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October 20, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 20 October 2025

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General Debate

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Foxfour

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/576346/inflation-expected-to-hit-15-month-high-after-september-rise
Inflation is expected to hit a 15-month high, as strong food prices, rates, power and transport costs continue to squeeze household budgets.
Consumer prices for the three months ended September are expected to have risen about 1.0 percent, pushing the annual rate to 3.0 percent from 2.7 percent in June.
So despite inflation falling in last 18 months ( after election) its now rising.
Oh Woes… who to blame, let me count the ways
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October 20, 2025 8:08am
- Wandering Star
  
  I blame Winston for going with Labour,
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:10am
  - Paulus
    
    Which is why under no circumstances we will ever vote for Winston.
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:27am
    - Philview
      
      New Zealand First have the opportunity to build from here to be a significant party but it will not work if they go into Coalition with Labour again. Their support will drift back to National as it always does.
      
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      October 20, 2025 11:25am
    - JackRabbit
      
      Paulus, I believe you need to move and allow people to change, including Winston, who has changed considerably.
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:23pm
      - David Garrett
        
        Jack: Crikey! I hope you are a young and callow youth! NZF has always been about baubles for Winston, and it will always be until they hold a state funeral for the old fraud
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:35pm
      - Conservatarian
        
        So the “baubles of office” for Winston Peters means doing the decent thing and blowing the whistle on former Green Party list MP Benjamin Doyle? After all, Doyle was the one-time representative in Parliament for the nonce-adjacent faction of New Zealand’s degenerate and demonic far left.
        
        Why didn’t any of the “principled” MPs do this?
        
        Too busy worrying about “GDP line go up”?
        
        Too scared of the media shrieking “why are you waging imported culture wars”?
        
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        October 20, 2025 3:24pm
    - Inandout
      
      Paul, to be fair Key gave our beaches away to iwi after Helen saved them for us. He also pushed through the Smacking Bill that a huge percentage of citizens opposed. Oh, and not to forget he increased GST after promising not to. Face it mate, politicians of all colours can be lying turds.
      
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      October 20, 2025 3:34pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      So policy means nothing, achievement means nothing, its all about personality politics.?????
      about personal bias??
      
      Now we understand that, then we can understand why kiwis vote the way they do. It’s just a popularity contest. Nothing to do with policy.
      
      PS. Every time I drive over the Tauranga Harbour Bridge, I say thank you, Winston.
      ie he made it happen as part of his agreement with Helen Clark.
      
      On behalf of all the oldies, I say thank you, Winston, for the Super Gold Card.
      
      Easy to dump on anybody, we all have faults!!!!!
      
      Have met with Winston on a number of occasions in the past. Dang 30+ years ago. He is the consummate politician in my view. Knew how to rev up a crowd, blow with the opinion wind etc etc. and also how to keep in the game. Remember he only needs 5% of the votes….hence his appeal to the marginals, eg oldies.
      
      No, I am not a Winston fanboy. He goes off-piste on occasion.
      
      But I just like watching anybody good at their game, whether it be an all-black, an athlete or a business person(Trademe Sam Morgan, springs to mind)
      
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      October 20, 2025 6:39pm
  - Foxfour
    
    Last 18 months ?. Especially the current year
    Electricity – up 11.3% (10.1% contribution to the 3% annual CPI increase).
    Rent – up 2.6% (9.2% contribution).
    Local authority rates and payments – up 8.8% (9.2%).
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:00pm
    - JackRabbit
      
      You can thank the leader of the previous Labour party for that.
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:24pm
    - ISeeRed
      
      I’d uptick you as National do need to own it now after two years except you don’t ever publicly hold Labour to account for their previous economic vandalism and orgy of criminally wasteful spending.
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:42pm
  - JackRabbit
    
    I blame the Labour govt racking up $200bn in debt and future committments by printing and borrowing “for Covid”
    
    Economics 101. Govt Printing and borrowing money increases inflation.
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:21pm
    - Foxfour
      
      No it doesnt. That’s 1970s de bunked economic theory
      US has borrowed far more than us – even for size of economy, same for Australia.
      Wheres the high inflation in those places.
      
      For the GFC from 2009 -2018 John Key government quadrupled NZ gross debt – from $20 bill to $90 bill and inflation was quite low
      
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      October 20, 2025 3:53pm
      - In Vino Veritas
        
        Oh bugger off [ Mod – not really debate stuff ]
        
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        October 20, 2025 7:24pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Looking behind you is not the best way to progress forward.!!!!
    But its the current pilon team on Winston.
    
    Using your thinking, then.
    
    In a divorce, a wife or husband, can blame the other party for a bad decision on the wedding day?
    
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    October 20, 2025 6:22pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    WS at that point Labour had not revealed their new true far left craziness. Labour under Helen C was I think by comparison more or less centre-left. Though I did shudder when I initially heard Jacinda speak and I did shudder at her being a global youth socialist leader, it wasn’t until quite a bit later that the loony stuff was wheeled out (Co-governance, He Pua Pua, The Disinformation Project, PJIF, letting serious crime run rampant, and all the rest).
    
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    October 20, 2025 7:44pm
- Scooter
  
  It will be interesting what happens when the new Reserve Bank Governor comes in Nov and starts her new role and what direction the economy goes. She will have a tough start in 2026.
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:34am
  - cmm
    
    I think we have way too much belief in the effects of the Reserve Bank on the economy.
    
    Yes, it certainly has some impact but there are far more important factors. The reserve bank has very few levers to pull.
    
    Far more important is the government polices around making NZ an attractive place to do business and a good place for high value poeple to move to. Changes to the immigration structure (eg. back t the points system of the 1990s) would help.
    
    We need to turn around the loss of confidence that is causing over 100 of our best to leave NZ every day. I don’t know what the solution is to that, but whatever we’re doing now is broken.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:05am
    - R
      
      Th solution, cmm, is for the electors to make more intelligent economically viable selections at the Polling booths; and for our Unions, and MSM outlets to take a far more credible and neutral attitude to their responsibilities TOWARD NZ CORP.
      I recognize that this is probably expecting a bit much, so the country will continue to underperformed, and decay.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:54am
      - cmm
        
        Well, yes, the political parties and politicians are only what we vote for. They are only responding to the voting market place. Politicians are downstream of voters. What’s broken are the voters.
        
        But then if you zoom out a bit, you see that the voters are also benefiting from the system too, so the it is actually an infinite loop of corrupt voters voting for politicians who will give them stuff they want.
        
        Of course an infinite loop makes a perpetual motion machine. That is not self-sustaining and the energy/money to drive it must come from somewhere. Enter the wallet of the net taxpayer.
        
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        October 20, 2025 10:16am
    - kiwimike
      
      Remove all race based Laws, By-Laws, Rules & Quotas would def start the turn around.
      But we need to displace the Uni Party first.
      
      then all NZ Citizens will start to be equal.
      
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      October 20, 2025 6:34pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      and off course remove all the stupid rules that stifle NZ development.
      Yes my favorite target is the building code. Double glazing compulsory, limiting who can build a house and of course the endless ferkin inspections/approvals.
      
      At least some movement with
      https://www.building.govt.nz/getting-started/building-system-reforms/granny-flats/proposed-building-consent-exemption-conditions-for-small-standalone-dwellings
      
      But still restrictive.
      
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      October 20, 2025 6:50pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    “She will have a tough start in 2026.”
    
    When we perceive our future to be dependant on a single civil servant we should also realise that the solution is, not the civil servant, but ourselves.
    
    NZ has two problems.
    We don’t produce enough wealth, and the Treaty industry that is strangling what is left of us.
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:34am
    - AitchW
      
      We have a 3rd problem, the carbon propaganda industry and the accompanying payments to fix the climate.
      We need to get out of the Paris accord.
      
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      October 20, 2025 12:22pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Easier said than done with the likes of Jack Tame coubined with a useless climate change minister.
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:39pm
    - Paulus
      
      Isn’t she a Banker and not a Politician ?
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:47pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        She’s not a politician, she’s a civil servant, as stated.
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:24pm
  - JackRabbit
    
    The new Reserve Bank Governor is WEF trained. So all bets are off.
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:24pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Like any bureaucrat, she will do the softly softly approach. Don’t expect any upheavals or changes for 6-12 months.
    
    No Trumpesque changes at RBNZ
    
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    October 20, 2025 6:45pm
- In Vino Veritas
  
  I think you have missed this bit Fox:
  “The various measures of core inflation are expected to remain contained in the upper part of the RBNZ’s 1-3% target band”.
  So the response to your comment becomes “so what?”
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:09am
Damocles11

Can somebody explain the governments strategy re the Reserve Bank, and also what the Reserve Bank is doing?
National / the Coalition removed the employment part of the dual mandate. The Reserve Bank now has one mandate and one mandate only: to ensure price stability with inflation to be kept within a band of between 1% and 3%. So why would the Reserve Bank worry about anything else that is outside their mandate? It is not their job.
Why have they abandoned their mandate?

‘Inflation is expected to hit a 15-month high, as strong food prices, rates, power and transport costs continue to squeeze household budgets.
Consumer prices for the three months ended September are expected to have risen about 1%, pushing the annual rate to 3% from 2.7% in June.’
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October 20, 2025 8:09am
- pdm
  
  Why does the Reserve Bank need to be spending Millions setting up an office in Auckland.
  
  Surely they are a one dimensional outfit which should be sited in Wellington as they always have been – close to Parliament and The Treasury.
  
  Is Auckland another Orr ego trip?
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:50am
  - cmm
    
    This is the modern age. We have video conference calls. They could set up in Invercargill.
    There certainly is no need for a multi-million dollar satellite office in Auckland.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:07am
    - imalwaysright
      
      They need somewhere to go when they get bored ‘working from home’.
      
      The other problem is that the Left have turned Wellington into a dump where no one wants to live or work. They should be closing the Wellington office. Its probably 3/4 empty right now.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:38am
  - Foxfour
    
    Reserve Bank has long had an office in Auckland CBD. Since before Muldoon at least
    The lease expired in their flash offices on Queen St, so they moved to a whole floor in Britomart , replacing multiple floors on mid Queen St
    
    The Reserve Bank supervises the trading banks, financial lenders, insurance companies and the financial infrastructure in general.
    Auckland is the business capital with banks, insurance companies, Stock Exchange in Auckland
    Your claims arent matched by the facts
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:11am
    - Swifty
      
      Have you apologised for your disinformation about Collins yesterday yet?
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:23am
    - virtualmark
      
      Yes, the RBNZ Auckland office has more of the bank & insurance prudential oversight activities, mainly because the banks and insurance companies have increasingly moved their head offices to Auckland.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:24am
    - kiwikidsnz
      
      You’re confusing the RBNZ with the FMA
      
      https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/about-us/our-purpose-vision-and-values
      
      https://www.fma.govt.nz/about-us/
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:28am
      - Foxfour
        
        No Im not . I got the details from RBNZ
        
        FMA seems to be at the retail end of money markets, advisors plus Kiwisaver providors
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:09pm
    - sirknz
      
      You missed out the cost of their new office compared to the office they are now leaving out of your ‘facts’.
      
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      October 20, 2025 10:35am
      - Foxfour
        
        The old rent was set many 10-15 years back. ( with yearly increments)
        Im pretty sure at an end of lease a much higher rate would kick in.
        When I looked last week the Auckland CBD A class office rentals per m2 were a bit higher than for the RB Britomart whole floor lease . RB also had a PR release of exact floor area and pesky details like that
        
        [Mod – just debate the topics]
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:06pm
    - [email protected]
      
      Stock exchange in Auckland?
      
      You mean the organisation that operates out of the Odlins building on the Wellington waterfront?
      
      As far as I am aware there is no local stock exchange in Auckland and hasn’t been for some years. Wikipedia lists the open outcry floors as disappearing in 1991.
      
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      October 20, 2025 11:47am
      - Foxfour
        
        Thanks for that.
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:11pm
  - Blog-aholic
    
    Auckland is closer to Tane Mahuta…..
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:21am
- Spam
  
  Well, if this inflation was (is?) expected, then I’m really struggling to understand why the Reserve Bank reduced the official cash rate a couple of weeks ago…
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:23am
  - Damocles11
    
    So am I. They are ignoring their mandate.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:31am
  - David Garrett
    
    Spam: They didn’t. The OCR remains on hold.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:55am
    - Spam
      
      It was reduced from 3.0% to 2.5% on the 8th of October.
      https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/hub/news/2025/10/ocr-reduced-to-2-5-percent
      
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      October 20, 2025 10:00am
      - David Garrett
        
        Spam: I stand corrected…I should know better than to rely on Stuff
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:38pm
- Paulus
  
  Is it not a fact that our wages are one of the highest in the World as our Minimum Wage is almost the top.
  And thee unions want more, more, more !
  Almost three times that of say the USA !
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:30am
  - Foxfour
    
    Free markets include freedom to collectively bargain, by unions
    Or is that not allowed ?
    
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    October 20, 2025 3:55pm
  - Sweet Hitchhiker
    
    That’s why a substantial percentage of Americans live under the poverty line…
    And years ago, even before the Nats’ Employment Contracts Act, New Zealand was regarded as a “low wage economy”.
    
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    October 20, 2025 6:18pm
Cassandra

Tariffs? Wars? Interruptions to supply lines and oil fields? Greedy unions? Doctors on $300,00 a year? Primary teachers on $110,000? What’s your list, Four?
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October 20, 2025 8:17am
- Albie
  
  I’ve got another one for you FF: irresponsible LEfT WING dominated local and regional councils.
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:29am
  - Foxfour
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    So its not the irresponsible government then ?
    
    Did you know that the rich private schools ( not the integrated ones) got more funding last budget
    ” total annual funding from $41.6 million to $46.2 million”
    
    Something about – not a misprint- increasing diversity
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:44am
    - Swifty
      
      Why shouldn’t they – their parents pay tax, the same as the rest of us, and it reduces the burden on state schools.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:25am
      - Paulus
        
        And the tax the parents pay in the private school costs pay towards all the other non private schools teacher and pupils at the same time.
        
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        October 20, 2025 10:34am
    - Ghost
      
      Do tell us about the funding and why after years of no increases it was raised. Also tell us the difference in funding per student, which is higher for public than private.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:36am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Albie,
    And don’t forget the insurance premiums that have skyrocketed because of the fear mongering of the Greens on the Climate Scam.
    
    It appears that Chloe’s recent junket to London for an Insurance conference was a nice gesture from.Chris Faafoi and the insurers association.
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:48am
    - Foxfour
      
      Re-insurance. Its essential for NZ EQC and others to have re-insurance for disasters. All the main parties had Mps at the conference
      
      The claims paid are what drives the reinsurance premiums up and the local rates as well ( often bases on rebuild costs)
      “Treasury has estimated the cost of 2023 events to the New Zealand economy were between $9 billion and $14.5 billion, and the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) has said insurers have paid out around $3.8 billion for more than 118,000 private insurance claims. ”
      So no you cant blame on Greens scaremongering
      
      Luckily 2024 was very quiet on the disaster front
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:27am
    - Handyman
      
      One of the great mysteries is why this year’s house insurance has increased because of something that is forecast to happen in 50 year’s time.
      I pay car insurance annually to cover risks in the same year. I pay annual health insurance based on my current age, not on the risk/cost profile of a eighty year old.
      But my house, under no threat from rising sea levels, has increased premiums for something that may occur in 50 year’s time.
      
      Note the difference between current risk and future risk. There is a current risk of earthquake, but here I am talking about risks that do not exist at the moment (my house and prior paddock never flooded) with prediction that in 50 years there will be a risk of flooding.
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:57pm
  - Foxfour
    
    Clutha District Council – 16.59%; says Taxpayers Onion.
    Hot bed of left wingers is it in Balclutha and Tapanui
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:53am
  - R
    
    Albie, your comment is very much on ‘the ball’, when looking for explanations of the high cost of everyday living for ‘Joe and Joan Blogs’. But then J &J Blogs were probably two of the hundreds who voted to spend OPM on their pet village ‘wants’.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:09am
- Foxfour
  
  “Interruptions to supply lines and oil fields?”
  That was some years back now. Inflation was falling when National took office – now its not, especially food prices are rocketing up . CPI is a basket of spending for households. Food prices are seen every week in the grocery shop…. hence the falling approval for the shampoo/deodorants sales executive
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:16am
  - Swifty
    
    Yep, over 30 years of price stability wrecked by Ardern, Robertson and Hipkins won’t be fixed overnight.
    
    It’ll be a long hard slog.
    
    What a disaster for the country Ardern, Robertson and Hipkins were – their recklessness will continue to be a burden on us for years and years.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:28am
    - R
      
      Burden, mainly for our grandchildren. That is, the ones who haven’t flown the NZ socilast nirvana.
      
