About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

June 12, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 12 June 2025

Like this:

Like Loading...

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment169

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (169)

Login to comment or vote

Cassandra

Increase defence spending or learn Russian”, NATO head Mark Rutte (former liberal PM of the Netherlands) warns. People like Don Brash and Helen Clark (and a great long list of NZ politicians from Sid Holland onwards including almost every Labour and National MP with the exception of Bob Tizard) want NZ to disarm, either directly (Brash) or by neglect (everyone else). They should pay attention.

The German intelligence service has concrete proof that Russia plans to test Article 5 of the Treaty (an attack on one is an attack on all) with the aim of pushing NATO back to its 1990 borders and driving America out of the alliance.

And why should this worry NZ? The world is a small place. An emboldened China would have huge implications for this part of the world. NZ must play its part (and I think that’d be a significant naval contribution, probably three new frigates). 2% in five years time will not cut it. Note that NATO is committing to a minimum 3.5%.

In 1938 when Chamberlain returned from Munich saying he had chosen “peace in our time”, Winston Churchill rebuked him:
“You were given a choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.”

We all need to take the situation seriously – this time round the Butcher’s Bill won’t just fall on the Armed Services.
22 16
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:01am
- kowtow
  
  Fair points but this wouldn’t be the first recent use by the German govt to ‘sex up’ an intelligence file to justify a domestic agenda.
  
  Then we had the Russia files in the US to keep Trump out and how about Blair and the WMD .
  
  But yes no doubt Putin is a dangerous thug.
  
  21 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 8:14am
  - NothingLeft
    
    Supplying Ukraine with stuff to make a few 1000 long range drones a day (10x current production) for the next year is the cheapest and safest way ($5-10billion) to end the Russian threat.
    
    7 6
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:22am
    - Fender
      
      It’s crazy how black and white you see this as, so if Ukraine was successful with drones in overthrowing Russia,what then? Does Zelenski become a super power leader and have sights on other nations
      It’s as if your implying Ukraine is the only country that can make drones in high numbers. if push comes to shove there will just be retaliation
      Your thinking means Russia is fully justified returning the favour to Europe and Usa with drones in similar numbers
      China can out drone anyone, your argument is flawed I believe
      
      5 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 12:52pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        What are you even talking about? Noone except of insulated despots and mad mullahs have any aspirations of starting wars of conquest and empire. Everybody else, Ukrainians included, want to minimize conflict just want to survive and get back to living safe lives. Zelenesky is imperfect, but very far from a tyrant – just a leader demonstrating considerable personal bravery (not permanently hiding in bunkers like Kim, Xi or Putin) fighting for his country’s survival.
        
        Long range AI drones will be the new non-nuke mutually assured destruction. You can’t effectively defend against a million drones churned out of a long-term-storage and launched against you. All your infrastructure will be screwed. But then so will your opponent’s if you return fire. The fruits of victory ashes in their mouths etc.
        
        Collapsing Russia has far fewer reserves of tech and talent to draw on than the billion-strong west with 7x the population and 25x the GDP. Their education system crumbled 30 years back they’ve suffered huge brain drain and their birth rates have been in the toilet for decades. They are a hollowed out rusting petro-state with falling-apart-infrastructure and reliant on foreign expertise and tech imports to keep even their mostly no-indoor-toilets or washing machines economy running. The depredations of Ukraine’s drones on Russias shallow and vulnerable industrial base will eventually end their ability to continue the war, the more drones the sooner and easily done drawing on western industrial base, it is the lowest-loss-of-life way to end the war.
        
        5 2
        Report
        June 12, 2025 1:36pm
      - Culture War Criminal
        
        Russia is a heavily nuclear armed state. If it is ever existentially threatened, they will have to use them. If they are ever in a position where they cannot use them, then the logic of the MAD doctrine means the US will have to use its nukes against them. Either way, the consequences will be disasterous. This immature idea of endlessly backing “plucky” Ukraine could end us all.
        
        4 7
        Report
        June 12, 2025 1:58pm
      - Taieri
        
        their mostly no-indoor-toilets or washing machines economy
        ———–
        
        Where did you get this silly idea from?
        
        3 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 2:50pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        Endless shots of Russians Troops looting toilets and washing machines in early days of their invasion. Admittedly these troops are mostly poor rural men from homes without modern conveniences.
        
        https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/04/02/indoor-plumbing-still-a-pipe-dream-for-20-of-russian-households-reports-say-a65049
        
        “In rural Russia, almost two-thirds have no access to indoor toilets, 48.1 percent of whom use outhouses and 18.4 percent do not have a sewage system.”
        
        0 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 3:18pm
    - Fender
      
      You don’t seem to see the black and white
      America has been involved in most wars in the world in far more continents than Russia which if it is as backwards and hopelessly lost as you say would have been taken long ago
      To say drones wouldn’t be retaliated in spades is just crazy
      Would all those submarine captains just give up do you think.
      America needs them as a threat to keep the military spend up and if the war was won by zelenski you think life would just return to normal
      Power and victory does things to peoples egos and ambitions , other countries would certainly be emboldened and humans will always have disagreements despite you arguing peace would prevail
      I agree drones are the future but they are also cheap and readily built so there is a cancelling effect to some degree which will come when Russia starts building them enmass or china sends them over
      If you seriously expect me to believe their education is shot when for example their computer hackers are first class I would have to disagree
      Theres plenty of chinese peasents without toilets so don’t judge a country by that
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 5:59pm
- Simon
  
  Where are you going to imprison all the Chinese? Camp Manawanui?
  
  Imagine the Wellington Clown Show getting NZ involved in arms race / war with China. So mental. What to fight for Maorification or something?
  
  When NZ fights wars with GAE NZ has lost.
  
  9 12
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 8:21am
- cmm
  
  C’mon.
  
  The threat profile for people in Europe, especially Eastern Europe, is completely different to NZ. “Learn Russian” might be relevant to Europe (I doubt it), but it is complete histrionics for NZ.
  
  There is absolute zero evidence of Russia building an empire or having colonial aspirations beyond their immediate neighbourhood (Siberia, USSR etc). Sure, they had communist bloc alliances Cuba etc, but to get from there to “Learn Russian” is a long stretch.
  
  As a former military officer, you will know that there is no profit for a Russia or a China or whatever to attack a target like NZ. It serves no strategic purpose to do so. For almost everyone, even the Americans, military resources are limited and you don’t expend them pointlessly.
  
  I really do not think we have the capability to build and sustain any meaningful expeditionary force (including even a minor navy to keep sea lanes open with trading partners).
  
  Percent of GDP does not give strength. Actual dollars spent (properly) do. Our GDP is so small that even 10% of GDP is insufficient to sustain a viable blue water force (basically two to three aircraft carrier groups).
  
  The only viable option for NZ is to build a defence-only hornet’s nest so that the juice just ain’t worth the squeeze. Basically along the lines of the Swiss model. The Swiss manage to do this effectively with less than 1% of GDP.
  
  To that I would add a local waters coast guard. Our current navy isn’t really much more than that anyway – focusing on fisheries patrols etc.
  
  31 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 8:44am
  - Cassandra
    
    cmm: I think we’re talking about different things. Nobody is going to attack NZ. Rutte claims to have concrete proof of Russian plans. We have close to bipartisan support for the current strategic approach. We already have a modest component of what you term an expeditionary force (it’s not). Russia and China are allies. I think you’re embedded in some sort of border defence mode. NZ is not in that situation. My plan is to continue to ally with Australia in an attempt to keep our lines of communication open, preferably by deterrence. That’s pretty much agreed by everyone in the field. I’d be interested in your plan.
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 9:06am
    - Cassandra
      
      From The Australian: The United States has launched a review into whether the AUKUS submarine deal should be changed or scrapped, with the Pentagon saying the Joe Biden-era arrangement must be examined to ensure it meets President Donald Trump’s “America First” priorities.
      
      13 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 9:16am
      - Tom Hunter
        
        As I pointed out last year, the issues with US shipbuilding meant that The Aussie AUKUS Subs Will Be Late anyway – like very late:
        
        1. The US cannot maintain the submarines they have due to lack of shipyard capacity to both build and repair.
        
        2. The US does not have the capacity to build what they want to build.
        
        3. The existing build locations are so locked-up that suggestions have been made to re-introduce repair capability on the Great Lakes.
        
        4. With AUKUS, the US is inviting allies to join the SSN club without doing the proper homework ahead of time to ensure the US can perform on its end.
        
        Hence the current review.
        
        BTW, I loved Cdr Salamander’s addition to the submarine tonnage charts from the USN, where he placed the Mickey Mouse Fantasia character over the last part.
        
        9 2
        Report
        June 12, 2025 10:01am
      - cmm
        
        Whenever you’re buying equipment, the first question should always be what is the threat (or goal) , followed by what capabilities you need to develop to achieve that.
        
        Submarines are great, but what type of submarine?
        
        If you want long long range capability to be able to support carrier groups or bottle up strategic choke points thousands of miles from home waters, then large nuclear subs make sense. These are the type that can dive and stay under water for months on end. ANything else needs huge support etc.
        
        If, however, you want them for purely defensive purposes in home waters then diesel subs often make far better sense. They only need short range, they are easy to replenish in home waters and they are far cheaper to build and maintain.
        
        Australia first needs to do some joined up thinking to determine the role of these subs.
        
        I would actually support NZ getting a 2 or 3 small, quiet, diesel subs for home water defence. Subs are a massively effective deterrent – far better than surface vessels – because nobody knows where the bastard thing is going to pop up.
        
        Subs were some of the most effective ships in the South African Navy in the 1970s/80s. Their deterrent effect kept Russian and commie bloc ships out of SA waters more effectively than surface craft did. They were also used for special forces insertions and such.
        
        6 1
        Report
        June 12, 2025 12:59pm
    - rockape
      
      The best deterrent would be to offer theUS a major airfield as a base and a major harbour as a naval base.
      
      30 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 9:19am
      - RoboRob
        
        Cheap, effective and good for foreign policy too.
        
        9 1
        Report
        June 12, 2025 9:34am
      - pdm
        
        Ohakea?
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 10:30am
      - Jack5
        
        The Australian Government looks set to take back the port of Darwin from the Chinese lessee, given its strategic importance.
        
        America rotates 2500 marines though facilities in Darwin, and a row has erupted over $A250 million tanks built at the port to store for America 300 million litres of jet fuel.
        
        The tanks are alleged to fail the standard of withstanding a major cyclone.
        
        https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-28/us-fuel-tanks-darwin-harbor-not-designed-to-withstand-cyclone/105340846
        
        6 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:11am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Darwin and the surrounding areas would probably be best, so any ship movements are further north for travel time
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:22am
      - kowtow
        
        Like Pearl deterred the japs……
        
        0 5
        Report
        June 12, 2025 12:02pm
      - rouppe
        
        @kowtow
        
        Pearl harbour was a big threat (deterrent) to the Japanese which is why they tried to knock it out in one stroke.
        
        3 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 2:51pm
      - GazzaW
        
        Pearl Harbor wasn’t a threat to the Japanese. The threat was the Pacific Fleet but fortunately the US carriers weren’t home on the day.
        
        0 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 7:03pm
    - Culture War Criminal
      
      “Rutte claims to have concrete proof of Russian plans.”
      
      Were you born yesterday? Remember the lies about WMD in Iraq? The US is still there, all based on their own version of “concrete proof” about someone else’s intentions and capabilities.
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 2:01pm
  - Cassandra
    
    I should add that the USA is a key part of that strategy. Nz and Australia joining the UK, Canada and Norway in sanctioning Smotrich and Gvir was dopey. It will offend the US mightily. Note that Trump, who is to meet Albanese soon, immediately said that he’s reviewing AUKUS. Virtue signalling is really stupid, particularly when it is based on UK Labour’s need for its Moslem vote.
    
    18 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 9:14am
    - RoboRob
      
      100% Correct. We dont sanction other bad governments so why pick a fight with the US over Israel. Regardless of what you think around that conflict, what good did this sanction do? We now have trump focusing on NZ becuase of our actions. Stupid.
      
      I wonder if it was Winstons idea or if he was forced into it? It doesn’t seem like something Winston would do but it certainly smells of Luxon.
      
      9 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 9:38am
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Sigh, Peter’s is never forced into anything [Mod – deleted], he is the expert on foreign policy, but yeah, some how I knew it would be Luxon fault
        
        3 5
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:24am
      - RoboRob
        
        Dont be stupid. All ministers represent government policy, they dont make it up themselves. If the Coalition decides something is policy it is the ministers role to represent it.
        
        1 1
        Report
        June 12, 2025 3:05pm
  - R
    
    …..’do not think we have ‘……cmm, we certainly don’t have such a capacity at present. We once did, back in the period upto the late 70’s, but the Lange,Clark mismanagement of the country, coupled with the totally disastrous mismanagement of the Ardern/Hipkins years has left the military demoralized and struggling. The purpose of a peacetime defense force is to retain and maintain basic military skills and knowledge; without which it is near impossible to build force which can integrate with our Allies. We know from history of WW2 that Japan had designs on NZ and Australia as a base to launch an attack on the south pacific, and isolate USA. FORTUNATLY for NZ Japanese strategists got their plan wrong.
    
    6 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:03am
    - cmm
      
      I don’t think NZ ever had the capability to stand on its own. It only has had the ability to tag along with other forces.
      
      It is all very well to maintain skills (I think that is important), but all skill building and armament procurement etc needs to be done in a way that supports some goals.
      
      Harking back to history is fine for things that are useful for the future, but things change. Granddad in Gallipoli belongs in the history books. It is no longer relevant to what we are doing now.
      
      Just having, say, 10 fighters on their own is bloody useless unless there is some long term joined up plan to use those in an integrated way. Same with any other assets or trained forces.
      
      We do not have sufficient forces to integrate together to make anything cohesive that can go on overseas missions etc on an independent basis. That means we have to try to integrate with other militaries. Essentially we send a few planes or soldiers or whatever to do whatever the Australians say. In some ways we may as well just send the Australians a yearly checque to add to their budget.
      
      Clearly the loss of ANZUS in 1986 really scuppered that and made NZ’s military rather pointless because there is no real effective vision/strategy. Instead we can’t seem to decide whether we want real military capabilities or just humanitarian support to the Islands and a bit of UN support.
      
      So, IMHO we really have two options:
      1) Reengage properly with ANZUS. Spend up and rejig our military based on full ANZUS cooperation/integration. Be prepared to have nuke ships visit. The works.
      2) Go Swiss. Pull back to a defence-only model where we build a low-cost hornet’s nest. Conscription, etc.
      
      This faffing around in the middle that we’ve being doing for the hast 39 years is not serving us well.
      
      Unfortunately the current crop of sit on the fence ditherers are unlikely to make any significant decisions.
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:34pm
      - rouppe
        
        Going Swiss would be a mistake at the moment.
        
        Because the Maori Party.
        
        3 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 2:54pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    Agree, a variety of long range AI-targetting drones and drone motherships, various speeds, flight altitudes, widely distributed (and hopefully obscured) storage.
    
    Seabed stored drone subs able to take out belligerant ships.
    
    Mix in a few hundred nuke warheads to make it possible to reliably take out ships, and also long range drone subs to hurt far off countries that can threaten nuke strikes from the other side of the planet in order to extort surrender to invasion.
    
    5 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:30am
    - cmm
      
      You don’t need to go nuke, but drones and remote controlled deterrent weapons make a lot of sense.
      
      You just need to look at how a bunch of rag-head Houthis are able to bottle up the Red Sea to see how effective asymmetric weaponry is.
      
      There are very few reasons why anyone would want to come invade NZ. Just make it even less palatable to underline that.
      
      Countries with significant militaries are prepared to risk their significant assets and forces for potentially large returns. Risking a multi-billion dollar carrier battle group maybe makes sense if you’re invading Australia to secure access to their iron ore fields, but it certainly isn’t worth it for a few litres of milk and some logs from NZ.
      
      The other option is to reengage fully with ANZUS. Continuing to fool around in the middle is broken,
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:44pm
- kowtow
  
  And the EU still spends billions of $ for Russian gas .
  
  Funding their own future invasion?
  
  And folk are meant to trust their “leaders”.
  
  15 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 8:45am
  - RoboRob
    
    And the Eu are great at offical statements on spending or suppport but the action on the ground often differs. I will believe 3.5% spending when I see it. At the moment its a pledge just like cutting emisions by 2030.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 9:39am
    - Cassandra
      
      The call is from NATO, not the EU. Despite the close relationship they are different.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 11:11am
      - RoboRob
        
        My point remains. Sure Nato can call for 3.5%, lets wait and see the actual result 🙂
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:27am
      - kowtow
        
        Major EU/NATO overlap.
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 1:04pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  I agree 100%. The West face China Russia Iran and North Korea. Those who think we live in a benign environment are deluded and fools. China will attack Taiwan at a time of its chosing. Unless it is repelled it will be emboldened to attack other countries in the region why wouldnt it. They include New Zealand.
  Putin wants to re-establish the Russian Empire. That is his legacy. Unless the West provide a deterent it is vulnerable.
  
  9 9
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 8:46am
  - cmm
    
    “China will attack Taiwan at a time of its chosing. ”
    
    Of course. China consider Taiwan part of China and consider any such action re-consolidation of China.
    
    There is zero reason to extrapolate that into a desire to colonise NZ. What would they get out of it?
    
    While the bigger powers (eg. USA) could meaningfully intervene in a Taiwan, NZ is not able to contribute anything meaningful.
    
    We might want to. We might even put on cheerleading outfits, but in reality even if we spent 100% of GDP on military spending we are in no position to contribute to a conflict around Taiwan.
    
    Last I looked, we have a company of soldiers (~100 to 150) in Europe helping Ukraine with some back end logistics (packing boxes onto trucks going to Ukraine etc). That has maxxed out our military capability.
    
    We really need to be realistic about our size and capabilities. Cut our suit to fit our cloth.
    
    Talk about “we” standing up to China in their part of the world is just chest thumping.
    
    China have zero desire to invade NZ militarily. There is nothing to be gained. Sending military forces a long distance is expensive and then holding ground is expensive too. Resources are limited and they can be used better elsewhere. Why invade NZ when they can send a purchase order for a box of kiwifruit and get it much cheaper that way?
    
    If they really wanted to destabilise NZ they would send drugs (like Fentanyl to USA) or send weapons to the Mongrel Mob (ie. the model they used in Africa in the 1970/80s). There really is no need for military action.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:26am
    - Cassandra
      
      China isn’t going to attack NZ directly. That’s a straw man. Our interests lie in the sea lanes and the rule of law.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 11:13am
      - mike
        
        New Zealand’s defense capabilities need to be focused on what we can most usefully contribute alongside our allies in a significant conflict. Given our relative isolation, that should necessarily demand a priority on naval and air assets, augmented by small land forces.
        No need for a home guard or militia: no one is going to invade NZ when our economy would be crippled by isolation.
        
        6 5
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:25am
      - Cassandra
        
        Totally agree, Mike.
        
        3 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 12:33pm
- Ross Bayer
  
  Oh Dear the Nato war-hawks spouting the usual nonsense.
  What is the purpose of Nato again oh thats right threatening Russia in a war they could not possibly win.
  Maybe some time listening to Douglas Macgregor or the Duran or Pepe Escobar or Jeffrey Sachs or Daniel Davis or Scott Ritter might help
  There is no public support in Europe for this nonsense and here is a link to a vid that might help
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EkQ4jwrZ80
  
  13 12
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 8:51am
  - Greenheart
    
    Instead of ranting give us a reasoned argument why anyone would want to invade Russia
    
    13 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 9:55am
    - Phronesis
      
      They don’t want to invade Russia. They do want to poke the Bear enough that they get a response that then justifies their own existence. There is a lot of people with a vested interest in the military – industrial complex that need to keep it relevant. As Eisenhower said:
      
      “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
      https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-dwight-d-eisenhowers-farewell-address
      
      6 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 11:15am
    - Romney
      
      It is very rich in resources. If you defeat the Russian Federation you could break the empire up into small, rudderless, cashstrapped States, desperate for investment/exploitation. Imagine you had an insurmountable debt problem; I imagine you could restructure it using those newly acquired resources as assets.
      
      Or perhaps you have a grudge against Russians, some sort of insane ethnic hatred, or maybe you have a ‘defense’ strategy that proposes crushing any potential military or economic rival before it can grow strong enough to become a threat – maybe the Wolfowitz Doctrine would serve as an example.
      
      Lots of reasons.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 5:40pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    Nobody outside of Despotic Russia and Chinese leadership and perhaps some currently out of favour US hawks wants war, Nato budgets have always been tiny and grudging 1-2% of GDP. Everything Europe does over last 10 years has been in reaction to hegemonic Russian aggression – which has come as eastern European states have sensibly seen a better future with more opportunity for higher standards of living coupled to the free democratic west rather than the crumbling mafia run Russia – which inevitably loses it’s most talented people to better run countries.
    
    Putin’s country is failing, he needs the Ukrainian land-grab war to maintain aura of power and control and the pretense of a functional economy. He’s bred a regime of brutal monsters at all levels (witness daily examples of horrific torture his army are perpetrating for shits and giggles), destroyed any pretense of the rule of law, and will likely be deposed if the war ends without a victory for him.
    
    In short, stop listening to Putin’s propaganda corps, or at least step outside your bubble and sample the opposing viewpoints.
    
    7 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:46am
  - Quail
    
    On the NZ declaration of war in WW2 against Germany Hitler described NZ as “a small bankrupt nation in the South Pacific.”
    While he was probably correct then, it is even more so today .
    But despite that NZ did make a real positive difference in those wars at a huge cost in lives !
    Whether NZ could make a difference today is another question.
    NZ Defence forces are small and potentially ineffective.
    The Gestapo like regulations on private firearms possession is hoovering up all the old WW 1 and 2 rifles that were the backbone of homeland defence in the past..Dads Army ( home guard )would be reduced to pitchforks or mere’s..
    As well they are creating a register that will identify who has them and where firearms can be found.
    This would be a great help to any invader.
    So the opportunity for implementing a Swiss defence is going or gone.
    The only real defence NZ has today is to acknowledge its poor productivity and impending bankruptcy so no aggressive invader would think it worth their while to bother invading.
    
    8 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 11:25am
    - Jack5
      
      Can’t find any record of Hitler making any comment on NZ joining WW2, Quail.
      
      Not sure that Japan woulḍ have let NZ stay out of the war, unless we said we would not fight for Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, or even Tarawa, where the Japanese beheaded 17 young NZ coast watchers and radio operators.
      
      Auckland was a useful base for the US Navy in WW2, with hospitals, ship repair, and above all food supplies. NZ ran a reverse lend-lease scheme with the US on supplies. These were mainly food, but included odd items such as carbon-dioxide from a Christchurch gas firm for Navy fighter planes’ fuel tanks.
      
