About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

October 6, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 06 October 2025

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment155

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (155)

Login to comment or vote

artemisia

The usual suspects complaining about proposed government changes and funding cuts, apparently due to serious harm the proposed changes will cause to vulnerable communities. Or maybe more particularly worried about losing their jobs or having to make a few changes to their roles.

The teachers, unions and advocates reported in the below articles now have the opportunity to contribute constructively to consultation. Maybe including facts about outcomes from the current policies as baseline measures? They are after all professionals who should be expected to engage positively with the consultation process rather than catastrophically in the media beforehand. Do they realise how negative and whiney they sound?

Like harm to teenagers who will be ill prepared for hospo jobs with proposed NCEA changes to school food and nutrition courses. Teacher Michelle Jamieson- “If they go ahead the way they’ve planned for them, we’re going to lose a lot of students who would have found a successful life career path in food in general ….”

And Health NZ’s new alcohol harm reduction
strategy proposes cutting 5 roles including Maori and Pasifika advisor roles “in order to make the biggest difference, we need to invest more money in community-led initiatives and training our frontline, and less in bureaucratic centrally-run research projects, back-office staff and marketing programmes.”

Meanwhile PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said … “These are nonsensical changes about how health promotion and alcohol harm reduction is done”.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/575044/changes-to-ncea-food-subjects-could-narrow-students-options-cut-jobs-teachers-say
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/575047/health-nz-cutting-alcohol-harm-reduction-staff-and-campaigns-union-claims
15 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:12am
- peterwn
  
  “…… proposes cutting 5 roles including Maori and Pasifika advisor roles”.
  What is an advisor role? Basically to digest and present information and perhaps produce recommendations for those in executive roles and management to act on, or if unscrupulous to claim the work as their own.
  Are these advisors actually commencing fresh projects when current ones are complete, or merely re-hashing and re-heating existing projects? Arguably they are in some cases left wing ‘fifth column’ people. So a centre right government would want to give them the boot because their ‘advice’ (eg more crack downs on booze and cigs) is not really relevant and in many cases would have nil influence on active and effective Ministers such as Casey Costello.
  
  32 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:34am
  - Cassandra
    
    A more realistic role might be a communications person to arrange effective messaging to racial communities. That would not stop at Maori and PI – the Chinese and Korean communities also have challenges. I’m available to represent my community – the ancient – for a fat fee. This plethora of Maori “advisers” is just part of the slide towards separation and should be stopped altogether.
    
    37 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 8:43am
    - Jake Dee
      
      A “a communications person to arrange effective messaging” is exactly what got us into this mess in the first place! That’s the problem, not the solution!
      We don’t start with an effective communicator (AKA a demagogue) and then try to craft an effective message (AKA demagoguery).
      We start with an intelligent and wise person who can get down to the bedrock of the situation to find out what the heck is going wrong. Then the messaging will take care of itself.
      “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door”
      We don’t start with an advertising campaign for the same old crappy mousetrap.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 9:53pm
- cmm
  
  It isn’t really a bit of taxpayer funding to reduce alcohol harm etc that is the problem. The real problem is the plethora of NGOs with overlapping claims and seemingly lot of inaction apart from the snouts in the trough.
  
  NZ has had taxpayer funded organisations dealing with alcohol since at least the Maori Wardens were established over 60 years ago. On top of that there have been countless non-state actors (Salvation Army – before they became an activist organisation, various church groups, etc).
  We really do not need more organisations.
  
  32 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:40am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Some people just want a quiet drink without the guilt trip.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 11:59am
    - cmm
      
      My father, rot his bones, was an alcoholic who never admitted the problem and never sought any help – despite the mayhem it caused in the lives of those around him.
      
      South Africa has far less help for alcoholics than NZ does, but that’s not the limiting factor.
      
      The limiting factor is always the alcoholic’s willingness to get off his/her arse and sort things out.
      
      Another $20M of NGOs won’t make a jot of difference.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 3:28pm
- In Vino Veritas
  
  “Successful life career path in food”. What utter rubbish. You don’t have to learn anything about food at school to be a great chef for instance. That sort of course at school is just a waste of taxpayers money.
  
  27 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:16am
- R
  
  ‘usual suspects’……..like self interest anti progress and educational improvement individuals who don’t want to rock their own little boat. No wonder the country is struggling to get out of the economic morass of past mismanagement
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:16am
- Ra Henare
  
  Hospo course are run by polytecs….
  
  So all the bitching is teachers worried about lossing their jobs.
  Hint teachers. Go work in a Polytec.
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:43pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    Where the student pays tuition fees …. wot?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:38pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      Your point is what exactly?
      
      All job training should be free and administered at high school.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 7, 2025 2:19am
      - Ian Boag
        
        We seem to have crossed wires. If the subject is taught at poly and that’s where the student goes, most of the time there will be tuition to pay.
        
        Whatever.
        
        0 0
        Report
        October 7, 2025 2:44am
Jack5

A man is fighting potential deportation after an assault using knuckledusters.

From a statement of Joshika Prasad, Immigration NZ’s acting manager immigration resolutions, it seems Immigration NZ makes the preliminary decision, with the Immigration Protection Tribunal offering a right of appeal.

A question: Does Immigration NZ announce results of applications for deportation, or is this treated as a confidential departmental matter? Is Minister Stanford running the department or is it run like some Woke collective.

Citizens have a right to know how border laws and regulations are being enforced.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360843063/worker-could-be-deported-after-knuckleduster-assault
30 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:12am
- Southern Raider
  
  Was about to post on same topic.
  
  This article summarises everything wrong with our Immigration policies.
  
  He is a very low skilled (bordering no skills) worker who lives in his car.
  
  How did he get a visa in the first place let alone residency?
  
  How is deportation even being questioned? If you are on a visa or a resident there should be zero tolerance for violent crime.
  
  This guy adds ZERO benefit to NZ and would be a net loss to taxpayers
  
  38 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:49am
- cmm
  
  To me, the real problem is that this is taking so long to deliberate. No wonder our courts are gridlocked if cases like this are choking it up.
  
  He shouldn’t have had more than 15 minutes in court.
  
  36 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:54am
  - Sir Henry Morgan
    
    Exactly. Also, besides being so slow, imagine what it all costs in court time, lawyers fees, case workers, etc.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:06pm
- DistantObserver
  
  Out, out, out!
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:43am
- sirknz
  
  Could be deported?
  
  No, he should be deported. He is not a highly skilled worker, he probably shouldn’t even be here as I doubt he has any actual qualifications that will be of benefit to the country.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 12:07pm
  - R
    
    Qualifications that will benefit……a large percentage of Conrad Clark’s diversification immigrants have no useful quals, other than to vote for more welfare, and ensur a further term for Labour
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 1:23pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  He claims to have a partner who has two kids, yet he lives in his car.
  
  Talk about Loserville, Trev.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:34pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Small point. Ministers dont run departments. They set policy.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:44pm
- Graham Sharpe
  
  Not a case of “should be deported. ” MUST be deported. Premeditated assault with a weapon. The degree of injury is irrelevant. This could easily have ended in a fatality. Next flight out of Auckland.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 5:43pm
rouppe

Stuff reports:

A Labour staffer said the party does not anticipate Te Pāti Māori would want to join a coalition, but might be more interested in a confidence and supply agreement, or even a supply agreement. This would mean it could support the government on budget votes, and influence certain policies, without formally sharing power. It would also be free to criticise the Government. Te Pāti Māori has not responded to written questions at the time of publication.

Of course they would. Why would they want to do any actual work?
39 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:21am
- pdm
  
  Then again Rawiri Waititi has apparently said that his Party will repeal any changes to MACA (Seabed and Foreshore) Legislation within their first 100 days in Government.
  
  Looks like Labour have no idea what the Maori Party aspirations are, or will be, when they take control of a weak leader like Hipkins (or his likely successor).
  
  31 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:51am
  - cmm
    
    But if they actually avoid getting into government they can avoid having to deliver on their promises.
    
    25 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 8:57am
    - R
      
      Or actually doing any productive work to justify their exorbitant Parliamentary salary. Salaries far higher than their incompetence would earn in private sector employment
      
      17 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 9:20am
  - PurplePen
    
    Labour will be desparate to get into government. TPM less so. Sure, it pays more and if they’re in on C&S only there’s bugger all work they need to do but can still protest loudly about anything. Unfortunately they can also just walk away from coalition negotiation as they’re pretty comfortable financially etc in opposition. Labour has almost no power in any negotiation here.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:41am
    - waikatosinger
      
      Labour still have not reformed themselves. They think that they just have to wait and it will be “their turn”.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 2:39pm
  - rjay
    
    By being outside government they can hold the government to ransom on every little bit of legislation. Much more powerful than being in the tent.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:47pm
- cmm
  
  Yup, being in power and having responsibilities is hard work.
  
  It is also harder to play the endless grievance/victim games that appeal to the TPM voters.
  
  23 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:56am
  - G152
    
    And they would have to turn up every day parliament sits…..
    
    14 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:01am
  - R
    
    Harder to play……doesn’t seem to hard or difficult for a sector of our residents!
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:19am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I suspect Labour will agree NOT to (seriously) contest the Maori seats in a deal with TPM.
  
  28 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:58am
  - pdm
    
    Seems logical Maggie.
    
    Especially as based on current polling (below 30% in the latest Roy Morgan Poll) the more Electorate seats they win the fewer they get in off the List therefore placing more than a few `big names’ at risk of getting the DCBP – don’t come back to Parliament.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:06am
sungsamning

https://pjmedia.com/caskeet/2025/10/04/the-absolute-necessity-of-pete-hegseths-military-reforms-n4944482
The Absolute Necessity of Pete Hegseth’s Military Reforms.
I remember decades ago when I was in boot camp just outside San Diego. In the Marine Corps, boot camp was three months long. That is, unless you arrived overweight. If you arrived overweight, you weren’t assigned your permanent platoon. You were assigned a special platoon for “fat bodies,” as they were called. This special, temporary platoon focused exclusively on physical conditioning in order to get the recruit down to acceptable weight levels. Only then, once his target weight was attained, did the recruit join a permanent platoon and begin Week One of boot camp.
26 4
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:27am
- cmm
  
  These days it would be well over 50% in the fat squad.
  
  16 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:58am
  - sungsamning
    
    Yeah, that wouldn’t surprise me.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 2:14pm
sungsamning

https://nypost.com/2025/10/04/world-news/japan-sanae-takaichi-elected-leader-of-liberal-democratic-party-on-course-to-be-first-female-prime-minister/
Nationalist Sanae Takaichi set to be Japan’s first female prime minister.
Japan’s ruling party picked conservative nationalist Sanae Takaichi as its head on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country’s first female prime minister in a move set to jolt investors and neighbors.

The Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan for almost all of the postwar era, elected Takaichi, 64, to regain trust from a public angered by rising prices and drawn to opposition groups promising stimulus and clampdowns on migrants.

A vote in parliament to choose a replacement for outgoing Shigeru Ishiba is expected to be held on October 15.
11 3
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:27am
Grizz

I would like to highlight an increasingly annoying situation I have with Education and Grizz Jr’s school.

Yesterday we are advised that the school will close for a Teacher only day in the second week of the term. The explanation given by the Principal is that they need to scedule a professional Development day to introduce the new Maths curriculum. They cannot control when this happens as this is when Someone from the MOE can come and advise the teachers.

I am all for upgrading the Maths curriculum. However why can’t the Ministry of Education schedule professional development days during the 12 weeks when the kids are not at school? They know when the school holidays are. Surely they could have prepared for this in advance.

It is very disruptive to parents and also the knock on effect to the employers that employ the parents. Schools and the ministry of Education appear oblivious to the disruption they cause.
42 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:32am
- Southern Raider
  
  Has been multiple of these this year as well as strike days.
  
  Union shows they don’t actually care about teaching and complete disregard for working parents
  
  24 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:54am
- Spam
  
  Being on a school board, we grappled with exactly this: There are apparently not enough MOE advisors to cover all the schools, so they need to plan and schedule them. It is unclear whether these MOE advisors work school holidays, although a couple of these sessions were able to be scheduled in school holidays.
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:58am
  - cmm
    
    ” There are apparently not enough MOE advisors to cover all the schools,”
    
    There is clearly an opportunity for some of that thinking stuff….
    
    Since MoE is incapable of providing it, let me:
    1) Instead of going from school to school, bring all the teachers from, say, 20 km surrounding, to a school hall where they can be instructed workshop-style – maybe 100 to 200 at a time.
    2) Make a bunch of youtube videos and email out the URL.
    
    That said, “professionals” should be able to learn from written material. Just send out a website link for them to read.
    
    27 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:03am
    - Grizz
      
      All the schools in the area are having the same professional development day.
      Point taken, there could be the opportunity for remote teaching.
      
      16 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 9:05am
  - Jigsaw
    
    I was once on a BOT – you don’t have to just accept what the MOE tells you – dig deeper. Many parents are unhappy with things their school is doing – confront the BOT and demand answers. Parentshave more power thsn they imagine.
    
    19 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:10am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  I find it extraordinary that a qualified teacher can’t manage to understand what is required in an upgraded curriculum from reading the curriculum or viewing a presentation online.
  
  I thought teachers already have time off from contact classroom teaching each day/week for their own professional development .
  
  During term time, teachers’ working hours are made up of their:
  contact hours or teaching time
  non-contact or classroom release time
  remaining hours that make up the total hours per week.
  The combination of contact or teaching time and non-contact or release time will depend on the specific role.
  
  In secondary, a full-time teacher’s timetabled hours will include:
  no more than 20 hours teaching time
  at least 5 hours per week non-contact time.
  
  In primary, a full-time teacher’s hours will include 25 hours of classroom release time per term. This generally equates to 2.5 hours per week.
  
  https://www.education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/people-and-employment/teachers-pay-and-working-hours
  
  25 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:07am
  - cas
    
    Talking to a primary school principal the other day, the vast majority of his teachers earn over 100k and several over 120.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 11:14am
  - Grizz
    
    Yes, they have “release teachers” these days. So a teacher can do PD and admin work during school hours. This is a lot different from the time when my Mother was a teacher and having to do all her admin and PD after the kids went home and in the weekends.
    
    14 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:08pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    I read the Singapore primary school curriculum.
    It took me about 1 1/2 hours.
    With a few hours notice I could put together a daily lesson.
    I’m not a teacher.
    
    13 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:11pm
- Swifty
  
  I wonder if they considered ‘train the trainers’?
  
  A good way of reducing or eliminating training bottlenecks.
  
  11 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:15am
- R
  
  The objective of the teacher’s unions is to force an increase in teacher numbers. This leads to an increase in union members, and more money for the union to support re-election of a Labour government and an increased salary for union leaders. Nothing to do with improving children’s education through teaching, and besides school holidays are for teacher and MOE private activities
  
  12 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:37am
Pope Punctilious II

Are the new benefit rules for 18-19 yr olds a good idea? $65K doesn’t go far nowadays, and I wonder how much political capital the government is burning with this measure. And means testing is usually a bad idea, as it tends to be acrimonious and it provides more work for bureaucrats. If we’re resorting to means testing probably means we need a smarter, better designed system.
11 4
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:45am
- Surely Knott
  
  Yes. They are fair when compared to Student allowance which is also parental means tested to the same amount now. Uni students receive no allowance or living costs if their parents are earning.
  
  Many uni/tech students are living at home with their parents and being supported by their parents because they get no state assistance. As well as taking on a loan to pay for their uni fees.
  
  And yet kids not in training or work are receiving $300+ a week. You are paying people to not get into training.
  
  So yes it is fair and consistent.
  
  It’s unpopular but we should drop minimum wage to create more jobs and internships. While cracking down on illegal overstaying workers like the Knuckledusting story in the paper.
  
  23 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 8:59am
  - Taieri
    
    we should drop minimum wage to create more jobs
    ————-
    
    New jobs are created because there’s a need for work to be done.
    Dropping wages does not create jobs.
    
    3 10
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:12am
    - imalwaysright
      
      “Dropping wages does not create jobs.”
      
      Not sure of the reasoning behind that statement, but in the real world employers will hire staff if the price is right.
      
      The minimum wage should be the single persons dole divided by 40.
      
      11 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 12:16pm
      - Taieri
        
        employers will hire staff if the price is right
        ————
        
        The primary reason for hiring staff is the enterprise need not the level of wages paid. I.e. a worker is hired because there’s work to do, not because the price is right. Of course, from the employer’s point of view it makes sense to pay as little as possible (considering prevailing market rates), but that is not a reason for hiring additional employees. The only reason for additional staff is business growth. Nobody does it for charity.
        
        2 0
        Report
        October 6, 2025 1:35pm
  - Flossie
    
    I absolutely agree. It makes no sense at all that parents of youth engaged in tertiary education are financially responsible for their offspring while parents of the ones “sitting on the couch” are not. Take that benefit from the couch sitters and the parents may become a bit more interested in the child’s future prospects.
    I also believe the comparatively higher wage that youth must be paid contributes to lack of employment opportunities for that group.
    
    13 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:42am
- pdm
  
  PPII – I support it but, really it is only necessary because of poor parenting in most cases.
  
  An example from just over 30 years ago.
  
  One of our daughters after her 6 form year, largely wasted due to wagging, wanted to leave school. We told her she must have a job otherwise it was back to school.
  
  To help her I took her to Hastings, from Waipawa, and we were going to knock on as many business doors as it took. We got lucky and she got a job at the first place we called which was where she had done a weeks work experience during the past school year.
  
  Not only that but the employer knew where she could get board almost next door.
  
  Make the effort and the work is there still so no job, back to school I say.
  
  21 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:01am
  - Ian Boag
    
    We got lucky and she got a job at the first place
    
    “We got lucky” – back when things were arguably not so tight. Sort of an implicit admission that if you work hard enough and are lucky enough you will get to climb the slippery slope. That was presumably not a “new” job so if everyone did what you did, the net effect would be zilch in terms of how many youf became employed.
    
    3 20
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:32am
    - artemisia
      
      Young person in the family applied for the dole at 18 some 3 months ago. 2 weeks later working at Maccas, believe wage temporarily subsidised by WINZ. Still at that job, WINZ did their job so good on them. Subsidy a whole lot less than paying the dole for years.
      
      There are also now sanctions for those not meeting their work obligations.
      
      12 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 10:24am
    - R
      
      Ian, how about trying to think positively for once, instead of ideology
      
      12 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 10:44am
      - Ian Boag
        
        Wow. Pot and kettle 🙂
        
        My point was basically that busting your butt to get ahead of the crowd is OK, but it doesn’t increase the supply of what you are looking for. By finding a job (ahead of others who might have sought it) he dealt to the daughter’s problem and good on him/her, but at the expense of someone else who might have got the job. If this is ideology so be it. I look at it as realism.
        
        3 9
        Report
        October 6, 2025 11:19am
    - zulumonster
      
      A number of immigrants who come to NZ and end up in minimum / low wage jobs would not be required here if there were more incentives like this for the “youf” to get off the couch and take those jobs themselves.
      Once in employment the natural force of income mobility will see many of those young people process to a point they would never reach if they have the early safety net / hammock of the unemployment benefit.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 12:08pm
      - artemisia
        
        Those ‘youf’ do need an employer willing to hire them though. Would you?
        
        2 0
        Report
        October 6, 2025 3:30pm
  - R
    
    Obviously an example of good parenting, and interest. The are many like you, but a significant numbwho aren’t. I sometimes wonder if they know how they got the children in the first place
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:43am
- artemisia
  
  Most households with that income level were, one assumes, feeding and clothing their 17 year olds, 16 year olds ….
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:02am
  - imalwaysright
    
    That’s right Artemisia, what is the difference how old they are if they can’t support themselves.
    If they cant afford to leave home under their own steam then we can’t afford for them to leave home under our own steam.
    Get them back to their Noddy Dreamtime Junior mattress and let the parents leave the uber eats at the bedroom door. Not us.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:26pm
- Philview
  
  If the child tries to better themselves and goes into tertiary education they are already means tested for student allowances. I am happy that a child leaving school and sitting on an unemployment benefit will also be means tested.
  
  16 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:03am
- Southern Raider
  
  Isn’t the real issue lack of youth job opportunities and the youth wage being so close to the adult minimum wage that it’s questionable why an employer would take the risk
  
  I think this needs some bold policy changes and $1K one off is not it
  
  Either half the current youth wage or rebate employers by the same amount. It’s in our interests as a nation to have any 16 to 20 year old who wants to work part time or full time to be able to do so. The current youth wage and 18 year old setting for adult wage does not support this.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:29am
  - R
    
    Be a very bold political move reduce the minimum wage rate or raise the adult wage age. NZ electors who control the swing vote are not so forward thinking, nor responsibility that mature Much as such a move is economically responsible and required. Labour would campaign on rescinding such legislation, and doubling the rate
    
    8 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:49am
  - artemisia
    
    There are taxpayer subsidies – Flexi-wage is one.
    
    https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/employers/subsidies-training-and-other-help/flexi-wage.html
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 11:03am
- cmm
  
  The benefit for 18 and 19 year olds is not a solution for anything. At best it is a band aid.
  
  A potential solution is to actually ready these kids for the workplace. One way to do that might be to adopt elements of the Swiss Vocational Education and Training (VET) system where kids on a start apprenticeships while still at school (3 to 4 days practical, 1 to 2 days theoretical).
  
  VET schools are distinct from Baccalaureate schools. The latter are geared towards going to university and more academic career paths.
  
  Perhaps this ais a way to address disengagement and wagging?
  
  https://www.edk.ch/en/education-system-ch/post-compulsory/upper-secondary/vet
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:42am
  - R
    
    I recall back in the 1950’s we were taught woodwork at primary, and 3rd/ 4th form high school. Girls learnt sewing and cooking. Skills which in both genders seem to be still essential for daily life
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:27pm
- Sacha
  
  Do students still get ‘student’ loans?
  My kids went through uni without loans, got part time jobs at menial levels of pay – learnt how to save, and are now rather well-off citizens .
  I remember when working all summer at Watties – 12 hour shifts provided enough cash to fund a year at Victoria U.
  University was the holiday –
  
  10 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 11:08am
  - Ian Boag
    
    working all summer at Watties
    
    Showing your age – those jobs don’t exist any more. Being as how I lived in Hastings, I used to do that (freezing works rather than Watties) in the 60’s. The wages were not menial. Given that tuition was essentially free, I got through a uni engineering degree with zero external support. There were no loans in those days which is why most women in higher education were doing teaching or nursing – both were funded.
    
    Currently a year of tuition/board at uni in NZ is about of $25k for someone doing a BSc. A summer of menial wage work (even with “long hours” factored in) is not going to dent that significantly.
    
    So – unless the bank of M&D is funding it or there is some other cash source the loan is the way it goes ….
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 11:29am
- rjay
  
  If the teenager contributed “board” to the household as I did once I left school then that $65k suddenly goes further
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 12:51pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Oh dear how far the National party has wandered after their Initial Principles.
  
  The original principles of the New Zealand National Party, as established in 1936, were:
  
  To promote good citizenship and self-reliance
  To combat communism and socialism
  To maintain freedom of contract
  To encourage private enterprise
  To safeguard individual rights and the privilege of ownership
  To oppose interference by the State in business and State control of industry
  
  Now the Gummint sticks their nose into everything.
  Why are they setting Minimum wages (Socialism), why are they setting employment rules(Maintain freedom of contract)
  etc etc etc
  
  0 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 2:03pm
Surely Knott

Stuff: “Worker Could be Deported After KnuckleDuster Assault”
(now behind a paywall )

Article: No photo of Aman Kumar, 22 who punched the barman 4 times in the head with the knuckle duster.

This article doesn’t stack up.

Stuff, “Kumar, who had no previous convictions was an itinerant worker in orchards..and lived in his car. He had come to NZ from India about six years ago and had been resident for about three years but had not yet applied for permanent residence”

So what are the maths. He came to NZ at (22-6yrs) 16 to pick fruit?! He had a 3 year residency visa, but lived here for 3 more years without applying for permanent residency. Does that mean he is here illegally for the interim 3 years, and why doesn’t media just say that plainly?

They say he was a fruit picker but is a resident. What kind of visa was he on.

AI says “A Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Limited Visa for fruit picking in New Zealand generally allows a stay of up to seven months within any 11-month period.” So how was he a resident here for 3 years legally? And then 3 more

“To get a RSE visa for New Zealand, you must be 18 years old or older. You also need to be a citizen of an eligible Pacific nation, have a job offer from a Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) in the horticulture or viticulture sectors, and meet the health and character requirements.’.

So he couldn’t have come here at 16.

The judge said “he came here 5 or 6 years ago”, did he come for covid lockdowns?

As a non resident living in his car did he get the NZ benefit? Hospital care? Can he vote while here illegally? How many people are there in NZ living like this? On what grounds could an unskilled fruit picker expect to apply for permanent residency?

AI says “To obtain New Zealand residency from fruit picking, you typically need to work on a Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) Limited Visa for a designated period and then transition to a Skilled Migrant Category (SMC) Resident Visa or a Green List pathway, which requires holding a job offer in a skilled occupation and gaining significant work experience”

The article notes that he has a partner with two kids but no kids of his own.

But the longer we allow illegal people to live in the country illegally the more likely they are to have kids with NZers and then it implies he might not be deported for his crimes.

The article says he has no previous convictions and that he is 22. But is something wrong with the maths as you have to be 18 for a fruit picking visa?

Just 2 years ago someone of the same name , Aman Kumar 25 yrs old beneficiary , was found guilty of fraud scams convincing someone they were an internet repair man and then downloading an app where they took $9k off them. Again no photo of the person.They were sentenced to community service no prison.

Why are media hiding this persons photo and not other violent offenders and fraudsters.

Does the visa story stack up?

How big a problem is this illegal overstayer homelessness in NZ.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360843063/worker-could-be-deported-after-knuckleduster-assault
29 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:48am
- cmm
  
  I don’t think they’re counting potential immigration crimes as crimes.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:44am
- artemisia
  
  May have come in under a student visa. And there was also the Covid permanent resident visa – the 2021 Special Resident Visa – which was approved for over 200,000 people.
  
  https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/2021-resident-visa/
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:33am
  - R
    
    With the county in virtual lockdown, why would we need an extra 200,000 people. Oh!, I remembr now, gratefull voters for the coming election. Seemed to work also.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:21pm
- the deity formerly known as nigel6888
  
  presumably here on a student visa and now an overstayer.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:44am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Good questions, Surely. Too bad that our media don’t ask them.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:42pm
Jack5

How fuck-witted of our news media to criticise the visiting FBI director, Kash Patel, for giving NZ security officials 3D pistols, which, of course, like most pistols, are banned in NZ.

“Ghost guns” produced in plastic with 3D printers by home users are unregulated and thus provide a criminal and terrorist threat. The printers have fallen in price and improved in capability. They are now superseded for home gun making, this time in metal, by home CNC machines and other milling tools.

We should thank the FBI for giving NZ security people examples of what can be done. How Woke for the media to suggest the FBI is being other than helpful.

Kiwiblog is one of the few NZ sources that provided early warning of 3D-printer ghost guns.

The threat has gone further , with Internet programs for home CNC machines to make metal parts. To firearms enthusiasts or ratbags with bad intent, these are somewhat equivalent in role to the portable electric drills and saws for home users at local hardware stores.

Here’s a video (a year old) of Canadian police demonstrating a 3D-printed gun:

https://youtu.be/QN9k0nGzcDQ?si=s97Us7GGUXFERal1
10 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 8:54am
- cmm
  
  I doubt anyone would really want to use a full plastic gun to commit a crime. All the guns shown here are just the slides and frames.
  
  Hobby style 3D printers just cannot make barrels, rifling and such. Perhaps industrial grade sintered metal machines can.
  
  There was a full 3D printed gun (except for the firing pin and a spring) called the Liberator some time back, but it was a gimmick. It had a 3D printed barrel but the rifling was only cosmetic and the barrels blew up even with low pressure ammo. I doubt anyone has ever been murdered with one of those.
  
  CNC is a bit more real as a gun-making platform, but people have been making zip guns etc for ages with no more than a hacksaw, file and a hammer.
  
  Bottom line is that 3D printed guns really do not add any significant threat. If crims want guns they can buy them (eg. buy a rifle and cut them down). If they really want to make them they can do so with $20 of tools from Bunnings.
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:06am
  - Jack5
    
    CMM’s …3D printed guns really do not add any significant threat
    
    Criminals can buy a rifle without a licence? Perhaps from a gang on the black market.
    
    In the video with my post above, the Canadians talk of new legislation to prohibit sale of gun barrels — which can fit into a 3D-printed body.
    
    To make a metal ghost gun, what $20 worth of tools from Bunnings would be sufficient? A $350 milling machine from Aliexpress, perhaps, or a decent, $1000 3D printer bought locally. These might do.
    
    But $20 worth of hand tools? That sounds pretty much like a screwdriver and a hammer.
    
    A factor in the ghost guns is downloadable programs for milling them. This lowers the level of knowledge and skill needed for making a gun.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:40am
    - Ian Boag
      
      Ask AI what a zip gun is …..
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 11:38am
    - Skippytony
      
      When I was a kid, a school friend and I lived on either side of a river. We used to fire slingshots at each other over the river (dumb boys).
      One day I found a piece of metal pipe that happened to have an internal diameter almost exactly the size of a golf ball.
      A threaded end allowed me to block off one end, and my dads electric drill let me drill a hole down the end.
      I pumped in the contents of a gas refill cylinder, rolled my maxifly down the barrel and then used a disposable to light the gas through the hole i’d drilled.
      That golf ball travelled 50 meters and hit the tree my friend was standing next to. Many many years later, the dent in the tree was still visible from across the river.
      
      **sigh** 14 year old boys and complete inability to assess the consequences of my actions…..
      
      13 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 11:43am
    - cmm
      
      OK, maybe $20 is pushing it, but you’d get change from $50.
      
      A zip gun or a pipe gun is a far more reliable and safer gun than a full 3D printed gun. Plenty youtube videos on how to make them using no more than a file, drill, hacksaw and hammer.
      
      Prohibiting the sale of barrels will achieve nothing – especially in a place like Canada with very porous borders.
      
      Of course buying a rifle is illegal in NZ without a license, but no doubt there are many “clean skin” gang associates doing this.
      
      Rifles are much easier to buy than handguns, but handguns are more suited to criminal activity – thus there is some advantage to buying rifles and cutting these down.
      
      Ammo is easy to get in NZ. AFAIK, you still don’t need a license to buy ammo components (bullets, cartridge cases, powder etc).
      
      For a while Gun City were selling revolver rifles by Uberti (IIRC) which are basically long barrel revolvers with a rifle stock. Half an hour with a hacksaw and a bit of minor woodwork and you have a 357 revolver. Since revolver rifles are supremely shit as rifles, I can’t think of any other reason why someone would buy one.
      
      6 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 12:13pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    Generally disagree.
    There is plenty a 3D printer can do to make a bunch of miscellaneous legal stuff into something dangerous and illegal even if it’s not 100% plastic.
    Check out this video, don’t worry it’s perfectly legal and YouTube compliant.
    A Video About Fish And Printers | FLESH SIMULATOR
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ol8v0nnyA
    Now, Mr. Flesh Simulator is certainly an oddball but an intelligent oddball and a firearms aficionado. Take into consideration the differences between the US and NZ situations and you can start to get an idea of what’s possible.
    On the question of FBI to NZ Police cooperation, even a small clue about a seemingly innocent gizmo could be an important clue to breakup an armed criminal gang in NZ.
    But to kick it up a notch, the people who should be paying very close attention to this and taking action should be the NZ Army (Ngāti Tūmatauenga, just in case you’re unaware of which specific organization I’m referring to).
    New manufacturing techniques mean a lot more useful stuff can be made locally, and at scale and adapted for local conditions. No need to wait around for and pay top dollars to foreign suppliers.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:29pm
- Libertarians are right
  
  It also seems relevant that they were inoperable. They were simply replicas which were destroyed for political point scoring purposes by bureaucrats.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:43am
David George

Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury has incited people to spit on the food served to politicians he doesn’t like.
Winston Peters: “It’s any wonder no one reads Bummer Bradbury’s crap. He’s nothing but an ignorant, overweight, ill-informed, hopeless, bearded bludger”
Agreed. I don’t know why Kiwiblog continues featuring a link to his woeful site.
45 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 9:04am
- cmm
  
  Spitting on food is considered assault in NZ and is a criminal act that can earn a prison term. This is an incitement to commit a criminal act and Bradbury should get a visit from plod – if they have time between singing lessons.
  
  37 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:15am
- Pope Punctilious II
  
  Yes, but it’s unseemly of Winston to engage in a slanging match with a blogger.
  
  3 15
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:17am
- Jack5
  
  “Bearded, bludger, bummer, Bomber Bradbury …”
  
  What more alliteration could pissed-off Peters have added?
  
  Brainless, blighted, blabbering, banal, befuddled, boorish, bumbling, bambloozing …. is Martyn Bradbury bald, too?
  
  18 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:19am
  - Graeme Hall
    
    Easy there Jack, that description is getting mighty close to fitting Winston’s deputy leader.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 2:15pm
- imalwaysright
  
  That’s a crime.
  The Police don’t need a complaint as Bradbury has published his incitement.
  Lets see what they do…
  
  22 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:27am
- Cassandra
  
  Many years ago I was on The Panel, as was Bradbury. He was obnoxious then (even RNZ eventually got rid of him) and worse now. I think he’s got a screw loose. He certainly maintains the rage!
  
  24 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:34am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    He definitely has a screw loose, and he’s become quite hysterical since the 2023 election. He now regularly eulogizes the former PM that he regularly accused of being neoliberal and “incremental” when she was in office.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:34am
  - RichardF
    
    He’s a lefty; loose screws are a requirement!
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 2:42pm
- Surely Knott
  
  The standards for what’s tolerated on the left vs on the right are miles apart. This would be front page news if it was a right wing blogger saying it about Ardern or a Green party person. Wasn’t that far back when Bradbury was on Tv hosting the political discussion about the treaty principles. He’s completely unsuitable and unhinged.
  
  Rachel Stewart was cancelled for far less. And she is very thoughtful and eloquentent in her analysis.
  
  17 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 9:38am
- PurplePen
  
  Not going to do much to encourage punters into cafes and restaurants. Just when they’re struggling with downturn.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:45am
- Paulus
  
  A little like
  We have lived in the Western Bay of Plenty for 20 years after retirement from Auckland. It has been a great place to live.
  Daily we receive the local NZME paper (BOP Times) because by invalide wife insists on doing the Cryptic crossword for the last ….years.
  What we now have is that this so called newspaper so thin it would be no good in the toilet.
  However it has become so obvious that over the last few years that we live in the worse place and at the worse time that we could ever finalise our lives.
  Daily large headlines complain vehementally about everything that the so called paper people, and from other papers can possibly find and exchange.
  50 years ago we came for work, for 3 years, we stayed and we saw for ourselves and our children a land of openess and freedom of opportunity and we adhered to this in all respects.
  Now daily we see a different place every morning when we wake hopefully for another day towards 90 years, we feel that perhaps it being our fault, that we should consider the best way to depart this dreadful place leaving it for our Chidren to try, and sort out, if they can.
  Looking and listening to the so called media is a very sad indictment of what we now have and we cannot see any improvement as we are told all the time what a dreadful country we live in.
  Is it just selfeshness and greed we a have seen in the last 50 years of living here, or when we and our our generation, we see a huge increase in the standard of living in the last 50 years but to the left wing media they want more and more and more – when now!
  
  11 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 11:12am
- Jake Dee
  
  Don’t give him the publicity of a criminal investigation. There will never be a formal charge let alone a conviction for incitement. He does have a defense of hyperbole in the context of a public political discussion.
  Just remember it and maybe bring it up if he ever actually has a real debate about free speech and civilized behavior.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:33pm
Yvette

A moral mess
A Green Beret’s Confession Outraged the Military. Then He Found an Ally in Trump.
The president’s pardon of Mathew Golsteyn cut short an investigation into his 2022 killing of a man he believed to be a Taliban bombmaker. Was justice served? – NYT headline

Condensed – Golsteyn faced a dilemma: U.S. troops were to avoid holding prisoners, but the Afghan allies had no way to detain Rasoul – detained earlier, Golsteyn was convinced that Rasoul was a Taliban operative responsible for a bomb that killed two of his men — and if handed over, he’d likely be freed by a corrupt system. Yet Rasoul’s tribe’s support was crucial to the mission’s success and their safety. “That was the mission,” Golsteyn said. So, he decided Rasoul had to die — but not in handcuffs. Instead, Golsteyn ordered him released, then lay in wait with another soldier. When Rasoul approached, they locked eyes — and Golsteyn fired.

That President Donald Trump would pardon Golsteyn seems only fair while the President is ordering drug runners in the Caribbean to be blown out of the water.

And while Israel is killing thousands upon thousands of innocent Palestinians to achieve an equivalent to the above unofficial Green Beret operation.

All fall into the Sunday School dilemma posed by other children for their 1950s Sunday School teachers: not so much as the favorite “Can God, who can do everything, make a rock so large, that he cannot lift it?” (before quantum science) but rather “If someone is obviously going to take up to ten lives, is it correct for you to kill him before he can doo it?” – that one.

Now, since The president’s pardon of Mathew Golsteyn cut short an investigation into his killing of a man he believed to be a Taliban bombmaker. Was justice served? if titkanga (here it comes) was an aspect of the Law of the United States, as it is becoming so here, would the investigation proceed (re: Ellis v R) for the clearance of the ‘mana’ (or lack of it) for all concerned?

And when ‘tikanga’ is applied in Parliament, as assumably a committee is presently considering, will it distinguish whether it is appropriate for members to wear death cloak of “river to the sea”: a keffiyeh scarf, or to ascertain whether such a garment on balance represents Palestinian people or their elected Hammas Government, which New Zealand has declared a terrorist body? – or if Etsy New Zealand can sell them

Medication time … and coffee – I guess I should stop one to decide if the other works
5 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 9:07am
- cmm
  
  “And while Israel is killing thousands upon thousands of innocent Palestinians to achieve an equivalent to the above unofficial Green Beret operation.”
  
  That’s drawing a long bow.
  
  Israel have a right to pursue the terrorists and destroy the terrorist infrastructure. The terrorists have no right to use the civilian population as human shields.
  
  16 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:13am
  - Yvette
    
    I can not see that there is a difference between Golsteyn’s dilemma and that of knowingly killing Palestinian civilian human shields – men, women and children – to destroy terrorists, who of course would wipe out those they claim to represent by either hiding in tunnels under hospitals, or starting the offensive (anniversary tomorrow) in the first place knowing Israel would exact “tens of teeth for a tooth”
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 11:00am
- Jake Dee
  
  Well I’m not going to pay to read that NYT article so you will have to help me out here.
  What rank did Golsteyn hold and what were his orders?
  Is anyone in a position to corroborate any of this?
  Also “tikanga” aka “tribal custom” is only applicable to the tribe in question, it doesn’t transfer sideways.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:39pm
Maggy Wassilieff

This shows a real disconnect between Bradbury and the working classes.

I know many folks working in the food/hospitality trade. They take pride in their dishes they serve…even to customers that piss them off.

Bradbury’s suggestion of spitting in someone’s food is indicative of a mental health problem.
35 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 9:35am
- kowtow
  
  And as already noted an incitement to crime , which if the worker was caught for would ,at a minimum rightly ,end their employment , to never get employed again in that industry and if convicted destroy ones ability to work abroad , so much for his standing with the worker , comrade !
  
  Not to mention the danger to the employers’s reputation , so important in food and bev .
  
  What an idiot.
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:38am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I wonder if the E Tu union will condemn Bradbury.//
    
    12 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 12:50pm
Conservatarian

Gary Neville, a prominent soccer player from the 1990s, has just told Britain to sing “Don’t look back in anger” after the recent Manchester Jew slaying.

Except that he didn’t just exhort “Don’t look back in anger” to the normies – he told his audience that the attack was a direct result of white middle aged men putting up England flags.

He admitted that he pulls down England flags when he sees them. I bet he celebrates the Palestinian flag though. And Ukraine. And the rainbow flag. And the progressive pride flag.

Gary Neville is a useful idiot. He’s trying to out-Lineker the actual Lineker, another very rich and supremely woke former footballer.

One could say they are paid handsomely to convince the normies of the merits of the Islamo-Marxist alliance.
24 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 9:41am
- Philview
  
  It has become a bit clearer to me from what I have read about Digital ID in the UK. The Tony Blair Institute is heavily involved and Tech companies that have donated a lot of money to Tony Blair’s Institute appear to be at the front of the queue to implement it. It is even rumoured Tony Blair’s billionaire son might be assisting with the digital platform. The Tony Blair Institute was a key source of advice to New Zealand’s Covid response. Coming back to Gary Neville, I think people like him are probably part of a celebrity group associated to the likes of Tony Blair.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:34pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Who knew Sydney Parkinson had time to carve waka?

(especially when he was busy being a natural history illustrator before dying of dysentery at age 26)

Sixtus said she believed the waka was carved by Sydney Parkinson, who sailed on Captain Cook’s first voyage on HMS Endeavor, and gave her theories on how it came to be buried.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/maori-land-court-judge-rules-german-origin-claim-of-chatham-islands-waka-not-plausible/W3NJIV3HIVAGLDSFQN6EXBRXWE/
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 9:49am
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360843635/stuff-money-we-want-help-you-build-and-protect-your-wealth
Stuff is about to give financial advice.
What is the definition of “irony” ?
18 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 10:14am
- cmm
  
  I’m thinking of sending them a question:
  
  I have a multi-million dollar media/news company. I feel like reducing its value to $1. Got any hints as to how to go about that?
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:33am
  - Ghost
    
    The trademe deal is rumored to be a multi million dollar deal. Not bad, spending $1 and getting that return.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 10:48am
    - Jack5
      
      Stuff Digital Ltd, is now shown on the Companies Register to be 50:50 owned by :
      
      – Sinead Boucher, via Stuff and her holding company, Kenepuru Holdings; and
      
      – TradeMe Ltd, which is owned by Titan Acquisitonco New Zealand, which is owned in Britain’s tax-haven Channel Islands.
      
      It’s interesting whether TradeMe’s spend for its stake in Stuff Digital is:
      
      – a straight out purchase of the stake from Boucher with money going to her;
      
      – or the TradeMe money will go into Stuff Digital, bolstering or expanding it;
      
      – or there will be a split, with some money going into Stuff Digital and some going to Sinead Boucher.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 11:39am
cmm

After faking “drone strikes” on their fake “aid flotilla”, does anyone take these people’s claims seriously any more?

Leason claims to have been “roughed up” and Greta claims to have her hair pulled. Does anyone believe a word from them any more?

“Joining the flotilla was not Samuel’s first attempt to get aid into the war-torn territory, as he spent a couple of months walking across the Sinai desert with 3000 other people carrying milk powder ”

OK, that’s not a serious attempt to get aid anywhere. That’s just self-absorbed virtue signaling.

If you really want to send aid it is very, very simple: put it on a truck, get the paperwork and send it through official channels.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kiwi-teen-samuel-leason-detained-by-israel-allegedly-roughed-up-treated-badly-claims-dad/5OBYFENM2NFM3KE2PL6A7YCJVU/
18 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 10:30am
- artemisia
  
  Be good to know if the IDF asked to see the actual aid supplies on each boat so they could make sure all were landed. Good chance they ordered the supplies to be available for IDF transport.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:40am
  - cmm
    
    I’m picking a small first aid box and two tins of baked beans.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 1:52pm
- kowtow
  
  Plunket on the Platform did an excellent interview with the extremist , Waihopi attacker father Leason this morning .
  
  The son was in another attempt to enetr gaza , via Egypt and they turned them back . Where was the media outrage about that.
  
  13 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:40am
  - Conservatarian
    
    Thge interview was hilarious.
    
    Leason Sr. accused Israel of having dropped two nukes on Gaza, but rowed it back when Plunket challenged him on that.
    
    The father (Adrian Leason) is currently, hold your hats, a high school teacher in the Greater Wellington area.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 2:06pm
- AitchW
  
  Show us the bruises.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:42am
- cmm
  
  Oh dear….
  
  Now one of them is claimed to be on a hunger strike!
  
  After all the lies and showmanship do we actually believe this? Even if it is real, it is a self-imposed “hardship”.
  
  Judging from her various photos, Rana Hamida can easily sustain a few days of hunger strike so no worries there.
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360845254/one-kiwis-detained-israel-hunger-strike-sister-reveals
  
  https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/10/05/kiwis-detained-in-israel-after-flotilla-intercepted-get-consular-support/
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 3:03pm
mogg

Pro-Palestinian marches are a vehicle for anti -Semitism and outright racism.
The Guinness song:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ithQnu0AwnY&list=RDithQnu0AwnY&start_radio=1&pp=0gcJCaIEOCosWNin
9 3
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 10:49am
cas

I wish the MSM would be honest and say they are trying to bring down the Government. Or if not bring them down, ensure the unholy coalition of Labour, the Greens and the Maori Party get elected.
12 2
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 11:10am
- R
  
  Expecting a bit much cash! It is a moral compass issue with the media
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 12:38pm
  - Paulus
    
    Media moral compass ?
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 2:13pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  They seem to be doing the Unions’ work in organising a work-free day on Oct 23rd.
  
  10 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 12:49pm
- Philview
  
  There was an article on Stuff today on how things are falling into place between Labour/Greens and TPM in terms of developing their Coalition. It was clearly not a News report but an assist in getting the message out. I don’t go on Stuff much now but a quick check in to see what they are talking about. Most people on here are deeply concerned on what will come our way with the next Government. We know it will be anti democratic and I personally think we can look to the UK for clues on how the police force will be used, we know how the media will be used. Will we see the implementation of Digital ID and suddenly life getting harder for leaving incorrect thoughts in a website comments section that links to our Digital ID.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:23pm
Taieri

Child support payments are becoming an unbearable burden. According to some anyway…

A mother is supposedly suffering a severe hardship and is facing an impossible situation because she has to pay nearly $300 per week for her teenage son on an annual salary of just over $87000.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/call-child-support-changes-rnz

A quick calculation tells me that this severely deprived mum is getting $1315 per week after tax. Deducting $300 per week leaves her with just over $1000 to survive. Obviously this is not fair, especially when she does not qualify for any additional assistance.

In her own words: “(…)I absolutely cannot afford this, I am in severe hardship and considering resigning from my career… I am extremely worried about my future(…)”

Well, what could I possibly say…
14 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 11:48am
- artemisia
  
  Most single people could live on $1000 pw in the hand. Though looking at the cost of styley jeans a $300 pw contribution for child support does seem on the low side.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:39pm
Ian

Maybe Verity needs to cut out gym membership, booze, café coffee, get a basic phone/internet plan amongst other things. And you can defer rates and take a higher excess on your insurance. She really trips herself up…
https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360842791/i-tried-live-super-i-failed-day-one
18 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 12:06pm
- Taieri
  
  Verity says…
  
  “So I added up the costs of keeping me and my partner in power, water, phone, internet, rates, insurance, petrol and gym membership… $505 a week.”
  
  I’ve just calculated my expenditure on the above and it comes to about $170 per week for the household of two. Not counting petrol, which is not very high as we don’t drive all that much. And not counting gym membership as our gym is in the garden, on the beach and on the bike.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:23pm
- mandk
  
  Recipients of NZ Super can apply for the Accommodation Supplement if they are renting, or a rates rebate if they are homeowners.
  
  They can also get a Community Services Card which carries a range of benefits.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:36pm
  - artemisia
    
    Homeowners can get the Accomm Supplement, it’s not just for renters.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 7, 2025 5:49am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Verity went bust trying to sell sex. No wonder she can’t live on Super-equivalent.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 1:50pm
Ghost

This is outrageous. I hope the UN get involved, those poor bed bugs having to put up with Greta….

Celebrity Climate activist Greta Thunberg claims she’s been subjected to heinous conditions inside a bedbug-infested Israeli holding cell following her detention as part of an aid flotilla bound for Gaza.

Article

Surely we will hear from the greens, wanting to rescue these bedbugs and transport them to a better location.
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 1:11pm
- Ian
  
  Well, we have heard from the Greens as reported in Stuff. They organised a stand up press conference parading relatives of the detained flotilla members. Calling on the government to do all it can for their return – that the Greens don’t think the government are doing already. What more can the government do than they are doing at the moment? One Kiwi (not NZ born) going on a hunger strike – what will that achieve? And the press conference has all the concerned MPs in the picture with all their dress up attire. Giant publicity stunt….
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 3:24pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  Why can’t the Israelis just drop the protesters off in Gaza ?, it’s where they want to go and help. I am sure Hamas would appreciate the help building new tunnels, carrying out rooftop inspections, close examination of footpath surfaces etc.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 5:12pm
cmm

OK, I call bullshit on this:

The NZ taxpayer is paying $6M in compensation to Samoa over the Manawanui incident. Why?

Samoa has no effective military of its own and instead gets “free” military services (including assistance during emergencies) from abroad – including NZ. That is paid for by the NZ taxpayer.

If you want these foreign hand outs then you have to accept that there are going to be said naval vessels in your waters and there are associated risks – including risks of sinking, environmental risks etc.

Risks have cost associated with them. Always. People who don’t understand that do not understand risk or business.

Since Samoa is the beneficiary of these naval operations in these waters surely they should be prepared to at least carry the risk.

It is absurd to me that the NZ taxpayer is first paying the cost of providing the services – then, in addition, carries the costs of the risks.

NZ should not be paying Samoa a single cent over this issue.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360845055/samoa-govt-gets-6m-compensation-manawanui-sinking
16 4
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 1:15pm
- MCōs
  
  Reminds me of an engineer I knew who did some calcs for his neighbour’s new retaining wall for free.
  The wall was built, but there was a problem.
  It fell down.
  There was a legal dispute between the owner and the engineer, which the latter lost because he was providing services as a professional engineer even though he didn’t get paid.
  If you ask me the fiasco in Samoa is similar. Our navy was offering a professional service, never mind that the personnel were incompetent.
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 5:01pm
- DistantObserver
  
  Environmental damage. The ship was leaking a variety of oil and chemicals in their fishing grounds.
  Whatever else NZ decides to provide Samoa ‘free of charge’ is irrelevant and is a separate issue.
  Doesn’t give you the right to send a DEI navy to foul up another countries food supply.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 6:06pm
- Jake Dee
  
  Wrong.
  Samoa has a reasonable case for damages, NZ has made a payment early presumably to avoid facing a larger more damaging case later.
  It doesn’t matter if you are the stronger party militarily or economically, it doesn’t give you the right to avoid these sorts of claims.
  Do you want to know a great way to enrage smaller people and get them to plot against you?
  Be a bigger person who treads on them and then says the rules don’t apply to me and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 10:47pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Remember when supporting Net Zero was being on the right side of history?

The UK now has the highest price for energy in the world. They pay wind farms to turn the damn things off, because the grid can’t handle it. The Unions are agin it because the factories are being shuttered and moved to the US. Any green jobs are going to consultants and the public service, not “real workers”. They’re too embarrassed to produce their own gas, so buy it in instead.

This is a case study for policy clusterf*ck, and they’ve done it to themselves.

Sadly, Chris Hipkins locked into the ideology, the Greens admit they have intellectual disabilities and Chris Luxon still believes in Net Zero in a manner befitting someone schooled in the triumph of faith over adversity.

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-Net-Zero-Consensus-Is-Breaking-Down-in-Britain.html
6 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 1:58pm
Prince

Just to confirm there is no corruption in NZ, and our Public Service is peopled by managers of great integrity, probity and deserving of our utmost respect.
Adrian Orr, whose salary was $766K, received another $416K on his resignation, to “protect confidential information he was privy to as governor”.
So this wonderful man needed to be paid $416K or he could release confidential information he received as part of his role at the Bank, for which he was paid $766K a year !
Camn he, and his director chums, sink any lower ?
I could repeat Hawkeby’s tributes here but the above is nauseating enough.

Could NZ Public Service sink any lower ?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360845486/former-reserve-bank-governor-arian-orr-get-400k-restraint-trade-payment
8 1
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 5:23pm
- Ghost
  
  There is no corruption in this. It was part of his contract, as it is with some in the private sector.
  
  1 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  October 6, 2025 5:31pm
  - greybeard
    
    Why is it necessary to pay someone obscene amounts of money to agree not to disclose sensitive information if they should leave a place of employment ?
    
    2 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 7:30pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      I think it’s a bit rich too but – like the man said – it was in his contract. If you were him and had a similar contract would you be any different? Blame whoever negotiated the contract.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 7:52pm
    - Ghost
      
      They’re paying for him to not go out and get a job in which that information could be relevant. Imagine not being able to go straight out and get a job in your field of expertise. That is peanuts compared to what some in the private sector get paid.
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      October 6, 2025 8:06pm
      - Prince
        
        I don’t think there is any chance he would get a job in NZ now.
        
        0 0
        Report
        October 6, 2025 9:49pm
      - greybeard
        
        Isn’t a signature on some sort of employment agreement/ contract enough ?
        
        1 0
        Report
        October 6, 2025 9:56pm
  - Prince
    
    So his contract said ‘when you leave, either resign of pushed, you will be paid another $416K so you don’t release confidential information you have received as part of your job’ ?
    Wow, if that is common practice, the revolution can’t come quick enough Comrade.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    October 6, 2025 9:48pm
Hugh Jarse

I hope the NZ Police are keeping a close eye on the activities of the left wing extremists in this country or we are going to have a political inspired tragedy soon. The ramping up of violent language in social media is quite palpable and is going to arc up the simple minded amongst their followers. The Greens, Labour and TPM need to back the rhetoric down several notches.
1 0
Log in to Reply
Report
October 6, 2025 9:57pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« The Chocolate Fish mystery

Sea Level rise poll »

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

Parliament fails to defend transparency
No Right Turn
"The principal view of human laws is, or ought always to be, to explain, protect, and enforce such rights as are absolute, which in themselves are few and simple."
Not PC
To be fair – nothing manages to celebrate the sham 250 year democracy of a neofascist regime quite like Vanilla Ice
The Daily Blog
Daily review 04/06/2026
The Standard
Word of the day
Hompaddock
The response to Budget 2026 has been unusually muted
Point of Order
We Are a Country That Decided Housing Was The Economy
No Minister
My Opening Statement for the UATX Caplan-Jones Immigration Rematch
Utopia
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: