About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

July 18, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 18 July 2025

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment203

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (203)

Login to comment or vote

NeverMindTheBollocks

Starmer oppresses 15 year olds.

The UK is to extend the franchise for general elections to 16 and 17 year olds.

The quid pro quo, surely, is to make youths fully responsible as adults for all of their decisions.

And so the descent into madness continues.

http://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c628ep4j5kno
51 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:02am
- sirknz
  
  Expect the Greens and Labour to jump up and down about this.
  
  18 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:29am
- Scott
  
  NeverMind- but let’s be fair, Starmer is going to need those young, easily manipulated voters! Given that he is already huge unpopular, floods of illegals are coming into the country in record breaking numbers and everything he does makes him more unpopular, he’s going to have get his votes from somewhere.
  
  Will he even get through to the next election? 🤔
  
  17 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:40am
  - rouppe
    
    Exactly why he’s doing it. Scoop up all the climate change/ free Palestine/antifa indoctrinaires.
    
    9 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:59pm
    - Eastlander
      
      Joke’s on him then, the Jezzbollah party will scoop up that lot!
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 5:01pm
- cmm
  
  Considering the demographics of UK, that is likely to slew the voting in favour of the immigrant population.
  
  They breed faster – hence more young ones – and those youngsters born in UK will all be allowed to vote.
  
  32 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:42am
  - I remember when
    
    Long term thinking.
    The Party’s benefits and the next election.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:08am
  - R
    
    Part of the long term plan to totally socialize the nation
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 10:01am
  - AitchW
    
    From X, migrant Muslims in the UK want the voting age reduced to 13 to allow their wives to vote…..
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 2:33pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      I’d be surprised if they actually wanted to enfranchise rape victims.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 5:29pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  Yes, looking forward to closing down the “youth justice” industry, and prosecuting the little scrotes as adults.
  
  13 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:07am
- lastmanstanding
  
  As I have posted in the past I have no problem with young people having the vote. Provided they like all voters have to pass an IQ test and a rigorous and robust political knowledge test before they are handed a ballot paper.
  Otherwise you have the dumb and the ignorant voting. Not healthy for a functioning democracy.
  
  9 11
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:19am
  - Cassandra
    
    We have the dumb and ignorant n Parliament so why not voting too?
    
    12 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:45am
    - Positan
      
      The “dumb and ignorant” have materialised NZ parliaments in far greater numbers since the adoption of MMP and lowering of the voting age from 21.
      
      It’s all very well to claim “this is more representative” because that ignores and overlooks the plain fact that the only possible optimal outcome demands that INFORMED votes are cast by voters who’re actually informed and aware – rather than having the process, as we’ve seen to our detriment, be determined and finalised by emotive “judgment.”
      
      On the basis of their performance and “contribution”, where lies any justification for input from Green and Maori Party “representatives.”
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 10:21am
  - Jethrod
    
    In New Zealand an IQ test would wipe out 10% of National , Act and NZFIRST Voters, 40% of Labour, 70% of Green and 95% of Maori party voters.
    So perhaps not a bad idea.
    
    18 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:48am
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      It’s a smug, deluded idea. In my university workplace, I’m surrounded by high-IQ people who support Labour, Greens and even TMP.
      
      12 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 12:19pm
      - R
        
        Obviously not a high IQ required organisation
        
        10 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 12:49pm
      - NothingLeft
        
        Places that prioritize doctrinal adherence to the far left cult, to the point of exclusion and cancellation and who have over last 3 decades defenestrated any heretical heterodox from their halls.
        
        2 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 5:32pm
  - than
    
    I would prefer it to be the age you first get a full time job that you can vote, rather than a fixed age of 16. At least prove yourself in the real world.
    
    I’d still prefer it to be 18 than that, but if I were to concede to the left on it, it’s be that.
    
    6 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 10:13am
    - cmm
      
      Make that once you’ve paid PAYE for a year.
      
      11 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:23am
      - than
        
        That’s better even.
        
        7 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 11:35am
      - Colville
        
        I havent paid PAYE in 34 years! 🙂
        
        2 2
        Report
        July 18, 2025 12:49pm
      - cmm
        
        Colville: So you’ve paid PAYE/income tax for at least a year of your life. You get to vote!
        
        The idea is to filter out all the people that think money grows on trees.
        
        2 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 3:33pm
    - alwyn.a
      
      A young relative of mine is currently working on a PhD at Cambridge University in the UK. That follows on from a First Class Honours degree in New Zealand in Mathematics.
      By your rules he will not be allowed to vote next year. Would you think was less qualified to vote than someone who has a job at a takeaway shop?
      
      4 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 12:16pm
      - R
        
        Doubtful!….no real world work experiences.
        
        8 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 12:52pm
      - Graeme Hall
        
        Success in one field does not necessarily translate to another. I’m sure my experience on social media is not unusual. I’ve come across many people online with impressive qualifications & highly paid professional jobs expressing the most naive political views. They are experts in their fields but have only a child-like grasp of economics and political issues.
        
        3 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 1:58pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        “Would you think was less qualified to vote than someone who has a job at a takeaway shop?”
        
        Exhibit A: J Ardern
        
        6 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 3:21pm
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    Where does it state you need an IQ test to vote?
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 10:14am
  - Eastlander
    
    You realise how that would work in practice today? ‘Oh, terribly sorry Mr lastmanstanding, I’m afraid you’ve been removed from the general roll for insufficient cultural competency and climate awareness, good luck at your next assessment!’
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:19pm
- RoboRob
  
  Reducing the age to vote is totally braindead but not unexpected from the UK government.
  Hell even 18 is too young in many ways. You really need some life experience before you decide on which policies are better for your country. A 16yr old at school and living at home doesn’t have any understanding of the cost effects of the left wing policies they will vote for. Which is of course why so many left wing parties are heavily in favour of giving children the vote, their policies are equally child like.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:20am
- Pope Punctilious II
  
  The real tragedy here is that the UK “conservatives” won’t have the guts to reverse this irresponsible policy – if they ever get back in, that is.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:36am
  - kowtow
    
    Ah but Reform will .
    
    I’ve read that polling suggests a u18 vote in favour of Reform !
    Despite that Farage has said that even though this policy actually favours Reform , he’s against it.
    On that basis I expect a Reform govt woud reverse this latest madness from the so called “mainstream” of politics.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:19am
    - Wandering Star
      
      “Despite that Farage has said that even though this policy actually favours Reform , he’s against it.”
      
      He must be an idiot, then. Imagine being against a policy that you acknowledge would increase your share of the vote.
      
      0 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 1:59pm
    - waikatosinger
      
      A reform government would be a thing. But Farage is a bit of a one man band so I am not sure how likely that is. He is the UK version of Winston Peters.
      
      1 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 2:58pm
  - R
    
    The real tragedy is, that some socialist party introduced the legislation in the first place.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:54pm
  - AitchW
    
    What has happened to Great Britain? The country which faced 6years of WW2 with a brave face and defiant attitude while many of its men were overseas fighting has turned into a simpering milquetoast.
    Her Majesty would have been horrified at what’s happened.
    Surely King Charles is hammering Starmer at their weekly meeting?
    Pardon my French, but what the fuck is happening?
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 2:40pm
    - kowtow
      
      ‘Surely King Charles is hammering Starmer at their weekly meeting?’
      
      C III can’t say much as it’s not in his job description , since C I lost his ‘ead for similar.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 4:29pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      What has happened to Great Britain?
      
      The country that boldly went ahead with a plan to create a Singapore of Europe with boldly loosened restrictions that make everyone richer and happier. By cutting themselves off from their biggest market t here wouldbe UKP350m per week to improve the NHS (the figure turned out to be bullshit) and there would be no Turks or Serbians coming in from the EU. Fourteen years of progressive liberal Tory gummints led by the likes of Johnson, Truss and Sunak.
      
      I read a good book – “How we broke Britain” – that sort of explains it. Basicaly the country is historically run by toffs who pass laws that work for them.
      
      Currently there are similarities with NZ – housing affordability is shit, job prospects ditto, jails overcrowded ….. one could go on.
      
      That was fourteen years of Tory rule with Brexit (which worked out so well) in the middle. What would Farage do better? Cutting down immigration is a bit like peeing in a wetsuit – makes you feel all warm for a while ….
      
      Brexit is of course beyond relitigation.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 5:52pm
- Taieri
  
  The UK is to extend the franchise for general elections to 16 and 17 year olds
  ————
  
  This doesn’t go far enough.
  
  To achieve a truly representative Democracy, 16 years old should be able to stand for and be elected to the Parliament and Local Government.
  
  In fact, consideration should be given to extend this to all ages, as otherwise, under-16s will still be left without their voices being heard.
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:00am
  - peterwn
    
    Years ago there was a far fetched radio piece where a mother who went to the council to register her new born son was handed a form to be a candidate in a forthcoming Parliamentary byelection. Mum filled it in, not noticing it was the wrong form and the kid WON the byelection and became a MP. Of course that was intolerable so he was appointed as the ‘Keeper of the Chiltern Hundreds’ to get him out of Parliament (British MP’s cannot resign so are appointed to a sinecure where the appointee altomatically vacates his seat in the Commons). The kid then started receiving letters offering him company directorships.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 1:58pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  Those Labour Party crooks make outhouse rodents look naive.
  That Afghanistan carry-on in the U.K. has cost taxpayers Christ knows how many thousands of millions of pounds.
  Throw in a stupid idea like 16 year olds voting and it will divert the public’s attention from that totally embarrassing far cup.
  
  16 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:15am
  - MCōs
    
    The ‘Afghanistan carry-on’ dates back to the previous administration, doesn’t it?
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 10:25am
    - kowtow
      
      yes .
      
      It is in the UK at least now revealed as a major scandal , and yes entirely down to the Conservatives.
      
      9 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:21am
      - rouppe
        
        From what I heard on Newstalk zb this morning, the leaker is an Afghan refugee that essentially blackmailed the uk government of the time to get brought in.
        
        Now he’s done it again.
        
        Never reward criminals. All should be tossed back now
        
        10 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 1:04pm
    - RoboRob
      
      As far as I can tell there was very little difference between the Conservatives and Labour. Which is why ‘Reform’ has taken off and now leads both, with almost double the support of the conservatives.
      
      People aren’t as tied to the existing parties as some seem to think.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:23am
    - cmm
      
      There isn’t really a good side or a bad side in UK politics any more.
      
      Yes, the leak happened in February 2022. That was bad.
      
      They spent the last 3 years uplifting 16,000 Afghanis and bringing them to the UK for safety. That was the right thing to do, IMHO. It was also the right thing to slap a D-notice on this while they did the uplift.
      
      What’s worse is how this is going to be exploited into the future and how this is going to be used as something for illegal immigrants to hide behind.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:37am
  - cmm
    
    “That Afghanistan carry-on in the U.K. has cost taxpayers Christ knows how many thousands of millions of pounds.”
    
    Certainly it has cost them, but that is small bikkies compared to the problems of illegal immigrants with which it these people get conflated.
    
    I think looking after the people they have compromised in Afghanistan is the right thing to do. Probably most agree. But the big problem is that this also gives a curtain for illegal immigrants to hide behind too.
    
    In some ways you even wonder whether this was deliberate.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:29am
- NZer In Exile
  
  Hell, the UK is now an insane mess. Why not finish it off completely by giving half developed brains filled with far left brainwashing the vote!
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 7:44pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

The media bemoan the price of dairy products. They ignore the link between their relentless campaigning against farming and rising prices.

It’s as if butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360760873/food-prices-climb-46-year-june
37 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:02am
- Swifty
  
  It’s all National’s fault apparently.
  
  I’m the last week alone I’ve read both Hipkins and Edmonds saying exactly that.
  
  More naked lying from Labour.
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:33am
- Inandout
  
  My other half for years fried fish in expensive cold pressed olive oil that has now reached $32. So remembering my Mum used to fry in butter we decided to try that again. The fish actually tasted better without that oily flavour and I presume butter is pretty much additive free. So paying $8 to $10 for a pack of butter isn’t what we are used to but our export prices take precedence.
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:46am
  - balanced
    
    Try using avocado oil with a small dollop of butter….. Much tastier and healthier.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:12am
  - kowtow
    
    Too right.
    
    The flip side of “expensive butter” is the country as a whole is doing well .
    
    But the crazy left ( and any carbon nutters , Blue Greens) simply don’t understand or even care about the basics of economics or the wider economy , as they virtue signal by attacking the rural and productive sector .
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:24am
  - infused
    
    I didn’t think you were meant to fry in that oil. Butter is good anyway. People need more butter in their lives.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:29am
    - Bridgenag
      
      Beat up a litre of cream and add what you like to make a tasty butter look online for more details
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 1:08pm
  - Colville
    
    Clarified butter, capers, white wine, a touch of lemon zest.
    
    Mmmm 🙂
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:51pm
- G152
  
  Well they have made butter so expensive no-one would waste it ‘melting in their mouth’
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:19am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  The same butter they tried to tell fools was bad for them, turns out now that was false
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:15am
- JerJer
  
  I actually don’t get it. How many blocks of butter to people actually use, one per week ? It is really making that much difference paying an extra 3-4 bucks for a block of butter each week…..really ? I see all this moaning and complaining about grocery prices but there are ways and means, you shop around, you grow stuff. I keep a close eye on our spending on groceries, and over the last 2-3 years, it has not really gone up at all. My view is people are complaining because a) they can, and b) they are lazy. With regard to butter, at the end of the day butter is in demand, the price is up a lot. That will be temporary. The product that goes into butter (cream), is only slightly up. So, make your own if you have to….it isn’t that hard.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:16am
  - leoj
    
    ……..it has not really gone up at all.
    
    What world are you living in?
    
    Please tells us your grocery store.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:45am
    - JerJer
      
      I live in a world where I can easily find bargains and specials and buy in bulk. I actually buy butter in bulk, and have a large deep freeze. Butter costs me $3 bucks a pound, and it’s not from CostCo. Family of 4, 300 bucks a week, been the same for years. Shop smarter and plan. This weekend I will go shellfish collecting, and have a bunch of seafood in the freezer…which will be free. I have a freezer full of frozen fruit and vegetables from our own garden…basically free. It is possible.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 12:56pm
  - Taieri
    
    It is really making that much difference paying an extra 3-4 bucks for a block of butter each week…..really
    ——–
    
    No, it doesn’t.
    But, when you start paying 3-4 bucks extra for all other things each week…it does.
    
    So, make your own if you have to….it isn’t that hard
    ——–
    
    No it isn’t. But making your own is considerably more expensive than buying. Been there, done that…
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:08pm
    - Bridgenag
      
      No much cheaper
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 1:09pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Its dearer.
        About 1.3 litres of cream at 38% fat is needed to make 500g of butter.
        
        2 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 3:36pm
      - JerJer
        
        Correct. You can purchase 2 litres of cream for 12.99, which means you can make 800gm of butter for 13 bucks. 6.5 a pound.
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 4:34pm
  - pdm
    
    jer jer – for most of our married 55 and a bit years we have grocery shopped at New World and still do.
    
    We changed to Greenmeadows New World 3 or 4 years ago because Hastings NW was/is crap. This means a fortnightly 30k round trip but, we still buy what we want/need.
    
    In addition we took in our now coming up 21 year old grandson when he turned 14 so providing for his appetite pushes the bill up a bit. Yes he now pays board and has done so since he turned 16, left school, not that he went much and got a job.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:54pm
  - AitchW
    
    I think the price of butter will continue to climb. It won’t come down as long as the world wants butter. With the climate crisis mob baying for dairy farming to be banned internationally the supply will remain static at best or reduce over time.
    I believe Chris Hipkins has a solution,he simply won’t tell anyone what it is.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 2:45pm
    - R
      
      Hipkins has a solution???!
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 7:52pm
  - Colville
    
    a litre of cream is circa $9 and will produce 4-500grams of butter.
    so why make your own?
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 2:52pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Three parent babies are now being made, with DNA from two women and a man.

Currently it’s to prevent the inheritance of mitochondrial DNA errors.

How long before lesbians demand access as a “human right”?

http://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8179z199vo
14 5
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:02am
- cmm
  
  How long before children are suing their parents for not using this, and similar, technology to ensure they have supreme genes?
  
  I could have become an Olympic athlete but my parents gave me shitty genes. They let me down. They owe me $5 million.
  
  11 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:56am
- NZer In Exile
  
  Feminists and other assorted lefty nuts have been dreaming of messing up the traditional family using genetic interference for decades.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:01pm
cmm

It is time for the NZ government to formally acknowledge the victims of state brutality.

No, not the people locked up during Covid.
No, not the children let down by OT.

Of course I mean the true victims in society – those locked up by the courts, especially child sex offenders.

Brad Bowers is seeking $575,000 in damages, the state to pay for independent outside psychological services and a written apology for the trauma he experienced by attending the sex offender rehabilitation programme in Rolleston Prison.

All criminality first stems from over-entitlement – criminals must first feel that their feelings and wants matter far more than anyone else’s. They can help themselves to what they want – no matter the impact on others.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360760660/child-sex-offender-felt-traumatised-treatment-wants-apology-and-575k
32 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:03am
Cassandra

I posted a comment yesterday about the Australian PMs visit to China. Re the end of China’s Darwin port lease: That has led Chinese commentators to say that any forced sale of the port could trigger “countermeasures” from China, including on Australia’s A$100B iron ore trade. The potential for any such action is fast becoming the biggest threat to the stability of the Australia-China relationship. Australia has a difficult job, balancing competing interests. As does NZ of course.
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:05am
- cmm
  
  Of course the Chinese would get pissy if they feel slighted. With a rising feeling of their position on the world stage they’d be very sensitive to that.
  
  I would think though that there is some bluster in this as Australia exports 50% of the world’s iron ore supply and China would want access to that.
  
  China can still get massive amounts of ore from their BRICS partners: Brazil and South Africa. South Africa’s capacity has fallen off a cliff though due to decaying infrastructure. That possibly gives China a foot in the door there – fix the infrastructure and secure access to the ore at reduced prices.
  
  16 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:22am
  - Keith White
    
    China is in an interesting position, from a population perspective, which is likely to – inevitably will – define its future world-role over the next decades.
    
    China claims to have 1.4 billion population give-and-take a few tens of millions; India 1.5. But since both China and India started near the same baseline back in the 60s, and China had the one-baby-only policy, has China really got that many? And from a cultural perspective, how many of the singleton boys that survived abortion (so many of the singleton girl babies didn’t) are their parents willing to sacrifice to the CCCP’s ambitions, especially considering their only son is their sole source of retirement funding?
    
    Last but not all trivially, the only source of China’s population is China itself; no other source has ever been able to verify this claim. Hmmm…
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:07am
    - cmm
      
      “But since both China and India started near the same baseline back in the 60s, and China had the one-baby-only policy, has China really got that many?”
      
      That is certainly a valid question and there are many claiming that the numbers are inflated.
      
      Chinese life expectancy is around 79 years and India is 68 years. That can massively change the population numbers even with the difference in birth rates.
      
      What is undisputed is that China’s population is skewed very heavily towards older people and India’s population is skewed younger. That means China is going to have a population slump in the next few years vs continuing, if slowed, growth in India.
      
      By 2080 or so, China is expected to be below 1 billion and India at 1.6billion having hit a peak of 1.7bn around 2064.
      
      https://www.indiatoday.in/diu/story/india-vs-china-what-changes-in-population-structures-mean-for-both-countries-and-the-world-2324254-2023-01-20
      
      Indiatoday, so apply a pinch of salt.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:08am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Make that curry 🙂
        
        3 2
        Report
        July 18, 2025 11:21am
      - Colville
        
        Chinas demographics have been proven to be a lie when real numbers came out during Covid.
        Previously regional authorities were encouraged to inflate numbers as govt funding is based upon population.
        As China continues to shrink and age they will very quickly reach a point where they they can one sustain themselves, simply not enough young people to look after the old.
        Tens of millions of couples in their 50’s and 60’s will soon retire and they only have one child to earn to support them.
        So Chinas internal consumption of goods will fall off a cliff as families dont have disposable income to purchase anything but food, also the worker pool will shrink massively as people stay home to care for oldies.
        
        2 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 1:03pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        I think the world is about to be utterly turned on it’s head with AI and robotics, apparently within 2 or so years according to a bunch of AI founders. There will be huge numbers out of work. Only a small percentage of people have the ability for advanced coding and robotics.
        
        Under such a scenario, I’m thinking having VERY limited human reproduction might be a good idea.
        
        Brace yourself.
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 8:07pm
    - RoboRob
      
      I dont trust ANY figures coming out of China. Remember they were the epicenter of COVID yet claim a tiny number of deaths. Even though we could see the photos of mass grave sites.
      
      China only recently admitted to population decline yet many have claimed it has been dropping for a decade. Some claim it’s alrad under 1billion.
      
      https://finsavvymike.substack.com/p/what-is-chinas-population-really
      
      https://www.newsweek.com/china-hiding-population-secret-1926834
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:34am
      - NeonTeepee
        
        To be fair. The actual Covid flu didn’t kill many so China may be correct. The west pumped numbers to scare people into the dreadful MRNA experiment.
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 6:16pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Read an article a few days ago, which I cant find now, that was saying that while Chinese exports are up and GDP is growing the domestic economy is falling apart. Workers getting 28% pay cuts, jobs are hard to find and many teachers haven’t been paid by state governments for months.
    
    Essentially the government is pushing export prices down by cutting wages or just not paying. Many workers mention relying on parents to survive. Regional governments are going broke. In the short term that is keeping exports up but it likely cant continue long term.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:31am
    - cmm
      
      “Many workers mention relying on parents to survive.”
      
      Not a good situation with a rapidly aging population where the oldies will be dependent on the youngsters.
      
      The biggest question is surely what the government will do to distract the people from the mess. Will this encourage them to take military actions like reclaiming Taiwan?
      
      There’s nothing like a good old war – especially when you have a surplus of young unemployed people to run through the grinder.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:13am
      - RoboRob
        
        I think that is the danger. Couple that with the population decline and China only has a relatively small window of time where they are capable of reclaiming Taiwan.
        
        5 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 11:27am
    - Ra Henare
      
      Just as official Chinese figures are to be challenged. So is the MSM fed by Western Propoganda. ie an article says.
      
      Somewhere between the two will be some semblance of truth.
      
      A few years ago NZ was apparently approaching 3rd world status with people reduced to living in cars. Pickup up from Labour PR and expanded by MSM.
      
      So the reported oh gosh items from MSM
      ie
      Essentially the government is pushing export prices down by cutting wages or just not paying. Many workers mention relying on parents to survive. Regional governments are going broke.
      
      A little bit of digging will find that Government is not cutting wages etc but there is a good old capitalist price war going on between EV manufacturers(for a starter). So they have reduced workforces and salaries to stay in business.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 3:24pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  The Darwin Port lease was a serious unforced error. I am sure the politicians involved would never have accepted gifts or campaign donations….
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:09am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Or been coaxed into and recorded engaging in criminal/highly-damaging behaviour and thus compromised (a la “kompromat”).
    
    https://www.oed.com/dictionary/kompromat_n?tl=true
    
    No no no. Couldn’t have happened there.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 8:15pm
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  New Zealand balances this bravely by doing anything China wants.
  
  5 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:32am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Just wait for China to demand the right to reimport overseas Chinese to boost the motherland’s population.
  
  It will happen, and you read it here first.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 3:27pm
Tom Hunter

Over in the US the new star of the Democrat Party and possible future Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, says he’d be in favor of the “abolition of private property”, if that’s what it takes to provide public housing.

Combine this with his other on-the-record statement where he said, “The end goal is seizing the means of production”, and I joyfully await another idiot turning up here to argue that he’s not a communist.

The fact that he likely won’t be able to do any of this shit as NYC Mayor makes it no different from having a Roman Catholic Mayor who is anti-abortion but doesn’t have the power to enforce that. Such a person would still be an anti-abortion Roman Catholic.
25 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:23am
- Swifty
  
  Yeah, I noticed a certain poster here last week flatly denied Mamdani had ever made those statements.
  
  Will he deny this too?
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:38am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Yep even when the evidence is right in front of their faces, they still work furiously to try and spin it away.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 8:23pm
- Cassandra
  
  Stepping stone to Congress? Enough AOCs and they’ll change the Democratic Party. At least the current charade of right wing Dems would be over.
  
  13 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:42am
- cmm
  
  He might be Communist, but he’s not a “real” Marxist.
  
  Marx’s doctrine can be summarized by one of his quotes “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”
  
  Most of the modern Communists just focus on the “to each according to his needs” bit. That’s the bit that appeals to the hand-out culture they speak to. They avoid the “from each according to his ability” bit because that sounds like hard work.
  
  15 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:48am
  - Ruahine
    
    cmm.
    More like each according to their wants.
    That would be more accurate.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:21am
    - cmm
      
      Yup, envy is a mortal sin for a reason.
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 11:15am
  - Don Beckett
    
    Isn’t there an amendment to the constitution outlawing communism?
    
    3 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 10:39am
    - cmm
      
      I don’t think communism is outlawed by the constitution.
      
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_amendments_to_the_Constitution_of_the_United_States
      
      The Communist Party of USA (CPUSA) claims growing membership 20,000 in 2024, an increase of 5,000 since the previous year.
      
      They even had some presidential candidates.
      
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communist_Party_USA
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 10:56am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Stand corrected & informed 🙂
        
        3 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 11:06am
- Scott
  
  Tom – I think that Zohran is a text book example of a young politician who is very confident and let’s be honest, is a great communicator. His social media posts get a lot of traction as he walks the streets of New York, smiling and having selfies with besotted bystanders.
  
  The thing is that he’s confident because he’s never actually run anything, he’s hardly had a job and he is a socialist, believing that if we only implemented socialism properly all would be well. Utopia is only a step away.
  
  He actually reminds me of a NZ politician who spoke nicely and once elected to power locked her citizens under virtual house arrest for months at a time.
  But she did smile nicely and many people liked her smile and that’s obviously the most important thing. 😁
  
  15 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:50am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    So, the secret of populism is great dentistry?
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 3:28pm
- Mike
  
  Get back to us when he collectivizes NYC’s agriculture.
  He’s mainly doing well in the absence of any credible opponents. When the opposition is Adams, Cuomo and Sliwa, Mamdani doesn’t need to do much to win.
  
  3 11
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:23am
  - Swifty
    
    Do you still deny he said he wished to seize the means of production?
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:53pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Mike doesn’t reply when he knows he’s been caught out.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 8:24pm
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  He is a communist, but the last few mayors have forced people of their land because they css as by afford rates. Crippling rate rises has sent people to the south, and to me that is quite communism, it’s funny the step rate hikes here appear to be from Marxist mayors, Sorros filth one thinks
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:18am
- Wandering Star
  
  “The fact that he likely won’t be able to do any of this shit as NYC Mayor…”
  
  Who cares if he’s a communist, then, if he has no ability to do what he says he would like to do?
  
  He might say he’d like to flap his arms and start flying, but nobody would care because he has no ability to implement his goal.
  
  I’m glad we can now stop going on about his communistic tendencies as if they were in any way relevant in the real world.
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 2:07pm
  - Tom Hunter
    
    Funnily enough that’s exactly the same attitude that Zinoviev, Kamenev, Trotsky and others had about the mundane “General Secretary”, Joseph Stalin – circa 1922.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 6:54pm
- Ra Henare
  
  If you believe that Zohran Mamdari will be the next Mayor of New York. Then you discount that NY voters have no brains.
  This is obviously not true!
  While NY has a high percentage of voters under 29yo (58%)
  Only 12.8% of them voted in last Novembers general election.
  Zohrans selection in the primary was IMHO an aberation
  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-results-new-york-city-mayors-race-democratic-primary
  
  Cuomo is running as an independent and will suck a lot of voters from this idiot.
  
  possible future Mayor of New York City
  
  0 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 3:34pm
  - MCōs
    
    It’s quite obvious that Cuomo’s biggest disadvantage is that he’s Cuomo and has a lot of big party machine baggage
    
    1 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 4:55pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    A lot of sane people have already fled NY since the coof.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 8:27pm
sirknz

$5 says that this ‘queer migrant with health issues’ is an absolute pain in the backside to live with.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360760784/were-very-straight-flat-queer-migrant-house-hunting-struggles
9 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:33am
- cmm
  
  My standard bet of 50 cents and a servo pie says this person made zero effort to fit in and be easy to get on with.
  
  Sounds like one of those “Look at meeeeee, I’m special!” types that throw a wobbler for zero reason and need everyone to walk on egg shells around them.
  
  This is nothing about being trans, a migrant or any other thing. It’s about being an arrogant, entitled, dickhead.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:21am
- artemisia
  
  Flatties can choose who they make a room offer to. Just need to make sure an unlawful reason is not given. If it is there is recourse to the Human Rights Review Tribunal, but unlikely to go that far.
  
  But basically, an applicant who looks like a poor fit with the flat is unlikely to get the OK.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:33am
  - Swifty
    
    In a flatting situation artemisia (private individuals choosing to live with other private individuals) the Residential Tenancies legislation doesn’t apply.
    
    You can both advertise and live with whomever you choose. For example it’s perfectly lawful to advertise for a gay woman flattie or a straight male flatty.
    
    It might be unwise to advertise “No Irish” or “No trans” but it is not unlawful.
    
    It’s only when a landlord is offering a tenancy that you must not discriminate, by law.
    
    Pretty sure that’s the case.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:03pm
    - artemisia
      
      Correct about the RT Act, but I thought the Human Rights Act applies. But no. Have just looked it up and there is an exception in relation to (only) shared residential accommodation s54.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 12:40pm
- rouppe
  
  Probably wouldn’t want a black power member as a flatmate either. Or a vegan, if the flat is omnivore. Or any number of different reasons.
  
  Just moaning
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 1:15pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yes, these moaners want everyone to make allowances for them, but they never make allowances for others.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 3:47pm
Paulus

Look as though Starmer is getting, with a stuffed economy, to get his way back to re joining the EC.
Friend returned yesterday from 3 months leave, and his, as an ex pom, comment was “it’s very dull”.
But Mum is still 95.
10 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:49am
- Scott
  
  Paulus – that’s the thing about Starmer and the British Labour Party generally. They are globalists. Of course they want to get back into the EU. They don’t want all that British culture. They are enlightened children of the world. Remember diversity is our strength! 🤔
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:52am
- RoboRob
  
  Like rejoining the EU will solve any of the UKs issues. A nice distraction though.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:34am
- cmm
  
  Why stop at joining the EC? Why not go all in and join the EU – Euro and all.
  
  That would help out Starmer’s mates. They wouldn’t need to cross over from France in rubber boats.
  
  9 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:36am
  - Mike
    
    At a minimum, the UK should join the EEA, like Norway and Iceland.
    
    3 11
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 9:39am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Would they be ruled by silly woke twats if they did that?
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 8:31pm
Jack5

UK border crashers through the front door:

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ibo-GsIjTAk?si=BUYzHGU2Ks7dl__Y
4 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:53am
Yvette

Ownership?
I received a business email from Australia this morning, with the following two sentences, as prominent as the typeface (importance) in any other part of the email –

I acknowledge the □□□□□□ people of the □□□□□□□ Nation as the traditional owners of the land on which I work.  I also acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which our meetings take place across Australia and New Zealand.

So, I just wonder, if this came to pass here, would collectively as many communications as carried this, be as legally binding as the Treaty of Waitangi currently is?
Or is this as silly as any other cosmic revelation that occurs during the morning perch on the Throne of All Truth?
7 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 8:53am
- kowtow
  
  The problem with all this empty race rhetoric virtue signalling is there’s no push back ( and yes I can understand why )
  
  But the correct reply should be ;
  
  Given you acknowledge “traditional ownership” etc why then have you not passed your title deeds over to same .
  
  10 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:31am
Keith White

Meanwhile…

‘A paper entitled “Evaluating Vaccine Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights from Statistical and Machine Learning Methods”, has found that contrary to expectations, vaccinated individuals lost 40% more working days due to Covid infection than their unvaccinated counterparts (p<0.0001).

'But the vaccinated were not just taking a higher number of days off work, they were also dying in greater numbers as a study entitled Paradoxical increase in global COVID-19 deaths with vaccination coverage: World Health Organization estimates (2020–2023) published in April of this year concludes: "The Americas (39.8%) and Europe (34.1%) accounted for more than 70% of global COVID-19 deaths despite high vaccination".

'Moreover Covid deaths increased when Covid vaccination began belatedly on continents like Africa.

Well now, can't have that harshing the narrative – no NZ-MSM coverage at all…
11 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:00am
cmm

I was reading the article about rower Zack Rumble making a twat of himself in the USA and something got me thinking…

One of the things I’ve noticed in things like US cop shows is that any resistance at all is considered “resisting arrest” and even the slightest pushing or touching is considered “battery on a law enforcement officer”.

I wonder whether that was always the case?

Certainly nobody should put hands on a the police or resist arrest, but I wonder whether the bar has been lowered because police are less capable of taking argy-bargy than they were when I was a lad? Perhaps this is due to putting less emphasis on strength and allowing dainty females onto the front line?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/top-nz-rower-zack-rumble-apologises-over-seattle-incident-cops-booze-ban/LPRM4ROH3NFA5O6TSDXEUJHKV4/
10 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:02am
- Cassandra
  
  Back in the good old days, cmm, hitting a copper would get you a right old thumping. Probably better now although it must be tempting. One of my family took early retirement (the perf) because he felt he was going to do someone a mischief one day.
  
  8 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:49am
  - cmm
    
    Is it really better these days? I think it is better when people know that non-compliance is a stupid thing and thus are less likely to try.
    
    The main rule of argy-bargy is that it is better to give than receive. A drink/drug addled person or crim is unlikely to take on a burly cop that looks like he can dish it out. This is safer for everyone and tends to make people far more complaint.
    
    It is far less safe when the person thinks they have a chance in a scuffle and lashes out. Even if a smaller cop is well trained and can dish it out, what matters is whether they are perceived to be dangerous or not.
    
    Of course I am not advocating for police roaming the streets beating people up, just having cops that can turn it on when needed.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 10:43am
    - AitchW
      
      The problem is that pretty much every interaction the cops have with truculent morons is recorded on mobile phones. Such recordings can easily be edited to cast the cop in a bad light.
      An incident which once would have been dealt with by a swift kick in the backside or clip around the ear must now return to the station along with all the accompanying paperwork.
      Cops are on a hiding to nothing when dealing with juveniles, drunks, druggies, and arrogant and entitled morons.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 2:56pm
BeaB

Why are NZ school principals so eager to get into the media and tell us what a rotten job they are doing. Imagine doctors telling us they can’t fix people because they are ill when they arrive, the operation is too hard and the room is the wrong shape.
We finally have a Minister of Education trying to spell out what kids need to learn and how we’ll know they’ve learnt it but she is being fought every inch of the way by teaching unions and principals who just want to grizzle and groan and blame others for their failures. Our poorest kids deserve the best efforts from their schools so they can escape the poverty trap. How sad to hear principals saying the tests are too hard for them instead of doing their utmost to help these kids succeed.
16 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:09am
- Scott
  
  BeaB – I think the govt has had a good week on education. They’ve announced the end of open plan classrooms. No more 100 kids in a vast barn reclining on bean bags. Back to actual classrooms! Who would have thunk it?
  
  Also the end of the polytechs all lumped into one centralised organisation, a hallmark of Labour governance. Now the polytechs can be free and establish their own identity in their own community as they once did.
  
  Some good things there. Also the banning of cellphones so kids can concentrate and the emphasis on teaching the basics eg reading being taught using phonetics rather than the failed whole language approach.
  
  Who knows? Our kids might go to school and actually learn something? 😎
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:22am
  - AitchW
    
    They can’t complain about being hungry any more either…
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 2:57pm
- Swifty
  
  What I’d like to know BeaB is why RNZ, among others, out of over 2,000 school
  principals in NZ, CONSTANTLY call on Northland principal Pat Newman for comment on education and almost never mention that he’s tribal Labour and that he has stood for Labour in general elections.
  
  This happened again on RNZ two days ago over the open plan classrooms issue.
  
  RNZ treat us with absolute contempt.
  
  17 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:44am
- R
  
  Probably too hard for some teachers and principals also
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:49am
- cmm
  
  OK, I’ll bite…
  
  “Our poorest kids deserve the best efforts from their schools so they can escape the poverty trap.”
  
  I would argue that even the worst performing schools in NZ are places where kids can get an adequate education.
  
  The most important part is not the school resources, but just showing up.
  
  The worst performing just happen to also be those that wag school the most and put in the least effort. When 90% or so of Maori and PI high school kids fail to attend school regularly, can we expect them to achieve well?
  
  I’ll wager that, on average, Asian kids attending exactly the same schools are doing pretty well.
  
  What’s the point in trying to make the schools better if that’s not where the major problem is?
  
  There is no “poverty trap”. It is all self inflicted.
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:58am
  - Swifty
    
    “I’ll wager that, on average, Asian kids attending exactly the same schools are doing pretty well.”
    
    Yes, I found some of Alwyn’s school performance data, by school, very revealing.
    
    At low performing schools, Asian students were vastly out performing their Maori and Pacific counterparts, European too I might add.
    
    Same school, same teachers, same principal, same class numbers, same class physical dimensions, same facilities, same decile, same community etc etc.
    
    So how does one account for the fact that Asian kids do so much better? What factors are we left with?
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:24pm
    - [email protected]
      
      The parents of Asian kids understand the importance of a good education.
      
      My father never saw the inside of a high school but took a keen interest in my education.
      
      I remember a funny moment when my dad asked me if I had finished my algebra homework. I said “Yes, would you like to check it?”.
      
      His response was “Don’t be a wise ass!”
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 12:53pm
    - lifesgood
      
      Parents who care.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 1:03pm
      - Swifty
        
        That’s a factor hard to escape.
        
        2 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 3:55pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  ERO was set up in 1989 and has the task of reviewing the education each school, kura, childcare centre provides.
  
  So for nearly 40 years, these folks have overseen the decline in NZ’s literacy and numeracy …and have been well aware of under-performing schools.
  
  Might be time to ditch ERO and bring in a system whereby underperforming schools are placed under the leadership of near-by well-performing schools.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 1:01pm
  - R
    
    Perhaps it is time to introduce some form of ‘teacher assessments’ by visiting inspectors’. Maybe call them school inspectors!
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 2:59pm
    - BeaB
      
      My very first inspection was by an old codger who told me the only way to run my class was to treat the boys ‘like worms’ .
      Sadly the old inspection system was riddled with favouritism, bias and prejudices.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 5:19pm
Swifty

Daphne Walker he died at 94.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_Walker_(singer)

Hugely popular in her day.

One of her more popular numbers and most recognisable for older New Zealanders – Haere Mai:

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

Everything is kapai.
2 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:12am
- Swifty
  
  *has died.
  
  My apologies.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:11am
- than
  
  I own the 78 RPM of that song. Sad to hear of her passing.
  A while back I was into collecting those “TANZA” label records when I saw them at op shops. A bit of NZ music history.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:40am
  - Swifty
    
    Nice.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:56pm
- Don Beckett
  
  I heard this morning that Connie Francis has died aged 87. She was a huge hit in my teenage/early 20 years late 50’s & early 60’s.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 2:30pm
I remember when

“A rare cat disease could offer insights into long covid: Nautilus.”

Catastrophic?
2 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:20am
G152

Facebook cancelled me so I quit and now I have a few friends calling worried that my age had inevitable consequence….
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:24am
- NZer In Exile
  
  What was your thought crime?
  
  Latest research shows getting off fakebook and other similar parasitic garbage improves mental health. Imagine my shock!
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:34pm
Bridgenag

Jeffrey Zients, COVID Puppetmaster, Shadow President
Zients has played a key role in destroying US medical practice and credibility

“The truth is that the public did not elect President Jeffrey Zients. He, as well as VP Kamala Harris, had a duty to report Biden’s cognitive decline to both the President’s cabinet and to Congress. To do otherwise was a vast breach of ethical conduct.
Which brings me back full circle to the autopen scandal.
Just who was running the White House?”

https://open.substack.com/pub/rwmalonemd/p/jeffrey-zients-covid-puppetmaster?r=1aj1bv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
9 5
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:27am
- cmm
  
  History. Doesn’t matter unless someone can invent a time machine.
  
  1 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 9:47am
  - zulumonster
    
    “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” – Winnie C.
    
    4 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:08am
    - Don Beckett
      
      Actually, Spanish American philosopher George Santayana – 1905.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 2:33pm
I remember when

Asia: For a month, two Chinese aircraft carriers practiced takeoffs and landings of fighter jets and helicopters in Pacific waters long dominated by the US: NY Times.
2 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:32am
- Colville
  
  Would you measure the lifespan of a Chinese aircraft carrier in hours or minutes if things between USA and China went hot?
  
  Tomahawk missile travels 900km/hr…. so lets give it 2 hours. ?
  
  But fairly real chance that a sub would be a few km away at all times.. that is the whole purpose of a deterrent subsurface fleet after all.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 1:15pm
Yvette

Longevity

If you are happy and you know it… you may live longer
Plenty of research suggests optimistic people have a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and declines in lung capacity and function. Optimism is also associated with a lower risk of early death from cancer and infection. And now a new study links optimism to living a longer life. …
For both men and women, higher levels of optimism were associated with a longer life span and “exceptional longevity,” which the researchers defined as surviving to 85. The study controlled for factors like chronic physical conditions (such as hypertension or high cholesterol) and health behaviors (such as smoking or alcohol use). – Harvard Medical School

There are many such studies regarding life expectancy and mental attitude.
So each Maori parent can write on the clean slate that a new born child to them is?
What effect does that and other emotional influences have, or those of their leaders:

✣ “After nine years of this National Government, propped up by the Māori party, there’s not a lot to brag about. Māori are more likely to be overweight, depressed, homeless, incarcerated and uneducated according to these disturbing statistics produced under National’s watch.” – Kelvin Davis

✣ Labour MP Willie Jackson has warned Māori will “go to war” if a proposed referendum on Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi goes ahead under the new coalition Government.

✣ Te-Taima Barrett also reflected on the King’s words, particularly over the past eight months as his Kotahitanga movement gained momentum.
“One whakataukī I’ll always carry in my heart, are the words that he said, ‘Just be Maori every day. We are strong and we are here to stay.’

The supposed magic ratio: 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction.
How many times do Maori themselves cross the line?

And what if all aspects of health are examined and made super-available endeavouring to bridge the 7.5 year gap between death for “Maori” and that of “Pakeha”(let alone both to the further 7.5 years average for “Asians”) and nothing changes, because (shit, oh dear) they have negatively colonised themselves mentally as much as pioneers supposedly did physically, and we didn’t take that into account – nor did they!
7 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:34am
- zulumonster
  
  Interesting points Yvette – but what is often neglected is the fact that Maori life expectancy is increasing at a greater rate than European NZ’ers, and has been for quite some time! Never reported on by Maori or the media strangely enough …
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:12am
- Cantabrian
  
  This mythical gap is nonsense. On what is it being measured? Deaths today are surely the consequence of life events many years ago, so how do the ‘experts’ know that today’s Maori are going to die 7.5 years earlier than non-Maori?
  Also, what are they counting as a Maori? Surely measures such as this are only relevant when assessed against a major blood quantum – would a part-Maori with 7/8 non-Maori ancestory be likely to die earlier than anyone else?
  We really need to stop measuring things by race.
  
  9 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:51am
- NZer In Exile
  
  I don’t know. I don’t think I’d trade not having my head up my ass for a slightly longer life.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:37pm
Mike

Anyone else being entertained by the latest US circus? The MAGA base is enraged after Trump tells them that their favorite conspiracy theory is a hoax by the Democrats.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/17/trump-jeffrey-epstein-republicans-maga
7 12
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:37am
- Conservatarian
  
  You can have an uptick from me here Mike, if by “conspiracy” you mean conspiracy to destroy evidence.
  
  I pronounce myself entirely dissatisfied by Trump’s handling of the so-called Epstein client list, and his subsequent comments as to what he thinks of his base in this regard. Bondi, Patel and Bongino have promised the earth and [Bondi] has delivered nothing.
  
  I believe it possible that a competent, principled and corruption-free investigation could draw up some such list.
  
  Of course, I also believe that the evidence required for this list has been destroyed, tampered with, hidden or withheld.
  
  Leftists and Democrats, almost all of whom studiously ignored the issue whilst they held the reins, are suddenly very interested in the list. Naked political opportunism.
  
  3 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:46am
  - Mike
    
    The political opportunity is to ridicule Trump and his whole idiotic MAGA base.
    
    2 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 4:40pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      I think he knows the opposition and other assorted scum will be making shit up about it for years and creating interference (wheeling out volunteer fake witnesses and the like). They have form with this kind of stuff. He probably needs to assemble a team of big brains to work out how to fulfill his promise and to frustrate the above mentioned scum.
      
      1 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 8:45pm
cmm

Is NZ the best place in the world to avoid being overrun by illegal immigrants?

We see the chaos currently happening in Spain and France where North Africans run riot. We see the chaos of the Mexican wetbacks running riot in USA….

Pretty much everywhere else in the world either has land borders to provide easy access (Europe, Africa, Asia, Americas) or has small bodies of water that are easy to cross from elsewhere in rickety boats (UK, Japan, Taiwan, Australia).

We’re around 2000km from any potential invaders across a bitch of an ocean that you can’t cross with the sort of rust bucket used by boat people.

The only way we can possibly be invaded is through an own-goal of letting them through the front door.

If lose this it is all our own fault.
20 4
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:46am
- G the giant from Dunedin
  
  Ardern told the world at the UN the world is borderless, and absolute load of horse shit, excuse the pun 😊
  
  15 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:21am
- Paulus
  
  We will but we will find out too late, as usual !
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:40am
- imalwaysright
  
  It seems that the government don’t see our isolation as a factor.
  
  From article:
  
  “The government wants to electronically monitor some asylum seekers and migrants, and is preparing for mass arrivals of asylum seekers by plane.”
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/565495/electronic-monitoring-of-asylum-seekers-and-new-rules-for-dawn-raids-being-considered
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 11:03am
- MCōs
  
  “The only way we can possibly be invaded is through an own-goal of letting them through the front door.”
  
  Seeing as 30% of the population were born elsewhere are you saying we’re being overrun by legal immigrants?
  
  2 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 12:57pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    The difference being that we get to choose who we let in, unlike migrants who turn up uninvited.
    
    See, that’s the difference between “legal” and “illegal”.
    
    1 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 3:34pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Cutting-edge Climate-change news:

The Maori Lunar calendar (Maramataka) works in Antarctica… (Well in summer, anyway)

https://theconversation.com/we-travelled-to-antarctica-to-see-if-a-maori-lunar-calendar-might-help-track-environmental-change-239583
9 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 9:59am
- Swifty
  
  What is the scientific evidence for the existence of mauri, I wonder?
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:10am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Ah, …..
    
    “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Swifty, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
    
    (with apologies to Hamlet)
    
    or as the authors of the linked article write:
    
    Observing snow through traditional practices provided insights into processes that cannot be fully understood through Western science methods alone.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:38pm
    - Swifty
      
      Do they mean we should just trust them on this stuff?
      
      Sounds good to me.
      
      I for one welcome our new Maori overlords.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 12:59pm
    - rouppe
      
      That last quote is a truly empty statement.
      
      Traditional Maori observation practices consisted of using their eyes. What insights does that provide over anyone else’s eyes?
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 1:28pm
- cmm
  
  Well that must surely be proof that the Maori got there first!
  
  Now here’s the thing about Western Science (aka Real Science). The theories and models can perform the calculations without having to travel thousands of miles. Just plug the numbers into a formula figured out a few hundred years ago (Kepler in 1609) and you can work out exactly what is going to happen 500 years from now – be that in NZ, Antarctica or Mars.
  
  Oh, and I am pretty sure that “we” were paid to do this trip by the ever-tormented taxpayer.
  
  13 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:17am
- alex Masterley
  
  That article is utter twaddle.
  I cannot believe it was written with a straight face.
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:44am
  - Jethrod
    
    ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:24am
  - OlderChas
    
    I seriously wondered if it was a urine extraction myself. Surely – it cannot be taken without a large sack of salt?
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 11:44am
    - muzled
      
      One look at the two grifters that went down there and I think you can comfortably put your salt away.
      
      Holly Winton
      Senior Research Fellow in Climatology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
      
      Ayla Hoeta
      Lecturer in Design, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 18, 2025 1:04pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Oh dear. I don’t want to be nasty, but…
        
        What has happened to scientific institutions is extremely disturbing.
        
        3 0
        Report
        July 18, 2025 8:51pm
vand

Most of the modern Communists just focus on the “to each according to his needs” bit. That’s the bit that appeals to the hand-out culture they speak to. They avoid the “from each according to his ability” bit because that sounds like hard work.”

Really, I thought it was because Marxism can’t birth initiative and hard work as the large majority rely on the few mugs that will work. Surely you knew about this major flaw in Marx’s fantasy?
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 10:19am
- cmm
  
  Marx was the original Chardonnay socialist who didn’t work a day in his life and lived off the back of exploited workers (his family’s factories provided him an allowance, knocking up his house keeper etc), so he should not be held in any esteem as a person.
  
  But that said, Marx said that a society needed to be wealthy to implement Marxism. ie, Maxism would be something you could do after applying Capitalism to build the wealth and econony. Most of the countries that tried to apply Marxism were poor and tried to use that as a cheat code – with the inevitable results.
  
  Few places have really practiced proper Marxism. Perhaps the best examples are the Israeli Kibbutzim which demanded everyone works.
  
  Most of the “workers’ paradises”like Cuba, Venezuela, Angola etc, focused a bit too much on promoting the paradise outcome without the worker input. Party your way to disaster.
  
  4 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 12:09pm
  - Taieri
    
    Marx was the original Chardonnay socialist who didn’t work a day in his life and lived off the back of exploited workers
    ———-
    
    He lived not so much off the back of exploited workers as on support from Engels, who was quite wealthy.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 12:30pm
  - Jack5
    
    Karl Marx’s family was middle class. His father was a lawyer.
    
    CMM, you’re thinking of Marx’s pal Friederich Engels, who came from a family of German textile manufacturers. Engels was joint author with Marx of the Communist Manifesto.
    
    The Calvinist Engels family’s company, Ermen & Engels, had factories in Britain as well as Germany, and Friederich was sent to work in the British branch.
    
    Ermen and Engels traded in Germany until 1979, when it was killed off by competition from Asia.
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 18, 2025 1:03pm
artemisia

Fair Work slaps down Australian dad’s work-from-home request to help care for school-aged kids

Herald today, not paywalled.

Leaving aside the reasons and the decision made, there is this from the employer – The company, however, said it had reasonable and sound business reasons” for denying his request and cited a user survey conducted in 2024 which found a 28% decline in customer satisfaction – which prompted the change in work arrangements.

That 28% decline is significant. Wonder if the measure has been checked out in other enterprises, in particular if it has been reliably correlated with WFH.
7 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 10:26am
- MCōs
  
  Slaps down is a pretty melodramatic turn of phrase
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 10:45am
Nukuleka

Love the fact that this load of presumably tax- payer funded nonsense is accompanied by the assurance: ‘You can trust this article because it is written by academics’. Lol.
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 10:31am
Prince

Connie Francis has died. Singer of classics like Who’s Sorry Now ?’ and Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool’.
Also, apparently ‘Pretty Little Baby’ which has been a hit in something called Tik Tok. Don’t know that one.
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 11:11am
- mogg
  
  At the height of of her fame,
  Connie Francis was attacked and raped in a hotel room, afterwards she had a mental breakdown and became a recluse.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 4:11pm
kowtow

When the lefties , academics , wowsers , media do gooders , the John Campbells of our society go on and on about higher death rates , mortality , colonialism , be soft on crime and the drug pushing gangs who are just misunderstood lads in need of a Dad.

A tragic case like this comes along and it’s all there .And it’s happening over and over.

Personal responsibility .

‘Mother-of-five Terina Pineaha was intoxicated, high and driving at nearly twice the speed limit on the wrong side of the road when she struck and killed a child.’

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/mum-high-meth-when-she-killed-11-year-old-cyclist
7 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 1:43pm
- greybeard
  
  That is shocking reading: less than 5 years is ridiculous.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 4:28pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Looks like the soft treatment back in 2018 wasn’t of much effect…
  
  The court heard that at the time of the incident, Pineaha was serving a one-year sentence of supervision for possessing methamphetamine and other charges. She was also convicted of possessing methamphetamine in 2018.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 4:52pm
sirknz

‘Auckland man’.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/360762084/auckland-man-first-nz-sentenced-over-possession-tax-evasion-tools-says-inland-revenue

He was also ripping off migrant workers…
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 4:31pm
surfing

Everything wrong with NZ….

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wellington/john-michael-emsley-sentenced-for-forcefully-tattooing-partner-in-campaign-of-cruelty/CW7GVFLGDZAI7EUHYMMPDEGC24/

This mongrel deserves 10 years prison, hard labour.

What about this sentence will deter men from using their brute strength at will against women in their lives?
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 4:58pm
Boy Geoff

Great to see the Herald ensure that Jevon McSkimming news articles are populated with a number of photos showing Chris Luxon close by.

Who/how was McSkimming hired to the position he used to hold again?
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 5:13pm
Boy Geoff

I note that Burkina Faso’s military rulers have disbanded the country’s electoral commission, calling it a waste of money.

Sounds like the type of fiscal constraint that Te Pati Maori would condone.
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 5:20pm
Swifty

Trump denies he sent an alleged letter to Epstein.

What is Stuff’s headline (as at 6.43pm)?

“Trump sent Epstein ‘lewd 50th birthday letter’” i.e. a statement of fact.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360762750/trump-sent-epstein-lewd-50th-birthday-letter

If this allegation turns out to be false or a fabrication I hope Stuff is sued into oblivion.
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 6:45pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  I’m thinking a legal settlement in the millions might put the final nail in Stuff.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 18, 2025 8:55pm
Swifty

They were just hungry! Poverty drove them to this!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-police-retail-crime-unit-nabs-shoplifters-linked-to-250k-thefts-just-hours-after-hitting-the-streets/HVMRM5TPJ5ERPJCIFQ2N5UP2Y4/

//
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 18, 2025 7:13pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« The MIQ shambles

A bomb »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 13K other subscribers

Highlights

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

Links

In Occupied Palestine – 04 June 2026
The Daily Blog
Battle of Santiago
Utopia
Open Mike 07/06/2026
The Standard
"For 40 years, NZers have been told that fewer councils mean better government. For 40 years, the evidence has refused to oblige."
Not PC
The beat up about so called NZ freeloading
Point of Order
Word of the day
Hompaddock
Saturday’s Quick Hits
No Minister
Parliament fails to defend transparency
No Right Turn
Playing with numbers.
Kiwipolitico
Another non-tariff barrier
Offsetting Behaviour
Rugby Premiership Predictions for Round 18
Stats Chat
Budget 2026
NZCPR
UK Conversion Therapy Ban, Digital ID, Rallies, Elections
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
A central banker’s fiction
Croaking Cassandra
THE WORKING FROM HOME RACKET BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
Tory Whanau may have to sell Wellington mayoralty to make ends meet
The Civilian
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Get Vaccinated Tomorrow Or Shut Your Pie Hole
Cactus Kate
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker

[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: