General Debate 20 October 2023

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artemisia

It will be interesting to see how new Housing Minister Bishop deals with the massive level of very expensive transitional (emergency) housing. HUD reports June 2017 – 1123; August 2023 – 6069. That’s nearly a 450% increase. Why? But the quantum surely deserves some serious attention, rather than just a taxpayer hosepipe.

I hope there has been some proper root cause analysis of the reasons. If not why not? There has been a lot of fluff from ministers about reasons. Be good to see some rigour around reasons so they can actually be effectively addressed.

Anecdotally, I hear property managers say they quite often receive a lot of applications for rental vacancies, especially in some locations. Almost none turn up for viewing, and follow up indicates some applicants are in emergency housing and had to show evidence of looking. An online application works well. However, this has been different last few months so could it be that officials are giving up?
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October 20, 2023 8:03am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  You can expect to see homelessness get a lot more news coverage now that National is in power.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:00am
  - Handyman
    
    Quite right. The media will not quote stats (especially recent stats) but will focus on Mary who is homeless and can’t afford to put food on the table.
    
    There will be cameras outside hospitals and John Campbell will breathlessly interview people waiting in ER.
    In other words, exactly like last time National were in government.
    
    Health New Zealand, who railed against Dr Reti riding (and assisting) in ambulances will welcome “documentaries in the public interest” into hospitals to show all their problems are due to “systemic underfunding” and proposed health budget cuts.
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:19am
  - RoboRob
    
    Its already started. Saw an article earlier this week referencing homelessness and poverty. First time I have seen the media cover this in years.
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:31am
    - Scooter
      
      And quite rightly National can blame Labour for 6 years of doing sweet f@*k all. Once they see how bad things really are I don’t think the media will be too keen to expose how bad things got under Labour. Like kids when their parents split, they’ll be hurting for a while.
      
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      October 20, 2023 7:26pm
  - Philview
    
    Yes it is already obvious that the media are handing the mic to the new opposition parties to attack the new government and they haven’t even started yet. With the bizarrely high level of special votes in NZ we don’t know what is coming. Incidentally 567,000 special votes in 2023 compared to 419,000 in 2017.
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:34am
    - HeatherW
      
      Changes to special votes since 2017 include the new ability to enroll and also vote on election day and double the qualification in years of NZ citizens overseas to vote (was 3 years since last visit – now 6 cos Covid). The overseas vote one reverts to 3 years after 2023 election.
      
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      October 20, 2023 10:48am
      - wsk12345
        
        The new govt needs to remove the ability to turn up and enrol on the day. It’s caused massive delays for the incoming government and frankly it’s not like the errant voters didn’t have 3 years since the last election to get it done.
        
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        October 20, 2023 11:17am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Yes, the deluded lefties on social media who say Nats had 1000s living in cars and garages, they simply believe that since November 17 every single person is off the street and no one in garages or cars, when you point to the fact that rough sleepers are worse than ever, they are gob smacked.
    
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    October 20, 2023 12:10pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    NACTFirst need to cut the head off the highly toxic snake. End taxpayer funding for ANY media, with extreme prejudice.
    
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    October 20, 2023 6:15pm
- cmm
  
  ~~Have a smoke~~
  ~~Get boosted~~
  What’s his next slogan?
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:11am
  - Captain Mainwaring
    
    Grow up cmm.
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:40am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Dispatching Anderson for ever
    
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    October 20, 2023 12:11pm
  - cmm
    
    Cap’n: Most of the National MPs seem to be highly competent people.
    
    Chris Bishop is not one of those.
    
    As a former tobacco lobbyist he has forever compromised any serious political goals (eg. being PM). It will be forever easy to brand him as the guy who made money out of smokers: eg. every time a smoker died, Chris Bishop earned $100.
    
    Now I am not saying he profited out of smoker deaths, but these career choices open you up to being taken down rather easily.
    
    As National’s Covid 19 spokesperson he had a duty to ask the embarrassing questions that an opposition is supposed to and failed in that duty.
    
    It is not clear that he has anything to offer in his new role either.
    
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    October 20, 2023 2:14pm
    - JimBobJoe
      
      “Cap’n: Most of the National MPs seem to be highly competent people.
      
      Chris Bishop is not one of those”
      
      What utter bollocks. Bishop is highly competent and does great work in the electorate.
      
      We will see how he functions as a Minister in the Luxon Ministry
      
      Re Covid19 performance – I thought it was poor BUT Bridges did ask questions and the PIJF paid media crucified him. After the 2020 election it was impossible as a politician to go after the Labour Governments handling – all you could do was go along with it as the electorate, deluded as you and I thought they were, had spoken and given Ms Ardern a mandate to do what she wanted…
      
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      October 20, 2023 6:01pm
Biscuit

Here we are – Labour Day Weekend 2023 in New Zealand – and
there
is
NO
Labour!

I feel like quoting Lewis Carroll:

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.”
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October 20, 2023 8:04am
- Random T Person
  
  They got a bit of the old snicker snack and the vorpal sword. Lovely.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:36am
- pdm
  
  Biscuit are you suggesting that Labour Day should be abolished as a Public Holiday until such time as there is another Labour (led) Government sometime in the 2070’s?
  
  Makes sense to me.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:05am
  - Vinicius
    
    It is Matariki they should get rid of.
    
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    October 20, 2023 10:35am
    - sungsamning
      
      I’m still surprised that a well known car company haven’t sued for copyright infringement. I guess they’d be called ‘raycist’ if they did.
      
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      October 20, 2023 12:07pm
      - Ian
        
        Don’t think they will sue. Have bought a new one and it came with a “Map to Matariki” pamphlet..
        
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        October 20, 2023 1:10pm
      - Flossie
        
        I did read somewhere that the pop singer Pink was under fire from a certain element for her use of pois. Cultural appropriation I believe. Pity the inventors of guitars, nail polish, hair products etc (too many examples to contemplate!) don’t object.
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:13pm
      - Ghost
        
        She wasn’t under fire for using poi’s. It was because people mistook it for being Israel flags
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:40pm
  - Matt Long
    
    This weekend’s holiday is called Labour Gone Day.
    
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    October 20, 2023 4:21pm
- Tony Stuart
  
  Doesn’t the world feel a better place? Since the election we have beaten the Australians in Netball, remained undefeated at the Cricket World Cup, made the semifinals of the Rugby World Cup, seen another rise in dairy prices and a fall in inflation.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:19am
  - Littletramp
    
    Don’t underrate Paul Coll’s US Open Squash victory on Saturday, against the world’s No 1 ranked player.
    
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    October 20, 2023 12:18pm
  - O C Smith
    
    Down here in Rangitata we have a National electorate MP and the Mead Cup. Ghost will also be happy.
    
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    October 20, 2023 12:54pm
- goNZ1
  
  “How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!” 2 Samuel 1:27 KJV
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:56am
Captain Mainwaring

Sounds like Wellington City Council is crying out to be replaced by a Commissioner.
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October 20, 2023 8:04am
- Simon
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  Yep Auckland Shitty Council will sooner or later head into administration.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:07am
  - peterwn
    
    And Wayne Brown would be a good no-nonsense commissioner.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:56am
    - Simon
      
      Its too far gone for Brown to save. Administration.
      
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      October 20, 2023 11:11am
- ClanMcleod
  
  Wellington is the most dysfunctional place in the country.
  It is a magnet for delusional narcissists and power hungry freaks and ideologues who shouldn’t be allowed near the remote control for the TV, let alone the levers of power.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:14am
  - artemisia
    
    Hard to argue with that. Mayor Whanau was reamed by Mr Hosking the other day for saying after a 13 hour day she’d never worked so hard in her life. Diddums.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:17am
    - backster
      
      I thought she had just been on a ratepayer paid holiday.
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:20am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      I’m 68, and during the last few weeks of the election campaign we were regularly doing 14-15 hour days campaigning, travelling and planning. Miss Whanau is getting paid for her labours; I did mine free of charge and willingly!
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:22am
      - Close Hen Counters
        
        And the enormous gratitude to you and every other Nat/act volunteer that did the same!! On holiday and can’t wait to return to work wearing blue and being more than thrilled in front of my bleeding heart leftie colleagues
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:02pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Most of us are awake for 13 hours each day.
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:26am
    - Positan
      
      Her utterance tells much about what sort of effort she expected to put in to the job: Obviously it wasn’t anything much that’d remotely justify her patently unjustifiable salary, so it’d seem she just expected to swan around doing little more than appear as a “figurehead.”
      Did she just seek to hold the position because she hadn’t any real idea of the actual demands of the job or the expectations of those on whose behalf she’s supposed to act.
      On her vacuous performance to date I’ve wondered whether she’d last a full term – and I’ll take bets now that she won’t get re-elected.
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:28am
      - septic skeptic
        
        I think you put too much faith in Wellington voters.
        
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        October 20, 2023 9:52am
      - Suze Wainwright
        
        One can only hope that Tamatha knows what she’s in for.
        
        I’d say she models much of her professionalism on Tory’s mentorship
        
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        October 20, 2023 11:05am
    - sirknz
      
      Has her diary been posted publicly yet?
      
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      October 20, 2023 11:16am
      - artemisia
        
        Mayor Whanau’s diary now posted online. Not too onerous.
        wellington.govt.nz/your-council/about-the-council/mayor-and-councillors/office-of-the-mayor/mayor-tory-whanau
        
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        October 20, 2023 6:42pm
    - John Loveridge
      
      I bet Tory neglected to mention that the liquid lunch ate up three of those hours.
      
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      October 20, 2023 5:17pm
  - john1234
    
    Wellington is a microcosm of Canada. They vote in leftie lunatics and suffer for it. Then they vote them back in for more!
    Battered wife syndrome but in politics.
    At least California has beaches and a nice climate.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:18am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Public service troughers, corporate cowards and studies in deranged bullshit at uni is to blame.
      
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      October 20, 2023 7:04pm
- rouppe
  
  I still pay rates – hopefully not much longer – to Wellington.
  
  It’s incomprehensible what they choose to spend money on.
  
  That those idiots are – in secret – debating whether to give Reading a loss-making deal to do something with their site is infuriating.
  
  If the building is unsafe, use bylaws to exert pressure. If its just run down, use publicity to embarrass them.
  
  But don’t spend my money on interest free loans.
  