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      October 20, 2025 10:00am
    - Paulus
      
      As the damage is so great am not sure if we can ever return to a stable economy whatever.
      ECO 101
      
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      October 20, 2025 10:36am
      - R
        
        We can. Once we have changed the mindset of the majority, from one of, use of welfare and OPM, to satisfy our desire for nirvana; will be difficult to convince the near majority to such thinking. The concept of personal responsibility and effort, terrifies many people.
        
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        October 20, 2025 11:27am
    - Foxfour
      
      “over 30 years of price stability wrecked by Ardern, Robertson and Hipkins”
      And how did they manage that for rest of the World who also had high inflation for a short period
      Turkiye was 40% in 2023
      Australia was 6.6% in 2022
      
      Your claims fall well short of anything rational
      
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      October 20, 2025 4:00pm
      - Swifty
        
        Go and check the annual inflation rates for the period 2020-2025 for countries including, say, Hong Kong, China, Switzerland and Denmark just off the top of my head.
        
        Them come back and tell us Ardern and Robertson were economic wizards.
        
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        October 20, 2025 7:24pm
      - Swifty
        
        “And how did they manage that for rest of the World who also had high inflation for a short period….”
        
        Horseshit.
        
        Some did, some didn’t.
        
        Average annual inflation rates, 2020-2025 for the following countries:
        
        Hong Kong 0.3
        China 2.4
        Switzerland -0.7
        Denmark 0.4
        
        These countries, to name just a few, show Ardern and Robertson’s performance to be poor. Very poor.
        
        You cherry picked Aussie and Turkey for obvious reasons and all you’re doing is proving my point – Labour never accepts responsibility for their poor performance. They always blame everyone but themselves.
        
        It’s dishonest.
        
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        October 20, 2025 7:32pm
    - kiwimike
      
      and Hipkins still wants another crack at it !!
      
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      October 20, 2025 6:40pm
  - Swifty
    
    When you live in Labour Land:
    
    High inflation under Labour – “nothing to see here, and any inflation is caused by external factors nothing to do with our policies.”
    
    (Much reduced) inflation under National – “every single scrap of inflation Luxon is personally responsible for.”
    
    And these people expect us to take them seriously.
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:07am
    - ISeeRed
      
      We need to bring back shame as a tool to encourage positive social and economic change. For example:
      
      Shame beneficiaries for being leeches feeding off their working neighbours
      Shame employers for being traitors hiring foreigners over New Zealanders
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:52pm
    - Foxfour
      
      Voters have already decided who to blame , like they did for Labour previously .
      National is at 29% for obvious reasons
      
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      October 20, 2025 4:01pm
      - kiwimike
        
        no F4
        National are at 29% because they have ignored the wishes of the 83% to keep Maorisation going against what voters wanted. IE all Kiwis equal and NO Ethnostate…
        
        and a coordinated campaign by Labour/Greens and their stooges in the Media to poison the environment for the Coalition and peoples minds.
        
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        October 20, 2025 6:45pm
      - Ghost
        
        No.
        
        The left vote at the last election was 41.59% so already your claim of 83% doesn’t stack up. Polling already shows what the main issues for the large part of the voters are, economy, cost of living, health, the Māori issue is one that only gains a small amount of voters. Why kiwibloggers think is a big issue for New Zealanders, isn’t.
        
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        October 20, 2025 6:55pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Ghost: “the Māori issue is one that only gains a small amount of voters.”
        
        Until they realise that they have to pay a type of Jizya tax to those with some Maori heritage to do virtually anything. By then, too late. A huge con job is afoot and most NZers are fast asleep to it.
        
        Seriously Ghost, on the current trajectory, what do you think the end game in NZ is for those without Maori heritage?
        
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        October 20, 2025 7:56pm
Tomtoddy

The next international jamboree run by the UN is in Brazil. It is COP30 and runs from the 3rd Nov to the 21st. New Zealand has yet to announce its official delegation but it will include 10 young Māori chosen to put a perspective on climate change “on behalf of our people”.

It takes 10 representatives to do this?? Happily slumming it in top hotels for a couple of weeks??
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October 20, 2025 8:17am
- cmm
  
  How else does Mātauranga Māori make its gift to the world?
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:22am
- kowtow
  
  10s of 1000’s of trees cut down by the Brazilians to build a road for it.
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:46am
- Nukuleka
  
  Blatant racism on display here, of course. People selected solely on the basis of their ethnicity. Enabled by Simon Watts. Anyone know who is actually funding the travel and accommodation costs of these 10 delegates? Maybe its the iwi that nominated them. Maybe.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:01am
  - RoboRob
    
    Watched some of Simon Watts interview with jack Tame over the weekend. Wow, it takes real skill to make Jack Tame look so good. Watts perfornace was ‘poor’.
    
    To be fair to him, he is arguing an indefensible position. If, as National claim, they are 100% sticking with the climate goals AND all the data shows they wont got to them, why are the government not planning for the massive cash spend required to buy carbon credits from 2030? As National are the ‘financialy sensible’ ones, it appears strange they are not. The irony is Tame and Watts both know that National aren’t planning to be in the Paris accord and are praying it falls apart sooner rather then later. They just cant say it outloud.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:09am
    - pdm
      
      I have been saying for months that Simon Watts is the weakest Minister in Cabinet.
      
      I haven’t see n that interview RR but from what you say he consolidated that position.
      
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      October 20, 2025 12:21pm
      - RoboRob
        
        Last week someone asked if Goldsmith was the worst MP in National. I responded by ranking who I think are the bottom 5 MPs. Watts got last, closely followed by Luxon, although I did qualify that by saying if you hold Luxon accountable for Watts performance (which I think you should) then he should be at the bottom.
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:26pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        Why does Tame have Jane Smith on? She would not put up with his rudeness.
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:49pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  It comes under the budget line item “free international air travel for young Maori” which is a subset of budget item “more government jobs for Maori” which in turn is a subset of budget item “Giveaway stuff for Maori to make out we are doing something for them”.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:07am
  - R
    
    All under the Budget item, Treaty Entitlements.
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:04am
- Blog-aholic
  
  The Brazilian Hookers Association will be well represented.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:23am
  - Paulus
    
    Do you actually mean the UN ?
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:51pm
- Charmaine Hawke
  
  I had a look at accommodation options with a colleague last week. IF you can get a room it will be the thick end of 20K per room.
  This is about to cost us taxpayers a fortune for a meeting they should be having on Zoom.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:29am
  - Taieri
    
    for a meeting they should be having on Zoom
    —————–
    
    For a meeting, which, being just a talk fest, should not be held as it serves no useful purpose…
    
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    October 20, 2025 2:02pm
- Tom Hunter
  
  There are 30 nations that emit at least 0.5% of annual GHG emissions, adding up to 57% of total annual emissions.
  
  Of that 30, 21 have failed to register updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as required by Article 3 of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
  
  This even after the deadline was extended from February to September 2025.
  
  There have been no consequences for these nations.
  
  The 9 countries that did comply account for 25% of all emissions but one of them was the USA (11%) and of course they’ve now pulled out.
  
  So basically we’ve got 71% of the world’s GHG emissions effectively uncommitted, which pretty much screws the Paris Agreement, and nothing will change at COP30, which will be as farcical as the previous ten.
  
  I suppose we’ll just have to watch this thing collapse before we have the “courage” to ignore it. Let’s hope we haven’t destroyed our energy systems before that happens.
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:00am
- Paulus
  
  And business class fares as is their natural expectation !
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:37am
  - R
    
    All international capable travel Waka had Business Class as a minimum, often First Class.
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:36am
    - Hugh Jarse
      
      It’s a shame that we seem to have lost that technology otherwise the 10 youngsters could have jumped in those for the return trip to Brazil, be a doddle compared to their ancestors trips to Antartica.
      
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      October 20, 2025 3:21pm
- JackRabbit
  
  …will include 10 young Māori chosen to put a perspective on climate change…
  
  Should be: “We all play at the beach, as our parents and grandparents did, and the average water level is still at the “heart” grandad carved in a pier post in 1932, when he proposed to great grandma. So climate change is bullshit.”
  
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  October 20, 2025 1:35pm
vand

–include 10 young Māori chosen to put a perspective on climate change “on behalf of our people”.

TT- High cost junkets cross ethnic and political lines!
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October 20, 2025 8:20am
- kowtow
  
  Emotion trumping truth .
  
  That makes it pure theatre and nothing less than outright propaganda.
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:48am
- pdm
  
  James Shaw took aa plane load to Glasgow, arriving after the main players had gone home.
  
  What will Simon Watts dream up to top that?
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:53am
  - Foxfour
    
    Thats because COP is a multi ring circus.
    Maybe the even have a seniors side event or follow on
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:55am
- imalwaysright
  
  10 maori ?
  
  What happened to DEI ?
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:57am
  - cmm
    
    They probably came from 3 different tribes.
    What more diversity do you want?
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:29am
Cassandra

China’s leader Xi and much of the party elite dislike what Xi calls “welfarism”. Overly generous governments create “lazy people” and “inevitably bring about serious economic and political problems” he said in 2021.”

Of the 400,000 working age people on a benefit how many are actually unable to work? And we’ve also got the elephant, our very generous OAP and the other elephant, the DPB (or whatever it’s now called).
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October 20, 2025 8:29am
- Foxfour
  
  The Context of 406,000 on main benefits
  
  80,000 are the DPB under its new name
  95,000 are invalid or sickness benefit
  120,000 are jobseekers
  105,000 are supported living
  https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/2025/jun/jun-25-bfs-snapshot-a4.pdf
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:39am
  - Jethrod
    
    Oh…… what about the 6000 remaining? Are they the ones in the Black economy……. you know , them that buy large black Ford or Toyota Utes with no visible means of support. Nudge nudge, wink wink.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:25am
- cmm
  
  It’s not just the 400,000 people on the benefit but also the 328400 families (ie. another 600,000 or so) working age people who are working but also get a benefit.
  
  At the other end, the minimum wage is also a form of benefit – still paid for by the net taxpayers.
  
  Then don’t forget all the make-work employment/consulting in the government that provides little value but costs us dearly. Probably 30,000 of them.
  
  All up we probably have 30 – 40% of our working age population on some sort of benefit.
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:42am
  - Foxfour
    
    Any source for those claims .
    As of course saying the minimum wage is a form of benefit paid for by taxpayers is beyond ludicrous
    
    Have you included the regional airlines that have been propped up- a pun- by this government.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:00am
    - cmm
      
      Which claims need sources?
      
      Of course minimum wage is paid for by the net tax payers.
      
      The minimum wage costs society as a whole more money right? So who is paying for that?
      Is it the people on minimum wage? No they are receiving this benefit, so they are not paying for it.
      Is it government workers? No they are receiving a benefit (a make-work government salary). Any money they make is coming from the net taxpayer, so they are not paying for it.
      Is it the people on WFF? No they are receiving a benefit (WFF).
      …
      And so all that leaves is the net taxpayer who picks up the bill for everything.
      
      And, yes, good spotting. The airlines (regional as well as AirNZ) and the railways and all other subsidised transport (including most bus services) are all paid for by the net taxpayers.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:16am
      - imalwaysright
        
        If we make the minimum wage $50/hr all of our problems will go away….
        
        I get the impression that, if Labour and the Greens etc had got back in, my first sentence would have been in the Cabinet Minutes.
        
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        October 20, 2025 9:53am
      - Jethrod
        
        Not that you will ever see that minute.
        
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        October 20, 2025 10:04am
      - kiwimike
        
        CMN we are 39%
        and resent it.
        I feel no shame in taking my Super I earnt it and still do.
        
        I want all the consultants sacked.
        There should be good quality people in the ministries, if not then sack them and get good ones.
        
        Any Job is Min wage.
        
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        October 20, 2025 6:54pm
    - RoboRob
      
      Well on top of the 400k on direct benefits there are another 328000 on Working for Families. Plus people on Nationals new ‘early childhood support’ package, plus accomodation suppliments etc.
      
      https://www.ird.govt.nz/about-us/tax-statistics/social-policy/working-for-families-statistics
      
      So likely close to 1m. When you factor in that 35% of the population is outside of the working age group (i.e. not paying tax). 35% of 5m is 1.75m
      
      https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/population-vulnerability/age-profile/
      
      So ~800k (benefits) + 1.75 (non tax payer) = 2.55. So just over half the population is being supported by just under half the population. Throw in the govt is 40% of the economy, and the money for them comes from tax payers too and you have ~25% of the population paying for the other 75%.
      
      Oh and yes, minimum wage is another tax. The price of goods raises artificially to cover the costs of the magic number set by government. Those 25% of the population are he only ones that ‘pay’ the actual additional cost, the rest recieve benefit / government pay raises to help cover it.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:35am
      - cmm
        
        Add to that all the others that survive on the net taxpayer’s wallet:
        * Civil servants and consultants.
        * NGOs and their “economy”.
        * All the bus drivers, train drivers etc providing subsidized services.
        * People providing building services etc to KO.
        * All the people putting up road cones and doing taxpayer funded road works (extremely inefficiently to enhance “employment”).
        
        When you add it all up there are very, very few people propping up the NZ economy and many of those are leaving NZ every day.
        
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        October 20, 2025 10:23am
  - rouppe
    
    At the other end, the minimum wage is also a form of benefit – still paid for by the net taxpayers.
    
    Yeah I’m with F4 on this one.
    
    Minimum wage earners pay some tax. They may receive more back in transfers such as accommodating supplement, partial jobseeker, winter energy payment etc than they paid in tax.
    
    So the money paid in those transfers is already counted in the original benefit figures, and the individual can’t be counted again in some other way.
    
    On a minimum wage tangent, I was reading the other day that in the usa tips are now getting expectations of 20% of the bill. I’m thinking, if tips are getting to that level, there really is something wrong with the system.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:18am
    - RoboRob
      
      Trumps new ‘No tax on tips’ won him a heap of support BUT the policy obviously encourages people to maximise the % of their income that comes from ‘tips’. I understand the concept that low income workers (waiters etc) are reliant on tips and tax was hard to manage and costly but this policy wasn’t really the best solution.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:38am
    - cmm
      
      You are missing the point I was trying to make. Let me explain better.
      
      Let’s say a certain worker’s time is worth $15 on the open market but they have to be paid $23.50 an hour (minimum wage). That extra $8.50 has to come from somewhere. That can only come from subsidies from other people and that almost always ends up just being the net taxpayers.
      
      A person on the minimum wage is drawing far more out of the tax pool than they are putting in, so saying that they also pay tax is rather a poor argument.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:48am
      - Phronesis
        
        Entirely correct. Many of those on benefits are on benefits because their labour is not worth the minimum wage. This means they are effectively unemployable. In most cases they could be doing something productive with their time and contributing to the economy but are effectively prevented from doing so by minimum wage requirements. Not being gainfully employed also has social and health costs that are ultimately picked up by the taxpayer. I would like to see a good analysis of the numbers if we get rid of the minimum wage and introduce a low universal basic income (below cost of living). Yes the taxpayer would still be subsidising the less productive, but at least they would be contributing to GDP to some degree.
        
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        October 20, 2025 10:53am
      - Foxfour
        
        I can see you dont employ anyone if you think some one on the minimum wage is only worth $15 ph or less. There’s your fallacy right there
        Is no surprise as 72% of NZs small companies employ no one
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:16pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        @foxfour
        
        What someone is worth is linked to their productivity. There are some people that are worth less than $15 per hour.
        
        If people were employed and paid by the quality of their comments on here based on up ticks and downticks, cmm might be worth $50. And based on your upticks / downticks it appears you would be paying your employer.
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:48pm
      - cmm
        
        Foxfour
        
        Yes, I have employed people in the past, but never minimum wage employees because they bring zero value to my operation (a hindrance – not a benefit). They might be worth $5 an hour (generous) to sweep the floor or fetch a cup of coffee but that is all.
        
        The people I have employed have been at at least $30/hr (apprentice-level person doing some soldering and testing). Mostly $50 or more (second year university student level person testing embedded software).
        
        Not all people are of equal value and there are some who are not worth more than $15 an hour in wages.
        
        In general they are the easiest to replace with automation. Crank up the minimum wage and you’re just increasing the chances that job goes away completely.
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:36pm
      - cmm
        
        Phronesis.
        
        We actually do have a form of prototype for UBI – the NZ Super.
        
        The problem with UBI is that it becomes an entrenched entitlement because everyone gets it and it is therefore not seen as a hand out (same with ACC, medical care etc).
        
        This probably justifies it in many people’s eyes.
        
        I am against normalising welfare and handouts (eg. WFF does this).
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:40pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Don’t forget ‘under employment’ where people are classed as being in full-time employment but work fewer hours than they are willing and able to.
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:19am
    - pdm
      
      Exactly ima.
      
      I know a guy who works 14 hours a week aged just under 65. Obviously that is the minimum he has to work to maintain the balance of his job seeker payments.
      
      If he was inclined he could be doing 40 hours a week with the same employer – yet there is no enforcement of that by WINZ.
      
      It is not hard physical work and he is well capable of doing those hours. I am 79 and a half and do the same work albeit fewer hours but, next week I am doing extra hours because someone else needs some minor surgery.
      
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      October 20, 2025 12:34pm
      - Foxfour
        
        Winz says
        ‘If you are on a benefit like Jobseeker Support, you can earn up to $160 per week before it affects your payment.’
        14 hours a week at minimum rate $23.50 ph is $329.
        Thus your claim of ‘ I know a guy’ is clearly made up. Lol
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:19pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        As people get older they tend to accumulate various injuries and defects. A lot of these things are not visible to the casual observer but do greatly impact what kinds of work people can do and for how long. Also don’t forget people can be quite debilitated but “not quite” qualifying for a disability benefit. That means they have to be quite picky on what work they do and for how long, lest the work causes them to physically break down even further.
        
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        October 20, 2025 8:03pm
- artemisia
  
  Seems sanctions are putting some Jobseeker recipients at risk of being homeless.
  
  RNZ reported in March that government data showed beneficiaries sanctioned with money management cards were often unable to pay rent, putting them at risk of homelessness. RNZ today.
  
  Their obligations are straightforward and obvious. Meet them and don’t become homeless because of sanctions.
  
  https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/on-a-benefit/obligations/obligations-for-getting-jobseeker-support.html
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:45am
  - Eastlander
    
    People who claim to struggle with rent always seem to have money for drugs.
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:05am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      People with little or no hope do tend to use drugs.
      
      Not good, obviously, but it’s reality.
      
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      October 20, 2025 8:04pm
Kiwiguy

So we were having lunch with a bunch of friends the other day.
The topic of the Palestine/Israel ceasefire came up, and someone asked what do we think will happen next?
The general consensus was that Hamas/Palestine would break the ceasefire, but Israel would get the blame.
Then, true to form, Stuffed has this headline this morning:
“Israel launches air strikes on Gaza after ‘Hamas fired on troops’.
Looks like our prediction is coming true, perhaps?
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October 20, 2025 8:46am
- Ghost
  
  Here is the article, Israel aren’t getting the blame. It’s very obvious from the article who was to blame for this
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/360859257/israel-launches-air-strikes-gaza-after-hamas-fired-troops
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:52am
  - Foxfour
    
    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
    What tanks and artillery did Hamas use against IDF ?
    Oh thats right they dont have any, only Isreal has heavy weapons.
    Didn’t Netanyahu destroy Hamas which is why the invasion of the whole strip was done. Yet…
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:04am
    - cmm
      
      What do tanks and artillery have to do with it?
      
      You can break a ceasefire with any weapon or not even with a weapon at all (eg. failing to honour the terms of the ceasefire).
      
      But you are incorrect. Short range rockets fired in barrages are considered a form of artillery (eg. their Quasam missile batteries). Therefore Hamas does have artillery – albeit very inaccurate.
      
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      October 20, 2025 9:26am
      - Foxfour
        
        It seems they crossed the wrong side of the street and over the yellow line that Trump allowed.
        
        Fire over their heads then as Hamas dont have internet to follow maps decided at Cairo.
        
        Its Israel who is breaking the cease fire by using heavy weapons
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:22pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        F4
        Plenty of reporting showing Hamas opened fire at the soldiers.
        “Earlier today, terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward IDF troops operating to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah area, in southern Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” the IDF said in a statement.”
        
        https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-says-hamas-violated-ceasefire-multiple-attacks-leading-idf-response
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:48pm
      - cmm
        
        Ceasefires are not only broken by using heavy weapons.
        
        Ceasefires are broken by breaking the agreements of the ceasefire (whatever those are).
        
        If there is an agreement that everyone smiles at eachother and someone does not smile then the ceasefire conditions are broken.
        
        Hamas agreed to return hostages and their remains within a time period. They did not do so. Ceasefire broken by Hamas.
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:45pm
      - Foxfour
        
        Thats not ‘breaking ceasefire ‘ just breaches which are minor.
        Breaking a ceasefire is when its done with heavy weapons, artillery , missiles, bombings
        
        What say you now about Trumps Peace Plan.
        
        Has it lasted longer than Bidens 60 days ( with some breaches)
        
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        October 20, 2025 4:06pm
  - Graeme Hall
    
    Israel launches air strikes in Gaza, accusing Hamas of ‘blatant violation of ceasefire’
    
    So according to the BBC, Israel attacked after they accused Hamas. The BBC fills in minutes every hour or so telling its audience what a stirling job they do tracking down all the facts, misinformation, and putting the record straight. yet on the Gaza issue their videos often do not back up the narrative. It is easy to lose trust in such a media organisation.
    
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2elr16jjqo
    
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    October 20, 2025 9:32am
  - cmm
    
    Foxfour keeps on yammering on about heavy weapons as if this is a deciding factor in breaking a ceasefire – then makes the emphatic assertion that Hamas does not have heavy weapons.
    
    Yes, Hamas does have heavy weapons.
    
    The generally accepted definition of heavy weapons are weapons that need more than one person to carry and operate using only their own body strength. A rifle is not a heavy weapon. Nor is a hand held weapon such as an RPG7 or LMG.
    
    A Carl Gustav, mortar, heavy machine gun or such would be the start of a heavy weapon (needs a two-man crew to operate properly). So would landmines and IEDs. Anything mechanised is a heavy weapon (eg. a technical – ute with a machine gun mounted on it).
    
    Hamas has Quasam rockets and other rockets, DShK machine guns, IEDs, anti-tank landmines and many other weapons which would fall in the heavy weapon category.
    
    But, as stated before, just violating the agreements of the ceasefire is breaking the ceasefire – regardless of whether fire is exchanged.
    
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    October 20, 2025 3:46pm
- cmm
  
  So Hamas broke the ceasefire in multiple ways. Who would have ever expected that?
  
  Hamas’ whole reason for existence is to make war on Israel. Asking them to stop fighting was never going to work. You’re going against their very DNA.
  
  You’d have better luck trying to get a dog to stop barking.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:20am
  - plc
    
    Pretty sure you would have bet 50c and servo pie on it
    
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    October 20, 2025 12:40pm
    - cmm
      
      I predicted it wouldn’t last long, but I am not going to eat a pie earned off misery.
      
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      October 20, 2025 2:54pm
      - kiwimike
        
        a pies a pie !
        
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        October 20, 2025 7:02pm
cas

Good news. The weather forecast for my region and probably others is suggesting rain on the strike day.
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October 20, 2025 8:56am
- Inandout
  
  cas, they will likely postpone the strike until the following Friday. The show must go on.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:42am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  The forecast for Monday looks lovely.
  
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  October 20, 2025 7:20pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ql69ovo9oY
Lee Vandervis On The Mystery Of Dunedin’s Newest Councillor Benedict Ong.
Michael Laws talks to Dunedin City Councillor Lee Vandervis about the mystery of Dunedin’s newest councillor, Benedict Ong.
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October 20, 2025 9:08am
- Inandout
  
  sun, why do these African despots invariably head to Paris when ousted?
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:47am
  - MCōs
    
    In variably go to Paris
    
    Do they?
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:57am
    - MCōs
      
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heads_of_state_and_government_who_have_been_in_exile
      
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      October 20, 2025 11:03am
      - sungsamning
        
        Thanks, that’s pretty comprehensive.
        
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        October 20, 2025 2:31pm
  - sungsamning
    
    France had a lot of colonies in Africa last century. So, its a legacy issue.
    
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    October 20, 2025 2:28pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Wasn’t the Ayatollah hanging out in France before the Iranian revolution in (I think) 1979? Did France have a colony in Iran?
      
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      October 20, 2025 8:09pm
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoKwb7bTY7M
Madagascar Crisis: Special Military Unit CAPSAT Ousts Pres. Rajoelina In Coup.
Stuff is definitely happening in Madagascar. There’s been a coup. And the president is now in Paris.
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October 20, 2025 9:09am
- cmm
  
  Just Africa being Africa…
  I suppose something is going to happen when the same guy has been president for 16 years and mayor of the largest city for 2 years before that.
  
  Add the normal model of the super-rich political class living high on the hog while the majority of the population live in poverty and you have a recipe for this sort of thing.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:36am
  - MCōs
    
    Not just Africa
    Most areas of the world
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:40am
    - cmm
      
      Well corruption and such certainly happens in all parts of the world, but corruption is a continuous, and very bad, problem in all parts of Africa which is by far the main reason why Africa has failed to get anywhere useful (and those that did get places are now going backwards).
      
      Of course everywhere has corruption, but if it is at low enough levels then society can still function.
      
      Africa just takes it to the extreme – a politically connected few living in palaces while 90% or more of the population lives in squalor.
      
      Madagascar has some of the highest poverty in the world, but the planes are packed with both tourists and politician-types going for shopping trips in Paris.
      
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      October 20, 2025 11:07am
- Foxfour
  
  Madagascar speaks french
  
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  October 20, 2025 1:23pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Malagasy (official) 99.9%
    French (official) 23.6%,
    English 8.2%
    Other 0.6% (2018 est.)
    
    https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/madagascar/
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:13pm
Gravelroad

I agree with the Prime Minister.
The upcoming strikes this week are no more nor less less than party political activism.
That so many so-called professionals are allowing themselves to be used by unionists to negatively impact the lives of ordinary working people and their kids is very sad.
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October 20, 2025 9:44am
- cmm
  
  “That so many so-called professionals are allowing themselves to be used by unionists”
  
  No they are not being used. They are willingly playing this game.
  
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  October 20, 2025 9:51am
  - Gravelroad
    
    Teachers, generally speaking, are easily led and stick together like a flock of clucking geese. Where one goes, so do the rest.
    Doctors however, were, until recent times, considered minor gods. Their status, money and respectability put them on a different level to ordinary working people.
    Now they are apparently happy to sell themselves to politically biased union hacks.
    Shame really.
    
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    October 20, 2025 10:24am
    - Paulus
      
      Teachers above all others know that they have the Mothers on their side.
      The Mothers are probably the product of earlier generations of Teachers who created this situation.
      
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      October 20, 2025 10:44am
      - cmm
        
        I think they are blowing that goodwill with mothers.
        
        Many mothers will see school’s primary function as daycare for the kids while they go off and have their careers.
        
        Every strike day or teachers’ day is a day off work. Parents do not appreciate that.
        
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        October 20, 2025 11:09am
    - Phronesis
      
      Teaching has been a majority female profession for a long time. Medicine has only become majority female more recently.
      
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      October 20, 2025 11:20am
- imalwaysright
  
  Apparently you don’t get paid while on strike.
  
  What happens to the unpaid wages? Do they get paid back to the taxpayer?
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:08am
  - cmm
    
    You’re new around here?
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:10am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Wait ’til you see my post on the WCC spending…
      
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      October 20, 2025 11:45am
  - Foxfour
    
    If its not paid to begin with , theres nothing to to go back to taxpayer
    Teachers fortnightly pay rounds ( through the government owned payroll company- remember nationals screw up where they bought private company) come directly from treasury
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:26pm
    - Paulus
      
      I thought I read some time ago that every Tuesday some 101,000 taxpayers payments are made into the Education pot.
      55,000 Teachers so !~
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:58pm
- Jethrod
  
  And their fawning masters will meet them on the steps of Parliament, all smiles and promising pay rises with all those Venezuelan dollars!
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:15am
  - Foxfour
    
    Fawning?
    Rich private schools got an 11% increase in direct government funding its now almost $50 mill per year. Some hands kissed for that
    Thats not even the private schools part of the ‘integrated system’
    Then there’s charter schools , another $120 mill pa Recreated because Act ideology as
    they dont work in general
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:30pm
- R
  
  Since most of the professionals come from our higher decile schools, such immoral behaviour does cast doubt on the moral compass attitude imparted to students by said schools
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:19am
- cas
  
  If the union wants to discuss Palestine with the Education Minister, what are they teaching their students?
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:03am
  - kowtow
    
    Judging by the failing results from our lack of education system , not much.
    
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    October 20, 2025 2:45pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360859066/labour-teases-economic-plan-keep-jobs-and-wealth-new-zealand

Finally ! Hipkins will explain how his new government will tax their way to prosperity !

“Hipkins has promised he would release policies towards the end of the year, including a long-awaited tax policy which could involve a wealth or capital gains tax.”
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October 20, 2025 9:56am
- Conservatarian
  
  He promised a policy announcement last week but, spectacularly and as usual, failed to deliver.
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:04am
- R
  
  gains tax…….no suggestion of employees being encouraged to work an honest full day’s work! for their wages/salaries, and abandoning their adherence to union dictates
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:23am
- cmm
  
  He’s clearly shit scared of getting voted in. That could be hard work.
  
  Like Angry Andy, I think that Hipkins has figured out that leader of the opposition is the best gig in the circus.
  
  Pay is the same as a Cabinet Minister, but absolutely zero responsibilities.
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:28am
  - RoboRob
    
    I think Luxon and Willis are aware of this fact too. They seem hellbent to work their way back into opposition.
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:40am
    - Foxfour
      
      Glass ceilings. They are trying their hardest…. but the triumvirate has just increased its weekly quota of re-announcements
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:34pm
  - R
    
    Cmm…..Someone must have explained that thought to Hipkins.
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:51am
- sirknz
  
  It seems to be social welfare, but for businesses if they employ people.
  
  It will probably only apply to ‘special people’ and only in businesses that are run by ‘special people’.
  
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  October 20, 2025 3:28pm
I remember when

Nothing says serious political debate like ‘inflatable’ frogs!
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October 20, 2025 10:08am
Yvette

‘He matenga poto he oranga roa’: 10 young Māori prepare to attend COP30 in Brazil
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/571296/he-matenga-poto-he-oranga-roa-10-young-maori-prepare-to-attend-cop30-in-brazil

The rangatahi group will travel on behalf of te Pou Take Āhuarangi, the climate change arm of the National Iwi Chairs Forum (NICF), but they received financial backing from their iwi.

The gaps which journalists so far seem to have not filled in –
• any exact budget / cost breakdown: figures for total cost of travel, accommodation, and other support for this delegation.
• accommodation and travel logistics
• whether the full cost is covered by iwi + Pou Take Āhuarangi + other sponsors.
Iwi are contributing — but it’s not clear if the government or NICF are contributing further financial support.
• scope of delegation beyond the 10 “rangatahi”. It’s unclear if there will be additional support staff, mentors, or a broader New Zealand delegation that these young Maori integrate into. The articles mention they will be part of the “official New Zealand delegation” but detail is missing.
• accommodation in Brazil specifically for this group: While there are global concerns about accommodation costs for COP30 attendees (especially youth and indigenous groups) in Brazil

“Journalists” bringing about half the essential information to you – and leaving out the other half required to evaluate the half they have given you. But what is new(s) about that?
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October 20, 2025 10:23am
- Gravelroad
  
  So these “young Maori”, along with their mentors Chloe, Jacinda and Greta, are not too bothered about boarding a large, emitting aircraft and flying off into the sunset for a lovely free holiday overseas?
  Why am I not surprised.
  Hypocrisy runs riot – even with the young people who are so keen to blame oldies for what they have done wrong with the climate.
  Why can’t they attend the meeting via zoom?
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:45am
  - Blog-aholic
    
    Let’s not forget that massive 4 lane highway that was built through the Amazon forest to cater for the traffic to COP30 (read Crap30)!
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:50am
    - Foxfour
      
      Belem city is on the coast not the Amazon jungle .
      Belem city has about same population as Auckland and looks like an even bigger high rise skyline
      Its on the Para river not even Amazon river
      
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      October 20, 2025 1:38pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        So?
        They still built the highway through the rainforest
        ‘ A new four-lane highway cutting through tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest is being built for the COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian city of Belém.’
        https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9vy191rgn1o
        
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        October 20, 2025 1:44pm
- Burtland
  
  theyre going to unveil a plan for remediating pre-european maori climate crimes
  uncovered in the antarctic ice records
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:30am
- rouppe
  
  “received financial backing from” is very different to “paid for by”.
  
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  October 20, 2025 12:59pm
I remember when

Gene Technology Bill Stalls as Maori and Others Withhold Support: Waatea news.com
“From a Maori perspective, the concerns are multifaceted: the bill raises questions about control over biotechnology, seed sovereignty, wai matauranga (knowledge), and whether indigenous rights are sufficiently safeguarded in a high-stakes science framework.
The tension lies between innovation and protecting cultural, ecological and biological integrity – particularly for taonga species and customary practices.”

Obviously there will be additional things to be added.
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October 20, 2025 10:27am
- imalwaysright
  
  Is this the bill that could permit any individual person of maori descent to declare a cultural interest in any indigenous organism and that person be entitled to be fairly consulted on the use of said organism?
  
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  October 20, 2025 10:49am
  - kiwimike
    
    yep that’s the one.
    More Maori Apartheid…
    
    Thank you National
    
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    October 20, 2025 7:08pm
- Yvette
  
  I remember when, ACT and NZ First are worried about the Gene Tech bill, even though they support some changes to the select committee. NZ First says it’s too liberal and could mess with New Zealand’s “GE Free Nation” status. They also think it needs more safeguards and needs to be changed a lot. ACT doesn’t like the idea of a Māori Advisory Committee because they think tikanga (Māori culture) is different for each iwi (Māori tribe) and it shouldn’t be made into law. Both parties agree that gene technology laws need to be updated, but they’re waiting for more changes before they say yes.
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:10am
  - Notsofast
    
    If ACT are correct about Tikanga, then Tikanga is mumbo jumbo, since it has no common definition.
    
    Mumbo Jumbo:
    
    First line from google AI:
    
    ” “Mumbo jumbo” refers to either meaningless or confusing language that pretends to make sense.”
    
    And the BSA accordingly are making idiots of New Zealanders.
    Disgraceful.
    
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    October 20, 2025 12:13pm
- cmm
  
  Any genetic material in Aotearoa is clearly Maori intellectual property.
  Any use thereof will require tickling the taniwha’s belly.
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:12am
  - MCōs
    
    Makes sense
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:47am
  - sirknz
    
    Sounds a bit onanastic…
    
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    October 20, 2025 3:32pm
- rouppe
  
  There are already three varieties of kumara.
  
  Surely that matter was settled when that happened?
  
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  October 20, 2025 1:01pm
  - cmm
    
    Are there any NZ varieties of kumara? They all look pretty much the same as sweet potatoes I grew up with in Africa.
    
    The only people who should have any claim to kumara IP are Joe and Fay Gock who saved the NZ kumara with their black-rot resistant strain in the 1960s.
    
    But I am sure they must have done that by stealing Mātauranga Maori. You know how those sneaky Chinese work – copy everything!
    
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    October 20, 2025 3:53pm
    - David Garrett
      
      Cmm: there are at least three varieties of sweet potato up here in the Kingdom; none of them much resemble the NZ kumera, although the taste is similar.
      
      The one I like best – far superior to the other two – is “kumala Hawaii” which turns purple when you boil them. Delish
      
      I’d love to try them roasted with lamb, but getting them into Outer-Roa would be a huge drama if it was even possible.
      
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      October 20, 2025 5:45pm
      - Ghost
        
        This?
        
        https://www.craftedearth.co.nz/shop/product/880840/hawaiian-blue-kumara/?variantId=4668038
        
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        October 20, 2025 5:51pm
      - David Garrett
        
        Ghost: Yes…no pic but the description sounds spot on.
        
        Interesting they recommend roasting…the Tongans just boil all the root veges.
        
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        October 20, 2025 6:00pm
MCōs

I used to live in Christchurch in the mid sixties and the place was teeming with cyclists, but I don’t recall anything like the anamosity on the streets as this guy infers exists these days.
Reading the article it seems he is not exactly blameless himself https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/10/20/cyclist-left-for-dead-in-hit-and-run-feared-he-would-never-walk-again/
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October 20, 2025 10:50am
- RoboRob
  
  Live and cycle in CHCH every day. ‘Anamosity on the streets’ is an exaggeration. This seems more like an instance of road rage.
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:43am
I remember when

Is STV the best form of voting in local body elections?
In Palmerston North there were 37 nominees for the election of 13 Councillors.
So you could vote for none, which 222 blanks votes did, or up to 37.
My feeling is that being allowed to vote for up to 13, without order of preference, would have saved some voting time for many.
In National elections where you might vote 1,2,3. for the right, or left, STV seems more relevant.
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October 20, 2025 10:51am
- waripori
  
  STV gives minorities more chance of getting representation. Councils with STV don’t need Maori wards as if Maori voters give their first preferences to Maori candidates they are highly likely to get elected. The problem with it is a higher proportion of invalid votes as confused voters don’t make it clear what their order of preference is.
  
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  October 20, 2025 12:28pm
Swifty

If Jesus isn’t the Son of God, then how do atheists explain this?

https://x.com/langmanvince/status/1979892158309249133?s=46

That’s what I’d like to know.
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October 20, 2025 10:59am
- Ghost
  
  Curry for dinner the night before helped levitate him above the water
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:03am
  - Yvette
    
    A place on Petone foreshore Main Street was called CURRY TO GO, and passing it in the Upper Hutt to Airport bus, I’d think “Most times I had curry, I certainly went.”
    But of course, in answer to Swifty, the clue in the footage is the ‘Sora’ watermark.
    
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    October 20, 2025 11:23am
- Philview
  
  I saw newly found footage the other day of Stephen Hawkins doing a somersault in his wheelchair after going down a skateboard ramp. The use of AI is going to have some worrying implications as some people believe what they are seeing.
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:17am
  - Libertarians are right
    
    Queen Elizabeth Dropping an elbow off the top rope was pretty cool too.
    
    But then again, there were people that legitimately believed she skydived out of a plane at the Olympics a few years ago.
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:01pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Bread and circuses. Stay awake.
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:19pm
- imalwaysright
  
  He moved before the gun.
  
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  October 20, 2025 11:38am
MCōs

Next week Trump will be selling missiles to Putin
https://x.com/bohuslavskakate/status/1979971770091294830?s=46&t=XZLqGbhN-xeYzprhTaktsg
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October 20, 2025 12:30pm
- Northshoredoc
  
  I’d wait to see if this is reported somewhere else before jumping to conclusions – it seems to me like the Financial Times may have thought they had a scoop and end up having egg on their face.
  
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  October 20, 2025 12:46pm
Handyman

The Herald report on ongoing entrenched student violence at Wesley College omits one important detail about the makeup of the student body.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/aucklands-embattled-wesley-college-announces-hostel-closures-amid-safety-culture-concerns/7LSJOWZL5ZC33CLBFNBRZCFNYE/
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October 20, 2025 12:33pm
- Tauhei Notts
  
  The Herald would be labelled racist if it included that important detail.
  
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  October 20, 2025 2:53pm
Swifty

Again, I invite the poster who pushed disinformation about Judith Collins over the weekend to withdraw and apologise:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360859370/teachers-union-yes-we-did-want-talk-minister-about-palestine-and-heres-why
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October 20, 2025 1:26pm
- Ghost
  
  Things that could replace the Palestine topic
  
  Truancy, how to get the kids to go to school
  Why do so many year 9 students lack the basics.
  How do we get labour elected so we can go back to not having to do much work
  
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  October 20, 2025 6:07pm
  - Swifty
    
    Exactly.
    
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    October 20, 2025 7:14pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    ” How do we get labour elected so we can go back to not having to do much work”
    
    And so they don’t have to have their performance measured. Back to “gliding on” and teaching insane rubbish, without accountability.
    
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    October 20, 2025 8:21pm
Ghost

Media have been pretty evenly based in calling out politicians who haven’t declared everything, perhaps before you play the race card you should thank the media for all the support they have given you propping up your bullshit.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says she has been made a target, because she is Māori, after her failure to declare ownership of two properties under Parliament’s transparency rules.

Article
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October 20, 2025 1:37pm
- mandk
  
  “Colleen’s Girl” Ngarewa-Packer sounds like Sacha Baron-Cohen’s Ali G character: “Is it ‘cos I is black?”
  
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  October 20, 2025 3:16pm
- rouppe
  
  Apart from the small matter of 6 other MP’s being called out less than a month ago.
  
  They always go for playing the race card first.
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:45pm
  - graham
    
    According to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB this morning, every other MP replied to the Herald … except for Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, despite repeated inquiries.
    
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    October 20, 2025 6:32pm
Ghost

No thanks

Labour has unveiled its first economic policy ahead of the 2026 election; a wealth fund intended to take the dividends of some Crown assets and redistribute them into New Zealand businesses in the hopes of creating new jobs.

The proposal comes with few costings, details of what assets will be included in the fund or projections about how many jobs may be created as a result. But Labour is confident it will lead to Kiwi business staying here, leading to local wealth creation.

Article

Perhaps we can call this future failure kiwi bribe
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October 20, 2025 1:40pm
- Crafty
  
  Ironic considering how much wealth they’ve taken from future generations. We pay over 10 million dollars in interest payments thanks to the reckless way they ran our economy. Hipkins is a snake who doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near an economy ever again.
  
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  October 20, 2025 1:48pm
  - Crafty
    
    Sorry I mean 10 billion!
    
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    October 20, 2025 1:52pm
  - Paulus
    
    Millions – do you mean Billions ?
    
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    October 20, 2025 2:03pm
- Northshoredoc
  
  I don’t trust anyone in NZ parliament and the associated ministerial bureaucracies to not just piss this money up against a wall.
  
  Certainly, this type of investment fund has worked well in some countries such as Singapore, but they have had a competent government for many decades and corruption is frowned upon and punished.
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:26pm
- rouppe
  
  redistribute them into New Zealand businesses in the hopes of creating new jobs
  
  Oh, like the Provincial Growth Fund?
  
  Where public money was spent upgrading private property if you were Maori, or on installing art works in the regions?
  
  Is there any tax paying enterprise that is doing better now after those 3 billions of dollars was dished out last time?
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:30pm
Jack5

A gushy promotion by John Campbell of a now failed business is coming back to haunt him.

In a short video from five years ago (linked to below) he’s talking to Tazvitya Barnaby Mukorombindo, known as Taz Mukorombindo, who’s now in the headlines over his migrant business.

Mukorombindo’s company, the Pro Team Ltd, has been put into liquidation owing the IRD three-quarters of a million dollars, unsecured creditors more than a million, and unhappy migrant workers whose welfare Mukorombindo had been championing.

Mukorombindo is linked with a registered charity that has had these names successively: Canterbury Business Association Inc, Canterbury and New Zealand Business Association Inc, and (current title) New Zealand Business Association Inc.

The New Zealand Business Association’s web site includes things as varied as “voucher funded business support” and driving training.

1. Stuff spells out Mukorombindo’s problems:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360857635/migrant-worker-champion-admits-failing-pay-three-migrant-employees

2. John Campbell talks to Mukorombindo – “what are the important things we can do to make people think they can belong?”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAUBuPu5xzI

3. New Zealand Business Association:
https://nzba.org/#:~:text=Voucher%20Funded%20Business%20Support%20Opportunity,Web%20Development%20services%20to%20you.

4. Mukorombindo’s self-description:
https://nzba.org/founder/
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October 20, 2025 1:40pm
Swifty

And when Labour waste hundreds of millions, or worse, of New Zealander’s hard-earned cash on failed investments, of course they won’t accept responsibility. Instead they’ll blame National, Trump, Putin or merely thrown their hands up and shout “the market has failed!”

As usual.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/576428/watch-live-labour-announces-future-fund-as-first-key-election-policy

The last time Labour tried this on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Green_Investment_Finance

More value destruction by Labour and Hipkins wants us to trust him to have another go? With our cash?
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October 20, 2025 1:52pm
- Colville
  
  Any explanation from Hopkins where this “Magic Money” will come from?
  
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  October 20, 2025 3:18pm
- rouppe
  
  Billed as a big announcement and as “an alternative to tax” what exactly is the proposal?
  
  And they’re going to fund it out of something other than tax? Otherwise it’s self defeating, surely.
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:25pm
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Well it is kind of worse. As things stand all the initial capital would need to be borrowed.
    
    It does not stack up.
    
    They want to “invest” all this money in New Zealand. Is it to maximise returns to the crown or is it to give New Zealand firms cheap capital.
    
    IIRC they wasted a bunch of money on some green energy solar outfit that went bust. Expect more of that.
    
    If this was just about the Crown “investing” it would make more sense to just increase the contributions to the super fund. At least they don’t have a track record of losing money.
    
    It is the fiscal equivalent of the magic pudding. It reminds me of Kiwibuild exceot on a much larger scale.
    
    Put another way. They want to increase government spending. However they have come up with a ‘magic’ way of raising the money.
    
    Also I doubt that comparisons with the Singapore investment fund stack up. 50 years ago Singapore adopted a strategy of becoming wealthy. Not backing woke companies. Neither was Singapore ever running massive fiscal and current account deficits. They actually had money to invest.
    
    I could go on and on. But voters will fall for it. I mean in 2017, they honestly swallowed the Kiwibuild dream. Now Jacinda is gone and Phil Twyford is permanently in the Labour Caucus naughty corner.
    
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    October 20, 2025 6:09pm
    - Swifty
      
      It’s like borrowing a few mill from the bank and then wandering down to the local race track.
      
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      October 20, 2025 7:13pm
- Northshoredoc
  
  I agree it will likely be a disaster but we should also acknowledge that this nonsense is going on at present via Winston and Shane’s generosity on behalf of taxpayers
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/503572/nz-first-s-new-provincial-fund-won-t-be-a-slush-fund-this-time-chris-bishop
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:31pm
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Yes just as stupid. Just a smaller scale.
    
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    October 20, 2025 6:10pm
Swifty

More self-serving word salad from a Maori Party leader caught out being less than frank over her pecuniary interests:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360859680/ngarewa-packer-says-maori-arent-allowed-make-mistakes-after-failing-declare-two-properties

She couldn’t just say “Oops, sorry I got that wrong”?

And her comments are just ludicrous after the recent media torching of a white National MP for the same matters.
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October 20, 2025 2:04pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  ah yes, a full-on enquiry for Whanganui MP Carl Bates.
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/574111/inquiry-to-look-into-national-s-carl-bates-failure-to-declare-properties
  
  But if so many MPs can’t quite figure out whether their pecuniary interest in property falls within the realms of Parliament’s rules, then either the rules are unclear, or the MPs are thick, or they are deceivers.
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:25pm
  - Swifty
    
    If in doubt, declare it.
    
    It’s not hard.
    
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    October 20, 2025 4:45pm
- Rumblestrip
  
  You forgot to repeat the mantra:
  
  IT’S
  DIFFERENT
  WHEN
  THE
  LEFT
  DOES
  IT
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:48pm
Jack5

The Herald reports that New Zealand ranks among the top five wealthiest countries per capita — when measured by per-household value of property and and net financial assets.

This from the Allianz Global Wealth Report 2025, which, linked to below, also puts NZ households at seventh wealthiest in net financial assets.

For better international wealth comparison, I like GDP per capita, and the CIA World Factbook puts NZ at 42nd in the world.

Report from the Allianz:

https://www.allianz-asiapacific.com/news/2025-09-25-allianz-global-wealth-report-2025-powering-ahead.html

Herald version:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/new-zealand-ranks-among-worlds-top-five-wealthiest-countries-per-capita-in-rich-list-report/MX2QDDZWXFBBNF3NT5734XTW3E/
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October 20, 2025 2:45pm
- Sweet Hitchhiker
  
  Yes, anyone who owns a house in Auckland these days is a millionaire….
  
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  October 20, 2025 7:38pm
Swifty

A statement from Mariameno Kapa-Kingi on recent spending matters:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17JvfnXAAe/ [Mod – removed the part of the link that identifies you]

No mention though of her son’s alleged racist verbal abuse of parliamentary staff or his reengagement by contract to get around his trespass from Parliament.
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October 20, 2025 3:22pm
- Swifty
  
  Thanks Mod.
  
  Clearly a trap for young players. Will excise that bit myself in future.
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:02pm
- Foxfour
  
  Thanks for that
  
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  October 20, 2025 4:13pm
DimChappie

PM Luxon just said he was concerned about BSA “over-reach” and “freedom of speech.”
Sean Plunket asked him during a standup.
I imagine the BSA wokesters will be a little less sure of their position now.
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October 20, 2025 4:58pm
Ghost

Who would take their daughters to celebrate with this creep his release from jail. Idiot. Whoops, I mean alleged idiot……

Duchess Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson allegedly took her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, to “celebrate” Jeffrey Epstein’s release from jail in 2009, and begged the disgraced financier for thousands of dollars, according to explosive leaked emails.

Article
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October 20, 2025 5:47pm
- Sweet Hitchhiker
  
  Can see why they’ve removed Fergie’s title as well as Andrew’s now.
  I think this woman needs serious budgeting advice.
  As for Virginia, I just don’t understand how she became a sex slave with her dad alive and even working at the same place as she was apparently trafficked from.
  
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  October 20, 2025 7:23pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  Don’t you just love those pages full of spammy auto-playing videos! Very classy.
  
  Apart from that lowbrow crap, I find Sky News Aus pretty good.
  
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  October 20, 2025 8:26pm
MCōs

Today Facebook came up with an ‘memory’ from twelve years ago that demonstrates a blasé attitude among the locals towards what I would have thought was a pretty sensitive subject.

Inside the temple this morning. Despite the flooding all the usual people seemed to be there. Everyone either came by Thai Army truck or boats, mostly put on by the Army.
We were with Aneck’s family. About six months or more ago his sister’s daughter was killed by her boyfriend. What I found staggering was that a policeman had shot a movie of the corpse on his phone and given it to the family. They were looking at it at the temple, kids and all. I caught a glimpse before I knew what it was. Blood all over the place.

Fancy showing your kids that sort of stuff!
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October 20, 2025 7:14pm

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