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May 22, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 22 May 2025

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General Debate

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Cassandra

The High Court has issued a gag order against RNZ over an education budget document.

The gag order prohibits RNZ from reporting the contents of a confidential education pre-Budget report, which the Attorney-General said contained “commercially sensitive information that would prejudice the government’s ability to engage effectively in collective bargaining”.

RNZ has said that they’ve received confidential documents from three different sources. Obviously the Department of Education is leaking like a sieve, as Labour loyalists on its staff seek to undermine the Government. I wonder if Sir Brian Roche will send in an investigation team and sack a whole lot of people,who are more suited to politics than public service?
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May 22, 2025 8:01am
- artemisia
  
  Yet another education Budget leak to the media. Must be a very small pool of suspects, those with access to the various leaked docs.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:10am
  - Paulus
    
    Hasn’t the Education Department got over 4,000 staff, so many to choose from, as they are all totally indoctrinated.
    Have relly there until recently, and we can never discuss anything relevant
    Sad as she is very intelligent too.
    
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    May 22, 2025 8:35am
    - cmm
      
      The point is surely that they don’t hand out budget docs like lollies. Only very few employees within the Education Department would have access to those.
      
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      May 22, 2025 8:37am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Most of the 4000 will not be privy to budget sensitive information
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:13am
  - pdm
    
    Are Iona Holstead and Mrs Hipkins senior still the Head Honchoesses there?
    
    If they are there are a couple of prime suspects for starters.
    
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    May 22, 2025 8:44am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Iona Holstead left in Oct 2024
      
      Ellen MacGregor-Reid is the acting Secretary for Education and Chief Executive of Ministry of Education.
      
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      May 22, 2025 8:55am
      - pdm
        
        Thanks Maggy – you know everything that is important in these matters.
        
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        May 22, 2025 9:05am
      - Paulus
        
        MacGregor-Reid is/was a disciple of Halstead, and there are many more at the top, still there waiting for a change of Government, although that is of no consequence to them.
        
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        May 22, 2025 11:34am
    - imalwaysright
      
      It seems that the Ardern Régime continues to run the Public Service.
      We also seem to have a PM who isn’t too bothered about it, 18 months after taking office.
      A cynic might surmise that the present situation is intentional.
      
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      May 22, 2025 8:57am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        What do you mean the PM is not bothered by it?
        
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        May 22, 2025 10:14am
      - pdm
        
        He sure as hell shows no signs publicly of being bothered about anything the Public Service does, including continued Maorification.
        
        Just look at the revelations yesterday re TVNZ etc.
        
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        May 22, 2025 10:34am
      - Local Miller
        
        The PM can’t wade in and fire everyone he thinks may be an Ardern fan. It doesn’t work like that, and you (should) know it. Appointing people in any job is always easier than getting rid of them, and to some extent worse in the public service.
        This leak may give them an opportunity to fire the (I presume) 3 people who leaked the budget details if they can be identified, but not much more than that.
        
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        May 22, 2025 11:37am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Local
        He doesn’t have to sack anyone.
        He does have to tell them that if they can’t work with impartiality then they will be obliged to resign.
        Refusing to carry out instructions is sackable.
        A government job isn’t an opportunity to become a publically funded activist.
        
        The real problem is the top people in the public service. Each minister should have culled them as soon as they could .
        
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        May 22, 2025 12:10pm
- Tricati
  
  So, the Education Ministry is leaking like a sieve and Budget sensitive material is being provided to RNZ, and who knows who else.
  With our declining education standards across all levels, its time to clean out the Education Ministry, and get hard nosed with the numerous education unions – All have played a significant part in our declining standards.
  National need to accept, the Ministry and unions are not their friends, and take the gloves off; along with defunding RNZ who are just the left’s mouthpiece.
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/561744/rnz-issued-gag-order-by-attorney-general-over-education-story
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:16am
  - Paulus
    
    Will not happen !
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:35am
  - leoj
    
    Amen!
    
    The Education Dept is an inefficient failure. Just look at then number of kids who can’t spell, can’t add and are indoctrinated by the left, courtesy of the unions who control it.
    
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    May 22, 2025 4:26pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  2 words, filthy unionists
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:19am
  - R
    
    The Education Ministry, like most other Ministries, are long overdue for a major clean out of Marxist agenda driven staffing. Such a clean out would significantly reduce the cost overheads without compromising the productivity; probably improve productivity, and the quality of that output
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:20am
    - Paulus
      
      It is also Maori Marxist remember as we see all the time, whereby Maori get everything they want from the Maori Division of the Ministry.
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:36am
- MCōs
  
  Back in 2019 National leaked bits of Robertson’s budget
  All part of the drama, I suppose
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/390772/national-party-leader-and-finance-minister-in-standoff-over-budget-leak
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:58am
  - RalphT
    
    Wasn’t that when National researchers simply found the documents unprotected on Treasury’s website? Not so much a leak as Treasury incompetence.
    
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    May 22, 2025 9:38am
    - Bevan
      
      I recall at the time the vaunted MSM were portraying this as National Party dark web operatives hacking parliamentary servers to steal the document.
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:24am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      Yes.
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:26pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Back in 2019 Treasury placed “leaked” budget information on their website.
    
    A series of failures at New Zealand’s Treasury – including a shortfall in governance, oversight and risk management processes – led to sensitive budget material being accessible on its website, an inquiry has found.
    
    https://www.globalgovernmentforum.com/nz-treasury-errors-led-to-budget-leak-inquiry-finds/
    
    It took Labour/Government and The Treasury CEO over 24 hours before they realised their booboo.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:00am
    - Colville
      
      This was where by changing a number in the address bar people could wander thru the file system bypassing security?
      Labour accused National of “hacking” 🙂
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:21am
      - R
        
        Hacking staff incompetence!
        
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        May 22, 2025 11:33am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Yes, remember the media accused Nat of a “storm of hacking attempts” which turned out to be the number of site visits…
        They are dim.
        
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        May 22, 2025 12:17pm
  - Yabster
    
    ahh the old selective memory again…
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:13am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Disappointing to see so many downticks on this comment. Why are you downticking reality? MCos’s comment isn’t an opinion, s/he just reported what happened.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:24am
    - Yabster
      
      because it’s not a leak if the information is available on Treasuries website. Not the same as someone in the ministry of no-education leaking stuff to RNZ is it!
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:55am
    - Cassandra
      
      Bit of a difference between a political party and some public servants. They are not the same, although Labour seems to think so,
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:59am
    - Local Miller
      
      Because MCos didn’t report what happened, he repeated the lie that was put out about what happened.
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:41am
    - G the giant from Dunedin
      
      He is trying to suggest it was leaked, it was not, it was left wide open on treasury pages and could have been accessed by the public
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:28pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    No you bloody don’t try that, Robertson f…d up, he left most of the budget sitting open on the publicly assessable government pages, the budget was simply read out over a couple of weeks by Bridges, they tried to shut him down, but it was published in the publicly assessable domain
    
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    May 22, 2025 1:26pm
    - Local Miller
      
      Actually it’s not really fair to blame Robertson as the blame really comes down to some system admin who put the documents on a public page. I doubt Robertson has the technical knowhow to manage document placement in the Treasury environment. At least not enough to expose it to the public. He also probably doesn’t even have write access to those web folders.
      Some poor system admin/Web Manager screwed up and put the documents in the wrong folder.
      
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      May 22, 2025 2:23pm
  - kiwimike
    
    MCos DUH!
    The spreadsheet was available to anyone on the website….
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:37pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  The Left are intolerant and two faced. Think the Maori Party haka and how they would react if I went onto a marae and acted in a manner that was offensive to their protocols.
  Think Vance and how she would react if I published an article calling a person of the Left the c word.
  These are but two recent examples of many.
  You cant reason with unreasonable people and the Left are extremely unreasonable. IMHO the way to counter them is to call out their behaviour in a calm reasonable manner pointing out their flaws and appealing to the majority of reasonable people to take note of their behaviour. Like naughty children when they are ignored they will see the error of their ways and refrain.
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:23am
  - Flossie
    
    ” Like naughty children when they are ignored they will see the error of their ways and refrain”
    
    Or double down.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:02am
    - Paulus
      
      They would not care less anyway !
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:38am
    - Local Miller
      
      A lot of the naughty children I’ve seen never learn the error of their ways. They grow up and become criminals and leftist politicians. But I repeat myself!
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:43am
  - artemisia
    
    Dolly did it.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:24am
  - zulumonster
    
    “Think Vance and how she would react if I published an article calling a person of the Left the c word.”
    We already know this – Andrea castigated all and sundry for calling Saint Jacinda the c word … “Cindy”
    
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    May 22, 2025 1:41pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  I thought the Ministry of Education was on strike yesterday. Looks like someone was working hard.
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:30am
- imalwaysright
  
  Isn’t it against the law for a public servant to give government information to a third party?
  
  Who are they and who else did they give the information to ?
  Espionage.
  
  Surely this is a matter for the SIS ?
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:42am
- rouppe
  
  There are document management systems that automatically add user-specific watermarks to documents that are downloaded, printed etc.
  
  Sensitive documents like a budget document ought to be in such a system, so that a document that is shared can be traced back to the person who downloaded it.
  
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  May 22, 2025 1:17pm
artemisia

Whanganui politician crosses boundaries to stop seabed mine

She has asked another council to step up and instruct staff to research ecological, economic and cultural impacts, informing councils to speak against the fast-track mining bid. Against? What sort of research is required to reach only a predetermined conclusion?

The Post journalist, Craig Ashworth, may think they are unbiased in this article, but really? Most of the paragraphs and quotes oppose the bid, including a cute quote from a 12 year old – “I really like the ocean”. The overall tenor is clear.

Who knows what the fast-track process will produce in this case. But many exploration permits have been issued globally, and some rather large countries have indicated an intention to mine. Almost certainly change is coming. Events, dear boy, events.

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360696610/whanganui-politician-crosses-boundaries-stop-seabed-mine
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May 22, 2025 8:14am
NeverMindTheBollocks

Shell Lane (The Terrace) bike rack report:

At 8.20am, just the two bikes today. 50% decline on Tuesday.

A cool, calm, dry morning in the Capital, ideal for cycling.
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May 22, 2025 8:20am
- Mike
  
  Grey St bike rack report.
  At 12.00 pm 39 bikes.
  
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  May 22, 2025 12:08pm
  - Mike
    
    I regret that I am unable to give regular reports on the usage of cycling facilities. The Grey St one alway appear to be at least two thirds full.
    It’s good to see proper facilities for cyclists. Of course, many employers also provide good facilities for cyclists too.
    I know it’s fashionable for same Kiwibloggers to decry any accommodation for cyclists, but it’s a genuine shift in transport and lifestyles for many workers; one to which employers and councils need to adapt.
    
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    May 22, 2025 1:08pm
    - rouppe
      
      I think the issue is that half a million dollars was spent on something that is getting 10% usage.
      
      The Grey St one is clearly better value, but that doesn’t make the Shell Lane one good.
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:24pm
      - Mike
        
        That may be so, but readers might get the impression that providing cycling infrastructure overall is a bad thing.
        
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        May 22, 2025 3:43pm
  - Flossie
    
    Grey Street where? Hamilton?
    
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    May 22, 2025 1:42pm
    - Mike
      
      Wellington, same part of the city as The
      Terrace.
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:49pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        You dissemble, Mike. Grey St is as flat as the proverbial pancake, with flat access from the Hutt Valley and from the Eastern suburbs. By contrast, The Terrace is pretty steep, and on that side of town the Western suburbs tower vertiginously above. (so pleased to be able to use “vertiginously”)
        
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        May 22, 2025 6:48pm
peterwn

Meridian has announced that it is replacing the remaining large generation transformers at Manapouri. These are huge things that step up the 11,000 volts (or so) produced by the seven generators to 220,000 volts to connect to Tiwai smelter and the grid. Traces of gas was found in the oil meaning that there is something funny going on inside. Meridian obviously does not want to take the risk of further transformer failures taking generators off-line for long periods. The Meridian Board must have given the sign-off through clenched teeth given that the present transformers have only been in service for a decade or so. The original transformers were replaced when they were over 40 years old (Mercury is also having to replace some transformers at its Waikato stations).
I personally think that transformers should last 50 years or so. Two transformers at the former Khandallah substation in Wellington were installed in 1924 and lasted for 70 years until the substation was decommissioned in the 1990’s.
It seems strange that if makers in 1924 could manufacture transformers that lasted 70 years, then they cannot today make transformers that last 50 years.
Shame on the Australian manufacturer for being unable to make transformers that would last 50 years.
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May 22, 2025 8:24am
- [email protected]
  
  I wonder if the transformers are being loaded heavier today than previously?
  
  More power produces more heat and the oil inside the transformers would break down sooner.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:29am
  - cmm
    
    It isn’t so much the power itself that causes the problem.
    
    Transformers are generally designed to run continuously and they have routine maintenance to check/replace oil.
    
    The very worst thing you can do to transformers is what they do in South Africa with load shedding (aka rolling black outs) and very poor load management. This causes two major problems:
    * Poor load management (eg. bad power factors) turns into more heat in the transformers.
    * Turning transformers on and off is very bad for them. When they get turned off for too long, the oil cools and can stratify causing issues when the transformer is turned on again. Each of these cycles can clips months off the transformers life (depending on various factors).
    
    The design life of a transformer is around 40 years (depending on many factors). Sometimes they can exceed that by a long way.
    
    Part of the difference here is also that the more recent test strategies are likely more stringent than the past. Modern tests that can detect small amounts of gases dissolved in the oil might not have existed 30+ years ago.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:25am
    - Taieri
      
      the oil cools and can stratify
      ————–
      
      Oil is generally homogeneous and, unless blended, will not stratify. The biggest enemies of oil are aging, moisture ingress, thermal degradation and contamination.
      
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      May 22, 2025 12:15pm
      - cmm
        
        This isn’t motor oil. Once it has picked up various contaminants (eg. water, metals that have leached into the oil etc) then problems can happen.
        But yes, such problems are far worse in poorly maintained systems.
        
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        May 22, 2025 1:18pm
- cmm
  
  Some of this is likely due to H&S paranoia changing materials that were used in construction. For example asbestos was used in transformers but not any more. Asbestos was an excellent material – being very resistant to heat and thermal breakdown. Basically the perfect material for the job.
  
  Transformer failures are almost always due to the insulation breaking down – either the paper and other physical separators or the oils. In a well maintained system the oil is filtered and changed therefore it would be the physical separators that would quite likely be the main problem.
  
  These days transformers of this kind tend to have around 40 year lifespan if they are well maintained. For the most part that means not pushing them too hard and limiting the number of times they are allowed to cool/rewarm.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:51am
- Anthony Melchett
  
  Pretty standard feature of modern manufacturing…
  
  Push absolutely everything to the modelled design limit and then build it as cheap as possible.
  
  As long as the board get paid 1 dollar more than last year it’s deemed a success, even if your clients become one offs as they seek a better product next time around.
  
  Too mamy companies run by accountants and university educated idiots that have never turned a bolt or even contemplated which way to turn one!
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:56am
  - Phronesis
    
    Righty tighty, lefty loosey. Words to live by and applicable to so many things. Not just bolts but also politics, economics, morality, sanity….
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:14am
    - Local Miller
      
      Very clever, I like the way you think here.
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:44am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    It’s also a design philosophy. There was a series on SKY years ago about famous skyscrapers around the world where they would focus on the design, construction and engineering of the buildings.
    
    Naturally I was interested in the one about the Sears Tower in Chicago – the tallest skyscraper for a couple of decades – and the chief engineer in charge of all the basement equipment (elevators, AC, heating, general power, etc) said that it was all over-designed and over-engineered by the standards of today, but that this also meant it was never strained and thus didn’t break down. It just chugged away 24/7. He reckoned that nothing there ever got pushed much beyond 70% of capacity, which would be unacceptable waste in today’s world.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:43am
    - Agricola
      
      Why naturally, as a matter of interest?
      
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      May 22, 2025 12:07pm
      - Tom Hunter
        
        Lived there in the mid-80’s and then the 90’s.
        
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        May 22, 2025 1:26pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  I wonder what manufacturers warranty came with the transformers
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:38am
- AitchW
  
  Aussie manufacturers, highly unionised.
  Need I say more?
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:40am
- Hammie
  
  I wonder if they have been keeping up with their maintenance. When I worked for the NZED in Twizel we ran portable reticulation trailers on the transformers regularly that purified and heated the oil to remove moisture etc. Definitely reduce useful life span if this is not done, also increase the risk of catastrophic failure.
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:14am
Scott

While revelations are coming out about the former president being non compos mentis during much of his presidency, the new president is revealing to the president of South Africa what is going on in his country.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14736321/donald-trump-shame-south-african-president-Ramaphosa.html

It’s clear that the overthrow of the apartheid regime did not usher in a rainbow nation of peace and enlightenment. A prominent south African politician is continuing to lead “kill the Boer” chants. And South African farmers are continuing to be beaten and tortured and killed.

There are many laws in south Africa that discriminate against white people. Many are forced to squat in tent towns in parks because they can’t get jobs. If a white person and a coloured person apply for a job and are at the same level then the coloured person gets the job.

The ruling party, the ANC, is running the country into the ground. Power cuts every week, infrastructure crumbling, high unemployment and a general detoriation into the 3rd world. South Africa deserves better. The people deserve a better life, all people, whatever the colour of their skin.
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May 22, 2025 8:28am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  “ If a white person and a coloured person apply for a job and are at the same level then the coloured person gets the job”
  
  Same thing here, Scott. QV NZ’s medical school admissions. And, I would say, the head offices of central govt departments (though, to be fair to govt depts, skin colour is just one intersection on the DEI matrix).
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:39am
  - Scott
    
    Bollocks, I think the difference in South Africa is that racial discrimination against white people is enshrined in the law. It’s made it very hard for them to get jobs and consequently they are stuck in an underclass from which they can’t escape.
    Generally South Africans are hard working people and do well in country’s like NZ where they can get ahead.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:36am
    - Keith White
      
      In NZ medical schools racial discrimination against European and in favour of Maori is enshrined in law.
      
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      May 22, 2025 7:11pm
  - Toko
    
    In fact for Otago Medical School admission, applicants can be at much lower academic levels than others, and still gain entry due to having a small portion of their ancestry being one of the preferred ethnicities of Màori or Pasifika. And they wonder why many bright students go straight to Australia for uni. And why would they come back?
    
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    May 22, 2025 12:10pm
    - Mike
      
      Selection solely on academic achievement might not be the best way to recruit the doctors the country needs.
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:10pm
      - Local Miller
        
        I don’t believe an body ever said “solely”, but this should certainly be one of the highest criteria. If there are say 100 doctors coming out of uni and I had 5 places to fill, I would work through the CVs of the top 10 or 15, at most the top 20. Then I’d interview maybe the top 10 – 12 to determine if they have a good bedside manner, can actually apply what they have learned, and would fit into my working environment.
        Sure I may hire someone below the top academically, but I’m still getting someone in the top of the class.
        
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        May 22, 2025 2:49pm
      - Mike
        
        Sure, it’s a mix of criteria, but surely the most important thing is that the qualified doctors are up to the job. Is there any evidence that doctors with slightly lower entrance marks are worse doctors?
        
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        May 22, 2025 3:46pm
      - Manu-Rau
        
        Congratulations: that has to be one of your most nonsensical comments ever.
        
        … [deleted. mod.]
        
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        May 22, 2025 6:40pm
- R
  
  Sounds very much like the future for NZ if we were to restore the previous government; as many including, our MSM, are postulating should be the case next election
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:29am
- cmm
  
  The most violent era of recent South African history was as apartheid was winding down and there was effectively a civil war between the various black “liberation” factions.
  
  In the mid to late 1980s, apartheid was being deconstructed and ANC, IFP etc turned their hands to fighting over who would be top dog in the post apartheid era. This was the age of the necklace murders and over 20,000 people being killed in political violence. In the KZN area where I grew up, bands of the ANC and IFP would regularly skirmish with AK47s etc.
  
  Once ANC took the dominant position this resulted in a bit of stability, but with all the race-hustling policies to reward cronies.
  
  Ironically the exclusion of whites from many government jobs etc has forced many into private businesses which has made them more wealthy than if they had continued with their government jobs. On average Afrikaners are now more wealthy than they were during apartheid. Of course that is AVERAGE, not everyone. Wealth is not evenly distributed and many who would have been low-key railways workers in the past are now living in squatter camps.
  
  So now the ANC is losing support. They no longer have an outright majority. Will things go back to political violence as different groups vie for control? Hard to guess.
  
  Either way, it is likely to end up with white getting it in the neck because:
  * As economic hardship deepens, resentment will be directed at white people who are seen to still be wealthy and having stuff worth stealing.
  * Everything still gets blamed on apartheid, so whites must be punished.
  * Or, maybe, they just end up getting caught up in black-on-black violence.
  
  Getting rid of the ANC won’t change anything. This is how Africa works.
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:47am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Sounds like this country in five to ten years, hopefully without the guns.
    Internecine fighting amongst the Maori tribes could make a big difference here by reducing the effective numbers at the bargaining table.
    They may fragment themselves to a point where none of the tribes, individually, matters.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:00am
    - Dougal10
      
      I am guessing if they fragment the country there is technically no treaty , if there is no treaty no grievance industry , it will be interesting to watch.
      
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      May 22, 2025 2:00pm
  - Scott
    
    cmm, the south African commentators I have listened to have said that the country lost a lot of skills and experience when they got rid of the white civil servants and the ANC replaced them with their own supporters.
    
    A simple restoration of merit based hiring would do wonders. South Africa used to be a well run country with good infrastructure, the lights came on and the rubbish was collected. It could be well run again.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:41am
    - cmm
      
      Yup certainly a lot of skill was lost when civil servants were kicked out.
      
      Is this really something that can be reversed though?
      
      It is easy enough to change policy, but actually making it happen is quite another. Look at how National might change policy here, but the Maorification in the civil service continues relentlessly.
      
      Similarly in South Africa they’d need to fire a whole lot of incompetent black staff which would be politically problematic. Having whites replace blacks just won’t wash well. White managers would be undermined by their underlings that resent their appointment.
      
      As I said above, many skilled whites set up their own businesses and are making better money than they would have in state jobs. How many would give up that business to go back to a state job?
      
      Further, most skilled whites have not just sat around for 30 years waiting for their job back. Skilled people are in demand the world over. They’ve left for good.
      
      And lastly, so many things are just irreparably stuffed. A change of management is not going to fix broken infrastructure that has got to be like that after 30 years of decay.
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:29pm
    - R
      
      So would NZ if we didn’t have DEI enshrined
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:58pm
  - kowtow
    
    Here’s my opinion.
    
    The closer the ANC clique looks to losing power it will engineer an “emergency” and seize power at the point of the gun. A coup.There will then potentially be a most dreadful bloodbath.
    
    This is how Africa works.
    
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    May 22, 2025 12:43pm
    - cmm
      
      Quite likely.
      
      South Africa hasn’t had its bloody revolution…. yet.
      
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      May 22, 2025 5:43pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Ramaphosa looked very uncomfortable.
  Good that Trump has given this some much needed exposure.
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:50am
- Tom Hunter
  
  Interesting 20 minute video by a South African who explains why he won’t be returning.
  
  https://youtu.be/8_JgAHdyaxU
  
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  May 22, 2025 12:49pm
- Manu-Rau
  
  Watching DJT skewer that corrupt piece of filth was the best entertainment I’ve had all year. The only thing that would have improved it would have been for the Don to make him walk out of the WH grounds to his waiting car on Pennsylvania Avenue. And have the security guards search him for stolen teaspoons on the way.
  
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  May 22, 2025 6:49pm
Cassandra

Israel is getting some stick over its handling of aid to Gazans. Even Winnie has got stuck into them. On the face of it it’s pretty awful, although I don’t recall NZ’s shipments to Japan in 1944.

The problem, according to a Brit who worked for the UN, is that the UN is determined to use UNWRA and Israel is equally determined that it should not.

UNWRA is compromised and should be disbanded. Aid should flow. The UN should ensure that the aid does not go to Hamas. Pigs should be able to fly. Oh for life to be that simple.

Note that reporting on this matter seems to portray three parties being involved: Hamas, Israel and an innocent bystander, Gaza. It isn’t so. Gaza elected Hamas as its government. The population of Gaza supports and staffs Hamas. This is a war between Israel and Gaza.
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May 22, 2025 8:30am
- Paulus
  
  Does still most of the food aid get waylaid Hamas as they have done continually – they want absolute control irrespective ?
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:38am
- Chuck Bird
  
  My post was just a minute after yours. I still watch TV here as well as Sky News Australia. I see the pictures of babies and children dying from lack of food and medicine.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:44am
  - cmm
    
    Just remember that they are letting you watch what Hamas and UNRWA want you to see.
    
    34 4
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    May 22, 2025 8:56am
    - KH
      
      You need to know not much more than 50,000 dead and counting.
      It’s disgusting. I am pleased New Zealand is critical of it.
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:22am
    - Don Beckett
      
      How is Israel preventing food aid etc. coming from Egypt on the Egypt/Gaza border?
      Is Egypt supporting Israel in a blockade ?
      
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      May 22, 2025 12:37pm
      - Mike
        
        Israel controls the Egypt/Gaza border.
        
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        May 22, 2025 1:12pm
      - kiwimike
        
        during this last year Israel took back control of the Philidelphia strip alongside Egypt.
        
        Now Egypt can’t operate the tunnels she made so much money from over the decades.
        
        4,000 gazans invaded Israel to murder, rob and rape.
        They sent back photos and phoned their families to exult at what they were doing.
        I’ve not seen one account of a parent or family member saying don’t do it.
        
        REM the Muslim/Arab/gazans were brought up to hate Jews by UNWRA yes the UN ran the schools !!
        
        If Gaza had no humans in it, Israel would have no terrorism threat from Gaza.
        so the best options are to relocate them or Kill them are the only 2 options that guarantee no Terrorism..
        
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        May 22, 2025 11:57pm
  - Graeme Hall
    
    Odd thing about the videos of crowds of “hungry” Gazans waving empty pans is that none of them seem to lack energy or look underfed.
    
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    May 22, 2025 9:38am
    - OlderChas
      
      And a lot of the pots and pans all look brand spanking new and the same kids seem to be in the front row day after day – sometimes in different clothes. Why are the kids up in front? Where are mum and dad, bigger and stronger to muscle their way to the front?
      
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      May 22, 2025 12:48pm
    - Mike
      
      It’s almost as if only the healthiest are capable of pushing through the crowd. Must be staged, of course. Why aren’t skeletal babies at the front of the queue?
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:14pm
- kowtow
  
  The moment aid passes into Gaza it goes under control of the genocidal , Iran backed ,terrorist entity Hamas .
  
  Isn’t it wonderful that so called world leaders such as Carney and failing fools such as Starmer and Macron are prepared to use up so much political capital for a few pathetic headlines .
  
  Idiots.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:44am
- Southern Raider
  
  Countries like NZ, UK etc should be calling for UNRWA to be formally disbanded and the UN held to account for the aid failures in Gaza.
  
  UNRWA had two years to efficiently and correctly manage aid distribution and instead sided with Hamas to have the aid diverted to Hamas controlled locations.
  
  The UN as normal just wants to protect themselves and so using all their left wing leaders to instead direct the media to blame Israel.
  
  Also seems to be no media reporting that Hamas rejected another US led ceasefire plan that Israel had agreed to.
  
  And why can’t children and babies needing medical attention be allowed by Egypt to cross the border? Because it does serve the anti Israel interests in the UN
  
  I see the ICC replaced one corrupt Pakistani Muslim prosecutor with another one the same.
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:20am
- David Garrett
  
  Cass: Gaza elected Hamas as its government. The population of Gaza supports and staffs Hamas.
  
  Quite so. Every time I see footage of sick/starving kids in Gaza I find myself having only limited sympathy…while of course it’s not the poor kids’ fault, and least some of the disaster can be blamed on the parents.
  
  One question: I have read there are something like 300km of Hamas tunnels under the place, and that ordinary Gazans can’t shelter there. I wonder why Israel doesn’t just gas the bastards, as you would with any other vermin which lives in tunnels. Anyone know the answer??
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:59am
  - James Stephenson
    
    Geneva conventions? I would have thought Carbon Monoxide comes with a certain level of plausible deniability.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:08am
  - kowtow
    
    Hostages.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:10am
  - Chris2
    
    The TV news nightly shows the residents of Gaza fighting for food to be handed out but I am intrigued they all turn up with metal pots that look to have about a 20 litre capacity.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:35am
  - Paulus
    
    The people of Gaza elected Hamas at the end of the suggestion of physical violence if they did not.
    I suspect that most men still in Gaza still are total supporters of Hamas.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:43am
- Handyman
  
  Suggestions:
  Stop calling it Israeli occupied Gaza. It is Hamas occupied Gaza.
  As Israeli gradually takes control of certain areas, they can distribute food in a much fairer way.
  Remove all UN agencies. Give the money to Israel to provide food and water.
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:33am
  - kowtow
    
    yep , no one evr refers to Northern Cyprus as Turkish Occupied.
    
    You see some “occupations” are more equal than others.
    
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    May 22, 2025 11:41am
- Culture War Criminal
  
  “This is a war between Israel and Gaza.”
  
  That’s been quite obvious from day one, despite energetic and persistent objections from pro-Israelis who assured us that only “terrorists” were being selectively targeted. Now, having murdered so many Gazans, and being unable to deny it, the explanation has slowly become “Gazans as a collective deserve it because they voted for Hamas.” At least they aren’t trying to claim that they are only targeting Hamas voters, I suppose. This pretext is an admission of collective punishment against a population of non-combatants, which is a well-established war crime.
  
  https://academic.oup.com/oxford-law-pro/book/56224/chapter/473498349
  
  “Both civilians and prisoners of war are protected from collective punishment, and subsequent legal developments have seen the prohibition extended to non-international armed conflict and designated as a punishable war crime under international criminal law.”
  
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  May 22, 2025 1:26pm
  - kiwimike
    
    CWC
    in war you kill an enemy until he stops..
    you keep killing, you don’t feed him.
    
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    May 23, 2025 12:01am
- Ra Henare
  
  Always nice to have some facts.
  
  Gaza did NOT elect Hamas. They only got 42% of the vote. The last election was 19 years ago.
  
  To offset the hysterical opinion of many KBers(and others) and provide some informed information.
  
  https://www.cjpme.org/fs_012
  
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  May 22, 2025 3:08pm
  - Culture War Criminal
    
    “They only got 42% of the vote.”
    
    They did better than National did in 2023, then, who could only muster 38%.
    
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    May 22, 2025 6:57pm
Chuck Bird

I have been a strong supporter of Israel, especially since the atrocities of 7 October. However, that does not justify what Israel is doing by starving babies and children.
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May 22, 2025 8:31am
- Paulus
  
  Tell that to Hamas – they started it and will continue to use the people as pawns.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:39am
  - kowtow
    
    Exactly .
    Hamas could have ended this ages ago releasing the hostages ( remember them , as they seem to have been memory holed by the Hamas huggers and media) .
    
    This is all down to Hamas and Tehran.
    
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    May 22, 2025 8:46am
  - G152
    
    And remember that the ‘news’ from Gaza comes from hamas sources
    
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    May 22, 2025 9:06am
    - David Garrett
      
      G152: Quite so…which is why I take their casualty figures with a teaspoon of salt. But who cannot feel sympathy for starving kids? The poor little buggers didn’t ask to be born in a Muslim shithole.
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:22am
      - Ra Henare
        
        We can all find justification for our emotive beliefs. DG
        
        I use rational thinking. Viewing the aerial shots and numerous videos to justify my opinion(and by the way supported by non Hamas observers).
        
        There has been horrendous casualties caused by Israeli military action.
        
        To repeat a previous comment.
        After Oct 7th BlackWater s CEO Erik Prince, went to IDF with a plan to flood all the tunnels with ultra high volume water pumps. Would have removed all weapons caches, flushed out militants and hostages.
        Minimal fatalities.
        Accepted by IDF but apparently vetoed by Netanyahu, who wanted to flatten Gaza.
        
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        May 22, 2025 3:26pm
    - Colville
      
      All via al Jazeera which is Qatar owned and coincidentally a lot of Hamas funding comes from there too.
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:27am
    - Culture War Criminal
      
      “And remember that the ‘news’ from Gaza comes from hamas sources.”
      
      This statement is as hilarious as it is completely lacking in self-awareness.
      
      You prefer to source your information and adopt your opinions from the IDF, the Likud Party, and pro-Zionist media, do you? Hardly well known to be objective and disinterested sources either, are they?
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:33pm
  - mandk
    
    Precisely.
    
    All Hamas needs to do is release the hostages and stop firing rockets into Israel.
    
    But I don’t believe Hamas cares about the loss of life.
    
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    May 22, 2025 9:21am
- Cassandra
  
  Chuck: the food was there, just intercepted by Hamas. There’s a simple solution, isn’t there?
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:44am
  - Chuck Bird
    
    “There’s a simple solution, isn’t there?”
    
    There is not. However, Israel will be forced to stop starving non-combatants. Have you see the starving babies and children? Have you seen a British doctor risking his life to save innocent babies and children?
    
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    May 22, 2025 8:58am
    - Scott
      
      Chuck, there is a very simple solution. Hamas needs to release all hostages and surrender. Until they surrender there is no obligation for Israel to feed the enemy at all. In World War 2 the allies had no obligation to feed the German population. Not until Germany surrendered.
      
      Hamas has the power to end the war and then supplies would pour into Gaza. But they can’t have it both ways. Hamas can’t demand that Israel feeds their people while still fighting Israel and killing Israeli soldiers.
      
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      May 22, 2025 9:13am
      - Paulus
        
        Iran/Hamas will never surrender !
        
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        May 22, 2025 11:45am
      - Ra Henare
        
        What a very very sad comment that shows no humanity.
        As I have said. Emotional beliefs will always find some justification, no matter how obtuse and irrelevant,
        
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        May 22, 2025 3:29pm
    - cmm
      
      ” Israel will be forced to stop starving non-combatants”
      
      Ummm, please say how you do that?
      
      The combatants get first pickings at any aid going through,
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:49am
    - Culture War Criminal
      
      Chuck, I’m shocked at your coming to your senses! From being a man who used to frequently post the slogan “I stand with Israel,” to now conceding how misanthropic and devoid of any semblence of a shared sense of humanity the Israelis are. Only fanatics and zealots can never find fault or recognise immorality in the subjects of their worship.
      
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      May 22, 2025 1:39pm
  - MCōs
    
    “There’s a simple solution “
    Unfortunate choice of words
    Apart from the glaring historic reference nothing is simple when it involves taking from one group and giving to another
    
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    May 22, 2025 9:17am
    - Cassandra
      
      The simple solution, mcos and Chuck, is for Hamas to stop stealing aid and UNWRA to ensure that the food goes to the hungry people. Surely that’s obvious.
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:14am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      the glaring historic reference
      
      The simple solution is NOT the Final solution
      
      https://www.yadvashem.org/holocaust/about/final-solution-beginning/wannsee-conference.html?
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:42am
  - David Garrett
    
    Cass: Of course there is no “simple solution”…in fact I think the problem is insoluble.
    
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    May 22, 2025 10:22am
    - R
      
      Insoluble in the present UN lead world governance!. The UN has been highjacked by the Marxist sympathizing countries, is now miles away from the good intentions of the original founders
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:39am
    - Cassandra
      
      My reference to a simple solution is regarding hunger only. Hamas stops stealing, the UN does its job properly. Simple. Solution to the whole Israel/Palestine/Middle East matter is a bit more complicated.
      
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      May 22, 2025 11:05am
      - kowtow
        
        cas
        
        ‘The UN do its job.’
        
        They’ve been nursing these people since 1948 .perpetual victims .
        
        maybe its time the Arabs there settle down and create the nation they claim to want instead of having generations of terrorism , which all this nursing only encourages.
        
        Every dollar of aid from the UN is one less dollar the arabs need to raise to look after their own people.
        
        The UN is enabling terror and is “colonising” the arabs of that area instead of nuturing independence and self reliance.
        
        And the arabs are allowing themselves to be the tool of whatever malevolent force they think will help them. In this case Tehran and Qatar.
        
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        May 22, 2025 2:02pm
- cmm
  
  Like all food supplies into conflict areas – the warlords eat first.
  
  Bonus points: starving babies are good for PR.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:54am
- Tom Hunter
  
  @Chuck
  After everything that’s happened in the MSM over the lats few years you still believe them?
  
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  May 22, 2025 12:01pm
hookerphil

The lead story on Breitbart this morning is – “President Donald Trump’s meeting Wednesday with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa began cordially — but when Ramaphosa protested against claims of “genocide,” Trump turned on a video.

The video showed radical leader Julius Malema and other black political figures addressing rallies, chanting slogans such as “Kill the farmer!” and “Shoot to kill!” The video also showed threats to seize white-owned farmland, and a large memorial to murdered farmers featuring over a thousand crosses along a roadside.

https://www.breitbart.com/africa/2025/05/21/trump-makes-south-african-president-watch-video-evidence-of-threats-to-white-farmers/

Radio New Zealand cover it with “President Donald Trump ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a video he said backs up claims of “White genocide” in South Africa, dimming the lights in the Oval Office and playing it out on screens during the bilateral meeting.

“We have thousands of stories talking about it. We have documentaries, we have news stories,” Trump said, turning to aides. “I could show you a couple of things.”
“Turn the lights on, and just put this on,” Trump said.
The nearly five-minute video played out and was later posted on the White House X account, which they said shows “Proof of Persecution in South Africa.”

Notice how not one word on the actual content of what was shown Certainly a very biased report to our New Zealand audience.
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May 22, 2025 8:37am
- pb
  
  South Africa a warning. Endgame be the same here
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:29am
- Raphael
  
  Just about every South African knows a family member, or a family friend who has been killed or subjected to some brutal torture or subject to other violence.
  
  My mother-in-law’s elderly godmother was kidnapped, raped and murdered.
  An old family friend who was a farmer in his 70s was beaten badly, and his hands were deliberately broken.
  A frail, elderly couple who were close friends with my parents were beaten and tortured because they did not have guns to steal.
  Shortly before I was subject to a hijacking in 2002, a friend from church was hijacked, and he was kidnapped. It was early in the morning. he was stripped naked, beaten and defecated on. he was then locked in an outhouse while they were trying to decide how to kill him, and he managed to escape and managed to get to where his wife worked where he persuaded the guard that the naked man covered in crap was not crazy and call his wife.
  Some friends of ours, their neighbours, had thieves break in and torture them and their 10-year-old son. They poured boiling water on the parents and melted nylon rope onto the son to force the father to give up access to the safe (I can’t remember if they even had a safe; this was in about 2004).
  As a farmer, my father-in-law was shot at several times before he decided enough was enough and moved here.
  A farming family we’ve been friends with for several generations (my mum’s family and theirs were the original settlers in the area, not even Zulus were there yet) were beaten and tortured to get access to guns.
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:28am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    All that may be abnormal levels of crime but the reason that the former anti-apartheid campaigners aren’t interested in it is that it also fits with de-colonisation/post-colonialisation theory, which the Left are very much into.
    
    Whites, even the poor ones, are the Oppressor Class and no amount of punishment is enough. Think the Kulaks in Leninist USSR. In the eyes of the Far Left this isn’t even a question of human rights and the rest of the Left simply doesn’t care.
    
    Understand that the likes of Minto are applying this to the Jews in Israel and if a combined nation of Gaza and Israel ever was formed the resulting slaughter of Jews wouldn’t worry him and his ilk in the slightest – not because they’re Jew-haters, but simply because of the Oppressor/Oppressed Class applies.
    
    The Boers today. The Jews of Israel tomorrow.
    
    Oh, and Pakeha in NZ if TPM grow in power and influence, which they only need to do with their activists.
    
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    May 22, 2025 12:10pm
- R
  
  Biased media content in NZ, how surprising
  
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  May 22, 2025 10:41am
Maggy Wassilieff

Michael Reddell encounters reality in our Public Service

It really is staggering that a government-appointed Board chair could try it on quite as egregiously as Quigley did (in league with Orr) and still hold his very well-paid role ($200000 for a part-time role), including leading the process of selecting a nominee to be the next Governor.

https://croakingcassandra.com/2025/05/20/hard-to-believe-really/
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May 22, 2025 8:44am
- Cassandra
  
  Which supports McCulloch’s allegations re cronyism.
  
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  May 22, 2025 8:48am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    A very disturbing read
    
    In interviews and writings this week, MacCulloch has outlined how the attempts of himself and others to hold powerful interests to account have been met, not with reasoned rebuttal, but with threats, blacklisting, and institutional pressure designed to silence dissent. His experience provides a rare insider’s account of how New Zealand’s political and business elite police the boundaries of acceptable debate. MacCulloch explicitly claims to be closing his website after receiving “threats from current and former cabinet ministers.”
    
    https://theintegrityinstitute.substack.com/p/integrity-briefing-nzs-chumocracy
    
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    May 22, 2025 9:00am
    - Local Miller
      
      Looks to me like his assertions are all based on his biases. Like “Finance Minister Willis was a Director of the NZ Initiative” therefore they have an undue influence on her and her appointment was a form of corruption. Where it could just be that she is actually a capable person and was appointed for her ability. The whole article goes along the same lines.
      I suspect he was approached and told to stop making unfounded accusations or someone would take him to court over libel or defamation charges. Rather than clean up his act and provide a more balanced blog he’s having one last swipe and bowing out.
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:11am
    - kowtow
      
      He has a lengthy interview with M Laws on the Platform podcast .
      
      V interesting.
      
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      May 22, 2025 10:12am
      - Ghost
        
        Was that the interview where planet asked for examples and all he could give was someone he knew wrote a story and was threatened by Frontera to take it down or face a defamation lawsuit. Some of these bloggers think they should be able to make up stories and get away with it.
        
        6 8
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        May 22, 2025 10:26am
      - kowtow
        
        Not sure what “planet” you’re on there , Buddy.
        
        4 0
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        May 22, 2025 11:43am
      - Yabster
        
        the planet is asking questions? thats something Chole might say…
        
        6 0
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        May 22, 2025 11:53am
      - Ghost
        
        It was foodstuff not fontera on checking. YouTube transcript
        
        not appreciated to take them on because
        6:20
        it um is detrimental to to to their
        6:24
        reputation and also opens ones one up to
        6:28
        ve very real threats of defamation One
        6:30
        of which came from food staffs uh that
        6:33
        uh wrote a letter to the university when
        6:36
        my colleague Tim Hazeline uh dared to
        6:38
        call the supermarket duopoly a
        6:40
        supermarket duopoly and their law firm
        6:43
        wrote to the university saying take down
        6:44
        that article which they actually did So
        6:47
        the the downside uh is very real Uh
        6:50
        defamation uh actions um being persona
        6:54
        
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roRdwKn5kxI
        
        2 5
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        May 22, 2025 12:08pm
- cmm
  
  “$200000 for a part-time role”
  Other than a few front-line activities (nurses etc), aren’t all government jobs part-time roles?
  
  13 3
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  May 22, 2025 8:55am
Yvette

Haka premeditated?

Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke has spoken of the haka performed in Parliament last week that has been seen 700 million times by a global audience […]
“I wasn’t even supposed to do that,” Maipi-Clarke said of the haka …
She said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi was originally supposed to rip the bill and start the haka, but instead, the bill was handed to her.
“But I knew I was going to get landed with something on that day and we’ve been prepping for about a year or so.” – 19 November 2024,
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/hana-rāwhiti-maipi-clarke-and-the-haka-that-s-been-seen-700-million-times-by-a-worldwide-audience/?

The Privileges Committee’s report on the haka incident in Parliament does address whether the act was premeditated, but does not explicitly state whether their actions were premeditated or not. In their written submissions, the Te Pāti Māori MPs defended their actions as constitutionally protected political expression in response to what they viewed as a significant legislative breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi .
Therefore, while the committee accepted that Henare’s participation was not premeditated, it did not make a definitive statement regarding the intent behind the actions of the Te Pāti Māori MPs.

I guess that may have been one matter they would have questioned the three MPs had they turned up as requested three times, and not something the same three would have volunteered in their written submissions.
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May 22, 2025 8:50am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  “I wasn’t even supposed to do that,” Maipi-Clarke said of the haka …
  She said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi was originally supposed to rip the bill and start the haka, but instead, the bill was handed to her.
  
  And like a puppet on a string, she danced to Rawiri’s tune.
  
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  May 22, 2025 9:48am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yep, send out the kids first.
    A true warrior…
    
    19 1
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    May 22, 2025 11:07am
    - Yvette
      
      Imalwaysright, some oral traditions and interpretations of the haka “Ka Mate” do allude to Te Rauparaha, fleeing from enemies, being given refuge by the chief Te Wharerangi of Ngāti Te Āti Awa.
      To hide him, Te Wharerangi and his wife Te Rangikoaea are said to have concealed Te Rauparaha in a storage pit for sweet potatoes. In some retellings, Te Rangikoaea straddled or crouched over the pit, using her tapu (sacredness) as a woman — particularly associated with her reproductive power — to deter pursuers, as it would have been culturally inappropriate for warriors to look or reach beneath her.
      
      This aspect of the story provides deeper context and spiritual significance to Te Rauparaha’s exclamation in the haka, “Ka mate, ka mate! Ka ora, ka ora!” – “It is death, it is death! It is life, it is life!”
      The haka thus becomes not only a celebration of survival but also an expression of emergence from darkness (danger, hiding, death) into light (safety, life, triumph) — with the woman’s role as protector central in some tellings.
      So while not universally emphasized, the story of the woman protecting Te Rauparaha adds a rich layer of meaning to the origin of Ka Mate and is part of the mana wahine (power of women) in Māori tradition.
      
      How long before Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi realises how culturally significant his seeming cowardice was …
      I wonder if Rawiri reads kiwiblog, or like Mat Rata just looks the pictures?
      
      12 0
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      May 22, 2025 11:37am
      - Paulus
        
        When I see a Haka I think of its origin and that of people who were at best known as Savages at the time of its so called creation.
        Ot should be bannd for almost every opportunity as there are no Maori any more, particulalrly by young children who are in no way Maori.
        
        5 0
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        May 22, 2025 2:51pm
      - Manu-Rau
        
        [Unnecessary and not funny. mod.]
        
        1 1
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        May 22, 2025 7:18pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Hiding in the kumera pit? I thought it was the long drop dunny.
        
        0 0
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        May 22, 2025 7:32pm
Frank the tank

So when the Labour/Greens/Maori Party put in place similar laws as South Africa next term can we get Hipkins to meet with the Don on a trade delegation?
15 2
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May 22, 2025 8:56am
- MCōs
  
  One step at a time
  #1 The current administration needs to lose the next election
  
  7 6
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  May 22, 2025 10:00am
Rusty

New slogan. Free Palestine — from Hamas.
28 1
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May 22, 2025 9:01am
- MCōs
  
  I presume you mean Free Gaza
  
  2 12
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  May 22, 2025 9:44am
  - Cassandra
    
    Hamas has influence in Samaria as well. Okay, the West Bank.
    
    6 3
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    May 22, 2025 10:16am
    - kiwimike
      
      Judea & Samaria to you !!
      
      0 0
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      May 23, 2025 12:12am
cmm

You have to be three flavours of stupid to participate in an activity where people are deliberately trying to damage each other and numerous people get concussed.

Concussion is no joke. About 15 years ago one of my son was concussed while playing hockey. He was knocked out cold for 3 minutes and it took him years to recover. In some ways he has not recovered fully yet and maybe never will.

I suppose though that a chance to win $20k is just too appealing for a person who doesn’t do brain work and has the taxpayer’s tit to fall back on.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/opinion-difficult-watch-as-runit-championship-league-event-sees-two-competitors-knocked-out/BRQYV2BIIVBQBHJII5GBPKPZWE/
27 2
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May 22, 2025 9:06am
- MCōs
  
  Include me out
  
  6 0
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  May 22, 2025 9:57am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Nice nod to Connolly.
    
    0 0
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    May 22, 2025 12:29pm
    - MCōs
      
      Samuel Goldwyn
      
      0 0
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      May 22, 2025 3:04pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Billy
        
        0 0
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        May 22, 2025 4:11pm
- James Stephenson
  
  Perhaps ACC needs to publicly state that it won’t consider injuries from this activity to be accidents and therefore won’t cover them…
  
  17 0
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  May 22, 2025 10:04am
  - R
    
    ACC needs to reconsider a lot of the so-called injuries that it pays out for. This may be the year that personal responsibility is indirectly relegislated for. The concept of ‘Consequences’ for behaviour instilled into individuals minds
    
    13 1
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    May 22, 2025 10:50am
  - cmm
    
    I don’t think that ACC can determine that on their own. They probably need some sort of direction from parliament.
    
    8 1
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    May 22, 2025 10:57am
    - James Stephenson
      
      You might be right. “Accident” as defined in the Act, does not actually require the incident to be accidental. Go figure, as the Yanks say.
      
      1 0
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      May 22, 2025 2:48pm
- Raphael
  
  Yep. I got a concussion in 1998 (Karkloof Classic MTB race, crashed about 5km from the finish. I finished the race, but have no memory of finishing).
  In 2023 I got another concussion (walked into an open tailgate, lots of blood from the scalp wound) and the doc was clear that even though the first concussion was so long ago, it dramatically increased the risks with the second one (took me over a month to get over the second one)
  
  12 0
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  May 22, 2025 10:12am
  - Colville
    
    I have done the van tailgate attempt at scalping!
    The steel locking bracket on the side of the Hi-ace door.
    
    Really messy.. a dozen stiches on a flap of scalp and every barber I go to asks about it! 🙂
    
    Missed the opportunity for a great selfie tho.
    
    9 0
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    May 22, 2025 10:35am
    - Raphael
      
      I’ve been fortunate that only one has resulted in a concussion and attempted scalping, but my head and van tailgates do attempt a recreation way too often.
      
      9 0
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      May 22, 2025 11:01am
  - rouppe
    
    I have no recollection of the event that led to my rib fractures and associated pneumo-thorax.
    
    3 0
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    May 22, 2025 1:58pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Where’s Health & Safety?……..
  
  The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 imposes legal obligations on everyone conducting business or undertakings to ensure a safe workplace. Sport or recreation organisations should be aware these obligations also apply to them regardless of whether the activity is for profit and even if they are mostly volunteers.
  
  https://lawlink.co.nz/article/sports-clubs-your-health-and-safety-obligations/#
  
  13 1
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  May 22, 2025 10:16am
- greybeard
  
  These idiots are ready-made NRL players !
  
  9 0
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  May 22, 2025 10:18am
- Hammie
  
  I really can’t believe that they’re allowed to do this rubbish and ACC (the taxpayer) pick up the bill for their stupidity.
  
  16 0
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  May 22, 2025 10:24am
  - cmm
    
    Look at the crowd. Of course they can do anything they want.
    
    8 0
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    May 22, 2025 10:58am
    - MCōs
      
      Look at old footage of the MCG crowds baying for blood when Lillee & Thompson were hitting batsmen on the head back in the seventies.
      
      0 1
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      May 22, 2025 3:01pm
- AitchW
  
  Is it that much different to boxing? Or MMA?
  TV3 sports news had a “Smashed ’em Bro” segment showing the big hits of the week in rugby and league. (It may still do, I don’t watch TV3 news any more)
  The promos for both sports feature prominently huge, potentially damaging tackles.
  There’s clearly a thirst among spectators for this sort of viewing.
  Bread and circuses perhaps?
  
  5 1
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  May 22, 2025 11:58am
  - MCōs
    
    Down through the ages combatants have engaged in arranged fights for the entertainment of onlookers.
    This particular variety is nothing new. It’s not as violent as cricket before the advent of head protection.
    
    1 1
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    May 22, 2025 1:56pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Agreed. I remember Hayley Holt and the like salivating over Israel Ade-whatever and his smashing his opponent in ways that would get him locked up if performed outside of the ring. It beggars belief that this is considered to be sport.
    
    We might as well bring back gladiators and circuses.
    
    1 0
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    May 22, 2025 7:38pm
imalwaysright

The maorification of NZ seems to have accelerated since the last election.

Maybe it is time that we realised that maorification is Luxon’s government’s policy
19 4
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May 22, 2025 9:23am
- lifesgood
  
  New Zealand museums are some of the worst culprits. All things Maori are being totally sanitised. Fact: they were not a peaceful, kindly race. Why lie?
  
  22 1
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  May 22, 2025 11:00am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Is there really any such thing as a “peaceful, kindly race”?
    
    9 5
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    May 22, 2025 11:08am
    - Yabster
      
      nope- so why claim they were, is the point
      
      6 0
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      May 22, 2025 11:56am
    - lifesgood
      
      Of course not but that is the lie we are being fed.
      
      1 0
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      May 22, 2025 4:07pm
  - Paulus
    
    Taauranga has a new Museum – Maori orientated, currently being built.
    
    3 0
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    May 22, 2025 2:54pm
- R
  
  Maorification was very nearly set in stone by the Ardern/Hipkins disaster. The process of unwinding this legislation is going to take a long time; first the embedded location of applicable clauses has to be identified. There is a significant volume of such legislation to be dealt with, removing the most critical fiscally dangerous has to be the first priority
  
  15 3
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  May 22, 2025 11:06am
  - imalwaysright
    
    R
    If you haven’t noticed, its getting worse. Every day.
    
    6 2
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    May 22, 2025 12:40pm
  - keepcalmcarryon
    
    The process of unwinding only happens if there is a process of unwinding.
    
    7 1
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    May 22, 2025 1:01pm
  - rouppe
    
    Would have been much simpler to leave references to the Principles in the legislation and the codify those Principles in one place.
    
    Wouldn’t it?
    
    6 0
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    May 22, 2025 2:02pm
sungsamning

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2025/05/20/memorial-day-set-for-lowest-gas-prices-in-over-20-years/
Low Gas Prices.
GasBuddy, a fuel savings platform, said Tuesday that it forecasts the national average price of gasoline to be $3.08 per gallon on Memorial Day. That would make it the cheapest since 2021 in nominal terms. After adjusting for inflation, it would be the lowest since 2003.

This is not expected to be short-lived. Prices of gasoline are expected to average around $3.02 per gallon between Memorial Day and Labor Day, with prices falling below three dollars on some days.
4 3
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May 22, 2025 9:37am
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHHg9npNYOs
Trump 1 Ramaphosa 0.
You got to love Trump, he don’t beat around the bushes, he stated nothing but Truth.
[Imagine Chris from Marketing doing something like this with the Partly Maori Party. //]
14 2
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May 22, 2025 9:38am
- Mike
  
  Why is it, out of all the refugees in the world, Trump only welcomes those from South Africa.
  
  1 12
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  May 22, 2025 1:24pm
  - Local Miller
    
    If your assertion were true I would say it is because he knows South Africans are generally had working, law abiding people who will add value to the USA, or any country the go to.
    But Trump doesn’t have issues welcoming refugees from other countries, he just doesn’t welcome illegal immigrants.
    
    9 3
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    May 22, 2025 3:15pm
    - Mike
      
      You think the Trump administration will be admitting more refugees than last year?
      
      1 2
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      May 22, 2025 3:49pm
  - Manu-Rau
    
    Ummm…..because they are genuine refugees?
    
    We should do the same.
    
    3 1
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    May 22, 2025 7:34pm
Paul

Jack Mintz writing in the Financial Post:
“Not only do film subsidies result in too many bad films being produced, they fill the pockets of well-off actors and producers. Minecraft certainly did not need its production costs subsidized by Canada and New Zealand. Nor did Jack Black and other actors need their salaries bid up by subsidized producers. On the other hand, most Canadian and New Zealand taxpayers could use the money they were forced to cough up for many movies they’ll likely never watch.”
And our Finance Minister is throwing good money after bad, adding $577M to the film subsidies at our expense.
17 4
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May 22, 2025 10:49am
- mw
  
  The only questions I would have are, even with the subsidy is it a net positive to the economy or a negative?
  If we did not subsidise would they film somewhere else where there is a subsidy and we lose income?
  
  We could play chicken and find out, but once they have moved shop its easier for them to not come back if it doesn’t work out for us.
  
  Plenty of businesses have their normal pricing but have to come to some sort of arrangement when they want to land the big one, they do it because they still make money rather than see it walk away.
  
  So where does NZ really sit in this? Are we giving away $ for some prestige of having things filmed here and fleecing the taxpayers or is it still a positive to the economy and taxpayers are still better off because of it?
  
  I hate to spite myself because I don’t like to give deals to big corporations.
  
  4 0
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  May 22, 2025 12:57pm
- mandk
  
  The question you need to ask yourself is whether it would have been better for none of the production to have taken place in NZ?
  
  Without doubt, this would have happened if the rebate (not a subsidy) was not available in NZ.
  
  All of the production would have been elsewhere, and NZ would have sacrificed more in income tax and other receipts than was paid in the rebate.
  
  There are also spillover effects to factor in. Movie related tourism is significant in NZ. How many tourists would go elsewhere, if it were not for the Hobbit and LOTR?
  
  3 0
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  May 22, 2025 1:44pm
- NothingLeft
  
  NZ film industry is doomed.
  
  AI video generation is getting amazingly good. It’s going to soon destroy the film and perhaps disrupt streaming industry dropping production costs to 1% of current- expect we’ll see a flood of high quality low cost production.
  Some examples of latest AI video generation on just released Veo3:
  https://youtu.be/gFMUChHgXYk
  
  4 1
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  May 22, 2025 3:33pm
zubrick

kind Australian tax payers foot bill to help homeless new Zealanders in Queensland with one way ticket home.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-22/homeless-new-zealanders-offered-one-way-tickets-home/105234516
11 1
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May 22, 2025 11:12am
- Jethrod
  
  Wow……. don’t even have to commit crime to get a 501 pass!
  
  9 0
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  May 22, 2025 11:42am
- artemisia
  
  Cheap solution for Oz and good PR. Simple caring concern not complex deportation.
  
  10 1
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  May 22, 2025 11:47am
Ghost

Good to see plunket apologising for this racist bit of crap. Sadly we should be above this, but many are turning out to be just as racist as the party/politicians the are abusing

Sean Plunket: An Apology To Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
3 6
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May 22, 2025 12:27pm
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  And then there are the contrarians who loudly declare how much better they are than everyone else.
  
  4 2
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  May 22, 2025 1:03pm
  - Ghost
    
    Good to know you don’t think we should be above this sort of racist crap.
    
    1 3
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    May 22, 2025 3:48pm
    - keepcalmcarryon
      
      I didn’t say that, but crying racist has become entirely subjective.
      Plunket apologized for running his mouth.
      There is no virtue to signal here.
      
      0 0
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      May 23, 2025 12:31am
- Tom Hunter
  
  I’m not surprised that Winnie was taken in by a piece of online satire from Matua Kahurangi. That’s his X-account, but he also has a dot.com site, and this is the link to the piece that fooled Winston, BREAKING: Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader accused of spray-tanning herself into cultural appropriation
  
  “I would like my skin colour to match that of a Māori woman,”
  
  Ngarewa-Packer reportedly said, holding up a colour swatch that suspiciously resembled a Bunnings test pot titled “Ngāti Bronze No.7”.
  
  Here’s another piece of his satire:
  
  Woman Files Police Report After “Inappropriate” Dream on Mount Taranaki
  
  Taranaki, New Zealand – A local woman has filed a police report after experiencing an “unwanted intimate encounter” in a dream while camping on Mount Taranaki, now that the mountain has been legally recognized as a person.
  
  The woman, who has chosen to remain anonymous, claims she had a “highly suggestive” dream while sleeping in her tent and awoke feeling “violated, confused and moist.” Given that Mount Taranaki has been granted legal personhood as part of efforts to recognize its cultural significance to Māori, she decided to take the matter to the police.
  
  “If the mountain is a person, then surely this falls under some kind of misconduct,” she stated in her official report. “I did not consent to this dream. I demand answers.”
  
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  May 22, 2025 1:20pm
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    “Violated, confused and moist” LOL.
    
    5 0
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    May 22, 2025 1:29pm
- Mike
  
  Kiwibloggers can’t seem to get enough of the “Māori are the real racists lie.”
  
  1 22
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  May 22, 2025 1:21pm
  - Libertarians are right
    
    No one thinks Maori are racist.
    The current iteration of TPM on the otherhand are most certainly extremely racist.
    You get that TPM don’t actually represent all Maori right?
    
    18 1
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    May 22, 2025 2:08pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      Their support is predominantly middle class pakeha women indulging in their silly interpersonal status games – virtue signaling whatever they believe are the most fashionable thoughts.
      
      4 2
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      May 22, 2025 3:18pm
    - Ghost
      
      No one thinks Māori are racist? Have you read Kiwiblog lately? Shit, there is almost a daily beat off by some on here claiming that Māori are no longer Māori. I think half of you are stuck so far into this idea you are fighting Māori racism you have no idea how badly racist you come off as
      
      3 8
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      May 22, 2025 3:53pm
  - rockape
    
    Nah, I think anyone regardless of skin colour who thinks Maori are special and deserve special treatment is racist!
    
    9 1
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    May 22, 2025 3:42pm
Jack5

Tech lovers … What’s next from Ives?

Jony Ive, the industrial-art visionary who complemented Steve Jobs in brilliantly in so many of Apple’s pioneering products, is in a new venture.

OpenAI and Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, are working on a new device that they say will move consumers “beyond screens”.

Ive (Sir Jonathan Ive in the UK) was chief designer was Apple from 1992 to 2019,

Reports say that OpenAI, a leader in artificial intelligence, is buying Ive’s firm, io, for $US6.5 billion. LoveFrom will remain independent.

OpenAI and LoveFrom’s new device is said to have the object of “moving consumers beyond screens”. Options being considered include headphones and other devices with cameras.

The Wall Street Journal reports Ive’s work at OpenAI will extend across all the company’s ventures, from future versions of ChatGPT to audio features, its “app,” and other products.

You can see at the following link some of the great designs Ive was responsible for:

https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/product-design/a3604-jonathan-ive-13-iconic-products/
0 0
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May 22, 2025 12:59pm
Jethrod

How obscene…… no Maori Party in Parliament for the reading of the Budget!!!!!
14 1
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May 22, 2025 2:10pm
- AitchW
  
  But it was essential that they be there!
  Maybe they forgot….
  
  10 1
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  May 22, 2025 2:29pm
- Jethrod
  
  1448…. some of them are back!!
  
  3 1
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  May 22, 2025 2:48pm
- R
  
  Too complicated for them, and would have required extended concentration; also no crayons provided. In fact doesn’t seem that Budget 2025 included cartoon presentation.
  
  8 0
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  May 22, 2025 3:06pm
- [email protected]
  
  Their pay is only $200K plus. Why bother?
  
  4 0
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  May 22, 2025 6:26pm
AitchW

My god Hipkins’ speech is dire! Vague repetitive complaints and lies about the pay equity legislation and not much else. Even the greek chorus calling out “shame” and “that’s right” sounds defeated.
This would be the last call for Hipkins if Labour had one 1 MP who wanted his job.
We’re stuck with his sad rhetoric for some time yet I fear.
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May 22, 2025 3:02pm
NothingLeft

If you haven’t seen it already,; Teslas robot getting closer to being good enough to help around the house, following verbal instructions:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1925047336256078302
1 1
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May 22, 2025 3:38pm

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