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October 25, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 25 October 2025

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General Debate

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Cassandra

Singapore has launched the first of a fleet of frigate-sized multi-role warships. Capable of conventional tasks eg anti-submarine, and mothering unmanned vessels. The speaker at the ceremony said that Singapore’s economy is highly dependent on global maritime trade that moves through its busy ports, has to defend waters much further from its shores as its lines of communications extend beyond the mission of a coastal navy.

“Singapore will continue to work with like-minded partners to make sure that the sea lines of communication in this critical part of the world remain open and accessible to all partners and stakeholders with an interest in this part of the world”, he added.

Applies to NZ too. We are totally dependant on keeping lines of communication open and must do so with allies: Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Phillipines, Japan, Korea, India, hopefully Indonesia too. Plus the USA but note that under the Trump philosophy “South East Asia” will be like NATO – expected to pull its weight while America focuses on its own hemisphere.

Unless we play our part then allies will not spare scarce resources to help us. Nothing will come in or go out. We import fuel, technology and medicines. Without imports (and the exports to fund them) NZ will not function. That must be our first priority. The NZ officer based in Singapore was at the launch, I imagine, and taking notes.

And the threat, you ask? In 1900 it was Russia, 10 years later Russia was an ally and Prussia was the threat. Then Hitler. By 1945 it was the Soviet Union. Now it’s China and instability. Trouble in Korea. Indo/Pakistan? Take your pick.
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October 25, 2025 8:01am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  One of the things I like about Singapore is that we can partner & trade with them without it becoming a reason to import a load of their people. And, it’s all the more impressive given the population density there.
  
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  October 25, 2025 8:10am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Interestingly, Singaporeans do not seem to migrate anywhere in high numbers. About half the diaspora is next door in Malaysia. When you exclude that cohort there are not many of its citizens living overseas relative to its population. They are obviously happy at home. I guess that’s what happens when you have a clean, peaceful, ultra low crime society, with good race relations, one that promotes science over mysticism. I could go on and on but you get the picture.
    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporean_diaspora?wprov=sfla1
    
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    October 25, 2025 8:43am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Addendum.
      
      This is quite a funny news report that tells you much about Singapore.
      
      A guy steals three cans of Coca-Cola from a convenience store. The police arrive in numbers. They ID him from video footage. A team then “raids” his home. They recover two intact cans of drink from his flat. Those are retuned to the store owners. The guy is jailed for six weeks.
      
      If he keeps it up, the penalties will no doubt become more severe.
      
      https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/man-steal-3-cans-coca-cola-minimart-jailed-6-weeks-2934896#:~:text=SINGAPORE%3A%20A%20jobless%20man%20was,to%20one%20count%20of%20theft.
      
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      October 25, 2025 8:59am
      - David Garrett
        
        Nikola: Singapore has a three strikes law…I’m on my phone right now so anyone interested in how it works will have to Google…suffice it to say that their strike three is life IIRC
        
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        October 25, 2025 9:16am
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        My quick checking does not uncover any three strikes system in Singapore.
        
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        October 25, 2025 9:26am
      - In Vino Veritas
        
        Singapore’s 3 strikes law was repealed in 2010, but I believe is currently under reconsideration for certain crimes.
        
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        October 25, 2025 9:41am
      - David Garrett
        
        In vino: Thanks for that…I knew they had one. Interesting that it got repealed…and more interesting that they are considering bringing it back. Much as the left mock, the concept works: actions have consequences, and those consequences get exponentially worse. Simple. Anyone can understand it. Except lefties!
        
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        October 25, 2025 10:49am
    - lastmanstanding
      
      IMHO NZ hasnt had a visionary politician since the mid 80s when Roger Douglas Richard Prebble and David Caygill forced David Lange and the rest of the Labour Government to reform the economy which was broke and heading for third world status. Those if us who were there witnessed the changes that brought the country back from the brink. Since then we have a succession of weak willed spineless individuals too afraid of the own shadow to set big hairy goals and then go and carry them out. The brilliance of Douglas Prebble and Caygill was they announced a raft of policies one day and enacted them the next day before the usual suspects could try and find fault. From my over 50 years in business this is how you get things done. Quickly and with surgical precision. Until we get one or more politicians with a vision the capacity capability and will to realise that vision NZ will continue of its downward trajectory.
      
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      October 25, 2025 9:36am
      - imalwaysright
        
        “…they announced a raft of policies one day and enacted them the next day before the usual suspects could try and find fault.”
        
        That’s exactly what we need.
        Suffocate the procrastinators by taking away their only weapon- time, and the wasting thereof.
        
        The Government, any Government , needs to realise that, when we are paying interest on borrowings and paying for overheads and waste, that our most important consideration is time.
        NZ is running out of it fast.
        
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        October 25, 2025 10:04am
      - AitchW
        
        Prebble’s book “I’ve been thinking” gave a good, if slightly “once over lightly” insight into that time.
        Not brilliantly written, but well worth a look regardless.
        
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        October 25, 2025 10:07am
      - R
        
        Douglas and Prebble are primarily responsible for the situation that NZ finds itself in now. Destroyed many small businesses which provided vital support for the rural sector; eventually canceled the State Housing scheme that provided hundreds of comfortable modern homes for citizens. Allowed the somewhat subdued union activity to re-emerge to the detriment of the country. The list could go . Labour hated private enterprise, and considered farmers ‘rich’.
        
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        October 25, 2025 12:48pm
    - OlderChas
      
      My current GP is a Singaporean. She is one of the best I have ever had.
      
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      October 25, 2025 1:03pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Nevermind: I read somewhere recently that in the 60’s and perhaps into the 70’s we sent aid to Singapore! Who would have thought that 60 years on we would be an economic basket case and they would be a mssively successful economy.
    
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    October 25, 2025 9:58am
    - fightingtemeraire
      
      We had a Battalion stationed there.
      
      They have position, position, position at the x roads of Asia.
      
      Remove Changi Airport and the Container Terminal and there isn’t much there.
      
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      October 25, 2025 10:05am
      - R
        
        Except a very important strategic defense location, which has a competently managed democratic form of government. A country peopled by motivation, education, and vision. No presence of Marxist thought there, and certainly not taught in their schools.
        
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        October 25, 2025 11:16am
      - Don Beckett
        
        We also had our squadron of – I think – Canberra bombers there also, mainly during the Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia.
        
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        October 25, 2025 11:21am
      - OlderChas
        
        Sembawang Shipyard is pretty big.
        
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        October 25, 2025 1:04pm
      - newview
        
        FTM also Singapore has a brutal history that makes the Maori wars look like a picnic. Discipline and survival.
        
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        October 25, 2025 1:14pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      “Who would have thought that 60 years on we would be an economic basket case and they would be a massively successful economy?”
      
      Probably Singapore.
      
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      October 25, 2025 10:10am
    - Jack5
      
      NZ was bringing Singapore students to this country under our foreign aid long after Singapore’s economy began to lift strongly.
      
      Singapore surrendered some of its democracy to implement the economic strategy of some brilliant Chinese. This blended free-market capitalism with state investment in industries.
      
      Culture helped, such as Chinese respect for education and delayed gratification — acceptance of a long wait for pay-off.
      
      This short 10-year-old article from NPR, the American public broadcaster, explains how Lee Kuan Yew mixed free capitalism with State planning and invested State funds to seed new industries.
      
      The liberal immigration policy the article mentions is liberal for highly educated folk with suitable skills.
      
      Lesser-skilled immigration is largely on a temporary basis, like fruit picking in NZ.
      
      https://www.npr.org/2015/03/29/395811510/how-singapore-became-one-of-the-richest-places-on-earth
      
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      October 25, 2025 11:11am
      - Paulus
        
        Singapore is a country which makes its own Laws and people conform to its regime.
        Discipline it’s called from the Latin word for “student,” “pupil,” or “disciple”.
        Step out of line and good luck.
        
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        October 25, 2025 2:02pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      Yes, Lee Kwan Yu performed wonders there, even though he was a dictator. I knew several Singaporeans in the late ’50’s/early ’60’s, & they told me how he was cleaning up crime etc. & introducing Economic reforms.
      
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      October 25, 2025 11:23am
      - Sparrow
        
        I use to visit Singapore in the early 60s before it became all very sterile. A big Royal Navy base. From memory bum boats use to come out to the ships at anchor and sold NZ milk. It was pretty rough in those days but fun and colourful. I remember a great story from a bar lady. The French fight the Germans, the Greeks fight the Turks, the Yanks fight anybody, but the British fight the British very strange people!!
        
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        October 25, 2025 3:49pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Why would Singaporeans, with a high standard of living and strategic location for travel, want to come to a struggling country hidden in the depths of the South Pacific far from anywhere?
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:55pm
- Simon
  
  Need internment camps first. To lock up all the Chinese here. Where is the planning for locking up all the Chinese. The war monger nut jobs need to explain this one first before launching a new arms race.
  
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  October 25, 2025 8:21am
  - Wandering Star
    
    These commenters waffle on vaguely about supposed threats in the region and why we need to spend a fortune in money we don’t have, but can never firmly articulate what the threat actually is. One guy above cites the current threat as “China and instability” – whatever that’s supposed to mean.
    
    Back to reality, if China ever wanted to destroy us they’d just stop buying our primary produce – which is precisely why we don’t want to adopt a hostile posture towards them.
    
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    October 25, 2025 10:35am
    - Cassandra
      
      “One guy”? You talking to me, sunshine? Actually you are addressing every foreign policy professional in this part of the world. I’m just the parrot. I can give you a reading list of you like. Although perhaps just continue with the stuff DG hints at.
      
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      October 25, 2025 1:25pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Are you on something??
    
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    October 25, 2025 10:50am
    - Wandering Star
      
      It’s a valid point, even if overstated for rhetorical purposes: if we “gear up for war” with China (although why, we are never told), how do we deal with all of the Chinese citizens living in New Zealand, many of whom have links to the Chinese government? Few think these very practical considerations through beyond the level of empty slogans and rhetoric.
      
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      October 25, 2025 11:57am
  - R
    
    Internment camps to lockup all the Marxist activists. That would solve nearly all our social and economic problems.
    
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    October 25, 2025 11:19am
    - Paulus
      
      But indigenous people would not be included – only of the 85% others.
      
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      October 25, 2025 2:04pm
- Mike
  
  RNZN needs four of these:
  https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/10/new-zealand-navy-expresses-interest-in-japans-upgraded-mogami-class-frigate/
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:03am
  - virtualmark
    
    At least 4. Ideally 6.
    
    Classic military rule-of-thumb … a third of your assets are in maintenance, another third are being used for training, leaving just a third available for deployment. Yes you can surge the training third into action for emergencies, but hard to maintain that tempo short of full war mobilisation.
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:46pm
    - Mike
      
      I’d say four. Realistically this government, and the next, will do no more than what’s been planned for many years and always gets delayed.
      
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      October 25, 2025 7:33pm
  - Jack5
    
    Where’ve you been, Mike?
    
    Australia is buying Mogami frigates from Japan, with the first arriving in 2029.
    
    https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-chooses-big-heavily-armed-japanese-frigates/
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:55pm
    - Mike
      
      Mum lifted my internet ban.
      
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      October 25, 2025 7:34pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘Unless we play our part’
  
  Everyone laughs/mocks Trump ,but one of his main messages is very much “do your bit”/ “stop hiding behind the US ”
  
  Any honest ,rational commentator knows that for many decades western politicians have sat back , destroyed their own mlitary capabilities ,essentially to court favour with thicko voters and hidden behind and bleated about a non existent “peace dividend’.
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:07am
  - lifesgood
    
    In the words of JFK “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country” New Zealanders would do well to heed his words.
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:47pm
    - R
      
      Very doubtful that the younger generations have any idea who JFK was.
      
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      October 25, 2025 8:44pm
      - Paulus
        
        In the supermarket this morning I asked the two nice young checkout girls did the know why is today called Labour Day.
        They looked at me and said they had no idea and it was just another shift day for them, still at college, with exams etc.
        I told tell them about Parnell in 1840 who instigated the eight hour working day in New Zealand.
        They knew about the Industrial Revolution, from somewhere but otherwise as not related to the Treaty had no idea, but appeared to enjoy the chat.
        
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        October 27, 2025 2:54pm
- Fender
  
  in my ignorance, how safe would these five be if say we owned them, would they travel in convey for safety or be picked off singularly as the others were in dock. In todays world,it does say antisubmarine, but does any ship have any defense from the air. I am just curious as to how any of these five would actually be a deterrent being stuck out here miles from anything, would they not be easy pickings to a superior nation who was attacking.
  2nd question
  how many people would it take to man,train and cover said ships including rostered weeks etc, do we have enough young people who would sign up because they have conscription over there.
  3rd
  Does Indonesia Pakistan and North Korea have any interest in us really. Even mentioning Hitler seems a stretch, Europe yes but us. China seems happy to take what it wants now through Buying power like pacific islands and other african interests as examples. I’m yet to be convinced that once owning all our forestry, mining ,water etc they would really be bothered to come take the whole country, for what ends I can think of a lot of closer countries they could overtake alot easier before they made it here.
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:20am
  - nathie
    
    Regarding your “3rd” point and to enhance it – CCP buys off politicians (see Solomon Islands plus other Pacific nations), then once their corrupted useful idiots are in charge the CCP enters into security agreements with them and puts their own Police force into these islands.*
    
    Now Swifty posted a twitter link last night in GD that showed TPM’s co-leader and officials in China last night – wouldn’t be surprised if CCP is trying to “buy” some influence (CCP might learn TPM could take the $$ but won’t be reliable)!
    
    *NZ/Aust Policing efforts in the Pacific are to teach local Pacific Police forces to server their communities by tackling crime. OTOH CCP Policing efforts are to prop up the Pacific regime and control the people.
    
    A big difference … and to be remembered next time Helen Clark and Don Brash brush off concerns about CCP influence and attack Western efforts to enforce/remind them to stick to international agreements such as maritime borders in the SCS and safe ocean transits.
    
    Or stupid actions like this:
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/576471/chinese-fighter-jet-released-flares-very-close-to-australian-aircraft
    
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    October 25, 2025 10:41am
    - kowtow
      
      Not just the maoris , JK and HC were on the podium up there recently .
      
      So while “Official NZ” could pretend we’re not involved , the old Establishment figures were still very much in evidence there.
      
      Nudge nudge wink wink.
      
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      October 25, 2025 12:29pm
  - Paulus
    
    As long as they stay away from Samoan Reefs.
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:05pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  IMHO the only way the Nats are going to be returned to Government next year is if the Maori Party keeps imploding and enough of its supporters either abstain or switch to Labour.
  I also believe ACT and NZF should commission an offshore pollster ( so there are no accusations of basis) to conduct a wide ranging poll on whether a binding referendum should be held on whether the Maori seats should be retained. IMHO there would be overwhelming support. ACT and NZF could then campaign on this and promise they will do all they can to hold a binding referendum. The silent majority would at last have an opportunity to put the noisy minority in their box.
  The Maori seats are going to increase as more and more citizens realise the advantages to them of ticking the Maori box. There is no audit so no way of verifying whether they are actually Maori. The Maori Party is a tribal throwback to pre European days and wants to take control of the country and reduce it to tribal third world economy where they as the Elites rule and the rest of us are their slaves.
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:28am
  - Paulus
    
    I still have my worry about the Coalition return and that is one word – Peters !
    Can he be trusted ?
    
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    October 25, 2025 9:37am
    - pdm
      
      Especially when you add in the fact that Hipkins will do anything for Power.
      
      Peters says he won’t go with Labour if Hipkins is leader – I don’t believe him.
      
      In my opinion if the Baubles are right and his influence is dominant then he will do what is best for Winston – again.
      
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      October 25, 2025 9:45am
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Yes I think that is very clear. Of course they Labour Party knows that. Also if Labour thought that Winston would only support them in government with a new leader, Hipkins would be thrown overboard. 😂
        
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        October 25, 2025 10:04am
      - R
        
        Prime Minister for the three year term, followed by Knighthood and Ambasador/High Commissioner appointment USA or UK
        
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        October 25, 2025 11:27am
      - AitchW
        
        R, after 3 years as PM he’d be closer to 90 than 80.
        If my memory serves me right his mother lived well into her 90s might even have scored a century so he has the genes for longevity.
        Mind you I don’t believe she smoked or drank.
        He’d retire as PM, possibly after 2 years.
        
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        October 25, 2025 3:04pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        PDM, take a deep breath and consider Winston Peters age for the next parliamentary session. He will be 81-84, with 50 years in politics.
        
        He will be looking to do something for his legacy. Hooking up with labour/Greens/TPM etc would destroy any legacy
        
        He has had all the Baubles he has ever wanted.
        As a Foreign Affairs Minister, he has met and mingled with world leaders and exleaders.
        
        Like Jacinda, he could go on the International Speaking Circuit and do what he likes doing best…..talking….
        
        PS. I told you so moment. While many sheeple were talking about Jacinda getting a UN job when she resigned in 2023. I was always of the opinion she would get on the speaking circuit…..
        
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        October 25, 2025 3:11pm
    - AitchW
      
      He can only be trusted to be absolutely untrustworthy.
      A vote for Peters may well be a vote for Labour and the Greens.
      
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      October 25, 2025 10:09am
      - pdm
        
        R – I don’t think he would take an Ambasador role.
        
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        October 25, 2025 12:01pm
  - Yvette
    
    Lastmanstanding – The Maori seats are going to increase as more and more citizens realise the advantages to them of ticking the Maori box.
    
    As I understand it, for the immediate future (2026 Election) the number of Maori Seats is already set to remain at seven. No matter what te Pati Maori do.
    Confirmation of this would be welcome.
    
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    October 25, 2025 9:53am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    I recall reading an opinion by Wayne Mapp some years ago that put the view that the Maori seats could only be abolished with the consent of Maori. He asserted that because of the Treaty Partnership, Maori needed to consent to their removal. I’m not sure whether he was saying that this was the law, or that it was impossible in practice.
    
    Apologies I cannot find a reference but I think that my recollection is correct.
    
    It would be interesting to get an opinion from someone who knows more about constitutional law than me.
    
    I honestly have no idea of the National Party policy on the Maori seats. In fact National policy on Treaty issues generally seems incredibly unclear. I still have zero clue why Chris Luxon said “there was nothing he liked” about the Treaty Principles Bill. I am certain that he did not explain why.
    
    Anyway I digress. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly how the Maori seats can be abolished without the consent of Maori, which I think is what Wayne Mapp suggesting. Apologies to Wayne Mapp if I have misquoted him.
    
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    October 25, 2025 10:01am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Well, it definitely wasn’t what he was saying in 2005:
      
      Remove ‘Principles of the Treaty’ by 1 April 2008
      
      10. To ensure one law for all, and to make sure Government acts on the basis of need not race, we will remove all reference to the “Principles of the Treaty” from the relevant Acts of Parliament by 1 April 2008, and we will abolish the Maori seats in Parliament before the next General Election.
      
      https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0509/S00247.htm
      
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      October 25, 2025 10:21am
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Interesting. Wasn’t Don Brash the leader at the time?
        
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        October 25, 2025 10:38am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        I miss Dr Mapp’s absence from this blog…
        
        He always had an interesting viewpoint.
        
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        October 25, 2025 11:03am
      - AitchW
        
        Maggy, I met him once in the early 80s on an annual camp when I was a lance corporal and he was a freshly minted 2nd lieutenant.
        He and one of his law school mates were attached to our unit and spent quite a bit of time in the back of my Landrover watching how our radios worked.
        I found him, and his mate, to be an insufferable little twat. No idea about procedure yet still lectured me and other operators incessantly.
        It appears that with age he became much more human. It’s a shame he no longer posts here. I found his view point interesting if not a little liberal at times.
        
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        October 25, 2025 11:12am
    - Paulus
      
      Of course Wayne is married to Denise Henare a top Maori Lawyer, one of the most respected too.
      
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      October 27, 2025 2:58pm
  - MCōs
    
    Prior to MMP the Maori seats were a significant issue when it came to numbers in the house.
    At the last election TPM won six seats, but only 3% of the party vote which meant a two seat overhang.
    National has one seat extra at Port Waikato making a total of 123.
    TPM continues to poll at 3%. Even if they lose some seats they’ll still have about four MPs because 3% probably represents their hardcore supporters
    Parliament would be reduced back to 120 members and a government would require 61 — one less than now.
    What would really make a difference would be a total collapse of TPM because it would then probably be back to Winston’s Choice
    
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    October 25, 2025 10:15am
    - PurplePen
      
      I think TPM has nearly reached maximum voters. They appeal to maori in some of the tribes in upper and mid North Island and then radicals dotted around the country. The remaining sane and rational Maori likely won’t have a bar of them. They haven’t and likely in their current make-up ever deliver anything for their voters except slogans and fun videos to watch if them embarrassing others in power.
      
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      October 25, 2025 3:10pm
  - Paulus
    
    Suddenly in Australia after a top Judgement millions are now claiming to be part Aboriginals and are close to what Maori have achieve in New Zealand only faster and its all abour like New Zealand Maori – Money and Land, or both and billions are already being claimed..
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:14pm
- Wandering Star
  
  “And the threat, you ask? In 1900 it was Russia, 10 years later Russia was an ally and Prussia was the threat. Then Hitler. By 1945 it was the Soviet Union.”
  
  That’s not a great argument, but it relies on the same kind of propaganda we’ve always been fed to get us in behind other people’s interests – we’ve got to be adult enough to acknowledge that Russia, “Prussia” (as you call 1914 Germany), Hitler, nor the Soviets ever posed any military threat to New Zealand. All arguments claiming that they did are divorced of all reality.
  
  In fact, you forgot probably the only genuine threat to New Zealand territory of the last 1oo years, which was Imperial Japan.
  
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  October 25, 2025 10:46am
Tomtoddy

The UN is 80 years old today. It won’t be a great birthday celebration. It has mostly been a failure, too weak and toothless to bring the peace its founders were so keen to see.

Trygve Lie, a Norwegian lawyer, was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations. He was a socialist, a peacenik who had bold ideals but couldn’t deliver them. He famously said, “this organization is created to serve the people — to bring them security, justice, and opportunity. Let it never become an instrument of power for the few, but always a safeguard for the many.”

Even the UN’s humanitarian efforts have been clouded by heavy-handed socialist demands, appeasement of dictators, inability to deliver idealistic goals and riddled with corruption.

I sat, through a week-long conference, next to a former secretary to one of the UN’s more infamous Secretaries General. She regaled us with rather lurid stories of rampant sex and drunken orgies in the top stories of the UN HO in New York. It is no wonder they don’t have any energy for fixing the world’s problems.
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October 25, 2025 8:04am
- leoj
  
  Trump should abandon the UN, which hates the US anyway.
  
  The UN could reassemble in Brussels and team up with the other useless organization, the EU.
  
  Meanwhile, the UN building in New York could becaome a Trump Hotel and actually be useful for once.
  
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  October 25, 2025 10:38am
  - Paulus
    
    Does not the US pay the most money (?28%) of the costs of the UN ?
    Trump don’t like that like their share of NATO ?
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:16pm
- Observant Octagenarian
  
  It’s a repository for failed left wing politicians.
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:41am
- PurplePen
  
  Was Helen Clark ever invited to these shin-digs I wonder.
  
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  October 25, 2025 3:12pm
- PurplePen
  
  It would be interesting to calculate how much the UN has cost and spent on which areas and chart the resulting improvements by country if any. It would be a measure of their worth and assist in deciding whether to exit them.
  
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  October 25, 2025 3:15pm
Maggy Wassilieff

(Our) Winston on Courts & Democracy

https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2025/10/rt-hon-winston-peters-oxford-union.html
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October 25, 2025 8:05am
- Grumpy Silver Top
  
  I reckon Our Winston is a laudable representative of much that is good in NZ. I read some comments suggesting he sailed very close to the wind re the NZ judiciary. Good on him.
  Contrary to the anarchic representations seen worldwide of hakas in Parliament, Winston demonstrates a very different persona.
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:07am
  - Paulus
    
    When it can be a Winston Show !
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:17pm
Tomtoddy

Don’t you love the story of a guy skidding and falling off his scooter only to be embarrassed by some motorist pulling up, grabbing his phone and filming him lying on the road. The guy on the scooter hopped up, dusted himself off, pulled is gun and shot the motorist in the nuts.

Too many busybody opportunists out there filming the unfortunates.
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October 25, 2025 8:06am
- Cassandra
  
  Perhaps the shooter went a bit too far?
  
  12 2
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  October 25, 2025 8:22am
  - I remember when
    
    A ‘balls up’?
    
    5 0
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    October 25, 2025 9:28am
- sirknz
  
  Like you’ve never watched one of those ‘Funniest Home Video’ shows…
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:11am
NeverMindTheBollocks

From the “Women don’t do that sort of thing” file, a female Algerian illegal has been sentenced in France to life for the rape and murder of a 12 year old girl.

This is a case célèbre in France: there are calls for the return of Madame Guillotine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjr07wqeerwo
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October 25, 2025 8:15am
- Jethrod
  
  Why is it that counties give 30 days for illegal immigrants to leave the the country.
  Why not 2 days or similar?
  Just think of the heartache NZ would have avoided.
  Just a few people come to mind, Zhoie, Dotcom etc
  
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  October 25, 2025 8:50am
  - Paulus
    
    I believe that Zaoui left of his own accord and is now in Jail in North Africa on terrorist charges I believe.
    Assume his large family are still here.
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:18pm
Taieri

Don’t you love the story
———

No, I don’t. Both of them are f.ckwits.
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October 25, 2025 8:19am
- Tomtoddy
  
  Hope you haven’t lost your sense of black humour?
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:12am
Scott

I watched 3 news yesterday to get an update on the weather events around the nation. Biut then came the mandatory Trump bashing story with lefties crying, literally, about Trump demolishing the white house.

What Trump is doing is constructing a ball room which will mean there is a larger space for events like state dinners. Many other presidents have done renovations. What I do know is that if Obama was president and did this it would be perfectly fine with 3 news. But because it’s Trump it’s terrible.

When will the NZ media ever move on from TDS? 🤔
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October 25, 2025 8:46am
- rouppe
  
  Speaking of Obama, how long has it been since he was president?
  
  He commissioned the Barack Obama Presidential Center.
  
  It still isn’t finished. It is well over budget. A read of the “Local reaction and controversies” section shows negative effects for many poor residents in the area. It’s consumed part of the local public park, reducing public amenity.
  
  Contrast with the ballroom. Likely to be finished before Trump leaves the White House. Privately funded. No impact on anyone else.
  
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  October 25, 2025 10:55am
  - Ghost
    
    It would have to be one of the ugliest presidential libraries
    
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    October 25, 2025 11:49am
    - NothingLeft
      
      Got a real eye-of-sauron aspect to it.
      
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      October 25, 2025 12:45pm
  - lifesgood
    
    How long since Obama was president?… Up until Trump’s second term is the answer. Anyone could see that he was the de facto president due to Biden’s dementia.
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:53pm
  - gravedodger
    
    Planned to be finished for the Two hundred and Fiftieth Birthday, July 4th 2026, IIRC?
    
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    October 25, 2025 1:08pm
    - rouppe
      
      Originally slated to open in 2021, it is now projected to open in 2026.
      
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      October 25, 2025 3:46pm
- MCōs
  
  Why not clear the whole site and bung in a replica of the Kremlin?
  Trump could flog off the naming rights
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:10am
  - Jethrod
    
    During the reign of Truman there was vast modifications to the White House. So much so everyone moved across the road or very handy to excavation underneath could be carried out. This meant that the situation rooms could be safely underneath. (For “situation rooms” read war rooms).
    The “East Wing” was built in 1902, refurbished in the 40s and demolished in the 2025s. Not really touching the important bits at all.
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:36pm
    - virtualmark
      
      Truman’s renovations were because the building was literally falling apart. So they gutted the entire building, keeping just the facade, and then rebuilt all the internals.
      
      As you say, it was also good cover for digging basements and bunkers deep underground.
      
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      October 25, 2025 4:15pm
  - newview
    
    I’m with you MC. The ball room is self indulgent BS. An extra trillion in debt in the last 12 months. The US is going backwards. Great priorities.
    
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    October 25, 2025 5:03pm
- Northshoredoc
  
  A vanity project that will cost the US taxpayers a pretty penny.
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:11am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Its privately funded by donors.
    
    21 1
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    October 25, 2025 11:35am
  - Conservatarian
    
    [Mod – drop the personal abuse]
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:55pm
  - gravedodger
    
    Err no, Trump has funding to hand including his own money.
    
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    October 25, 2025 1:09pm
- RichardX
  
  Scott
  I watched 3 news yesterday to get an update on the weather events around the nation. Biut then came the mandatory Trump bashing story with lefties crying, literally, about Trump demolishing the white house.
  
  What Trump is doing is constructing a ball room which will mean there is a larger space for events like state dinners. Many other presidents have done renovations. What I do know is that if Obama was president and did this it would be perfectly fine with 3 news. But because it’s Trump it’s terrible.
  
  When will the NZ media ever move on from TDS? 🤔
  
  October 25, 2025 8:46am
  
  I am not surprised that some people accept Trump’s talking points uncritically.
  
  Much of the outrage is that Trump is literally “demolishing” an entire wing of the White House.
  He previously claimed “It won’t interfere with the current building. It won’t be It’ll be uh uh near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe3AnhH9PY0&t=1307s
  Turns out Trump was lying.
  
  “Many other presidents have done renovations.”
  None have demolished entire wings of the Whitehouse.
  
  “What I do know is that if Obama was president….”
  As in many previous posts, an assertion without evidence.
  More support for the proposition that “know” means something different to some people.
  
  I’m guessing that those who found it acceptable to sell access to the President through the purchase of meme coins won’t have a problem with what is being promised to the donors who are paying for the ballroom.
  
  At least those who purchased $TRUMP meme coins got access.
  The suckers who purchased $MELANIA coins just got ripped off.
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:12am
  - Scott
    
    RichardX, my dear fellow. My evidence is that 3 news loved president Obama, he was the first black president don’t ya know, and never said a negative word about him. While Trump, Orange man bad, is according to 3 news a terrible person and totally unfit to be president of the United States.
    
    So in 8 years according to 3 news and the entire NZ mainstream media Obama never did a single wrong thing.
    
    Whereas Trump in 5 years has never done a single right thing according to the mainstream media of NZ.
    
    So I can assert with great confidence that 3 news would love any renovations that Obama would deign to make to the White house.
    
    And it is entirely predictable that 3 news would put the worst possible spin on Trump’s white house renovations.
    
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    October 25, 2025 1:56pm
    - Ghost
      
      First off it was newshub, and they did have articles against Obama. 3 news haven’t been around for 8 years, they were created just over a year ago.
      
      The renovations that occurred under Obama were approved by congress and they were approved under president Bush, at no time did those renovations include destroy any part of the building
      
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      October 25, 2025 2:17pm
      - Scott
        
        Newshub, 3 news, same thing. You must have watched a different channel, I never noticed on 3 News a single negative story about Obama. They loved him and thought he was an historic president.
        They hate Trump and never say a good word about him.
        I guarantee that Obama would never get any censure from 3 news about white house renovations.
        
        The bias on the channel is palpable. Anyone can see it.
        
        8 3
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        October 25, 2025 2:48pm
      - Ghost
        
        No it’s not the same thing, completely different staff, company, producers. newshub ran stories that were critical of Obama, stories that showed him in a negative light. Here are a couple for you since your memory isn’t that good
        
        Obama’s cocaine use revealed in new biography
        
        Michelle Obama’s criticism of Donald Trump called out by fact-checkers
        
        There are a lot there to post, including articles including Criticism of his government cuts
        
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        October 25, 2025 3:46pm
    - RichardX
      
      I understand and accept why you are ignoring the very relevant question of whether it is right to criticize Trump with respect to his actions in demolishing part of the White House and focus instead on your perception of media bias. I even accept that you perceive there to be a bias against Trump in the media but you appear blind to the reasons for this perception.
      
      You have also failed in providing evidence of this perception, unless you count feelz and opinion as evidence in which case it may help you to refer to a dictionary for a definition of evidence.
      
      Anyone with a functioning and reliable epistemology would understand the difference between assertions, irrespective of the degree of confidence expressed, and the truth or evidence for reality.
      
      “So I can assert with great confidence that 3 news would love any renovations that Obama would deign to make to the White house.”
      
      I can assert with great confidence that 3 news would hate any renovations that Obama would deign to make to the White house that were the result of demolishing other parts of the White House.
      
      My argument on media reaction is now as weak as yours. How does this prove fact?
      
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      October 25, 2025 11:25pm
      - Scott
        
        Umm-well if a news outlet like 3 news or Newshub and indeed the entire mainstream media think Obama is a wonderful person and an historic president and never say a bad word about him during his 8 years in office that surely tells you something? Why would they criticise something so banal as white house renovations? When they’ve never criticised him before?
        It’s not rocket science, it’s human nature, it’s observing past patterns of behaviour. They never criticised him in 8 years.
        
        Now it’s only a story because it’s Trump. Everyone knows this. Nothing Trump has done has ever got praise from any of the NZ mainstream media.
        
        So write this down. The NZ mainstream media are so filled with hatred of Trump that they are incapable of reporting on him fairly. So we can learn nothing about the merit of the white house renovations through them. Indeed it would not even be a story if it wasn’t Trump. What do NZers care about white house renovations?
        
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        October 26, 2025 9:13am
      - Ghost
        
        So despite being shown that Newshub actually did report negative stories on Obama you are going to push your lie still.
        
        You are one of the problems in politics, you refuse to hold to account someone you support when they do wrong, instead pimping them constantly, and then posting lies that have been shown to be false.
        
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        October 26, 2025 9:30am
- Ghost
  
  You are taking an historic building, and demolishing it for something that isn’t needed. The White House is 55,000 square foot, this monstrosity that is being built is 90,000 square foot. It’s not needed, and if it was it should be built without demolishing the east wing.
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:30am
  - imalwaysright
    
    [Mod – debate the topics]
    
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    October 25, 2025 11:42am
- R
  
  When will NZ media management be staffed by mature adults?
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:31am
- Tom Hunter
  
  This sort of inside-the-beltway toilet-swirling insanity deserves only mockery.
  
  Trump ballroom nears completion
  
  Actually the Whitehouse published a brief (30s) synopsis of the history of what various Presidents have done to the the place over the years..
  
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  October 25, 2025 12:01pm
- Paulus
  
  Never !
  
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  October 25, 2025 2:19pm
imalwaysright

Senior High School pupils are about to go on nearly a month long ‘revision/study/exam leave’.
Senior teachers will therefore have a very light work load.

Nearly half of the pupils will fail, wouldn’t it make sense to continue normal classes and fit them around exams?
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October 25, 2025 9:03am
- lifesgood
  
  Senior teachers will only work full time again in early February. 3 months away! And they have the gall to want more money!
  
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  October 25, 2025 12:55pm
BeaB

At the end of the third week of Term 4 my two senior high school grandchildren (Y11 and Y13) have finished classes for the year. They each have one exam for which they get 7 weeks study leave. The three weeks they spent at school included two strike days and a teacher only day. One whole day the 15-year-old’s class was told they could do what they wanted as long as they didn’t use their phones or watch porn! She managed to watch two full length movies as well as several hours on social media.
There must now be a small army of high school teachers with no or very few classes for the bulk of the term. What on earth do they do?
Perhaps even more of the preparation we are told they toil over during their 13 weeks of holiday?
At this rate our kids should be top of the world in every subject!
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October 25, 2025 9:06am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  What on earth do they do?
  
  From my observations…
  Some of them, bugga all.
  
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  October 25, 2025 10:26am
  - Paulus
    
    Am told by local Estate Agents that they have people who want first divi when a redo comes up as they are asked for it by Teachers who are very good at updates and numbers of rental they get as they have plenty of time to do so.
    One apparently has some eleven rentals.
    Good socialists.
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:23pm
    - AitchW
      
      Gobbling up the “tax breaks” that National gave to landlords……
      
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      October 25, 2025 4:13pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘At this rate our kids should be top of the world in every subject’
  
  Once upon a time we very nearly were.
  
  Instead of schools etc being so very concerned about “climate emergencies” they need to stick to their knitting and get real about the education emergency .
  
  Instead of net zero , they should be targetting zero failures , now there’s a utopian ideal they should stive for.
  
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  October 25, 2025 10:45am
  - imalwaysright
    
    ‘Education Emergency’ is correct and the dire consequences cannot be understated.
    
    These pupils are now being fed into the workforce every year and it will result in damage to production, supply lines, communications, education, and health as they unwittingly make mistakes or are otherwise unfit for employment.
    
    It would be interesting to know if the Government and Treasury forecasters have factored in the very real impacts of a low IQ workforce.
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:38pm
    - kowtow
      
      ‘damage to production, supply lines, communications, education, and health’
      
      Sounds just like a “fifth column”.
      
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      October 25, 2025 3:10pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Worse. We can’t shoot them…
        
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        October 25, 2025 6:22pm
- AitchW
  
  Wave Hamas flags.
  
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  October 25, 2025 10:55am
- rouppe
  
  Is that exam in the 7 weeks?
  
  Is just that I remember doing School Cert, classes went up until study break of 2 weeks I think, after which there was 4 or so weeks of exam time, albeit you had 5 or 6 exams in that time, not just one. So a similar time frame.
  
  But then we just had 3 terms, not 4, so there would have been longer between commencement of term 3 and the exams than now.
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:15am
  - pdm
    
    Agreed rouppe.
    
    I think we just had the day before the exam off for swotting when I sat school C in 1962.
    
    Probably the same with UE the next year.
    
    After exams we went back to school for the last 2 or 3 weeks.
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:16pm
    - R
      
      Wentt back to school and carried on with structured tuition.
      
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      October 25, 2025 12:56pm
    - AitchW
      
      I did school c in 1978. No study leave, classes right up till the week before the Monday of the first exam. English if I remember correctly.
      
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      October 25, 2025 5:16pm
  - An Old Kiwi
    
    But since NCEA’s internal assessments, studen… sorry, “akonga”, can get enough credits during the year to not even have to bother turning up for an end of year exam – and if they do, it may be in just one topic (not the whole year’s curriculum).
    
    So cruisy. They really don’t need more than a couple of days’ of “study leave.”
    
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    October 25, 2025 5:10pm
pb

There was a vast disturbance in the force. US politicians travelled to the Middle East and visited the Holy Sepulchre without kissing the wall. Interesting.
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October 25, 2025 9:07am
- Wandering Star
  
  It’s a humiliation ritual and a demonstration of dominance: put on a yarmulke and kiss our wall for the cameras.
  
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  October 25, 2025 12:03pm
artemisia

Welfare these days. National treasure Lindsay Mitchell tells it like it is. That would be it’s alarming. However, she has a plan to sort it in the unlikely event anyone with influence is listening.

What an effective welfare system might look like

https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/lindsay-mitchell-what-an-effective-welfare-system-might-look-like
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October 25, 2025 9:11am
- SpencerArnold
  
  It’s a fascinating article. It doesn’t seem to mention parentage on the birth certificate. I have had a couple of friends who have gone through this drama,
  
  The guy promised to leave his wife if he was left off the birth certificate, and then proceeded to dangle that prospect for the next 5-6 years and avoid paying any child support.
  
  Another friend got his name on the birth certificate despite her leaving before the child was born, and thought this entitled him to the casting vote in any decision related to the kid.
  
  These were (relatively) sane, normal professionals who went loopy when kids and ex’s became involved.
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:27am
- imalwaysright
  
  Mitchell’s proposal is spot on.
  However, this is NZ and we’ve never met a plan that we couldn’t destroy with nitpicking, technicality mining, and personal attacks on the proponent.
  
  Simple, equitable, and humanitarian.
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:48am
- rouppe
  
  I might go a step further with IM and food.
  
  Why not partner with something like My Food Bag and deliver appropriately sized Bargain Boxes rather than allowing them to buy chippies and fizz at the supermarket.
  
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  October 25, 2025 11:33am
  - artemisia
    
    You are assuming that everyone can cook, read recipes and has cooking gear.
    
    I remember years ago Jamie Oliver episodes about healthier school lunches. A huge amount of uneaten food went straight in the bin. Not so much they didn’t like it, more they had never seen it before and didn’t know what it was.
    
    Once he held up a stick of rhubarb to a class and not one kid even knew what it was.
    
    (Bit of sympathy with that! Mind you I got a MFB fruit box recently and along with the apples and bananas there was a dragon fruit.)
    
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    October 25, 2025 12:30pm
    - rouppe
      
      Yes they’ll need a couple of pots and a fry pan, but having used similar services before, the skills you need are not much beyond being able to read and boil an egg.
      
      It also serves to teach people just how easy it is to cook a half decent meal.
      
      I remember a few years ago a food bank was begging for donations, but when they got quite a few tins of tomatoes they actually came out and said “don’t donate this, our customers don’t know how to use them”. Which caused quite the backlash as it’s a useful base for loads of meals.
      
      So as part of a food bag service, with instructions, it will help in the skills department.
      
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      October 25, 2025 3:56pm
  - Taieri
    
    Why not partner with something like My Food Bag
    ————–
    
    My Food Bag could do with a bit of support…
    
    “Shares were issued at $1.85 each, including to many customers. But the price dropped in initial trading and has largely continued to decline from there.
    
    Shares were trading for 20c on Thursday afternoon, after chief executive Mark Winter told the market it had lifted its profit 5 percent in the most recent full year.”
    
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/561890/will-your-my-food-bag-investment-ever-recover
    
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    October 25, 2025 3:50pm
    - kowtow
      
      “Fluffy” opening share price offering……..
      
      3 1
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      October 25, 2025 4:28pm
MCōs

An article in the NYTimes with some background to the talk President Reagan delivered re tariffs from which some extracts were used for an ad that upset President Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/us/politics/trump-tariffs-canada-reagan-tv-ad-video.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
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October 25, 2025 9:15am
- MCōs
  
  Here is President Reagan’s original talk
  https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/radio-address-nation-free-and-fair-trade-4
  
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  October 25, 2025 9:30am
- kowtow
  
  Gloat away , the jumped up lil Canadians will pay a high price for their silly little games.
  
  6 2
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  October 25, 2025 12:33pm
  - virtualmark
    
    Why is it a silly little game to play a recording of a US President’s speech?
    
    Perhaps the silly thing is that the supposedly super-manly MAGA hero is actually the world’s smallest and whiniest baby?
    
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    October 25, 2025 4:17pm
Ghost

An Auckland family are in a desperate race to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for a cancer trial in the US that could offer their 11-year-old son a lifeline.

Without the vital funds, he cannot start the process, which his parents are calling their last shot.

Article

Give A Little link for anyone else that wants to help this boy. So far they have raised $269,895, they are aiming for $500,000
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October 25, 2025 9:29am
I remember when

Auckland have put out an alert for yellow-legged hornets after a queen was found building a nest on the North Shore.
It is the first queen yellow-legged hornet to be founf in New Zealand.
The effect of these hornets on honeybees is substantial as they have contributed to colony die-off in Spain and France.
Two male yellow-legged hornets were seen in Grafton and Albany earlier in the year.
Biosecurity New Zealand said they need the public’s help to eliminate further risk.
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October 25, 2025 9:35am
PurplePen

ODT reports “The new backers (of the Lake Onslow battery project) had the advantage of having the information gathered by the previous study”. “The previous government… spent $30 million on analysis”. How much did the new private consortium pay us for the study. Did any reporter ask. The ODT story is paywalled. RNZ has it but leaves out this detail.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/576852/group-to-lodge-fast-track-consent-bid-for-axed-lake-onslow-hydro-project
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October 25, 2025 9:45am
Inandout

Victor Hanson sums up the New York Mayoralty election very well. The end result for NY will be chaos and those businesses that remain are dreaming if they think Mamdani will favout them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tUK-SqqRDg
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October 25, 2025 12:07pm
- Wandering Star
  
  There are untold “leftist” or “socialist” mayors in US cities. None of them are seen as much of a problem. Mamdani is the exception to this, because he is explicitly not pro-Zionist, and this is seen as a problem when he is the mayor of the main US city which has a very high Jewish population.
  
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  October 25, 2025 1:30pm
I remember when

Another living mountain?

“Sunline the Bay’s new first. $50K grant for new Mauao project:
“…with Bay Trust awarding a $50,000 grant to Mauao Trust to launch a community-focused kaitiakitanga project.”
“Trust want people to join the collective to protect the mountain’s health, his mana, and his mauri.”
“Council will still take care of general track management, pest plants, animal control and things like public health and safety.”
“What Mauao Trust will do alongside that is bring back cultural practices and help connect our community and iwi people back to the maunga.”
“Two paid kaitiaki have now been hired and a small kiosk has been set up at the base of Mauao.”

Starts with a donation, then a fee?
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October 25, 2025 12:17pm
- greybeard
  
  First a donation, then a fee, then a ban on entering at all.
  
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  October 25, 2025 1:31pm
  - Paulus
    
    No ban, but just simple entry cost ~!
    
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    October 25, 2025 2:27pm
- Cassandra
  
  And the contribution of the tribe who own the Mount is precisely zero. They don’t even pay rates. The people actually paying the bills are suckers. Even the mayor doesn’t pay rates, since he lives in Cambridge.
  
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  October 25, 2025 2:23pm
leoj

So much for The Herald changing their political outlook under a so called new regime.

Nothing has changed. They are still left wing.
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October 25, 2025 1:48pm
- Jethrod
  
  Yes…. that’s right.
  Also I only get the Herald delivered on Saturdays,
  But today’s paper had 10 (TEN) COLOUR PAGES OF ADS DEVOTED TO HARVEY NORMAN and that was only section 1!
  
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  October 25, 2025 2:56pm
Biscuit

Six degrees Celsius as I type at 2.55pm…

The late great Sir Bob Jones would be chuckling that, once again, the weekend dedicated to ‘the workers’ has turned out so ratshit…
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October 25, 2025 2:55pm
Pope Punctilious II

Tom Hunter recently posted something about the consequences of feminization of our institutions. Here’s a very lucid video on the same topic.
https://youtu.be/EWLbq7PlrIA?si=SLfageImf5FSTNAf
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October 25, 2025 3:07pm

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