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May 22, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 22 May 2024

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General Debate

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peterwn

So Darleen Tana the ‘suspended’ Green MP has been referred to the Electoral Commission by the Green leadership for not having an ‘authorisation’ statement on an advertorial promoting herself in the May 2023 edition of Verve magazine. The interesting thing is the matter has only just arisen. In the normal course of events if no one raised the issue at the time, that edition of Verve would be mostly forgotten and that would be the effective end of the matter. She is under investigation for the Party for various things which has been trundling on for 9 weeks and cost the party $43,000. Interestingly her picture and brief bio on the Greens web site has also disappeared.
I strongly suspect the Party wants her to quit but she is holding out as long as possible. The Party most probably does not want to formally give her the boot which can be messy and bad publicity-wise. So what better than to look through old stuff for wrong doing then rat on her to the authorities. Be interesting to see whether Darleen takes the hint and walks, or whether she will cling on.
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May 22, 2024 8:00am
- Loddenthinks
  
  The issue of Verve in which her shameless advertorial still makes her look vacuous and self-serving is still on their website, and you can read it using issu. I did so you don’t have to, it’s as full of cliches and buzzwords as you’d expect.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:37am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  I think she can split away from the greens and go independent. The greens thrn have the option of Waka jumping her, but they will not like to do it cause it’s Peters law, let’s hope she digs her toes in wiping smirks of that screeching Swarbrick face
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:02am
  - Flossie
    
    That may well be how it is but it is ridiculous that a list MP can be disowned by the party and remain in parliament. They are only there by the very fact that Party X endorsed them and put them on their list. They should immediately exit and be replaced by the next name on Party X list.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:47am
    - peterwn
      
      That is one reason why Winston wanted his Waka hopper bill. In 1998 Jenny Shipley persuaded some NZF MP’s to jump ship after she fell out with Winston. This left Winston high and dry and he does not want that happening to him again.
      
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      May 22, 2024 12:43pm
- Ghost
  
  She has to resign. If the party boot her she can become an independent.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:04am
- Right of way is Way of Right
  
  One small issue with your statement, the cost of $43,000 has been paid from the Green Party share of Parliamentary Funding. So the cost is not being borne by the Green Party, it is being borne by the Taxpayer.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:25am
  - peterwn
    
    Yes, I appreciate that the $43,000 is effectively coming from the taxpayer. However if the money was not spent on that investigation, the Greens would have spent the money anyway on leaflets etc.
    
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    May 22, 2024 12:46pm
- Simon
  
  Check out Tana maiden speech. So many fake Maori concepts. So much bull shit its wall to wall.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:41am
  - MCōs
    
    Rather than read the speech I’ll take your word for it.
    Personally I think if a list mp leaves the party they should automatically leave parliament otherwise the party is down a seat to what they’re entitled to.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:42am
Yvette

The myth of the cession of Māori sovereignty
Part 1 of a 3 part series ahead of Waitangi Day: Believing Māori ceded sovereignty in 1840 requires a suspension of disbelief – and also a suspension of humanity

Moana Jackson once said that to accept that Māori surrendered sovereignty when they signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840 required “a profound suspension of disbelief”. As he put it, no country anywhere in the world has ever guarded its independence for hundreds of years only to then relinquish it. He argued that “to assume that is what our people did flies in the face of human history, let alone Māori history, where the notion of giving away the authority to make independent decisions is not just culturally inconceivable, it is politically impossible”.

Professor Margaret Mutu has pointed out the huge amount of evidence that casts further doubt on the myth of the cession of sovereignty. She states, for example, that in 1840 the Māori population numbered about 80,000, while the settler population numbered about 2,000. That the former would give up their sovereignty to the latter seems overwhelmingly unlikely. In some parts of the country, there were single-figure numbers of settlers when Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed. …

– Luke Fitzmaurice-Brown (Te Aupōuri)
is a lecturer in the law faculty at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/02/03/the-myth-of-the-cession-of-maori-sovereignty/

An equal contextual argument is Why would Queen Victoria seek a sharing of governance under any circumstance? – but the other argument is that Maori have accepted foreign governance and now domestic governance since the Treaty and the form of current government is now a Customary Right, and an understanding of every immigrant to arrive here since the present system of Government was established, with Maori general consent.
Not only does this Nation need to decide what was signed back in 1840, 184 years ago FFS, but move forward a little from whatever anyone guesses was a mindset back in 1840.
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May 22, 2024 8:01am
- Loddenthinks
  
  “He argued that “to assume that is what our people did flies in the face of human history, let alone Māori history, where the notion of giving away the authority to make independent decisions is not just culturally inconceivable, it is politically impossible.”
  
  Yes, well. Maori history and politics of that era and previous are fairly well documented. It wasn’t pretty. That’s one of the key reasons they sought the protection of British citizenship, and were prepared to meet the obligations and responsibilities concomitant with that status. At least for 175 years or so, anyway.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:41am
  - Yvette
    
    ■ “… flies in the face of human history, let alone Māori history, where the notion of giving away the authority to make independent decisions is not just culturally inconceivable, it is politically impossible.”
    
    ■ “… the Pakeha (Pale skin Gods with eyes in the back of their heads – a comment on the way the British row their longboats, facing backwards!) who brought with them Pigs and Cattle – as well as the unfortunate event of becoming a meal themselves occasionally! (“White man’s meat” was referred to as “Long Pork” by the Maori).
    The Maori were ferocious warriors who used psychology and intimidation in warfare – the peruperu (War dance, a.k.a. Ha-ka ) was intended to give the opposing force a preview of things to come – sometimes in the hope that they would give up and go home – and fierce facial tattoos were a sign of manhood and accomplishment amongst the firecest of warriors.”
    ____
    
    Given the context of ‘tikanga’, and Māori history, “where the notion of giving away the authority to make independent decisions is not just culturally inconceivable, it is politically impossible”, why did Maori not expect pakeha to have a similar constraint on power-sharing and inquire about that more thoroughly?
    
    Although each of the two “quotes” above appear to answer stupidity with more stupidity, they do raise a question about actual historic dissonance (right – further stupidity)
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:23am
- john1234
  
  There was no “Maori Nation” in 1840. It was a collection of tribes. Therefore there was no sovereignty to relinquish. Maori had everything to gain, by becoming part of the greatest empire on earth, and little or nothing to lose.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:44am
  - Right of way is Way of Right
    
    The Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand signed in 1835 and tabled in the Houses of Parliament in London would seem to state otherwise. Maori were trading independantly, as a nation, under their own flag, prior to the signing of the Treaty. Know your history before you make that sort of comment please.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:43am
    - kowtow
      
      Who’s idea was the flag and why are flags necessary for international trade.
      
      How many tribes out of the total “nation’ were party to the exercise and who actually created and ran the whole exercise .
      
      The devil is in the detail.
      
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      May 22, 2024 11:50am
      - Right of way is Way of Right
        
        Yes, but having discerned the need to declare independence and raise a flag, the Tribes united and did so.
        
        It is important to note that in doing so, they both declared an independent nation, and, more importantly, did not cede sovereignty, but entered in to a partnership of friendship with the crown.
        
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        May 22, 2024 1:10pm
      - kowtow
        
        The flag issue came about not as a matter of national independence but international trading ships required a flag otherwise they were liable to seizure.
        
        Nothing to do with nationhood , independence etc
        
        Maoris were certainly not trading as a “nation”.
        
        https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/flags-of-new-zealand/united-tribes-flag
        
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        May 22, 2024 3:43pm
    - Jake Dee
      
      A “Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand” tabled in the Houses of Parliament in LONDON, doesn’t show the independence of New Zealand but rather the exact opposite, the DEPENDENCE of New Zealand Māori upon the British and their center of power in London.
      Were similar documents tabled with Congress in Washington or with the courts of the great powers in Paris, Rome and Vienna? Were ambassadors exchanged between New Zealand Māori and the great capitals of the world?
      Did the Māori raise their own armies and fleets and coin their own currency?
      Did they even have their own bank accounts?
      With out real power and recognition of that power, any declaration of “Independence” is just a piece of parchment and a flag just a piece of cloth.
      
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      May 22, 2024 7:18pm
  - Simon
    
    “Collection of tribes” Collection of tribes at each other’s throats. The slavery, cannibalism, torture and constant warfare. It was a hell scape.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:44am
    - kowtow
      
      ‘At each other’s throats .’
      
      They were eating each other.
      
      Quite the united “nation”.
      
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      May 22, 2024 1:28pm
      - Right of way is Way of Right
        
        Perhaps you need to have a look at the list of European Wars that occurred during the 1800’s and remind yourself that conflicts between neighbouring groups of people were not the exclusive purview of Maori.
        
        Within 25 years of the signing of the Treaty, the USA had their own war which resulted in over a half a million deaths in 4 years.
        
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        May 22, 2024 4:10pm
      - kowtow
        
        Plenty of wars , no doubt .
        
        Not so much feasting afterwards .
        
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        May 22, 2024 4:52pm
  - cmm
    
    Yup, the sovereign was just the guy who had won the last major battle.
    
    The first major thing they won was the Pax Britannica brought by having the Brits stopping the inter-tribal fighting.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:52am
  - waikatosinger
    
    The Musket wars killed a ridiculous number of people and depopulated large parts of the county. To put an end to the endless fighting Maori needed a national authority. They needed someone with more authority than a single tribal leader to keep the peace. And since they didn’t trust each other, signing up for the British empire was a good solution.
    
    Similar reasoning was used when they decided to give Auckland to the pakeha so that Maori wouldn’t fight over it any more.
    
    Besides – if you take out clause one of the treaty it reads like a list of goodies for Maori with nothing in it for the Brits.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:02am
- Homas
  
  “As he put it, no country anywhere in the world has ever guarded its independence for hundreds of years only to then relinquish it.”
  
  Ah, well, you see…the difference between the “country” in question, and those other countries, is that they are…how do I put this…COUNTRIES…
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:54am
- Right of way is Way of Right
  
  To correctly place the treaty in context, you only need to look a little further back to The Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand which was signed in the Bay of Islands back in 1835.
  
  This document, which was tabled in the Houses of Parliament in London, and predates the Treaty by 5 years, is absolutely relevant in placing a historical context in relation to the Treaty.
  
  Additionally, if there was general consent by Maori, then what caused the Maori Land Wars? Hardly evidence of consent, is it?
  
  So, we have a declared, independant nation, suddenly ceding sovereignty to a minority of 2000 people? That does not make sense at all.
  
  An actual historical context would take in to account that a large number of settlers in New Zealand were relatively lawless. There is a reason Russell, or Kororāreka, was known for some years as the ‘hellhole of the Pacific.’
  
  The treaty was seen as a mechanism by which the Crown (Britain) would be obliged to govern and control their citizens, and to allow Maori to continue to manage their own affairs as an Independant nation, as proclaimed in 1835.
  
  The treaty included a mechanism by which Maori could sell land, to a crown agent, for an agreed sum. What followed was war, and confiscation under what has to be accepted as dubious and tenuous circumstances.
  
  All of the inhabitants of this land have equal rights under the law. Those rights include the settlement of historical wrongs. We cannot move forward as a nation if we fail to acknowledge this.
  
  (I know this statement will be downvoted in to oblivion, but to be honest, I don’t really care!)
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:39am
  - Scott
    
    Right of way, I hope you are downticked into oblivion because you are not right.
    In 1840 the Maori ceded sovereignty. The speeches at Waitangi made that clear. The chief who held up a canoe paddle and said he didn’t want to be here, and the Queen up here, indicating on the paddle. Another said it was against his mana to be under a woman. Both chiefs in the end signed the Treaty.
    
    The ceding of sovereignty was confirmed at a meeting of the chiefs at Kohimarama in 1860. They knew what they were doing.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:38am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    You seem to be unaware of the role of James Busby (The British Resident) in drawing up the Declaration of Independence and persuading a few Northland chiefs to form a “confederation”.
    
    https://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/docs/1980/NZJH_14_1_06.pdf
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:03pm
  - waikatosinger
    
    You say …
    
    Those rights include the settlement of historical wrongs. We cannot move forward as a nation if we fail to acknowledge this.
    
    … and I don’t disagree. However we HAVE acknowledged this. The waitangi tribunal was set up specifically to address this. And we have settled historical wrongs. Full and final settlements have now been signed with almost all the tribes. All the big claims have now been dealt with.
    
    So where is this moving forward as a nation that you speak of. Shouldn’t we be seeing the benefits of all this about now?
    
    But no. It is now clear that a bunch of people don’t ever want the process to end. They don’t want is to ever move forward as a nation. Nothing will ever be enough for them.
    
    We now have a new generation of people claiming that the full and final settlements reached in over the last 50 years are not full and final and who want to start the whole thing all over again.
    
    We have creative types inventing all sorts of claims to things like the radio spectrum, rainwater, the air, minerals and the like (well known treasures of the Maori – the 5G broadband spectrum and the rights to seabed mining!)
    
    We have a bunch of amateur constitutional theorists who want to claim that the treaty is a constitution and want to change our government from democracy to some just invented but apparently deeply traditional maori form of government that nobody had heard of until yesterday.
    
    And then there is the tribunal itself which is apparently trying to reinvent itself as a constitutional court so that it will have a role going forward.
    
    As far as I am concerned the process should have ended already. If you want to claim that this process chould have no end then get stuffed. My children and their children will not be apologising and paying forever for something that happened before my first ancestors came to this place in the 1880s.
    
    Finish it.
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:10pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    You need to look back a damned sight further than 1835 to get a firm grip on what “sovereignty” actually is. If tabling a document in Westminster gives it some level of legitimacy, then where does THAT legitimacy come from?
    It’s probably worth noting that the first man considered King (sovereign) of England was Athelstan the Saxon, crowned in 935 he united Wessex, Mercian and York, he minted coins, established laws and fought off invaders and rebels.
    That is what sovereignty actually is, the power to actually get things done. Declarations of sovereignty without that power are just semantics.
    Māori as a collective just didn’t have that power. Anyone speaking of Māori national sovereignty in 1835 or 1840 is projecting backwards through time, retconning into existence something that wasn’t there. Māori society of the early 19th century was tribal and there was no decision made by a tribe that any other tribe was required to obey.
    
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    May 22, 2024 7:44pm
Cassandra

In 1840 Hobson proclaimed British sovereignty over the whole of New Zealand. Any record of anyone complaining?
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May 22, 2024 8:10am
- Cassandra
  
  Note that that was 21 May 1840 ie after 6 Feb.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:42am
- Simon
  
  Some of the tribes hooked up with the Crown others didnt. Northland tribes went with the Crown, Waikato didnt.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:46am
rouppe

Maori moaning about how the Battle of Monte Cassino commemorative didn’t have enough tikanga Maori.

The Māori Battalion came here, some died, so it’s only right that the services should include Māori.

You’re there, so you are included.

Plus, the Maori Battalion, while worthy, notable and fierce in WW2, was one of about 10 infantry battalions of the nz 2nd division. Not to mention the dozens of other supporting battalions such as artillery, engineers, medical.

Why do Maori think they get to dominate everything, even when in Italy?
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May 22, 2024 8:12am
- graham
  
  The clip I saw on TV 1 News featured several haka, the usual processions with people wailing, someone bearing a taiaha … looked to me like they would have been hard put fitting any more in.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:34am
  - KH
    
    I was at the 60th ceremony. A ‘Maori war party’ came on hissing and prancing. Ceremonially clearing the way for PM Helen Clark.
    So they pushed around and even struck some of the doddering actual veterans.
    Lucky the crowd observing the crowd did not shred them. Many wanted to.
    Disgusting.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:53am
- imalwaysright
  
  Rouppe
  The moaners time would be better spent on sorting out the current generation of maori youth.
  Most of the maori soldiers would be ashamed, especially of their pathetic 60 year old grandsons that run the gangs and destroy the lives of, primarily, their own grandsons.
  Warriors?
  Kia fuckin kaha.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:45am
- Simon
  
  Maori Battalion recruiting from pro-Crown tribes. Others not so much.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:48am
- Oskar
  
  Here is the Order of Battle for the 2nd NZ Division 1943-1945 (ie during the Italian Campaign).
  https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2020/06/2-New-Zealand-Division-1944-45.pdf
  It can be seen the Division was more than just the Māori battalion.
  In the text below the list of units it noted that
  “The 2nd New Zealand Division
  commenced their assault into Cassino Town on 17 February, with the 28th Māori Battalion
  attacking into the town. They made little progress and the attack was halted the next day. There
  was a lull in operations until 14 March. Cassino Town was bombed on 14 March, with the 6th
  New Zealand Brigade attacking on 15 March. Some progress was made, but the attack was
  called off on 23 March, by which time the four battalions were exhausted.”
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:06am
- Manu-Rau
  
  Sorry Roupe: ‘reported’ by mistake.
  
  I was going to say that the Maori Battalion didn’t exactly enjoy the best reputation in the Italian campaign. They committed a series of atrocities – the worst of which, at San Silvestro, resulted in Arapeta Awatere being sacked as CO and sent home – as well numerous cases of looting, rape and mistreatment of POWs. Perhaps it might have been better for the modern-day whiners to keep their mouths shut.
  
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  May 22, 2024 12:43pm
- herb1
  
  Over 30 Battalions. I respect the Maori Battalion but do get annoyed that it sometimes sound’s through media as if they were the only Battalion
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:39pm
- Paulus
  
  Because the so called media do as they are told as far as Maori want.
  
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  May 22, 2024 2:08pm
Maggie Pie

SAY IT AIN’T SO! 😀 😀 😀

Klaus (you will have nothing and be happy) Schwab resigns as Chair of the WEF.

WATCH

https://x.com/RealAlexJones/status/1792959611097534558

(OMG – the comments)
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May 22, 2024 8:13am
- kevn
  
  Maggie.. A succession plan is well in place. Rust won’t sleep.
  https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/wef-news-klaus-schwab-resigning?
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:26am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    See where some people are speculating it could be Jabcinda 🙁
    
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    May 22, 2024 8:30am
    - Tomtoddy
      
      Good idea. She wrecked the NZ economy – maybe she could wreck the WEF
      
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      May 22, 2024 8:33am
    - pdm
      
      She did not make any of those photos.
      
      That will piss her off – another troughing opportunity slips away from her.
      
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      May 22, 2024 8:50am
    - softail 1450
      
      MP. That means sweet F/A Maggie after all more than 50% of NZ voters thought the Ardern creature was a talented caring kind woman who could keep them safe and warm with her safe and effective Covid vaccines while at the same time managing our country’s finances, unfortunately we are just beginning the journey into just how outrageously incompetent she and her caucus of clowns actually were..
      
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      May 22, 2024 8:55am
    - kevn
      
      Maggie… No doubt there is a troughing opportuniddy there.
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:12am
- cmm
  
  Klaus will resign and you will be happy.
  
  For once, yes!
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:18am
Surely Knott

This morning the Herald publishes video of the Liz Gunn incident which cuts out the relevant bit which is “the assault” on the security guard of which Gunn is charged.

The video of the “assault” quite clear that she only touched the guard’s arm lightly gesticulating to get her attention.

The judge said.”In summary, Ms Gunn was arrogant, rude, overbearing and offensive in her manner in dealing with the complainant,”
“she acted with complete and total disregard for social norms and for Ms Kolodeznaya.””

While Gunn’s manner is not to everyone’s liking. I didn’t think being rude or annoying or disregarding unwritten social norms, is illegal or relevant.

If we go back to earlier article May 7, they reported “Gunn then grabbed Kolodeznaya’s arm with a force the witness described as a five-out-of-10, sparking an incredulous reaction from Gunn supporters in the public gallery.“I had an injury on my upper arm. That’s why I felt sharp pain,”

Kolodeznaya said.””Gunn and her lawyer Matthew Hague had claimed she had merely touched the arm of the security worker to gain her attention, a defence rejected by Judge Forrest.”

Every NZer should watch this video.
Who is telling the truth? Was it a 5 out of 10 pain damaging grab, or a touch on the arm. The video is clear. Is our justice system just? Is our media just? The “assault” which is at 13:05 minutes in.

https://rumble.com/v4uh2jt-airport-assault-by-nz-police-the-unseen-footage.html
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May 22, 2024 8:15am
- Michael Johnston
  
  Meanwhile someone who punched a granny in the face at Auckland Domain got off with name suppression.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:39am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    We all know who he is.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:45am
- bjools
  
  Barely, if at all, brushed her sleeve.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:45am
  - Jethrod
    
    2 or 3 out of 10
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:41am
- Phronesis
  
  I haven’t followed this at all but if that contact is what is claimed to be assault then this is clearly a politically motivated decision by the courts.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:51am
  - kowtow
    
    The whole episode from confrontation by airport staff ( when Gunn had a right of access as a member of the public) through to the aggressive , immediate confrontation by the 2 police , followed by arrest and then through to the book being thrown at them by the prosecution service and then being found guilty of assault for the most trivial contact ; is an example of the awesome power of the state being brought to bear against citizens .
    
    Be very afraid.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:58am
    - Phronesis
      
      I’d always imagined that it would be more cleverly orchestrated. Carefully setup and staged to entrap an innocent opponent.
      This is just pathetic.
      I’m willing to give the airport staff the benefit of the doubt but the Judge should removed.
      
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      May 22, 2024 10:31am
  - Master Mariner
    
    Alarm bells for me in this fiasco is the simple fact,
    Its an Airport.
    Surely they have better footage would you not think?
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:06am
    - wsk12345
      
      Apparently 1000 cctv cameras to watch your every move. Plus police body cams which would show when they broke Gunns wrist. Her lawyers were unable to get any of it though apparently the prosecution referred to other video in court
      
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      May 22, 2024 11:56am
- Omni Consumer Products
  
  well, a 10 is clearly not something like being flayed, crucified, or sitting in a brazen bull…
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:54am
- kowtow
  
  “Assault” , surely there must be criminal intent.
  
  Rudeness , which is what the report concentrates on what the judge seems to be concerned about surely doesn’t amount to a criminal intention to apply force .
  
  Grounds for appeal ?
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:36am
- 2ic
  
  13:05 was a light touch to the arm
  11:40 a light touch to the shoulder
  
  It’s simply not truthful to claim that either of these light touches rated anywhere on a 1-10 pain scale.
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:00pm
  - kowtow
    
    I see it that way too .
    
    If the security person was claiming otherwise then that opens up a whole new aspect to this travesty of justice.
    
    The judge must have been able to draw an obvious conclusion from that footage about this , but clearly decided otherwise.
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:16pm
- kowtow
  
  SK
  
  Good post of footage.TY .
  
  I reckon that’s something every NZer should view.
  
  Having seen it I simply can’t see how the judge convicted for assault.
  
  It’s those Cops who should be in the dock. That was pure thuggery .
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:32pm
- Ghost
  
  You do need permission to film in the airport, so the security guard was just doing her job, but the whole story is just over blown
  
  https://corporate.aucklandairport.co.nz/news/filming-at-the-airport#:~:text=Auckland%20Airport%20is%20an%20exciting%20place%20with%20lots,day-to-day%20operations%20of%20the%20airport%20can%20continue%20smoothly.
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:52pm
  - kowtow
    
    Citizens being unwarrantedly arrested /assaulted and then charged on literally trumped up charges is not “over blown”.
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:12pm
    - Ghost
      
      You aren’t allowed to film without permission, they were asked to stop filming. That is where it should end, not argue with the security. Both sides have over blown this
      
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      May 22, 2024 2:15pm
      - kowtow
        
        As I understand it you only need permission if it’s professional or commercial . They weren’t ;the airport overblew it and the Cops were way ott.
        
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        May 22, 2024 3:29pm
      - Ghost
        
        It was an interview she was going to put online, on platforms where she would also make money from advertising.
        
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        May 22, 2024 3:49pm
  - 2ic
    
    @Ghost
    As explained in your link, you only need permission “for commercial use”. This wasn’t the case, and if you watch the video (https://rumble.com/v4uh2jt-airport-assault-by-nz-police-the-unseen-footage.html) you can hear Liz Gunn trying to explain that to the security person (listen from 10:40).
    
    Liz knew she was within her rights to film, and remember that’s not what she was charged for. She was found guilty of an “assault” that was nothing more than a light touch on the shoulder (see at 11:40)
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:30pm
    - Ghost
      
      She was conducting an interview. Interviews for YouTube and the channels she uses are commercial use. She wasn’t there to photograph a friend coming home
      
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      May 22, 2024 2:53pm
      - 2ic
        
        @Ghost
        Your point may be worth debating, but you seem to have missed the fact that it had nothing at all to do with the court proceedings.
        
        There were trespassing and resisting arrest charges, neither of which stuck. The only thing they got her on was “assault” for lightly touching the security person on the arm.
        
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        May 22, 2024 6:54pm
      - Ghost
        
        You are the one arguing she was within her rights to film. Now you whinge about that and claiming you want to talk about the assault.
        
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        May 22, 2024 7:03pm
Matt Long

*Today the UN honours by flying its flag at half mast the German leader and extends its sympathy to the families of Mr Hitler and his companion Ms Braun, who died in an unfortunate firearm incident.
We are joined by NATO and the Foreign Minister of New Zealand in offering our condolences to Germany, and to the many countries Mr Hitler formerly ruled, as well as those countries where he exerted influence and the lives he touched. We all share in your grief.”
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1792939234556350739
What people who don’t applaud evil might have said.
https://x.com/Mike_Pence/status/1792556684075811134
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May 22, 2024 8:19am
- G152
  
  I doubt the context/meaning of your post will be understood by them who believe
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:26am
- Blog-aholic
  
  I had a similar thought to this because clearly the UN hypocrisy is writ large.
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:37am
- kowtow
  
  The Butcher of Tehran.
  
  UK Daily Telegraph obit ;
  
  In 1988 as a deputy prosecutor general on a 4 man “death commission’ retried prisoners in jail for political crimes and ordered the execution of thousands of dissidents.
  The number killed is unclear , estimates of between 3000 and 30 000. Most were supporters of the main democratic opposition movement.
  As chief justice ( holds a doctorate in Islamic jurisprudence and law)he oversaw a brutal crackdown on dissidents following protests in Nov 2019.
  His elecetion in 2021 was seen as rigged and witnessed a record low turn out.
  The latest protests , 2022,after the death of Mahsa Amimi has seen up to 551 protesters killed and 20, 000 arrested.
  
  The most recent trouble across the ME has been under his watch with Hamas , Houthi and Hezbollah acting as his proxies.
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:56am
  - I remember when
    
    Ebrahim Raisi’s Iran was one of the most brutal repression: Tim Black, Spiked.
    “Yet what was striking about his presidency is how little outrage it generated among Western progressive circles.”
    
    Says it all.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:54am
- thirteenstars
  
  “…his companion Ms Braun…”
  
  That’s Mrs Hitler to you. Hell of a card player.
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:57am
Simon

Insane levels of taxation and reckless, almost criminal spending by last govt. Half the population are net tax payers the other half drain from the net taxpayer. Tens of thousands of the net tax payers heading to Aust. High levels of work permit immigration from the third world to paper over the massive cracks and soak up the increase in govt money printing.

This is beyond National currently. NZ is a broken mess. NZ nothing more than an economic unit to extract some sort of grift. Its how everything operates now.
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May 22, 2024 8:31am
- thirteenstars
  
  Yip, yip. Tipping point. After all the sane people have left and the migrant influx has had its wicked way, I look forward to the farce of the iwi bigwigs petitioning the Indian Dairy Owners’ Association for a redress of grievances.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:39am
Simon

Some of you are asking what good is a claw hammer, screwdriver or rattan stick when the guy across the road is an ex-rent boy mentally ill gang member with a gun.

Situational awareness, knowledge that you responsible for your own safety, with the mentally ill, released into the community criminals, and not to reply upon the police.
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May 22, 2024 8:34am
Benedict Yu

Journalists write such rubbish about aviation incidents.

“A 73-year-old British man died after the London-Singapore flight hit severe turbulence, falling almost 2,000 metres in just a few minutes.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350285784/man-dies-and-dozens-injured-after-turbulence-hits-singapore-airlines-flight

No the plane did not fall 2,000 metres. The pilot descended 2,000 metres after the incident in a normal descent.

What caused the chaos was the plane falling 200 feet in 3 seconds. Which the journalist could have found out by using Google for 30 seconds.

https://www.flightradar24.com/blog/1-dead-dozens-injured-in-sq321-turbulence/
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May 22, 2024 8:37am
- Taieri
  
  Journalists write such rubbish about aviation incidents.
  ————–
  
  Journalists write rubbish about most things these days. Examples are just too numerous to list.
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:46am
- Cassandra
  
  And apparently the deceased had a heart attack.
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:55am
- imalwaysright
  
  “What caused the chaos was the plane falling 200 feet in 3 seconds.”
  
  Not possible. Freefall will be 44 metres (144 feet) in 3 seconds.
  To get to 200 feet in 3 seconds requires energy input.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:04am
  - cmm
    
    Severe downdraft would be energy input.
    
    Thunderstorms build hail stones by providing enough updrafts to blow the hailstones upwards thousands of metres. Similar downdrafts would easily move a plane 200 feet in 3 seconds.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:24am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      I estimated the rate of descent by estimating from the linked chart. It was of that order.
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:33am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Cmm
      Good point.
      It must have been massive, calcs are based on vacuum.
      I suppose a 40m/s downdraft wouldn’t be unusual.
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:48am
  - NothingLeft
    
    Or negative g’s (which can happen in severe downdraft), at typical cruise speeds flying into a 20m/s (72km/hr) downdraft will see you in freefall, anything beyond that will see you being pulled down by the wings flying with a negative angle of attack.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:35am
  - Matt Long
    
    The energy input is called wind shear
    https://community.wmo.int/en/activity-areas/aviation/hazards/turbulence
    If the plane was falling at the rate of 9.8m/s² there would be no adverse effects on passengers.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:39am
  - NoCash
    
    It must have been falling faster than free fall, otherwise unrestrained people would have been kept standing on the floor or sitting in the seats due to gravity, and not hitting the ceiling and getting injured.
    
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    May 22, 2024 6:50pm
- Biscuit
  
  Benedict, Benedict, Benedict, Benedict….
  
  You should by now be well aware that 99.9% of ‘News’ as is reported by the New Zealand mee-jya is of the ‘This is my opinion and my adoring public need it’’ variety.
  
  I’m only surprised that the journo in question didn’t interview his typewriter further and come up with claims that ‘the pilot is reported to have consumed alcohol at a dinner three weeks ago’ and that ‘the aircraft hasn’t been serviced since 2023’…
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:04am
  - MCōs
    
    The female Thai reporter, Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul, who wrote the article for AP works in Bangkok for Nation Multimedia Group, which used to be an English language newspaper, but is now online.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:18am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      OMG! Imagine the size of her ‘Name Badge’ 😀
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:27am
      - Biscuit
        
        And imagine Simon Shallow trying to get his tongue around her name as he says ‘Let’s bring in local reporter Chalida Ekvitthayavohforcryingoutloudisn’t theresomeonewithanEnglishnamewecanuse?’…
        
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        May 22, 2024 9:34am
    - softail 1450
      
      MCos, It takes 3x longer to read her name than the aircraft decended for ,LOL.
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:45am
    - Inandout
      
      MC, Ockers would shorten that handle to Chekitt.
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:45am
      - Blog-aholic
        
        Sure she’d be given a te reo name for Dallow to announce?
        
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        May 22, 2024 10:29am
      - Jethrod
        
        Or Knuckles
        
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        May 22, 2024 10:47am
- Clyde
  
  It seems that most “journalists” around the world couldn’t figure out where to go to get core information – such as Flightradar24 – and they simply cut and pasted an incorrect story from an equally brain-dead “journalist” from elsewhere.
  
  You don’t get such internal damage to an aircraft from a normal descent – this was the result of basically flying into a huge downdraught or hole in the sky caused by severe thunderstorms. It would have been good journalism to report on what other aircraft were doing or what they experienced who were in front or behind the affected SIA flight. But that is obviously too hard.
  
  Other “journalists” I heard were opining that much more turbulence was being encountered in the North Atlantic because of global warming! Bet there is more turbulence encountered than 200 years ago as well – no doubt due to global warming and Covid. And of course the North Atlantic is right next door to Thailand…..
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:22am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I heard another journalist speculating that the incident was caused by the Himalayas. Pity it happened over ocean off Southern Burma.
    
    Another journalist said it was caused by climate change. 😕
    
    Violent turbulence, ie like we saw on this flight happens every 2 to 3 weeks. IIRC there are about 100,000 flights per day. So turbulence so severe that it violently throws passengers into the ceiling of the plane happens around 1 in 2 million flights
    
    Of course if all the passengers had their seat belts fastened this flight, nobody would have been hurt.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:49am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      I am waiting for some deranged journalist to say “It’s all Trump’s fault!”
      
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      May 22, 2024 10:54am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        This is my go to guy on aviation.
        
        The plane fell 100 feet in 2 or 3 seconds. It then rose rapidly by 300 feet. That was the incident. End of story. Yet I don’t see any mainstream media reporting this.
        
        He also points out that there has been no change in the incidence of severe turbulence in the last decade.
        
        In the last decade 75 percent of all those injured are cabin crew. Which makes sense.
        
        https://youtu.be/0UYNFthOx1o?si=lPxz2eZQYnFpIGSV
        
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        May 22, 2024 12:49pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Benedict, 100 feet down and 300 feet up?
        Bouncing off air 🙂
        Seriously I watched the vid. Seat belts is a thing to do, and that goes for crew and passengers. It is a hotel at 37,ooo feet. It is a good thing for me to not be a jerk!
        Thankyou for that video.
        
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        May 22, 2024 5:27pm
    - Paulus
      
      This believed to be a true extreme tropical Weather condition and not as we see here Clear Air Turbulence.
      Worse I had was SAL into Christchurch where we hit CAT for some 20 minutes going right out east to see and back from around Timaru.
      I have flown World wide for 40 years and this really frightened me. We were told to be ready – I knew the effect of the Southern Alps up winds too on very fast trans Tasman route.
      A B777 too.
      SAL were first class as well.
      
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      May 22, 2024 2:19pm
  - zulumonster
    
    Obviously zero media reports or passenger video of turbulence from 200 years ago = proof global warming is causing more turbulence .
    
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    May 22, 2024 3:32pm
- Ehlana
  
  If a plane actually did fall 2km in a few minutes, wouldn’t it be so out of control it would just keep falling until it hit the ground?
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:57am
  - Clyde
    
    The plane didn’t fall 2km. It descended normally after it hit the turbulence.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:26am
- NoFax
  
  Benedict Yu, remember this for all journalism. You know more about aviation than the general reporter writing on it and, therefore, saw issues in the story straight away. But this must be true for every story. To forget that journalists get in wrong in the story you know more about but not in every other story where you don’t have specialised knowledge is the Gell-Mann Amnesia effect. And that’s just allowing for innocent mistake.
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:51pm
Damocles11

In the movie High Noon, one mans honour commits him to fight a gang of outlaws while the townspeople turn their back on him. ‘Marshall Kane visits old friends and allies, but none can or will help. Some townspeople, worried that a gunfight would damage the town’s reputation, urge Kane to avoid the confrontation. Some are Miller’s friends, but others resent that Kane cleaned up the town in the first place. Others believe that Kane’s fight is not the town’s responsibility. Sam Fuller hides in his house, forcing his wife Mildred to tell Kane he is not home.’
In New Zealand, so many people are guilty of moral cowardice as they hide and remain silent while a handful of people, such as Don Brash and Julian Batchelor, face the slings and arrows alone, frightened that they will be called ‘racist’ if they resist the destruction of our democracy. Where are the prominent New Zealanders speaking up in defence of the few brave souls? On-line, a handful of people tell the truth about what is going on, and get called ‘racist’ in response. Aside from a few timid blue thumbs ups and red hearts, where are the people saying ‘every word is true’?
One day our children and grandchildren will look at us and ask why we let our democracy be taken from us. What will the answer be? “I was scared I’d be called names” or “I was scared I’d lose my corporate job” or “I was too afraid to do anything so kept my head down and hoped”. Once our democracy is gone, there is no going back. The cowardice will be a stain forever.
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May 22, 2024 8:39am
- cmm
  
  Any remaining nuggets of courage have been labelled “toxic masculinity”.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:26am
- Taieri
  
  One day our children and grandchildren will look at us and ask why we let our democracy be taken from us.
  ————-
  
  They won’t. Because they will not have any idea of what democracy was…
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:45am
  - kowtow
    
    Yep , here in NZ the left ( even the so called moderates) are placing “principles “of tow ahead of the far more fundamental and real principles of democracy .
    
    The only party pushing back is ACT . The Nats make some noises around “one man one vote” but are themselves deeply into the whole Maori thing.
    
    The legacy media who should be holding power to account have gone down the indigeous path too.
    
    Schools are literally indoctrinating children into ,not citizenship values , the whole feelings and emotions over science , fact and rationality thing is first and foremost.
    
    A total betrayal of our stable , democratic and egalitarian culture that has brought us so far .
    
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    May 22, 2024 12:07pm
- cmm
  
  Anyone who was born in the 1960s or before grew up surrounded by heroic role models in the form of WW2 ex-servicemen who are hobbling around in society on missing limbs etc.
  
  For those of us who grew up in South Africa or had family members/associates involved in Vietnam etc, then we had more realtime role models.
  
  But the vast majority of people live in over-safe lives surrounded by airbags and get out of jail cards with no consequences and all responsibility is abdicated to the state.
  
  That is not an environment which is conducive to generating people of courage.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:46am
  - MCōs
    
    My father went off to WWII for the duration and prior to that lived through the Spanish flu and the depression. He came through it all mentally unscathed if somewhat unadventurous
    However some other kids weren’t so lucky in the days when ptsd was sorted out with alcohol and violence
    After what he’d been through I think he preferred the over safe life for his family, surrounded by airbags.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:19am
- Damocles11
  
  I guess responses along the lines of ‘I’m fighting like hell, what the heck are you doing?!’ or ‘yup, I decided today that I’ll stand up’ would have been heartening….the fact that everyone has pretty much admitted defeat, with various excuses made – and I probably covered some of the others in my earlier comment – is soul destroying. In the movie Spartacus there’s the iconic scene where – instead of letting one man be singled out and destroyed – everyone shouts “I’m Spartacus!”
  
  Bluto (returning): “What the $&@% happened to the Delta I used to know? Where’s the spirit? Where’s the guts, huh? This could be the greatest night of our lives, but you’re gonna let it be the worst. ‘Ooh, we’re afraid to go with you, Bluto, we might get in trouble.’ (shouting) Well, just kiss my a** from now on! Not me! I’m not gonna take this.”
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:47am
- imalwaysright
  
  Good analogy Damocles.
  I’ve noticed that many are now reluctant to talk about that dark period.
  I’ve also noticed most friends don’t call anymore.
  I don’t criticise anyone for their actions or lack of action because we were all under the regime and many were vulnerable and afraid.
  But I have noticed a change in how I am treated.
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:08am
Maggie Pie

LEAKED DOCS 🙁

This is scary…..

People are asking why would Joe Biden authorize the use of ‘DEADLY FORCE’ by the FBI, during their illegal document raid on Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago?

https://x.com/julie_kelly2/status/1792969008657948733
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May 22, 2024 8:49am
- cmm
  
  I wouldn’t read anything into that.
  The purpose is to set the rules of engagement.
  I would not be surprised if the use of deadly force is specified is authorised in all warrants etc.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:29am
  - Simon
    
    “I wouldn’t read anything into that.”
    
    lol – Trump was the former prez with secret service protection. Not an ordinary raid. Targeted.
    
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    May 22, 2024 10:57am
    - cmm
      
      Certainly the raid was targeted.
      I am talking about the deadly force clause. I suspect it will be boilerplate stuff in any search warrant.
      
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      May 22, 2024 11:28am
Tomtoddy

Poor ole Sleepy Joe is into gaffes in a big way or perhaps better described as cock ups. He made a speech criticising the “erectionists who stormed capitol hill”. It came ‘hard on’ the heels of other gaffes. I guess you can’t keep a good man down when he gets excited in the middle of free flowing speech. He did seem to be pumped up. It was explosive stuff. Joe isn’t the stiff and starchy kind of guy. The media pretended not to notice but you can see things coming to head especially when he gets to tango with Trumpie.
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May 22, 2024 8:50am
- Cassandra
  
  The debates will be fun. Trump needs to show some self control however; last time he made himself look petulant. Softly softly catchee monkee.
  
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  May 22, 2024 8:58am
  - cmm
    
    You’ve got to act for your intended audience.
    
    What we call brash and bombastic might just be slightly larger than life for the Americans.
    
    What we feel does not matter – none of us are voting.
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:31am
    - jkt
      
      Thank goodness for that small mercy.
      
      4 2
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      May 22, 2024 10:42am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    I think the two debates will be cancelled. I di want to see them, but Joe will be unwell,
    or some excuse about technical problems. You can bet pupeteer Obama doesn’t want Joe talking some sentitive rubbish.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:02am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Apparently the mics will be switched off while the other is speaking.
      
      It could be a difficult situation for Trump, there is no glory in winning a debate against a cabbage.
      
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      May 22, 2024 11:17am
  - virtualmark
    
    Prediction: Trump will pull out of the debates. Trump, not Biden.
    
    Trump always talks up a big game, but he’s a coward. And his people know he’d lose a debate against Biden (he lost the debates in 2020, and his mental state has worsened since then). And the rules of these debates (muted microphones etc) don’t suit him.
    
    So he’ll find some excuse why he won’t debate.
    
    Don’t believe me? Look in the last 24 hours. Trump said he’d testify in his NY court case … but didn’t.
    
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    May 22, 2024 3:49pm
    - Ghost
      
      Prediction, the next president of the USA will die in office…..
      
      Dear god USA, find candidates that shouldn’t be in rest homes
      
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      May 22, 2024 3:53pm
      - virtualmark
        
        Ghost, I have the same thought.
        
        Makes the VP choices critical. Harris isn’t inspiring. And the parade of lunatic goblins auditioning to be Trump’s VP pick are even worse.
        
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        May 22, 2024 4:29pm
    - Its only I
      
      I doubt trump will pass the drug tests.
      
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      May 22, 2024 4:16pm
- kevn
  
  Tom… He does seem to be on something of a chemical nature, when he starts really ranting.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:15am
  - kowtow
    
    A US commenter on Bolt Report tells us there are restrictions being put in by the Biddy Biden campaign.
    
    No audience .
    
    Friendly, left wing host .
    
    No third party candidate ie RFK .
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:26am
    - kevn
      
      kowtow… We can wait for the Streisand Effect. The whole sham will backfire. biden will be pumped up with something and we will see him just gabble away dementedly.
      
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      May 22, 2024 10:17am
- Inandout
  
  Tom, when Joe is medicated his eyes are wide open instead of the sleepy slits. A pre debate drug test is essential.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:50am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Didn’t Trump request that?
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:04am
    - MCōs
      
      Once I get the drugs for myself I’ll let him have some
      
      2 0
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      May 22, 2024 12:01pm
      - Ghost
        
        Become a dealer, I’ll buy from you….
        
        2 0
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        May 22, 2024 12:02pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    He’s virtually a lab rat.
    
    2 2
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    May 22, 2024 11:19am
  - MCōs
    
    What are these drugs that apparently make a forgetful, doddering old man, suddenly lucid and sharp as a tack?
    Gotta get me some of that stuff!
    
    7 0
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    May 22, 2024 11:59am
    - Mike
      
      Both old codgers get coke from their addict failsons.
      
      2 6
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      May 22, 2024 1:01pm
- RichardX
  
  All aspects of the debate were up for negotiation.
  
  How did Trump get out negotiated by Biden?
  
  How would Trump negotiate an end to the Ukrainian situation if he can’t get what he wanted for the debates?
  
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  May 22, 2024 6:25pm
KH

The ICC has asked for arrests for war crimes in the Gaza/Israel war. What a good thing. I hope they get all of them. Rest of their lives in a concrete box.
I doubt they will get them, but if they did it would give pause to other mad murderers around the world.
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May 22, 2024 8:55am
- Phronesis
  
  Have a look at how much the ICC spends (350 million / year). Then have a look at how many people have ended up in a concrete box (10, total). It’s a scam whose only purpose is to enrich lawyers. Given that nearly all of its attention has been focused on African warlords it’s frankly horrific that so much money has been wasted on “Justice” when it could have actually been used to benefit the victims.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:08am
  - Blog-aholic
    
    Maybe GG can get her old job back defending Hamas leaders this time around?
    
    9 1
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    May 22, 2024 10:31am
- Simon
  
  Netanyahu – war criminal.
  
  Israel majority stupid people. Democratic – as Netanyahu claims makes them very stupid.
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:01am
Damocles11

Very few people willing to comment about *New Zealand* and the rapid erosion of democracy happening here. Again the daily chat will be filled with the same daily tripe about Biden / Trump and all sorts of other c-rap happening overseas.
14 4
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May 22, 2024 8:55am
- imalwaysright
  
  D
  There seems to be a growing group who see the erosion of their rights as an excuse for not taking responsibility for themselves.
  The seeds were planted by the covid mandates. People loved not going to work because the government gave them the perfect excuse.
  They didn’t have to bother analysing the situation because the government would make sure they were ridiculed or ostracized.
  The more you complied, the better a citizen you were.
  Just do as you are told and let the government do your thinking for you.
  Who needs the effort of participating in a democracy when you have a dictatorship!
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:32am
pb

Lots of 30kph sign popping up in towns around the south. Marxist poles, proclaiming victory. Didn’t the coalition campaign against stupid speed limits. Why let Karen’s in small jurisdictions make them look like fools? Sack them all.
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May 22, 2024 9:09am
Maggy Wassilieff

Karen Chhour stays focused during question time:

Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I have heard about Māori rights, I have heard about iwi rights, I have heard about parents’ rights, I have heard about officials’ rights, but when have we heard about the children’s rights?

Q.10, 21/5/24
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May 22, 2024 9:19am
- Matt Long
  
  Very good, and the same with the Charter School haters, no one asks what is good for the children.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:46am
- pdm
  
  I thought Karen Chhour was very good in the house yesterday, both at QT and then in leading the Debate on the Bill in the evening.
  
  She is a Minister who strongly believes in the legislation she is leading.
  
  Good on her.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:56am
- kevn
  
  Maggy… Karen Chhour was very impressive. She has lived it. Her carping questioners would have no idea.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:14am
Ghost

Stories on social media and photos that Iran’s Iranian intelligence Service Chief has been assassinated
9 1
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May 22, 2024 9:25am
- Matt Long
  
  Assassin a Mossad Pilot called Ali Coptor as reported on Arab news.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:54am
  - Simon
    
    Cockpit voice recordings from the helicopter crash in Iran have revealed the President was a Sheffield United fan.
    
    Seconds before the crash he can be heard in the background shouting
    “Come on you fucking blades”
    
    6 2
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    May 22, 2024 11:05am
  - Libertarians are right
    
    Hamas really want to get Eli (he’s Jewish not Ali which is Arab) for what he did to the Iranian President.
    
    2 1
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    May 22, 2024 11:09am
  - Ghost
    
    Photos show him shot in the head
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:35am
I remember when

Survival of Feilding aviaries: On a wing and a prayer: Manawatu Standard.
“The aviaries, a feature at Kowhai Park in Feilding since 1964, no longer meet animal welfare standards.”

The reality is that the ‘wild’ also frequently fails to meet Animal Welfare Standards.
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May 22, 2024 9:29am
Ghost

Government has made a pre budget announcement giving funding to Mike Kings’s organisation

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350282580/nz-politics-live-winston-peters-make-pre-budget-announcement

Wanker media asking why Mike’s organisation is singled out. Piss off. Mike is a national treasure, the media, a national embarrassment
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May 22, 2024 9:36am
- Ghost
  
  In its coalition agreement with National, the Government agreed to “fund Gumboot Friday/I Am Hope Charity to $6 million per annum.”
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:38am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Mike did more with $5 million than Angry Andy did with $1.9 billion
    
    12 1
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    May 22, 2024 11:38am
    - mandk
      
      True that.
      
      All Angry Andy could do in terms of reporting the achievements of his $1.9bn was to exclaim: “but the money’s been spent!”
      
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      May 22, 2024 11:58am
Swifty

If anyone truly believes that the Maori Party’s racist, divisive, lunatic, socialist, tribal grab-bag of slogans and babble will lead to improved outcomes for New Zealanders then they’ll believe anything:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=51_3CKp8Y18

I pity the fools who place their faith in them.
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May 22, 2024 9:46am
- pdm
  
  Interesting Swifty – I get what you mean.
  
  Who was the interviewer, it did not show his name and I did not recognise him.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:13am
  - Swifty
    
    Julian Wilcox, been around for quite a long time particularly on Maori TV.
    
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    May 22, 2024 1:05pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Look at the size of my bone carving E-Hoa.
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:11am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Stop Co-Governance. Julian Batchelor.

Potaka, the Waitangi Tribunal, the Coup, and The National Party’s Loss Of Control (Part 3)

https://stopcogovernance.kiwi/blog/potaka-the-waitangi-tribunal-the-coup-and-the-national-partys-loss-of-control-part-3/
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May 22, 2024 10:01am
- Damocles11
  
  3 ‘ostriches’ downticked. One is making plans to flee to Australia, one is hiding in their basement, and one is hoping ‘the rockstar economy’ turns up soon and everyone – including the separatists – is too busy making $$$$ to care about the loss of our democracy.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:53am
I remember when

Thousands of hectares sold to solar: NZ Farmer Wkly.
“The government has approved the sale or lease of 3000 hectares to foreign buyers for the construction of solar farms since July, 2022.
LINZ head of regulatory practice and delivery Rebecca McAtamney said applications for the sale or lease of a further 680 ha to foreign investors for solar farms are being processed.
The applications have been approved by LINZ’s Overseas Investment Office (OIO) under its power to exempt farmlands from advertising provisions.”

Makes you wonder why there is so much ‘conspiracy theory.’
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May 22, 2024 10:05am
- kevn
  
  I rem… So long as the solar ‘developers’ get to clean up after the 20 year (or less) panel life. Unrecyclable.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:19am
  - cmm
    
    They will go broke and it will be our problem.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:15am
  - MCōs
    
    The panels have a lifespan of 25-30yrs up to 50yrs
    Benmore Power Station was upgraded after 43yrs for $67mil in 2008
    https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/benmore-gets-more-first-full-rebuild
    
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    May 22, 2024 12:19pm
    - cmm
      
      Panels might have a lifespan of 25 years under optimal conditions, but UV damage, temperature cycles, wind and hail damage,etc is likely to severely impact that.
      
      In USA many panels are being replaced after just 10 years because people want to upgrade.
      
      6 1
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      May 22, 2024 1:16pm
    - kevn
      
      mcoss.. There is a global tsunami of cheap Chinese solar panels. Do you really think they are making them to last a long time?
      Of course not.
      
      3 1
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      May 22, 2024 3:37pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Most equipment sheds in the country should have solar panels on them. Whatever installed grid transformer capacity is for a farm it makes sense to add that much pv to better utilise existing infrastructure. PV production is quite well (though not perfectly) matched to irrigation needs.
  
  Making farm tractors a little bit hybrid might make sense too, given them an hour or two of battery life supplemented by diesel. A few tonnes of batteries that can be recharged from a farm shed battery fed by shed top PV would save a decent amount of diesel.
  
  Diesel engines produce power for about 0.40/kWh, farm solar pv and batteries can probably do it for $0.15 or less, and you can now buy LiPo battery packs for ~$100/kWh, which could pay for themselves in a few years replacing diesel consumption.
  
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  May 22, 2024 6:38pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

I recomend to all of those who commented on Maori from Yvett’s comment at 8.01an to I’malwaysright’s comment at 9,45am to go here:

http://www.stopcogovernace.kiwi

Have a look around the whole website. Click on “Blog” and you will find daily posts right back to August 2022.
Then, if you are still interested go here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVgY03s6Tqc

Thisis how the precess of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The first 20 minutes explain Williams, Clendon, Busby, Freeman, Hobson, and Lord Normanby.
It tells of the Treaty, and the Littlewood Draft, and the rogue James Freeman version which the Waitangi Tribunal uses today – since 1975.

The whole video is 53 minutes and well worth absorbing.

Steve.
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May 22, 2024 10:23am
Maggy Wassilieff

Your family jewels are plastic, boys!

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2024/05/microplastics-tiny-broken-plastic-shards-found-in-human-testicles-study-finds.html
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May 22, 2024 10:30am
- Blog-aholic
  
  I wondered why they are always itchy.
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:34am
- surfing
  
  You jest but the effect of plastics on the human endocrinology/ reproductive system has been suspected for some time now.
  
  Sperm counts dropped 52% since the 70’s – that is a huge decline.
  
  Joe Rogan talks to an expert about this. . .
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1B44VmZFiI
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:12am
- cmm
  
  The microplastics are everywhere. No doubt in girlie bits too.
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:25am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Hopefully its food grade.
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:48am
  - Master Mariner
    
    I was reading a Science article that they have found Micro Plastics in Rocks with no direct links above Ground.
    So the question is what are they actually Measuring?
    
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    May 22, 2024 12:46pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Good point MM, Is it micro pumice or some other low density natural substance.
      
      I’m also skeptical about stories of plastic bags etc taking 50,000 years to break down. I doubt we have made any product with such durability. The only one I can think of with even a fraction of that durability is bricks.
      
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      May 22, 2024 4:50pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Gold, my friend, always gold
        
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        May 22, 2024 9:18pm
Apteryx

There was comment in GD a few days ago about the financial ‘wisdom’ of Wanganui city going into the property development business by building a hotel because the council thought one was needed.

I remarked at the time that this same council had bought a commercial flying academy.

A new report is in: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/whanganuis-international-commercial-pilot-academy-hit-by-low-numbers-and-grounded-planes/BD2JGZEI4JDHREVPPUZIFV2I3M/

After a post-lockdown bounce business is slow. The ‘pipeline’ of new students from a major Indian airline is but a trickle. The numbers are less than half of the worst-case scenario. “Confidence in the cadet pipeline had eroded.”

The pilot academy lost nearly $700,000 last year.

The associated council-owned accommodation facilities don’t have the planned 100% occupancy rate. One (despite a newly-minted Maori name) has been empty for 2 years , and the other is at 70%.

Oh, and some of the planes have been grounded.

The chair of the council holding company asks the council “How long are you willing to support it while it’s loss-making?” Indeed. Councils shouldn’t be in business.
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May 22, 2024 10:39am
Damocles11

‘Former Justice Minister Kiri Allan pleaded guilty on Wednesday to careless driving and refusing to accompany police.

Moments before Allan’s trial was set to begin, she changed her pleas to guilty.

Judge Brooke Gibson informed the Wellington District Court Allan had entered guilty pleas and will no longer be appearing.’
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May 22, 2024 10:50am
surfing

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiri-allan-crash-former-justice-minister-pleads-guilty-on-morning-of-trial/KRTS72XWXRCUDEWS7PPEWSLABA/

Kiri Allan pleads guilty despite all her earlier talk of exploiting legal loopholes etc.

My question is if she has paid for the damage to her car. Every insurance policy and work contract will exclude coverage for damages if you are breaking the law or alcohol/drug impaired.
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May 22, 2024 11:02am
- Bobba Fret
  
  I hope the person who owned the parked Mazda ute that she drove in to has been fully compensated and is not out of pocket.
  
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  May 22, 2024 12:38pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Looks like that hadn’t happened…
    
    She’s been ordered to pay up for damage to the cars
    
    She has been ordered to pay $5300 in reparations for damages to the vehicles involved in the crash.
    https://www.teaonews.co.nz/2024/05/22/kiri-allan-pleads-guilty-on-morning-trial-was-set-to-start-reports/
    
    Absolutely crass behaviour.
    
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    May 22, 2024 1:18pm
    - Bobba Fret
      
      That sucks if that is the case. There was far more than $5,000 in damage to the Mazda alone (let alone her car). In fact, I thought it may be close to being written off.
      IMO the Mazda owner shouldn’t even have to pay an insurance excess as its all on Kiri. She needs to claim although as she was over the limit she’s probably not insured.
      
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      May 22, 2024 3:19pm
- Paulus
  
  Judge told her to pay some $5,000 for Mazda car damage.
  Bet we paid for the Government Car !
  
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  May 22, 2024 2:27pm
cmm

“Allan,.., had elected a judge-alone trial, earlier telling the Herald she wanted to test an apparent grey area in the law about the right to consult a lawyer.”

If we are to believe that then she went through this whole exercise of having a crash and everything else, just to test a grey area in the law.

Bullshit.

“She’s a young woman and it would be a permanent reputational mark on her record,” , said her lawyer – almost drowned out by the accompanying violins.

Bullshit. She’s 40. When do people grow up around here?

Not her first DUI offence, so not a particularly fast learner…

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiri-allan-crash-former-justice-minister-pleads-guilty-on-morning-of-trial/KRTS72XWXRCUDEWS7PPEWSLABA/
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May 22, 2024 11:24am
- graham
  
  Kiri Allan’s lawyer believes the conviction “… would be a permanent reputational mark on her record.”
  
  I think that boat has long since sailed.
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:46am
  - Paulus
    
    She is Manager of a Maori Lady, with a Moko, who wants to be Mayor of Tauranga.
    What about the suggested car crash recently in Northland – or is this just a rumour.
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:31pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Also, an ex Justice minister electing for a judge alone trial looks a bit dodgy.
  If she wanted to test the law (call bullshit) then a good starting point would be to convince a jury.
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:53am
  - fernglas
    
    No right to jury trial on those charges
    
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    May 22, 2024 3:49pm
- Flossie
  
  She’s a young woman blah blah blah. Apparently old enough, mature enough, and experienced enough to be Minister of Justice. So definitely enough to know she should not have committed her crimes in the first place, much less imagine for even a minute she ought to plead not guilty.
  
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  May 22, 2024 12:30pm
  - graham
    
    Well said Flossie, yes indeed.
    
    Old enough to become a lawyer.
    Old enough to have a baby.
    Old enough to be a senior minister under Chris Hipkins.
    Old enough to be Minister for Emergency Management.
    Old enough to be Minister of Conservation.
    Old enough to be Minister of Justice.
    
    Certainly old enough to take responsibility for her actions.
    
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    May 22, 2024 12:55pm
    - Flossie
      
      Not totally sure but I think she didn’t actually HAVE the baby, rather her partner (well the one she had at that time) gave birth. So maybe we could amend the “have a baby” to “become a parent”.
      
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      May 22, 2024 1:40pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Her partner at the time, Natalie Coates, gave birth to their child, Hiwaiterangi, who was fathered by Labour MP Tāmati Coffey.
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiri_Allan#:~:text=Allan%20married%20Natalie%20Coates%20in,Coates%20divorced%20in%20May%202022.
        
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        May 22, 2024 2:25pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      Responsibility is such a bourgeois/far-right idea. Being of the left means never having to take responsibility for anything, its a core element of their appeal to the shiftless losers and grifters of the world.
      
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      May 22, 2024 6:27pm
- David Garrett
  
  cmm: I am no fan of Ms Allan, but when she talked about “testing the law” that didn’t mean she had staged the whole thing; it just means she wanted to test what she says is a “grey area” of the law relating to consulting a lawyer “in private and without delay” which is the right of anyone who is “arrested or otherwise detained”
  
  When I got pinged for drink driving 13 years ago there was a possible technical defence I could have run with which may quite possibly have suceeded (nothing to do with being offered the opportunity to consult a lawyer)
  
  Given my background, both in politics and as an advocate for victims, I decided it would be a very bad look to be acquitted on a technicality, so I just pleaded guilty in the end.
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:20pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    If she truly believed that a Grey area of the law exists, then:
    
    (1) She should have raised the issue sometime when she was an MP, let alone Minister of Justice
    
    (2) She should not have pleaded guilty…she should have tested her belief in a “Grey Area” in the courts.
    
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    May 22, 2024 1:34pm
    - fernglas
      
      The “grey area” is not actually all that grey. This point about when the right to call a lawyer arises was settled about 40 years ago, if I remember correctly.
      
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      May 22, 2024 3:53pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Txs
        
        Perhaps Kiri missed class the day that was covered in her law degree.
        
        Never mind… she’s got a new gig:
        
        As a former Cabinet Minister and accomplished lawyer, Kiri Allan has dedicated her career to unraveling intricate dilemmas and stands ready to do the same for your organisation.
        
        https://www.kiriallan.com/
        
        4 2
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        May 22, 2024 4:43pm
      - Flossie
        
        Not to mention campaign manager for a Tauranga mayor hopeful.
        
        2 0
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        May 22, 2024 5:32pm
Oskar

Wellington City Council does it again
A person has put in a private right of way access to his property – across his own land. He wants to name it after himself – Lee Way (in Wellington to have Way in a street name shows its a private street). The Council, after consulting iwi, want it called Te Ara Tarehu. This has been going on for 6 months but without a street name Lee cannot get services – eg high speed internet connected.
Lee wants a name that is easy to remember and spell. The Council want te reo names for sites important to mana whenua which this is not or te reo names “telling stories of a feature”
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May 22, 2024 11:47am
- imalwaysright
  
  If a street name is meant to tell a story its going to be a fucking short one!
  
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  May 22, 2024 12:35pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘The Council, after consulting iwi,’
  
  Be good to know what if anything that cost in time and money .
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:00pm
- surfing
  
  The maori have co-governance in many aspects of our life. In the case of street names in Wellington, they seem to hold absolute governance.
  
  The only way to escape this is to leave the country, as it isn’t going to get better.
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:00pm
Hugh Jarse

So she entered a not guilty plea, dragged this out for months, forced the development of a prosecution file into a trial file, made a number of attending Police Officers turn up for court to give evidence and then entered a guilty plea at the last minute. Classless act to cause as much disruption as possible.
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May 22, 2024 11:49am
- nova
  
  But luckily the judge managed to find a sufficiently wet bus ticket, a $300 fine plus actual damages for the careless driving charge, and discharged without conviction on the charge of failing to accompany a police officer. This second offence deserved some accountability. You shouldn’t get off on the basis that the media has already reported it and you have already suffered reputational damage.
  
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  May 22, 2024 12:55pm
  - cmm
    
    It almost makes one want to go to the front desk with $500 in cash and ask what crimes you can get permission to commit.
    
    Or next time you get stopped for a minor traffic offence, throw the cop $10 and tell him to piss off.
    
    $300 for all this mayhem is ridiculous.
    
    No wonder we have a crime problem in NZ. How can you convince people that it is not OK to push a trolley full of groceries out of Countdown without paying if the elites are not held to account?
    
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    May 22, 2024 1:25pm
- alex Masterley
  
  There should have been an uplift for the unneccessary work imposed upon the prosection.
  Criminals get sentencing discounts for this that and the other thing so i see no reason why there should not be uplifts as well for such things as gaming the system.
  
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  May 22, 2024 1:29pm
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    And the staff costs of preparing all that detailed information, that ended up being unnecessary; information that must be checked three times to ensure that it will stand up to a very vigorous cross-examination. Get a proof reader to go everything with a fine tooth comb. A huge time wasting exercise that meant many people, instead of being employed on productive work went through the minutiae of a trial prosecution case.
    And the offender got fined $300.
    What a dreadful far kin joke.
    I appeared for myself before Venning J in 2016. I know how time consuming it all was.
    the result read;
    Crown Prosecutor 0 Tauhei Notts 1.
    The crown prosecutor was playing at home so his name appears first.
    
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    May 22, 2024 2:08pm
NothingLeft

For those interested; 85 year old (anti-Trump) Alan Dershowitz, one of USA’s most experienced courtroom lawyers and judicial ethicists (taught at Harvard for decades) and his absolutely scathing review and rebuke of the judge in the New York Trump trial where due to oversight he got to witness the Judge’s unhinged anti-defense-witness meltdown yesterday, and prevented the defense being allowed to make their case:
https://youtu.be/x-J_kSsEjBk
Dershowitz says the judge is clearly an extreme partisan and making rulings that are completely beyond the pale. He thinks there is no chance that if there is a conviction that it will not be struck down on appeal – though how long that takes is the key – judge has obvious intent of getting a ‘conviction’ pre election with any appeal reversal likely delayed until after election to give maximum propaganda benefit to Democrats.
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May 22, 2024 12:53pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-zeKv2Ny78
Why an independence fight is sweeping French New Caledonia.
The French-ruled island of New Caledonia is in a state of civil unrest following the adoption of a controversial electoral reform bill on May 15, 2024. The measure allows recent immigrants to participate in local elections. But the historically marginalised indigenous Kanaks say the change would further dilute their voting bloc. Paris has accused pro-independence groups of fuelling the unrest.
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May 22, 2024 12:55pm
- cmm
  
  “The measure allows recent immigrants to participate in local elections.”
  
  Those that have been there 10 years… Not really recent.
  
  As it is, the majority of the islanders do not want to split from France. They obviously like the advantages of civilization.
  
  You’ve got to ask what’s behind this all. More than likely it is something to do with New Calidonia’s nickel. That’s all New Caledonia really has going for it.
  
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  May 22, 2024 2:22pm
- AitchW
  
  I wonder if they have a treaty like ours? Or did the French simply ride into town and take over, completely extinguishing native property rights?
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:18pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=768JVrvxKA4
Panama’s Trump. Hose Mulino.
The CCP cannot be happy about this. Let freedom touch every nation on earth. People don’t understand how important it is for America’s southern countries to prosper.
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May 22, 2024 12:56pm
Jack5

The Government’s announced $24 million for “Gumboot Fridays”, a mental-health counselling programme.

But the plight of the country’s psychiatric hospitals is what politicians will more likely be judged on when it comes to mental health.

These hospitals are full beyond rational capacity, and the shortage of psychiatric nurses and psychiatrists continues.

Someone working in the field may tell us whether, because of this pressure, people who are a danger to themselves or all of us are out in the community.
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May 22, 2024 1:01pm
Maggie Pie

To think baby Ru might have grown up to star in this ad….
had he not been killed 🙁

https://x.com/actparty/status/1793035830430138683

Te Maori Pardy really are a dispicable mob.
14 1
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May 22, 2024 1:16pm
- Ghost
  
  I can’t stand when adults use children to push their agenda. That goes for adults taking children to protests and politicians going into schools to push their messages.
  
  11 1
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  May 22, 2024 1:26pm
  - MCōs
    
    Not quite the same, but I watched Sleeping Dogs yesterday and one of Roger Donaldson’s daughters had a bit part in the opening scene colouring in a picture. Saved a few bob I suppose
    Don Selwyn had a couple a good lines not long latter
    His character also carried out a conversation in Māori with his Dad. Early example of woke from 1977
    Just in case you’re thinking of watching the movie Sam Neill gets killed in the final scene
    
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    May 22, 2024 4:01pm
- Swifty
  
  That ad just spits in the face of all New Zealanders of goodwill, both present today or who lived before us.
  
  It’s a slimy, divisive piece of racist rhetoric which the Maori Party excels in – and which does exactly the opposite of bringing us all together in a common cause.
  
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  May 22, 2024 3:06pm
- Souvlaki
  
  ? Home grown NZ “Hamas “of the future?😳😳😳😳
  
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  May 22, 2024 11:06pm
NoCash

For the nth time, when you’re on a plane, please fasten your seat belt at all times when seated, not just when the seat belt sign is on.

NO, don’t argue about there’s no need to wear a seat belt when the sign is off.
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May 22, 2024 2:23pm
kglm

The U.S. justice system is broken and needs repair. It is corrupted and politically tainted. This is well illustrated by the lawfare Donald Trump has been subjected to during and after his Presidency. In my view there are three reforms that are needed. (1) Change the way many judges gain office. Many judges, up to the highest levels are elected. So they bring their political biases and need to please their constituents to their job. Some form of independent, or at least bi-partisan authority, could be used to appoint judges. (2) The judiciary intruded into the realm of the executive government e.g. by issuing orders that prevent the executive implementing policies. A better legislated, or commonly accepted, greater separation of duties is required. (3) Criminal prosecutions should be made fairer. Some prosecutors are also elected and carry political bias. Plea bargaining is also common – this allows prosecutors to over-charge to pressure defendants into pleading guilty to lesser changes to avoid risks even if innocent. The solution is an independent prosecuting service, and the banning of plea bargaining. A possible fourth issue is the severity of sentencing, which is very harsh by NZ standards. I have less issue with this if the public support harsh sentencing, and NZ sentencing is arguably weak anyway.
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May 22, 2024 2:59pm
- virtualmark
  
  Alternatively … maybe Trump is a career criminal who the law is finally catching up with.
  
  For instance, his current NY trial shows a man with no regard for decency, morals or the law. Just like when he was on trial previously for the Trump University scam, and the Trump Foundation charity scam.
  
  Maybe he’s just a shit person who wouldn’t think twice about scamming, abusing and lying to you too if he thought that would help him.
  
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  May 22, 2024 5:22pm
cmm

French “colonies” are interesting. From my limited understanding they are not considered “colonies” as such, but rather parts of France.

This makes it diplomatically challenging for other countries to do rescue missions into these French territories.

If NZ or Australia want to rescue their citizens, they can’t just call up the Frogs and say “Hi my Froggy Chum, you might or might not have noticed one of your little pacific shitholes has kicked off and this is a courtesy call to tell you we’re going to fly some military aircraft to pick our citizens up.”

Nope, legally New Calidonia is part of France, so it is the same as the Aussy and NZ flying military planes into Paris. Much more permission must be sought and there are more limitations on what can be done…. as well of layers of French pride to deal with.

The Frogs probably still haven’t forgiven the jokes about French tanks having 1 forward gear and 4 reverse gears.

In a militarily ideal situation, Aus and NZ would fly 4 Hercs full of troops and a few support jeeps etc into NC, secure the airport, then set up an airbridge to fly out all the Aussies, NZers and other nationalities, then load up the troops and fly home.

But they can’t do that because, the that would effectively mean putting military boots on French soil (aka invading France). Diplomatic nightmares.

Nor is France going to ask for help because, to them, it would be like asking the British to come help secure Paris.

This French concept of territory really makes the situation challenging for rescue efforts, but you can understand why the majority of New Caledonians like it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noum%C3%A9a_Accord
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May 22, 2024 3:19pm
- Mike
  
  Let me be quite specific
  Get out of the Pacific
  
  5 5
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  May 22, 2024 3:22pm
  - Jack5
    
    For Milky/Mike:
    
    Once again, a reminder that there are some alluring features of French Polynesia:
    
    https://youtu.be/ab_tYof60I4?si=fFEJRP67toB44-SA
    
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    May 22, 2024 9:40pm
  - Red
    
    From 1 PI to another, you are standing in it.
    
    1 0
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    May 23, 2024 2:03am
- mandk
  
  FYI, the Brits are sending some cops to Paris to help out during the Olympc Games.
  
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  May 22, 2024 4:06pm
  - kowtow
    
    That’s perverse , given the Frogs won’t police their beaches and allow mass illegal to Britain.
    
    7 2
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    May 22, 2024 4:57pm
    - Mike
      
      On that theory, every country should stop anyone leaving who can’t prove they have permission to go somewhere else. #newironcurtain
      
      2 2
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      May 22, 2024 5:11pm
- Jethrod
  
  But it was OK for several frogmen(froggies) to attack the Rainbow Warrior, and then have virtually no come back to France later
  
  6 1
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  May 22, 2024 5:10pm
  - AitchW
    
    If I remember correctly the 2 agents caught and imprisoned (briefly) here were given National awards when they were released prematurely from their exile to a Pacific Island.
    Gutless pricks bombed an unarmed ship in our waters.
    
    2 0
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    May 22, 2024 9:14pm
- BananaLlama
  
  Continentals will lose more than a couple of islands if they try it on with the Aussies who have a far more advanced and modern surface warfare fleet.
  
  2 1
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  May 22, 2024 5:43pm
- AitchW
  
  Surely the French are used to being invaded? Cheese eating surrender monkeys.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:10pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Jacinda, Jacinda, where for the art are you??
We need this “Safe and Effective” mind program.
Please come back, Aotearoa needs you – like now.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/nz-looks-set-for-another-winter-covid-19-wave-how-big-will-it-be/ar-BB1mONFF?
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May 22, 2024 5:32pm
Ghost

Hmmm, why do I get the feeling labour will want kiri back? Although I think when she returns it will be to the Māori party

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/05/labour-s-chris-hipkins-wishes-convicted-former-mp-kiri-allan-all-the-best-future-in-politics-remains-unclear-after-guilty-plea.html
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May 22, 2024 5:33pm
Ghost

I would hope the government would get behind this and support her members bill. This is long overdue

Labour MP Ginny Andersen has lodged a Member’s Bill to make stalking a crime following the horrific murder of 21-year-old law student Farzana Yaqub.

Article

Come on Paul, this is something that can be taken care of quickly, it doesn’t need to sit on the back burner until you do what you consider to be important.
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May 22, 2024 6:14pm
Hugh Jarse

Before we go bringing in yet more legislation perhaps the Harrasment Act 1997 should be reviewed as to why it is no longer effective ?. Is it deficient, do the Police not enforce it, do the judiciary not impose the penalties it contains ?

I seem to recall it was brought in because of some other high profile incident years ago.
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May 22, 2024 7:15pm
Muttonbird

I see the National Party delivers on its resident, visionless, evil by scraping the first homebuyers grant, arguing it didn’t make a difference.

It did make a difference because it gave a lot of people hope. Hope which Luxon has now destroyed.

Pure evil.
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May 22, 2024 7:41pm
- Ghost
  
  Evil? Let’s see what are national going to do with that money. Build 1500 new social houses. Would you prefer those people keep waiting for years on the waiting list, living in emergency accomodation?
  
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  May 22, 2024 7:49pm
  - Muttonbird
    
    Sure, condemn people with savings goals and aspirations to continue living in social housing if you must.
    
    The world has turned upside down when it is the visionless National Party damning people with low expectations.
    
    I also think they are lying about the 1500 homes, because they can’t bring themselves to call them ‘homes’, rather ‘places’, which could mean anything.
    
    But they are habitual liars and grifters so that does not surprise!
    
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    May 22, 2024 7:56pm
    - Ghost
      
      Condemn. Hell people can save up for a home loan just as they have for so long
      
      Even a lady on the benefit managed to buy her first home
      
      https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/manawatu-standard/20240515/281548000991264
      
      No it’s easier and more moronic to create a myth that people need to rely on the government to help them buy a home, than to work hard and save.
      
      World hasn’t turned upside down, just idiots like you expect everything to be handed to you and the country to go into deeper debt to do it because you think you are owed something. Get off your fat arse, work and buy your own home like most people do.
      
      Your one to talk about liars, perhaps you could tell us about all the lies that your previous labour government told and all their failures.
      
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      May 22, 2024 8:03pm
      - Muttonbird
        
        Resident. Visionless. Evil.
        
        Watch for the next few polls, hotshot.
        
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        May 22, 2024 8:14pm
    - AitchW
      
      Bullshit. More hysterical crap direct from Fraser House. 5k on a 200k deposit is chicken feed.
      
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      May 22, 2024 9:04pm
- AitchW
  
  You know that parroting the line from the Labour Party convinces no-one don’t you?
  Evil squawk.
  Visionless squawk.
  Resident squawk.
  Try thinking for yourself for once.
  
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  May 22, 2024 9:07pm
Surely Knott

Who decides to withhold the information to protect serious criminals in NZ?

NZ Herald today. “Customs arrest Christchurch man over child sexual abuse material.” The man gets bail.

But what they don’t mention, and what a quick google reveals is the man had been arrested for the same crime in 2019 and 2020. He got Home D after the 2019 offending and when police did a home visit he had hidden cameras behind paintings with more child porn.

So why isn’t his previous history of the same crime mentioned in the current article? Why are repeat offenders getting bail.

2024 offending https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/customs-arrests-christchurch-man-over-child-sexual-abuse-material/XEXMCUAMMVBELIG76SUYEZBOR4

2019 and 2020 offending
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/127627805/convicted-sex-offender-distributes-child-abuse-material-while-serving-home-detention-sentence

[Mod – please don’t shorten nzherald links, it breaks them. Link fixed]
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May 22, 2024 8:05pm
Hugh Jarse

Some questions for Newshub that Muttonbird might be interested in from some very quick investigation by the Taxpayer Union.

Is the man you featured as a prospective home owner tonight on the news still an employee of yours ?
Does he earn more than $90,000 a year working for you ?

Does he have a partner and is their combined income over $150,000.

If the answer to the last two questions is yes then he would be ineligible for the home start loan.

If the answer is yes did you pretend he was actually affected by this policy change even when he was ineligible ?

If the answer to the first question is yes do you think it would have been wise to tell us he is your employee ?
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May 22, 2024 9:59pm
Jack5

Anyone catch the name of the reporter who gave the Crusaders’ coach a hard time on TVNZ tonight?

I think the coach later in the video clip asked another reporter, “Who is that c—?”

People will disagree on where the line is between probing questions and kicking a man while he’s down.
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May 22, 2024 10:24pm
- Ghost
  
  Just watched it, wow, what a (self censored)
  
  It was this little boy
  
  https://www.facebook.com/thomasmeadnz/
  
  And the interview for anyone else that wants to watch. https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/05/22/defiant-penney-says-he-wont-step-aside-from-struggling-crusaders/
  
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  May 22, 2024 10:53pm
  - Jack5
    
    I see he was TVNZ’s “reporter of the year” for 2023.
    
    In this he mentions “hard hitting journalism”.
    
    https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=7840987489251543
    
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    May 22, 2024 11:27pm
    - Ghost
      
      Well, looking at all their reporters the bar is petty low to become reporter of the year.
      
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      May 22, 2024 11:31pm
Ghost

I guess green mp’s haven’t got the message to tone it down and keep the media off them

Another Green MP is under scrutiny for behaviour in the House after letting loose the f-bomb during a fiery debate on immigration.

Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March was recorded swearing during an interaction with Labour’s Phil Twyford.

Article

Menéndez March interjected, saying, “Your party introduced this bill as it was, come on, f…, you voted for the bill without those amendments”.

Twyford replied, saying, “I’m not sure I can ever remember someone who has displayed such incredible self-righteousness as what I have observed in the House this evening from that member”.
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May 22, 2024 11:15pm

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