      Being an ally enabled NZ to get US-to-NZ lend lease fighters like the Corsair for the RNZAF, and among more unusual items, hundreds of tractors to mechanise more NZ farms for post-war food production.
      
      NZ didn’t bow to the US. We left most of our troops fighting in Italy while Australia brought its men back to fight the Japanese.
      
      When the NZ Pacific division was brought home before the war’s end, NZ is said to have aruged that NZ was short of labour for producing food. I understand the Americans suggested an NZ infantry brigade help fighting in the Philippines, but NZ side-stepped this.
      
      NZ did not bark at America’s command.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 5:44pm
- Andrei
  
  There’s Reds under the beds!
  
  5 12
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:00am
- imalwaysright
  
  “Increase defence spending or learn Russian” -Rutte
  
  Sounds a bit like ‘get the jab or no job’ or ‘pay more for everything or the planet will boil’
  
  At what point do we stop listening to these self serving, lying bastards ?
  
  6 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 10:33am
  - goNZ1
    
    he meant to say ”or learn Te Reo”
    
    2 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 1:35pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Putin is playing a risky game. China will be eyeing territory in Siberia that, for obscure reasons, they regard as part of China. Russia is overstretched at the moment, and Ukraine has just taken out one of the three legs of Russia’s nuclear deterrent. You have to wonder about the functionality of the other two legs.
  
  If China was to advance over the Amur, what would Russia do?
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:35am
  - Cassandra
    
    China’s claim on the Amur Basin is not obscure. It was part of its area until the 1890s when China agreed, under duress, to cede it to Russia. It has been a sore point ever since. Eventually China will take it back – Russia’s population east of the Urals is only 20 million – but not yet.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:39pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      Not while Russia has a credible nuke deterrent. Even a limited nuke strike on China would collapse its fragile systems and kill more than half pop. More likely China purchases it.
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:42pm
    - Jack5
      
      The Soviet Union’s Red Army prevented China from annexing Outer Mongolia in 1921.
      
      Outer Mongolia has survived as a nation, but Inner Mongolia has been absorbed into China along with Manchuria.
      
      The Russian Army has surprised a few opponents, from Napoleon, to the Nazi Germans, to the Japanese at Khalkhin Gol in 1939.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 7:01pm
- David Garrett
  
  Cass: “You were given a choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.”
  
  One of the most prescient comments made by the great WSC. At least by 1938 they were starting to listen to him. Of course revisionist historians now claim that Chamberlain well knew that there would not be “peace in our time” but was groveling to Adolf to give Britain more time to rearm. I don’t believe that is the case – he was fooled by Adolf, along with every other statesman who had signed an agreement with him.
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 12:43pm
  - Culture War Criminal
    
    Read a book called “No More Champagne” about Churchill’s disasterous finances in the 30s and how he was bailed our several times by pro-War anti-German Continental financiers. An alcoholic and indebted war hawk with a penchant for living beyond his means, whose career in politics was littered with blunders and errors of judgement (one of them being his and his benefactors’ determination for war with Germany which bankrupted Britain and handed its Empire to the US) should not be held up as a hero by anyone with a clue.
    
    3 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 2:13pm
    - mike
      
      I bet your ‘Continental financiers’ is code for a more explicit reference to a specific group.
      
      1 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 4:36pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Sir Henry Strakosch
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 4:49pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    groveling to Adolf to give Britain more time to rearm
    
    85 years ago and none of us will ever know ……
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 3:36pm
- Jake Dee
  
  “The German intelligence service has concrete proof that Russia plans to…”
  Fine, let’s see this concrete proof. Oh, what’s that? They can’t show us this proof because it would endanger national security?
  Fine, then just release every assessment that the German intelligence service has made concerning Russian national plans over the last 20 years or so, that way we can see how accurate they are. Oh, what’s that? They CAN’T show us THOSE because it would endanger national security but they CAN show us THESE because it won’t?
  Simply put, what is your standard of evidence?
  Having said that, defense is something that needs serious action. But to rely on plans from the USA or the EU to defend NZ in the future is madness and a % of GDP target, whatever the number is still always only going to be just a number, what’s needed is real capacity. You can increase defence spending by just paying lawyers, accountants and consultants more and get absolutely nothing from it.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:01pm
Anthony Melchett

Good to see Bobby Kennedy taking action to ensure what is injected into American children is safe.

How can anyone argue with this (wish Benedict was still here to get his take)?

If the vaccines are safe and work as intended there should be no issue with research being done to prove this, given it wasn’t done originally…

He has sacked the current Advisory Commitee for Immunization Practices and will install a new one.

“None of these individuals will be ideological anti-vaxxers. They will be highly credentialed physicians and scientists who will make extremely consequential public health determinations by applying evidence-based decision-making with objectivity and common sense.”

He will also be tweeting examples of the historical corruption at ACIP to help the public understand why this clean sweep was necessary.

“The most outrageous example of ACIP’s malevolent malpractice has been its stubborn unwillingness to demand adequate safety trials before recommending new vaccines for our children. Today, a compliant American child receives between 69 and 92 routine vaccines (depending on brand/dictated dosage) from conception to 18 years of age. This is up from 11 shots in 1986.

ACIP has recommended each of these additional jabs without requiring placebo-controlled trials for any of them. This means that no one can scientifically ascertain whether these products are averting more problems than they are causing.”

And all of this using drugs from manufacturers who are exempt from blame should things go wrong.

Follow the money Bobby!
24 8
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:02am
- 2ic
  
  Interesting that 1986 was the year vaccine manufacturers in the USA got exemption from liability, and in that time the number of childhood vaccines has risen from 11 to 69-92 – without requiring clinical trials. What could possibly go wrong?
  
  No need to wonder what Benedict’s take would have been – he seemed to have lost all sense of reason with his continued defence of the Covid vaccine, and I think this blog is a better place without his ongoing gaslighting rants.
  
  Autism rates in the USA, which were 1/10,000 in the 70’s, are now 1/31 – and 1/4 of those are on the serious end of the spectrum. So it’s not just the order of magnitude increase in autism rates – but also severity. It may have nothing to do with vaccinations, but you’d have to wonder at the resistance to investigating what is clearly a public health crisis.
  
  I’d be interested what problem your downtickers have with your comment?
  
  9 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 12:15pm
  - David Garrett
    
    2ic: Are you saying that 1/31 children in the US are now autistic, or 1/31,000? The second means the rate has tripled; the first ….God knows what that percentage change is.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:46pm
    - Ghost
      
      1/31
      
      https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:15pm
  - mike
    
    It’s nothing to do with vaccination. Only charlatans like RFK Jr believe that.
    
    5 12
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:59pm
    - Anthony Melchett
      
      So you won’t mind investigating the vaccines to be sure?
      
      4 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:51pm
    - Local Miller
      
      And you know this how? Because no one is allowed to do the research.
      If not the vaccines, then we should find the cause, so what is your advice on how to do this?
      
      4 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:55pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    I think majority of rise in autism is due to 2 things:
    
    1/ huge increase in rates of diagnosis. Geeks, bookish and ‘weird’ kids, many of whom used to be badly bullied and relegated to the special classes for kids that couldn’t be kept in normal classes now have a DSM descriptor, and a far better chance at educational achievement, happiness and success in life. I remember ‘those’ kids at school who had a hell of a time, so many ended up broken, dropped out or dead. Fuck the continuance of that.
    
