Yvette
    
    The Labour Party will remove GST from fruit and vegetables if returned to power after the October 14 election. It will cost about $2 billion over four years, will apply only to non-processed fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables and is expected to save every household just shy of $5 a week.
    
    If there is a cost of $2 billion over four years and ordinary New Zealanders through consumption aw Texas have to pay for that, it is of course half 1 billion each year, divided it by the team of 5 million and 52 weeks that becomes a $2 cost approximately to save $5, hardly the deal that you can’t refuse.
    Basically a non-delivery, like everything else Labour patches
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:07am
  - hullkiwi
    
    David, yes, 2 months is a long time in politics, but as history shows, unless there is a monumental game changer during an election campaign, we are now reaching the point when it is too late for Labour to recover.
    
    It was at this point in 1990 and 2017 when Labour changed leaders. La s night’s result points to a blood bath for Labour.
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:28am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Definitely the blue stuff. Green is shit.
  The WOF expires and a fail on the new one. Some parts not working and worn out.
  Needs a new nut holding the steering wheel.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:11am
slightlyrighty

One or two more polls like last night and we will start to see the nasty side of Labour. Remember the H-Fee smear campaign?

Hipkins is already referring to a potential ACT/NAT Gvernment as “what would be the most radical right wing government that New Zealand’s seen since Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson.”

It’s not going to work for him, and it’s going to backfire. Under Douglas and Richardson, we had Fiscal discipline!
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August 22, 2023 8:18am
- RoboRob
  
  It surely must almost be time to release the ‘dirt’ on some of the National MPs. Perhaps a church donated to National (heaven forbid), perhaps Luxon smiled at a lady in a coffee shop…. Who knows what might be coming but we can be assured the media will run hard with it.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:02am
- Prince
  
  Wasn’t Douglas a Labour Finance Minister ? And Richardson National ?
  Or has that piece of history been re-written by the loony left ?
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:03am
  - crikey
    
    Labour have not been able to accept that the 1984 Lange government, with Roger Douglas doing the hard work, did what was necessary to set this country on the road to prosperity.
    
    Too bad Labour ever since does it’s best to take NZ down the road to penury.
    
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    August 22, 2023 1:53pm
  - gravedodger
    
    They are both regarded as far right terrorists by the socialist Media, Douglas has been cancelled, a bit like Stalin walking with his secret police boss Nikola Yezhov, photograph later shopped to leave Stalin walking alone beside more water and Yesov tried in secret declared guilty and executed.
    
    Nikolai Yezhov, pictured right of Stalin, was later removed from this photograph at the Moscow Canal.
    FINE ART IMAGES/HERITAGE IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES & AFP/GETTYIMAGES
    
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    August 22, 2023 3:55pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  We did not like that discipline, but it helped and worked.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:13am
Dougal10

Why is an incumbent government announcing things it will fix if re-elected , there shouldn’t be anything left that needs fixed on their side of the ledger .
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August 22, 2023 8:18am
- RoboRob
  
  Why is an incumbent government announcing ~~things it will fix if re-elected~~ National party policies it will implement if re-elected.
  
  Its almost like they just realised how un popular there own policy is.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:04am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  If you can’t fix it in 6 years it’s not worth fixing.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:15am
  - Bob
    
    it’s not worth fixing….
    or, more correctly you don’t know how to fix the self generated problem.
    Will be fixed come 14th oct.
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:03am
vand

Ah the Maori King- a clear case of cultural appropriation me thinks. An adoption of a “coloniser’s” concept . He must be sweating irony surely ? And be ashamed of himself!
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August 22, 2023 8:19am
- pdm
  
  Vand – his mouthpiece Tuku Morgan does not do shame!!!!
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:45am
- Jim
  
  Some might call it cultural appropriation lol. MK title is clearly lacking any authenticity.
  
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  August 22, 2023 5:06pm
Maggie Pie

TWITTER POST VIRAL

While I haven’t as yet been able to independantly verify this, speculation is rife that the Maori Caucus are about to make a push to have Nanaia roll Chippie…..

https://twitter.com/AgentSmith_NZ/status/1693541521600155733
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August 22, 2023 8:23am
- Cassandra
  
  Let’s hope so. She’ll make a terrific job of sending Labour crashing even further.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:29am
- alex Masterley
  
  That would crash the Labour vote.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:38am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    It’s already going down faster than a fat kid on a seesaw.
    
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    August 22, 2023 8:43am
    - pdm
      
      Klueless Kelvin Davis or Little Willie Jackson as Deputy Leader maybe.
      
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      August 22, 2023 8:49am
- Gravelroad
  
  Nanaia the new Jacinda.
  Worked last time.
  But not this time.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:43am
- Ghost
  
  Sausage roll him?
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:48am
- Raphael
  
  I saw that, but I doubt we would be that lucky.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:54am
- David Garrett
  
  And who exactly is this Agent Smith fellow? And I’m with Cass: Mahuta being in charge would be wonderful for us.
  
  She’s actually a very pleasant woman in person, but she’s a total lightweight. Imagine being in parliament for 25 years, and saying the best thing you have done in that time is get a chin scribble?
  
  (Assuming she was accurately quoted)
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:00am
  - Aquarius
    
    I regard it as wearing your IQ on your chin…….
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:04am
    - Don Beckett
      
      Easy at the supermarket checkout – saves getting out out the eftpos card. Run the chin ink through the scanner…………..bingo.
      
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      August 22, 2023 11:33am
  - septic skeptic
    
    That very pleasant woman is a corrupt racist who is trying to abolish democracy and replace it with apartheid.
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:08am
- sirknz
  
  Pro Labour Twitter have been pushing Kieran McAnulty as the leader to take them forwards.
  
  Regular people are calling him untrustworthy and more dangerous than anyone they have currently.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:59am
- John Loveridge
  
  Bring it on. I’d love to see Mahuta go head-to-head with Luxon in the leaders’ debates.
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:11pm
  - Flossie
    
    But she’d have a double whammy – misogyny AND racism…not fair…. poor her.
    
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    August 22, 2023 3:29pm
Guy Preston

So,
The Sunday program featured the survivors of the New Lynn supermarket Stabbing/domestic terror event, in which the survivors were pleading for recognition of the harm they suffered and how quickly they have been forgotten in the national conscience nearly 2 years on.

What I find ironic and disgusting, was the cursory follow up story in Stuffed, was gone from the front page by mid morning Tuesday, while stories like the Spanish football boss kissing one of the players continues to hold a prominent position…

Disclosure – I am distantly related to one of the survivors.
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August 22, 2023 8:23am
- Ghost
  
  Stories change frequrntly. Probably also people don’t care and it wasn’t getting the hits so slid down
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:47am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Some stories change frequently …
    
    Others don’t..especially if they can be used as ammo against National
    
    The Sam Uffindel shopping story has been up for days..
    The Steven Joyce – Waikato Uni story hung around for weeks.
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:18am
    - David Garrett
      
      Mags: Quite so.
      
      There was a piece over the weekend by Tony Wall – one of the few journos left worthy of the name – lamenting the fact that he couldn’t get an interview with Sam Uffindell despite many attempts, including door stopping him.
      
      Because he and I have corresponded before, I sent him an email essentially saying that the reason Uffindell won’t be interviewed – no doubt following instructions from above – is that polis on the right have been clobbered more than once too often by the Andrea Vances and John Campbells…and in my case Steve Braunias, who had a very nasty hit job on me in Metro five years after I had left politics.
      
      Mr Wall has not seen fit to reply.
      
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      August 22, 2023 11:02am
  - Guy Preston
    
    Probably correct Ghost… not sure why you’re getting the downticks.
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:59am
    - Ghost
      
      In another time it would be different but I think people have hit overload, shootings, robberies, stabbings, kids committing rape, murders, ramraids, etc, it’s all become the normal.
      
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      August 22, 2023 10:28am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  New Lynn – the harm? Almost crying! Sooks.
  HTFU, We had soldiers who went to War and came home with PTSD after the horror they saw. My Uncle would never share what went on in his two Vietnam, Malaysia, and Korea tours.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:23am
  - Guy Preston
    
    That is the most weapons grade retarded comment I’ve seen since PhilU was here.
    
    I’m sorry that you don’t understand how being slashed up by a terrorist or having armed police shoot someone in front of you and then trying to stop the aforementioned victims from bleeding out might possibly effect someone, just a little bit, particularly if you’ve never had any training in dealing with that kind of carnage, like a soldier would have.
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:36am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      It was overacted
      
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      August 22, 2023 10:48am
      - Guy Preston
        
        Know them, do you?
        
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        August 22, 2023 10:54am
      - Debsta
        
        Harsh SteveO. I think the trauma of an event like that, so jarringly “out of context” when popping in to your local supermarket, would cause head issues for many of us.
        
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        August 22, 2023 11:28am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        @Debst,
        Think of the trauma and PTSD after WW2.
        Those that came home didn’t have a moan and a grizzle. They bottled it up, which is not a good thing. War is terrible.
        I know that the New Lynn incident was terrible, but nothing like being in a War.
        I just think that now in 2023 people have gone a bit soft.
        
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        August 22, 2023 11:55am
      - Ghost
        
        Grow up Steve. You’re being a dick. These people went through an horrific event, they aren’t being soft, and they deserve all the help they need to cope with it.
        
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        August 22, 2023 12:01pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      There is a new troll on Kiwiblog, I think the last one got an extended holiday.
      
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      August 22, 2023 11:59am
      - Guy Preston
        
        New Troll??
        Bitch please… I’ve been reading and commenting on this blog under various names since the dying days of the Clark government.
        
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        August 22, 2023 5:01pm
  - Fuzzysnuggleduck
    
    The people in the supermarket were not soldiers who VOLUNTEERED to go to a WARZONE like any of the young men you point to.
    
    This was a case of a woman having her head attempted to be sawn off, opened up and maimed, and all without warning in a setting like a supermarket during a shop.
    They were not trained, they were not armed, they were not warned.
    
    And from memory, even those willing men lead into warzones suffered from shell shock/battle fatigue/PTSD etc.
    Calling people sooks is not a sign of you yourself being a hard man, as we are not talking about micro-agressions or snowflakes, but an actual attempted beheading.
    “..Seven members of the public suffered serious injuries in the attack that left some fighting for their lives…”
    
    Who is to say you would not evacuate your bladder at a cry of “Allahu Ackbar” and facing a knife when you were in the act of reading the label on a can of baked beans.
    When in a self defence situation you are expected to go from zero to 100 on the aggression state and fight back like an action movie hero, most mortals will suffer stress and likely have anxiety about it long after the fact.
    It is even worse that not making a clever come-back in a moment during an argument, and then thinking about it when laying in bed weeks later. 😉
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:17am
    - Steve Todd
      
      Well said, Fuzzy (and you, too, Guy Preston and Ghost). Even now, more than four hours later, the Great Otto, the mentally strong 71-year-old he-man, cannot admit he got it wrong.
      
      The best he can do is proffer a non-apology (at 12:24PM, below), whereby he apologises “to all that [sic] don’t see things as I do.” In other words, he paints himself as the injured party in these exchanges – “C’mon guys, give me a break! I was misunderstood.”
      
      The simple fact is, the Great Otto has no idea how he would have reacted if, suddenly, out of nowhere, a disturbed, knife-wielding attacker slashed his neck / stabbed him while he was lost in his own thoughts, considering what product to buy.
      
      The Great Otto, Kiwiblog’s very own tough guy, needs to man-up and admit he got it wrong, and apologise unreservedly for his disgraceful 9:23AM comment.
      
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      August 22, 2023 1:56pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        I did apologise Todd. I a seperate post.
        
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        August 22, 2023 2:23pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        @Steve Otto(North Shore) @ 2:23PM
        
        No. Both your previously mentioned 12:24PM comment and your 12:05PM reply to Ghost, immediately below, are non-apologies.
        
        Your 9:23AM comment was thoughtless, and a disgrace. As Fuzzy (in particular) and others have intimated to you, you made light of the horror ordinary people, going about their normal, everyday business, experienced.
        
        You need to explicitly admit that you messed up, bigly, and apologise fulsomely for your “tough guy” thoughtlessness.
        
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        August 22, 2023 2:56pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        I see Karen the Hall Monitor has arrived to pile on.
        Poor triggered wee thing
        
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        August 22, 2023 5:17pm
  - Ghost
    
    Steve, these are kiwis whose life was fucked up in moment of horror. They deserve all the help they need to cope with what was done to them and what they are going through.
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:38am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Point taken Ghost. I guess me being mentally strong it is me over acting.
      I can face most trauma. It is the fight or flight thing.
      I apologise to anyone that doesn’t see things like I do.
      
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      August 22, 2023 12:05pm
      - blue collar
        
        It’s all good steveo .
        Society has gone soft .
        Those mall guys had a horrific ordeal but it is 2 years later
        I’ve had many similar events and I suspect you hv too . Most on here hvnt had to fight or run for their lives .
        Mate , you certainly got a conversation going 😅 everyone’s entitled to an opinion , no need to get overly personal about it fellow bloggers .
        
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        August 22, 2023 7:25pm
  - sharont
    
    While what they went through is horrific, most soldiers on the battlefield weren’t faced with getting their heads cut off. I agree with what others have said, and I’m sure you would have reacted just like those who suffered and witnessed such a vile attack and you might have even shed a tear. People these days appear to have no empathy. Just be grateful it wasn’t you in their situation. In many instances those who claim bravado and laugh at others turn out to be the biggest sook of all.
    
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    August 22, 2023 1:12pm
- sirknz
  
  Weren’t we told at the time that it wasn’t terrorism related and it was just a mentally ill lone wolf who had been radicalised overseas?
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:26am
emmess

Tell Auckland Council what you think about the proposed Maori seats
https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/maori-seats/survey_tools/feedback-form
Clue: the correct answer is ‘oh hell no’
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August 22, 2023 8:26am
- alex Masterley
  
  Thanks for the reminder.
  Done.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:59am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The first question:
  “Do you think Auckland Council should introduce Māori seats for the 2025 local elections?”
  There is nowhere to answer “NO, piss off”
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:28am
  - imalwaysright
    
    S.O,
    The council should have asked if they should remove all race descriptors from all council bylaws and communications.
    Call people voters, ratepayers or citizens . That’s it.
    
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    August 22, 2023 9:47am
  - rangitoto
    
    This is the reason I gave : “No racial or ethnic based seats. It is an abomination”
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:14am
- mandk
  
  What I don’t understand about the Māori seats stuff is that, if Māori are partners with the Crown, why don’t the other partners also get reserved, i.e., non-Māori, seats?
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:11am
  - Fuzzysnuggleduck
    
    There is only 1 side in this partnership.
    
    What is mine is mine, and what is yours is mine.
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:49am
- Debsta
  
  Thanks for the link – done!
  
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  August 22, 2023 11:38am
slijmbal

Just saw Ryan on AM ripping Hipkins another one on AM. Cheered me up. He highlighted the idiocy of the latest ceiling of numbers and registration process policy will cost thousands of jobs and interrupted him several times.
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August 22, 2023 8:27am
- Benedict Yu
  
  What ceiling? What numbers?
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:33am
  - slijmbal
    
    @benedict -in my excitement – forgot to mention vaping stores/dairies able to sell vapes
    
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    August 22, 2023 1:05pm
- Lance
  
  It was glorious.
  I listened to Hosking rip Hipkins another one, then got up to see Ryan doing the same on AM, on the same topics.
  Labour are hurting the people they are supposed to stand up for and instead support the evil rich.
  The icing on the cake was Ryan asking Hipkins if he has over a million dollars in assets, Hipkins pretended he didn’t (yeah right) and Ryan then asked if ANY of the Labour caucus have more than a million dollars in assets, Hipkins reply was…. “you will have to ask them”.
  It was so bloody funny.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:01am
Paulus

Why has it been conveniently forgotten that this is the product of the Jacinda Ardern regime.
Believe she off for her term at Harvard shortly missing out the humiliation she wrought on New Zealand.
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August 22, 2023 8:32am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  “escaping the humiliation she wrought on New Zealand.”
  FIFY.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:35am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  Because it isn’t. Ardern is just a mouth not a brain. The bad policy during her leadership was driven by Hipkins, Robertson, Woods, Jackson, and others in charge of Labour now. They should be blamed for the consequences.
  
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  August 22, 2023 2:08pm
RockyJ

I have read that the successor to Chris Hipkins as leader of Labour following their predicted election defeat could well be Kieran McAnulty. God defend New Zealand’s if he ever wins an election.

Kieran has been the only non Maori politician in Labour to be explicit about what cogovernance actually means and voice his support for it. In addition he has an obvious authoritarian view if the reports of Gaurav Sharma and his allegations of bullying are to be believed.

He seems to be a toxic little man with a very low regard for dissent and personal freedom.
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August 22, 2023 8:35am
- slightlyrighty
  
  A friend of mine has had direct dealings with Mr McAnulty.
  
  Toxic Little Man is an accurate description.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:44am
  - Paulus
    
    Ask Dr Sharma for his opinion of the way that [Mod – use correct names] McAnutly treated him ?
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:02pm
- Dougal10
  
  He will probably be a list mp after the election . History shows listies don’t tend to stay in leadership positions like electorate ones do.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:53am
- pdm
  
  Rocky – if the slide continues McAnulty could very well be out on his ear.
  
  I doubt he has much support north of Pahiatua and his electorate includes as far north as Waipawa.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:59am
- RoboRob
  
  Might be Kieran if they lose the election but if so, it will eventually be Tova just before the next election. They will attempt another JA moment.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:07am
- Benedict Yu
  
  Good. The more toxic the better. He will just be the first of quite a few Labour leaders before they get returned to office.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:32am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  All of Labour are toxic, McAnulty is just not afraid to show his.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:38am
- wsk12345
  
  I think McAnulty is part maori…isn’t he?
  
  [Mod – corecrected name]
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:57am
Bridgenag

so, i know people like to call the government stupid and not very good at business and stuff, but if we’re being honest, you gotta kinda admit that getting royalties to make a virus that you then got the royalties to make a vaccine for is a pretty amazing business model.

you’d totally win shark tank!

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/kitten-corner-fool-proof-business?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
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August 22, 2023 8:40am
- miltonF
  
  Literally a taxpayer funded virus. There is no denying this. Covid is a product of wealth redistribution AKA socialism.
  
  Here’s something to think about. Do you think that if the creation of this virus was funded privately, that the investors would have gotten away scot-free? Hell no. It would be considered a bioweapon. They would be charged with deaths of millions of people. They’d never again see the light of day. Yet it’s OK if the government does it, and no one will be held accountable.
  
  I think the majority of people STILL don’t realise how dangerous socialism really is…
  
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  August 22, 2023 5:42pm
imalwaysright

Slippy Chippy on tv this morning trying to get rid of vape shops so that he can save our youth.

The same youth that he encouraged to take an experimental drug at 12yrs old.

The same youth who can get a state funded abortion with the help of their school.

The same youth who can be prescribed chemical castration drugs and encouraged to change their sex.

All without their parents consent or knowledge .

But at least we know Slippy Chippy will be stepping in if they have some crazy idea of inhaling a strawberry vape.
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August 22, 2023 8:46am
Spring Bank Westie

Am I right in assuming that Labour’s promise to close down over 50% of the vape stores in the country is part of their Law and Order policy?
i.e: The less vape stores there are the less there are of the to ram raid.
Labour had the opportunity to shut down vaping during Covid, when they were continually telling us to wear a mask because nasty Covid was transported between us in molecules of water vapour in the air. But when we were walking outdoors we would inevitably walk through bubblegum flavoured clouds of, wait a minute, water vapour from some knob ahead of us sucking on a USB stick like an oversized toddler.
But apparently that was okay…..
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August 22, 2023 8:46am
- RoboRob
  
  Their new Vape policy (as opposed to the one they announced about 3mths ago – no vapes within 300m of schools), is the result of about 30 mins work. Another bad poll came out and they needed a policy announcement. You can be sure there is zero research, planning or thought in it. You can also be sure they dont really believe in it becuase if they did they would have implemented it 3mths ago.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:10am
thetiedarch

I’ve been checking the Wikipedia page for Opinion Polling in the 2023 NZ election, and noticed it tracks major events in the table of polls. Goes something like this:

Jan: Hipkins sworn in as PM & Auckland Flooding
Feb: Cyclone Gabrielle
Mar: Stuart Nash stripped of ministerial portfolios
Apr: Nothing stated (literally nothing really noteworthy happened in NZ in April – I checked)
May: Meka Whaitiri defects
Jun: Michael Wood resigns as a minister
Jul: Kiri Allan resigns as a minister

C’mon August! Still 9 more days for SOMETHING to happen.
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August 22, 2023 8:51am
Raphael

Labour promises to teach Financial Literacy in schools a bold policy, that would ensure no-one taught it will ever vote Labour
Labour promises to get schooled back to focusing on Reading, Writing and Maths Wait, who was the Education Minister who removed the focus on this (with advice from Lal)
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August 22, 2023 8:53am
- Prince
  
  You have to laugh. Teachers’ Union complaining that Govt shouldn’t legislate how teachers teach. Leave it up to teachers, and schools to decide how best to teach based on pupils’ needs.
  Sounds like they are well on the road to Charter Schools.
  Welcome, comrades.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:09am
- RoboRob
  
  May as well have been ‘Labour announces Nationals school policy’.
  
  Re your first point, I am not sure that anyone in Labour is financially literate enough to realise that financially literate people would never support labour policy. After all Labour (and the media) were the people that said you could increase costs on landlords (home improvements and extra paperwork) and remove tax benefits and rental prices would not rise!
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:12am
- Burtland
  
  Labour teach financial literacy 😂 – whos the teacher, Robbo the clown?
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:14am
- hullkiwi
  
  Raphael, minor correction, it is the Government that will be legislating as to how Reading, Writing & Maths will be taught in schools. It was not a Labour Party election promise.
  
  Talk about playing the game between what Labour “has done in government” versus what the Labour “promises to do if elected”.
  
  Labour are deplorable!
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:08pm
Maggie Pie

Must admit Adrian Rurawhe has been a breath of fresh air.
Whenever I get a chance to check out Question Time, he comes across as a very fair Speaker. I couldn’t have imagined that nasty Arsehat Mallard handling this the same way….

https://twitter.com/KiwiStreamNZ/STATUS/1692746838481490030
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August 22, 2023 8:55am
- Swifty
  
  Thanks for that.
  
  Toxic Davidson must really have lost all sense of reasonableness if she genuinely believes MPs asking questions about racially discriminatory policies makes them racist!
  
  Does she not realise how twisted and perverse that appears to average New Zealanders? Or she does but just maintains the lie regardless? She just doesn’t care?
  
  We really have entered the twilight zone with the NZ left. They’ve just completely lost their minds.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:07am
  - Ehlana
    
    It’s on the same logic as women having opinions about men in their facilities or sports teams must be transphobic.
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:42pm
RoboRob

Heard HPDA talking the other day about how National and Labour were so similar that one needed to vote for the one of the more extreme parties if you really wanted change.

This is now true if you just look at policy. But it doesn’t represent the truth. Yes Labour are now promising more roads (many the same as National), allowing for more private public partnerships (the same as National), Improved education with a focus on reading writing and financial literacy (the same as National), clamping down on Vaping (the same as National) and a touch line on gangs (the same as National).

The difference is, Labour have had 6yrs and their focus has been the exact opposite of ALL of those things. They have been vehemently against private funding and roads in general. They allowed Vape stores with no legislation and promoted a soft on crime and low imprisonment policy. All that has changed is that a few months from an election a whole heap of announcements for policy they have never believed in. One can be assured that, like capital gains and wealth taxes, Labour still believe in there previous policies and that they will be the agenda going forward if elected.

National for their part has been consistent and indeed copped much criticism for not releasing policy earlier. Now we see exactly why, Labour are taking National policy and re branding it as theirs.
So yeah, HPDA is right, the policy is very similar but in fact they are two very different parties.
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August 22, 2023 8:58am
- lifesgood
  
  I heard her and thought her reasoning was pathetic. Surprised at her to be honest. It sounded like she was going to go Greens! Ye Gods! and all her dinner party friends were thinking the same way. I don’t think she was thinking ACT, but I may be wrong.
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:39pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Yeah, I thought it was a weak arguement too. I thought she would have been ACT but her lefty friends were Green or Maori.
    
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    August 22, 2023 1:26pm
Benedict Yu

I see Chris Hipkins is raising the prospect of the most extreme right government since the days of Ruth Richardson and Roger Douglas. If only 🤡🤡🤡😳😳😳😳

I can’t see Chris Luxon as Ruth Richardson. Before my time but I am familiar from reading.

I get the sense that Labour are on an unstoppable slide. I mean Chris Hipkins was 6 years old when Roger Douglas became Finance Minister. 🤡

These scare tactics won’t work.

BTW I thought yesterday’s pharmac announcer by Luxon hit the mark. Asking folk to pay 5 dollars for a prescription in return for funding new cancer drugs will resonate.

At the time of the announcement that prescriptions would be free, I commented that you can’t have free drugs and at the same time whinge that Australia has access to more drugs than New Zealand. (It is way worse than most folk realise. Australia has access to hundreds of funded drugs not available here.)

Just for comparison, the copayment for prescriptions in Australia is $30 with a $1300 safety net! Want first world drugs got to pay first world prices.

The annoying thing is that we could afford to spend maybe 800 million dollars more on new drugs if the Government stopped wasting so much money.
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August 22, 2023 9:29am
- imalwaysright
  
  Des Gorman talking to Leighton Smith has a good idea. NZ, Aussie , Singapore ,Malaysia etc together form a drug buying group and capitalise on increased buying power.
  The other problem is NZ wasting time and money retesting drugs approved by first world countries.
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:38am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Hmm. We didn’t do that for the vax.
    
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    August 22, 2023 7:18pm
- slightlyrighty
  
  Remember, Hipkins was the man that Labour would bring in when the organisation was failing.
  
  They did this with Education, Health, Police, public Service and Covid Response.
  
  It could be argued he failed in every one of those roles.
  
  and now he’s in charge of another failing organisation that’s getting worse!
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:38am
  - mogg
    
    According to Stuff/Malpass, “Hipkins is performing better than ever”. It’s not just Tova who has been lobotomised.
    https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics/350059035/chris-hipkins-becomes-mr-29-amid-labours-latest-damascene-conversion.
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:55am
    - Colville
      
      …and Bridges was dispatched in the low 30,s not the 20,s…
      
      Hipkins needs to watch his back !
      
      (but seriously now…who would be stupid enough to knife him at this point? Not even Willie is THAT dumb!)
      
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      August 22, 2023 12:22pm
- Handyman
  
  Australia has the benefit of a 100 billion dollar gas industry.
  Or put another way, Australia has the benefit of not having a temporary Prime Minister that unilaterally banned a New Zealand gas industry.
  
  National should produce a list of free stuff that would have been possible if Ardern had not cancelled the future gas industry.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:23am
- Inandout
  
  BY, During Ruth Richardson’s tenure I recall going to my local Hospital for a test and was charged about $23. This charge didn’t last long but there was an advantage; there were no queues.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:30am
  - RoboRob
    
    There are two ways to deal with scarce resources. Price or wait lists. Take your pick 🙂
    
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    August 22, 2023 11:05am
- ProtectBabiesFromPredators
  
  The Australians clean our clock across the board.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:07pm
Jack5

Kiwibank goes into race-based lending with special terms for Maori small businesses.

This is another case of non-financial criteria moving into banking, a parallel to the “debanking” phenomenon.

Traditionally, near their start-up, NZ small businesses get finance by allowing banks to use the business-starters’ homes as security.

Under the changes, Kiwibank will no longer need security in the former of Maori business owners’ personal property – which typically means the family house.

Teaho Pihama, “head of Maori advisory” at Kiwibank, says the Reserve Bank had identified using personal property as security was as an “especial barrier” to Maori small business owners securing loans. Home ownership rates are lower among Maori.

What Kiwibank doesn’t spell out is that Maori communal ownership makes Maori property either inalienable or otherwise extremely diffilcult to sell. Thus it is useless as security for borrowing, both for small business and for home ownership.

Lack of alienable property – property suitable as security for raising capital – has hindered economic development in many Third World countries.

Pihama said that initially Kiwibank intended to have a ring-fenced fund to lend to Maori-owned businesses.

Rating agencies will likely be interested, with Kiwibank already battling to meet Reserve Bank liquidity requirements.

The Stuff report notes that the Commerce Commission has also waded into the issue of Maori communal property and lending security.

Today, race as a criterion in small-business funding security. Tomorrow, what.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132782101/kiwibank-mori-business-loan-project-making-it-easier-for-nonmori-borrowers-too
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August 22, 2023 9:53am
- Lance
  
  Kiwi bank run the (woke) NZer of the year.
  Nuff said
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:45am
- wsk12345
  
  Well, that won’t be my problem as I already left Kiwibank after Shaneel Lal was made Kiwibank NZer of the Year….
  Happily ensconced with my new banks thanks!
  
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  August 22, 2023 11:04am
  - Ghost
    
    But she wasn’t. She was made Canterbury university young person of the year. Kiwibank person of the year was Dr Rangi Mātāmua
    
    1 12
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    August 22, 2023 11:19am
    - Yabster
      
      she? lol bollocks or as he would say in his twitter post F off… Kiwibank run the awards as I assume you know and have award partners- in this case UoC.., so technically you are correct- Kiwibank however runs the show.
      
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      August 22, 2023 11:47am
      - Ghost
        
        Yes they run the awards but that still does not make he she it Kiwibank New Zealander of the year, it still makes them university of Canterbury young person of the year, and still makes some Māori guy that discovered nothing kiwi bank person of the year.
        
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        August 22, 2023 12:09pm
- surfing
  
  So, the loan application from now asks if you are Maori ?
  
  This country is sliding into the cesspool.
  
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  August 22, 2023 2:10pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  Waipareira Trust know all about making unsecured loans to the leaders of Maoridom. Kiwibank should have sought their advice.
  
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  August 22, 2023 3:51pm
- emmess
  
  Shut it down
  
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  August 22, 2023 6:16pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  No doubt the Reserve Bank will adjust their liquidity rules to suit
  
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  August 22, 2023 7:20pm
kevn

Lots of free prescription options around as well. ZOOM Pharmacy do an on-line service and courier the meds out. Txt reminders etc.
Yes, waste… billions of dollars.
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August 22, 2023 10:03am
- Raphael
  
  Chemist Warehouse. Countdown Pharmacy (or is that Woolworths pharmacy now?) to name a few more that don’t charge the $5.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:08am
  - alloytoo
    
    I always viewed Labour’s free prescription policy as a corporate subsidy for these companies.
    
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    August 22, 2023 10:57am
TripeWryter

On Sunday evening the flatmates and I watched what purported to be ‘new’ on the TV.
There was an item about celebrations concerning the Maori King. Various Maoris addressed His Majesty and attending politicians.
A rather angey-sounding Maori told the pollies to stop treating Maoris as a political football.
The assertion was repeated in at least two headlines I saw and I heard it on the radio.
As far as I know no-one has posed the question: in what way are Maori being used as a political football (the implication being the footballers are National and Act)?
Does anyone know?
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August 22, 2023 10:10am
- Mark Hanley
  
  You sir just placed yourself in the top 1% of reporters in NZ.
  
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  August 22, 2023 11:14am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Stop Co-Governance. Julian Batchelor.

https://www.stopcogovernance.kiwi/blog/if-you-want-to-know-what-woke-sounds-like-listen-to-this-radio-interview/
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August 22, 2023 10:15am
Maggie Pie

Senior Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam appears to have found a new benefactor….

https://twitter.com/JeremyMcilvride/status/1692759937141850262
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August 22, 2023 10:17am
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, one can only speculate what was in the jabs.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:24am
rangitoto

Rumours of a Chinese nuclear powered sub accident in the Taiwan strait. Only source so far appears to be Twitter/X
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August 22, 2023 10:26am
- NothingLeft
  
  Inside or outside of Taiwanese territorial waters? At some point Taiwan has to push back on continued increasing PRC encroachment ‘tickling the tail of the dragon’, but would prefer to do it as quietly as possible.
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:45pm
- rangitoto
  
  Still no confirmation of the report from H I Sutton
  
  https://twitter.com/CovertShores/status/1693742634244710455
  
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  August 22, 2023 1:29pm
kevn

Maggie… The safety glasses certainly make a statement.
Just like the buddyship.
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August 22, 2023 10:27am
BeaB

The saddest part of the last 6 years is what we could have had for all the billions of dollars this hopeless government has squandered. Just think, the Dunedin hospital might have been built. But good old Southerners will keep voting Labour.
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August 22, 2023 10:47am
- mogg
  
  We could have built six Dunedin hospitals on Robbo’s losses from the $50B Covid bonds alone. They were purchased at less than 1% and are now quietly being sold back into the debt market where both 5 & 10 yr bonds are yielding well over 5%. It is a disaster for the mugs paying the bills (NZ taxpayer).
  
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  August 22, 2023 3:51pm
  - waripori
    
    The bond buying program Robertson and Orr cooked up has produced an 11 billion dollar loss. This is real money which is being paid s cash progressively. The RBNZ has about 3 billion dollars of equity on its balance sheet and it it was not for the Treasury indemnity against losses on the bond programme it would be insolvent 3 times over. What value our currency then?
    
    This should be a huge issue but it is hard to explain why interest rate rises cause losses on fixed interest securities.
    
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    August 22, 2023 6:44pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    I wonder if Blackrock is on the other end of the transaction
    
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    August 22, 2023 7:25pm
ClanMcleod

Jabbing NZ: The Results are In–and WHO, the Gov’t, and the Usual Suspects Like It
Meanwhile, Deaths +14%, Natural Births -28%, Disability +37.5%, According to Official Numbers from 1 July 2022-30 June 2023

NZ making headlines overseas while here, get boosted!!

I’m really happy that Labour and their hangers on are tanking, really happy, but I’m really concerned that nobody in the country in a position of note is even interested in discussing these alarming trends.

Here is what my colleague Peter F. Mayer, who runs my German-language homebase TKP.at, concluded upon reading Guy Hatchard’s reporting (my translation and emphases):

Due to its island location, New Zealand was and is an ideal test laboratory for the WHO and the pharmaceutical and health industries that dominates it to evaluate the ‘success’ of the measures. The numbers are on the table. What conclusions are drawn? course correction? Or keep it up and do more of the same?

Indeed, it continues with more intensity, so we must conclude that the results are expected and desired.

https://fackel.substack.com/p/jabbing-nz-the-results-are-in-and

Damning comments. Why are they not being talked about? It’s looking like the worst, self inflicted and avoidable health issue in the history of the country.

Regarding those horrific statistics on deaths, births and disabilities:

How does the above record compare?

Well, according to the NZ War Graves Project, not very well. They claim:

Our database contains the details of 90% of the New Zealand servicemen and servicewomen who died in conflict or in peace-keeping operations since the Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902). This includes the major conflicts of the 20th century, World War I and World War II.

That database includes 31,758 graves in overseas cemeteries. If present trends continue, it will be in a few years when excess deaths will exceed all casualties from NZ since 1899.

I wonder if we’ll ever get anything like Armistice Day memory services. I won’t hold my breath until we even get to the point of recognition of these momentous changes.

So, if trends continue, more people will have died, less will be born and more will suffer disability as a result of policies implemented during this scam covid narrative, than suffered during wars and conflicts in over 120 years?

Let that sink in.

The silence in NZ is dangerously deafening.
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August 22, 2023 10:59am
- kevn
  
  Clan… Where are all the Funeral directors speaking about this trend?
  Silence.
  
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  August 22, 2023 4:27pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    kevn – EVERYBODY in a position of influence in NZ is silent. It’s next level dystopian shit.
    
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    August 22, 2023 6:45pm
- miltonF
  
  Covid was essentially a war waged by governments against their own people. Heck, even the virus itself was funded and created by the US government.
  
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  August 22, 2023 6:03pm
Maggie Pie

I’ve always hated Xena.

Does that make me a….. Xenaphobe?

https://twitter.com/RealLucyLawless/status/1693511579621589441
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August 22, 2023 11:15am
- kisekiman
  
  She’s getting ratioed to bits. Best comment “Great way to lose a reputation, assuming you had one in the first place”
  
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  August 22, 2023 9:01pm
hullkiwi

Dirty Politics 2023 Chapter 1.

https://thestandard.org.nz/this-press-release-was-brought-to-you-on-behalf-of-nationals-sponsors/
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August 22, 2023 11:45am
- Joely Doe
  
  Probably as a response to another Cranmer Writes
  Gee that guy puts the MSM to shame
  Govt buys stories from MSM
  
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  August 22, 2023 1:19pm
  - Yabster
    
    corrupt media/Govt- good interview on the Platform about this- buying stories on Stuffed and TVNZ.
    
    Heads should roll at TVNZ.
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:49pm
hullkiwi

Dirty Politics 2023 Chapter 2

National plays a dangerous game with low list placings of some core Māori electorate candidates – NZ Herald https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/national-plays-a-dangerous-game-with-low-list-placings-of-some-core-maori-electorate-candidates/BOO54BGB4BDR7JJZJXZJ3EESJM/

Amazing what $55million buys!
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August 22, 2023 11:48am
- Tony Stuart
  
  What a load of bollocks from Claudette Hauiti. She goes on about Maori men being ranked low; they’ve been ranked in the 53-70 range with a whole lot of non-Maori men like Scott Simpson, Tim van der Molen, Joseph Mooney and Simon O’Connor, all of whom can be reasonably expected to win their seats, so they won’t need their list rankings.
  
  Luxon will re-rate the caucus after the election, when if he has become PM he will choose his Ministers and allocate portfolios. Then the list rankings will become absolutely academic. For a “political editor” Claudette Hauiti has a worryingly low understanding of how these things work.
  
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  August 22, 2023 1:29pm
  - hullkiwi
    
    Tony, I agree. It is a made up, non-story aimed at kicking National.
    
    What it shows also is that many of these commentators do not have a clue as to what is really happening out there in voter land, and it not for us to tell them. Let them find out at 19:01 on Saturday 14/10/2023. There are going to be some dumb founded people in this country that night!
    
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    August 22, 2023 2:29pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

In my comments above about the New Lynn incident, I replied to Ghost but I want to make it clear.
I apologise to all that don’t see things like I do. Sorry.
I can cope with most trauma, it is the fight or fight thing. If a person is badly injured I will dive in and help. I won’t run away and leave it until the ambulance arrives. I have done it quite a few times.
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August 22, 2023 12:24pm
- Guy Preston
  
  I can cope with most trauma, it is the fight or fight thing. If a person is badly injured I will dive in and help. I won’t run away and leave it until the ambulance arrives.
  
  As did one of the guys you accused of being a sook.
  There is video of him running to the danger while others stood about in confusion.
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:55pm
  - Ghost
    
    ‘Don’t forget us’ – Survivors of New Lynn terror attack
    
    3 2
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    August 22, 2023 1:06pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      I have seen it a few times.
      Thanks.
      
      5 2
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      August 22, 2023 1:18pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    There are a few on this blog that I don’t respond to. You are now one of them.
    
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    August 22, 2023 1:19pm
Prince

Very concerned at the Curia Public Poll Average box shown on his blog.
NZ First at 147%. Even Peters might consider that extraordinary.
And the number of seats add up to 119.

[Mod – my god, I think I better tell DPF]
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August 22, 2023 12:30pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Peters would have screenshoted it.
  147% See? Told you the NZ people love me!
  
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  August 22, 2023 1:21pm
- John Loveridge
  
  Even the very best dictators can’t buy or threaten their way to that much of the vote, but then none of them are in Winston’s league.
  
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  August 22, 2023 1:27pm
Tony Stuart

Erica Stanford has absolutely ripped into Chris Hipkins and Jan Tinetti after Labour’s Education policy release yesterday:

Labour backflips and copies National’s homework

After six years of being completely directionless in education, Labour has copied part of National’s policy in a desperate attempt to turn around plummeting educational achievement, National’s Education spokesperson Erica Stanford says.

“Labour is so completely clueless in education that they are waiting to see National’s policies and simply copying our homework.

“After six months of attempting to critique National, Labour has today announced one part of National’s four-part Teaching the Basics Brilliantly policy but leaving out core elements that make the policy effective.

“National has already said that it will rewrite the curriculum to outline exactly what kids should be learning each year to ensure consistency. Furthermore, a National government will ensure that reading, writing and maths are taught for an hour a day, with twice-yearly light-touch assessments to ensure that students are progressing.

“This is a complete 180 from Labour, with Chris Hipkins having strongly stated last year that the Government has no business telling teachers how to teach.

https://www.ericastanfordmp.co.nz/post/labour-backflips-and-copies-national-s-homework

Jan Tinetti was pretty vocal about the Teaching the Basics Brilliantly when National released it back in March. Here’s what she said at the time:

Tinetti, a former principal, told Newstalk ZB she was “disappointed” education had become a political football and urged the Opposition to co-operate on finding evidence-based solutions to address problems in the sector.

“This causes disruption every time we have a change in government.”

Tinetti said National was simply reviving a “zombie from the past” in proposing a twice-yearly assessment of students’ progress for primary schools – a proposal similar to the controversial national standards National introduced when last in government.

“Forcing children to do an hour each of reading, writing and maths every day isn’t going to make them enjoy it or learn better, and more intensive testing isn’t going to make school a place they want to be.”

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-leader-christopher-luxon-unveils-more-of-its-education-policy-after-committing-to-curriculum-rewrite/VZN3Q3SFZREL5BZPMXFJEDXQSA/

Hipkins was just as dismissive of the policy as Tinetti was. But necessity is the mother of invention, and yesterday Labour relaunched themselves as education traditionalists promoting teaching of the Three R’s. It’s amazing what a run of bad polls will do, and this flip-flop was before the release of the latest arguably worst poll yet.
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August 22, 2023 12:43pm
- Ghost
  
  I don’t think anyone is surprised labour copied them, it’s obvious labour are flatlining and have no ideas. I very much doubt it will be the last policy that labour copy as well.
  
  The surveys that are coming out from labour are just basically the same thing and lacking any real vision. Petrol tax reduction. Price freeze on power. Restricting how many investment properties someone can have.
  
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  August 22, 2023 12:47pm
- Paulus
  
  Tinetti was Principle of the lowest Decile Primary School in Tauranga, and it is accepted that she did a good job there.
  Should have stayed there and not tried to be a politician – probably go back the a similar school after the election as she has done a very poor job in Labour -not suited.
  
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  August 22, 2023 2:12pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  This is one of the reasons Chris Luxon and National were holding Policy back.
  Labour are cheats, but we know that. 7 1/2 weeks to go.
  I am quite happy for Policy to be held back until 2 weeks before Oct 14th.
  I wasn’t, but I am now, seeing how desperate Labour are.
  
  11 2
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  August 22, 2023 2:35pm
  - gravedodger
    
    @ Steve Otto voting opens on October 2nd for this years election just a clue.
    
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    August 22, 2023 4:27pm
Bridgenag

In America

The Mandates Are Back
VSRF is gearing up to defeat them before they spread across the country

Several weeks ago, we all started noticing the increased chatter about the latest Covid-19 variant and the booster that was coming in the Fall. Immediately, I was concerned that this meant a return to the Mandate regime. Unfortunately, this was confirmed today. The Mandates are back.

https://kirschsubstack.com/p/the-mandates-are-back?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
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August 22, 2023 12:48pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Please don’t tell Chippie. He will mandate us by locking us in a voting station and you can’t go out until you vote Labour.
  That’s the deal.
  
  7 4
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  August 22, 2023 1:27pm
Maggie Pie

A bestie tweets…

“We have seen Chris Hipkins scrambling to take Labor back to the centerline.
He’s pushed the party radicals and poor performers like Nanaia Mahuta, Andrew Little and Willie Jackson into the background, and put several controversial polices on his so-called bonfire. It’s plain he is trying to distance himself from Jacinda Ardern as quickly as possible”

– NZH premium
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August 22, 2023 12:59pm
- Ghost
  
  Trying to distance himself and rolling out Helen to raise money for them, brrrr, should distance himself from her as well.
  
  15 0
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  August 22, 2023 1:03pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    You’re sooo right G. Between Helen Clarke and Jacnda Ardern, the damage done to this country is nothing short of criminal.
    
    21 1
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    August 22, 2023 1:22pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Thing is why do they do this? I know they are commies, but why do they treat people this way?
      Genuine question.
      
      11 3
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      August 22, 2023 1:29pm
      - Maggie Pie
        
        Truth be told SteveO….
        
        Labors goal is to grow government, nationalise everything and equalise wealth. Socialism IS communism.
        
        https://tiktok.com/@snoop1e/video/7198649792430509358
        
        15 1
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        August 22, 2023 2:47pm
      - Ehlana
        
        The end justifies the means?
        
        Communist regimes do seem to have a history of slaughtering their own people. And I guess if you don’t rule by consent, the more dissenters you rid yourself of, the less resource you have to put in to oppression.
        
        5 0
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        August 22, 2023 3:11pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Yes Maggie.
        How close is NZ to the bottom? Socialism is Communism in drag.
        
        6 3
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        August 22, 2023 4:38pm
- Paulus
  
  Remember at the present time little Chippy gets told what to do and say by the Party who are now in charge of Labour not any Labour MP.
  
  6 1
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  August 22, 2023 2:15pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Nope. H1 and H2 via Ardern.
    Anyone who thinks Ardern is not in the picture is a fool.
    Her Socialist bullshit started in 2009 with that speech. Nothing has changed in Labour, the messages are still happening!
    
    7 4
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    August 22, 2023 4:43pm
- mogg
  
  All news mediums today are suggesting that ACT will be the hard right tail wagging the dog, with National.
  Nobody has even mentioned the possibility of racist TPM and Communist Greens being the hard left tail wagging the Labour ‘coalition of chaos’.
  All right thinking people should be having nightmares at the thought of the latter option, maybe Luxon should be voicing this a bit more clearly. Who would be foreign minister Rawiri W or Debbie N-P.
  
  17 1
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  August 22, 2023 2:25pm
  - kiwikidsnz
    
    Exhibit A https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/496330/luxon-disavows-act-zero-carbon-treaty-of-waitangi-policies
    
    7 0
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    August 22, 2023 4:20pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Luxon re net zero by 2050.
      
      “Absolutely not. We believe very strongly in net-zero 2050. The means by which we deliver those goals will be different from the government but we are deeply, deeply committed to that.”
      
      The guy is a complete tool. I can add National to my list of parties with no chance of getting a vote from me.
      I get accused of being single issue because of my strong position on covid and the madness that occurred over the last few years.
      I am not single issue. I will rule out National on this policy as well as their refusal to even talk about covid. They are stark raving bonkers.
      
      4 3
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      August 22, 2023 6:56pm
    - Burtland
      
      luxtons woke light is shining brightly
      
      2 1
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      August 22, 2023 7:32pm
BananaLlama

The problem with Labour “getting out there and showing what they can do for New Zealand” is that everyone has seen what they have already done and it has been a complete disaster.
Also why are they now calling us New Zealand? LOL
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August 22, 2023 1:15pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  R. T. Rower was going nowhere.
  
  7 3
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  August 22, 2023 2:37pm
Ghost

Have I missed an announcement? Listening to a usa radio show and they are talking about Covid restrictions are coming back and there is talk of a lock down.
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August 22, 2023 2:15pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I have seen it in my emails.
  “Eris” “Pirola” “Fornax” Nicknames I have seen.
  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-covid-2023-variant-eg5-strain-what-to-know/
  
  6 2
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  August 22, 2023 2:49pm
- ClanMcleod
  
  No, it’s been warned about in alt media for a few days now.
  The only reason anyone should be watching or listening to mainstream media these days is to know what it is you’re SUPPOSED to think.
  
  Try any or all of these.
  
  https://off-guardian.org/
  
  https://www.ukcolumn.org/
  
  https://www.zerohedge.com/
  
  There are quite a few others, but these are my goto.
  
  3 1
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  August 22, 2023 7:01pm
  - Ghost
    
    Yeah I have a few alternative media I monitor. I’ve just been distracted the last few weeks and not gone to them
    
    3 0
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    August 22, 2023 7:09pm
    - ClanMcleod
      
      Ghost – here’s a great discussion about the latest version of the scam.
      
      So, who is Dr. Scott Gottlieb, and why should we care about whether or not he is “concerned”? Dr. Gottlieb was the commissioner of the FDA during the height of COVID, he is now is a CNBC contributor and is a member of the boards of Pfizer, genetic testing start-up Tempus, health-care tech company Aetion and biotech company Illumina. He also sits on the board for NEA, a global venture capital firm. My insider friends also say that Dr. Gottlieb is/was on advisory boards to the CIA. You know, that CIA – that founded Moderna as a start-up and continues to capitalize it via the CIA venture capital firm InQTel.
      
      https://open.substack.com/pub/rwmalonemd/p/covid-19-eris-or-pirola?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=11s70p
      
      Surely people won’t fall for this crap again? If they push this I can see a violent response, especially in the US.
      
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      August 22, 2023 9:48pm
      - Ghost
        
        They will try for another lockdown. It’s just a matter of when
        
        1 0
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        August 22, 2023 10:23pm
Gravelroad

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby-world-cup-2023/132789273/cancel-his-citizenship-chris-hipkins-jokes-as-steve-hansen-confirms-wallabies-role
Good grief.
Imagine the ongoing, feverish outcry from the media if Luxon, as Prime Minister did this.
Even if he said it was “just a joke” their would be opinion pieces galore about “how can we have a PM who threatens to remove a person’s citizenship ? How terrible for a leader to says this sort of thing.”
Hipkins will get away with it though.
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August 22, 2023 2:45pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  It’s different when the left do it (jokes)
  But David Seymour – not so much.
  
  8 2
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  August 22, 2023 3:02pm
Warren

Bryce Edward’s is it all over for Labour and Chris Hipkins.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/political-roundup-is-it-now-all-over-for-the-labour-government/FI55H7AVYZGNPNIS2BN5Z2RWWI/¹
Well just another political expert puts Labour to the sword saying Hipkins can’t come back from another poll but this one excuse it is their worst position since Andrew Little resigned as Labour Leader and Jacinda Ardern went on to become Prime Minister, an Chris Hipkins is no Jacinda Ardern.
10 1
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August 22, 2023 4:11pm
Taieri

Chris Hipkins is no Jacinda Ardern.
—————-

One was enough for a several lifetimes.
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August 22, 2023 4:54pm
Warren

All the Luxon haters will be here soon
to tell us what a fuck wit the National Leader is, but that’s his job if his Party have the majority.
David Seymour has to work out which policy’s he needs to cement a Coalition deal when the time comes.
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August 22, 2023 4:59pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Hear hear, what that man said.
  
  3 0
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  August 22, 2023 5:13pm
NZer In Exile

I think one sure thing the clown show and their disgusting media can’t spin their way out of are the almost daily personal accounts about simply shocking ED wait times. These accounts spread like wildfire by word of mouth among family and friends. One of my relatives experienced it personally.
12 1
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August 22, 2023 5:21pm
- Ghost
  
  I was listening to zb, and I think it was middlemore they were talking about that had 201 people in the ED
  
  Just looked they have the interview online Pressure on hospitals, as Middlemore ED reaches 209 percent over capacity
  
  Makes me grateful to live down here. If national can kick these buggers out, Shane will have one hell of a job on his hands fixing health
  
  12 0
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  August 22, 2023 5:38pm
  - ClanMcleod
    
    I wonder what could possibly be the reason for all of this increased pressure on the health system…….
    
    Nothing to do with the health system being destroyed and medical staff being mandated out of their jobs. And certainly nothing to do with the experimental jabs that don’t prevent transmission or infection.
    They of course have nothing to do with the increase in excess all cause mortality or the rapid decline in live birth rates or the increase in disabilities.
    No, that’s all just a freakish coincidence……//
    
    https://hatchardreport.com/deaths-are-up-natural-births-are-down-and-disability-is-up/
    
    9 0
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    August 22, 2023 7:10pm
- miltonF
  
  Impossible. We shut down the country and max vaxxed to save the hospitals from being overwhelmed. Our single source of truth told us so.
  
  Your relative must be a racist, right wing misinformation spreader and should be censored and relegated to a second class citizen as soon as inhumanely possible.
  
  11 1
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  August 22, 2023 6:18pm
Ghost

Anyone offering free counselling?

For goodness sake man, put a shirt on, you’re in the House. Dress code must have gone out the window

Stuff

Backup image

Looks like a bagpipe on his head
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August 22, 2023 6:00pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  Looks like stuffed has given Chippy a sporty-guy “chiseled” look makeover in their picture.
  
  5 0
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  August 22, 2023 6:42pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Wot – no tie? I think that’s against Speakers Rules – or used to be
  
  2 0
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  August 22, 2023 7:33pm
- Jack5
  
  Could it have been a lot worse?
  
  If NZ hadn’t invaded Western Samoa and somehow been the islands were left in Germany’s hands until World War 2….
  
  Then it would have been a base for the Japanese, followed by invasion by US marines backed by giant shells from battleships and bombs and napalm from carrier planes.
  
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  August 22, 2023 8:01pm
ProtectBabiesFromPredators

Whanganui River became the first in the world to be considered a legal person. New Zealand’s third-longest river could now be represented in court and had two guardians appointed to speak on its behalf.11/12/2020

If someone drowns in this River, and the River is found guilty of Murder, what would be the penalty?
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August 22, 2023 6:57pm
- Jack5
  
  Giving the river the status of a human being is Woke bullshit. It’s a blend of Green environmentalism, indigenous animism, and political PR.
  
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  August 22, 2023 10:13pm
Ghost

Another day, another failure by a government department to protect New Zealanders

A convicted sex offender has won his appeal to remain in New Zealand, despite the victim wanting him to leave.

The man, who was 18 at the time of his offending, was found guilty of sexually violating a 16-year-old girl on a public bus.

But, the New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal found it would be “unjust or unduly harsh” to deport the man who was in New Zealand on a residency visa.

Article
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August 22, 2023 7:21pm
Surely Knott

Auckland Council is now consulting on the Maori Seats. As you’d expect it seems to be biased, and missing key information and options, and their is no option for no race based seats.

1. Currently we have 20 Councillors, 1 Mayor and 2 Maori seats with voting rights, appointed by the Maori Statutory Board. What they don’t say in the consultation document is how the Maori seats are appointed. “The Minister of Māori Development invites mana whenua to form a selection body.” “This body… selects the nine board members of the MSB” Seven represent mana whenua (local iwi) and two represent mātāwaka.(other Maori) ” ” This board appoints those 2 Maori seats who sit on council with voting rights. It’s about 8% of the vote. But worse on committees (bylaws, parks, finance etc) where there are only half as many councillors but still 2 voting appointed Maori seats.

Currently They are “appointed” not elected. Further Maori vote both in the general election AND get appointed Maori seats. And finally the Maori seats don’t represent all Maori. They represent “Mana Whenua”. 7 to 2. even though Mana Whenua is a small fraction of Maori living in Auckland.

https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2023/08/maori-seats-it-s-time-to-have-your-say/
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August 22, 2023 7:24pm
ClanMcleod

so, i know people like to call the government stupid and not very good at business and stuff, but if we’re being honest, you gotta kinda admit that getting royalties to make a virus that you then got the royalties to make a vaccine for is a pretty amazing business model.

you’d totally win shark tank!

An unbelievable story, but it’s true.

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/kitten-corner-fool-proof-business?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=11s70p
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August 22, 2023 8:12pm
Scooter

Just heard Hipkins interview with Ryan Bridge, towards the end he actually said he’s not here to serve the interests of millionaires. So that’s about 4% (according to the Google machine) of NZers. So that’s all those rich pricks who might own businesses, employ staff, bring tax dollars to the economy. What a loser.
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August 22, 2023 8:14pm
Jack5

Karl du Fresne’s challenge to Massey communications professor Dutta is worth following at Karl’s blog.

https://karldufresne.blogspot.com/2023/08/professor-dutta-ducks-below-parapet.html
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August 22, 2023 8:33pm
Jack5

One of the dumbest things Britain has done for decades …

The UK let the Japanese firm Softbank take over the microchip design star ARM, one of he world’s leading technology companies.

Now Softbank is floating ARM on America’s Nasdaq stock exchange after shunning British Government requests to list it in London.

This will be the world’s biggest initial listing share float this year. Softbank has bought back a minority stake in ARM from a firm owned by Softbank and Middle East investors at a price that suggests a full ARM float value of over $US64 billion (about $NZ108 billion).

Softbank thus will return ARM to public ownership. The funds that pour in for the share float on Nasdaq will benefit Softbank, rather than go into expanding ARM. However, the company’s chief executive, Rene Haas, has been awarded $US20 million worth of shares, plus another $US20 million in cash on successful completing of the listing.

ARM’s chips are used in 90 per cent of smart phones including Apple iPhones, and in many other computer and technology products including drones, television sets, telecommunications networking equipment, and driverless cars. ARM chips have been used in more than 250 billion devices, says the Guardian. A quarter of ARM’s sales are to China.

Seven years ago Softbank took control and took the company private. In its takeover it paid ARM shareholders almost 50 per cent more than the market price of their shares. This was a big windfall for the ARM chief operating officer and for most of the company’s directors.

Theresa May’s new Conservative government at the time had promised to block big takeovers if they were against public interest. However, the then new Chancellor of the Exchequer (the equivalent of Finance Minister), Philip Hammond, said: “ … it shows that Britain has lost none of its allure to international investors. Britain is open for business – and open to foreign investment.”

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/22/uk-chip-designer-arm-us-listing-nasdaq-ipo
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August 22, 2023 9:16pm

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