  Fix. The. Bloody. Pipes!
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:20am
  - Charmaine Hawke
    
    Like you I plan to not be paying rates here much longer. We have major issues with roads and water pipes and our council is focused on cycle lanes and getting us onto busses (that don’t run to timetable) not the basics.
    If I remember correctly Rebecca Matthews complained about how hard the job was last council but she bellies up to the bar again because she knows this is the best paying gig she will ever get and we suffer for it.
    The residents are not a lot better as they are focused on the virtue signal as opposed to the real world and we wonder why national government is as disfunctional with unwritten agendas at play.
    I guess we will have to learn the lessons of the past and have the city fall into disrepair before we elect a council focused on the needs of ratepayers not the desires of a small fringe.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:48am
    - krazykiwi
      
      Our friends in Karori had no fresh water for hours the other day. Unscheduled failure. Positively 3rd world.
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:33am
      - Charmaine Hawke
        
        So I heard, fortunately we weren’t affected but between that and the state of the roads we are rapidly looking 3rd world.
        
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        October 20, 2023 11:49am
      - rouppe
        
        I had 3 hours without power a week or so ago.
        
        No explanation as to why, the whole area was out
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:32pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        KK.
        I suspect you have never lived in the 3rd world to make inane remarks like that 🙂
        
        This comment coming to you from the 3rd world.
        (Cambodia)
        
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        October 20, 2023 4:18pm
    - Simon
      
      Infrastructure failure in Auckland is due to mass immigration. Too many people in a city not designed for large numbers that came in so quickly. Auckland Shitty Council bankrupted the rate payers.
      
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      October 20, 2023 11:14am
  - Prince
    
    Pipes are boring.
    Spending other people’s money on ‘vibrancy’, ‘bold visions’ and picking winners is much more exciting.
    Our mayor describes herself as ‘charismatic’. How could we go wrong ?
    I heard an interview with her on Tuesday. Someone needs to tell her the ‘g’ in ‘agenda’ isn’t a hard ‘g’, as in ‘ago’, but a soft ‘g’ as in ‘agent’.
    Also, it’s not ‘Me and Iona Pannett went to meet…’, it is ‘Iona Pannett and I went to meet…’
    I is the subject, not the object.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:49am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      ‘Me and Iona Pannett went to meet…’
      
      10 years in Standard 2
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:30am
      - Observant Octagenarian
        
        Harsh but fair!
        
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        October 20, 2023 11:28am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Observant,
        She is really not that bright. Unemployable in the Private Sector.
        
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        October 20, 2023 11:40am
    - Positan
      
      Her speech/diction is yet another glaring example of how bad has been the rendering of NZ’s far-less-than-adequate education system – even back then, and how LOW it has sunk ever since.
      
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      October 20, 2023 9:34am
    - alwyn.a
      
      “… the ‘g’ in ‘agenda’ isn’t a hard ‘g’, as in ‘ago’, but a soft ‘g’ as in ‘agent’.”.
      I think she may have been thinking of her “do you know who I am” afternoon recently and thinks it rhymes with “a bender”.
      Incidentally did you see her other “Up you” to the new Government and her intention to get signed a contract to re-cycle the Golden Mile?
      https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/19-10-2023/golden-mile-contract-literally-days-away-wellington-mayor
      I hope the Transport Agency tells her that any approval of Crown money for the project is on hold until the new Government is able to review the subject.
      We are supposed to be in caretaker mode after all.
      
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      October 20, 2023 2:27pm
    - John Loveridge
      
      I’m racking my brains to recall a more stupid bubbleheaded mayor than Tory Whanau, but I’m at a loss. Does anybody have a candidate?
      
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      October 20, 2023 5:22pm
      - JimBobJoe
        
        Celia Wade-Brown runs Tory close….. just more polished but equally dim if the policies she push are anything to judge by…
        
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        October 20, 2023 6:05pm
  - cmm
    
    Pipes are boring.
    … but come look at our cool new rainbow crossing!
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:02am
    - Steve Todd
      
      … but come look at our cool new rainbow crossing!
      
      That’s getting boring, cmm.
      
      That crossing was created five years ago, during Justin Lester’s mayoralty (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba_Street_rainbow_crossing).
      
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      October 20, 2023 10:03am
      - oldpark
        
        Well how about Lesters Legacy on the Old Town Hall to do Earthquake Strengthening .Cost said to be Circa $200,000,000 Million. Notice he didn’t stand again for Mayor. Explaining to Steve Todd .
        
        Also the other woman a carpet bagger called Paul who will also leave a Legacy for Ratepayers .
        $260,000,000 Million Dollars for Bicycle Tracks as she scarpers off to represent Wellington Central as a Commie Greenie in Parliament.
        
        Circa getting close to Half a Billion Dollars .
        Both will have skipped leaving no care or responsibility for a lot of Wellington Ratepayers on Fixed incomes .
        
        Of course the Labour/Green voters who installed both mentioned ex Councilors or soon to be one of them another Green MP will be quite happy and benevolent to pay down so much debt and liability in their Rate Demands .Go Figure.
        
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        October 20, 2023 10:43am
- kowtow
  
  They’ve got plenty of kommissars .
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:25am
- ecco
  
  If Whanau gets that done then should see Wlg not getting much government funding going forward except for the second tunnel…
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:33am
  - igm
    
    The useless council are opposed to a new tunnel.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:50am
- Opie
  
  For those that don’t know, the big cinema complex on the main street (privately owned) requires earthquake strengthening which they claim to not be able to afford.
  
  The councils solution? Use ratepayers money (or borrow and charge the interest to ratepayers) to buy the land for $32 million. They cinema will use this to carry out the work and then buy the land back by agreement in 10 years for a guaranteed $32 million.
  
  Assuming they have the money, this ties up 32 mil for 10 years with no gain (the value of the land will have massively increased by then) or they (we, the ratepayers) are effectively paying the interest on a loan for a private company (that is listed on the us stock exchange) to carry out r and m on their asset.
  
  Mind boggling that this idea could even be floated but it gets worse.
  
  It was discussed in a closed door meeting. After hearing this, some of the councillors (the 4 with a conscience by the look of it) leaked the details. Now they are in trouble with the boozy mayor for breach of confidence.
  
  She should be in trouble for breach of competence. How dare she misuse ratepayers funds like this. She should be sacked for even suggesting it.
  
  Don’t worry Tory, just raise rates by another 15%. Everyone will be ok with it because you are a Maori woman. And if they aren’t, they are racist.
  
  Now 2 of her green party mates have been elected into central government. Because that will make things better.
  
  Welcome to wellington. Most idiots per capita in New Zealand.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:48am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Sounds like a typical leftist business plan. It won’t work.
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:33am
  - Gravelroad
    
    It’s difficult to find much sympathy for the people of Wellington really.
    They voted for Ms Whanau who had little to no knowledge or experience of local body governance – buts she’s really cool, eh.
    They have voted for authoritarian Tamatha Paul, a Green Party extremist, as their MP.
    They have voted, in a Wgn fringe electorate, another Green Party extremist and single issue (bike riding)
    fanatic.
    They voted another Tribal Labour Party O’Connor as their MP in Ohariu despite him being almost non-existent over the last few years.
    So – you collectively have got what you voted for……………. The tyranny of the majority and all that.
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:48am
    - RightNow
      
      Not all of us Wellingtonians are lefties but I do agree with your overall sentiment.
      Also quite a few strategic votes went to Julie Anne Genter in the Rongotai electorate to stop Fleur Fitzsimons getting into parliament. Genter was getting in on the list anyway, but Fitzsimons needed the seat to get in at all.
      Check out the votes here and see the parties on the right got more party votes than electorate votes:
      https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023_preliminary/electorate-details-43.html
      Job well done 🙂
      
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      October 20, 2023 10:08am
      - Paulus
        
        Anybody who voted and turned Wellington Green is as twisted as the colour indicates.
        
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        October 20, 2023 10:37am
      - Groggy
        
        Yes I voted for JAG for exactly that reason. She was a shoo-in on the list anyway, and it stopped another one of our appalling ex-councillors getting let loose on a bigger trough of other peoples money.
        
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        October 20, 2023 12:25pm
      - alex Masterley
        
        RN,
        I hadnt looked at Genter v Fitzimmons in that light. If Ftizimons so awful that Genter is the least worst option then we have truly ducked a bullet.
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:28pm
      - John Loveridge
        
        It’s a frightening prospect but I might have done the same in that situation. What a turd to chew on though.
        
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        October 20, 2023 5:27pm
    - Sacha
      
      The people who voted Green were the students and lower level public servants.
      They are generally transients and have no interest in voting for the future. Its all about the politics.
      They have voted that way for years.
      
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      October 20, 2023 10:12am
      - blue collar
        
        And working from home … lazy bastards
        
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        October 20, 2023 4:43pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Green voters are low resolution thinkers fixated on “the latest thing”. Their solutions tend to be at the level of adolescent thinking.
        
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        October 20, 2023 6:19pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Gravel : “They voted for Ms Whanau who had little to no knowledge or experience of local body governance – buts she’s really cool, eh.”
      
      That’s what it’s all about. Falling in line with the “cool people” (I’ve come to realise they are generally lemming posers desperate for acceptance from other vacuous posers). Most of them are “young and dumb”.
      
      I remember going to a BBQ in the nineties and some Grey Lynn poser there was bagging John Banks with spittle flying out of his mouth because, wait for it, Banks wore a suit jacket with jeans! Oh the horror!
      
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      October 20, 2023 6:25pm
  - sungsamning
    
    Wouldn’t it be cheaper to buy everyone in Wellers lifetime Hulu, Netflix, and Prime subscriptions?
    
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    October 20, 2023 12:11pm
  - O C Smith
    
    or “most idiots per Capital in the OECD”.
    
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    October 20, 2023 1:22pm
- RoboRob
  
  Noooooo don’t bail Wellington out. Let the council reap the rewards of years of incompetence.
  
  3 waters was a thinly vailed attempt to bail out Wellington council. They were praying someone would come and take the burden of fixing decades of lack of maintenance away from them. Let Tory and her idiot friends deal with the issue. Let them fail. Sometimes it has to get really bad before people wake up to the problem.
  
  The same is true for Auckland, its only now that they are at their borrowing limits that people are focusing on spending cuts and sensible policy. (aside from the toy trams)
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:37am
  - goNZ1
    
    When did Welly actually have a competent Mayor ?
    Michael Fowler in 1974 maybe the last one.
    I see the city becoming a little San Francisco – full of alphabet people,druggies,homeless and socialist and eco-fundies making bad financial decisions.
    
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    October 20, 2023 11:07am
    - Observant Octagenarian
      
      Frank Kitts was pretty good!
      
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      October 20, 2023 11:30am
    - Groggy
      
      Blumsky was good. He actually did revitalise the place. As a salesman he knew how to sugarcoat a turd
      
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      October 20, 2023 12:27pm
    - alwyn.a
      
      Ian Lawrence was the last. He succeeded Michael Fowler.
      Ian was the last Mayor who cared that throwing money around was not costless. It actually had to be paid by the ratepayer.
      Lasted only one term though. The left-leaning lovies really couldn’t stand him.
      
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      October 20, 2023 2:35pm
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        Be fair, Jim Belich was the architect of the coolest capital on earth thing, that Fran and Blumsky kept rolling. For someone who came to Wellington in the late 80s, its a crying shame – we made it, we were cool, and it has been allowed to dribble away.
        
        Celia Wade Bicycle is when the rot set in, and its been downhill ever since.
        
        Key was right, its a Zombie town. Now with most of the old buildings yellow stickered, shit flowing into the harbour, >50% of the water wasted through broken pipes, MSD emergency housing all through Manners and Courtney Place…
        
        Wellington is doomed. Pedestrianising Lambton Quay will kiss goodbye to the rest of town. Only public servants left, and they are all working from home, because…. reasons.
        
        Anyway they can’t find a park if they do come into town, because Wellington’s guilty secret is that it is not 150,000 students and luvvies in the inner suburbs, its also 300,000 people who live in Porirua, Kapiti and the Hutt.
        
        Those are the people who shop, eat and patronise businesses in the inner city, and its pretty clear that they aren’t welcome.
        
        Sad.
        
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        October 20, 2023 5:23pm
Simon

600,000 on the bread line apparently. The poors need a bread line app they can download onto their smart phones. But the multimillion dollar bread line app will never get developed because of the tax cuts. What a terrible cycle.
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October 20, 2023 8:05am
- cmm
  
  600,000 on the breadline. Bullshit.
  
  Yup, they can afford to run a new smartphone, but apparently can’t afford bread.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:04am
  - Simon
    
    Smart phones are a human right. Smart phones connect the people more closely with govt. The more the govt can monitor the people the more responsive govt can become. Its a win win cycle. This human right smart phone technology was missing in Soviet Russia. It will make all the difference.
    
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    October 20, 2023 11:18am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Try living without a smartphone. You will be severely restricted in what you can do. You can get by with a computer instead but that will still cost you several hundred dollars (if you know how to accomplish that). If you are not somewhat tech savvy it will cost you more.
    
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    October 20, 2023 7:07pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  where were they the last 6 years???
  
  but only a week after the election, and the poor and homeless have reappeared.
  
  It’s a miracle!
  
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  October 20, 2023 5:25pm
vand

To hear Ms Packer on Morning Pravda radio this morning demonstrating the art of demogoguery as she peddled falsehoods such as genocide and apartheid by Israel was truly depressing.
At least we avoided her Party’s involvement in a (frightening) potential coalition of chaos with the Greens and Labour.
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October 20, 2023 8:05am
Simon

Housing loan interest rate 8%. Oil at US$88. 600,000 on the bread line already. US threating Syrian regime change, war in Lebanon. So wider war in the ME is possible. Credit contraction and the loss of economic confidence. Six years of utter garbage from govt effects people’s confidence as well.

Things are fairly bad now. Could get a lot worse.
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October 20, 2023 8:11am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  A bit like Luxon having absolutely no show of being PM
  
  5 0
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  October 20, 2023 12:19pm
- Close Hen Counters
  
  We are leaving the US today having spent ten days here – omg everything soooooooooo expensive including ‘outlet stores’ and target and I am yet to met one American who likes and agrees with Biden and Californian governor gavin newsome. The folks we spoke to in the desert cities and San Diego hate the woke bullshit/black lives matter …. Limitless fabulous conversations with lovely normal people.
  
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  October 20, 2023 2:38pm
  - blue collar
    
    It’s the 30 year mortgages at a set rate the yanks have cracked . We need to follow suit .
    Frees up spending money and gives security
    
    3 1
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    October 20, 2023 4:47pm
slightlyrighty

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/19/politics/sidney-powell-fulton-county-georgia-2020-election-subversion/index.html

She Crackened…..
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October 20, 2023 8:12am
- RoboRob
  
  This is going to be a big problem for the Trump and this time its his own fault.
  
  A whole heap of his ex associates are involved in the Rico but he is not supporting them with any funding. He talks a big game around loyalty but hasn’t shown any to these people. Many of the people charged just don’t have the funds for an expensive legal team to fight for them (and by proxy Trump) when the easy alternative of turning on Trump and having their charges dropped is available.
  
  Regardless of whether Trump should have been charged, whether its fair or whether its political, Trump has failed to support those around him and might pay the price.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:46am
- mawm
  
  The prosecutors dropped 7 felony charges for a misdemeanour plea deal! Sounds like Powell got the better of the prosecutors who overplayed their hand.
  
  12 1
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  October 20, 2023 10:09am
  - RichardX
    
    Wait till she testifies as a prosecution witness…also part of her deal.
    
    3 3
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    October 20, 2023 10:35am
    - mawm
      
      She’s agreed to testify truthfully! I would have expected her as an officer of the court to do so anyway.
      
      5 1
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      October 20, 2023 12:11pm
      - RichardX
        
        But does she have to testify at all?
        She has given up her right to silence as part of the deal.
        Think of it as a form of immunity, agreeing to testify in exchange for reduced charges and sentence, not because she “got the better of the prosecutors” as you claim.
        
        Guess who is most likely to damaged by her testimony.
        
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        October 20, 2023 12:28pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        The Georgia indictment accuses Trump and a number of others of conspiring to overturn the apparent result of the 2020 election in Georgia. The problem with the indictment is that using legal means to try to reverse the apparent result of an election is not illegal. In fact, it may well be praiseworthy. It happens all the time; that is how Al Franken, for one, became a senator. There is only one illegal act alleged in the indictment, and it does not involve Donald Trump. That act was breaking into a voting machine or other voting equipment in Coffee County for the purpose of trying to prove voter fraud.
        
        So what did Powell actually pled guilty to. Sure enough, the only charge to which she pled guilty was illegally accessing the Coffee County voting equipment. Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of six years’ probation and $9,000 in fines and restitution.
        
        TDS sufferers, always hopeful, thinks the net is closing on Trump: “‘This is a really big breakthrough for the prosecutors,’ CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said on ‘News Central.’” No, it isn’t.
        
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        October 20, 2023 1:32pm
Maggie Pie

Things are getting reeeal serious!

Never seen anything like this before 🙁

It’s WORLDWIDE……

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/worldwide-caution.html
22 1
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October 20, 2023 8:15am
- cmm
  
  Fear, fear, fear….
  PS: Sign up for our tracking app!
  
  26 1
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  October 20, 2023 8:27am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    No good tracking you if you are dead.
    
    7 2
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    October 20, 2023 9:43am
- Che Guava
  
  How considerate of them to give us a heads-up before the next false-flag attack. We won’t be so taken aback having been warned. Only in the free world would you get this level of customer service from government agencies.
  
  13 8
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  October 20, 2023 8:54am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yes,
    Probably an American airliner . Easy to do and easy to control.
    
    6 1
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    October 20, 2023 11:28am
    - Che Guava
      
      Terrorists and Tourists? Everyone can remember that one. I can see it now: “They hate us for our freedom of movement.” I could get behind that without thinking too much.
      
      5 0
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      October 20, 2023 11:52am
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Spend much time on bitchute Guava?
        
        2 0
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        October 20, 2023 6:30pm
      - Che Guava
        
        Nah, I mostly read books.
        
        0 0
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        October 20, 2023 7:17pm
Paulus

Don’t have a Mahuta appointed Commissioner like Tauranga.She said that Tauranga was not doing anything – now the Commissioners are spending like the Labour Government – ratepayers are not informed except pro lobbyists who favour spend spend spend.
Tauranga is now a building site as so much has been reduced to rubble sites. The main roads are a disaster as cycleways and devastating building and tree felling continues at a pace. Car Parks are effectively out so small business go bust.
The Head Commissioner is an ex National MP Anne Tolley wo is effectively a turncoat – but they have had their terms extended already so whether they get the boot next year we await to get an “elected” Council of local people..
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October 20, 2023 8:18am
- Cassandra
  
  And guess where Ms Tolley has sited the council’s new palace? Right on the best piece of land in Tauranga, on the waterfront, slap bang in the middle of the premium shopping zone. Nuts. But then, she doesn’t live in Tauranga.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:13am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  I think they get an election next year
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:20pm
Captain Mainwaring

Garrick Tremain’s website has now been inactive for nearly two weeks.
Anyone know what’s happened to NZ’s best cartoonist?
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October 20, 2023 8:21am
- rouppe
  
  This was published 4 days ago…
  
  https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/tremain-stuffed
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:24am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  He’s 82; let’s hope he’s just having a holiday.
  
  38 0
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  October 20, 2023 8:25am
  - slightlyrighty
    
    Labour is not longer government, so he’s probably taking a well earned rest!
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:36am
- kevn
  
  Captn… Tremains last to me was 16th October.
  It showed hipkins with his stuffed teddybear.
  
  19 0
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  October 20, 2023 8:39am
  - Biscuit
    
    Kevn, it actually depicts a teddybear with his stuffed Hipkins…
    
    25 0
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    October 20, 2023 8:51am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    A crying PM who cried in front of a nation needs a teddy to cuddle
    
    9 0
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    October 20, 2023 12:23pm
    - goNZ1
      
      It actually reminded me of telling my kid Santa wasnt real.
      In Hipkins blubbing case it was him realising for the first time on Saturday night Adern wasnt real as well as her lumping him with all the fallout.
      Definitely not contrition anyway,as he has stayed on as Leader!
      
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      October 20, 2023 4:01pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Trump is up 12 points over Biden, the dementia potato (should be much more imo)
Trump’s margin of victory appears to be so large in polling for next year that Democrats won’t be able to cheat enough to steal the election from him again.
This must be why the Democrats are looking for ways to not have an Election at all.

https://rightwingarmy.com/realloadednews/donald-trump-is-up-12-points-over-joe-biden-in-ohio-9-in-pa-7-in-wi/?utm_placement=realloadednews
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October 20, 2023 8:24am
- kowtow
  
  A President , abroad on a supposedly flag flying , morale booster visit to a country under seige in a sea of hate and surrounded by genocidal maniacs , reeling from massacres and hostage taking , in time of war to refer to that enemy as “the other team” .
  
  WTF.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:31am
  - nathie
    
    Maybe (like with ScoMo at the AUKUS launch) he couldn’t remember their name?
    
    Imagine the fun to be had if they made a new Team America movie!
    
    Wonder if it would feature an escalator leading up to a 747 so he didn’t trip going up stairs?
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:01am
  - cmm
    
    Imagine what the Israelis must have thought watching him come down the stairs….
    
    You would hardly think your big brother has shown up to help defend you.
    
    More like: hope he doesn’t fall down and break his hip.
    
    17 2
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    October 20, 2023 9:07am
    - goNZ1
      
      all the hugs were ironic considering Biden has never even invited Bibi to the Whitehouse!
      
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      October 20, 2023 4:03pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    The Biden Regime continues to be a national security threat to the United States of America. They’re sending American taxpayer dollars to Hamas terrorists under the guise of humanitarian aid.
    Just continuing to destroy America.
    
    https://www.rvmnews.com/2023/10/biden-giving-100m-to-palestine-says-they-need-training-to-shoot-straight-videos/?
    
    11 2
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    October 20, 2023 9:49am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Biden told Hammas you gotta shoot straight, hahahahaha
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:24pm
Maggie Pie

Exactly what is going on in the Capital?

‘Wellington cyclist attaches broom to his bike
to sweep away thumb-tacks thrown on Cycleway’

LISTEN:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018911776

The question that needs to be asked….what sort of a person would do that?
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October 20, 2023 8:32am
- Captain Mainwaring
  
  A nutbar cyclist (and Tory Whanau voter) obviously.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:37am
- slightlyrighty
  
  what sort of a person glues themselves to a main road in Rush Hour??
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:37am
- mandk
  
  Yeah, I agree.
  
  Cyclists who attach brooms to their bikes need to be stopped (-;
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:39am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    😀
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:59am
  - alloytoo
    
    Attaching the broom makes it a Hybrid vehicle.
    
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    October 20, 2023 4:23pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Looks like the Thorndon Quay cycleway will be a dozy for the next year or so of “construction”
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/500592/daycare-upset-cycleway-construction-will-force-parents-to-park-50m-away
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018911928/businesses-confused-over-let-s-get-wellington-moving
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:49am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Surely National will intervene and put a stop to this absolute madness?
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:08am
  - Loddenthinks
    
    Send them to Tauranga for a few days, Maggy. That will give them a very good idea of what they’re in for over the next several years.
    
    19 0
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    October 20, 2023 9:09am
- Prince
  
  An overworked one.
  An old saying ‘Sure, give me more jobs to do. And stick a broom up my ass and I’ll sweep the floor as well’.
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:54am
- nathie
  
  A broom attached to a bike won’t work as it will simply disperse the tacks for other cyclists to run over.
  
  What he needs to do is attach a vacuum cleaner to his bike, that’ll sort out dem darn tacks!
  
  With WCC approved electric charging points along the route …
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:06am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Vacuum cleaner? Don’t encourage him, he is already silly.
    Disperse the tacks? Yes, but it is all about him, look at me, look at me.
    Bring back mental institutions…
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:59am
- pdm
  
  Julie Ann Genter Maggie Pie.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:10am
- MCōs
  
  I saw that guy on tv
  While the broom might be fairly useless at sweeping up the tacks he certainly had an effective way of drawing attention to the fools who spread the tacks on the cycleway.
  The whole scenario is just what you’d expect in Wellington
  Never see that sort of thing in the mean streets of Auckland
  
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  October 20, 2023 2:46pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    In Auckland there is no Harbour Bridge Crossing for the non=paying cyclists!
    Therefore no tacks. Dunno about that pink shit that goes inti Neilson St?
    Of course the cyclists use it in masses!//
    
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    October 20, 2023 5:33pm
Rusty

Aust Sky news ran a story a couple of days ago that Chris Luxon was quoted as being in favour of ditching King Charles as head of state in NZ.

I don’t recall him saying that during the election campaign nor have the media said anything.

Has anyone else heard that story?
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October 20, 2023 8:33am
- Nickc2
  
  NO!
  
  19 0
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  October 20, 2023 9:04am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Media creating Fake News?
  There are now 3 people talking about this already!
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:04am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Well they are full of shit, asked many times about whether we should become a republic, he has stated every time, absolutely not
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:26pm
ClanMcleod

A new peer reviewed study in the British Journal of Pharmacology showing that mRNA jabs cause heart damage.

Commenting on the study, the US cardiologist Dr Peter McCullough said yesterday: ‘There have been many drugs that have never made it to the market because they cause heart rhythm disturbances. Because the Covid-19 vaccines were rushed in development, pre-clinical cardiac toxicity studies were skipped. Now, three years into the disastrous Covid-19 vaccine campaign, we are learning that probably every person sustains some degree of heart dysfunction or damage within 48 hours of the shot . . . This and many studies support a complete moratorium on mRNA research, given these very serious findings.’

https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/heart-damage-study-adds-weight-to-call-for-immediate-ban-on-mrna-vaccines/

There is a reason why mRNA products have been researched for 20 years but have been unable to get even one approved to market – until a couple of years ago. It is a dangerous technology that isn’t fully understood yet.

How is it possible that the Pfizer and Moderna crap was approved after less than 6 months of extremely dodgy research that had zero data for the most vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women?
Yet in NZ, the most vulnerable groups were those most heavily targeted by the fear and propaganda campaign compelling many to take part in an experiment against their will?

I hope this new government does the right thing and moves quickly to have a proper, thorough inquiry into jab injuries and deaths which are currently being ignored.

No doubt those who should be doing this would prefer it doesn’t happen, most of them are complicit in enabling this nightmare, if not actively promoting it. It has to happen. This period will never be forgotten and we will never move on until it is addressed.

Time for Mr Luxon to prove he is a leader.
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October 20, 2023 8:40am
- Keith White
  
  I completely agree with your hope but I fear nothing substantive will happen – because the inbound government is exactly as complicit as the outgoing government; with the entire Parliament — and the majority of NZ’s doctors – overriding our bodily autonomy and our freedom of choice while entirely neglecting the doctrines of informed consent and ‘do no harm’; and breaching the Nuremberg Code in all its 10 particulars.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:44am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  And ask that “safe and effective” liar some serious questions.
  How much did they pay?
  
  18 1
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  October 20, 2023 10:07am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Electric utes. It is all going pear shaped.
At the current rate, they’ll be lucky to sell 42,000 this year. Ford sells about 650,000 gas-powered F-150s for comparison.
Looks like the end of the EV bullshit is starting. The World does not have enough recourses to keep making the batteries

https://americanpatriotclub.com/americans-tell-ford-where-they-can-stick-their-stupid-electric-pickups/
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October 20, 2023 8:43am
- Prince
  
  But, but, Jacinda said, in 2021, …..
  “We absolutely acknowledge, with utes at the moment, the market is not meeting the needs there,” she told host Duncan Garner.
  …
  “The second point I’d make is that within the next – we’re hoping the next 12 to 24 months – the likes of Toyota are talking about bringing in EV utes. My hope is then people might delay their purchase in order to start building the market.”
  
  https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/06/clean-car-package-toyota-new-zealand-shuts-down-jacinda-ardern-s-claim-company-is-talking-about-bringing-in-ev-utes.html
  
  Absolutely !
  
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  October 20, 2023 8:59am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    That news spread fast inside Toyota. One of the head honchos got on the blower and called out her lie. Toyota was NOT having discussions about electric utes in nz.
    But we all know lies are part of everyday life for Ardern.
    
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    October 20, 2023 10:15am
  - blue collar
    
    Toyota are in the shit for dodgy utes , 35,000 in Nz , 250,000 in oz .
    I’ve got one , same problem ( emissions filter ) says I was doing a 2000 degree burn off when it wasn’t ( 500 degree limit before warnings or something , was a while ago ) lights up warning signals on the dash like a Xmas tree .
    Took it in , they couldn’t get their heads around it , the old if it keeps happening bring it back bollocks .
    Still lights up like a Xmas tree but I ignore it . Still runs fine .
    It’s a dodgy emissions filter put in to get up to eoropean standard .
    Too much tech in the utes now , one glitch and drama ville .
    Class action underway .
    Watch this space .
    Can’t post links . My bad . Was in the news today . Mines a 2022 brand new jobby.
    I love Toyotas , landcruisers anyway , old school 80 series , same with hilux .
    Modern plastic cars with electronic sensors n bollocks suck the fat one
    
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    October 20, 2023 5:29pm
- Paulus
  
  Did I not hear the other day that the US had sold 2750 Electric Vehicles in a month ?
  They don’t lover em.
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:45am
  - info@cruzpro.com
    
    “A total of 132,029 plug-in vehicles (104,015 BEVs and 28,014 PHEVs) were sold during September 2023 in the United States, up 58.6% from the sales in September 2022. PEVs captured 9.91% of total LDV sales ”
    
    https://www.anl.gov/esia/light-duty-electric-drive-vehicles-monthly-sales-updates
    
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    October 20, 2023 5:27pm
- Raphael
  
  the challenge is utes are typically a working vehicle. They’re out on site/in the fields all day with heavy loads often no where near what they could be recharged etc.
  Full electric just ain’t going to cut it for most farmers/tradies.
  Now a hydrogen ute could be interesting.
  
  (Daimler just had a road test of a fully laden semi doing over 1000km on a single tank of hydrogen with the new Mercedes hydrogen engine. https://www.trucknews.com/sustainability/hydrogen-powered-daimler-truck-passes-1000-km-on-single-fill/1003178400/ unlike the Tesla EV semi, it can handle actual heave loads)
  
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  October 20, 2023 11:10am
  - NothingLeft
    
    Hydrogen is a shitty fuel for road transport. Ridiculously bulky and dangerous and expensive to distribute. Synthetic hydrocarbons are better if want fossil fuel free.
    
    Uses and vans should be plug-in hybrids, EVs won’t cut it for towing.
    
    12 0
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    October 20, 2023 11:38am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Hydrogen is pie in the sky currently. Currently a bloody expensive fuel with all the costly inputs.
      
      6 0
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      October 20, 2023 6:32pm
- sungsamning
  
  It sounds like a smaller repeat of the Edsel story.
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:24pm
- John Loveridge
  
  Farmer friend trialed the LDV electric ute when the demos arrived and were being promoted to cockies coming into town to spend up before the ute tax hit. He took it home for a day or two and said it was hopeless. He couldn’t get into town and back on a charge, and it was far worse if it was loaded. And the payload was tiny anyway. Between the underslung battery pack and the bulky electric motor where the diff is normally found the ground clearance was rubbish. No good for farm tracks. And 2WD only. He took it back and told the rep he wouldn’t be selling any of them to farmers. Rep was all hurt. But Farmer Dan was right. He went down the road to Toyota and bought a Hilux, by the way.
  
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  October 20, 2023 5:38pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  Only good for corporate greenwashing. Guess who pays?
  
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  October 20, 2023 6:37pm
Jack5

They’re misleading us, and it’s serious.

Politicians, economists, and the country’s commentariat are conning us by focusing on gross national wealth rather than on NZ’s per capita wealth, which continues to fall.

They praise immigration to keep eyes on total GDP. Immigration seems the only economic strategy they can come up with. In doing this they mostly ignore GDP per capita.

A population in-rush likely increases total GDP, but beware when it increases it at the price of a fall in individual citizens’ wealth.

GDP per capita measures the net benefit of immigration. NZ’s GDP per capita is falling.

Heavy immigration, as in NZ in the last few years, blows out demand for housing and piles pressure on infrastructure and services. The over-all economy’s growth needs to outpace this surge in costs. GDP per capita is the measure.

Gareth Kiernan of Infometrics in Stuff today writes:

” … the flow of migrants into the country had played a big part in supporting the economy, which meant the results were less positive on a per capita basis.

He includes this like an after-thought.

NZ is down to 42nd in the world by GDP per capita, and we are still sliding.

For a difference between what is told by GDP versus GDP per capita, consider India: third in the world in GDP but 160th in the world by GDP per capita.

India will increase GDP per capita, while NZ’s falls. In the meantime, the brightest leaving India must consider Australia, at 30th in the world in GDP per capita and rising, and Canada at 15th, ahead of NZ, 42nd and falling.

Where are the vision, strategies, plans to break our national decline?
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October 20, 2023 8:47am
- Tom Hunter
  
  I recall having this debate on Kiwiblog during the Key years when there was all this boasting about our average annual GDP growth – which was a bit about 3% IIRC?
  
  I pointed out that since our population had been growing by an average of 2% per year, all down to immigration, we’d have needed a Soviet style economy to not by at least 2% per annum, so the remaining balance was nothing to crow about.
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:57am
- goNZ1
  
  Where are the vision, strategies, plans to break our national decline?
  
  easy, they couldnt wait any longer and have already left for Australia.
  
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  October 20, 2023 4:07pm
- Matt Long
  
  That’s easy to solve, we will increase regulation and taxation until GDP per Person increases.
  If that doesn’t work we’ll increase government borrowing and spending until inflation falls.
  
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  October 20, 2023 4:54pm
kevn

Clan… Shoot though, give ’em a gong on the way out.
This could be winnies redeeming opportunity.
Do what he said he would.
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October 20, 2023 8:52am
igm

The useless council are opposed to the new tunnel.
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October 20, 2023 8:53am
BeaB

Where did the RNZ political reporter suddenly pop up from? Now she is closely examining every word Luxon has uttered and showing how he is incorrect about everything. It must be a relief after 6 years of perfection from Labour to have a National team back again to carp at and criticise.
Every time we hear the words ‘Christopher Luxon’ we now know something negative is on the way.
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October 20, 2023 8:55am
- Raphael
  
  This has been the challenge Luxon has actually been facing since he became leader. Every word/action he does is going to be examined by our MSM to see what is the most extreme, out of context way they can possibly take it.
  
  You already have David Farrier (the other one, not our esteemed host) rabbiting on about how Luxon is an extremely fundamentalist conservative Christian.
  https://twitter.com/davidfarrier/status/1713261078682140725
  
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  October 20, 2023 11:32am
imalwaysright

Yes Clan,

And remember being told that we were being locked up an mandated through an “abundance of caution “.

Where is the abundance of caution over the detrimental effects of the drug ?

Also remember the government telling 12 year old children that they are entitled to take an experimental drug without their parents consent .

The previous rule of thumb was that if more than 50 deaths worldwide could be linked to a drug then it was immediately withdrawn.

If Luxon tries to ignore what is going on he might find Parliament gets another visit from concerned citizens .
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October 20, 2023 8:55am
Maggie Pie

Never mind what he has to say….
people really want to know what’s happened to Joe’s CHIN?!

https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1714772958688735296
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October 20, 2023 8:56am
- kevn
  
  Maggie… John Wayne mini makeover.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:10am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    I was thinking more along the lines of ‘Captain Ballsack’
    
    😀
    
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    October 20, 2023 9:25am
- Inandout
  
  Maggie, looks like chin filler has moved.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:35am
- Raphael
  
  I saw that there is a supposed tikTok challenge where numpties are taking a hammer to their jaw to try and give themselves a better jawline (although much of it seems to be taking the mikey out of the idea). Maybe Joe is trying to get in on what the kewl kids are doing.
  
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  October 20, 2023 11:35am
- NZer In Exile
  
  Blinken’s ventriloquist’s doll?
  
  WTF?
  
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  October 20, 2023 6:35pm
Loddenthinks

I’ve been in London for a few days and the reaction to the Hamas terror atrocities here – and in every civilised country with one exception – has pretty much been the same. The German Chancellor, POTUS and now Rishi Sunak have all flown to Israel to personally show solidarity with the people of Israel, in a tangible demonstration that they support them in their latest hour of need. Not a word have I heard from any media commentators or opposition MPs that they shouldn’t be doing that.

And what do we have in the People’s Republic of Outer-rower? Shameless MPs shamefully and gleefully calling the terrorists “freedom-fighters”, vacillation from the outgoing (hooray!) Hipkins, and a craven backdown and groveling apology from the Auckland War Museum for daring to light the museum up in Israel’s colours to show solidarity with the people that were murdered.

It’s not often I’m ashamed to be a New Zealander, but now is one of those times.
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October 20, 2023 9:08am
- Cassandra
  
  So is John Minto, apparently because NZ hasn’t gone far enough in supporting Hamas. Note that it’s always Hamas, not the elected government of Gaza. By any definition Gaza has declared war on Israel. The people of Gaza will now suffer the consequences, as will the war criminals who govern them.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:17am
- Libertarians are right
  
  Check out Seymour’s response last week when he was asked what he thought of the IDF’s response.
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:20am
- mogg
  
  Yes MSM will believe a bunch of terrorists rather than a democratically elected government.
  
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  October 20, 2023 1:01pm
Maggie Pie

Let’s not forget that our very own Dame Jacinda has been appointed to TWO
Harvard-Fellowships by this most august of institutions….

https://theupperlip.co.uk/2023/10/harvard-announces-new-course-hitler-was-right-the-wonderful-history-of-antisemitism/
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October 20, 2023 9:18am
- Keith White
  
  “You can always tell people from Hahvard, you just can’t tell them anything.”
  
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  October 20, 2023 9:50am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    That was before she even got there!!
    
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    October 20, 2023 10:24am
- Che Guava
  
  Obviously satire, but Harvard is an excellent case of Jewish donors pulling their funding when Israel is criticised or doxxing and punishing students for not being sufficiently pro-Israel.
  
  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/18/us/harvard-students-israel-hamas-doxxing.html
  
  “But within days, students affiliated with those groups were being doxxed, their personal information posted online. Siblings back home were threatened. Wall Street executives demanded a list of student names to ban their hiring. And a truck with a digital billboard — paid for by a conservative group — circled Harvard Square, flashing student photos and names, under the headline, “Harvard’s Leading Antisemites.””
  
  “At the University of Pennsylvania, donors are pushing for the resignation of the president and the board chairman, after a Palestinian writers’ conference on campus invited speakers accused of antisemitism.
  
  At Harvard, a billionaire couple quit an executive board. Another donor pulled money for fellowships. And Lawrence Summers, a former Harvard president and Treasury secretary, criticized the leadership for a “delayed” response to the Hamas attack and the student letter.”
  
  “One of the women found out from a friend about the billboard truck. It was parked just outside the university gates, plastered with a giant image of her smiling face. Customers sitting at a pastry shop, students looking out of their dormitory windows and commuters rushing to and from the train station could see her, along with a carousel of other students, being branded as antisemitic.”
  
  “The group is not done. It has purchased domain names for Harvard students associated with the letter and is setting up individual websites for them. Each site will call for the university to punish the students.”
  
  “Bill Ackman, the [Jewish] hedge fund billionaire and Harvard alumnus, wrote on social media that the names of students should be circulated, to avoid “inadvertently” hiring them. His more than 800,000 followers boosted Mr. Meyer’s website, and led dozens of chief executives to ask for the list, Mr. Meyer said.”
  
  This is the kind of instinctive vengefulness and flexing of power and influence that can only increase negative public sentiment toward the Jewish people.
  
  There’s a point where people start to roll their eyes when yet another accusation of “anti-semitism” is directed at someone who simply disagrees with the Jews.
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:55am
  - Keith White
    
    I’d say it’s more a case of the student groups’ karma running over their dogma.
    
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    October 20, 2023 11:28am
    - Che Guava
      
      So simply criticing Jews or Israel, or not supporting them enough, deserves karmic retribution? Why? It’s pretty dogmatic to go to great lengths to punish students who have views different to your own, isn’t it.
      
      If this were Chinese donors or Chinese hedge fund billionaires in America reacting to criticism in this over the top way, no one would hesitate to call them “fascist totalitarians” or some other such pejorative. They’d be seen as having and exerting a great deal of influence.
      
      Please explain the double-standard.
      
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      October 20, 2023 11:41am
      - All_on_Red
        
        The part you miss is where all those people praised Hamas for the slaughter they committed.
        Those people liked seeing Jews killed.
        Just like many on here.
        
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        October 20, 2023 1:03pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Guava do you believe Jews are evil?
        
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        October 20, 2023 7:12pm
      - Che Guava
        
        “Guava do you believe Jews are evil?”
        
        No. That’s the reductive way that some people categorise disagreement or criticism, but that’s not a mindset I share. I’ll criticise anyone if it’s justified.
        
        Imagine assuming that I hated X or thought they were evil just because I criticised X. That’s a bizarre equation and probably says more about you than I. Besides, I’ve heard Palestinians being called evil and all sorts of other pejoratives by KBers over the last few days, so I wouldn’t be pointing fingers if I were you.
        
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        October 20, 2023 7:37pm
    - sungsamning
      
      Free speech is just fine. But it can have consequences. A yanked visa, or ones six figure salary career prospects evaporating.
      
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      October 20, 2023 12:29pm
      - Che Guava
        
        That is true, but look at what these events confirm: Jews with power will use that power and coordinate to destroy people just for saying things they don’t like. Who else can do and does that? This has moved from being a “classic anti-semitic trope” to being reality before our eyes.
        
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        October 20, 2023 3:08pm
  - RightNow
    
    I’m glad you stated your comment is obviously satire
    
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    October 20, 2023 11:48am
    - Che Guava
      
      Sick burn, bro.
      
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      October 20, 2023 12:28pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Hard to tell with you, as you behave like a Parody of a Pol Sci Student who has read some Pilger and now is just repeating talking points from some obscure blog
        You’re morally bankrupt too.
        
        9 3
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        October 20, 2023 1:05pm
      - Che Guava
        
        Among the many things I notice, I notice you never address the content of my comments. Cheap insults and calling me immoral for disagreeing with you is usually a sign that I’m right, or at least that you can’t articulate why I’m wrong.
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:28pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Probably word play rather than satire.
      
      The pressure to agree with and support the Jewish religion /race makes me want to know why they are seeking such special treatment .
      
      Nearly every religion and race has faced persecution and/or conflict and most of them would have at some time in their history even initiated it, but there aren’t many with such a ferocious desire to gain universal approval.
      
      Why?
      
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      October 20, 2023 1:06pm
      - Che Guava
        
        Everyone or every group is a victim of someone else at one time or another. But painting yourself as a perpetual victim gives you great license to act as you please. So successful have the Jews been in doing this, the slightest criticism is seen as a sign of hatred, and the more serious and sustained the criticism, the more it is equated with an imminent desire to commit genocide against them. All completely irrational and ludicrous, of course, but this sort of idea has to be irrational for it take root. Naturally, true victim and marginalised status are incompatible with creating and enforcing this notion.
        
        Thus, it doesn’t matter what the Israelis do in Gaza or elsewhere, the conditioning is so deep that, on some level, it will be excused because of the unique status that Jews have given themselves in the popular Western mind.
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:44pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Guava you speak as if progroms and the holocaust never happened. Why is that?
        
        Secondly, if nobody attacked or threatened Israel, would Israel attack anybody? I think not. They aren’t psychotic.
        
        Israel has been under constant threat and attack from “offended” (at it’s mere existence by all accounts) Muslim groups since it’s formation.
        
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        October 20, 2023 7:17pm
- Ehlana
  
  Their articles describe New Zealand quite well.
  
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  October 20, 2023 2:41pm
Vinicius

Rodney Hide’s podcast taking potshots at Tova and the media. Well worth a listen.

https://realitycheck.radio/rodneys-rant-what-tova-couldnt-see-coming/
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October 20, 2023 9:22am
BananaLlama

Newshub back at it again.
After overestimating the lefts support by 5% during the election they now say only 30% of the country wants a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi.
The right need to stop being so timid with these leftwing broadcasters, Newshub already has a sinking lid policy, tighten the screws and put them under for good.
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October 20, 2023 10:00am
- Ghost
  
  Not newshub but the polling company they use, reid.
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:14am
  - BananaLlama
    
    They put their name to it now they can own it.
    
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    October 20, 2023 10:16am
  - Libertarians are right
    
    That’s not how it works Ghost.
    The polling companies ask the questions they’re told to ask so push polling etc is the fault of the client, not the pollster.
    Look at Talbot Mills election polling, Labour’s poll wasn’t remotely close but their Corporate poll was very accurate.
    
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    October 20, 2023 10:30am
    - Ghost
      
      Actually what I was getting at is that tv3 are reporting the results reid get, not making it up
      
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      October 20, 2023 10:56am
      - Libertarians are right
        
        And what I was getting at was the Newshub most likely pushed those polls to get the results they wanted, AKA making it up.
        
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        October 20, 2023 11:57am
- thirteenstars
  
  This morning on The Platform, Michael Laws made some commentary on that poll, drawing attention to the actual question asked, which was: do you support a referendum on the Treaty?
  
  To most that translates to: should we keep or remove the Treaty?
  
  Newshub’s goal was to misrepresent ACT’s policy when their policy is not to keep or remove the Treaty but to clearly define its supposed principles and hold a ref. to give legal weight to those principles.
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:29am
  - Che Guava
    
    Why not get rid of it, though? I’d vote for that.
    
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    October 20, 2023 10:58am
- Keith White
  
  Can we have a sinking ship policy here rather than a sinking lid policy, please.
  
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  October 20, 2023 11:29am
thirteenstars

Arkansas Gov. Huckabee Sanders Signs Order Banning ‘Woke’ Terms Like ‘Pregnant People’ From State Govt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S5cX3nzfyE

Exactly what’s needed in NZ central and local government.
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October 20, 2023 10:07am
- Che Guava
  
  Purely performative, and will not achieve anything of substance. She should make identifying as transgender and encouraging another person to identify as transgender a criminal offence if she wants to make a statement.
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:42am
  - mandk
    
    I don’t agree.
    
    It is a useful step in pushing back against the poisonous activities of vile people who would love to see the destruction of Judaeo-Christian values and institutions, especially the family.
    
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    October 20, 2023 11:03am
    - Che Guava
      
      Judeo-Christian is a contradiction. Religious Jews (and obviously, atheist Jews as well) completely reject Jesus, so it makes no sense at all to conflate Christianity and Judaism. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament and with him, the existing covenant finished. The Jews don’t accept this.
      
      The family is the centre of many cultures across time and space, including and especially Islam, so it is hardly a peculiarly “Judeo-Christian value”
      
      The reason the term Judeo-Christian was invented was so that Jews could more easily enlist Christians to help them achieve their ends. They need European/American Christians to believe they have common values and share a common cause, because they have an interest in Christians believing that a relationship exists.
      
      The history of Jews and Christians since the advent of Christianity has been a general mutual enmity. Muslims have more in common with Christians in several respects, not the least being that Islam counts Jesus as a prophet.
      
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      October 20, 2023 11:30am
      - Taieri
        
        The reason the term Judeo-Christian was invented was so that Jews could more easily enlist Christians to help them achieve their ends.
        ————-
        
        What a rubbish…
        
        Judeo-Christian was a term originally used to describe neophytes, i.e. Jewish converts to Christianity. It was coined by one Alexander McCaul, an Irishman and a missionary sent by the London Society for Promoting Christianity amongst the Jews to the Eastern Europe (Poland), at the time a home of a large Jewish community.
        
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        October 20, 2023 12:01pm
      - mandk
        
        It’s not a contradiction.
        
        Jews and Christians share a culture rooted in the Ten Commandments.
        
        And to claim that Christians and Muslims have something in common because the latter regard Jesus as a prophet is risible.
        
        The Muslim view of Jesus is fundamentally and irreconcilably different from the view of Christians.
        
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        October 20, 2023 12:08pm
      - Che Guava
        
        “Jews and Christians share a culture rooted in the Ten Commandments.”
        
        Maybe they do, but they have since diverged sharply. Christianity began with Christ, and by definition, those who carried on as before and thus rejected Jesus are not Christians.
        
        If you’ve ever read the New Testament, it is obvious that it was a departure from the Old Testament. The OT is a kind of preface to what comes in the NT.
        
        Rabbinical Judaism is a legalistic interpretation of the OT (the Torah) and its central text is the Talmud. Jews worship the Law, whereas Christians worship the Logos (the Word, or God himself). The result is a completely incompatible set of ideas and values. Christianity is universalistic, whereas Judaism is tribal and particularistic.
        
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        October 20, 2023 12:26pm
      - Che Guava
        
        “Judeo-Christian was a term originally used to describe neophytes, i.e. Jewish converts to Christianity.”
        
        That’s Jews converting to Christianity. That’s very different to Jews and Christians being highly similar (if they were, why would they convert?).
        
        The way Judeo-Christian is used today is as a means of convincing Christians (particularly in the US, which Israel needs) that Jews are a key part of the Western culture (in which they have lived, but often in isolation and without much assimilation) that is intrinsically Christian.
        
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        October 20, 2023 12:36pm
      - Pineapple Lumps
        
        Che – I don’t think Christians have more in common with Jews than Muslims. Neither recognise Jesus as the Messiah. Muslims, like many other cults, believe their more recent prophet (Mohammed) has superseded all other prophets.
        
        But Jews have a special place in history and in prophecy to come. They are the people that God entrusted with his scriptures. Through these and Jesus they have blessed the world. And what of the Abrahamic covenants – where the children of Abraham have been promised special blessings – spiritual and material? A bit of a double edged sword as it has made the Jews the target of much envy and hatred.
        
        Biblically revelation shows that the Jews will recognise Jesus as the Messiah – they are going to endure great hardships and it will include the end of this world – but they will be reconciled with God.
        
        All people can share in the spiritual blessings of Christianity. Any Palestinian, Muslim, Atheist, Pantheist, Agnostic etc who recognises Jesus as Lord can share in those spiritual blessings. Otherwise they live a life in darkness and have no hope for the true life eternal.
        
        As a Christian I am thankful for the blessings that I have received which originated from the Jewish people – Gods Chosen people.
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:28pm
      - Ehlana
        
        I always thought “Judeo-Christian” was simply an acknowledgement that Christianity had its roots in Judaism. Didn’t Jesus say he came to fulfil the (Jewish) law?
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:46pm
      - Che Guava
        
        Pineapple Lumps
        Jews are welcome and encouraged to convert to Christianity. They’ve stubbornly resisted for 2000 years, but we can all admit our wrongdoing, repent and receive God’s grace. No more of this fire and brimstone, eye for an eye stuff, I say. That’s so BC.
        
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        October 20, 2023 2:54pm
      - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
        
        This is true, it is far more realistic to describe our civilisation as Greco-Romano in origin.
        
        Christianity adapted to and subverted that civilisation over the next thousand years. This amalgam of Greek, Roman and Christian philosophy about what being a good citizen means is what delivered us the renaissance, the enlightenment, and modern civilisation.
        
        The Judeo-Christian thing is far, far more recent, and in its current manifestation seems to this Deity, more a product of the US neocons and evangelical movement.
        
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        October 20, 2023 5:42pm
      - thirteenstars
        
        “This is true, it is far more realistic to describe our civilisation as Greco-Romano in origin.”
        
        Your first two paras are spot on, the third, not so much.
        
        The whole absolute monarchy thing beginning in the middle ages, the divine right of kings, and monarchy as head of the state church solidified the Judeo-Christian imperative. To this day, the British monarch, our very own head of state, is also the head of the state church. No separation of church and state there and a very long JC mythology of the right to govern.
        
        The Founders of America on the other hand were powerfully inspired by Greco-Roman ideals and structures.
        
        They wrote a very-well regarded constitution upon it.
        
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        October 20, 2023 6:30pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Guava as I understand it Jewish religious scholars generally regard Christianity in the same way Christians regard Mormonism (off the rails doctrinally, big-time). They are usually too polite to say this directly as Christians these days are generally allies of Israel.
        
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        October 20, 2023 7:23pm
  - Libertarians are right
    
    No.
    People have every right to identify as Trans if they want. It just shouldn’t give them access to sex based things.
    
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    October 20, 2023 1:50pm
- sungsamning
  
  And restrictions of foreign entities buying land there. A Chinese one has been forced to sell 100 acres of land they’d previously bought.
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:31pm
Chuck Bird

He is now a Christian.

Son of Hamas leader breaks silence: They must be stopped

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMCC2ihCowg
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October 20, 2023 10:09am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Stop Co-Governance. Julian Batchelor.

They say that underneath the ground is a living person, albeit a spirit.
Bullshit. Mumbo jumbo.
The freehold land owner could build the second roar and allow Maori to use it as well.
Still private so put a gate in with a series of padlocks linked together.
I used to go diving at Whale Bay, Raglan. Mate had a key to the property.

Somewhere in there the owner Peter Hay is breaching the Treaty, we have not found out which bit he is breaching yet.//

https://stopcogovernance.kiwi/blog/more-examples-of-private-property-rights-under-attack/?
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October 20, 2023 10:55am
Chuck Bird

These activists are damaging race relations and not Seymour or Peters.

Outrage over Māori lecturer who lined up New Zealand colonisation with Palestine – and what the university bosses had to say

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/outrage-over-maori-lecturer-who-lined-up-new-zealand-colonisation-with-palestine-and-what-the-university-bosses-had-to-say/IWVDON73LRD6XHWPIUGIMF7CZA/
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October 20, 2023 11:32am
- Cantabrian
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:55pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

I have an email from FSU Free Speech Union.
They have laid a complaint with the Human Rights Review Tribunal on behalf of Julian Batchelor.
I could not find this on their webpage so copied from my email.

Over the past eight months, Julian Batchelor has gotten a lot of coverage for his Stop Co-Governance campaign; it’s been pretty hard to miss. To some, he represents the essence of racist New Zealand; to others, he’s a hero- the one person willing to say what needs to be said.

As always, we’ll leave it up to you to decide.

What we are crystal clear on is the fact that, whether racist or not, he should have the right to make his claims. Yet, time and again, this hasn’t been the case. Julian Batchelor and the Stop Co-Governance team have faced cancellation after cancellation, as they travelled around the country. Where these were private venues, we’d say that’s their right; no one should be able to force you to host an event.

But public venues (where most of the cancellations were), have a duty to allow locals the right to meet, regardless of whether the Council likes what they say or not. It is absolutely against the idea of free speech for local politicians (or even worse, more often local council bureaucrats- in this case it was Taupo Council Chief Executive Julie Gardyne) to decide whether an individual’s views are too ‘offensive’ to be said in a public building.

Stop Co-Governance was going to hold a meeting on 26 April. But what we saw in Taupo was police, the Council, private security, and activists working in tandem, not to call out and counter speech they disliked, but to suppress and shut down ideas they disapprove of. This is the essence of political discrimination, and is plainly illegal.

You beat bad ideas with good ideas, not with censorship. Taupo District Council needs to learn that.

Today, I writing to let you know that we’ve laid a complaint with the Human Rights Review Tribunal on behalf of Julian Batchelor, the organisers of the event, and those people who wished to attend to hear Batchelor’s views.

As we have been working on this case, I have spoken with so many people who say ‘Julian Batchelor? Don’t agree with him at all- but all I wanted was a chance to understand more about what he was saying!’

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: you don’t have to agree with someone to want to hear from them. You certainly don’t have to agree with someone, or think their contribution is correct or helpful, in order to believe they should be allowed to speak freely!

I have personally spoken with several of the Councillors at Taupo District Council on this issue. They themselves were furious at the cancellation, and had specifically told the Chief Executive to inform them at least five working days prior to an event like this being cancelled by the Council. But in the end, they were only told after the cancellation had already occurred.

One on the other side, Karam Fletcher, one of the Maori Ward Councillors, threatened to resign from Council if the meeting went ahead. But that’s not how democracy works! If you can’t accept that in a democracy, others will say things that you don’t agree with, then you’re not cut out to be a leader.

This is just bullying, plain and simple.

We must demand better from our representatives, that they stand by the basic civil liberties that enable peace, stability, and prosperity in New Zealand. For Fletcher to threaten to throw his toys and resign from the responsibility he signed up for, all because Julian Batchelor was permitted to exercise his right to speak, is simply anti-democratic.

Steve, for almost three years, the Free Speech Union has fought for all Kiwis’ right to free speech. This is a foundational liberty. Without free speech, there is no freedom.Unfortunately, we’ve still got many battles ahead of us, and we can’t do this without you.

We must hold councils to account for anti-democratic bullying, but it takes more than passion and strong arguments. We’ve got those in spades, but we also need free speech champions to chip in financially. We’re looking to raise $11,000. Would you help us cover the costs of this legal fight?

Our team is moving at speed- our plans for 2024 are BIG. But we don’t get money from the Government, agencies, or establishment foundations- we rely on you.

Thank you so much for your support.
Jonathan Ayling.
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October 20, 2023 11:36am
leoj

This is democracy in Taupo:

An appointed (not voted) maori ward councilor, Karam Fletcher, threatened to resign from the Taupo Council if Julian Batchelor’s April 26th Stop Co-Governance meeting went ahead.

This wally not only has no idea about democracy (appointed, not voted) but also is clueless about free speech.

Even sadder is that unelected Chief Executive, Julie Gardyne, fell for it and did everything she could to stop the meeting.

Folks, just because there has been a change of govt will not stop dictatorial, unelected local officials from denying democracy or free speech.

Fascism is alive and well at local council level.
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October 20, 2023 11:36am
- Benedict Yu
  
  What a world. Events promoting free speech are evil. Events supporting Hamas are wonderful.
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:00pm
  - Che Guava
    
    “Events promoting free speech are evil. Events supporting Hamas are wonderful.”
    
    Aren’t events supporting Hamas an instance of free speech? If you don’t support free speech, then that’s fine, but you cannot claim to support free speech but only on the condition that it is speech you agree with. Principles are only of any value if they are applied universally.
    
    I support the right of Jews to call for the death of Palestinians, and I also support Palestinians to express similar sentiments. The line is when either of them start acting out their calls.
    
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    October 20, 2023 12:13pm
    - Pineapple Lumps
      
      Actually free speech doesn’t mean you have a right to say anything you like. The law is clear it is not ok to incite violence. It is why the Chch mosque terrorist document is able to be banned from general publication.
      
      But Che you aren’t seeing the wood for the trees with BYs statement. In these times they will do evil and say it is good and say what is good it is evil. These are the times we find ourselves in. eg Killing defenceless babes in the name of rights for a woman.
      
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      October 20, 2023 2:37pm
      - Che Guava
        
        “The law is clear it is not ok to incite violence.”
        
        Properly speaking, this doesn’t mean it is not OK to say things that could or may or even are likely to incite violence, only speech that does actually incite violence as a matter of fact.
        
        My view is that in the event speech incites violence (notwithstanding the difficulty inherent in proving a causal connection), then that speaker should be prosecuted. Then again, probably only the person doing the violence should be prosecuted.
        
        It’s not enough for X to say that Y’s speech could, possibly, maybe, hypothetically, potentially, incite violence. In that case, X can just prevent anyone saying things they don’t like. Same in the case of Y.
        
        It is far too convenient to invoke “hate speech” for political reasons as a tool for controlling open discussion and free expression.
        
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        October 20, 2023 3:44pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Guava, does Hamas support free speech?
      
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      October 20, 2023 8:12pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Councils are full of bastards like Gardyne.
  Same thing happened in Hamilton and other places.
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:14pm
- Taieri
  
  An appointed (not voted) maori ward councilor, Karam Fletcher, threatened to resign from the Taupo Council if Julian Batchelor’s April 26th Stop Co-Governance meeting went ahead.
  ———–
  
  Bugger, I hope he doesn’t. It would be such a tremendous loss not just to Taupo, but to the whole humankind…
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:17pm
- rouppe
  
  Should have called his bluff.
  
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  October 20, 2023 2:40pm
- MCōs
  
  Karan Fletcher wasn’t appointed
  He was the top polling candidate in the Te Papamārearea Māori Ward in last year’s local body election
  
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  October 20, 2023 3:19pm
  - Cassandra
    
    Racist Maori Ward – a blight this country. I look to the new government to do away with them.
    
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    October 20, 2023 3:51pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg2fR4Ge7dY
The Blame Game | Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain
Australia has spoken, and Albanese’s Voice has been defeated. Surely the Labor Government will accept this result and move on to important issues like an audit of the Aboriginal industry or dealing with the cost of living crisis?

Not a chance!

Get ready for the blame game! Albanese has missed his chance at history, and now someone has to pay, and it won’t be him.
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October 20, 2023 11:40am
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-9IeuxI5QQ
Donald Tusk Arrives with Headache for EU, Ukraine, NATO
In the aftermath of Poland’s elections, the victory of Donald Tusk’s opposition raised hopes for a pro-EU stance. However, Tusk’s recent statements have cast doubt on his positions, indicating potential anti-EU, anti-NATO, and anti-Ukraine policies. This unexpected shift challenges earlier expectations, leaving Poland’s political direction uncertain. [4:59]
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October 20, 2023 11:40am
Taieri

In the aftermath of Poland’s elections, the victory of Donald Tusk’s opposition raised hopes for a pro-EU stance.
—————

The election was actually won by the ruling Law and Justice Party with about 34% of the total vote against Tusk led KO coalition with about 30% of the total vote. As this does not give the Law and Justice parliamentary majority and there’s no likely coalition partner it is unlikely that it will form the government. But, under the Polish law, it is up to the Polish president who he will designate the next prime minister – not necessarily Tusk, as it doesn’t even have to be a sitting MP. Following such a nomination, the newly elected parliament will debate a Vote of Confidence in order to confirm or reject the president’s choice.
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October 20, 2023 12:12pm
Yvette

• One major issue to address is whether to accommodate ACT’s bottom line of a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi – but our latest poll reveals Kiwis aren’t keen. – Newshub

• When the Liberal’s Andrew Peacock proclaimed: “The Answer is Liberal”. Prime Minister Bob Hawke responded: “If the answer is Liberal it must have been a bloody stupid question”

The point being: What was Newshub’s question, to those they were polling, in defining what question the referendum would ask?
And if their poll seems to reveal a silly answer, does that suggest it may have been a bloody stupid question Newshub asked ?
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October 20, 2023 12:16pm
Maggie Pie

Just dropped my partner’s mums liquor-order into her before we head up to the beach.
It’s looking like being a fab weekend 😎 😎

Ma was telling us everyone in the Village seems to have taken on “a new lease of life” since last Saturdays election result.
One of the oldest residents there is in his late 90’s. A still very sprightly Polish Jew.
He was telling everyone that after the last six years, this has been one of the best weeks in his life. The only other time he felt elation like this was back in 1945, during the liberation of Auschwitz.
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October 20, 2023 12:27pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Labour is no longer a national party

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/500630/port-waikato-by-election-labour-won-t-stand-a-candidate-in-unwinnable-by-election
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October 20, 2023 12:38pm
- Ghost
  
  In other words labour are broke
  
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  October 20, 2023 12:44pm
  - mandk
    
    Maybe they should have sub-contracted their campaign to the CTU.
    
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    October 20, 2023 1:03pm
  - goNZ1
    
    go woke go broke
    
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    October 20, 2023 4:16pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Their adoption of the politics of hatred and division has made them deeply unpopular outside of small urban islands of woke and bludging.
  
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  October 20, 2023 4:12pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Most woketards are bludgers in one way or another.
    
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    October 20, 2023 8:13pm
Yvette

• Port Waikato by-election: Labour won’t stand a candidate in ‘unwinnable’ by-election

Not “in it for you” any more
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October 20, 2023 1:25pm
- Ghost
  
  Their new slogan is “even our parties books are deep in the red”
  
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  October 20, 2023 1:31pm
  - kevn
    
    Ghost… I wonder if they have paid for the rather extravagant stuff advertising yet? There was lots of it.
    Maybe a sort of pro bono deal ?
    ‘We claw back in and fund you some more.’
    
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    October 20, 2023 6:09pm
- Flossie
  
  Also read Act will not stand a candidate either. What is the situation if all parties other than shoo-in National did not stand? Would there even be a need for an election, or is that candidate “elected unopposed”?
  Seems to me that it would be a very good solution – save the minor parties funding, and a whole lot of tax payer money, as well as quickly get a result. I would have a bit of respect for any party that took that path.
  
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  October 20, 2023 2:24pm
  - Ghost
    
    From the above link that Maggy has posted these are the parties and candidates standing
    
    BAYLY, Andrew – National Party
    BRIGHT, Scotty – DemocracyNZ
    COSTELLO, Casey – New Zealand First Party
    DICKSON, Gordon John – Independent
    NGARO, Alf Metuakore – NewZeal
    OVENS, Jill Annette – Women’s Rights Party
    RIPPON, Anna Joy – Animal Justice Party
    SUDHAMALLA, Vijay – Vision New Zealand
    TURNER, Kim – New Zealand Loyal
    
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    October 20, 2023 2:28pm
- MCōs
  
  When David Shearers resigned the Nats didn’t put anyone up in the resultant by election that Jacinda won.
  
  Everyone with a brain in their head knows National will win that seat in a landslide
  One wonders why anyone stands against Andrew Bayly. Could have saved the country a couple of million dollars
  
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  October 20, 2023 3:40pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  So last week, Yvette
  
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  October 20, 2023 10:07pm
Ghost

Not looking good for mediaworks

A “material uncertainty” exists that may cast “significant doubt” on whether media company MediaWorks can continue as a going concern, auditors PwC say.

MediaWorks – which owns some of New Zealand’s biggest radio music stations including The Breeze and More FM as well as an outdoor advertising business – incurred a loss of $125.9 million in the financial year ended December 31 following a $110m impairment.

As of that date, the group’s current liabilities exceeded assets by $19.4 million.

MediaWorks has released financial statements and notes today which reveal it has breached banking covenants and that ongoing lending support is conditional on a number of factors, including having an external adviser review its strategic plans and operations.

Article
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October 20, 2023 1:41pm
- Blog-aholic
  
  Sounds like the deck chairs will be shifted around a bit longer but the ship will still sink.
  
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  October 20, 2023 1:54pm
- Keith White
  
  “How sad!
  
  Anyway…”
  
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  October 20, 2023 3:24pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Mai FM, The Edge, George FM, More FM, The Breeze, The Rock, The Sound, Magic, Humm, Channel X
  
  Streaming is eating their lunch. I deeply treasure not having to banal witterings of linkers and their braindead reckons interspersed with time wasting advertising.
  
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  October 20, 2023 4:09pm
  - kevn
    
    Nothing… Boomradiouk.com streams and is quite free of ads and feeble announcers. Mainly music.
    
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    October 20, 2023 6:06pm
- Libertarians are right
  
  It’s an interesting case.
  When Mainzeal went under (because the Chinese owners walked away, owing a huge loan to the company that was written off), the Directors (Jenny Shipley) were held accountable for trading insolvent because the Judge ruled they should have known the owners were going to rip the Company off.
  
  The issue the MediaWorks Directors have is that they have knowingly been trading insolvent AND there is no reason for them to believe their business plan will get them back into the black.
  
  I wonder if they are going to get in serious legal trouble? Or are they protected by the fact they don’t include a former National Prime Minister?
  
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  October 20, 2023 4:12pm
- Warren
  
  It is their own fault and it’s demise can’t come quickly enough , they set a goal in allowing their Journalists and TV hosts to go after Chris Luxon and National so they got a Labour Government and allowed people like Jenna Lynch, Samantha Hayes, Amelia Wade, Lloyd Burr, and many others lie in there endeavors to succeed.
  This was a plan to save themselves at the expense of the New Zealand Public and Democracy, so tough shit they made there bed so let them lie in it without more Taxpayers money.
  
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  October 20, 2023 7:16pm
  - Ghost
    
    Just a note, mediaworks only owns the radio stations and billboards. The tv channels were sold in 2020 to discovery channel.
    
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    October 20, 2023 7:28pm
Ghost

A bloody awful thing to go through. But you also have to accept your children decided to get in a car with a drunk driver, one in the boot of the car. Also accept that in a phone call from the car the driver was being encouraged to go faster.

My thoughts will always be with those who are left behind because I know what that is like, but this boy has served his physical time, he will always live with what happened. But he is not the only one at fault that night and the anger will only eat you up and destroy you.

Stephen Drummond feels he is living a prison sentence and is adamant the man guilty of killing his 15-year-old son, and four other teenagers in 2021, should still be in prison.

Article
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October 20, 2023 3:28pm
- Flossie
  
  Is it true that if a group commits a crime where a victim is shot to death then the whole group can be found guilty of murder and not just the shooter.
  Sad as the outcome for all involved is, the deceased teens should have some responsibilty as it doesn’t appear they were forced in to the vehicle.
  
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  October 20, 2023 4:28pm
goNZ1

this from audrey young at the ‘Erald.
” Bouquet – Goes to one of Labour’s best, Andrew Little, who has decided to retire from politics rather than go into Opposition. He has never been one to muck around.”

wow if hes one of ”Labours best” is it any surprise they got smashed in the election !!
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October 20, 2023 3:41pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  Yes, Andrew Little was one of Labour’s best.
  Look at that fact and consider that National and Act between them could not get 62 or more seats in parliament.
  That, to me, is a huge worry for my country.
  
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  October 20, 2023 5:18pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Joe Biden joins “Truth Social”
Fighting misinformation on Truth Social. Seriously?

“We just joined Truth Social, mostly because we thought it would be very funny,” Biden’s X account noted. “Follow us there for truths and retruths or whatever they call them.”
JOE BIDEN! It is well known that lefties are born without a sense of humour!

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/is-this-joe-biden-s-greatest-political-troll-of-all-time/ss-AA1ivrFC?

JOE! Why not get your own social media platform?
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October 20, 2023 3:54pm
- Paul Marsden
  
  And here’s Putin giving old Joe the run around..
  
  https://twitter.com/i/status/1714808266901823499
  
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  October 20, 2023 7:14pm
MCōs

Around thirty Thai workers were killed by Hamas
https://x.com/thaienquirer/status/1715216887272096195?s=61&t=yFkzCNMWRCaVt1p5eRxUog

In the meantime the Thai Pm Srettha Thavisin met Putin at the third Belt and Road Forum and invited him to visit Thailand
Russia is mates with Hamas & Iran
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October 20, 2023 5:25pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby-world-cup-2023/300992057/player-exodus-creates-headaches-for-incoming-all-blacks-coach-scott-robertson
I suspect that Robertson will make better selection choices than Foster, so this should not be a problem.
Selection is everything: coaching comes second.
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October 20, 2023 7:53pm

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