    2/ Assortative mating. Old days people married within communities based on family wealth with quite limited options. Smart would often marry dumb, successful engineer would marry pretty socialite, if they had the same economic backgrounds. That doesn’t happen much now. Instead we get egalitarian like-marrying-like, doubling down on genetics. Geek marries geek, moron shags moron. Our society is stratifying along intellectual lines, so naturally autistic traits will get selected for amongst certain sets (eg STEM graduates) and show up more strongly in their offspring where before it was more leavened by disparate intellectual genetics of mates. A historical example of this was the Ashkenazic Jews – they were strongly selecting for extreme entrepreneurship and intellectual dynamism for a millenia to survive antisemitic dominant Christian culture, with less capable dropping out to becoming Gentiles or dying. But it made them weird (lots of Autistic type traits) 115 average IQs and gave rise to genetic problems like Tay-Sachs as a side effect.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 5:56pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Shell Lane (The Terrace) bike rack report:

At 8.30am, null bikes today.

A cool, calm, damp morning* in the Capital, not bad for cycling.

* subject to Mike’s later weather update
35 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:31am
- mike
  
  It might be ok for cycling today, as the met service forecast rain over night, some clear spells this morning, but more rain in the afternoon. So, if one trusted the forecast, commuter cycling might be ok from 7 to 9 am and from 4 pm on.
  
  4 8
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:04am
- G152
  
  No bikes in the Frankton railway station racks
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:05am
  - pdm
    
    Are we are now heading for National Coverage?
    
    I am not aware of any such bike stands in Hastings but, will now keep watch when driving round.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 11:37am
    - [email protected]
      
      There are heaps of very brightly colored new bike racks in Whangarei.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 1:05pm
Bridgenag

subverting the dominating paradigm
strategies for the counter revolution

“demonize [sic] religion, cultivate sex and sexual obsession, and destroy ruggedness and independence.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/boriquagato/p/subverting-the-dominating-paradigm?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
10 4
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:43am
MCōs

Russia invaded Ukraine just over three years ago
In the interim they have captured 20% of the country at the cost of a million casualties
22 4
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:44am
- Eastlander
  
  If this were even close to reality then the war would be over.
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 10:10am
- Keith White
  
  The advertised Russian military casualty count is as believable as the advertised Gaza civilian casualty count.
  
  8 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 10:20am
- NothingLeft
  
  Russia held up to 22% in 2022, but were substantially beaten back and are currently at about 18%. When I last looked a few months back they were then losing about 3 men per hectare gained – a loss rate that would require more than the population of Russia and several centuries to complete conquest.
  
  And Ukraine’s’ long range technological offensive capabilities continue to rapidly grow, with recent addition of indigenous intermediate range ballistic missiles and AI targetted drones. The Russian war effort and economy won’t be able to sustain itself against that for more than another year or two.
  
  9 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 10:57am
- Jake Dee
  
  Where are you getting 1 million casualties from and does that source give Ukrainian casualties, and if not why not?
  Also have you seen the dead body exchange ratios, and if so what do you think of them?
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:11pm
Bridgenag

Unraveling Autism’s Surge
Genetics, Environment, and the Expanding Diagnostic Net By Randall S. Bock, MD

“With 19% of Americans now identifying as “neurodivergent”—a broad category that includes ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences—and with reports suggesting a majority of Britons may be doing the same, the expanding definition implies a widening diagnostic net.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/rwmalonemd/p/unraveling-autisms-surge?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
9 5
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:49am
- nova
  
  Interesting article. For tech workers, the figure quoted is now closer to 40%. If the trend continues, at some point the labels neurodivergent and neurotypical will need to be swapped! It would be ridiculous to claim that 60% of a population were neurodivergent, and it was the minority that was typical. It is already at the point that by bundling too many things together in one classification, the usefulness of that classification is severely diminished.
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:18am
  - cmm
    
    Certainly the classification is getting crazy, but I think it is OK for a part of the population (tech workers) to have over representation vs the general population.
    
    There are a lot more tall people in basketball than in the general population. Why? Being tall is often beneficial on the basketball court.
    
    Same deal with “tech”. Many of the traits that go with ADHD and other odd-ball brain wiring are often beneficial in tech fields.
    
    Most creative problem solving comes from a very small number of people in the world. If you look at patents as a marker for creativity, there are around 180,000 patents issued in USA each year to Americans (and about the same again to foreign applicants). If that was evenly spread across the USA population then that would mean one in every 3 American holds a patent and every company with 1000 staff would have 300-ish patents.
    But that’s not how it works. In reality, most patents are held by people who hold multiple patents. Even in patent rich companies, there will be a small group (less than 1% of the employees) generating the bulk of their patents.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:47am
    - NothingLeft
      
      ADHD is punished by the feminized education system, designed to reward conscientiousness typical of girls on tedious and frequently not-skill or knowledge enhancing busy work. I was lucky to go through education system back when exams and tests were primary yardstick for success. Couldn’t have handled punishing tedium of endless reports and essays etc. I’m now elite in my field.
      
      In adulthood in skilled trades and professions ADHD and Autism frequently create an enviable ability to focus on things of interest to the individual, that lead to exceptional productivity in a narrow field.
      
      I work in high tech engineering, and frequently see male colleagues with hobbies and home projects that draw on their academic skill sets. These are the guys who make the most impact in their work, living and breathing it. I almost never see this mono-mania in females colleagues. They can be good at the nuts and bolts, and great at grinding out the work, but just lack the passion for ‘things’. Outside of very rare exceptions just very different brains.
      
      Makes sense when you look as our evolutionary history of men needing to specialize and focus on their task/talent and brutal culling effects of only ~5-40% getting to have kids, whereas ~80% of women would have kids and mostly just needed to reliably provide support for them and go along with whatever dominant figures in their world said without pissing anyone off.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 11:18am
    - zulumonster
      
      When I started in the tech industry most of us were regarded as weird. I think neurodivergent is just a flash new description for us …
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 12:52pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Used to just be called zonks, dorks, nerds and geeks.
        
        0 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 8:10pm
- imalwaysright
  
  I wonder if there is a category of mental illness for people who proactively seek out a diagnosis?
  
  Remember the good ‘ol days when it seemed like 90% of the café dwellers were gluten or lactose intolerant. Now they will chow down on anything. But it was trendy, and they all wanted to be relevant in some way.
  
  Chloe said in an interview that she spent thousands of dollars and saw multiple doctors before she managed to get her diagnosis.
  Is that normal ? Or is that the problem ?
  
  11 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 10:45am
cmm

Squealing over “Year 14” rugby players. It’s really exactly the same set of issues as trans women sport, just different knickers.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360720750/eligibility-row-erupts-over-five-year-14s-controversial-marlborough-boys-college-first-xv
17 5
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 8:50am
- AitchW
  
  Some schools define their worth by their 1st XV.
  So sponsoring so called year 14s makes sense by giving them an unfair advantage over schools who field genuine students.
  Let’s be honest, it’s cheating.
  
  30 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:00am
  - Graeme Hall
    
    Some schools define their worth by their 1st XV.
    
    Yes. I’ve heard it on the ZB Sports Show. North Island High schools bribing big kids to switch schools. My take is this is not what the education system is for and any such Headmasters indulging in such activities should be sent from the field to an early retirement.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:05am
- Anthony Melchett
  
  Back in my college days, they held back one of the 1st xv props a few years due to his inability to pass 5th form maths… he wasn’t bad at maths, but it probably would have helped if he turned up to the exam…
  
  I think he was 19 or 20 when he left school eventually!
  
  21 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:05am
  - pdm
    
    This is not new.
    
    I recall an Uncle, who was a wicketkeeper, saying that he could not get into the Gisborne Boys High First Cricket XI (in about 1939) because the Captain who was the team wicketkeeper was 21 and still at school.
    
    18 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 9:34am
    - Gravelroad
      
      Someone I know was captain of his college’s 1st 15 rugby team many years ago.
      Big city school.
      They played in the Christchurch under 20 competition.
      Lol.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 10:39am
      - mike
        
        It was common in some unions for the stronger school teams to play in club age grades.
        
        4 6
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:06am
      - pdm
        
        Te Aute College First XV have played in the Napier/Hastings intertown senior competition on occasions. Not sure of the years but maybe 1930’s and 40’s.
        
        Since the mid 50’s I know they have played in the Junior competition.
        
        By contrast when I was in the CHB College First XV 1962 & 63 we played 3rd Grade and never played any of the big name schools first XV’s.
        
        I remember playing Dannevirke Second XV in 1962 at Dannevirke and they had Blair Furlong on the sideline cheering them on – next year he was playing in a HB Team that almost lifted the Ranfurly Shield from Auckland.
        
        Buff Milner played rep Rugby while at Te Aute and Te Roi Tautarangi probably could have.
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 11:46am
      - I remember when
        
        I can remember when the Te Aute 1st XV front row was bigger (or at least heavier) than the Hawkes Bay representative front row.
        
        3 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 12:04pm
      - zulumonster
        
        IRW – “I can remember when the Te Aute 1st XV front row was bigger (or at least heavier) than the Hawkes Bay representative front row.”
        I played against the Hawkes Bay U18’s in the late 70’s and their front row – all from Te Aute – were heavier than the All Blacks front row of that year! Quite daunting for a skinny white kid .. but we did beat them.
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 12, 2025 4:17pm
  - Local Miller
    
    Which is why I liked the South African system when I was at school. Our first XV was also classified as Under 19, so no one past their 19th birthday could play, regardless of their still being in school. The next team down was Under 16s, so anyone over 17 and under 19 could be on the 1st XV team.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 2:02pm
- I remember when
  
  Year 14 rugby players in Marlborough was never really the argument against these players.
  It was centred on Auckland where physically mature Pacific Island players can dominate a competition.
  The last thing many smaller town/city pupils want is to stay at school for another year.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:34am
  - Libertarians are right
    
    At least Kelston no longer brings over Tongans of indeterminate age.
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 10:30am
  - James Stephenson
    
    The last thing many smaller town/city pupils want is to stay at school for another year.
    
    Not really the case if they think they have a realistic shot at a pro career.
    
    My son (a footballer) is a the very tail end of his school year, so pretty much a year younger than some of his classmates and is mere weeks older than lads in the year below. He plays U17 club football but is still qualified to play U15 under NRF rules.
    I wouldn’t blame a promising rugby player in the same situation wanting to have a last crack at impressing as a “Year 14”.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 11:05am
    - Gravelroad
      
      Marlborough Boys College sits in the heart of Mako country.
      They have close ties to that rugby franchise and the people in charge of it.
      For kids from a small town, that is a bonus because they have a much better chance of being seen by the coaching staff – and maybe picked for further development.
      Not so easy for a promising young provincial player to leave school and start afresh in a big city club where nobody has ever seen you play,and the personal competition for places in the team is much greater.
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 11:47am
    - AitchW
      
      And replacing a kid who deserves to be on the team?
      School rowing has banned year 14s, rugby won’t have the gonads to do it. ( I was going to say balls but ….)
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 12:42pm
- MCōs
  
  A few years ago I went to watch a secondary school sevens tournament for a day over on the North Shore. Schools from all over the upper North Island were there as were scouts from not only Super teams, but also NRL teams.
  Signing for one of those teams would be like winning Lotto for some of those boys and their families.
  Maybe that’s a pretty good incentive to hang around at school longer than academically necessary
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 2:02pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70i7MrYTemo
Rob Goulden For Wellington Mayor.
Sean Plunket talks to mayoral candidate Rob Goulden about his campaign for Wellington Mayor.
3 4
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 9:15am
- pdm
  
  I have just listened to him and he sounds better than most.
  
  What about ay Chung though – he sounds okay too.
  
  Both streets better than `Angry’ Andy.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 12:05pm
  - pdm
    
    Ray Chung.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:28pm
  - sungsamning
    
    Yes, I hope they don’t cancel each other out.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 3:45pm
I remember when

When the fat hit the pan I see that Greta’s sense of loyalty to the cause evaporated.
17 3
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 9:40am
- Local Miller
  
  Reference or link please
  
  1 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 2:03pm
imalwaysright

Further to the oil and gas exploration ban reversal and the threats of Hipkins to reset it, the question is how many other potential business investments in other sectors have been put on hold, or probably cancelled, because of the childish venal politicking of the left?

Who would take the chance of buying equipment, signing a lease and employing staff, in this environment ?

There’s a possibility that the make up of our next government could depend on how many votes the Maori party and the Greens get.

Who would take that risk?
18 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 10:27am
- Phronesis
  
  I’m certainly structuring my affairs to account for the possibility. It does create inefficiencies, but you’d be unwise not too.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:26am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Ask yourself why Labour are o my supported by 3% of farmers when they not so long ago got farmers votes to keep greens out, they were shafted further, and will never be fooled again
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:28am
- AitchW
  
  Perhaps what we need is for the Labour Party to attract enough votes that it no longer needs the greens to form a government. Then it could ditch its ridiculous virtue signalling and anti productivity policies like cancelling oil and gas exploration, and the relentless maorification.
  Maybe if it did those things some of its old supporters might come back.
  But it won’t do any of those things, so it’s doomed forever to wallow in woke, green, climate, bullshit.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:29am
  - H. Upmann
    
    I know Labour lacks any intelligent thought process, so please don’t give them ideas.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:02pm
  - pdm
    
    Unlikely to happen under anyone in Labour’s current Caucus Aitch.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:07pm
  - BananaLlama
    
    Already tried this under the last government and they went even more stupid than the Greens.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 12:22pm
Jack5

New Zealand is described by a prominent British Jewish journalist as one of the four most obsessively anti-Israel nations — “under their present governments”.

This is in an article in the Telegraph by Stephen Pollard, editor of the UK Jewish Chronicle, the world’s oldest Jewish newspaper.

Pollard writes in the Telegraph:” The statement announcing the sanctions was jointly signed by Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway – four of the most obsessively anti-Israel nations on Earth under their current governments.”

Our Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, yesterday announced New Zealand had joined Australia, Canada, the UK and Norway in placing travel bans on Israel’s Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, and Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Peters said the two were using their positions to undermine peace and security and remove prospects for a “two-state solution” to Israel and Palestine.

In an editorial view, the Telegraph says of Britain’s ban on the Israeli ministers:

“It is one thing for the UK to impose sanctions on autocratic enemies like Russia. But to do the same to a democratic ally is reprehensible. The decision to pick out two members of the Israeli government for prohibition is extraordinary from a Government which refuses to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or the Muslim Brotherhood.”
9 7
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 10:57am
- mike
  
  LOL at ‘democratic ally’.
  
  3 12
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:07am
- Notsofast
  
  Which officials from Qatar who harbour Hamas are we preemptively banning?
  Winston has made a terrible unforced error and NZ First will lose huge numbers to Act.
  
  14 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 11:29am
  - MCōs
    
    What is Act’s stance on the matter?
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:31pm
    - Notsofast
      
      I guess collective cabinet decision means Act backs it too. The Platform vibe was switch to Act notwithstanding.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 4:54pm
- kowtow
  
  He left out Republic of Ireland .
  
  They’re really bad ,surprised they didn’t join this one.
  
  Anyway Marco Rubio is very unimpressed .
  
  How to win friends and influence people……
  
  2 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 12:32pm
  - MCōs
    
    Marco Rubio’s knee jerk response to NZ is similar to the Chinese knee jerk response to things they don’t like.
    What’s Rubio going to do?
    Deport Ryan Fox?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:36pm
sirknz

Apparently boys are better at maths within a few months of starting at school.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/boys-perform-better-at-maths-than-girls-within-months-of-starting-school-study-shows/45REEXQFNNDOBDJEFFDU4EGKMM/

Somehow Maori are most affected…
8 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 11:10am
- NothingLeft
  
  Average 3 year old boy has a larger brain than an average adult woman, and at primary school brains that are ~20% larger than their female classmates dropping to perhaps 10-15% after puberty.
  
  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Brain_weight_age.gif
  
  The cost of carrying around that extra metabolic drain confers significant survival advantage (reaction speed, spatial comprehension skills) or evolution wouldn’t do it. Unsurprising that boosts maths, but also unsurprising it delays maturity – it takes longer to train larger AI models to optimum comprehension, and there is an evolutionary tradeoff to be made there.
  
  3 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 12:18pm
- cmm
  
  There’s an interesting statistical feature in the girls vs boys in maths game.
  
  Where it gets interesting is that girls tend to be more tightly clustered about the mean.
  
  The result of this is that more girls pass maths, but the boys tend to turn up more in the extremes (both extremely good and extremely bad). Since you need to be extremely good at maths to go into engineering etc, this means that boys are more likely to be good enough for engineering level maths.
  
  As for Maori, I don’t know. I suspect if you select for Maori that show up at school (the 10% or so that do), then numbers could be pretty much the same as anyone else.
  
  9 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 12:41pm
  - Notsofast
    
    I believe true of chess too, which is why a female league is needed as in all sport except equestrian.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 1:17pm
  - Phronesis
    
    It’s not a statistical feature it’s just a fact about IQ distributions being different in males and females. Interestingly girls who are good enough at maths to get into engineering are usually even better in other subjects. English, sciences etc and so preferentially go into law and medicine. This is less often the case for boys.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 1:22pm
BananaLlama

Here’s the issue I have with the narrative that Russia has been reduced to using golf carts and shovels while losing millions of soldiers. The same people pushing this idea also expect me to believe that golf carts and shovels are somehow winning against drones and ATACMS missiles.

If the west is committed to supporting Ukraine, then we should provide them with everything they need to drive Russia out of their territory rather than trickling in equipment and celebrating victories on social media.
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 12:10pm
- NothingLeft
  
  You can’t win technological war fighting defensively, missile defense costs 10-100x as much as offense.
  
  So Ukraine desperately needs more long range attack weapons to take out Russian industrial capacity, oil and gas and transport infrastructure. They currently produce perhaps 1-200 a day, but need more like 1000+ each with a 50-100hp IC engines guidance electronics of similar complexity and cost to a smartphone, a few 100kg of explosive (probably cheap ANFO would be adequate) and a mostly injection, blow or roto molded or aluminum extruded airframe + wings. Similar overall cost to building a motorbike – KTM in Europe has just gone bust with several hundred thousand motorbikes in warehouses that could provide all the powertrains needed for a year at low cost.
  
  This would be incredibly cheap for Europe to provide – a few billions a year – compared to what they’re spending on supporting Ukraine.
  
  Ukraines biggest problem is lack of front line troops – suggested to be only about 10% of what Russia can field, they have instead focused on slow defensive withdrawal to preserve life and attrit Russians and heavy reliance on safe-at-distance high skilled and well cared for drone pilots controlling armadas of low cost area-denial FPV drones.
  
  3 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 1:56pm
- James Stephenson
  
  The possibility of Putin throwing his toys out of the pram and his missiles over other borders has got to be real in that scenario though, hasn’t it?
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 2:24pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    Would you as an underling be willing to seal the deaths of yourself and your family to serve the megalomaniacal fantasies of a septuagenarian despot?
    
    If Russia uses nukes all trade with them stops, their economy collapses and they starve. Putin would be murdered. If there was even a small exchange of nukes 90% of Russians would be dead within a few months without logistical support of urban concentrations in brutal climate.
    
    Russia’s nuclear arsenal, like the rest of their military will be mostly unserviceable junk after 3 decades of cost cutting and diversion of maintenance funds into various back pockets. Their last few ICBM tests haven’t worked, and nuke warheads need frequent servicing, maintenance and replacement of electronics, and replenishment of decaying Tritium.
    
    They’re a Potemkin superpower.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 3:29pm
- rouppe
  
  I heard in the last couple of days that Russia produces as much military equipment in three months as nato produces in a year.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 3:07pm
  - herb1
    
    They were talking about artillery shells mainly. Having lost over 10,000 tanks and 35000 AFVs they’re unable to replace them. NATO don’t need toout produce Russia as Russia can’t eat Ukraine, they’re in no position now or in the foreseeable future to take on NATO.
    
    0 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:15pm
  - greybeard
    
    I believe this.
    They did the same thing in WW2 prior to the Kursk battle. Sheer weight of numbers.
    Learn from history, folks.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:56pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    But does it have any value? The Ukraine war is now almost all drone+ small scale scrabbling (a few men at a time) infantry assaults. Maneuver warfare is dead.
    
    Russian gear is mostly junk. Ukraine outproduces them in FPV drones by a significant margin, though not long range attack drones where Russia probably has a 2 or 3:1 advantage (300 vs 100 a day). Ukraine shoots down ~80%, but it is still hurting them.
    
    Tanks and APVs have lost almost all tactical value – and Russian antique stockpiles are now almost all gone, 10k tanks destroyed, 20k APVs toast, little more than slow easy targets for FPVs, and NATO + Ukraine are now easily outproducing Russia in more valuable 30-40km range self propelled artillery and and MRAPs (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles) that are used for rapid rear support and evac from front line.
    
    Russias old stockpile of 10-20km range artillery systems is now almost all wrecked (30k destroyed). Ukraine is probably at a 2:1 deficit in shell production (due to huge North Korean supplies), but have more accurate and longer range systems. Artillery is near to becoming obsolete anyway due to increasing range of small drones with AI targetting making Artillery too vulnerable.
    
    Nato outproduces Russia in high tech missiles, but they are defensive, million dollar missiles shooting down $50k drones is poor use of resources, which is why focus needs to go on building up supply of Ukrainian ranged attack drones and missiles.
    
    Russia’s big advantage is in glide bombs, 100’s a day of 500-1500kg bombs with 50-100km range, where Ukraine only has a few, and no near term hope of improvement – but more long range drones would do as well, and Russian fear of new F16’s is helping to limit glide bomb use.
    
    Ukraine has had a lot of success targeting explosives factories and ammo depots in recent weeks/months, so may be that Russia’s strikes start to reduce in number in coming months.
    
    1 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:57pm
    - Jake Dee
      
      Ukraine outproduces them in FPV drones by a significant margin,
      Nato outproduces Russia in high tech missiles.
      NATO + Ukraine are now easily outproducing Russia in more valuable 30-40km range self propelled artillery and and MRAPs
      
      Why do you believe any of this?
      Firstly any NATO production is useless to the war in Ukraine if it is not being moved into Ukraine. So how much is actually being sent into the combat zone?
      Secondly, with more resources and man-power in Russia why is it plausible to believe that it is Ukraine which “outproduces them in FPV drones by a significant margin”? Hasn’t Moscow noticed that they are now a crucial weapon in this war?
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 9:40pm
- Jake Dee
  
  Well I agree with half of this.
  There is a massive disconnect in Western propaganda in that 1/2 of it says that Russia is a gigantic threat to Europe and the West but 1/2 of it says they are total bums living off trash and scraps who can’t do anything right and are going to collapse tomorrow.
  So which is it? These sorts of logical absurdities are a clear sign that you’re being lied to.
  That’s the half I agree with.
  The half I don’t agree with is that the West (who is this “we” you speak of?) should do everything in its power to drive Russia back to its pre-2014 borders.
  My rough estimate is that would require a full mobilization of NATO, a million man army fighting over thousands of square kilometers for about 5~10 years in a war that could at anytime become WWIII, and for what? To ensure that Moscow doesn’t control territory that has been in its sphere for centuries.
  Total madness, and that NZ should get involved is double total madness.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 9:29pm
Bridgenag

What They Don’t Tell Us About Treating Pain
Exposing the pain industry and the forgotten treatments for pain

“In my eyes, the root cause of all of this is that since pain is an ideal market, there is very little interest in looking at either the shortcomings of existing treatments or looking into actual treatments for pain which destroy that perpetual revenue stream. Fortunately, the need to reduce wasteful spending (e.g., for costly and unnecessary surgery) MAHA moment is at last giving us a chance to change things and begin looking at the actual causes and treatments for these conditions rather than costly ones that do neither.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/amidwesterndoctor/p/what-they-dont-tell-us-about-treating?r=3rl49t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
2 3
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 1:10pm
- MCōs
  
  Who is this “A Midwestern Doctor” person who wrote the article?
  Taking advice from an anonymous source on medical matters raises real red flags so I asked google who suggested Joseph Mercola a complete charlatan (or not depending on your point of view)
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 4:23pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    “so I asked google”
    
    You trust google? If so, why?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 8:17pm
AitchW

Should logs go into a log burner parallel with the door or perpendicular to it? And why?
Firebox is pretty much square so both ways fit.
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 1:15pm
- Local Miller
  
  Diagonally 🙂
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 2:10pm
- rouppe
  
  The new layer goes perpendicular to the previous layer.
  
  Aids air movement around the fuel.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 3:10pm
  - greybeard
    
    You are winning so far.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:54pm
- Nobby2
  
  Stand them on their end.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 3:15pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  seriously?
  
  If you are starting the fire, then it’s important to have gaps between your logs for good air circulation….so alternating a spaced parallel layer with a spaced perpendicular layer above would be sensible.
  
  Once you’ve got a roaring fire going, I’d opt for adding logs in as perpendicular as possible……
  
  Last week one of my burning logs rolled out the fireplace as I was adding more logs to the fire….by the time I’d manoeuvered it back off the hearth into the fireplace, a couple of embers had smouldered away onto the carpet…. (Nothing a rug can’t hide).
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 3:29pm
Bridgenag

Health Department had evidence of Covid jab risk to kids three years before removing recommendation
Deconstructing revisionist narratives
PETER FAM (OF MAAT’S METHOD)
JUN 12
∙
GUEST POST

“As far as revisionist Covid histories go, there is among them a unifying refrain:
“We did the best we could with the information we had at the time.”
This is BS and should not go unanswered.
In light of the recent news that Australia’s health authorities no longer recommend Covid vaccines for healthy infants, children, and adolescents under the age of 18 because the benefits do not outweigh the risks, human rights lawyer Peter Fam recalls that this was known three years ago – at which time, about half of Australian under-18s had received these shots.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/rebekahbarnett/p/health-department-had-evidence-of?r=5aqwv0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
4 3
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 1:27pm
Jack5

According to Nature Index, China now leads the U.S. in physics and chemistry publications. It ranks a close second in the life sciences.

Nature Index is database that tracks institutions and countries/territories and their scientific output.

https://www.nature.com/nature-index/
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 1:37pm
goNZ1

todays news – ”Passengers on the beleaguered Aratere ferry were stuck on board for hours overnight after it broke down on its way to Wellington.”

The next thing to happen will be the Front Fell Off!
KiwiFail really is a live version of Clark & Dawe
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 1:43pm
- Taieri
  
  Passengers on the beleaguered Aratere ferry were stuck on board for hours overnight
  ———-
  
  Four foot passengers and seven truck drivers. Eleven passengers in total.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 2:58pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Gee, was it a dwarf voyage?
    
    Or several dogs?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 7:11pm
- Groggy
  
  “The next thing to happen will be the Front Fell Off!” Closer than you think – The doors of the Kaitaki were also damaged a couple of days ago in the last storm and it’s out of service while they are welded shut. So down to one functioning ferry. Shame some idiot with an English major cancelled the replacements as 2029 is a fair way away with the rust buckets we currently have.
  
  0 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 4:26pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360721315/watch-why-crusaders-hooker-codie-taylor-delivered-classic-sledge-against-blues-opponent
This looks to me as if it is an Auckland-generated response to what Rieko Ioane said about the Crusaders a few days ago.
I personally hope that the Crusaders give the Blues a bloody good hiding.
2 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 1:54pm
- MCōs
  
  I’m a previous Timaruvian. In my youth I cheered for any team playing against the red and blacks.
  Those of us who lived south of the Rakia were an easy going people in contrast to the one eyed, howling mob of thugs who supported the Canterbury ogres.
  So I’ll be hoping the plucky Blues, who aren’t used to playing in sub zero temperatures, beat the Crusaders
  
  3 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 4:07pm
  - Hugh Jarse
    
    That’s because Timaruvians just can’t be bothered getting excited about their rugby teams, at best South Canterbury has only ever had a third division team. It’s easier to just be easy going with low expectations through gritted teeth.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 4:39pm
  - The Housekeeper
    
    Wouldn’t “easy going” mean you don’t care who wins? You seem to care.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 5:11pm
goNZ1

may be time to fill up your car – this just in from the Times of Israel.
”US begins evacuating Mideast embassies, army bases as Iran nuclear talks come to a head.
”UK maritime group issues warning to shipping in the region.
Iranian defense minister threatens to strike US bases amid stalled talks”
2 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 2:22pm
cmm

Dithering is not leadership.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360721662/labour-outgrows-national-latest-poll
5 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 3:24pm
- SmokerGuy
  
  Although the heat hasn’t gone on this coalition of morons yet it’s frightening that people support Labour when their only option is to go with the Greens and TPM.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 4:22pm
Hugh Jarse

Once again having no policy and snapping at every passing car seems to be working for Labour. However National need to start talking to and listening to Joe Average and addressing his/her concerns instead of their Wellington based advisors or this country is dog tucker at the next election.
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 4:12pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360721662/labour-outgrows-national-latest-poll

Bullshit.
3 5
Log in to Reply
Report
June 12, 2025 4:51pm
- kowtow
  
  Low iq swing voters with very short memories and dependent on state handouts .
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 12, 2025 5:57pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    We should all be grateful for the piercing insight of anonymous KB analysts who give us the benefit of their brainpower for nix ….
    
    Possibly a reasonable measure of what it is worth 🙂
    
    2 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 7:00pm
    - Jack5
      
      As long as there’s one person in the blog hall we’ll prattle on, Ian B. 🤓
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 12, 2025 7:14pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    kowtow: “Low iq swing voters with very short memories and dependent on state handouts.”
    
    I think many take for granted the cruisey life that the west has generally provided for 80 or so years. They have no idea what sustains such a lifestyle. They want the bells and whistles to be provided for them but don’t want the societal foundations that make those bells and whistles possible into the future.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 12, 2025 8:25pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« We’re running out of gas

Immigration is a terrible issue for the Democrats »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 40.4K other subscribers

Highlights

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

Links

The hidden power within children: "an intense motivation to perceive reality"
Not PC
Creepy Jealous Ray Chung gets Wang Chunged tonight
The Daily Blog
Expanding the Milei Miracle: Labor Market Deregulation
Utopia
My Dream Is Coming True
No Minister
Word of the day
Hompaddock
Is there a relationship between marriage rates and welfare dependence?
Point of Order
Open Mike 12/07/25
The Standard
Forum 2025 speakers Dr Miriam Grossman / Israel & Maria Folau
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
Gas is still dead
No Right Turn
NRL Predictions for Round 19
Stats Chat
The State of Local Government
NZCPR
Careful what you wish for.
Kiwipolitico
41 questions
Croaking Cassandra
Social media slippery slopes
Offsetting Behaviour
THE WORKING FROM HOME RACKET BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
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: