About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

October 4, 2024 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 04 October 2024

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment249

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (249)

Login to comment or vote

Yvette

Labour and UNDRIP
Co-governance work put on ice
The Māori Development Minister is putting the brakes on co-governance work, while National is still unsure how it will meet the United Nations declaration commitments it signed up to more than a decade ago

08/12/2022
Willie Jackson will take a recommendation to Cabinet on December 19 to halt work on a draft plan designed to meet commitments made under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP)

The process for reaching a declaration plan was for Māori to be consulted first and then a draft drawn up by the governance group for Cabinet to sign off to then be shared with the rest of the country for feedback.

The governance group provided Jackson with a draft in June, but he never took it to Cabinet because he didn’t agree with about 20 percent of what was in it and knew it wouldn’t be palatable to his colleagues.

In the months since, the group has reworked it but Jackson is now increasingly less convinced it is the right time to push ahead with the work and wants to halt it next year …

Ardern did acknowledge that it was on the Government to make sure people were properly informed, even if some of the debate around UNDRIP had been made more difficult by some of the facts being misrepresented.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2022/12/08/co-governance-work-put-on-ice/

Where is a copy of the document which Jackson saw as unfit to present to the then Labour Cabinet?
Do Luxon, Seymour or especially Winston (because his Coalition Partners did not tell him about it) now have access to these documents?

Ardern did acknowledge that it was on the Government to make sure people were properly informed
But, as yet another Labour non-delivery, we weren’t.
We are yet to see what Labour was planning to do with their departure from the original Treaty –

– after National in finally accepting UNDRIP, had announced –
• acknowledge[ment] that Māori hold a special status as tangata whenua, the indigenous people of New Zealand and have an interest in all policy and legislative matters;
• affirms New Zealand’s commitment to the common objectives of the Declaration and the Treaty of Waitangi; and
• reaffirms the legal and constitutional frameworks that underpin New Zealand’s legal system, noting that those existing frameworks define the bounds of New Zealand’s engagement with the Declaration.
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/national-govt-support-un-rights-declaration

So after saying the Treaty, as existing frameworks define the bounds of New Zealand’s engagement with the Declaration, what were Labour planning as a departure from that?

At the moment Labour is attempting to tear apart ACT’s as yet unseen proposed bill, without disclosing their own intentions on UNDRIP and He Paupau.
Integrity, transparency, delivery?
No! … as is ever the case with Labour and Willie Jackson – sitting on a report to their Cabinet
38 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:01am
- Philview
  
  The document that wasn’t presented to Cabinet but strangely the proposals in He Puapua were being swiftly implemented. The last Government was dangerous and dishonest and aided by a sycophantic media. We know that this process will kick start once the next Labour/Green/TPM Government is in place.
  
  33 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:00am
mandk

Tui have got a call line so people can suggest slogans for their new Yeah, Right adverts.

How about: Islam is the religion of Peace?
43 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:03am
- David Garrett
  
  mandk: Brilliant! And there is much chance of Tui doing that as me being appointed a High Court Judge
  
  24 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:08am
  - mandk
    
    I phoned in my suggestion to the Tui call line.
    
    I’ll let you know if I hear anything.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 1:27pm
    - 7kiwi11
      
      All you will hear is a knock at the door before you are taken away for Wrongthink
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 2:52pm
- Conservatarian
  
  “Ardern is always welcome in Taranaki”
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 4:17pm
Scott

On September 22nd DPF had a post on the proposed toll road between Woodville and Palmerston North that will replace the Manawatu gorge.

https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2024/09/an_annual_pass_for_the_manwatu_gorge_road.html

I can provide a first hand report after visiting Woodville yesterday, Thursday. Woodville is really struggling. The Manawatu gorge was closed in 2017 and like many small towns they were also badly affected by the covid lockdowns. So Woodville has had a double whammy and it shows.

Many shops have shut including the once vibrant Yummy Mummy’s which was known for its excellent cheesecake. The local restaurant on the corner has now been converted to a Salvation Army thrift shop. The town is very quiet and dull having suffered for many years after the closing of the gorge.

So I have changed my mind on the tolls. I think they should be minimal and affordable. Don’t forget we pay 70c per litre petrol excise duty to the government already, which is supposed to fund the roads.

Woodville has been hit hard enough. Get the new road built as soon as humanly possible, introduce a minimal toll and help get Woodville moving.
19 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:03am
- Diogenes
  
  Woodville was my father’s home town, and I knew it well through holiday visits to stay with my grandmother there. So it has been very sad to see its demise.
  
  So sad, that when Michael Laws (former mayor of Whanganui) called that city a zombie town, I realised that Woodville was the quintessential example of that. Being a song-writer, I wrote a lament with that title. During a road trip round some of the North Island in March this year, I called in to Woodville to revisit old haunts, and took some video of the area (very depressing).
  
  The result is a music video that has now gone up on YouTube (the singer is not myself — my singing voice vanished years ago). But if you’re interested, you’ll find it at https://youtu.be/lHv7FqDlIDY
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:18am
- artemisia
  
  A slippery slope if a precedent is set by squeaky wheels.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:37am
- T for Tim
  
  Woodville kicked and screamed till they got the road put back through Woodville despite bypassing it would’ve saved 10 mins on a trip to Hawkes Bay From Palmerston North, so as far as I’m concerned they wanted it, they can pay for it.
  
  4 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 1:06pm
  - Diogenes
    
    So the death of a town is preferable to taking 10mins longer for a trip from Hawkes Bay to PN.
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 2:00pm
- artemisia
  
  A lot of vehicles will use the new road. Anyone with funds, an employer paying costs, or self employed – probably. Because time is money.
  
  Woodville needs to wait and see, gather actual information about traffic and business impacts, and stop going off half cocked.
  
  But in any case towns are not guaranteed immortality.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 3:21pm
Matt Long

Russia is in discussions with the Houthis, via Iran, to transfer long-range Onyx anti-ship missiles for use against Western ships.
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if the West continues to allow Ukraine to strike Russia, Moscow could supply long-range weapons to forces willing to retaliate against Western nations.
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1841829392588116035
17 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:09am
- kowtow
  
  The international legacy media are actively ignoring the constant attacks on shipping in the Red Sea .By Houthis , but with Iranian and Russian backing.
  Why would these attacks be given such a low media prioridy.
  
  16 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:25am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Sounds like a great time to have a worldwide ceasefire.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:05am
  - Stephen Russell
    
    Because that is old news. There are much more exciting stories out there now! Princess Kate has a new dress!
    
    15 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:24am
    - kowtow
      
      Yep , ‘bullying” on some dancing show and morning tv presenters’ affairs gets huge coverage ……….
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 10:32am
- JimBobJoe
  
  What a shock… not.
  
  Putin can use long range weapons, striking apartment buildings in Kiev and destroying infrastructure all over the country, but the Ukrainians aren’t allowed to hit targets deep in Russia… because that is so unfair!
  
  Houthis get sophisticated anti ship missiles from the Russians its a bad thing for the Houthis. They hit a US ship (civilian or military) then their will be a US public demand for a strike back. Marines on the ground in Yemen? Unfortunately that will happen
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:44am
- Paulus
  
  Wait until Ukraine and others really strike Moscow.
  What will Putin do then ?
  
  12 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:52am
  - Mod88
    
    Strike Europe, note WEF candidate and new NATO Chief Mark Rutte (ex Netherlands PM) is in Ukraine today. Note NATO has been steadily poking the Bear since the 1990 Agreement to not expand eastwards. Note the US/Biden meddling in Ukraine in 2014. Note the Donbas Regions by way of Referendum voted to return to Russia, being populated by Majority Russian speakers. Note the Ukrainians proceeded to “Ethnically Cleanse” said Donbas after that Referendum. Did everyone think Russia would do nothing. How naïve.
    
    13 18
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:52am
    - Cassandra
      
      Bear can poke you but you must not poke the bear. Under your rules international borders would be a moveable feast. Tibet now has a majority of Han immigrants. Howick’s population speaks Cantonese. Kaitaia speaks Te Reo. Gore speaks Gore. You speak with fork tongue.
      
      11 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:03am
      - Mod88
        
        Read your history, the Ukraine has always been an area of shifting borders and was never an autonomous Country until 1990. The Donbas Region has always been Russian and considered itself so and this conflict is about the Donbas which Zelensky was going to relinquish until Boris Johnson, at the behest of the US Biden Administration, flew there and scotched said Peace Deal.
        
        9 12
        Report
        October 4, 2024 11:24am
      - Grunter
        
        Mod88 is correct on all posts above.
        
        Cassandra – of course Ukraine can poke the bear, and they have been for years. But the bear will respond, as it has. If the USA/UK/NATO poke the bear with their own long-range missiles, fired using US guidance systems and tech experts, then the bear will respond. That is all straight forward and not controversial IMO. It is merely REALITY. You can agree or disagree, pick a side if you want, even read all the MSM propaganda, that doesn’t change the reality.
        
        So why would the US/UK/NATO poke the bear again? Sounds like the dumbest idea, poke the bear until the bear cracks and goes berserk.
        
        3 4
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:38pm
    - Geri Sjovik
      
      There is no such thing as the 1990 agreement.
      
      Provide proof it exists.
      
      You won’t and can’t, because it does not exist.
      
      1 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 2:54pm
      - Grunter
        
        Verbal only. Both sides at the time quoted it often. Plenty of coverage that conversation was had.
        
        But that’s all irrelevant anyway. Who cares what ‘Geri & Grunter’ think. The thing that matters is what Russia thinks and acts on. From 1990 to present day Russia has stated that they see NATO expansion east as a threat. NATO has repeatedly disagreed.
        
        NATO & Russia have repeatedly failed to reconcile this difference. So they went to war – no surprises there. But don’t for one minute think Russia was not provoked. That doesn’t mean the dirty Ruskies are “right” either. It just means that this war was very predictable – history repeats…..
        
        1 4
        Report
        October 4, 2024 3:45pm
      - Mod88
        
        Not once, but three times, Baker tried out the “not one inch eastward” formula with Gorbachev in the February 9, 1990, meeting. He agreed with Gorbachev’s statement in response to the assurances that “NATO expansion is unacceptable.” Baker assured Gorbachev that “neither the President nor I intend to extract any unilateral advantages from the processes that are taking place,” and that the Americans understood that “not only for the Soviet Union but for other European countries as well it is important to have guarantees that if the United States keeps its presence in Germany within the framework of NATO, not an inch of NATO’s present military jurisdiction will spread in an eastern direction.” (See Document 6)
        
        3 2
        Report
        October 4, 2024 4:17pm
      - Geri Sjovik
        
        Verbal assurances that were not included in the written treaty. The treaty that Russia signed.
        
        So no, there was never a promise of no expansion. So much so that Russia allowed, and celebrated, Poland joining NATO.
        
        1 3
        Report
        October 4, 2024 7:06pm
  - pdm
    
    Paulus – I have said from day one.
    
    A well aimed rocket into the Kremlin should stop the whole thing.
    
    6 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:42am
    - NothingLeft
      
      Whoever replaces Putin is likely to be far worse. He ascended to power in a somewhat chaotic time as a KGB operative with a network of connected and devious pricks to assist his grabbing power in post USSR power vacuum. But anyone who gets to the top to replace him has survived decades of cut-throat mafia-style jockeying for power with rampant assassinations. They will be ruthless and outright nasty. Mafia rule tends to greater brutality over time.
      
      12 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 12:02pm
      - Burtland
        
        UK Foreign Secretary David Lammey to Putin – “Your invasion is in your own interests. Yours alone. To expand your mafia state into a mafia empire. An empire built on corruption.”
        
        0 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 10:22pm
    - Grunter
      
      pdm
      Seriously, how does that stop anything other than some lives of Russians in the Kremlin? That might make you feel better in some sort of bizarre way, but it just makes the whole thing even worse.
      
      If the dirty Ruskies were dumb enough to blow up The White House what would the USA do?….. Exactly!
      
      Similarly – if Israel was dumb enough to blow up the head of Hezbollah, a religious leader that his crazy followers believe is a direct descendant of Muhammad himself, what do you think the Shia Muslims are going to do?…… Exactly!
      
      3 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 1:45pm
- Gussy Fink-Nottle
  
  I do wonder how the liberal left, with their support for Hamas and antipathy toward Russia, will reconcile these conflicting positions as this conflagration heats up.
  
  Are Iran the good guys, fully justified in their indiscriminate attacks on Israel? Or somewhat problematic, as shit starts to get real.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:05am
  - Grunter
    
    As soon as you start believing and supporting any of these evil bastards you lose all sense of logic and reality. This can be seen daily with the Hamas supporters. And daily on KB with the Israeli and Ukraine supporters……
    
    Stay neutral/independent and reality shines through!
    
    1 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 1:49pm
    - Benedict Yu
      
      “Evil bastards” – do I read your comment correctly that you are describing Israel as such?
      
      Israel should have the unreserved support of all those who value liberty.
      
      8 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 2:48pm
      - Grunter
        
        OK Bene you got me – I meant the Netanyahu Israeli Government – they are definitely evil bastards. They don’t value liberty by any stretch……
        
        1 4
        Report
        October 4, 2024 3:49pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

Mark Zuckerberg has seen the writing on the wall?
Done a bit of a U turn after censoring Republican comments since pre 2016.

“We are watching him closely,” Trump wrote, “and if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison – as will others who cheat in the 2024 presidential election.”
He knows Trump means business.
So: no pressure, Mark.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/from-liberal-darling-to-phone-calls-with-trump-mark-zuckerberg-s-political-transformation/ar-AA1rEBPI?
22 5
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:09am
- Simon
  
  Zuckerberg helped facilitate the wide spread cheating in the 2020 election. The Dems promised a digital currency for Meta. Never happened.
  
  Vast evidence collected about 2020 election fraud. Will be interesting if Trump DOJ goes after the Dem fraudsters. Suspect they will.
  
  19 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:56am
- cmm
  
  Zuckerboy is a complex bloke. eg. he hunts and slaughters animals which is far from classic leftie behaviour.
  
  13 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:09am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    Not 🦒 giraffes I hope. 😕
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:30am
    - cmm
      
      Sometimes giraffes and elephants and such are in overpopulation and need thinning out.
      
      9 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 9:38am
      - Benedict Yu
        
        Poor 🦒 giraffes. 😣
        
        2 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 10:09am
      - cmm
        
        Yes, they are pretty, but they are pretty tasty too.
        
        I have only eaten giraffe once. No they don’t taste like chicken. Just generic large game venison: Cape Buffalo etc.
        
        3 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:52pm
      - John Loveridge
        
        So are humans.
        
        1 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 2:49pm
  - kowtow
    
    Oh I don’t know , maybe not hunting animals but when it comes to humans, slaughter for left wing regimes from the French Revolution down to the present is a very left wing preoccupation.
    
    9 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:36am
    - Tom Hunter
      
      “And I’ll just be very honest, I cannot stand the son of a bitch… We’re not going to accord this rotten mothafucka one iota of humanity or respect”
      
      James Carville, the “Rajun Cajun” of Clinton campaign 1992 fame. The inspiration for Billy Bob Thornton’s character in Primary Colors.
      
      If he was really honest he’d admit that this is the Democrat attitude towards most Republicans nowadays.
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 7:04pm
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    I don’t think he is necessarily a leftie at all. He is a businessman who understands that left-wing politicians are much more likely to pass laws that might impact his bottom line so he doesn’t want to upset them. That’s a sufficient explanation for his behaviour. Of course he could be like Musk and have a spine but not everyone does.
    
    12 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:51am
  - imalwaysright
    
    He targets mainly elephants, but seems to have a fondness for donkeys.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:08am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Meaning Jeeves hunts ribs at the supermarket for him?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:31pm
Bridgenag

the person (YOU) be detained in a hospital or other suitable establishment;
The appalling totalitarian proposal for N.Ireland masquerading as a public health bill.

“The N. Ireland Department of Health is seeking control of all of all of us by introducing totalitarian legislation governing, YOU, YOUR premises, YOUR animals, YOUR property and YOUR documents PLUS FORCED vaccinations and FORCED medical examinations essentially seeking to implement the WHO amendments to the International Health Regulations.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/hughmccarthy/p/the-person-you-be-detained-in-a-hospital?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
14 3
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:12am
- I remember when
  
  Recently read an item on The Conservative Woman of a woman whose child suffered traumatic injury from a vaccine (not Covid).
  She went to a meeting of those who had suffered adverse effects and was astounded by the number of people present.
  Low percentages do not always mean low numbers.
  
  13 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:45am
- Benedict Yu
  
  I’ll ask these two questions in the hope that it does not trigger folk. If it does, I’m going for an early yum cha.
  
  This Northern Ireland law is described as an “update” on existing law. On a quick look it prohibits forced medical treatment. Good. However it does seem to allow for compulsory vaccinations.
  
  1. Does the provision for compulsory vaccination exist in the current Northern Ireland law?
  
  2. How does the proposed law differ in substance from comparable laws in other OECD countries, including New Zealand, going back to the 1960s, or earlier?
  
  All countries have long had provision for some compulsory medical treatment in extreme circumstances. IMO, forced vaccination of adults needs to be a provision in cases where the disease at hand is such that an unvaccinated adult could kill others. For example, vulnerable adults may not be able to be vaccinated because they are immune compromised or vaccines are otherwise contra indicated.
  
  How then do we safeguard against authorities over stepping this authority and requiring compulsory vaccinations when they are not justified? In effect that is what happened with COVID. (Sure vaccines were not forced but Chris Hipkins is evil by describing them as “voluntary”.)
  
  I don’t know the answer to my own question. In the case of the COVID use, I am steadfastly opposed to anyone being coerced to have the vaccine. The mistakes of 2021 should never be repeated. That still leaves open the question of how to codify in law a provision for compulsory vaccination in the very rare circumstances where that is justified. I hope that this is so rare that I never see it in my lifetime.
  
  IMO it is worth addressing these issues now. The alternative is to leave the thresholds for compulsory vaccination undefined. That leads to the disaster of 2021, where a panicked New Zealand government introduced emergency legislation, with the inevitable results.
  
  That is my one and only comment today on the subject. 🙂
  
  10 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:50am
  - Nigel Kearney
    
    If you allow forced vaccination, someone has to make a judgment call about whether doing that is justified in a particular case. Politicians are motivated by votes not public health or individual rights. I think that means you are choosing between four options:
    
    1. Find a way the decision can be made by wise people who care about health and rights, without politicians being involved. I have no idea how to do that in practice.
    
    2. Have a culture where individual rights are regarded as extremely important and any politician who did this without sufficient justification would know they were going to get hammered in the media and at the ballot box. Again, no idea how to get there from here.
    
    3. Accept that the possible health consequences of never having forced vaccination is the least bad option.
    
    4. Accept that the cost to rights and freedom of allowing politicians to compel vaccination whenever they deem it appropriate, is the least bad option.
    
    I have a fairly strong preference between the last two.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:03am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      I am attracted to 3 also.
      
      Hopefully in a real pandemic with high mortality, there would be few vaccine holdouts. I’m thinking Ebola level mortality. So maybe 3 is the right course.
      
      5 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 10:15am
      - bennerg
        
        Ebola style pandemics do not last because they kill their victims, denying them the right to spread it all around.
        
        Our society has now better hygiene, and other very basic elements that limit the spread of any low level of virus such as Covid. Even Whooping Cough was mostly eliminated by such enhancements in civilisation leading up to 1940. That still did not stop the vaccine crowd claiming responsibility for lowering the rate!!
        
        We have to be aware that anyone using fear of such things as pandemics is using us. Fear is the greatest motivator to get people to do stupid/silly stuff.
        
        Always watch what politicians are doing while they captivate us with fear. Like magicians, distraction while they do other stuff. eg. what happened during Covid – all the He Puapua preparations and Co-Governance… and not much else … eg no Dunedin hospital!
        
        11 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 11:14am
      - JackRabbit
        
        Benedict, the people you refer to “holdouts”, may actually be people who are smarter then you, and who are acting on that intelligence.
        
        On the week the vaccine arrived in NZ, I got told by several medical professionals that they would in no uncertain terms would be taking the mRNA vaccine. The vaccine was not a vaccine in any sense of the word; it need to go through testing of at least 10-15 years, and was bypassing all the controls we have here in NZ to prevent damage.
        
        The professionals who acted on their training, and therefore refused the mRMA experiment, paid for that decision by losing their jobs.
        
        Many of the professionals that disregarded their training under duress, because they had mortgages to pay and hungry mouths to feed, paid for it with their lives, medical complications and lowered life expectancy.
        
        Of course those figures do not include the 11,000-20,000 medical management who got blanket exemptions because Bloomfield stated that they couldn’t run the hospitals and front line medical services if those 11,000-20,000 were impacted by the vaccines/vaccine mandates and could no longer do their jobs.
        
        4 2
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:25pm
      - Benedict Yu
        
        That is such bullshit that Whooping cough was ended by “better hygiene”. It is a ridiculous claim. It was stopped by a vaccine in the late 1940s. It could have been eradicated.
        
        Next you will be telling me that polio was eradicated by better hygiene.
        
        Lies don’t become truth no matter how often anti vaxxers lie.
        
        3 3
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:40pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        @me
        
        Typo:
        On the week the vaccine arrived in NZ, I got told by several medical professionals that they would in no uncertain terms NOT be taking the mRNA vaccine.
        
        4 2
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:58pm
      - cmm
        
        BY:
        
        Please stop using the effectiveness of “real” vaccines that really work amazingly well (smallpox, polio, tetanus, MMR etc) to justify the hard push (in many cases tyrannical) for Covid and flu vaccines which are far less effective – by a factor of 1000 to 1 or more in some cases.
        
        To me a person choosing to not get the covid vax is hardly “anti-vax” or a denier or any of these slurs. They have looked at the advantages (few if any) and weighed those against the risks.
        
        Not all people weigh risks the same as you and those that don’t are not necessarily ill informed or stupid.
        
        This is where the current health system and those on the podium of truth have really caused damage:
        * They belittled people not making the “correct” choice, thus making people dig their heals in and causing long term damage to trust and respect.
        * They clearly lied – making ridiculous claims about the effectiveness. Lies like these will cause distrust.
        
        After everyone in authority has told people that the covid vaccine is just as good as MMR, polio etc, then why should anyone trust MMR, polio, etc after the covid vaccine was shown to be a dud (relatively speaking)?
        
        Yes, I know many will claim that the covid vax “worked”, but you really have to dance on the head of a pin to get that to float.
        
        11 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 2:10pm
      - bennerg
        
        Benedict Yu said:
        
        That is such bullshit that Whooping cough was ended by “better hygiene”. It is a ridiculous claim. It was stopped by a vaccine in the late 1940s.
        
        The CD in the USA published a comprehensive document of Vital Statistics between 1900 and 1960:
        
        https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/vsrates1940_60.pdf
        
        There are a series of charts there that show the dramtic decline of diseases such as Typhoid, Tubercolosis, Measles, Diptheria, Influenza and Pnemonia from the period 1900 until 1940, when modern vaccines appeared on the scenes. They do not include Whooping cough, however this paper estabishes a trend in dramatic health outcomes that is universally attributed to better hygiene associated with less poverty.
        
        Now take a look at these two papers, one is an excerpt from the British Medical Journal where they document a drop on Whooping Cough in a graph that start in 1945 and goes to 1980. And of course attributes this to the introduction of the vaccines around the late 1940’s. In isolation this appears “amazing”, and proves that the vaccines “worked”.
        
        https://coolcloud.nz/health/WhoopingCough-1208.1.full.pdf
        
        However if you can find priot data for the period 1900 onwards (not easy as it seems it has been purged from most places on the web – in itself a worry). But English statistics were kept and the second paper here shows up the previous representation bigtime.
        
        https://coolcloud.nz/health/Disease_decline_before_introduction_of_immunization.pdf
        
        On page 2 the Chart for deaths of children under 15 from Whooping Cough shows a major decline, and the trend from the original influences appears to have been adopted by the “vaccine lobby”. Convenient huh?
        
        Then there is also research on the side effects . eg.
        
        Even if effective, there are side effects and damage cause by these vaccines. The NHI pubishe this paper “A Report of the Committee to Review the Adverse Consequences of Pertussis and Rubella Vaccines.”
        https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234373/
        
        Summary
        In summary, what is of major concern is that the true picture is not published by the medical authorities. The BMJ for instance allowed a deceitful presentation of data, so that well meaning professionals were lead to believe that the vaccine was the sole factor in the (continuing) decline in instances of WC.
        
        And when you look into the subject, you begin to see that RFK Jnr is not the first person to stand up to the goliath that the Pharmaceutical industry has become. For instance in Australia the Greek Doctor Archie Kalokerinos worked amongst the indigenous population, and often cracking heads against the entrenched medical system. He was quoted as saying “Up to 90% of the total decline in the death rate of children between 1860-1965 because of whooping cough,
        scarlet fever, diptheria, and measles occured before the introduction of immunisations and antibiotics.”
        
        His work was recognised on the TV show This is Your Life, but, not without controversy as the AMA tried to ban the broadcast. The clobbering machine in full sight.
        
        So we have this situation, where any medical doctor stepping outside the Pharmaceutical industry controlled medical associations get clobbered.
        
        https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/445488/medical-council-cannot-reveal-what-action-taken-against-anti-pfizer-vaccine-doctors
        
        That was in 2021, and with what we now know about the faux vaccine, are these doctors being lauded? And is the medical council being reprimanded? Of course not – nothing to see here.
        
        This is why the trust in the medical profession is going down the gurglar. Not necessarily the individual doctors who act responsibly, and do the best for their patients, but the system that controls them and enforces totalitarian control over their ability to speak out.
        
        3 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 5:45pm
      - bennerg
        
        Benedict, some more recent publication of data on not only Whooping Cough:
        
        https://twitter.com/jim_slip/status/1841575902330953749
        
        CDC reported data showed for Whooping Cough:
        Mortality Rate per 100,000
        1900: 12.0
        1935: 3.7
        1970: 0
        
        So the major reduction occurred in the period before vaccines were available. And the trend had already been established and just continued in pretty much the same way.
        
        So the same effect and trend in the USA as in the UK as outlined in my other post.
        
        2 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 7:50pm
      - bennerg
        
        One final comment on Benedict’s claim that assigning better hygiene and civilisation to the reduction in Whooping Cough was “bullshit”.
        
        Analysis of the reduction trend as shown in this video at 02:50 indicates that there is no discernable effect on the reduction trend when the WC vaccine was introduced.
        
        https://twitter.com/liz_churchill10/status/1841497653005406701
        
        Also the graphs based on the official data shown indicate that even measles was virtually eradicated before the vaccine was introduced in the early 1960’s.
        
        It seems we were all duped to some extent.
        
        2 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 8:02pm
    - Ghost
      
      I’d like to think next time the politicians take a step back. We don’t need the PM giving daily press briefings. We need the medical community to be respected and not threatened if they disagree.
      
      My decision to not take the vaccine was made with my GP and I looking into it and deciding that it was not an option for me.
      
      The decision to get vaccinated should remain with the individual.
      
      19 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 10:41am
      - Hard Cheese
        
        I agree, although the representatives of the medical community were a pretty ragged bunch during Covid. You had Hendy and his 80,000 deaths derived from a mathematical model, Siouxie Wiles with, well, whatever she was recommending and not doing herself, and Dr Doom down in Otago depressing us all to death. My layman’s impression was that the only rational and sensible person was Des Gorman, who should have been in charge of everything.
        
        7 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:02pm
      - Conservatarian
        
        Well played Ghost.
        
        1 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 4:43pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        What if the Clown Show had followed the pandemic guidelines laid down pre-Covid?
        
        Isn’t that what Sweden essentially did?
        
        Let’s think. Who f****d up their economies over Covid and who didn’t?
        
        3 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 10:47pm
    - bennerg
      
      The challenge is how are medical issues to be decided?
      
      What we know from the NZ Covid experience is that it is business and politics, not medicine that determines the rules and decisions.
      
      1. Thousands of public servants exempted from the gene therapy sold as a “vaccine” that simply did not work as we commonly understand a vaccine should work. That on top of characterising a virus with no significant danger greater than a seasonal flu. And suppressing the fact that it came from a weapons facility in Wuhan.
      
      2. All dissent or alternative opinion stoutly squashed and the people denied their right of free speech, work and career. Note there is a Doctor who opposed the narrative still before the “Medical Council”. Go figure!!
      
      3. The medical profession is now soundly in the grip of the large Pharmaceutical industry. We cannot trust it anymore. And given the outrageous terms on which the gene therapy was accepted, with secrecy (76 years!!) and legal immunity, we cannot trust the politicians to have any hand on that lever.
      
      4. A media bought and paid for in plain sight, who support the narrative pushed by their owners. Citizen journalism now rules. ie that’s why we are here on KB!
      
      So just getting information we can trust is now the biggest challenge. The doctors and scientists must now be rueing the loss of their guilded status, having either lied, or failed the challenge to stand up for what is right. (Cowardice) Their own paradigm of how to apply the scientific method needs to be corrected.
      
      I’d suggest that given what we now know as the biggest stuff up in recent history, any government that tries to instigate totalitarian control will now get a greater degree of push back. And that could get ugly. It all depends on how “bought” our government is, and how much morality there is left in the policing authorities to enforce any such legislation.
      
      I’m finding now even my most “suckered” acquaintances are aware that covid was a farce, and distrust is now abundant. Their pride means that they may not be admitting as such out loud, but they know. Sadly the government may be the last to admit it.
      
      9 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:07am
      - bennerg
        
        In timely fashion, DPF’s latest Post on the loss of trust in government, institutions and the media supports my comments above.
        
        I would suggest that if the powers that be do not address this monkey head on, it will not be good news for them long term.
        
        Enough people are now awake to the trickery that has gone on, and educated enough to make their own decisions.
        
        8 1
        Report
        October 4, 2024 11:41am
      - JackRabbit
        
        The challenge is how are medical issues to be decided?
        
        Keep the govt out of our bedrooms and medicine cabinets, natural health clinics, GPs offices and pharmacies.
        
        Most people, if given a choice, will act in their own self interest..
        
        Govt needs to do nothing.
        
        6 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:28pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        It was odd that, with mankind supposedly facing such a massive threat to it existence, that governments, including the military superpower, were backed into a corner by Pfizer lawyers and compelled to sign agreements designed to eliminate liability, ensure secrecy, and maximise profit.
        
        Under the circumstances, and considering the existential threat to mankind, these considerations are almost comical.
        
        Any company would have prioritised the common good, and, if it hadn’t, any government would have nationalised it in the interest of the publics health.
        
        5 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 1:28pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        @imalwaysright.
        Totally agree. It was that also which, among other things, put me off going near the mRNA covid shot. Why should a pharmaceutical company which had a track record of deceit & fraud be given immunity, especially when they knew that there were issues because it wasn’t properly tested ?
        Just a pack of cheating money grabbing bastards.
        
        5 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 3:19pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      #1 is the Swedish model. Decision is made by senior medical boffin. Politicians not allowed to interfere.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 1:28pm
  - mandk
    
    “On a quick look it prohibits forced medical treatment. Good. However it does seem to allow for compulsory vaccinations.”
    
    Those two things are mutually exclusive and can’t be reconciled.
    
    And neither can you defend the argument that the Covid vaxx was not forced.
    
    When you are faced with the choice between being vaxxed or losing your livelihood, and maybe even you home, there is no doubt that you are being forced.
    
    19 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:03am
    - JackRabbit
      
      When you are faced with the choice between being vaxxed or losing your livelihood, and maybe even you home, there is no doubt that you are being forced.
      
      That is a textbook definition of blackmail under the crimes act.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 1:29pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    “On a quick look it prohibits forced medical treatment. Good. However it does seem to allow for compulsory vaccinations”
    
    Go for the yum cha, it sounds a lot tastier than the word salad.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:26am
  - Bridgenag
    
    Do you get paid by any Pharma companies BU?
    
    2 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 12:03pm
  - Grunter
    
    Hey Bene – one way to look at it is as follows:
    
    Rule #1. No one, including the Govt, has the right to violence nor threaten aggression or coercion against a non-aggressor.
    
    Rule #2. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Therefore to be guilty of aggression, that aggression must be palpable, immediate, and direct – it must be embodied in the initiation of an overt act. Any remote or indirect criterion—any ‘risk’ or ‘threat’—is simply an excuse for invasive action by the supposed ‘defender’ against the alleged ‘aggressor’. So you can not just imply “you are an aggressive threat so you shall be punished or forced accordingly”
    
    Libertarian, Murray Rothbard put it this way; “Once one can use force against someone because of his ‘risky’ activities, the sky is the limit, and there is virtually no limit to aggression against the rights of others. Once permit someone’s ‘fear’ of the ‘risky’ activities of others to lead to coercive action, then any tyranny becomes justified.”
    
    That is exactly what Ardern did during COVID.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 3:09pm
  - Inandout
    
    No vaccine can be classed as safe with only a few months testing, and under normal circumstances would not pass the Health Dept safety criteria. Let’s be realisitc here, we were subjected to a trial vaccine with a very important proviso; Pfizer could not under any circumstances be sued for dispensing this vaccine. Little wonder such a large number of health professionals (and I suspect some politicians) refused to be vaccinated.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 3:20pm
artemisia

Herald today (paywalled) Media Insider: TVNZ upheaval – state broadcaster’s strategic changes, ahead of more job losses; Stuff cutting roles in Auckland

TVNZ and Stuff interviewing colleagues about how they feel about changes and job cuts coming their way as proposals to chop / change are out for consultation.

I looked in vain for some proposed changes that might address the heffalump in the room – we the people don’t trust them any more.

Seems the focus is recent in TVNZ as staff reductions are only just happening. Though to be fair 2 FTEs were dropped the previous year. According to its annual report, TVNZ has 601 fulltime-equivalent employees (FTEs), down from 735 in 2023 and 737 in 2022.
23 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:12am
- G152
  
  Sack the lot
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:17am
- Ipanema69
  
  Perhaps the talent can take a voluntary paycut to preserve other lower paid jobs?
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:25am
  - OlderChas
    
    Sack Paddy Gower – should save a few bob. The Three “News” had about ten minutes promoting Paddy’s new book/program a couple of days ago. Not the first time they have spent an exorbitant amount of “news time” all about Paddy. He must be something pretty special so must be on high awages?
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:27am
    - pdm
      
      Chas do you think anyone actually watches the stuff Paddy produces that Stuff are outing loudly daily.
      
      We sure as hell do not.
      
      Second thought – maybe Paddy is a major 3 and Stuff shareholder.
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:46am
      - Jethrod
        
        What!!! So Paddy has invested 51c of the $1 that was paid for Stuff? He had better be careful then! Seems like more 37c
        
        //
        
        6 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 12:37pm
  - JackRabbit
    
    Perhaps the talent can take a voluntary paycut to preserve other lower paid jobs
    
    If they got rid of all the employees involved in brainwashing the public and “fact checking”, and simply reported the news in an unbiased manner, they could let go of 80% of their staff, and it would all be for the better.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 1:32pm
- fightingtemeraire
  
  Stuff seems to be cutting a lot of employees these days.
  
  How long before the “Last person leaving please turn off the lights”!!!
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:31am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Stuff staff stuffed Stuff.
    
    21 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:14am
  - Bobba Fret
    
    The Tova O’Brien effect.
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:39am
    - Paulus
      
      Will Tova be able to contain her huge salary when she has to pay a babysitter or is that part of her contract.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 2:38pm
  - pdm
    
    Yesterday would be good ft.
    
    Then again some of their Sports writers are okay – no Alex Veyseys or Lindsay Knights – but ok compared to the Heralds.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:47am
- T for Tim
  
  Easy answer get rid of shorthand street, keep all maori content on 1 maori channel and axe the rest. And stop giving out backhanded.
  That would be more than enough savings
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 1:14pm
  - Paulus
    
    Isn’t Shortland Street closing down to two half hours a week soon, from when it will go into oblivion, now that is heavily Maorified ?
    Told some of the old Leads have disappeared already, quietly with more to follow.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 2:41pm
- John Loveridge
  
  It’s interesting that Stuff took on what seems like most of the Newshub “talent” at what must have been considerable cost, and now they’re cutting roles.
  
  My insider was telling me for several years that Stuff has been teetering on the brink. He was given his DCM in 2023 so is no longer privy to the juicy gossip, but I must catch up with him and find out what he thinks of the whole Three News thing, and the hiring of Paddy Gower, etc.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 3:14pm
G152

Today (or this evening) 1957 All HMNZS Tamaki rates and trainees were called onto the Parade ground.
And all because of a little light that crossed from horizon to horizon.
That was the Russian Sputnik. The first man made satellite….
11 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:18am
- greybeard
  
  I watched it, along with family and neighbours. I was 9 years old, and it was quite exciting.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:22am
  - imalwaysright
    
    I watched Apollo 11 take off. Not sure where it went after that!
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:59am
    - Jethrod
      
      I was at Ohope Beach listening to the….”one small step for….”
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 12:40pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        I was sitting cross legged on the playground at primary school listening to the live feed over the speakers mounted on the school buildings. It was a big deal.
        
        1 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 10:51pm
Ipanema69

Just catching up on the news after a period outside the country.

Reflecting on the Andrew Coster new job announcement.

I have one simple question I would like the government to answer with respect to this appointment.

What tax cuts can I expect in the next one year, two years and five years as a result of this appointment?
10 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:19am
- Benedict Yu
  
  You lost me.
  
  5 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:53am
  - jonno1
    
    I presume that I-69 is alluding to the goal of the SIA, which is to identify the root causes of social issues and ultimately improve funding efficiency.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 12:25pm
  - Ipanema69
    
    Apols Bene,
    
    It was intended to be a bit tongue in cheek.
    
    The overall intent of the Bill English social investment approach was to reduce overall expenditure by intervening early.
    
    Thus my arguement would be that Costers performance metric should ultimately be linked to tax cuts.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 1:25pm
Yvette

20 April 2010 – National Govt to support UN rights declaration
John Key, Prime Minister

This [National] Government has reviewed New Zealand’s position on the Declaration. The statement of support acknowledges these areas are difficult and challenging but notes the aspirational spirit of the Declaration and affirms to continually progress these, alongside Maori, within the current legal and constitutional frameworks of New Zealand.

Many of the rights in the Declaration have been enjoyed in New Zealand for years. For example the Declaration includes rights of indigenous peoples to:
• full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms without discrimination (Articles 1 and 2);
• live in freedom, peace and security as distinct peoples (Article 7);
• practise and revitalise their cultural traditions and customs (Article 11);
• practise and teach their spiritual and religious traditions (Article 12);
• participate in decisions in matters that affect their rights (Article 18);
• improvement of economic and social conditions without discrimination (Article 21).
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/national-govt-support-un-rights-declaration

So Labour advances He Paupau
And ACT intends to put things back as they were –

Back to what National had earlier defined they would be.
So, what is Luxon’s real problem with that?
17 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:19am
- Benedict Yu
  
  “And ACT intends to put things back as they were –”
  
  Is that correct?
  
  Seymour is trying to end “the Treaty is a partnership”. That principle was fully accepted by John Key.
  
  Sorry if I misunderstood your comment.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:56am
  - Cassandra
    
    No he didn’t. Not in the sense Maori define partnership.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:07am
    - Paulus
      
      Now Maori can speak English then they can translate any other so called language into meaning whatever they want.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 2:43pm
  - Yvette
    
    Benedict, I may not have expressed my view as well as I could have.
    
    ACT, as far as is apparent yet, claims to be returning the Treaty to its original intent, rather than it being changed to the extent that Willie Jackson had a document which he admits was so radical that he doubted his Cabinet colleagues would accept it. (So one man, Jackson, was filtering the consultation of 72 hui to what he thought – as bad as Palme’sr adding Section 9 outside of a Cabinet decision)
    That probably does include a view that is earlier than Key’s regard of it being a ‘partnership’.
    
    What I was trying to illustrate is that UNDRIP in 2010 was to be constrained by the Treaty, rather than Labour’s drive to change the meaning of the Treaty, which is what they accuse ACT of doing now.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:16am
Anthony Melchett

The numbers are out. 4.3% of the population speak Maori.

Why then are we spending so much time and effort renaming every sign, building, department and process to have a maori name?

Why must we insert made up words into a perfectly good language?

They won’t tell you how many maoris even speak it, but it is less than 20% – even if you assume all people saying they speak Maori are Maori which they arent after they forced every teacher to do the expensive course the government just slashed funding for.

The language will survive if it’s worthy of doing so, not because you force people to see and hear it as the majority just ignore it.
34 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:25am
- Benedict Yu
  
  TBH I am much less worried about Maori language issues than I am about the “te ao Maori is science” issue.
  
  Having said that I would like to see this end.
  
  “Immunisation for tamariki”
  
  https://healthify.nz/health-a-z/i/immunisation-tamariki/
  
  Virtually all new migrants to New Zealand, especially those with English as a second language, would be dumbfounded by this resource heading, and so may skip right on by.
  
  21 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:02am
  - graham
    
    I have long thought this Benedict. To me it is the height of virtue-signalling nonsense to use Maori words for important messages that ALL New Zealanders should be reading and understanding (such as in your example).
    
    I can only imagine how immigrants with English as their second language cope with such a bewildering mish-mash of two different languages mashed together so clumsily. I wonder if any research on this has been undertaken?
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:35am
    - Hard Cheese
      
      It drives me mad. This was near the top of a story in the Herald yesterday
      
      Stats NZ has released the latest data from the Census, giving us fresh insights into the lives of New Zealanders across the motu
      
      What the f is a motu? Having too much time on my hands, I looked it up. Apparently it can have 5 different meanings, depending on context. Why not be sensible and use the English “country” and have no ambiguity?
      
      The correct answer of course is “go to another place to source your news”
      
      11 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 1:10pm
      - graham
        
        Some time ago we were watching One News (yeah, I know), and the lead story was talking about a trade deal which included … “kai moana”.
        
        My wife and I looked at other, utterly baffled. We honestly had no idea what this meant. It took me about ten minutes of searching, trying to work out how to even spell what I had heard.
        
        6 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 2:21pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        If we all stopped watching/listening to/reading their crap they’d crash and burn a lot faster.😎
        
        2 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 10:53pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    The Maori language issue and the “Te Ao Maori is science” issue are one and the same.
    It is not about getting any useful work done, it is about social status and political power within the New Zealand Professional Managerial Class.
    It is all pretense and affectation.
    Nobody is designing a turbine, calculating a standard deviation, or extracting DNA with Te Ao Maori , just as nobody is demanding that their accountant does their audit in Te Reo Maori.
    However, a research proposal will be required to include Te Ao Maori in order to be approved and the accounting firm may request a Te Reo name be “gifted” to them in order to look cool and be in with the in crowd.
    Once you appreciate that the whole situation becomes much clearer, although much more depressing.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 5:14pm
- mandk
  
  The results of the General Social Survey, out last week, also showed that proficiency in Te Reo is in decline, despite all that money being spent on propping up the language.
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:06am
- kowtow
  
  ‘4.3% of the population speak Maori.’
  
  Given what we know about the extremely poor ‘Maori engagement’ with this census one must take any of these figures , like their climate catastrophe figures , with a very heavy pinch of salt.
  
  “Hide the decline” comes to mind …….
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:50am
  - Ghost
    
    I do not see how this census has any credibility. Although stats are claiming 99% of the population were counted….
    
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/517937/nz-is-changing-faster-than-the-census-can-keep-up-the-4-big-trends-to-watch
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:03am
    - cmm
      
      “99% counted” does not mean 99% filled out census forms.
      
      Instead what it means is that after applying a whole lot of different mechanisms they believe they counted 99% of the population.
      
      The actual response rate was around 89%. The rest was filled in using other methods.
      
      Some of those methods include mathematical modelling aka “informed guessing”. However they have such faith in their methods they believe they got it 99% accurate.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 3:54pm
  - Bobba Fret
    
    4.3% is far higher that I thought it would be. I actually thought it would be around 2%
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:43am
    - Jethrod
      
      As far as understanding it, I reckon about 0.5%.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 12:45pm
    - Conservatarian
      
      Writing “Morena John…[guts of the email in the working language of this country]…Nga mihi, Christine” in your emails counts as proficiency.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 4:52pm
  - pdm
    
    kowtow – not to mention the inceased number of cross dressers, queers etc. I think in the Census they call them by alphabet LGBTetc and said to be up to 5% of NZ’s total population.
    
    Maybe or more likely maybe not.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:54am
  - cmm
    
    What does “speak Maori” mean?
    
    Does it mean they can say “cat”, “dog”. “policeman” and count to 5?
    Does it mean they could understand the news on TV?
    Does it mean they could use Maori for a whole day and nothing else?
    Does it mean they could have a fluent conversation about a complex topic with people who could speak no English (if such people even exist)?
    
    A few months back I spoke to a a young Maori bloke (mid 20s) who’s father is a Maori tutor in the North Island somewhere and he spent a lot of his time growing up travelling from marae to marae where his father gave lectures. He said he struggles to understand what Maori speakers are saying but is keen to pick up Maori speaking when he is older (I guess he means in his 50s) and doesn’t have time for it now.
    
    I’ll wager that if we’re talking about fluent speakers then Mandarin and Hindi would far outstrip Maori. Maybe even languages like Afrikaans would beat it.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 3:46pm
    - julesnzuk
      
      CMM – there’s no “maybe” about it. Afrikaans has around 10 million native speakers (the number of native Maori speakers is negligible – let’s not forget people who identify as Maori are, like all New Zealanders, invariably native English speakers). Afrikaans also has an established literary and academic tradition. There is simply no comparison (and no I’m not an Afrikaner).
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 5, 2024 8:12am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    ‘4.3% of the population speak Maori.’
    
    Are we talking pretentious clankers doing this as a pose, or people genuinely brought up to speak this language because it’s endemic naturally in their area?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:59pm
    - julesnzuk
      
      Pretentious clankers.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 5, 2024 8:13am
- Observant Octagenarian
  
  I have to say, that as a New Zealand citizen, born in 1942 and lived my life in NZ, I have difficulty reading the local newspaper (Christchurch Press) because all the english names for things have been replaced by maori names.
  I was never taught to speak or read maori, and at my age it is too hard to do so.
  
  23 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:57am
  - kowtow
    
    To say the least the approach that the media are taking and it is across almost all media ( and no doubt at the behest of the Ardern regime) this is actually an insult to the vast ‘majoridy’ of NZers , of all races , including Maori ( as this doesn’t come from them , it comes from an out of touch Elite) .
    
    No doubt contributes in no small way to the collapse in trust in both govt and media .
    
    Ironically this push from them is self destructive and they unironically are too stupid to see that ( and ideologically blind).
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:30am
    - Jethrod
      
      Post of the day!
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 4:30pm
- imalwaysright
  
  And why is it okay for English words to be appropriated , bastardised, and re presented as Maori words?
  Minita for minister
  Tiriti for treaty
  Etc.
  If there is no Maori word then use the English word.
  Where is the reciprocal respect for our culture and language.
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:12am
- Paulus
  
  I think we should ask the Statistics Department to reveal from which base they announced their so called increase figures.
  If you remember the 2018 Census was a bigger farce than ever with a maximum STFU imaginable.
  When only a proportion of Maori completed the last census, and the 2018, how can you make figures you want to.
  They do !
  Am totally usure of many of their declared figures and so called increases, and I still believe with good reason.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 2:48pm
- Jake Dee
  
  You are making a mistake if you think this trend is a desire to use language in its normal way, to communicate simple information, it is much more subtle than that. How much information is conveyed by pairing an old well known English term with a newly invented Maori term? And why of the pair is the English term placed second and in parenthesis?
  The information being conveyed is the social status and political affiliation of the author.
  These neo-Maori terms are very similar to the “Inkhorn” terms of the late middle ages when English writers started inventing Latinate terms to substitute Anglo-Saxon Germanic terms.
  Why did they do it? Because it made them look educated and cool.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkhorn_term
  I am seriously trying to find an author who switched from “New Zealand” to “Aotearoa-NZ” to give me an explanation of why they did it.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 4:58pm
I remember when

From the Ashhurst residents meeting to discuss the proposed toll on the Manawatu Gorge Highway.
Before its closure the gorge had 7500 trips per day while only “150 brave souls” would use the Saddle Road.
So the alternative to the toll road was used by less than 2% of the traffic when there was an option.
Yes, it is a better road than prior to the gorge closure but it is also suffering considerably from the excessive heavy traffic volumes.
There is no other toll road, or suggested toll road, where the alternatives are so massively different.
10 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:31am
- Benedict Yu
  
  It is stupid. The government should kill the proposal for a toll on this road immediately.
  
  Here is an idea. Toll Transmission Gully. It is perfect for a toll road. Forecast the revenue raised. Immediately reduce petrol excise nationally so that the new roll is revenue neutral.
  
  This means that the annual payment to the owner for the next 25 years is met by people who use the road.
  
  Leave the folk in Woodville alone. I’m a fan of toll roads but this is ridiculous.
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:08am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Correct. The last minute attempt to toll is unfair.
    Toll roads should be declared as such before they are constructed.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:37am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Is there a reasonable alternative route for those who can’t afford a regular toll hit?
    
    [Mod – fixed]
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:01pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Thanks Mod😊
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 5, 2024 12:18am
- Paulus
  
  Get Real – you want the New road- No, then use the old route which to you is free.
  All paying motorways have no paying alternatives.
  
  0 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 2:50pm
Matt Long

Israel terror regime kidnaps Yazidi sex slave from benevolent owner of 10 years in Gaza. When will the genocide stop?
https://x.com/Khaledhzakariah/status/1841761054054908314
21 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:32am
- Blog-aholic
  
  It is horrid the way they keep kidnapping peoples sex slaves…..//
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:41am
- quarterpack
  
  It is the year 1446 in the Islamic calander.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 8:56am
  - MCōs
    
    It’s 2567 in the Thai calendar
    
    3 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:06am
    - Ghost
      
      I cannot even get the day right. I was sure it was Friday yesterday…
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:24am
      - imalwaysright
        
        You’re thinking of last Saturday.
        
        6 0
        Report
        October 4, 2024 11:38am
  - Ian
    
    When you consider where the dogma of Christianity was in the AD 1400’s compared to today’s secularism, then Islam has another 700 years to go until they are a more tolerant religious or secular society…
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 12:51pm
- sirknz
  
  How dare Israel stop someone from enjoying their property as they see fit!
  
  – Minto and his mates probably.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:03am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    Minto and his mates have gone full pro-Hamas over on The Psychic Scream. Here’s just a taste:
    
    Dozens of Israeli soldiers were killed and many more taken back to Gaza as prisoners of war. It was an astonishing feat of military ingenuity, daring and courage in the face of Israel’s newly elected far right government…From a guerilla war point of view, in a David Vs Goliath context, the attack was a stunning success. Armed only with light weapons the resistance fighters dealt a savage military blow to an enemy armed to the teeth with the latest US-supplied high-tech weapons, planes and armaments.
    
    There was a time, decades ago during the Springbok Tour protests, when I granted Minto good faith in his opposition to Apartheid.
    
    But as the African-American novelist Richard Wright realised decades ago, the Communists never really gave a shit about Blacks – and I don’t believe Minto and his ilk really give a shit about Palestinians: they’re just another weapon to use against the Far Left’s ideological opponents.
    
    It’s obvious now that he’s just another extremist Far Lefter (anarchist, communist, Wobblie, whatever), aiming to destroy the West, starting with what he figured were the least defensible members of it. It certainly explains his robotic-like attitudes of responding to critics by simply, endlessly repeating his claims, especially in the face of the go-pro video that Hamas gleefully recorded and celebrated themselves.
    
    17 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:51am
    - kowtow
      
      ‘David Vs Goliath ‘
      
      Crickey , you’d wonder if Minto lacks a self awareness in that he quotes Jewish scripture/Jewish military cultural imagery to help
      him elucidate his anti semetic , genocidal , tirade .
      
      Whatever else it is he’s a disgusting example of extreme leftism and I’m more than a bit disturbed that he ‘s regularly quoted /used by the msm as a spokesman , when we all know that if he were a “rightwinger” they wouldn’t have a bar of him.
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:39am
kowtow

A modern genocide in Syria/Iraq perpetuated in the name of religion and lo and behold with ramifications in Gaza .

Amazing how the Greens, of all things “equity”, are so vocal for Gaza and yet ;

“A Yazidi woman who was kidnapped aged 11 in Iraq by the Islamic State group and subsequently taken to Gaza has been rescued after more than a decade in captivity there, officials from Israel, the US and Iraq said.”

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpw5v077nyjo

All credit to the IDF!
17 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:35am
- Jake Dee
  
  “All credit to the IDF!” Really ? did you actually read the article?
  
  “The Israeli military said Ms Sido was eventually freed during a “complex operation coordinated between Israel, the United States, and other international actors” and taken to Iraq via Israel and Jordan’
  
  Let’s find out who those “other international actors” are and why the IDF doesn’t name them before we claim it was “all credit to the IDF”. Remember it was Russia, Iran, Syria and Hezbollah who fought AGAINST ISIS.
  
  0 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 5:29pm
Prince

Gosh, fancy a woman having different political views from her husband. Of course if that husband is Trump, this must be a shocking revelation for the Media to use against him.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350439982/watch-melania-trump-posts-video-supporting-abortion-rights-odds-her-husband
11 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 8:47am
- fernglas
  
  The irony is that Melania’s views are the same as Donald’s were before he decided to enter politics. Politics makes hypocrites out of all of them.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 5:26pm
David Garrett

On “New Idea” (Stuff) this morning:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/wellbeing/350436144/duty-sex-necessary-compromise-or-beginning-end

And this purports to be a news site FFS…
17 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:02am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  The new Xaviera Hollander?
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:37am
- Dave
  
  Under the masthead is “NZ NEWS / QUIZZES / AMERICA’S CUP / LIFE & STYLE / SPORT” etc, so probably Life & Style.
  
  As always, we don’t have to read it and we get what we pay for.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:47am
  - David Garrett
    
    Dave: True, but you are missing my point – which is that a supposedly serious news outlet is printing dross that would formerly have been found only in Womens’ magazines.
    
    And on that point, I were a woman, I would be massively insulted by the contents of said magazines…which of course imply that women are only interested in complete trivia. But then the magazines sell, so they must have a market…
    
    15 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:13am
    - Cassandra
      
      You need an “if”.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:10am
    - Flossie
      
      Are they still selling though? None of my contemporaries (boomers) bothers with those types of gossip rags.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:31am
- NZer In Exile
  
  Keep soaking your head in this crap and you’ll be walking around an angry man.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:04pm
Chuck Bird

Better than climate change hysteria.
10 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:04am
- Benedict Yu
  
  What is better?
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:26am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Having a nice cold beer.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:05pm
lastmanstanding

I have been thinking about introducing myself by my name followed by Lancashire England and Buckinghamshire England to relect the origins of both sides of my family. On reflection I have decided that people who do so are pompous pretentious and attention seeking.
31 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:10am
- David Garrett
  
  lastman: Are you referring to “Maori” who are as white as me, but add several supposed iwi affiliations in brackets after their name?
  
  This nonsense is now very well established: a friend of mine’s girlfriend – they are my age – now has to recite her “whakapapa” – she has zero Maori blood – before saying anything else at any meeting of the department of Auckland Council she works for.
  
  It would be interesting for someone to calculate just how much time was wasted in said meetings as each person has to go through this nonsense before the meeting can begin.
  
  28 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:19am
  - Inandout
    
    DG, and this nonsense under Mayor Brown who supposedly wanted to trim operating costs?
    
    18 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:30am
  - pdm
    
    We suspect our eldest daughter with not a skerrick of Maori blood does this regularly because she is a Women’s Refuge Area Manager.
    
    She would not tell us though because she knows we would tell her it is complete bullshit.
    
    22 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:48am
  - BarryB
    
    I have taken to signing off letters etc with:
    Ngati Airani, Ngati Kotiana.
    meaning
    Irish tribe, Scottish tribe as my mother was Scot, my father was Irish
    
    So far no one has commented. Either they think Im a raving idiot or they dont know what it means so they shut up (like ” best keep mouth shut and be thought to be an idiot rather that open your mouth and prove youre an idiot)
    
    21 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:52am
    - David Garrett
      
      Barry B: Brilliant! Such implied mockery of this crap is arguably even more effective than my “bull at gate” approach which is – or was, I’ve grown tired of it – writing back and asking what the sign off actually means.
      
      16 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 10:20am
    - pdm
      
      BB wy bother with the Ngati bit?
      
      Just sign off 50% Irish and 50% Scotch.
      
      Who knows someone might send you a bottle of Glenfiddich or Jamesons. Well maybe a half of each.
      
      8 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:59am
- MCōs
  
  Nothing pretentious about those nondescript parts of old Blighty
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:22am
- imalwaysright
  
  If you want to see pompous and pretentious then check out this Aussie ABC presenter introducing herself :
  
  https://youtu.be/fs5Fj7CTLAk?si=5CBjN2jmSAX6v75g
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:57am
  - Ghost
    
    Ive started watching The Summit. It’s the USA version of the Aussie show, filmed in NZ. Right at the start the host welcomes the contestants to the land the Māori call Aotearoa, the country the world knows as New Zealand. Then the host, Manu Bennett, pays respect to the people whose land we are on.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:04am
  - David Garrett
    
    i9malways: Ah yes…then of course there were references to “my [her] ancestors” when she might possibly be half aborigine? At least she is recognizably darker than the bloke she was interviewing.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 10:28am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    The Aus ABC are a total lost cause. They might as well just call themselves Your Marxian Single Source of Truth. Much like the BBC and all the now completely deranged big lefty media outlets in the USA. And these Aus sinister clowns are given around 1 BILLION $ AU of tax payer revenue per year,
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:11pm
RichardX

Newsmax settles Smartmatic defamation suit over 2020 false election claims.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/trial-begins-over-claims-newsmax-defamed-smartmatic-2020-election-reporting-2024-09-26/

Why are none of these defamation cases going in favour of the defendant?

Newsmax can be added to the list of Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Kari Lake with more still to come.
5 3
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:13am
- NothingLeft
  
  Because the regime that maintains power though dodgy elections controls appointments and promotions throughout the court systems and civil service. And in the US it is possible to select the jurisdiction where court cases are bought to find one sympathetic to your politics.
  
  Hence all Trump lawfare we have seen bought in Democrat strongholds.
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 12:17pm
  - Tauhei Notts
    
    Your spelling of the word “brought”; is that a Freudian slip?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 9:34pm
BeaB

Heavy rain in Dunedin. RNZ goes bonkers.
22 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:13am
- Flossie
  
  It’s not unprecedented either. Apparently there was an equivalent rainfall in 1923 – when we’d never heard of climate change.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:35am
  - Taieri
    
    2015 was the last big one, but this one is bigger.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 12:15pm
  - kowtow
    
    1980 the airport was closed long time due to flooding.
    
    1878 flooding was very bad .
    
    ‘The Clutha gouged out a new outlet to the sea, leaving the previously thriving Port Molyneux 1 km inland. The total cost of repairing flood damage in Otago alone was estimated at £103,000 (equivalent to $16,6 million in 2020).’
    
    https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/great-flood-hits-south-island
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 1:13pm
    - cmm
      
      “equivalent to $16,6 million in 2020”
      Yup, in direct cost of living inflationary terms.
      
      But when we look at the way infrastructure and construction have inflated then it would probably be at least 10x that.
      
      Even though infrastructure tended to be over-engineered in the past (no fancy computers to do all the calculations), they were still way cheaper than building now.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 3:24pm
- ChristopherW2
  
  It hasn’t been particularly heavy – so far a couple of days of steady light rain and drizzle, with occasional spells of moderate rain.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 1:13pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  Yeah, Te Platform has a news feed from the woke MSM. It of course “breaks all records” according to the MSM bottom feeders. This will most likely be complete BS, as usual. Even if true it proves nothing re humans supposedly heating up the climate. We only have 200 years of spotty and sparse temp records across the planet. The planet is over 4 billion years old. The proxy data (lake bed cores, ice cores etc etc) shows we are at the bottom of a very long cooling trend.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:18pm
kglm

In 2016 Trump’s opponent was an unlikable woman who had an ineffectual male VP candidate named Tim. Trump won. In 2024 Trump’s opponent is an unlikable woman who has an ineffectual male VP candidate named Tim. Curious coincidence, or prophetic?
16 3
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:13am
- NothingLeft
  
  Timmy! (South park wheelchair bound brain-damaged character’s battle cry and the whole of his vocabulary)
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 12:21pm
Inandout

Should Sir Keir and Lady Starmer’s marriage be kept under wraps, unlike Boris Johnson whose every family movement was reported on? But of course Sir Keir has accepted gifts from a wealthy man in exchange for a pass into No 10; not a wise decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpMJpDDwSo
11 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:26am
- David Garrett
  
  Inand: Isn’t it a shame that none of those kind of programs are made here? I suppose Plunket and Laws on “The Platform” is the nearest we’ve got? Or is there some similar site that I am unaware of?
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:44am
  - Inandout
    
    Perhaps https://www.gbnews.com/
    or https://tousi.tv/.
    The latter stirs a few feathers and is probably more British in his outlook than many UK politicians.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:55am
Matt Long

So New Zealand census show that 5% of population identifies as LBGT#, and 12% of Wellington, and is it 60% of the Labour caucus?
18 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:30am
- MCōs
  
  Name those you believe make up the 60%
  
  4 15
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:33am
- pdm
  
  Matt – what % for the Green Caucus?
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:51am
  - kowtow
    
    or their friends and allies in the pro Iran/Hamas/Hezbollah Saturday Hate March movement…….
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:08am
Matt Long

Why, o why is the NZ economy falling behind, it’s simply incomprehensible.
Surely all the government has to do is spend more money and everything will be great. New hospitals for everyone.
https://www.interest.co.nz/rural-news/129966/national-freshwater-policy-goal-commendable-nps-fm-approach-unworkable-and-threat
11 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:35am
- NZer In Exile
  
  Why oh why are interest.co.nz comments infested with comments from lefties??? Any ideas?
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:20pm
Steve Otto(North Shore)

There is a new video on Youtube from the website/blog that I won’t mention.
It is part 7 of a series. These videos are freely available to everyone on the Youtube site.
The last Youtube video I posted a link which was removed, so now I am waiting for a return email from DPF about whether this website/blog is banned on Kiwiblog.
If it is not banned then DPF has to tell the Moderators this. There seems to be misinformation.

[Mod – you’ve been told already by mods that you were asked to cut back on the link whoring, to stop linking it to other people’s posts, and stop posting it constantly. At no point did any moderator ban you from posting the link.]
4 5
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 9:48am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Mod, on Sept 30th at 4.20pm I started with a post about Gore. After a comment from a Mod I posted a Youtube link in a reply to myself. That link was removed.
  
  6 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:13am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Here is the link to today’s Youtube post. Article 1, Part 7.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FJvrnO6xt8
  
  6 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:18am
Steve Otto(North Shore)

On a mailing list I have an email from Will Shackel, Nuclear for Australia.
“If there’s something toxic about nuclear energy, it’s the misinformation campaign against nuclear waste.
It’s not dangerous, & it’s not complicated.
‘Where will the waste go’ is a poor man’s fear-mongering.
But Australian’s have been polarised on this issue because of extremist activists.”

Fact sheet”

What about the waste?

I don’t know where to shorten that link. [Mod – you don’t with that one, I will tidy it up]
6 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 10:06am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Thankyou Mod. I guess I could try ‘Short URL.’
  I wish I knew how to do what you did. Ghost and others do it.
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:15am
  - graham
    
    Steve … here is an example on how to do it.
    
    https://www.w3schools.com/html/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_links_w3schools
    
    You just need to use the line which has the href= part and edit as necessary.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:41am
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      Beyond me atm. I would take the URL back to the question mark. That question mark can be deleted as well but not always. I have been caught out.
      I am looking at is one day. Bit loke blockquotes – I don’t bother, just use ” —“
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 4:39pm
- Jethrod
  
  That was a very interesting fact sheet, Thank You
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 4:57pm
Ghost

This sunspot is very active while earth facing

Sunspot AR3842 exploded again today, producing the strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25 so far. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the X9.1-category blast:

Space Weather
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 10:13am
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  Our Alaskan friends will be happy when they get more auroras, but they are still getting 9 hours of daylight. The bears are still awake as well.
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 10:37am
- imalwaysright
  
  Sunspots and flares are a far greater threat to us than anything else.
  If we are lucky we will get about 8 minutes warning.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:23am
  - Blog-aholic
    
    I’d rather not get any thanks.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:33am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      You’d rather find out nothing works and have no way of coping?
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:23pm
  - kowtow
    
    8 minutes warning …..
    
    …….now hold on there , the taxpayer here has pumped huge resources into Maori space thingies which is an area of their expertise , we are told , so I fully expect a return on the investment and demand some maori expertise to give way more warning than 8 mins ……
    
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/529004/maori-aerospace-group-weren-t-consulted-on-government-s-new-space-strategy
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 12:09pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    8 minutes? What if I am enjoying a beer?
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 4:41pm
    - Jethrod
      
      Depends how many you’ve had!
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 4:58pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Take another sip, bend over, place your head between your knees, then kiss your arse goodbye.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 11:25pm
MCōs

The other day a bus caught fire on the outskirts of Bangkok and about twenty little kids died along with three teachers
Every day the news gets worse. The driver did a runner. The bus was 54 years old and had been illegally converted to run on gas.
Now it emerges it had eleven gas bottles instead of six and the company has been caught trying to remove the excess bottles from the rest of its fleet
https://aseannow.com/topic/1339780-bus-owner-caught-trying-to-hide-illegal-gas-cylinders-after-deadly-fire/
Trucks commonly use gas, but it has no grunt on the hills and they crawl up inclines at maybe 20kph
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 11:44am
- Ghost
  
  I saw that the other night. Devastating for the parents, families, friends.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 11:48am
- MCōs
  
  Now it’s reported on Thai TV the driver knew something wasn’t right, but he kept going
  Road accidents are the leading cause of death of children in Thailand with more than two and a half thousand on average annually
  Note
  In Thailand the road toll stats for fatalities only include those who die at the scene
  https://aseannow.com/topic/1339708-save-the-children-urges-action-on-child-road-deaths-in-thailand/
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 1:52pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  I guess gas means LPG or LNG.
  Crazy. So the bottles are 9kg or say forklift size? Or larger like domestic size?
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 4:45pm
Ghost

I don’t think we need a new department. Just get the ministry to do its job.

With hundreds of unfunded school building projects, the Government is going to establish a new department for school buildings.

The new department will take responsibility for building and managing classrooms away from the Ministry of Education. Establishing a school building department was the key recommendation from a ministerial review into school properties, which was released on Friday.

Article
6 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 12:04pm
- rouppe
  
  I tend to agree we don’t need s new department.
  
  Smells a bit of a move back to a Ministry of Works.
  
  But it’s a choice of evils. The current ministry of education is clearly useless, or corrupt. But the old ministry of Works was also heavily unionized, and incredibly inefficient with the day to day stuff of maintaining tracks and infrastructure
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 12:37pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  The review report is quite damning though. The Ministry tried to run a $30bn property portfolio using bureaucracy to mitigate risk.
  
  100 sign offs for a project, but nobody accountable for delivering the result!
  
  Ministries are not good at commercial property management.
  
  Sir Bob Jones might be worth getting on the blower however!
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 1:30pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350440043/wellington-warned-cuts-if-airport-shares-not-sold

I have no trust in Wellington City Council’s management, and think there should be an independent audit of their budgets, estimates and costings.

Done by a reputable accounting firm with no axe to grind.
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 12:22pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Preferably one that won’t be needing work from WCC any time soon.
  
  There is something weird in that story. How would not creating a “perpetual investment fund” impact the future capital works programme? Given the proceeds from the sale go into the fund, it cannot be put towards capital works. So what have I missed or is this normal Council standard bullshit?
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 1:34pm
  - Eastlander
    
    Given that their current claim is the opposite of what they were claiming 5 months ago during the LTP process you can dismiss this as normal council bullshit.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 3:35pm
- cmm
  
  Why an audit? That’s going to cost a bunch and would anyone trust the auditors to be honest anyway?
  
  Rather make all the information publicly available. People can then look at it. Those that care can do a crowd source audit.
  
  Trust is so far gone that you need to be absolutely open and honest for any level of trust to rebuild.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 3:13pm
  - greybeard
    
    I sort of agree with a “crowd source audit” but that is too informal for me: lots of input from unqualified people, no matter how accurate.
    What I want is a proper, belts-and-braces financial investigation into what the idiots in WCC have been doing and what they intend to do.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 6:43pm
Keith White

Luckily, this never happened in NZ.

Oh, wait – it did.

Canadian Government Admits Deaths Surged Among COVID-Boosted Citizens

The Canadian government has been forced to admit that death rates surged among citizens who received Covid mRNA “booster” shots.

The damning admission was revealed in previously hidden data that lawmakers compelled that nation’s top federal health agency to hand over.

A parliamentary inquiry ordered the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to unseal and surrender data for the country’s death rates during the pandemic.

The data revealed that the individuals who received the so-called “boosters” died at far higher rates than unvaccinated individuals during the same period.
12 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 12:57pm
- cmm
  
  I am certainly not in the “pro-vax” camp, but statistics like these are problematic.
  
  Deaths can “surge” for many reasons – part of why excess mortality is a problematic measure. On top of that, getting covid boosters is self selecting.
  
  For instance, people who are in poor health and are high risk tend to get the flu jab more regularly (eg. I am phoned up every year to get the flu jab “free” because I am a heart patient). But people at higher risk are likely to die at a higher rate/earlier anyway.
  
  What would make this interesting is identifying a causal relationship (ie. an actual mechanism that A causes B which causes C). Just observing that A and C happen to the same people is not enough.
  
  It is, however, enough to say there’s smoke so let’s see if there is a fire.
  
  The part I am far more concerned about is that the data was sealed.
  
  4 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 3:10pm
  - Grunter
    
    Agree – lets see if there is fire – why wouldn’t ‘THEY’ – I think we know that answer!
    
    Also cmm – I don’t think people in poor health would tend to get the COVID jab. I’d subjectively argue the other way (judging by the ‘look’ of the protesters at NZ Parliament).
    
    We have the data – now prove that it is safe. Thats how drugs work, not we have the data hidden now prove that its NOT safe.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 3:26pm
  - mandk
    
    Yes, it is true that “people at higher risk are likely to die at a higher rate/earlier anyway.”
    
    But calculations of excess deaths take account of that.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 3:38pm
- Grunter
  
  Wow! And here are some links. Confirmation by a Western Govt that the jabs were NOT safe, in fact they killed people…..
  
  It’s always a conspiracy until its not!
  
  Link to media article
  https://slaynews.com/news/canadian-government-admits-deaths-surged-among-covid-boosted-citizens/
  
  Link to Canadian Parliamentary paper
  https://parl-gc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/delivery/01CALP_INST:01CALP/12165649990002616?
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 3:20pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Shell Lane (The Terrace) bike rack report:

At 2.15pm today, null bikes present.

It’s a beautifully fine day in the Capital too, ideal for cycling.

If not today, then when?
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 2:25pm
- Inandout
  
  NM, all the public servants are in their offices.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 3:36pm
  - Jethrod
    
    GET IT RIGHT…..THEY ARE WFH!!
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 5:01pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    Or still working from home. Kids are on school holidays so the ‘useless and the restless’ have to work from home…..
    
    4 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 5:18pm
- AitchW
  
  So, $185k, divided by the numbers of users, is infinity dollars per user per day. Awesome use of ratepayers funds.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 9:07pm
surfing

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/air-new-zealand-promises-changes-to-frustrating-call-system-thats-been-lashed-on-linkedin/C6DV3SKO7BGYFCUWDSHAXPIBAI/

Customer can’t contact a company!!

This is normal now, try to contact Trademe on the phone! It’s a problem when you have a dispute and need Trademe to provide evidence.

I couldn’t even find out how to call the local cinema, they’ve removed all their numbers.

Companies want you to send an email to their public trash mail box.
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 4:27pm
- Blog-aholic
  
  Almost every CS call I have made this year has been a wait-athon….last week NZPost took 42 minutes.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 4:43pm
  - Steve Otto(North Shore)
    
    “You can use our website to make things easier – just go online.”
    They will get back to you, as in 12 to 20 working days
    
    3 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 5:21pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      I always press the “Open an account” option. They usually answer quickly and then I play dumb and they transfer me to the right person.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 4, 2024 5:59pm
- Inandout
  
  surf, Air NZ has for many years had sloppy client service. The scariest event for us was when we weren’t notified our 6am flight to Australia had been cancelled even though they had our mobile number and email. Had we not checked the morning flight schedules the previous evening we would have arrived at the airport unaware and not got a flight for 2 days. Accomodation, connecting flights within Oz, would have been a shambles.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 4:50pm
Ghost

Oh please please please continue with the bill

Google is threatening to blow up its New Zealand news agreements and remove any ability for users to find local news on its search engine, in ramped-up threats to oppose new legislation.

News publishers say the threats are little more than “corporate bullying”.

Google said today it would remove all links to New Zealand news content if the Government passes the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, the new law that would force it to pay publishers for their content.

Article
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 4:52pm
- peterwn
  
  A smart Machiavellian on the part of the Government. Why annoy the MSM by abandoning the Bill? Let it pass into law and let it bite NZ MSM in the backside. NZ MSM needs Google more than Google needs NZ MSM.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 5:34pm
- Steve Otto(North Shore)
  
  “Google said today it would remove all links to New Zealand news content ”
  Isn’t that a blessing? We have news? wow!
  There is a place with a silly name – duckduckgo. It works.
  Strange,
  Um Google, why the fuck would I want another one ffs? that I recently bought a 12v Deep Cycle Marine battery for my boat and now I get ads for deep cycle marine batteries!
  Um Google, why would I want another same battery ffs?
  
  3 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 5:35pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Steve you gave the shop your details (membership club or the like) for a discount?
    
    Or your payment card is stored on an android (IE Google OS) phone?
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 11:30pm
    - Steve Otto(North Shore)
      
      I have an account with Marine Deals, yes.
      I don’t use my phone for any sort of purchase anywhere.
      Clearing the cache fixes most of it but not all.
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 5, 2024 7:05am
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Your phone is primarily a highly sophisticated tracking/monitoring device with multiple sensors watching, tracking and listening to your every move. You “agreed” for them to do this by not noticing the carefully crafted and obscure weasel words on EG page 513 of their 900 page terms of service agreement when you first used your phone. You have no choice if you want to participate in modern life? Tough! This is so big tech can sell this data to advertisers (and probably local and foreign govts, plus who knows what or who else) to better target you with advertising, propaganda and law enforcement. Rob Braxman and Naomi Brockwell have some good videos explaining how all this works, and how to avoid it (not simple). It’s a journey getting one’s head around it.
        
        0 0
        Report
        October 5, 2024 11:09pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Ironically RNZ recently boasted a 70% increase in their online presence.
  I wonder if they know how that happened.
  Do they think that people type in RNZ ?
  Or maybe people are clicking links to stories on Google news that send them to RNZ!
  
  Yes, bring in the bill, teach these idiots a lesson.
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 4, 2024 6:09pm
  - Ghost
    
    I’d like to see google turn around and charge the news websites for the traffic that they drive to them.
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 4, 2024 7:05pm
MCōs

https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/04-10-2024/making-a-splash-is-this-the-most-impressive-select-committee-submission-ever#952?utm_source=spinoff-share-button&utm_medium=spinoff-web-mobile
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 4, 2024 5:37pm
NZer In Exile

BBC reporter “rekt” by potential new Tory leader.

https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/andrew-bolt/kemi-badenoch-resonating-as-potential-tory-leader/video/f27ff0cf9134d3debe932401876058b0
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 5, 2024 12:23am

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Health Target 5 – elective treatments

Did Labour break trust in Government? »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 40.4K other subscribers

Highlights

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

Links

Govt fiscal constraints are the elephant in the pay equity room
Utopia
Gas is still dead
No Right Turn
"Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits."
Not PC
New Poll – How NZF uses culture war to get double digits
The Daily Blog
Daily review 10/07/2025
The Standard
Kiri Allan was never an Olympic gymnast – but she shares Mary Lou Retton’s expectation about how cops should treat her
Point of Order
There’s An Elephant In The Bloody Room Nicola!
No Minister
Word of the day
Hompaddock
Forum 2025 speakers Dawn Hawkins / Kirralie Smith
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
NRL Predictions for Round 19
Stats Chat
The State of Local Government
NZCPR
Careful what you wish for.
Kiwipolitico
41 questions
Croaking Cassandra
Social media slippery slopes
Offsetting Behaviour
THE WORKING FROM HOME RACKET BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker
Angie Warren-Clark: Meet the Newbies
Dan Moskovitz

[email protected]

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: