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June 22, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 22 June 2024

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General Debate

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Benedict Yu

The reported cause of the Interislander ferry running aground is “steering failure”. ☹️It is fortunate that the steering did not fail entering Wellington Harbour in a southerly gale with 1,000 passengers on board.

Inevitably, this incident will turbocharge the debate about the future of the Interislander. Simeon Brown does not seem like a guy who will respond with word salad and platitudes. The most obvious solution is to take the service off kiwirail, and to establish a dedicated state owned enterprise with new management. It could then be privatised once fully established.

Meanwhile the Bluebridge service operates apparantly without issue, and profitably. I recently travelled on their recently acquired ferry, Connemara.

Of course, expect the opposition to come out screeching how all this is the Government’s fault. 😂🤡
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June 22, 2024 8:02am
- grumpy
  
  Bad last few days for NZ infrastructure
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:05am
  - kevn
    
    Good timing… 1.5 mill pa salary will be missed tho.
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/transpower-ceo-alison-andrew-to-step-down/H6LK2IZQRBFMFMM7VG5E2NI5RY/
    
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    June 22, 2024 8:09am
    - Burtland
      
      “Alison was instrumental in evolving Transpower’s asset management journey and in establishing it as a thought leader on New Zealand’s energy future with the publication of Te Mauri Hiko and Whakamana i Te Mauri Hiko,” – Keith Turner
      
      seems her asset management journey was faulty
      
      why is NZ so stuffed ? loss of focus under DEI
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:12am
      - Souvlaki
        
        Yep…& unless we thoroughly purge the fanaticism to “Maorify”everything within sight…THIS will be NZ’s future . An inexorable drift, currently accelerating, to genuine third world status ! 🙁
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:41am
      - Mike
        
        It is remarkable. Remarkable that any time a female is a in charge of something that fails in any way, the failure is attributed by some to ‘diversity’.
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:58am
      - imalwaysright
        
        “Alison was instrumental in evolving Transpower’s asset management journey..”
        
        Unfortunately the journey of this particular asset was into the dirt !
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:20am
      - CJames
        
        The counter to you milky is what organisations have done well with a woman from outside that industry appointed to head? There may be some but they don’t spring to mind. There are lenty of failures 0 – Theresa Gatting and Raelene Castle spring to mind.
        The overwhelming impression is they were diversity hires and the company suffered accordingly.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:29am
      - AitchW
        
        Souvlaki I agree that as long as we have TPM doing its damndest to introduce apartheid into NZ we will continue the slide to third world status.
        However, if the efforts to increase the Maoriness of NZ were to be carried out with respect and tolerance there may well be wins for both Maori and non-Maori alike.
        Maori could enjoy a resurgence of their ancient culture and non-Maori could equally enjoy the richness that cultural diversity might bring.
        As long as the activist Maori elite try to ram it down our throats while jealously guarding the financial gains from treaty settlements and corruption it will never happen. There needs to be a revolution within Maori to ensure that the benefits of modern society and more equally shared.
        The activists screech endlessly about inequity, they need to get their own house in order. But there is no advantage to them in doing that.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:55am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    I do not see the ferry and electricity pilon failures as being comparable.
    
    There is clearly something systemically wrong with the management of these ferries. There is no evidence of similar failures at Transpower. Of course we will need to wait for the investigation to be completed.
    
    According to their website there are 25,000 pilons and 11,000 kilometres of high voltage lines.
    
    https://www.transpower.co.nz/our-work/industry/our-grid#:~:text=25%2C000%3A%20transmission%20towers,National%20Grid%20Operating%20Centres%20(NGOC)
    
    I am not suggesting that the incident be trivialised. However, it is unlikely to be found to be an Interislander level problem.
    
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    June 22, 2024 8:40am
    - Taieri
      
      There is clearly something systemically wrong with the management of these ferries.
      ————
      
      Aratere, the vessel in question, was a lemon from the day one. Envisaged, as a “walk on walk off” vessel, to break the power of the then Seafarers Union, she’s built cheaply in the Spanish yard, which had never built a civilian vessel before. The whole history of this ship is just a list of continuous mechanical disasters. She was not much to write home about when she was new, having suffered a serious breakdown in the Atlantic Ocean on the delivery trip from the yard to NZ, 25 years later she’s just a heap of junk.
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:03am
      - Mike
        
        aka Aralemon. The rail employee supervising construction was rumored to have retired a wealthy man.
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:15am
      - Taieri
        
        The rail employee supervising construction was rumored to have retired a wealthy man.
        ————-
        
        Bollocks. I knew the new-building superintendent. While perhaps, he’s not outstandingly experienced in supervising the construction of such a vessel, he’s a honest man, whose integrity I’d never question. I sailed as a Chief Engineer with him and can only speak very highly about his professionalism and his personal qualities.
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:39am
      - Mike
        
        I did say it was a rumor. Something has always been wrong with that ship, but obviously not his fault, eh?
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:00am
      - Swifty
        
        “The rail employee supervising construction was rumored to have retired a wealthy man.”
        
        Citation required.
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:08am
      - MCōs
        
        It would no longer be a rumour if it was verified
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:34am
      - Mike
        
        Swifty
        An old mate told me. You will find the footnote in my memoirs (forthcoming).
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:52am
      - wsk12345
        
        Long known as the “Ara-terrible” for a reason.
        
        Ask the local coastguard if you should sail on it at night if there is any kind of southerly….
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:33am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Something being covered up here. Apparently this ship had brand new steering in place when last in dry dock just one month ago.
        
        Brown yo speak to media after meeting with kiwi rail and maritime NZ this morning, interesting to see what he says, leftie dullards saying it’s Nats fault for cancelling new ships which will not be in service for years.
        
        They don’t care the steering was new, they don’t care about the billions over budget, just the new order would have stop this Grrrrrr
        
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        June 22, 2024 4:05pm
      - AitchW
        
        G, a long time ago I worked for a NZ shipping company. 2 of our ships suffered serious failures almost immediately after dry docks in Australia. Sabotage was suspected in both cases, but never proven despite in depth investigations by maritime authorities. One was a variable pitch prop which failed due to a couple of grub screws that were not replaced, the other a fire in the switch board which crippled the ship and caused her to be out of service for several weeks.
        
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        June 22, 2024 5:14pm
    - pdm
      
      Agreed BY.
      
      The pylon toppling seems like workers taking short cuts to speed up a job if the rumours are half true.
      
      The Ferries – maintaining a record of poor maintenance and mis management by the look of it.
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:09am
      - MCōs
        
        Looking at the baseplates on the news last night there’s no damage or sign of the anchor bolts having been pulled out of the foundation, which is highly unlikely in itself.
        You’d have to think either the nuts failed, again highly unlikely, or they have been removed.
        There were no police hanging around, which would rule out sabotage . . . . . .
        Quite interesting really
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:49am
      - peterwn
        
        Mcos – Extremely unlikely if the foundation bolts pulled out especially if you are aware with what is underground. I managed the installation of quite a few of these foundations. You dig (drill) a hole about 500mm diameter and 2m deep. You then put down a special drill bit with moveable blades to ‘bell’ the bottom of the hole. You then drop in a circular ‘cage’ of reinforcing steel. You then put a temporary wooden ‘H’ frame to place the bolts in the required place and at the required height. The four bolts are about 500mm long and there are too square galvanised steel plates to hold them in place and the bottom one is to hold the bolts against uplift when in service. You line up the four bolt assemblies with a theodolite and tape measure to a few mm accuracy. That was my job and it had to be right. You then pour four [cubic] yards of concrete down each hole. The big nightmare was not being quite finished and there are four readymix trucks roaring down the road. Sometimes if the tower was on a slope the legs would be different lengths and that made setting up even more interesting. And the distances were expressed in feet and inches (and sixteenths) to make things even more interesting.
        After the concrete had set you returned to install the ‘first section’ which was four steel L shaped legs (1.5 to 2m long) with a thick steel plate at the bottom with four holes to bolt it to the foundation bolts. Again the legs had to be adjusted with theodolite and tape measure when tightening up the nuts. If there was a foundation error you would know about it then! A different gang would move in to erect the tower on the four legs. I went from that job straight into Head Office!
        Then when everything changed post Rogernomics, people like me were deemed to be ‘not suited’ to the new environment and to have an ‘attitude problem’. So I have little sympathy for Transpower in its current predicament.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:25am
      - CJames
        
        MCos
        The pylons are made of sections of angle all predrilled and bolted together. At complex joins there are gussets bolted to the angle. All galvanised steel. That means they are both easy to transport and a corroded section can be replaced. At the bases, the legs bolt into section of angle coming out of a rebar pile.
        There are also two types of tower, strain and tension. The stronger strain ones are for corners and tension for the rest. The one that failed looks like a strain one.
        If the tower to pile connections was fully unbolted to replace the angle; then the corner, plus maybe the wind could pull it over.
        If that is what occurred, then that is very bad mtce practices that had no oversight. Both the contractor and Transpower as asset owner should be nailed.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:39am
      - CJames
        
        By the way, the bolted joints which structural engineers love (mechanical prefer welding) are designed with large factors of safety. The steelwork either side will fail – normally by compressive buckling, long before shear takes out the bolts.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:42am
    - peterwn
      
      There is something systemically wrong with maintenance procedures if a pylon falls over during maintenance, Spart from the MacKenzies specials years ago (and they have been strengthened since) pylons just do not accidentally fall over. My hypothesis (which Transpower would consider ‘unhelpful’) is the pylon fell over when corroded pieces of steel were being replaced. Proper consideration was not given to whether it was strong enough to withstand the temporary absence of the steel pieces or whether temporary supporting (eg guy wires) were needed. Media reports indicated bolts had been removed (and this is most likely to be correct). Of course if someone was told to remove bolts and started removing them willy-nilly, then the whole thing is going to go head over turkey. As HDPA said, the CEO when interviewed, either knew what the issue was or no one briefed her on what the issue was. So Transpower needs to review its processes for carrying out such work (without going paranoid) so it is carried out safely and effectively.
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:21am
      - CJames
        
        Transpower contracts out all the actual physical – they are just a management organisation. And they are heavily into DEI and there is only one BE in senior management. All the ex-NZE engineers have now retired – did they transfer the skills and knowledge? Or is there a big hole with few engineers in the 45-65 age group who have had a career in the industry?
        In the local area, the contractors used to be Electrix, now its Downers. Do they have Transpower approved procedures for routine tasks? Does Transpower ever actually do real audits of the work they contract out.
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:34am
      - Burtland
        
        “Alison was instrumental in evolving Transpower’s asset management journey”
        – Keith Turner
        
        DEI is going to kill NZ
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:44am
    - G152
      
      Who would own an EV in Northland now with those delicate pylons
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:42am
      - I remember when
        
        G152:
        The rules are install your solar panels before you buy your EV!
        Expect the message to grow ever louder with the passage of time.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:31am
      - peterwn
        
        Nothing wrong with the pylon. It was a different maintenance gang’s turn to have the communal brain cell that day.
        
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        June 22, 2024 2:19pm
      - jkt
        
        Also install a water tank and buy a bottle of Jik so that you have water available if necessary. Make sure you have a canvas sheet in the sleepout ….. a few tins of bully beef………. And a few bottles of the good stuff.
        
        A flashlight……
        
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        June 22, 2024 6:42pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    “Bad last few days for NZ infrastructure”
    
    Ambiguity at its best !
    
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    June 22, 2024 12:17pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    All this bad news.
    
    How about some good news!
    
    My Ex Airforce buddy, (without Government funding) is on his second around the world flight in a light aircraft. Last time he went with his wife west to east.
    
    This time with an old flying buddy east to west.
    
    They are currently in Russia heading to the west coast (St Petersburg) before hopping over to Sweden then then Uk ETc.
    
    You can follow them via
    https://bazflyer.com/
    
    He has a tracker onboard and a blog on whats what. with Itenerary.
    
    Will be real interesting to get his feedback on what’s the “feelz”” in Russia re Ukraine as they have stopped off at a number of Russian locations. Not big cities. Even operated out of a dirt strip at one place…!!!!!!
    
    Barry has had a very interesting life both as a pilot (think helicopters In Papua New Guinea) and entrepreneur with a number of successful) businesses under his belt.
    
    But still looking for adventure and not sitting around moaning about NZ politics and institutions.
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:28pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Get Kiwirail out of it. Truck the freight.
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:10am
  - Gravelroad
    
    “The sailing was freight-only, with 8 commercial drivers and 39 crew aboard. They have remained safely on board overnight. The ship has power and supplies.“
    How would you suggest freight be moved from the South Island to North Island and vice versa if there were no ferries- either from Picton or Lyttleton?
    Fly?
    
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    June 22, 2024 8:23am
    - Tony Stuart
      
      One thing I learned when I worked for a courier company for a few months was how important Cook Strait was for freight movement. When you have freight delayed or stranded in either Wellington or Picton, it has significant knock-on effects for the supply chain.
      
      However that doesn’t justify the exorbitant price Kiwirail asked the incoming government to pay for replacement ferries and massive upgrades to the shore infrastructure.
      
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      June 22, 2024 8:29am
      - Mike
        
        What’s been missing so far is any reasonable assessment of the alternatives.
        
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        June 22, 2024 8:47am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Mike,
        That is correct, most of the static we get from those responsible is them passing the buck, no one has a solution.
        
        If I were the minister I would start by talking to the ferry captains and see what they think.
        No point formulating a plan that can’t be implemented.
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:21am
      - Quail
        
        Many years back the straits were serviced by a scow called the Echo.It sailed into central Blenheim.
        A lot of freight came into Blenheim via the Echo.
        It had its problems too!
        In fact the very common standard retailer excuse in those times was “ sorry your parcel is stuck on the bar ( Wairau bar that is )
        The rail ferry’s put a stop to all that???
        It appears we have returned to the bad old days
        
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        June 22, 2024 6:23pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Just no ferries operated by Kiwirail. Trucks only on the ferries, no rail lines. They roll off then straight off to the destination. No quadruple handling.
      
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      June 22, 2024 8:43am
      - Mike
        
        I look forward to your detailed analysis of the costs and benefits of severing the rail link.
        
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        June 22, 2024 8:55am
      - Burtland
        
        did they centralise their rail service facilities in the NI ?
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:05am
      - kowtow
        
        burtland
        
        Co governance is the new centralisation.
        
        On a serious note ; where’s the ‘elf and shafting police . It strikes me the company is putting its employees and the public in harm’s way .
        
        I feel a hymn coming on .
        
        For those in peril on the sea.
        
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        June 22, 2024 9:31am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        You do the analysis Mike. Don’t forget the freight movement times.
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:26am
      - Mike
        
        I can’t do that sort of analysis, Steve. You proposed the solution, so I presume you can explain why it would be the best option.
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:55am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Mike, the option is common sense. Get rail out of it for good.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:40am
      - Mike
        
        Common sense is not as common as you might imagine, Steve. Also, choices adopted as ‘common sense’ often turn out to be wrong.
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:48am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Mike @ 11.48.
        “Also, choices adopted as ‘common sense’ often turn out to be wrong.”
        You just said that. If it turned out to be wrong it was not common sense – which is not that common.
        Stop talking shit.
        
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        June 22, 2024 2:19pm
    - PurplePen
      
      If it was freight only would it be wrong to suggest possibility of sabotage by a minion to put pressure on govt?
      
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      June 22, 2024 10:50am
      - Mike
        
        Only wrong if one were not suffering from a personality disorder.
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:56am
  - BananaLlama
    
    Sell it to Amazon they don’t have any issues delivering freight around the globe so i’m sure they can manage to deliver freight between two islands. If the left start squawking remind them that their sacred idol Jacinda spent many hours convincing Amazon to open data centers here in NZ.
    
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    June 22, 2024 9:56am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    Agree with trucks. By the time they could get it working properly with rail there will probably be driverless electric trucks anyway.
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:26am
    - greybeard
      
      The “rail” is not the problem: the problem is with the ships.
      
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      June 22, 2024 10:31am
      - Nigel Kearney
        
        The problem with the ships is they are very expensive and time consuming to replace due to the requirement that they need to carry rail wagons.
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:57am
  - AitchW
    
    SO, rail is very effective for bulk movement of freight, including containers for large freight companies which are consolidated at each end for receipt and delivery. Well managed with economies of scale you can achieve transit times the same as trucking direct from the shippers yard to the consignee.
    For small consignments it’s still hopelessly inefficient.
    
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    June 22, 2024 12:08pm
    - david
      
      Aitch – OK at first blush but how do you get on when the railway tunnels are the wrong shape or size to allow the containers to move through, and if you want to send a shed load to Nelson or Te Anau, what becomes the alternative solution?
      
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      June 22, 2024 1:59pm
      - AitchW
        
        I know that Mainfreight regularly sends containers on rail from Hamilton to Christchurch so the tunnels fit conventional boxes. I don’t know if hicube boxes fit through the tunnels, perhaps someone with current experience can comment.
        Regarding Nelson or Te Anau I guess you take the box off at the nearest railhead and truck it. I don’t know what volume of container traffic goes to either of those places. At least at Nelson there is a container depot to return the empty to.
        
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        June 22, 2024 4:04pm
- peterwn
  
  Advice to Minister Simeon Brown and Transpower’s and Kiwirail’s shareholding Ministers. Do not take any crap from the two CEO’s, and tell Bellamy’s not to bother with the coffee. HDPA hit the nail right on the head when interviewing the Transpower CEO. If ‘heads must roll’ Warren Cooper style, make sure the right heads roll. Do not let the CEO’s serve up sacrificial lambs for slaughter as the then Commissioner of Works did for Warren Cooper.
  Years ago the Palmerston North telephone exchange (it is one of the largest in NZ) fell over leaving people with nil or limited 111 service for some hours. The second level manager (just below the CEO) was gone in very short order. So it can be done.
  By the way the Herald was alarmist when it said Aratere passengers were told to don lifejackets causing people to think there were lots of passengers – there were only eight passengers on board and they were all truck drivers.
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:17am
  - Mike
    
    Trick drivers are people you know.
    
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    June 22, 2024 9:17am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    39 crew. Why have 39 when 10 could do the job?
    What did I miss?
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:31am
    - wsk12345
      
      Interislander is heavily unionised. I know someone who works in South Island checking in people luggage and vehicles and earns just on $100 k pa. All that time and a half, double time etc.
      
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      June 22, 2024 11:45am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Are you trying to tell me Unions are the problem?
        Noooo! No way – yes way! Possible sabotage? I have mentioned that before.
        
        8 truckies and 39 crew, perfect opportunity to fuck things up, no public.//
        
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        June 22, 2024 2:23pm
    - JimBobJoe
      
      Steve – ten people could not operate a craft that big. The engines need a decent set of people as does the bridge.
      
      Plus there will be minimum crewing levels in case of an emergency to ensure all safety points (Rally points, Water tight doors) are manned as needed and all lifeboats have skilled people available to deploy and operate them on the water.
      
      The above is my reasoning based on some logic, not on actual maritime standards, but I dont think the number of crew is excessive.
      
      The seafarers who comment here will know more precisely of course
      
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      June 22, 2024 11:50am
      - AitchW
        
        JBJ massive container ships manage with smaller crews. I suspect that there is a lot of fat in the ferry crewing. On a freight crossing there is no need for a complement of stewards, one steward and one cook would suffice.
        I’d suggest that the unions still have disproportionate influence over crewing on these ships.
        
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        June 22, 2024 12:12pm
      - Taieri
        
        The minimum crew numbers required will be prescribed in the Safe Manning Certificate, which is issued by the Maritime NZ.
        For a NZ flagged passenger ship over 3000 GT it would be about 12 for marine crew only. However, for 24 hours ferry operation this number will be at least double, because the normal working hours for seafarers are 12 hours per day.
        In practice, since these vessels operate mostly in the restricted waters, there will be 2 navigational officers and 2 engineers on watch at any time, plus an appropriate number of marine ratings and passenger related crew members.
        
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        June 22, 2024 12:39pm
      - Taieri
        
        I suspect that there is a lot of fat in the ferry crewing.
        ————-
        
        I suspect that you don’t know what you are talking about.
        There’s very little “fat” in the manning levels of the most modern vessels. Passenger ferries operating 24 hrs/day on a tight schedule with relatively short passage time have their own requirements and are not comparable with “massive container ships”, which “manage with smaller crews” on the long ocean passages.
        
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        June 22, 2024 12:44pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        AitchW,
        Why do you need stewards and cooks for a 3 1/2 hour crossing for 8 truckies?
        
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        June 22, 2024 2:40pm
      - AitchW
        
        I found a response to an OIA to Kiwirail in 2018 which indicated the following:
        4 deck officers
        4 engineering officers
        1 electrician
        5 assorted ABs and engine room ratings
        5 cooks and stewards.
        That’s 20.
        Perhaps the extra 9 are shore staff involved in marshalling and loading trucks, trailers and rail?
        I’m sure someone can provide more information.
        
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        June 22, 2024 4:16pm
      - AitchW
        
        SO, gotta feed the officers and crew.
        
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        June 22, 2024 5:17pm
    - greybeard
      
      According to Wikipedia there are 31 crew members.
      And apparently because of all the previous problems it must use only one propellor.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEV_Aratere
      
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      June 22, 2024 12:44pm
    - peterwn
      
      Most would be off-duty on a freight only sailing.
      
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      June 22, 2024 2:21pm
- igm
  
  Just sell it to whoever can operate it. There is no room in our failed economy for any more bludging public servant operations.
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:39am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    The ferry operations are not run by public servants.
    
    It cannot be privatised in its current state. It needs to be fixed.
    
    Then there is the problem of the mass hysteria in New Zealand whenever privatisation is discussed.
    
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    June 22, 2024 9:10am
    - Jethrod
      
      In these tricky times anyone with a dollar will be hanging on to it.
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:29am
      - AitchW
        
        Perhaps the government could cut its losses by selling the ferries along with the management company for that dollar. As long as the purchase is accompanied by a contract which requires minimum service standards a new owner with deep pockets could prove a win win for both parties. The government is no longer burdened by the albatross which is currently the Interislander , and the new owner gets to reap the benefits of a well run, well resourced and well patronised ferry service.
        
        5 1
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        June 22, 2024 12:16pm
    - G152
      
      Always there are alternates.
      The navy is pretty good at things marine time
      
      2 3
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      June 22, 2024 9:46am
      - Gravelroad
        
        The proposed re-float of the ferry at high time 9am has now been postponed.
        Probably have to get a consent from the Council………
        
        9 1
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        June 22, 2024 10:06am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Gravelroad,
        
        Council and whoever looks after the Taniwha who live right there where the ship crashed. No how much can be extracted from the Govt until they say the Taniwha is happy?
        
        8 2
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        June 22, 2024 10:35am
    - geoff3012
      
      give it away
      
      4 1
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      June 22, 2024 10:01am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Kiwirail are actually Public Servants in the Public Sector.
      State Owned Enterprise or something.
      
      2 2
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      June 22, 2024 2:43pm
  - MCōs
    
    The rail service was privatized by one of the neoconservative administrations and renamed Transrail. It was promptly run into the ground and had to be renationalized and renamed Kiwirail.
    A bit of a simplification, but basically that’s what happened.
    The problem with flogging off the Interislander is it’s too important to the country to fail. So if it’s privatized the new company has the government by the balls.
    “Give us a billion dollars or we’ll shut it down”
    
    5 1
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    June 22, 2024 11:08am
    - wsk12345
      
      Bollocks. Bluebridge quietly runs a great service. Probably not into DEI and they are certainly into function over form on their boats but somehow they make a profit on fairly low fares.
      
      No reason not to have another private competitor. Get the unions out, costs come way down and quality way up.
      
      8 2
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      June 22, 2024 11:47am
    - AitchW
      
      I worked with some of the people who became the management team at the privatised NZR. They pretty much did the same thing to that company that they did to the company which employed them before they jumped to Toll. (The new owners of NZR).
      I’m not remotely surprised that they failed. Again.
      
      7 0
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      June 22, 2024 12:20pm
- greybeard
  
  The term “steering failure” can mean various things: a deliberate act, a moment of inattention, a mechanical or electrical fault.
  You are right, had it happened at the Wellington end of the trip it could have been disastrous. I don’t know how the steering system operates on the ferry but I am surprised that it is so frail, with no apparent redundancy or warning systems. Anyone know ?
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:57am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    We need the knowledgeable commenter “Master Mariner”. 😃
    
    19 3
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    June 22, 2024 9:04am
  - Taieri
    
    I am surprised that it is so frail, with no apparent redundancy or warning systems.
    ——-
    
    There are both.
    
    Under SOLAS requirements each steering system in a passenger vessel should have a 100% redundancy.
    How is it set up in practice?
    A steering gear is provided with two electric motor/pump sets supplying a single hydraulic actuator. Usually, the power to one motor is supplied via emergency switchboard, so that if the ship’s main power supply fails (as in a blackout condition) the emergency generator automatically kicks in and provides emergency supply within a specified time (45 seconds). There should also be an alarm system fitted, which will give an audible and visual signal indicating any faults in the steering system.
    Normally, only one motor/pump unit would be in operation but when the vessel is maneuvering or sailing in the restricted waters all motor/pump units are in use.
    As the Aratere is a twin screw vessel there should be two separate, independent steering gears, each provided with its own emergency power supply and its own separate alarm system.
    
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    June 22, 2024 9:32am
    - Burtland
      
      if the propellers can fall off, you can expect anything to happen
      
      8 1
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      June 22, 2024 9:51am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Sounds like a pretty major failure, then
      
      7 1
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      June 22, 2024 9:52am
      - Taieri
        
        The failure itself doesn’t necessarily need to be major. It could be something as simple as a couple of blown fuses. But the consequences of such a failure can be pretty serious indeed.
        It’s difficult to speculate as to what could have caused it, not knowing what’s actually happened. I’m sure there’ll be a thorough investigation carried out.
        
        6 0
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        June 22, 2024 10:18am
    - geoff3012
      
      at least the front didn’t fall off
      
      9 0
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      June 22, 2024 10:04am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        I won’t say who:
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5qxZm_JqM
        
        4 2
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        June 22, 2024 10:43am
      - Mike
        
        but was it outside the environment?
        
        6 4
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        June 22, 2024 11:52am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Mike. It was inside the environment but moved outside the environment when the front fell off.
        Uptick sonny!
        
        3 1
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        June 22, 2024 2:45pm
      - virtualmark
        
        For me Yes Minister and Clark & Dawes are tied as the cleverest comedy writing of all time.
        
        4 0
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        June 22, 2024 3:27pm
    - Nigel Kearney
      
      I’m completely ignorant about this but surely there can only be one rudder and if something breaks in that area you just can’t steer at all until it’s fixed.
      
      2 2
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      June 22, 2024 10:31am
      - Taieri
        
        See the explanation above.
        There’re two independent rudders in the twin screw vessel such as Aratere. As far as I know there’re also two bow thrusters fitted to that ship, which will give a limited steering effect at a low vessel speed (up to about 3 to 4 knots).
        
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        June 22, 2024 10:37am
      - wsk12345
        
        @Taieri – Bobs Bay where they show the grounding would be just outside the 5knots zone, would it not? How fast do these boats accelerate?
        
        2 0
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        June 22, 2024 11:49am
      - Taieri
        
        wsk12345
        
        ————–
        
        I’m not familiar with the Picton harbour but expect that the speed limits will be prescribed in the relevant harbour regulations.
        As for the acceleration, it can be quite quick. Relatively speaking of course. Most of the time it depends on the location and conditions.
        
        4 0
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        June 22, 2024 12:56pm
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Steer from the front bow thrusters.
        
        1 2
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        June 22, 2024 2:47pm
      - AitchW
        
        Wsk12345, reported in error, fat fingers strike again. Please accept my unconditional apology.
        To address your earlier question, according to 1 News she was doing 3 knots when she lost steering, so presumably could have used bow thrusters to steer unless there was a strong current pushing her onto the sand.
        
        4 0
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        June 22, 2024 4:20pm
- Philview
  
  Simeon Brown is a very impressive young MP and Minister. Of course not in the right party to get any love from the media.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:04am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Indeed. Just what the transport portfolio needed. I am looking forward to many more years of Julie Anne Genter having melt downs. 😂
    
    41 1
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    June 22, 2024 9:12am
    - AitchW
      
      Until she’s found to have been breaking labour laws or shoplifting or drink driving (cycling) or whatever is her thing. Then she’ll be replaced with the next Green muppet on the list.
      
      5 1
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      June 22, 2024 2:22pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Just waiting for a big one. A themonuclear meltdown. It must happen as she gets more and more pissed off with cars.
      
      3 2
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      June 22, 2024 2:49pm
      - AitchW
        
        Oooh I wonder if she’ll scream in the minister’s face…. Has she faced the Privileges Committee yet for her earlier transgression?
        
        3 1
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        June 22, 2024 4:23pm
  - pdm
    
    Phil – if he was in Labour he would be looking for TV Cameras and Microphones so he could grandstand and blame a previous National Government.
    
    Here he is on the job and looking to get problems solved.
    
    What a difference 9 months makes.
    
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    June 22, 2024 9:17am
    - peterwn
      
      Kiwirail hoodwinked the previous Labour government over the mega ferries and I think even Robbo knew the game was up just before the election when Kiwirail were cap in hand for another top-up and he declined to action it until the election. Nicola saw the potential train wreck and pulled the plug as soon as she got her feet behind the desk.
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:28am
      - virtualmark
        
        Actually it was the escalating cost of the port infrastructure that was the problem.
        
        The ferries themselves were on a tight fixed-price contract, and that project was on-time and on-budget.
        
        The whole thing is yet another example that we seem to have lost our mojo for building infrastructure at decent speed and at decent cost.
        
        5 0
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        June 22, 2024 3:23pm
      - AitchW
        
        Virtual, that may well be the case, but without the shore facilities the ferries on order would not be able to operate.
        A real pig in a poke!
        
        0 1
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        June 22, 2024 5:20pm
      - Quail
        
        The message was the super ferries could not turn in Picton harbour..
        So how did that work?
        
        1 0
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        June 22, 2024 8:10pm
- AitchW
  
  BY, I think the two downticks prove your assertion about the opposition screeching.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:19am
- Vinicius
  
  Julie-Ann Genter is already bleating and blaming Nicola Willis.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:23am
  - Mod88
    
    Of course she is, the Chatham Islands have run out of fuel, she is the MP and was recently over there visiting/hiding. Quick look over here.
    
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    June 22, 2024 12:28pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Hahaha, she can say what ever she likes, but the steering was replaced just a month ago
    
    3 1
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    June 22, 2024 4:08pm
  - peterwn
    
    Same three issues would have arisen with a Labour led government – ferry grounding, pylon falling over and Chatham Islands running out of fuel (Julie-Ann would probably seen the latter as an advantage).
    
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    June 22, 2024 7:13pm
- Countrygirl
  
  I just hope there are not stock in the trucks. That could make a bad situation even worse.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:53am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    They could be walked back to Picton along the lower Bob’s Bay track.
    
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    June 22, 2024 12:51pm
    - Sacha
      
      -along a little swing bridge, boat to shore. Just like a regular loading ramp –
      
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      June 22, 2024 9:01pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    There definitely will be stock in every straight crossing
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:09pm
- Mobile Michael
  
  Sure enough, here’s a quote from Tangi Utikere, Labour MP and Transport spokesman:
  
  “The Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been dragging her heels for six months on this issue. If she can fork out almost $3 billion for landlords, she can find the money to give New Zealanders a reliable ferry service.”
  
  I have a plan for reliable ferry services – book with Bluebridge. Cost to taxpayers – $0.
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:08am
  - Swifty
    
    Labour MPs think we are stupid.
    
    15 1
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    June 22, 2024 10:38am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      Remember, half of all NZers are below average. Labour count on this.
      
      11 1
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      June 22, 2024 12:15pm
      - sirknz
        
        It is pretty dismal when you are aware of how smart the average NZer is…
        
        3 1
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        June 22, 2024 1:17pm
    - peterwn
      
      Including Helen Clark who has suddenly become an expert on Cook Strait ferries.
      
      7 1
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      June 22, 2024 2:25pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Yes, and as I remember she did exactly what Willis did when sums did not add up.
        
        Since when did anyone listen to that old blurts
        
        2 1
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        June 22, 2024 4:12pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      No, they are stupid, 3 billion just to fix the shortfall ffs
      
      1 1
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      June 22, 2024 4:11pm
    - AitchW
      
      Swifty, their voters are, so they expect all voters to be the same.
      
      1 1
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      June 22, 2024 5:22pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Exactly, the answer is let more competition in, and either kiwirail buy their own ships or get out of the way for others
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:10pm
- Paulus
  
  Everything is the elected Government’s faults –
  I have never heard so much total negativity from all the Media Party ever over everything.
  They are getting their way in making the public totally against the Government, and everything they do, like the Ferry grounding is their fault too.
  Their attitude is sad because no matter how trying they did not win the election they wanted.
  And it appears we are still paying them via NZ On Air.
  When will this stop ?
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:17am
- PurplePen
  
  If Interislander was separated out as an independent company, how much focus would they then have on wanting roll on roll off rail. They would consider it surely but find no business case. Was roll on roll off rail for the ships and landside either end a significant part of the cost.
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:55am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Not entirely accurate, Benedict. This ship is freight only; as things stand it’s never going have 1000 passengers on board.
  
  Not that I disagree with the premise.
  
  Kiwirail and the government have been warned. If the worst should happen, they cannot say “but we didn’t know”.
  
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  June 22, 2024 11:25am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    It that particular sailing, all sailing’s are not transport only
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:14pm
- AitchW
  
  Looking at the photo of the ship aground I will be surprised if there is not major structural damage requiring a lengthy visit to a dry dock, if not an Indian beach for scrapping.
  This will test the resilience of both ferry services. My business relies on product trucked up from Christchurch on a weekly basis, this could make life difficult for us.
  Thanks Kiwirail, thanks Labour.
  
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  June 22, 2024 12:25pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Depends if it’s sitting on a sand bank or rocks
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:14pm
    - AitchW
      
      If the bow is sufficiently elevated she may be sagging downward in the middle which may cause potentially catastrophic structural damage. Ships ain’t designed to supported at both ends and not in the middle…..
      
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      June 22, 2024 4:27pm
- Muttonbird
  
  You know there are those people who blame everyone else but themselves.
  
  Simeon Browne is one of those people. Take some responsibility, mate.
  
  1 21
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  June 22, 2024 12:31pm
  - Gravelroad
    
    What responsibility for anything has the previous government taken for their 6 years of failures, incompetence and profligate spending?
    The current lot have been in office for only a few months.
    You are deluded if you seriously think any governance group can turn around the Labour government’s disastrous policies in such a short time frame.
    But I guess you know that really, don’t you.
    
    15 1
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    June 22, 2024 1:08pm
  - AitchW
    
    Oh please MB, tell us how the current government is responsible for this cock up.
    I guess you’ll use the same logic to blame it for our high mortgage rates, towering inflation and cost of living crisis.
    
    8 1
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    June 22, 2024 2:27pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    You can’t spell his name correctly. No surprise.
    
    If things go well, it will take a decade to substantiality reverse the catastrophe of the last 6 years. Sadly many of the adverse effects will require a generation to deal with.
    
    I have a feeling that you are deliberately trolling or acting out a satirical parody. You could not possibly believe your utterances here. 🤡
    
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    June 22, 2024 3:00pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    He was critical of kiwi rails maintenance just last week, this ship had its steering replaced just a month ago , who the he’ll else do you blame accept for pathetic kiwi rail
    
    4 0
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    June 22, 2024 4:16pm
  - Ghost
    
    No, it’s you who blames everyone else, without fail.
    
    1 0
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    June 22, 2024 4:20pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Blue bridge manage to but their own ships as well, apparently the price is similar
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:08pm
- virtualmark
  
  Benedict,
  
  The challenge here is the way that KiwiRail is structured and funded.
  
  Think of KiwiRail in three parts:
  1. The rail infrastructure (“below rail”)
  2. The freight logistics business (“above rail”)
  3. The inter-island ferries.
  
  The rail infrastructure has immense maintenance needs … easily $500m pa, and currently much higher because we’re upgrading metro lines, building the Central Rail Loop etc etc.
  
  The other two bits are profitable – they’re quite good businesses. But their profits get syphoned off to fund the rail infrastructure. Which means those profits aren’t available to fund re-investment in the rolling stock and ferries. If those two parts of the business were allowed to re-invest their own profits then they’d be in much better condition today.
  
  The first question is “Does rail deliver a valuable benefit for NZ Inc?”. Do the analysis, as I was tasked with doing, and the answer is a clear yes it does.
  
  Then the next question is “How then should we fund it?”. The above rail & ferries should be, and are, self-funding. The rail infrastructure is not self-funding and needs the Government (ie us collectively) to fund it. The sensible means to do that is the Land Transport Fund. So you’ll see that increasingly we’re moving to funding rail track from that fund.
  
  But that’s no different to how we fund our other infrastructure that delivers positive externalities rather than profits. We, collectively, via the Government, directly fund hospitals, schools etc etc. Because they are “unprofitable” but yet they deliver a valuable benefit for NZ Inc. So it’s rational for us to fund them. Some of our hard infrastructure shares those same characteristics.
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:28pm
  - virtualmark
    
    If I were King:
    
    1. I’d split the below-rail infrastructure off into its own non-profit vehicle that would own and operate the track (in fact we already have it … it’s called the New Zealand Railways Corporation and it already owns all the land, but not the track)
    
    2. I’d leave the above-rail freight business and the ferries in a for-profit SOE.
    
    3. I’d open access the track. If Mainfreight or Toll want to run trains down the track then let them. The problem we’re trying to solve is we want to get more heavy freight off the roads. Another problem we have is that the rail network is under-utilised. Encouraging more modal shift from road to rail delivers on both.
    
    4. I’d charge all rail operators a TUC (Track User Charge), which would go to the Land Transport Fund. Then, as the Government, I would be able to incentivise modal shift by the relative settings of TUC and RUC (if that’s what I wanted to do).
    
    5. I’d fund the track infrastructure from the Land Transport Fund.
    
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    June 22, 2024 3:19pm
- Rumblestrip
  
  Already on the cesspool that is Facebook, the useful idiots are rolling out the story that Chris Luxon is personally to blame.
  
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  June 23, 2024 7:06pm
Bridgenag

FROM USA
Friday Funnies: Red EYE
On the road again

https://open.substack.com/pub/rwmalonemd/p/friday-funnies-red-eye?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
11 2
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June 22, 2024 8:03am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Hillary mentioned. I still reckon Hillary will replace Joe.
  
  7 4
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  June 22, 2024 8:16am
  - All_on_Red
    
    I think its more likely the Dems will tap one of the more successful and moderate Dem Governors, (not Newsome), to replace FJB
    And getting continued ‘guidance’ from Obama of course.
    
    14 3
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    June 22, 2024 8:22am
    - Chuck Bird
      
      I thinking of putting $100 on Micheal Obama.
      
      8 6
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      June 22, 2024 8:38am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        Big Mike says he does not want it. Doesn’t want to be controlled by Barry?
        
        15 4
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        June 22, 2024 8:45am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Barrack Newsome is photogenic and he’s not Obiden.
    That might get him over the line.
    
    3 4
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    June 22, 2024 9:36am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    She is hated because of her toxicity, she will never beat Trump
    
    3 0
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    June 22, 2024 2:09pm
Observer of Life

GD:
On “More employers should listen to Alexandr” from 19/06.
Here’s what Air NZ has just published.

From the Manu Network…
Mangopare Air New Zealand Pilot Cadetship Launched!
HELP US ENCOURAGE MAORI, PASIFICA & WAHINE APPLICANTS.
* Ever dreamed of becoming a pilot for Araraurangi but thought it was impossible?
* Know someone within your team, family, friends or church who would be interested?
* Find out more and encourage people to apply with the majority of the costs covered by Air New Zealand – it’s like winning a golden ticket!
I’m pretty certain if you’re a “Wahine” of non-Maori/Pasifica origins, you won’t get far with your application.

It beggars belief that they believe it is acceptable to prioritise Maori and Pacifica, and especially female Maori and Pacifica over others of various cultures/races. DIE DEI.. DIE!!

Just an explanation on this word “Mangopare”.
Air NZ no longer believes the symbol on the tail of their aeroplanes is a “Koru”. It is now explained away as a “Mangopare”.
That symbol we’ve always been lead to believe (by Air NZ themselves) as being a Koru – which represents “new beginnings” is in fact a Mangopare – a “hammerhead shark”.
This was told to me by some chap in their marketing department about a year ago. I questioned this and I was shut down, told by someone higher up the food chain that they would not be communicating with me further on this matter.
Why would our airline have put a bloody hammerhead shark on everything, call it a Koru, only to decide it’s a bloody shark.
In the words of Sir Bob Jones – more Maori wonderfulness!!??
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June 22, 2024 8:04am
- pdm
  
  OIL – turning planes into submarines?
  
  As an occasional flyer on AirNZ I hope not.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:21am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    Hope they don’t use OU’s philosophy for filling their quota. ‘A’ grad’s that should be ‘F’s could have a very unfortunate impact on their business.
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:11am
    - Observer of Life
      
      70and: Currently I understand their recruiting process is robust enough to ensure only the capable get through.
      
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      June 22, 2024 11:13pm
- nova
  
  I wonder if they will rename the Koru Club to the Mangopare Club??
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:23am
  - PurplePen
    
    If course, but it will be written in Manglish:
    Mangopare (Hammerhead Shark) Club.
    
    What’s the Maori for club .. add that in as well.
    
    4 1
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    June 22, 2024 11:01am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Patu?
      
      3 2
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      June 22, 2024 11:27am
      - AitchW
        
        Mere?
        
        3 1
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        June 22, 2024 12:26pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      Patu & mere are essentially the same. The word for a club I think, is ‘taiaha’.
      
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      June 22, 2024 2:46pm
      - AitchW
        
        My understanding, without reference to Google, is that mere and patu are short handled clubs, ideal for splitting skulls in close combat. The taiaha more closely resembles a spear.
        Happy to be proved wrong.
        
        4 0
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        June 22, 2024 4:35pm
  - Sponge
    
    Sorry to be a pedant but the Air New Zealand lounges have not been called the Koru Clubs for years. They are now just (boringly) the Air New Zealand Lounge.
    
    And I wish they would change the sandwich menus there!
    
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    June 22, 2024 2:09pm
- Ghost
  
  What a load of rubbish, let’s look at what air nz has to say about the symbol on the tail
  
  https://airnz.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2243/~/what-is-the-symbol-on-air-new-zealand-aircraft%3F#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20symbol%20on%20Air%20New%20Zealand,new%20life%2C%20renewal%20and%20hope%20for%20the%20future.
  
  The symbol that appears on the tail of our aircraft is the ‘koru’
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:30pm
  - Observer of Life
    
    Well Ghost, according to a newsletter I received, with my Koru membership, about a year ago, it talked about the Mangapore on the tail etc. I emailed them 1) to advise I preferred to go on the list to receive English only newsletters (not Manglish) and 2) to ask when did it change from a “Koru” to a “Mangapore”. After to’ing and fro’ing with a male employee, I got a message from the woman in charge, who told me there would be no more discussion/correspondence on the subject.
    Maybe Ghost, they received a bit of feedback from that newsletter?
    So dear Ghost, I can assure what I’ve written is MY experience. It’s what I read and what I was told. I deleted the email correspondence, and if I could be arsed, could probably find it to post it. But I’m not going to. You can either believe me or not. I really don’t have enough f-cks to give it.
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:47pm
    - Ghost
      
      Yeah, you actually need to do better when you make rubbish up.
      
      mangōpare Was always their development program, as we can see back in 2022
      
      https://diversityworksnz.org.nz/media/5336/diverse-talent-air-new-zealand.pdf
      
      How convenient you make up a huge rant and have zero evidence to back it up
      
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      June 22, 2024 11:17pm
      - Observer of Life
        
        Dear Ghosty, as explained, the newsletter and subsequent correspondence between their marketing department and me were exactly as described. So can confirm, not “rubbish”. I’m happy to say “wow, they’ve apparently changed their minds”. And happily say I haven’t gone back and checked their new direction since that correspondence. So thanks for the update. Can I just say, sometimes reading your posts I feel like there’s two different people that post under the pseudonym “Ghost”. Am I right?
        
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        June 22, 2024 11:49pm
      - Ghost
        
        You really cannot get anything right can you.
        
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        June 23, 2024 12:19am
      - Observer of Life
        
        🐈‍⬛ 😂
        
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        June 23, 2024 1:48am
Scooter

I wonder if the businesses affected by the Transpower pylon collapse will get any compensation. It all points to human error so in theory the company is responsible. Isn’t that what public liability insurance for? No wonder they are at pains to deflect any blame or cause.
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June 22, 2024 8:08am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  It points to greenie sabotage, off snuck of those bolts at the bottom are gone it’s sabotage
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:11pm
  - AitchW
    
    Just like the Aratere’s steering was sabotaged! //
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:36pm
Scott

“They’re not New Zealanders. They are Māori children. And you just don’t get that,” Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi told Children’s Minister Karen Chhour, during a heated hearing at the social services and community select committee…

https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/06/20/frustration-and-fact-checking-marks-scrutiny-week-mid-point/

Is there a more divisive group in NZ today than the Maori party? How can we be united as a viable coherent nation if radical Maori leaders openly state that Maori children are not New Zealanders?
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June 22, 2024 8:10am
- G152
  
  Well we know what racism looks and sounds like thanks to the maori party
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:49am
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    We have known what racism looks and sounds like since 1975.
    What happened in 1975?
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:50am
    - Mike
      
      You voted for an unsustainable welfare benefit for the over 60s?
      
      3 6
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      June 22, 2024 11:54am
      - Steve Otto(North Shore)
        
        No, I voted to not do Military Training!
        
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        June 22, 2024 3:04pm
- Cantabrian
  
  So is she implying OT exists only to serve Maori children? I always wonder where non-Maori children go when they are in State care or supevision. Clearly there must be some other organisation apart from OT!
  When are we going to see an end to this ‘bi-cultural’ nonsense. Chour is absolutely right- all children are the same: New Zealanders.
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:36am
- Conservatarian
  
  “Te paaaaaati apaaaaaaaaartheid” (Perigo, 2024)
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:52am
- PurplePen
  
  The louder and more frequently they do this the better. The more certain in people’s minds they’ll be seen as not someone to vote for. Except of course a minority of Maori in Northland, Gisborne and Waikato. Then abolish the Maori seats as they should have been decades ago.
  
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  June 22, 2024 11:05am
Matt Long

Israeli peace activist who taught Israelis Arabic to enable closer ties with Gaza has changed her mind after being kidnapped by October terrorists.
This ties in closely with this morning’s Ukraine post;
General Clark was the most compelling speaker. He said that as Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukraine is entitled to do unlimited warfare in return, and that basically any military target in Russia is okay to strike – such as power stations. Having Western countries set limits on where there weapons can be used just encourages Putin.
“He told the story of a discussion with Vietnamese generals about the massive US military bombing campaigns that were designed to intimidate them into surrender, but deliberately tried to minimise impact. It was meant to send a signal about how much destruction they could cause. The Vietnamese replied that they didn’t see the bombing as signals, just as ineffective!”
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2eem7e7v30o
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June 22, 2024 8:16am
- AitchW
  
  If Ukraine, the invaded nation, is entitled to wage unlimited war upon Russia then it must logically follow that Israel is equally entitled to wage unlimited war on Hamas.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:27am
  - All_on_Red
    
    Israel is in the last stages of clearing Rafah of Hamas so that stage of the conflict will be over.
    Hezbollah next- they will probably create a buffer zone to the Litani River
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:38am
kowtow

Pylons collapsing , ferry aground , new mothers sent home early, crime ridden city centres, education a shambles ,best and brightest fleeing , hundreds of thousands unskilled migrants pouring in , taxes and rates swineging for diminished services ……..

welcome to Newbabwe.

This is what happens when the Establishment Elites ( red , blue and green) take their eye off the ball and their duty to serve all New Zealanders equally to put their own agendas and things like “treaty” partnerships and the weather ahead of common sense .
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June 22, 2024 8:19am
- Burtland
  
  Transpower Board – they even managed to include H2
  
  https://www.transpower.co.nz/about-us/who-we-are/board-directors
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:29am
  - AitchW
    
    The trough really is bottomless.
    
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    June 22, 2024 5:28pm
Maggy Wassilieff

I’m sure if a National or an Act MP had declared in Parliament that Maori are not New Zealanders, there would have been outcry in the MSM… but since Wednesday’s outpouring by Te Pati Maori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, there’s been nothing.

https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2024/06/21/are-maori-not-new-zealanders/#more-29785
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June 22, 2024 8:24am
- imalwaysright
  
  M.w
  Might be time to recolonise New Zealand.
  Lets not bother with a treaty this time.
  We could call it New and Improved Zealand !
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:31am
- Philview
  
  There is a whole of stuff about TPM that doesn’t feature much in the media. Imagine members of the National Party calling for an uprising to oust a democratically elected New Zealand government.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:10am
  - AitchW
    
    Call it the Comprehensive New and Improved Zealand and the Labour Party will be right on board!
    
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    June 22, 2024 12:29pm
- Burtland
  
  not Nzers, well then they should stop paying tax – see how well that goes
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:29am
  - Countrygirl
    
    Do they pay it now? Maybe stop receiving it would work better.
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:09am
  - stewmar
    
    not Nzers, well then they should stop paying tax – see how well that goes
    
    And they should be stopped from receiving all benefits paid for by New Zealanders.
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:49am
  - wairarapapaul
    
    No NZ Passport either.
    
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    June 22, 2024 12:55pm
Matt Long

About the same time former MP Keith Locke passed away, a friend of mine since childhood was killed in a machinery accident.
He didn’t support genocidal regimes, communism, or the toxic greens.
He worked hard on his dairy farm for decades through the ups and downs of climate, floods and commodity prices.
His work brought employment and helped bring economic prosperity to the district and country while he provided for his family.
I would rather the country had ten of him to ten thousand Keith Locke’s, but the chattering classes will eulogise Locke.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/person-dies-following-whangarei-workplace-incident/VPUJREMFANB5RLDU2KFGO52KDE/
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June 22, 2024 8:27am
- Jethrod
  
  That is a great eulogy!
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:46am
- Swifty
  
  Very sorry about that Matt.
  
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  June 22, 2024 8:52am
All_on_Red

Mike Tyson is going to flatten Jake Paul.
Its entirely subjective of course but I think Ali is the greatest Boxer of all time but Tyson is the greatest Fighter.
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June 22, 2024 8:41am
blue collar

Razors team
Prop – Hugh jarse
Hooker – Maggie pie 😅
Prop – grumpy
Lock – g the giant from Dunedin
Lock – blue collar
Blind side – ra henare
Open side – red baiter
No 8 – Matt long
Halfback – David Garrett
1st five – Rodney hide ( level head )
2nd five – chuck bird
Centre – all on red
Wing – gravel road
Wing – Tony Stuart
Fullback – moderator ( clean up the mess )

Coach – Steve Otto ( no nonsense and steel rod for enforcement )
Stats – maggy wassilief
Orange boy – milky
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June 22, 2024 8:54am
- pdm
  
  Biscuit you and I missed selection.
  
  Bugger!!!!
  
  Maybe we could be touch judges.
  
  Referee – David Farrar.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:24am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    I’m disappointed not to make the bench
    
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    June 22, 2024 9:56am
  - Gravelroad
    
    are you any good at running, pdm?
    If yes, you can take my place on the wing as I would be way too slow! I would be be a good judge as the TMO in the van down the road though.
    As far as Biscuit goes , he plays soccer doesn’t he?
    That will be why he didn’t make the cut – too excitable and prone to falling over a lot.
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:12am
    - pdm
      
      I used to be able to run a bit Gravel – but not now. Besides I hated playing on the wing so no deal..
      
      Biscuit is a Scouser but, I am sure am not breaking any confidences when I say he played (well made up the numbers anyway) for his Dover House inter house rugby team at his Singapore Boarding School in the (guessing) early to mid 60’s.
      
      Not sure how many Rugby games he played but his (personally stated) main aim in any of those games were to:
      1. Keep his white shorts clean.
      2. Keep well away from any big smelly forwards.
      
      He is though an avid Hurricanes and Wellington Rugby supporter.
      
      Biscuit FYI Hawkes Bay have their first shield challenge on Wednesday 26/6.
      
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      June 22, 2024 1:10pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Biscuits for half time
    
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    June 22, 2024 2:15pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Coach, me and my stainless steel rod! Yep, I’ll sort you lot out!
  
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  June 22, 2024 11:09am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Hshahahaha, leave Milky at the milk bar
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:14pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Red card if he is in the field.
    
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    June 22, 2024 6:11pm
John Loveridge

The media has been full of stories about thousands of distressed redundant civil servants forced to look overseas for the jobs they can no longer find in New Zealand.

Pethaps I’m looking at this very simplistically, but what did all these people do before the recent rapid mushrooming of the public service? Or were they too mysteriously created out of thin air like their jobs?
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June 22, 2024 8:55am
- kowtow
  
  They were doing crappy diversity /equity uni and poly courses , then shtraight onto the public tit .
  
  By the thousands , under the economic vandalism of NZF , Labour and Green .
  
  And I’ve no doubt they’re too proud ( and thick) to be able to serve on a shop check out ,prune vines or drive food trucks and I wouldn’t trust them as a stop/ go operator either.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:24am
  - Geri Sjovik
    
    I see them going as a win-win.
    
    No longer on the taxpayer tit either in work or on the dole.
    
    The more of them that fuck off the better.
    
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    June 22, 2024 11:42am
- Benedict Yu
  
  It is an excellent question but difficult to answer. If you rewind 7 years, most of the public servants now 30 years old and younger were at university, many doing mediocre degrees. Instead of getting jobs working in a supermarket they hit the jackpot when jacinda turbo charged the public service.
  
  Folk older than 30 joined the public service from the private sector, NGOs, and regional and local government, lured by big pay rises.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:25am
  - John Loveridge
    
    That would make sense. A good answer, thank you Benedict.
    
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    June 22, 2024 11:18am
    - jkt
      
      According to the Tax Payer Union a total of just over 600 public servants have lost jobs.
      The fact that “1000’s of distressed public servants” are looking for jobs tells a story.
      
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      June 22, 2024 2:29pm
  - JimBobJoe
    
    Not quite, a lot over 30 also joined straight from Uni. The Uni recruit to a Policy Analyst role has been around for 20/25 years, it has only accelerated over time. Its why the Govt sector is so truly poked and riddled with political activists… its the easy path to get power to morph the country to your vision, no pesky voters to convince just work in the shadows
    
    [Speaking from a working life in Wellington sometimes at Govt Agencies, so I have first hand observation to led me to make this comment]
    
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    June 22, 2024 1:54pm
- Paulus
  
  No matter what you cannot get unto Australia if you have a conviction.
  Remember that the 501’s have numerous convictions so Australia are loading us with these people, many of who are back in jail here costing us, soon after convictions for criminal offences here.
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:43am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  One problem going overseas. They will be expected to work!
  
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  June 22, 2024 11:13am
Notsofast

Spot the difference between the old world and the new.

https://kutv.com/news/local/double-homicide-suspect-admits-to-killing-parents-in-washington-city-home-mia-collin-bailey-st-george-murder-shooting-no-regrets

This woman is a man.
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June 22, 2024 8:56am
- AitchW
  
  Another LGBTQIA+ friendly media outlet.
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:31pm
70andstilllearning

A bit of common sense from a district’s mayor for once. The poor bloody lefty councilors are howling!

“Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo is being taken to task by five of his councillors for refusing to allow council debate on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict next week.

Cocurullo refused to receive a motion from five councillors to discuss lobbying the Government over the conflict at next week’s Whangārei District Council (WDC) meeting.

He also refused to accept a 1000-plus signature Palestinian Solidarity Network of Whangārei (PSNQ) petition.”
…
Cocurullo said he had turned down both representations under the Local Government Act because the matter was not related to the council’s role or function.

He said his position to refuse the quintet’s notice of motion and the petition was not an affront to democracy.

It was in contrast protecting democracy to ensure an overall dispassionate view, rather than the position of one group of people dictating to others, Cocurullo said. ”

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/whangarei-councillors-slam-mayor-vince-cocurullo-over-palestine-refusal/CB35HHB6Y5D4LN27GF3ZVN4NUM/
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June 22, 2024 9:25am
- Inandout
  
  70, meanwhile the Whangarei ratepayers face a 17.2% increase.
  
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  June 22, 2024 9:44am
  - 70andstilllearning
    
    Don’t remind me – at least the idiots further north have seen a smidgen of sense. The rates rise on a property there was going to be over 20% but it’s been dropped to ~12% – still way above the inflation rate 🙁
    
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    June 22, 2024 10:29am
Yvette

So Willie Jackson is not the only person saying he understands civil war is about to occur?

From Steve’s link –

Prēcis of the end portion of the video narration –
The video transcript discusses the increasing talk of civil war in New Zealand, driven by political and social unrest. Many are leaving the country, sensing impending trouble. Maori activists feel frustrated by slow political power transfers and are becoming radicalized. The speaker criticizes co-governance and calls for abandoning the idea of the Treaty as a partnership, urging Luxon to remove race-based legislation to prevent civil conflict. Three political strategies are proposed: give Luxon time to change until September 2024, support Act and New Zealand First, or completely discard National. The speaker accuses the mainstream media of corruption and collaboration with Maori activists. The ultimate power lies with the people, and raising awareness is crucial for political change. Sharing the video widely is encouraged to vote in the right leaders and save the country in the next election.

Same end portion of the narration, reconstructed paragraphs –
Talk of civil war is increasing on the streets. Sensing war is coming, record numbers are leaving this country. The media says it’s all because they’re looking for higher wages, but no, they sense trouble’s coming. Some may be going for higher wages, but many of them, in the back of their minds, know New Zealand’s political situation.

The other group in this coming civil war are Maori activists. They too are angry. They feel like the cash and assets are not flowing their way fast enough, and they are frustrated that they have to keep on waiting to rule New Zealand. Political power is not being transferred to them fast enough. This is what they feel daily. Their young people are being radicalized, their army is growing. Chris, you’ve seen their protests. You can’t turn a blind eye to all this. It’s happening right in your backyard. Their patience too is wearing thin.

Chris, you’re in the middle of these two groups. You don’t realize it, but your deep heartfelt love of co-governance and Maori-fication is going to devour you and our country. The fatter this monster grows, the angrier the other 81% of Kiwis are getting. Chris, drop your belief that the treaty is a partnership. It’s just plain wrong. It never was a partnership and it never will be. Read Justice Wiley’s critique of the treaty. He literally destroys the myth that the treaty is a partnership. Wiley unpicks the 1987 decision of the court of appeal in the state-owned Enterprises case where the courts mentioned partnership. His critique is in the description of this video.

Chris, sponge all race-based legislation from our statutes. Don’t create any more. We are all New Zealanders, not Maori and the rest. Commit to getting rid of racism, apartheid, and separatism once and for all. Change direction, Chris. Change your mind. Change now before it’s too late. Only you can stop civil war. This is our message to you today.

Well, as I say, we have three choices. We give Lux until September 2024 to have a Damascus Road experience. So, he is now on notice. If there’s no change, we roll him and install Simei and Brown, the most likely successor. If he doesn’t restore democracy, we throw support behind Act and New Zealand First. We ditch National completely as a dead duck. We work to get Act and New Zealand First into a dominant position for the next election. This is pretty much how I see it.

There is a fourth option, but I don’t want to talk about it right now. Have a great night. Please share this video with everyone everywhere. The mainstream media should be reporting on the issues I am raising in these videos, but they’re not. Why aren’t they? Well, they’re corrupt. Why are they corrupt? They are collaborating with Maori activists. There’s no doubt about that.

In the final analysis, the people of New Zealand, that’s us, have ultimate power, not the politicians. Did you know that the people can kick out the people in power and they can put them into power? How are we going to do that? Well, awareness is the key to change. If enough people in New Zealand become aware of the issues I am raising, we can save this beautiful country. So, share these videos everywhere so that come the next election, we can vote the right people in and kick out the people who are destroying New Zealand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1XMJTk7CE

Self-prophesy is a dangerous thing?
Luxon must be aware of this, so when will his own Christian (self-publicised and media reinforced) beliefs or baselines kick in? – assuming such beliefs influence his position and actions
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June 22, 2024 9:41am
- AitchW
  
  NZ First is not our saviour. It’s a populist hot button party. When Peters either dies or retires it’ll fall off the political radar almost instantly. Jones is a wordy mini Peters without Winston’s charisma and political nouse.
  I’m not convinced that ACT can cope with being the main player in a coalition government. It lacks depth of talent and political experience. Perhaps in 10 or so years when it has a few miles on the clock but not yet.
  We are stuck for the foreseeable future with National as the majority party to the right of Labour/Green/TPM.
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:26am
  - pdm
    
    AW – I have wondered aloud a few times if Casey Costello, Jamie Arbuckle and Mark Patterson might be the saviours of NZFirst when Peters and Jones disappear.
    
    What do others think?
    
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    June 22, 2024 1:14pm
    - Ghost
      
      Without Winston there is no nz first. Jones will be the anointed one, but it won’t get above 5% without Winston.
      
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      June 22, 2024 1:21pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      The party will simply fail to even get mentioned in polls the day that happens, I must admit Jones has shown himself as a very good operator in this government, I person rubbish’s him for siding with Peter’s and Labour. 17 he hated me saying only because Peter’s hated English. He is possibly a better operator than Peter’s ever has been
      
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      June 22, 2024 2:20pm
    - AitchW
      
      To be honest I don’t know enough about the 3 you mention to make an informed comment on them. However, in addition to political nouse and experience NZ First needs someone with connections and hutzpah to attract significant donors. As it stands currently that person is Peters. It remains to be seen if the party has anyone else who can attract and keep such donors.
      
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      June 22, 2024 2:35pm
    - Gravelroad
      
      Jamie Arbuckle has, in the past, been underestimated by the locals.
      But he has ability and the reputation that he is the kind of guy who asks the questions ordinary people want answered.
      He is not afraid to stand up to officialdom, that’s for sure, given some of the stick he has been subjected to by a few local worthies.
      I understand that in his younger days he was a member of another high profile political party (not Labour), but was considered not suitable.
      As it has turned out, to their loss.
      
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      June 22, 2024 3:20pm
- Burtland
  
  Luxon is ticking the prime minister box on his bucket list
  – he will move on to golf in Hawaii once it gets sticky
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:57am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Why? He appears to be doing everything he said he would, I have never heard him say he golfs at all, and I thought when he did go to Hawaii before the election he was suits the first time he had been there
    
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    June 22, 2024 2:22pm
    - pdm
      
      Very weak on Co Governance and associated Maori issues.
      
      Why is Taumata Arowai still there?
      
      No one can tell me.
      
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      June 22, 2024 4:22pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      pdm,
      from the Google Machine:
      “Taumata Arowai is the water regulator for Aotearoa New Zealand.”
      So 3 waters was what???
      Chris Luxon will not tell you – BUT WHY NOT?????
      
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      June 22, 2024 6:18pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Willy Jackson and JT have both mentioned a fight coming.
  
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  June 22, 2024 11:19am
  - AitchW
    
    Bluff, bluster and intimidation are their stock in trade. Jackson is too lazy and Tamahere has too much to lose for either of them to foment such violence.
    
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    June 22, 2024 2:36pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      John Tamihere has his empire to protect, but he has hinted at violence. I have no link, but he has.
      
      4 1
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      June 22, 2024 3:13pm
    - pdm
      
      Tamahere’s daughter sure has not hung back.
      
      A chip off the old block as the saying goes.
      
      Maybe not as devious but more entitled.
      
      1 0
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      June 22, 2024 4:24pm
    - AitchW
      
      SO Tamahere is probably more concerned about the pending enquiry into his organisations’ dealings at the Manurewa marae than organising any civil uprising….
      
      2 0
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      June 22, 2024 4:42pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Let these assholes try civil war, it will turn voters completely away from ever voting in Labour tied too the green butters and war mongering TPM
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:18pm
  - AitchW
    
    G I think you seriously overestimate the intelligence of a huge number of Labour and Green voters.
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:43pm
imalwaysright

I see Rishi Sunak is in his political death throes.

He wants compulsory national service for 18s and up or else he will cancel their driver license and close their bank accounts!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/20/rishi-sunak-floats-sanctions-on-young-people-for-refusing-national-service
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June 22, 2024 9:46am
- dave_c_
  
  Hrrumph!
  I don’t see Sunak queing up to join national service!
  Typical authoritarians – Don’t do as I do, Do as I say.
  
  5 2
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  June 22, 2024 10:17am
- AitchW
  
  Jesus. Quite apart from the cost, and the practicality of getting the bunch of snowflakes which is the current crop of 18 year olds to turn up, does Sunak really want to provide a pile of disaffected and potentially radicalised Muslim youth with military training?
  I experienced military training in the early 80s when I joined the Territorials. Many of my barrack mates had never been away from Mum before and struggled with the regime. I honestly cannot see today’s 18 year olds surviving the discipline, the routine and the lack of social media.
  
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  June 22, 2024 10:32am
  - Jack5
    
    On the other hand, AitchW, young, sedentary computer gamers might be just the folk to pilot drones and target rockets.
    
    The best of them have great reaction times, too.
    
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    June 22, 2024 11:03am
    - AitchW
      
      True jack, but, like they have to able to,like, turn up and, like, do what they’re told and like, war is wrong m’kay and like, you have wear a uniform, and, like shave and stuff….
      
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      June 22, 2024 4:46pm
  - MCōs
    
    One needs a purpose to initiate what is effectively conscription in peacetime
    Everyone knows who will weasel out of these obligations; the Donald Trumps of this world
    
    1 2
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    June 22, 2024 11:44am
    - imalwaysright
      
      I’m sure Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Barracks Obama all have stellar service records.
      
      3 2
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      June 22, 2024 12:06pm
      - MCōs
        
        If they were draft dodgers I’m sure we would have heard
        Incessantly, as we have with Mr T
        
        1 2
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        June 22, 2024 12:33pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Obama and Clinton were too young
        Biden got five Draft deferments. The first four because he was at University (Rich Kid!) and then after he finished varsity he got one in 1968 because he had Asthma- supposedly
        https://www.operationmilitarykids.org/joe-biden-military-service/
        
        Interesting question why we havent heard that about Biden…
        
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        June 22, 2024 2:14pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        I didn’t say they avoided draft, I said I’m sure they all have stellar service records.
        You don’t have to be drafted to serve.
        Clinton did avoid the draft though, he was in real danger of going to Vietnam :https://edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/candidates/democrat/clinton/skeletons/draft.shtml
        Not sure about Barracks, though every man over 18 must register.
        
        The Draft legislation is being changed to allow the government to register people automatically on their 18th birthday, plus they are going to include all those residing in US. Citizenship is not a prerequisite, therefore all illegal immigrants will be registered.
        Should be fun!
        
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        June 22, 2024 2:29pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  “He wants compulsory national service for 18s and up or else he will cancel their driver license and close their bank accounts!”
  
  Gosh, that sounds like a real winner with the young voters!
  
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  June 22, 2024 6:53pm
Maggie Pie

MORNING INTERNET!

Yet another JACINDA doco.

That’s a relief, I didn’t think we had enuff of them 😀 😀 😀

https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1803821416501969007
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June 22, 2024 10:23am
- nathie
  
  Crikey for a moment I thought that was a Colgate commercial!
  
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  June 22, 2024 11:00am
  - Maggie Pie
    
    LOL!!
    
    And here’s a short doco made by an independant source…. 😀
    
    “YIP. YIP. We are your single source of truth”
    
    https://x.com/HicksKiwi/status/1788437719594750110
    
    5 2
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    June 22, 2024 11:10am
    - Maggie Pie
      
      I get the same thing from Coke…. bubbles in the nasal passage.
      Sparkling Perrier has the same effect.
      
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      June 22, 2024 11:45am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Hmm. Yes. Scary.
      
      0 0
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      June 22, 2024 7:00pm
- PurplePen
  
  I’m not clicking on the link .. I’m having a great morning as it is and don’t want it destroyed.
  
  9 0
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  June 22, 2024 11:16am
- Hugh Jarse
  
  I couldn’t see who is funding it so I presume we are paying for it, again ?.
  
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  June 22, 2024 1:07pm
Jack5

Global ~~warming~~ irrationality rises …

The Australian Stock Exchange (the ASX) is to launch New Zealand carbon-credit futures contracts.

These will be part of a group of environmental futures contracts including Australian carbon credit units and “generation certificates.”

These will be for the markets for Australian Carbon Credit Units, Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs), and New Zealand Units (NZUs).

Of the Of the US$840 billion of European Union Allowance carbon contracts transacted in 2023, about 90 per cent was via the futures market .

The London Stock Exchange says global carbon markets approached $US950 billion in 2023.
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June 22, 2024 11:00am
- jkt
  
  Climate alarmism has consequences and opportunities.
  
  2 0
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  June 22, 2024 2:32pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Consequences; Needless economic suicide of the nation (and the resulting large scale poverty and misery).
    
    Opportunities; Careers/jobs grifting the economic suicide of the nation on the climate alarmism gravy train.
    
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    June 22, 2024 7:03pm
BeaB

Because the new cancer drugs were not included in the first budget the media, especially RNZ and TV3, repeatedly refer to it as a broken promise. I can’t remember National promising they would be in the first budget.
Nor can I remember Jacinda constantly being reminded of all her broken promises, even when, long after her first budget, they still hadn’t been delivered.
We don’t trust the media? No wonder when we all remember the fawning Tova and Jessica years when Labour shovelled our hard-earned money out the door and we now have nothing to show for it except for years of crippling debt and broken infrastructure.
And the young people who still adore Jacinda are hot-footing it off to Australia so they don’t have to clean up her mess.
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June 22, 2024 11:02am
- MCōs
  
  What is more important in your opinion; light rail to to Auckland airport or funding for life saving/extended cancer drugs.
  Last year Mr Luxon said
  “New Zealanders suffering from these cancers who have exhausted available treatments here in New Zealand currently face a really bleak choice – that choice either is to give up, or it’s head overseas, or mortgage their home or try and raise a significant amount of money from friends and family to fund the treatment themselves.“
  The inference being funding would be available almost immediately because next year or whenever would be too late for those who currently face a bleak choice.
  
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  June 22, 2024 12:14pm
  - herb1
    
    Amazing how “ inference “ is a sufficient interpretation, if it reinforces your opinion, but only cold hard facts suffice when someone offers an opinion you don’t agree with. There’s a word for that Mcos, or probably several .
    
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    June 22, 2024 1:47pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    No where did budget 2024 get mentioned, only that funding for 4 years starting this year, all attentions are that this will be happening this year still, how did where have they broken a promise? This is the problem by corrupted media
    
    2 0
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    June 22, 2024 2:27pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Another thing, the team to the airport was bullshit, you are still going to have to get off at Mangere snd catch the bus to the airport which was absolute pathetic
    
    3 0
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    June 22, 2024 2:29pm
- Paulus
  
  As far as the Media Party concerned egged on by Labour, National have broken a promise and nobody is denying it, as the media are always right.
  
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  June 22, 2024 1:37pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Government are denying it, and will still deliver these drugs this year
    
    2 0
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    June 22, 2024 2:30pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  First budget was never mentioned, they stated over 4 years starting this year, and from what they have been saying it will still be delivered this year, the left are crazed by this yet Labour are still bitterly opposed to these drugs, amazing
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:25pm
BeaB

All the Coalition government have to say, over and over again, is ‘another Labour mess’.
The chickens are coming home to roost and even the combined talents of National, ACT and NZ First will need decades to put things right.
Another Labour mess.
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June 22, 2024 11:04am
Rusty

How often did the media remind Jacinda/ Labour over there failure to implement Kiwi build in the 6 years they were in power?
11 3
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June 22, 2024 11:37am
- MCōs
  
  About every five minutes, why do you ask?
  
  3 6
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  June 22, 2024 12:15pm
imalwaysright

Where’s Mahuta?
8 1
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June 22, 2024 12:12pm
- AitchW
  
  Sleeping on a pile of money gifted to her families various taxpayer funded companies and charities.
  
  2 0
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  June 22, 2024 4:52pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Shut up ffs!
  When you mention names of those quiet ones they just appear and start making a noise again.
  Dam imalwaysright, look what you done started now!
  apopo.
  
  2 1
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  June 22, 2024 6:24pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q56DrAJWW1k
The Revolution Has Begun.
Farage could win it all. Initially, he was only expected to win Clacton. In two weeks he has got bigger than the Con-servative party. He’s the only non-Blairite party leader. Immigration restrictions are what the voters want.
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June 22, 2024 12:18pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  Really?
  
  Yes Reform could win more than 20 percent of the votes. However the shortest odds are on it winning one or two seats. Followed by “seven seats or more”.
  
  https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/british-politics/next-uk-general-election/overall-majority
  
  That is First Past the Post on action.
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:28pm
  - sungsamning
    
    Yeah, probably a bit of hype. Pity they don’t have MMP.
    
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    June 22, 2024 3:42pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iDk4m1R3Jo
Inside Albo | Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain.
This is an episode for everyone who has ever wondered what’s really going on inside Albo’s head, enjoy!
2 1
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June 22, 2024 12:18pm
Chuck Bird

Bjorn Lomborg

Don’t just “Follow the science” You also need economics

https://mailchi.mp/lomborg/newsletter-624130?e=da3eadba9b
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June 22, 2024 12:19pm
Gravelroad

https://www.chrislynchmedia.com/news-items/chatham-island-runs-out-of-fuel

Who is the MP for the Chatham Islands again?
Ms Genter?
Perhaps she took over some push bikes on her recent Island getaway trip.
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June 22, 2024 12:48pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Does the air force use transportable fuel bladders?
  Failing that they can use drums etc.
  What about the Navy?
  
  Maybe we can ask the US military who transit through Christchurch to help.
  
  4 0
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  June 22, 2024 1:56pm
- Terry Dalee
  
  Just stop oil in practice….
  
  Not looking pretty is it….
  
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  June 22, 2024 3:41pm
Maggie Pie

I’m sure you’ll recall when I posted ages ago, how our wonderful cleaning-lady feels
“so blessed” that her nearest & dearest were able to escape Ukraine just prior to the war.

She retweets…..

“CONSCRIPTION. Zelensky style” 🙁

https://x.com/Worldwar_3_/status/1804273291567264171
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June 22, 2024 1:02pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Don’t worry tell her. Farrar is at a conference about it.
  
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  June 22, 2024 1:37pm
- kevn
  
  Maggie… biden is talking about women being conscripted in the USA.
  
  1 0
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  June 22, 2024 3:18pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Let him be a front line grunt in any war before sending young people to be blown to bits. Lead by example.
    
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    June 22, 2024 7:19pm
Ghost

Guess the update wasn’t that good….

The email, seen by Stuff, said it was great to have the ferry back in service “following an upgrade to the steering system during the ship’s wet dock last month”.

“Like all system upgrades where new software is meshed with existing mechanical systems it was not without its challenges with plenty of unknowns. Our software experts needed to run several patches to get the system working exactly as it should.

“Thank you all for your patience during this time. We learned some lessons for our upcoming maintenance programmes. In particular – to communicate early and clearly about our planned maintenance programme and to communicate project milestones, being clearer about when we will be certain about a return to service.”

Article
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June 22, 2024 1:28pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  That is kind of funny.
  
  I have this feeling that Simeon Brown is going take decisive action. 😂
  
  6 1
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  June 22, 2024 2:13pm
  - Mike
    
    He’ll hold a press conference in Picton to say that’s what he’s going to do.
    
    1 4
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    June 22, 2024 3:03pm
- Taieri
  
  “Like all system upgrades where new software is meshed with existing mechanical systems it was not without its challenges with plenty of unknowns. Our software experts needed to run several patches to get the system working exactly as it should
  ————-
  
  This is very strange statement. Control modules for the inverter drives are supplied by the original equipment manufacturer as already programmed. All that needs to be done is the replacement one unit with another, which takes about 30 minutes. I have done it many times without any problems and I’m not an electronic expert. Even when the control module is supplied in a blank state it can be cloned, which again is not particularly difficult.
  
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  June 22, 2024 2:41pm
  - kevn
    
    Taieri… “Lost steering, quick, reverse thrust in case we go aground”
    At 5 kmph reverse prop seems a good idea. Is it possible?
    What say you?
    
    1 0
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    June 22, 2024 3:22pm
    - Taieri
      
      Yes. It is called the “Emergency Crash Maneuver”. Going from Full Ahead to Full Astern. Very stressful on the machinery, hence used only in a dire emergency. Not always successful as dependent on the “breaking distance” of the ship.
      
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      June 22, 2024 3:42pm
Jack5

Nigel Farage says the West provoked Putin into invading Ukraine.

The Reform UK party leader said in a BBC Panorama interview that the “ever-eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union” gave Vladimir Putin a reason to justify war.

The Telegraph says his comments echo arguments made by Donald Trump, a friend of Farage.

In the TV interview, Farage said:

“I stood up in the European Parliament in 2014 and I said, and I quote, ‘there will be a war in Ukraine’.

“Why did I say that? It was obvious to me that the ever-eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union was giving this man a reason to his Russian people to say, ‘they’re coming for us again’ and to go to war.”

He elaborated, saying:”…of course it’s his [Putin’s] fault; he’s used what we’ve done as an excuse.”

Farage’s party, Reform UK, led the Conservatives in one poll a fortnight before the UK election.

A Whitestone Insight poll Reform was on 20 per cent of the vote share and the Conservatives on 19 per cent. However, the Telegraph polling tracker, which looks at averages, has Conservatives eight percentage points ahead of Reform.
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June 22, 2024 1:32pm
- Mike
  
  Farage is the future of the conservatives, once they merge with reform after the election.
  
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  June 22, 2024 3:02pm
John Loveridge

Has anybody seen or heard anything about the sentencing of Golriz Ghahraman? I recall it was to take place in June, and June’s end is rapidly approaching.
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June 22, 2024 1:39pm
- Maggie Pie
  
  You’re obviously not following the right people on KB by the look of it John.
  
  Just saying.
  
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  June 22, 2024 1:52pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    While you are here. I did a little digging…
    
    That person you are exercised about… Willy Smackntush who is scheduled to read to children at Upper Hutt.. She is a woman pretending to be a man. She is apparently a mother of three young children when she is out of costume.
    
    I cannot find any info on the stories that she reads to the children. ☹️ If I were a parent, that would be what I would like to know.
    
    9 2
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    June 22, 2024 2:08pm
    - Maggie Pie
      
      YIP! I tried posting a lot more detail about her deviant behaviour on GD yesterday. Unfortunately, it went into ‘moderation’ for over an hour before dissappearing completely.
      I guess there’s things some people would rather not be made public? [Mod – you really need to sit back and look at the type of words you use in your post and consider how that can come back on this blog if you don’t want your posts deleted]
      
      Our little tots do not need to be exposed to this sort of degenerate behaviour. I made my position clear to Wayne Guppy yesterday in an explicit email. Watch this space…
      
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      June 22, 2024 3:07pm
      - Maggie Pie
        
        And fair enuff too Mod… thnx for the clarification.
        
        I’m normally fairly conservative with the words I choose… just sometimes it’s had to be nice about certain subjects that upset me so.
        Will look to be a tad more circumspect in future.
        
        [Mod – I understand, and thanks]
        
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        June 22, 2024 3:51pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        I would be surprised if this person literally displays “degenerate behaviour” in front of pre-school children. It therefore comes down to the stories. They are often described in terns like “tolerance” and “diversity”. However if that translates into sexuality and so called ‘trans joy’, IMO that is not suitable for pre-school children, indeed any children below the age of about 14.
        
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        June 22, 2024 4:09pm
      - Maggie Pie
        
        You’re obviously a lovely guy Bene. But have maybe led a very sheltered life (?)
        I take it you never spent the best part of 12 years at a Catholic Boarding School?
        
        2 2
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        June 22, 2024 4:17pm
      - AitchW
        
        MP, I can assure you from personal experience that Anglican boarding schools are far from squeaky clean in this regard.
        
        4 0
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        June 22, 2024 5:35pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      ” She is a woman pretending to be a man. ” In the lunatic asylum known as Canada, you’d be imprisoned for writing that.
      
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      June 22, 2024 7:24pm
  - John Loveridge
    
    You’d better tell me who I should be following, Maggie, so I don’t have to read ALL the comments just to get the essential nuggets. 🙂
    
    2 1
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    June 22, 2024 6:43pm
    - Maggie Pie
      
      I am your sole source of truth John.
      
      2 1
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      June 22, 2024 7:27pm
      - John Loveridge
        
        I must come along and sign up to the tennis club.
        
        1 1
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        June 22, 2024 9:05pm
- Benedict Yu
  
  Monday.
  
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  June 22, 2024 1:55pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  I see Genter is back to sneering in the house, haven’t heard much about her appearance in front of her peers
  
  8 2
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  June 22, 2024 2:34pm
- fightingtemeraire
  
  This week.
  
  4 0
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  June 22, 2024 3:14pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Maggie Pie posted on this yesterday…
  
  https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2024/06/general_debate_21_june_2024.html#comment-3577579
  
  5 1
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  June 22, 2024 3:25pm
G the giant from Dunedin

Hmm, an article has appeared about housing snd more supply. And rotten media say rents are dropping, oh my hod, everything the vulgar left suggests turns out to be bullshit
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June 22, 2024 2:37pm
Maggie Pie

Everyone we know has a lot of sympathy for our fine hardworking law-abiding Maori friends. We consider them to be the Salt of the Earth.

And there is no doubt in my mind that Family First’s Bob McCroskie speaks for all of us when he says….

“It’s sooo sad to see what the Maori Party has become”

https://x.com/bobmccroskrienz/status/1804265191078810019
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June 22, 2024 3:23pm
- cmm
  
  I would hope that your hardworking, law abiding, Maori friends are neither supporters of the Maori Party or even are on the Maori roll.
  
  7 1
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  June 22, 2024 4:13pm
  - Maggie Pie
    
    Well they’re not silly!
    I’m thinking of wonderful people like Winston Peters, Aunty Heihei, Lee Tautuha, David Seymour, Shane Jones, Karen Chour, Brian & Hannah, to name but a very few….
    
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    June 22, 2024 4:26pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Trump/Biden Debates.
“strong performance could be down to chemical assistance.”
What does that mean?
SOTU was not the normal Joe. What will happen this time?
Trump’s mic will have ‘issues’ for sure.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/trump-offers-very-rare-praise-for-biden-ahead-of-the-debate/ss-BB1oFraB?
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June 22, 2024 3:42pm
- kevn
  
  SteveO… The ‘debate’ will be a (carefully controlled) circus to be sure. Thing is, will the US public be convinced of that. biden will be in gabble mode if in fact he is even there.
  
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  June 22, 2024 4:23pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  “strong performance could be down to chemical assistance.” What does that mean?
  
  Pervatin to the rescue?
  
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  June 22, 2024 7:28pm
Ghost

Poor greens. With all the focus on the Aratere today would be the best day to release the report on Darleen.
6 0
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June 22, 2024 5:01pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Perhaps they’ll release it late on Thursday afernoon….and then everybody will piss-off for a long (matariki) weekend….and Parliament wont sit for another month…July 23rd.
  
  and by that time the Greens might have come up with some other scandal.
  
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  June 22, 2024 6:36pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  So many dipsticks going off the rails. What could this mean?
  
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  June 22, 2024 7:31pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

A bit of Electioneering to put RFK jr in his place?
Many in the World want to see those JFK files.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/trump-promises-to-release-all-the-jfk-files-if-he-is-reelected/ss-BB1oEz9l?
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June 22, 2024 5:36pm
Maggie Pie

People with knowledge of these things who have offices at the Viaduct nexxt to my partner, are saying the Captain deserves to be keel hauled.
How come there was no use of anchors, engines, or bow trusters?

And he rekons they’re not silly quesions either 🙁
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June 22, 2024 7:01pm
Ghost

Wtf? Te Radar, put that beer down, I think you’ve had too much, you sound like that idiot that used to lead the labour government

We are all the Aratere now
https://x.com/teradar/status/1804245802010972341?
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June 22, 2024 7:29pm

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