About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

April 24, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 24 April 2025

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment175

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (175)

Login to comment or vote

Cassandra

The US State Department: “Under secretaries at the State Department are being instructed within 30 days to present plans to reduce their staff level by 15 percent, according to a senior State Department official. These include six top offices employing thousands of people. The reorganization comes as the Trump administration seeks to drastically reduce the size and scope of the federal government.”

Contrast this with the Luxon administration approach which is a tiny reduction in staff and no discernible change in the structure. Lots of talk and very little action.

A leader would have had a plan (“I’m taking advice on that”) and announced the executive part the day after the election. Wouldn’t it have been great to have heard “I’ve instructed the State Services Commission to reduce the staff level of every government agency to its 2017 level by the end of January 2025. Effective today the following agencies are disestablished……………”. Goodbye Human Rights Council and all who sail in her.

As the Taxpayers Union says: “While Nicola Willis and the National/ACT/NZ First Government talk-the-talk about prudent fiscal management, their task is mammoth. In order for them to make the tough, but necessary, calls to cut wasteful (non-frontline) spending, they need the public to understand the true scale of the challenge.” To which one might add “And then do something about it”.

Tinkering around the fringe is not gong to change anything. Shouting “Growth, growth, growth” is just demonstrating that Canute was right. NZ needs some bold leadership, something along these lines:
1. Squash the ToW rebellion – it’s a distraction. We are nation of many cultures, not Maori and Others.
2. Change the welfare system eg limit support to two children; make work compulsory
3. Introduce a contributory pension system
4. Vouchers for schools
5. Focus on children early, not universities.
These are examples, not an exhaustive list but where is something similar published by the dominant party of the Coalition? “We’re still taking advice on that. I’ll get back to you”.
53 6
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:01am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  3. Introduce a contributory pension system
  ———————
  
  Presumably you mean a compulsory contributory pension system?
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:26am
  - Cassandra
    
    Yes, replacing KiwiSaver and the OAP a la Oz.
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:08am
    - Ian Boag
      
      Sounds good.
      
      What about today’s pensioners and people over (say) 60 ….. So today’s taxpayers can get into saving for their old age – coz there won’t be a pension when they get there – while continuing to fund their oldies. Some of who are still drawing a wage and/or getting investment income ….
      
      You could explain just how fair that is ….
      
      1 12
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 10:50am
      - Taieri
        
        What about today’s pensioners and people over (say) 60
        ———
        
        Would euthanizing them satisfy your obsessions Ian?
        
        3 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 11:31am
      - kiwimike
        
        Oh yes and please include those many who are drawing a wage because they have too.
        mustn’t forget them.
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 11:32am
      - Cassandra
        
        It’s been the stumbling block for ages. You could explain your solution perhaps.
        
        10 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 11:49am
      - Ian Boag
        
        Small steps.
        
        The current pension is a benefit – today’s taxpayers fund today’s pensioners. So income test it just like all the others. Not hard …. There must be about a billion or two of savings to be had – taken from people who can stand it ….
        
        As of now, start increasing the age by six months every year. It was done for the 60-65 step in the 90’s.
        
        7 5
        Report
        April 24, 2025 11:57am
      - An Old Kiwi
        
        “The current pension is a benefit – today’s taxpayers fund today’s pensioners. So income test it just like all the others. ”
        
        The problem with income testing today’s NZ pensioners is that -unlike in Oz- the vast majority of those aged over 65 (& almost all of those aged 70+) have no savings or other income. So you’d be employing yet more govt staff to assess almost all pensioners’ income – just to catch the few who managed to save up a bit & have income above the limit.
        High taxpayer expense (of extra govt staff) for low return.
        
        Maybe this is an option in 20 years time when more pensioners will have managed to save up $$ in their Kiwisaver.
        Or maybe not.
        In Oz, their superann savings rate is 10% (from higher wages), whereas ours is 3% – and we often withdraw it to buy a house, so have very little in KS when we do retire.
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 1:00pm
      - KH
        
        30 year phase in phase out Ian.
        
        0 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 1:25pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Interesting. The downticks suggest people think this is perfectly fair.
        
        I’ll look at from the perspective of a 50 year old. There will be no super for me at 65 so I will start saving for my old age into a compulsory contributory pension scheme. There won’t be a lot in it when I get to 65 or so but younger folk who had more time will be OK when they get to 65. Not much consolation for me because I started at 50 …
        
        In the meantime, while I am doing it, my taxes will be paying for the current scheme – 65+ year olds who are getting something I never will for way more dosh than what my started-at-50 plan will deliver.
        
        Perfectly fair and reasonable I guess.
        
        4 1
        Report
        April 24, 2025 4:39pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        OldK
        
        So you’d be employing yet more govt staff to assess almost all pensioners’ income
        
        Nope. If you are earning money (wages or invertment) , IRD knows about it. IRD and MSD share data. They have to for people on (other) benefits who lose some of it because of other earmings …
        
        So – income testing the pension would be no hassle at all ..
        
        1 1
        Report
        April 24, 2025 6:52pm
  - Paulus
    
    Do you mean make KiwiSaver compulsory like in Australia ?
    But keep the Management vultures, often earning more than the investor member, as at present as the real earners out !
    NZ Super Funds are the best Managers to Manage this on behalf of everybody over the age of say 18.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:42pm
- Red Rooster
  
  Christopher Luxon has a history of top line focussed roles so is like most salesmen not inclined to look at the cost and efficiency side of the business. Someone else does that. I doubt Nicola Willis understands what top line and bottom line even means. They need to get out of the way.
  
  17 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:27am
  - Paulus
    
    Who will replace them ?
    Labour and the Maory Party perhaps.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:43pm
- Gravelroad
  
  NZ is a small place – both in area and people numbers.
  It should be simple for a government in such an environment to make the changes they want and believe necessary – and have the confidence that those changes will be agreeable to the majority of citizens.
  Worked for Jacinda Ardern and the socialists didn’t it ?
  Having said that, the voters at the last general election delivered a co-government which has made it almost impossible to get anything significant done in a timely manner.
  And that is the failure of the self entitled MMP system which is based on the whims and fancies of individuals.
  
  29 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:28am
- Scott
  
  Cassandra – let’s just imagine if National had gone into the election pledging to implement just your top 3 ideas:
  -squash the Treaty of Waitangi
  -limit welfare support to just two children
  -introduce a contributory pension scheme, presumably replacing our current universal superannuation scheme?
  
  Realistically how many votes would National have got? National is a broad church party that needs at least 30% support. It’s not a minor party like Act that is expecting around 10%.
  
  If National had followed your prescriptions they would have been closer to the 10 than to the 30.
  
  20 14
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:34am
  - Simon
    
    National the broad church of 30%. That is the problem. The hard working and productive are voting ACT which is around 10% and probably another 15% for National. That’s it.
    
    Shrinking policy platforms which assist the productive are signs of steady NZ decline. There just isn’t the votes. This can’t be turned around.
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:26am
  - R
    
    Cassandra; ….If National had followed your prescriptions, NZ would now be a tribal communist state under the control of TPM party
    
    8 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:41am
    - Cassandra
      
      How would that happen? Voted in? Well, if so that’d be democracy.
      
      5 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 12:53pm
    - Tom Hunter
      
      At the rate we’re going that will happen anyway. But GTGFD and other National boosters here have informed me repeatedly that kicking the can down the road is an acceptable solution.
      
      I recall Muldoon supporters telling me the same thing in 1984.
      
      1 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 6:04pm
  - Cassandra
    
    It’d be dressed up and a PR campaign launched plus persuasion. My list is a blog list, not a campaign. Try to envision and envisage a substantial policy campaign.
    
    12 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:12am
  - KH
    
    Scott. I would vote for those three. I believe many would.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 1:27pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  The tax payers union are talking shit, over all funding is being cut from 1.06 billion to 750 million, the TPU are only talking about one part of funding which actually makes them liars, how can 1,06 billion over 5 years to 750 over 5 years be an increase of 21%? They are full of shit, it’s a 25% cut ended of story. And yes they funding is 150 million over the next 5 years, not annually, Willis is calling them out so she will be right, usually they are ignored.
  
  That place has gone to the pack ever since DPF left
  
  7 27
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:58am
  - pdm
    
    G – have a look at Homepaddock’s post about uncontrolled spending in Department of Internal Affairs.
    
    The Public Service is giving the Government the middle finger.
    https://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2025/04/24/two-questions-public-servants-should-ask/
    
    18 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:26am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Well, that will not keep happening, part of the the bureaucracy has s as ready been warned over stuff like this, and the budget is coming soon and they may well do as they did with certain sectors last time like police only getting full funding for drink driving policing if they get to a certain amount of tests
      
      1 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 9:54am
      - pdm
        
        G – we are just about 18 months of the Coalition Government and still that middle finger is shown regularly.
        
        Mr `appease everybody’ Luxon will not change it because he will not take on the hard issues.
        
        Full stop!!
        
        13 2
        Report
        April 24, 2025 11:41am
  - Dave
    
    The 25% reduction is on the amount requested for the next five years. If the Reserve Bank had requested twice the amount, then Willis could have achieved a 67% reduction to 750 million, apparently an even greater saving, but would still be paying 21% more than the previous five year grant and 139% than the five year grant before that.
    
    Given inflation, the 21% increase is partly defensible, but 139%? Staffing levels are now 2.5 times their 2018 levels. Are the public and government getting 2.5 times the benefit?
    
    How is talking about one part of the funding ‘lying’? If you want to cut overall spending, you have to look at each area and ask, “What is the justification for this increase? What can be cut without damaging delivery?”
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:50am
    - Dave
      
      G – if you’re still convinced that this government is reining in profligate spending, go to Croaking Cassandra.
      
      https://croakingcassandra.com/2025/04/24/fiscal-failure/
      
      Look at the graphs, especially the IMF’s graph of governments’ structural fiscal balance.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 8:47pm
- cmm
  
  There are certainly many hurdles in NZ to acting that quickly, but we really are getting no action at all.
  
  Every day 120 of NZ’s finest are leaving and are not feeling the “Growth, growth, growth” message is working for them.
  
  17 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:06am
  - Paulus
    
    Of course they are the best – Australia will not take anybody with a Criminal Record, so we are left withn them in increasing numbers.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:46pm
- stewmar
  
  Cassandra, the problem with Luxons leadership style is that it is a byproduct of working in the woke corporate sector where leadership never wants to do anything too drastic for fear of spooking the horses. As for benefits, why should the hard working taxpayers fund single mothers to have any children let alone maximum of two. The options for these lazy women should be, pay for the kid yourselves oh dear don’t have any .
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:46am
- Mike
  
  15% seems obviously plucked from the ether. Why not 12% or 18%. Don’t expect to see any rationale about what the organization needs in resources to effect a superpower’s foreign policy objectives.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:12am
Yvette

Yesterday evening as Radio New Zealand reported Labour wants Christopher Luxon to step in over Winston Peters’ comments on RNZ funding, cut their water off, RNZ under the headline Me tū, me haka!’: Te Pāti Māori MPs defend haka in Privileges Committee written submissions, printed full sentences in Maori without translation.
Here is an excerpt with the Māori portions translated (accurately, one believes) into English and in bold type, keeping the original English text in place :

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said in his written submission that four of his tīpuna signed te Tiriti at Te Kaha in June 1840,

“That is my bond to the Treaty of Waitangi through my ancestors, the elders of the night, who signed it under the authority and sacredness of the people. If someone tampers with the authority and sacredness of the Treaty, they are tampering with the authority and sacredness of the ancestral parents who signed and engraved themselves upon the Treaty” he said.

“That is what David Seymour and his ACT Party are doing, tampering with the Treaty of Waitangi to diminish the authority of Māori in Aotearoa,.”
Waititi said other MPs also performed the haka because the government was tampering with te Tiriti and diminishing the mana of Māori in Aotearoa.

“That is the appropriate place for the haka. If the spirit is stirred within a person to express the anger, the echoes, the objections to an issue that tramples mana, tramples sacredness, one must stand and perform the haka!,”
Waititi said he would not apologise for performing the haka and that he has long been using the haka in Parliament, including during his maiden speech in 2020.

“I will never apologise for the haka, I am the haka, the haka is me!,”
He also put forward a motion for the House to consider including a haka must be allowed in Parliament, Māori customs must be embedded in the Standing Orders and Speakers Rulings, and that all members of Parliament must be educated in Te Tiriti o Waitangi before swearing in.

“The oath must change, something new must be created to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi.”
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/558888/me-tu-me-haka-te-pati-maori-mps-defend-haka-in-privileges-committee-written-submissions

Now will the Privileges Committee –
• Answer the written submissions with counter submissions.
• Wait for te Pati Maori to continue with their own public hearing on 7 May.
• Require the three te Pati Maori MPs concerned to still appear, punish them for not appearing when summonsed –

‘Serious’ consequences for not attending Privileges Committee hearings – chairwoman Judith Collins – 3 Apr 2025

and then deal out whatever consequence there may be for doing the actual haka, November last year.
• Deal with co-leader Rawiri Waititi, at least, as having already made his statement that he admits no wrong – “I will never apologise for the haka, I am the haka, the haka is me!,” if that is accurate – and there is nothing more to say in his defence. He intends to do the haka spontaneously any time be feels Customarily Privileged
• Add further points as you wish …
30 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:04am
- G152
  
  Sack them….
  
  14 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:48am
  - Paulus
    
    Can’t as elected under MMP, as a stupid electoral method.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:48pm
    - Jinky
      
      All electorate MPs. Not on a list.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 6:49pm
Anthony Melchett

I see the government has forced nzta to reverse all the moronic speed limit reductions that occurred since 2020.

This includes roads under local council control that were reduced to 30km pit back to 50km with no option for consultation (variable speed zones around schools) which is a supervisor F you to local councils.

They allowed nzta to take feedback on some roads (maim highways had to return to 100km) and keep the reduced speeds if there was majority feedback. This only happened on 6 out of 49 locations.

Some big ones are masterton to Featherstone and the napier taupo road back to 100!

They shouldn’t have been allowed to change them in the first place but at least sanity is prevailing…

https://www.nzta.govt.nz/safety/driving-safely/speed/state-highway-speed-management/speed-reversals-and-consultation-transitional-changes-in-2024-25/
26 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:12am
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  Any chance of the 60 speed limit going back to at least 80 in the hundalees between kaikoura and Christchurch I wonder, it’s pathetic, the road is no worse than parts of the Lindis Pass which is 100.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:38am
- sungsamning
  
  That’s excellent news. If i posted what I say whenever I see one of those signs; I’d cop a life ban.
  
  9 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:04am
pdm

Your short list above is a clear indication that National Voters that wanted change in 2023 should be Party Voting ACT in the 2026 election.

ACT is the Party that gets things done.
National is the Party that pontificates and keeps the status quo.
NZFirst is an activist party already working on getting re-elected in order to keep the few baubles they have. Shane Jones and Casey Costello may be exceptions in NZFirst.
41 11
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:17am
- Cassandra
  
  PDM: I was at that famous first meeting at Alexandra Parliament (when Donna Awatere’s husband clocked a protester who said something nasty to his wife). 4,000 people heard from Roger Douglas. I was involved for many years, until ailments took over.
  
  17 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:29am
  - pdm
    
    I certainly was not questioning your commitment Cass.
    
    But, there seem to be a lot of die hard Nat voters around who have yet to see, or recognise the light.
    They should watch this video:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqh4FKELBhw
    
    17 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 8:42am
    - Cassandra
      
      I was agreeing with you!
      
      13 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 8:44am
    - peterwn
      
      There are also lots of die hard Nat voters who would not be happy voting for hotheads. Softee sofee catchee monkey.
      
      11 9
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 8:47am
      - pdm
        
        pw – depends if they want change or not I think.
        
        While Luxon is PM he is going to dither on the controversial issues and they will go nowhere.
        
        21 3
        Report
        April 24, 2025 8:51am
      - rouppe
        
        We’ve had softee softee for over 40 years.
        
        Monkey still running free.
        
        13 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 9:32am
      - David Garrett
        
        Peter: Who exactly in the present ACT caucus do you think is a “hothead”? Seymour is the polar opposite of a hothead.
        
        28 1
        Report
        April 24, 2025 9:56am
    - Chuck Bird
      
      Watching it!
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 9:32am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Some of us party voted for Act for years, where were you? Seymour lost my support last election when 4 months out from the election he might sit on the cross benches, their support dropped from 18% to 7% in a month, would you perhaps like to elaborate on why that huge drop may have occurred at the very time he suggested he could sit on the cross benches with Labour and greens?
  
  Let’s not forget Nats tried to change RMA under Key, and Seymour voted it down suggesting we need standards, now he is an expert on RMA reform
  
  8 9
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:09am
  - pdm
    
    G – Party Voted ACT in every election bar 2014 since the advent of MMP.
    
    Offered to deliver brochures in my neighbourhood in 2 of the last 3 elections – offers not taken up.
    
    Regular attendee at ACT meetings in Hastings but, did miss the last one due to a mix up over the car with my wife who thought the meeting was a couple of hours later.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:34am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Right, well I have party voted Act in every election bar 2023 my change came with the arrogance of Seymour saying he would sit on the cross benches, then he lost more than 50% of his support thanks to that bullshit statement,
      
      I started to loose support when Seymour decided to not support RMA reform. I don’t care about your brochure offer or going to meetings, but I am sick to death of being called a rusted on Nats supporter, just possibly there are different reasons why some of us don’t support them anymore
      
      6 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 9:50am
      - Dougal10
        
        ??? You are on record as having been a full blown ex tribal labour voter who finally saw the light and switched to national a mere few elections ago.
        
        0 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 10:56am
      - Quail
        
        GGD,
        Nationals record on RMA reform over their past several terms is hardly likely to inspire any support from those wanting said reform.
        It should be noted Luxon has already publicly ruled out changes to the Natural Environment legislation. ( the chapters affecting agriculture etc most.)
        Let us not forget it was National who passed Labours monstrosity of a bill in the first place.
        And then failed to implement over three elections their promises of reform!
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 10:59am
Scott

Trump and JD Vance and Rubio are working hard to try and broker a peace deal with Ukraine and Russia.
It seems that Ukraine would give up some land in exchange for peace, land that is currently occupied by Russian troops. Ukraine would get access back to the Dniepner River and get security guarantees but not membership of NATO. Powerline gives some details here:

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/04/ending-the-russia-ukraine-war.php

I do hope this initiative succeeds, the endless war is no good. As usual America had given enough aid to continue the war but not enough to win the war.

Trump is doing a good job in trying to make peace happen. In contrast to Biden who was barely capable of organising a happy hour in the rest home where he should rightfully have been.

The other takeaway is how ineffectual the British and the Europeans have been. They just don’t have the military capacity to influence events in any meaningful way.

America has threatened to walk away if no deal is made. Time will tell.
15 14
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:21am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  I heard today that Putin got the first time has conceded he will be happy to talk peace, it’s a big call, because they have said Putin wanted to put the former Soviet Union back together, and had eyes on some other countries also
  
  12 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:31am
  - Dudley Quaffquaff
    
    Of course Putin is happy to talk about terms which give him everything he wants for the moment and nothing to stop him going back for more later
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 11:13am
  - Paulus
    
    Rubbish – Putin is a sadistic conman, and a real live nutter.
    But who will replace him soon.
    
    4 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:51pm
- Greenheart
  
  So you would reward Putin for his illegal invasion of Ukraine by giving him parts of Ukraine territory. An invitation to him to invade other countries such as Estonia
  
  19 8
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:57am
  - Scott
    
    Greenheart – unfortunately that is the case. It’s a matter of brutal realism. The USA is not going to fund a war to defeat Russia. Ukraine is not going to be strong enough to defeat Russia. Europe is not strong enough to defeat Russia. That’s just the facts.
    
    So there has to be a compromise that both sides can agree to.
    
    What’s the alternative? The alternative is endless war. Eventually Russia will win. And then they’ll take everything. They’ll take all of Ukraine.
    
    So we can agree it’s far from ideal. What Trump is doing in my opinion, is the least bad alternative. It’s the least bad option.
    
    1 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:52am
  - Dougal10
    
    Putin is looking for a way out , he is 3 years into a 3 week takeover of Ukraine . By the time russia recovers from this he won’t be the supreme leader anymore.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 11:00am
  - Don Beckett
    
    So you would be happy to continue with a pointless war, that could result in WW III, involving nuclear exchanges ?.
    
    9 12
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 11:18am
    - Mike
      
      Well, some people might want to reward Russian aggression. The war will end when it becomes ‘pointless’ for Putin to continue.
      
      9 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 11:51am
  - Ra Henare
    
    Along with the illegal invasion of Palestine by Israel ??? Check your UN Resolutions.
    
    They got rewarded, why not Russia?
    
    chortle
    
    2 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 12:09pm
- Northshoredoc
  
  I’m also hopeful that both parties (Putin in particular) can at least agree to a full ceasefire and negotiate a long-term, sustained detente.
  
  I’m also hopeful that JD Vance has been misquoted saying Ukraine and Russia “are both going to have to give up some of the territory they currently own”.
  
  If he did say that it’s sadly reflective of a US position that Putin owns territories taken by force.
  
  13 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:32am
- NothingLeft
  
  Russia are no longer able to take significant land on offense and are suffering withering losses as Ukraines technical and numerical drone dominance and range over no man’s land grows and grows, no vehicles within 10-15km of front line and some losses from extended range FPVs even out to 50-70km now. It’s a combat stalemate.
  
  But Russia needs war as large swathes of their economy and businesses have gone under – no construction and a lot of service industries have shut up shop. A cessation to hostilities would produce a huge economic crisis that might threaten Putin’s rule.
  
  Ukraine have run out of infantry and their air defense is letting more and more missiles and drones through – about 10-15 a night these days meaning a lot more dead civilians and likely progressive destruction of larger industrial facilities.
  
  Ukraine can win without US support – IF europe just supply enough engines etc to build a lot more long range drones to hit Russian infrastructure. It’s cheap to do, and the only way to end this war for good is to make it too expensive for Putin to continue.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 1:03pm
- JackRabbit
  
  The other takeaway is how ineffectual the British and the Europeans have been. They just don’t have the military capacity to influence events in any meaningful way.
  
  And yet, according to reports, the EU and the UK are gearing up to impose a naval blockade on Russian ships.
  
  So provoking Russia into a war, stills seems to be on their radar, as is the USA provoking a war with China.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 1:59pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

This is a terrible situation for this child and family to be in. The parents seem to be doing everything right.

I note that the mother left her job to look after her son, and the family now live in a rented property and can’t afford a wheelchair-enabled car. Respect.

The family is Maori, but there is nil playing of the Maori card. Double respect.

Having said that, there appears to be zero support from their iwi. If whanau/ hapu/ iwi means anything, it means looking after extended family. All those relations driving Ford Rangers on the iwi dime should be ashamed of themselves.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/558921/autistic-child-s-family-struggle-for-support-after-medical-injury-leaves-him-unable-to-walk
23 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:24am
- Ghost
  
  Where in the article does it even mention they are associated with their iwi? I know Māori who have never in their lives had anything to do with their iwi. By the way, this isn’t an iwi issue, this is a let down by the health system.
  
  7 16
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:06am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    I agree with your points, Ghost. The family have absolutely been let down by the health system including ACC.
    
    But if I & my family were in a comparable position and had a wealthy relation, I would be expect that relation to step up. A second hand, serviceable wheelchair-enabled vehicle can cost less than $20k. A brand new Ranger costs multiples of that figure.
    
    13 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:43am
    - Ghost
      
      My brothers are wealthy. I would not ask or expect them to take care of me, that’s not their responsibility.
      
      Some of the larger iwi have programs set up to help there iwi. But again you have no idea if these people are connected to their iwi. This has zero to do with iwi, they’ve been let down by our services
      
      3 10
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 10:09am
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Reread the story, Ghost. If my child was so afflicted & my extended family was wealthy, I would expect them to step up (and in fact I know I wouldn’t have to ask; they’d be there for me and their niece / nephew). I’d also expect better and quicker responses from public sector agencies, but that’s another matter. Both approaches have value, you know.
        
        We are repeatedly assured that extended Maori families are much more connected than pakeha families, and how wonderful it all is. We’re also aware how much taxpayer funding is handed over to iwi, and we’re told that it’s about establishing a foundation for the iwi’s future. Well, if this boy’s present is not worthy of support, it seems to me that the rest is just empty words.
        
        15 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 10:26am
      - Ghost
        
        Don’t need to reread it. There is nothing in the story that says they are connected with iwi. This is a problem with our services but you have decided to use it as a means to attack some imaginary iwi you have no idea if they are connected to.
        
        You might be the kind of person that puts your hand out and expects your relatives to take care of you, others don’t. Nor should this family have to, they were let down by our system. But hey, points for twisting this into a pathetic attack against Māori. Maybe you should ask your extended family to help with your treatment for your racism.
        
        6 15
        Report
        April 24, 2025 10:36am
Positan

Te Pati Maori’s latest stunt shows they do not take their office in parliament at all seriously and they’re treating parliament’s processes with utter contempt.

As Chairman of the Privileges Committee, Judith Collins has her own last chance. Either she acts decisively in accordance with parliament’s standing orders – OR she blows parliament’s credibility for all time.

Luxon’s pro-Maori views should count for nought – so, GO JUDITH !!!
42 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:26am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Oh ffs, so now Luxon hates the privileges committee? I am waiting for someone to say he will tell Peter’s too pull his head in over media after the vile Hipkins called is silencing the media, oh that’s right, he has already ruled that out,
  
  Last week apparently he was anti Catholic, even though he put up an Easter message, and now he is going to the popes funeral there is silence, ffs give them man a go before you get that idiot Hipkin s back
  
  9 10
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:36am
- Ghost
  
  Previous mp’s have also just made a written submission and not turned up, they weren’t required to turn up.
  
  2 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:44am
  - pdm
    
    They did not slag off the Committee in in the media though.
    
    Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer have on at least two occasions.
    
    They deserve all they get.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 11:49am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Can you point to just one instance of an MP not turning up and giving just a written submission that was not part of the requirements, over the last 15 years anyway, I cannot think of just one instance of that happening.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 2:07pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Not sure that is the case, if so, that was the requirement, I can remember quite a few privilege committee meetings, and all were there in person.
    
    Peters is on this committee, and will want something done, Henare was found to have broken the rules of parliament, and the findings were unanimous even though TPM have a member of the committee, it’s going to be very hard for TPM to not be found in contempt after the Henare decision
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:05pm
    - Ghost
      
      So you’re calling Judith Collins a liar then G? Because she is the one that said it. Good to know you think you know more than judith
      
      Oh. Btw, here is the last time an MP made a written submission and didn’t appear before the committee, but hey, you watch a lot of these meetings and you know, well you know jackshit
      
      https://selectcommittees.parliament.nz/view/SelectCommitteeReport/aa8400a3-3b0d-4e08-0906-08dd4aebb8e2
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 11:12pm
Bridgenag

Slovakia’s PM warns of ‘extremely high’ levels of DNA contamination in mRNA Covid shots
Meanwhile, Australian media is still calling evidence of DNA contamination ‘debunked misinformation’

“In Australia, where amounts of DNA contamination have been detected at levels up to 145 times the WHO (World Health Organisation) regulatory limit of 10 nanograms per dose, citizens have taken to petitioning their local councils to raise the matter with state and federal officials in an effort to instigate serious investigation and precautionary action.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/rebekahbarnett/p/slovakias-pm-warns-of-extremely-high?r=5aqwv0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
8 5
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:36am
- cmm
  
  DNA contamination is not a problem per se. You get some DNA contamination every time you eat food. Food has DNA in it and a very small amount will leak through your gut walls etc.
  
  The real problems with DNA contamination are:
  1) What DNA was in the contamination.
  2) It could be an indicator of sloppy processes.
  
  12 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:03am
  - Ross Bayer
    
    CMM
    DNA contamination that goes directly into your cells might just be a problem especially if it includes SV40
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:49am
NeverMindTheBollocks

Consumer NZ says that 1.6m New Zealanders “needed help accessing food in the past year”.

Ignoring the misleading headline (the journalist struggles with the difference between a third and 30%) the article goes on to say “The Consumer NZ research showed 30 percent of people had to turn to friends, family, food banks or Work and Income in the past year, to find food”.

For me, this does not pass the sniff test. If true, you would expect to see the worst 5% rioting in the streets, storming supermarkets, holding up bread vans and rustling in vege gardens.

And let’s face it, almost no one in NZ resembles the pictures that used to come out of Ethiopia.

I call bullshit on this.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/558938/third-of-new-zealanders-need-help-with-food
36 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:36am
- Taieri
  
  I call bullshit on this.
  ———
  
  And I’ll second that.
  
  21 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:21am
- rouppe
  
  “The Consumer NZ research showed 30 percent of people had to turn to friends, family, food banks or Work and Income in the past year, to find food”.
  
  That’s the trouble with statistics like these. That statement is so wide it doesn’t actually provide useful information.
  
  What proportion of that 30% went to food banks or w&i (or both). If something is “free”, of course you are going to get people using it.
  
  What does “find food” mean? I gave some excess tomatoes to my neighbours recently. Does that mean they “turned to friends to find food”?
  
  I am a cynic, though…
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:08am
- artemisia
  
  Did the survey ask for info on the household budget? That is relevant.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:28am
- I remember when
  
  Of the 30% no mention of the fact that 60-70% will be minors or the number of beneficiaries.
  No mention of how they spent their money or how much money they received.
  No mention of the number that were employed and whether they were fulltime.
  No mention of drinking, drugs, gambling, fast food – instead of preparing their own meals.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:31am
Maggy Wassilieff

Does Winston need a “telling-off”?

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/opinion/perspective-with-heather-du-plessis-allan-winstons-attacks-on-rnz-arent-that-shocking/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
19 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:38am
- Cassandra
  
  No, RNZ needs a good boot in the pants. Actually it needs a major overhaul – or defunding and try again elsewhere. It has been a poor outfit for many years. It has a gotcha approach like many media, with notable exceptions such as Jim Mora.
  
  41 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:46am
  - wisteria
    
    Totally agree. Jack Tame is a prime example of the gotcha technique but he does not seem to realise this. His interviews are awful, he harasses those he does not like and is “kind” to the others. He said on Heather du Plessis show yesterday that the Winston interviewn was good.
    
    32 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:12am
    - pdm
      
      wist – Tame was in full defence mode on The Huddle last evening.
      
      I still reckon he is gunning for position 3 or 4 on the Labour List in 2026.
      
      25 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 9:38am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        No, he were like go for the male thingy in the greens
        
        7 2
        Report
        April 24, 2025 9:42am
      - AitchW
        
        He’s on far too good a wicket at ZB and TVNZ to become an MP.
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 12:43pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Tame is a nobody, I am sure he thinks he is done dirt of celebrity, the arrogance to tell Peter’s after saying we will call for the media portfolios after a new election, and dump the losers who spout shit, Tame said is that a threat, Peter’s said no it’s a promise.
      
      I do rush he would go ballistic at media for spouting Peter’s said there will be an early election
      
      9 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 9:41am
      - pdm
        
        G – do you have Tame, Corrin Dann, Winston Peters and Willie Jackson all mixed up?
        
        It was Jackson who threatened Tame and
        Peters taking on Dann.
        
        6 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 11:58am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        PDM,
        
        Not true, Peters has threatened Tame before on that program on Saturday and Sunday, no I am not getting mixed up with Jackson, although Jackson has form but was the media minister at the time which makes it worse
        
        0 1
        Report
        April 24, 2025 2:10pm
    - R
      
      Jack is either, looking for Simon Darrows job, or potential future leadership of the Labour Party
      
      12 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 10:28am
      - Conservatarian
        
        Tame is looking to take Simon Dallow’s job?
        
        You mean turning his wife into a lesbian and #metoo activist?
        
        1 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 1:27pm
    - Paulus
      
      I confess I have never watched or heard Tame, and am not starting now.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 2:55pm
  - sungsamning
    
    RNZ and TVNZ both need defunding. I hope its on the NZF agenda for 2026.
    
    17 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:09am
- Gravelroad
  
  “Does Winston need a telling off?”
  No.
  
  34 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:47am
- peterwn
  
  “Winston Peters attacks the media. I mean, that could have been a headline every year for the last 40 years, couldn’t it?” commented HDPA. Sums it up beautifully.
  Remember years ago Rob Muldoon threatened to defund NZBC (then radio + TV) over a news item. Now that dis cause a stink.
  Whoop Whoop – Defund Da RadioNZ.
  
  31 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:58am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Didn’t vulgar little Willie threaten TVNZ when he was minister? I seem to remember the silence of Hipkins over an issue, but it was worse because Jackson was the minister
    
    19 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:44am
- john1234
  
  No. He needs a pat on the back.
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:18am
- Burtland
  
  RNZ needs a big dose of Winston to bring it back to reality
  
  Easter was a disgrace -boomers filling in for skiving wokesters on extended leave – management should have just turned it off – like listeners did.
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:34am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Luxon has said he r we ill not be doing anything, he said it’s Winston’s way of dealing with media and that’s the end of it.
  
  [Mod – check your posts before posting]
  
  3 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:38am
- David Garrett
  
  Maggy: I never thought I would see Peters giving an interview and saying “Go that man!” to myself!
  
  I was an RNZ listener for forty odd years…but no more. Endless Manglish and soft on the left interviews finally drove me away.
  
  26 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:04am
- rouppe
  
  I listened to an intro on Newstalk zb this morning about this.
  
  From what I heard Corin started with “the Greens say you are…”.
  
  Well who gives a [bleep] what the Greens say. Winston went at him because of that and the interview deteriorated from there.
  
  Corin snapping that “it’s my job” to ask questions misses the point. One could legitimately criticise Corin for just repeating. If you want to question Winston or anyone else, do your own research, come up with your own questions, develop your own view and start from there.
  
  Some say, Corin, that you’re a whiney little shill for the Left. Want to be asked that and be expected to reply in a respectful way?
  
  24 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:16am
artemisia

So the Ministry for (a lot less) Regulation has got its ECE red tape reform recommendations signed off by Cabinet. Consultation coming soon.

Now about that Northland loo …..

https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/public_toilet_public_rip_off
11 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 8:43am
slightlyrighty

I see Police have arrested a 16 year old for the killing of Kyle Whorrall.

I expect the charges to be dropped to manslaughter, with a lot of hand wringing about the killers deprived background.

Kyle will remain dead. No amount of excuses will change that.
46 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:07am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  You what? Did he not stab him to death?
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:45am
  - john1234
    
    Reportedly the victim died from head injuries after being beaten with a long object.
    I will take bets that this charge will be downgraded to manslaughter and that the the sentence will be less than 6 years. Depending on odds I will take side bets that the sentence will be non custodial/home based. Takers?
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:46am
  - Swifty
    
    Beaten with an implement I understand.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 10:52am
  - AitchW
    
    Apparently you can stab someone and not know it is likely to end in death.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 12:48pm
- rouppe
  
  I wonder if the 32 year old “accessory after the fact” was his mum.
  
  The fact he’s 16 will mean “he’s got a great future” and he has “lots of potential”, a letter his lawyer writes for him will show he “now has insights into his offending”, and “he’s really sorry”.
  
  Sentence? Who knows. Not much is my prediction. His parents, who would be used to a 30 year sentence for this sort of thing will be devastated at the eventual outcome.
  
  20 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:23am
  - Paulus
    
    Bus ticket – are to assume he is young bright thing from a middle class Pakeha family ?
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:58pm
- artemisia
  
  Also charged with aggravated robbery. If found guilty of that, would that mean less likely to be manslaughter?
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:17am
- Sir Henry Morgan
  
  What is it with all these murders of entomologists in Auckland?
  
  Just a few months back another entomologist was stabbed to death outside a tennis club.
  
  Something sinister is afoot. . .
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 2:30pm
Quail

If the law in parliament and consequences for any breach’s of same is not enforced by the top court in the land —— parliament ,there is no hope for NZ.
And yes GR MMP has weakened politics in this country hugely!
17 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:08am
john1234

The 16yo Meadowbank bus stop killer (alleged) has been arrested along with a 32yo female accomplice.
And now the same tired old story we’ve heard a hundred times will play out once again.
What should be a murder conviction will be talked down to manslaughter, then the sentence discounting will begin. In the end the murderous little knob of excrement and its enabling accomplice will be given a very short sentence. And thus, with little disincentive, the path is open for such crimes to continue occurring.
31 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:17am
- Swifty
  
  “I didn’t mean to kill him!”
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:51am
- Scooter
  
  And will be dealt with in the Youth Justice system? So this little piece of turd will be out soon enough with the help from a weak lefty Judge and a cultural report of a poor upbringing. Rinse and repeat.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 5:44pm
Nukuleka

There is evil in the world. A 16 year old has been arrested and charged with the assault and murder of Kyle Worrall at a bus stop in St John’s, Auckland. I have no doubt that when the case eventually comes to court the defense lawyer will tell a tale of deprivation, family dysfunction and societal injustice, and the judge will nod sagely, utter banal clichés about mindless violence and, if the defendant is found guilty, hand down a wholly inadequate sentence. If indeed this 16 year old did assault and kill a total stranger minding his own business at a bus stop then he is purely and simply evil. The victim could just as well have been you, me, our daughter, son or parent. It beggars belief.
40 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:17am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Grief..and a 32 year-old woman is an accessory to the crime.
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/558948/teenager-charged-with-murder-of-kyle-whorrall-at-auckland-bus-stop
  
  26 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:21am
  - john1234
    
    This would be the same mum who will bleat to the media about how he is a good boy trying to escape the gang life yada yada yada
    
    20 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:41am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Presumably his mother
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:46am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Might be his mum
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:46am
  - G152
    
    Why isnt the media discussing the return of the death penalty?
    
    9 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 9:53am
    - Ghost
      
      Why would they? It’s not realistic, it’s never going to happen. Might as well ask why are the media not reporting on a nz manned mission to mars
      
      12 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 10:23am
      - Fender
        
        Rhetorical? Are you really saying you can’t see that or are you just that way all the time
        
        0 1
        Report
        April 24, 2025 12:45pm
      - David Garrett
        
        Ghost: Well said – and I agree. Talking about restoration of capital punishment is just silly fantasy. Never going to happen – and if it did, it would give rise to unforeseen consequences, namely guilty killers walking.
        
        6 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 12:45pm
    - AitchW
      
      Aren’t we signatories to an international convention banning capital punishment?
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 2:11pm
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Because they will be all for abolishing the police and prisons.
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 2:12pm
- surfing
  
  This is the most abhorrent form of crime.
  
  Statistics will predict everything that happened and what will happen.
  
  14 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 9:47am
- rouppe
  
  Jesse Kempson got life with 17 year minimum for killing Grace Millane. Unprovoked, defenceless, didn’t seek help, and aggravating circumstances in the cover up.
  
  Kyle was attacked with a weapon (aggravated robbery means with a weapon), unprovoked, defenceless, didn’t ring 111, and had help with an escape/cover up.
  
  His sentence should be similar.
  
  25 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:30am
- Surely Knott
  
  ** March 2025 Car jumps the curb, drives at students on footpath for 20 metres outside Auckland Uni engineering building permanently maiming one injuring 5 – name and reason for suppression suppressed. Evil or irresponsible. . We shall see.
  
  ** May 2022 Thomas Coombes student murdered on walkway in Blockhouse . Killer Christian Eteuati detained indefinitely as special patient. Psychotic.
  
  ** August 2024 – Entomologist Stephen Thorpe violently murdered at Tennis Courts. 26 yr old arrested given interim name suppression but still no name.
  
  And now this…Kyle Worrall. Violently murdered. Will they be held to account. Or will they be given a light sentence and name suppression because of their age and other factors. It is evil.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:50am
Rusty

Was the good cop (Luxon) and bad cop (Winston) routine planned by both when they took office?
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:22am
- Surely Knott
  
  Which is which. Good on Winston standing up for women.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:51am
- MCōs
  
  Except Winston wasn’t supposed to attack Luxon, or the entirety of the last parliament for passing the bill that allows people to change their birth certificate as he did yesterday.
  
  2 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:32am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Really, yet the media have not posted that Peters undermines PM while he is out of the country? hmm, are you sure that’s what he said?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 2:14pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  I bet it was. PMs do not want to get involved with the grumpiness, you leave that to the stirrer
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 2:13pm
sungsamning

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/04/22/trump-effect-swiss-pharma-giant-roche-to-invest-50-billion-in-u-s/
Roche To Invest $50b In USA.
The U.S. is a critical market for the pharmaceutical industry, representing more than half of the revenue of Roche’s pharmaceutical division, AFP reports.
Its Swiss competitor Novartis announced earlier this month it plans to invest $23 billion in the U.S. over five years.
As part of this investment, Basel-based Roche will increase its existing footprint of more than 25,000 employees in 24 sites across eight U.S. states.
The company details the investment will include:
Expanded and upgraded U.S. manufacturing and distribution capabilities for its innovative medicines and diagnostics portfolio in Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon and California
A state-of-the-art gene therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania
A new 900,000 square foot manufacturing centre.
7 6
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:47am
sungsamning

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/happy-now-maga-they-ask-answer-is-yes/
“Happy Now MAGA?” They ask… And the Answer is “Yes”.
The internet is full of memes like: “Fruit pickers wanted, $11/hour,” with captions like, “Happy now, MAGA?” And my response is: Yes. Very happy. That $11/hour wage is a direct result of reducing illegal immigration and rebalancing the U.S. labor market in favor of legal workers.
By cutting off the illegal labor pipeline, we’ve created upward pressure on wages at the lower end of the income scale—without needing to legislate a minimum wage hike. Legal employment also increases tax revenue without raising taxes. Workers on the books pay income tax, and both employers and employees contribute to Social Security and Medicare. This strengthens the system for everyone, especially retirees, without new burdens on current taxpayers. [Wow, fancy americans getting work, and a pay rise now that ‘migrants’ are heading out. Didn’t see that coming. //]
13 6
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:47am
Swifty

Mike has been a critic of the Modi government and their responses to Muslim provocations.

I wonder if Mike would care to enlighten us as to what would be his policy responses to the latest atrocity in Kashmir?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360664257/india-suspends-water-treaty-and-downgrades-ties-pakistan-after-deadly-kashmir-attack
13 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 9:54am
- Mike
  
  What ‘provocations’ have I referred to?
  
  0 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:15am
NeverMindTheBollocks

I agree with the NZ College of Midwives in their opposition to the 3 day post natal stay Bill.

In isolation the Bill seems like a good thing, but it will cost money that could be better spent elsewhere in the maternity system.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/558945/three-day-hospital-stay-bill-will-result-in-unintended-consequences-nz-college-of-midwives-says
8 3
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 10:11am
I remember when

Tikanga – the right for Maori to do whatever they want, whenever they want?
27 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 10:16am
- surfing
  
  No wonder they didn’t want to define anything!!
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:52am
- NK
  
  Yes. And the National Party agree with this being taught at law schools.
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 11:42am
- SpencerArnold
  
  yep, and this is a prelude to the creation of a second set of laws in NZ, if not squashed properly and promptly. If this gets through, then civil war is looking closer than ever.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 12:56pm
NK

https://www.minterellison.co.nz/insights/potential-tax-changes-for-the-not-for-profit-sector-not-exactly-charitable

The IRD published its 24-page consultation document “Taxation and the not-for-profit sector” on February 24, with a tight deadline of March 31 for submissions.

Tax reform of the charitable sector wasn’t part of National’s 100-day plan, but a paper prepared by the IRD for the previous government caught the attention of the coalition. The consultation document was pulled together in weeks, and the window to respond on such a controversial and difficult area was very short.

One could be a little bit cynical about this in that it seems to be driven by the Minister of Finance.

But…………and here’s the killer thing: It’s National doing it = good. If Labour behaved like this you’d all be screaming from the rooftops.
6 4
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 10:32am
- rouppe
  
  I don’t think I would be screaming from the rooftops.
  
  I submitted. The consultation document was trying to work out which income of a charity should constitute protected (tax free) income, and which should be taxable.
  
  I said you’re looking at the wrong thing. You should be looking at the operation. It has to clearly be doing charitable work, which means “benefit the community”.
  
  If an entity is only benefiting people based on familial relationship, that’s not “the community”. That’s more akin to a family Trust, should lose charitable status and should be taxed accordingly.
  
  If an entity is not distributing at least 80% of their income to the charitable purpose, then it’s more akin to a business doing sponsorship, should lose charitable status and should be taxed accordingly.
  
  Much more simple approach
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 10:51am
I remember when

Fewer tangihanga on the marae: Families ‘don’t feel connected’: Te Ao Maori.
“The Whakatane funeral director said a falling number of kaumatua and kuia was a contributing factor, and he ws worried important traditions could be lost.”
“You get families that hardly go back to the marae; hardly go back to the hapu; not involved with the hapu; don’t feel really connected to the marae.
You start to see these kind of factors like, will anyone turn up, who’s going to cook, who’s going to dig my hole,” Haami Tohu (owned Eternal Tides Funeral Service in Whangarei).

While many Maori are moving on, non-Maori are increasing having to comply.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 11:10am
NK

I see a 16yr old boy has been arrested for the murder of the American PhD student in Auckland.

Gnashing of teeth to follow.

However, there will be NO attempt to address the underlying causes of systemic failures in parenting and upbringing that led to this though. That’s just in the “too hard” basket.

Hence, more gnashing of teeth in the years to come.
19 1
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 11:26am
- MCōs
  
  For every 16yo killer in NZ there are about five million of us out here who aren’t
  The country doesn’t have a systemic parenting problem that means there are homicidal teenagers lurking on every street corner
  
  7 10
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 12:04pm
  - NK
    
    It’s not homicides I was only referring to. I recall an “epidemic” of “smash and grabs” during the glory years of Ardern, most of which were committed by teenagers.
    
    And, BTW, there aren’t five million 16yr olds in NZ.
    
    13 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 12:18pm
    - MCōs
      
      Everyone was sixteen once
      
      2 12
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 12:22pm
      - AitchW
        
        True, but very few were running round assaulting total strangers without provocation.
        
        2 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 12:52pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Apart from the 15 year olds. Obviously.
        
        1 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 2:23pm
      - zulumonster
        
        Not true …
        
        0 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 2:48pm
      - greybeard
        
        3-month-old Amaziah Te Ahuru
        11 year old Craig Manukau
        2 year old Baby Ru
        Many others who I can’t remember.
        
        Over 60 per cent of babies killed up to 2014 were Māori and killed by Māori, according to For The Sake of Our Children Trust.
        
        Not everyone gets to be 16.
        
        8 0
        Report
        April 24, 2025 5:10pm
    - AitchW
      
      Many of the smash and grabs were most likely orchestrated by gangs sending kids in as the kids were unlikely to do time when/if caught. And it added to their brownie points on their road to membership.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      April 24, 2025 12:51pm
  - BananaLlama
    
    God you’re Naive.
    I lived in Beach Haven for a while where that young mans murderer was from and there are plenty of little shits from Housing NZ (or w/e it is called) in the area trying to pick fights and stand over people. Even had to slap a couple in the mouth that tried to rob me.
    Have had to pick a flatmate up off the pavement in Highbury after he was king hit from behind and knocked unconscious.
    These are just a couple of occasions off the top of my head.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 1:11pm
  - Keith White
    
    The country has a parenting problem because Governments rob good hardworking responsible parents to buy votes from feral serial impregnators and impregnatees without reason or accountability (and their AWFL virtue-signalling accomplices and cheerleaders).
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    April 24, 2025 3:46pm
Mike

This is what happens if you pardon violent insurrectionists:
https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/ryan-nichols/?utm_source=msn
1 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 11:55am
Countrygirl

And I am putting two and two together and guessing the guy’s ethnicity.
When are Maori going to stop blaming colonialism and start not only taking responsibility for their actions, but actually doing something about it as a people.
I sure as eggs would be unhappy if my “race” were first choice for these type of crimes.
10 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 12:36pm
kiwi_chileno

The IMF’s World Economic Outlook projections for 2025 real per capita GDP growth https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2025/04/22/world-economic-outlook-april-2025#Gdp (scroll down to the Statistical Appendix to compare countries)

Argentina – 5.5% – the chainsaw
NZ – 1.4% – the result of Luxon’s relentless focus on growth

Surely the Minister for Economic Growth, Nicola Willis, will deliver growth? She’s an economic illiterate, who preferred reading Dostoyevsky’s ‘Crime and Punishment’ over the Xmas holidays to even an Economics for Dummies. As Rob McCulloch said, having an Economic Growth Minister is as silly as Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks. It’s top-down-statism – the message is that the state is all wise and beneficent; that economies succeed when the right structures are imposed from above; and that government officials are super skilled at planning for and delivering prosperity. David Seymour, the Minister for Regulation, trumpets de-regulation of the early childhood education sector: is that really an engine of growth? Seymour is not NZ’s Javier Milei – Milei’s Minister of Deregulation took a chainsaw to red tape, getting rid of 500+ regulations in 3 months, and they’re still cutting.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 12:36pm
David Garrett

Everyone knows why we have a great deal of youth crime, but to acknowledge the truth goes against treasured ingrained beliefs of the left – namely that “one type of whanau is just as good as any other”, or put another way, a solo mother with four kids by three different fathers – none of whom are present in the family – is just as likely to raise responsible law abiding adults as a traditional mum-dad-and-kids nuclear family.

Of course we – including those on the left – know that is nonsense. Until we as a society acknowledge that truth, and stop incentivising dysfunctional “families” we will continue to have a major youth crime problem.
21 2
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 12:38pm
- NK
  
  According to MCos, there’s nothing to see here, David.
  
  Keep your head in the sand please.
  
  13 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 12:49pm
- cmm
  
  Well, yes, that is part of it.
  
  There is also no negative feedback for youngsters on the wrong track. They can gain notoriety for playing “big man” criminal – a positive to them – with no repercussions.
  
  While the single mum + current boyfriend “families” are the worst, it would seem that even if dad is around the kids are still often on the wrong road and parents don’t care.
  
  For example, somewhere around 90% of Maori high school kids regularly wag school. About 40% of Maori households with children are single parent. This suggests that school-wagging is likely to be almost as prevalent in homes with a father present.
  
  https://thehub.sia.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Families-and-Whanau-Demographic.pdf
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:40pm
bennerg

Jordan Peterson on the Joe Rogan Podcast has a great line about tyrants and how to identify them:

“You can tell the tyrants—they use fear and compulsion. And they don’t use invitation.”

“Imagine it’s the distinguishing characteristic between the wannabe tyrants and the true leaders. The true leaders say, ‘Here’s an offer. Would you accept this of your own free will?’” Peterson explained.

“And the tyrants say, ‘The apocalypse is coming, and we are allowed to do everything to forestall it,’” Peterson warned—“Including control you and everything that you do.”

That’s how fear gets weaponized. That’s how people fall in line, Peterson concluded.

“There’s always an apocalypse of one form or another looming. The question is, what do you do about it?”

Puts the whole Covid exercise in context. And hopefully allow us to identify anyone trying this on us again. Especially the climate “emergency.” Drive less. Give up on air travel. Accept carbon credits to “save the planet.”

https://x.com/VigilantFox/status/1914783719044362261
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 1:00pm
Swifty

Which New Zealand communities are doing the virginity testing I wonder? A pity that the Labour MP doesn’t say.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/558973/no-virginity-testing-and-amending-alcohol-licensing-rules-on-indian-origin-mps-agenda

Will it be the Irish? The Japanese? Koreans?

Whomever they are, you’ve got to wonder why we allow people to migrate here who hold these cultural beliefs and practices, and worse.

Perhaps our masters might deign to tell us. I won’t hold my breath.
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 5:32pm
- cmm
  
  What’s the problem with virginity testing?
  
  If any group of people expect their young misses to have their virginities verified before marriage then what’s the problem?
  
  The young lady in question is free to walk away from such a society if she chooses and have sex with anyone she wants. Sure, she might bet banished from the community in question but that is her choice.
  
  It is not really any different to excommunication for divorce or many other cultural practices.
  
  What I do have a huge problem with is circumcision. The boys who are circumcised have no choice in the matter. That is somewhere where the law should step in.
  Males should be allowed to get circumcised when they become adults if they choose. If the religion (or any other cultural organisation) chooses to excommunicate them if they do not then so be it – they are making the choice as an adult.
  
  1 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  April 24, 2025 8:23pm
Swifty

Michael Laws on Lindsay Mitchell’s recent piece on Maori children born into benefit-dependent households.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QRiNyMA_ci0

Kiwiblog gets a mention too.

Well said Michael Laws.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
April 24, 2025 6:57pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« The party above the law

Guest Post: Minimum non parole periods for murder »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 40.6K other subscribers

Highlights

Health Target 5 – elective treatments
Health Target 4 – Specialist appointments
Health Target 3 – Emergency Dept Waiting Times
Health Target 2 – Immunisations

Links

Member's Day
No Right Turn
Elton John: A.I. copyright changes are "criminal" — "committing theft" from artists.
Not PC
Hard to believe really
Point of Order
Racist or righteous? Privileges Committee versus Te P?ti M?ori
Utopia
Word of the day
Hompaddock
National panic after Chippy highlights what banishing M?ori MPs would actually amount to
The Daily Blog
My Budget for Year 2025 – Your Choice
NZCPR
The Market Always Wins
No Minister
The Government blinks
The Standard
How many coffees is a house?
Stats Chat
Hard to believe really
Croaking Cassandra
The Child Report Card That NZ Doesn’t Want
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
A return to Nature.
Kiwipolitico
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: