About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

November 23, 2025 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 23 November 2025

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment164

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (164)

Login to comment or vote

sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VprXMFbwZrU
A Democrat Civil War is Brewing.
The Saudi Crown Prince visits the White House with zero controversy whatsoever. A Democrat civil war is brewing…again. And California wins the gerrymandering war, simultaneously defeating both Texas and democracy. That and more on this week’s America Uncovered headlines. [Don’t forget Operation Take Back Christmas.]
3 8
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:02am
- Christopher Thomson
  
  The Supreme Court is taking the Texass appeal under urgency.
  
  Justice Alito has declared the map should stand and be used. He is recommending the fellow members also take that decision.
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:27am
  - sungsamning
    
    More republicans in the house. What’s not to love?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 8:20pm
Northshoredoc

Very informative and self deprecating article by Damien Grant which is well worth a read.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360892892/damien-grant-ponsonby-icon-dined-out-unpaid-tax
24 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:08am
- pdm
  
  Damien Grant is my only compulsory reading on Stuff each week.
  
  It is a shame they limit him to one Opinion piece a week.
  
  17 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:07am
  - David Garrett
    
    Pdm: I agree…other than a few articles by Paula Penfold and a few other journos well past the first flush of youth, Stuff these days more and more resembles the Woman’s Weekly.
    
    16 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 9:36am
    - PeterTrentham
      
      More like the women’s monthly.
      
      9 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 10:07am
  - artemisia
    
    Plus Stuff adds to Mr Grant’s columns a rider that is very close to an apology to its readers. Maybe I missed riders on other columns from a different POV?
    
    14 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 9:57am
- artemisia
  
  Personal hygiene should not be a reason to deny access to the trough these days. There is this newfangled thing called Zoom that AFAIK does not yet have an olfactory function. Mr Grant has been hard done by and IRD could usefully review its purchasing processes.//
  
  12 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:15am
Chuck Bird

[Mod – if you are going to post articles many cannot read, then at least summarise the article]
4 9
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:09am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Uptick for the Mod
  
  27 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:24am
  - Biscuit
    
    Oi, NMTB, no picking on Chuck or praising a nameless mod.
    
    Haven’t you got an even emptier than usual bike rack to go count?
    
    8 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 9:33am
    - pdm
      
      Bollocks probably does not count bikes on Sundays Biscuit.
      
      It is his day of rest.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 9:53am
Cassandra

A deal that gives Russia what it wants today will cost Europe far more tomorrow.” Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former PM of Denmark and Secretary-General of NATO.

The American proposal is shameful. Is Trump distracted, badly advised or just sick of Europe and wants to get back to golf? This so-called peace plan rivals Chamberlain’s “scrap of paper” as a betrayal with much less justification.

But Trump obviously reads the papers (or someone does) because “That’s not my final offer”.

Good. It needs a lot of work, starting with a box of matches.
25 9
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:11am
- Simon
  
  Good news for NZ. Things will settle down and NZ can trade with China on a better basis.
  
  All the war nut jobs can settle down as well. Spending 2 % GDP on the boat force Manawanui is not creditable and can be shelved.
  
  6 16
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:21am
  - Christopher Thomson
    
    The Trump plan will end as the Chambelain plan did.
    
    What price peace now for war later.
    
    Putin wants Poland and the Baltic states.
    
    7 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:29am
- Philview
  
  Russia doesn’t want peace and isn’t bothered by any pressure from the US. Trump now knows that his only leverage is against Ukraine but weakening Ukraine will not stop Putin from continuing the war.
  
  11 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:47am
- Wandering Star
  
  “But Trump obviously reads the papers (or someone does) because “That’s not my final offer”.”
  
  Offer? Trump and the US are in no position to “offer” anything – Russia has won, doesn’t Trump understand this? Behind the public rhetoric he obviously does, otherwise he wouldn’t be “offering” peace.
  
  2 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:45am
- kowtow
  
  It is very hard on Ukraine , pretty shitty of Trump but ;
  
  this has all come about because the Euros are useless and since ’45 have hidden behind American power.
  
  they need to reprioritise , get real and re arm , quick sharp.
  
  Si vis pacem parabellum.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 12:53pm
- Jake Dee
  
  We have this discussion on the other thread, but I suppose we can continue it here too.
  All this talk of “Shame!” “Appeasement!” “Aggression!” is just useless rhetoric, people are positioning themselves so they don’t feel responsible for when the final collapse happens.
  Ukraine is wrecked and is getting wrecked worse with each passing day. Everything that America and Europe has tried has failed.
  Are the NATO leaders really saying that we have to continue this war now to prevent war in the future?
  They have war NOW!
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:17pm
Simon

Second elderly person I know scammed by fake Indian call centre. Imagine a NZ govt getting a FTA with such a country which allows this scummy wide spread practice.
22 4
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:13am
- peterwn
  
  The Indian authorities do what they can to shut down these ‘call centres’ but it is rather like a game of ‘whack a mole’.
  
  13 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:57am
  - MCōs
    
    They’re in Myanmar too.
    The people that run them are vicious
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:37am
    - kowtow
      
      Burma
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 12:55pm
  - Simon
    
    “The Indian authorities do what they can to shut down these ‘call centres’ but it is rather like a game of ‘whack a mole’
    
    Utter rubbish. They are very easy to track down and operate by the same people for years. They are tolerated by the useless & corrupt Indian government. Indifference by our government is just adding to the problem.
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 5:25pm
    - Fender
      
      well compared to Somalian Pirates who seem to just do whatever they want they are small fry nuisances. How the heck are pirates tolerated in this age
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 9:41pm
- sirknz
  
  Imagine the outcry if the basic advice was to just hang up on anybody claiming to be from an organisation asking for money, access to your bank account,or to install software on your PC, who has an Indian accent.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:10am
- Wandering Star
  
  We need the GDP boost, don’t you know? Who cares if many of them have dubious characters – maybe they could even get a job in politics?
  
  1 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:47am
- Paulus
  
  We will only get a FTA when we increase Indian Immigration substantially and exponentially.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 11:32am
  - Wandering Star
    
    Then we don’t want an FTA. What’s the idea? That we send them millions of units of our primary produce, and they send us millions of units of their Indians?
    
    12 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 11:37am
    - Simon
      
      All FTAs with India involves bringing in great numbers of Indians. Look it up.
      
      1 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 5:27pm
      - Wandering Star
        
        I know. The questions are “why?” and “how does this benefit us?”
        
        1 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 8:26pm
Scott

Just to illustrate the point about the Maorification of NZ and the aiding and abetting of the same by the NZ media. I note the 3rd one day cricket International was held at Seddon Park, Kirikiriroa. This is according to the TVNZ coverage.

I would be interested to hear from Waikato people have they ever referred to Hamilton as Kirikiriroa? I’ve never heard of it? But this has been the theme of the TVNZ coverage where they have used the Maori name for the various city’s on each and every occasion.

This virtue signalling by TVNZ is very frustrating and shows their elite desire to further the Maorification of NZ. Why should the NZ taxpayer continue to financially support this organization and its radical agenda?
43 3
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:17am
- artemisia
  
  Maorification is well embedded in Wellington City Council. It aims to be a bilingual city by 2040. One of the ways it has chosen to progress this is by bilingual signage in its premises and on its websites. The council and library websites generally have Maori headings in bold with the English name underneath – not bold.
  
  We get it. Manipulation intended obviously, but is it working considering the lack of communication from these initiatives. Maybe Wellington should survey its ratepayers about this 2040 goal, letting us know of course how much it has and will cost. And how they will know if it worked.
  
  Feel free to check out the websites, see what I mean.
  
  29 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:54am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    How is a local council going to achieve a “bilingual region”? The only way we could have a bilingual nation would be a massive investment in the compulsory teaching of Maori at school.
    
    Based on the benchmark of learning other languages, an adult would need to devote betwen 1000 and 2000 hours to learning the language. Few adults will do so because there is no reward unless you are a public servant. In contrast you could learn Spanish and tango in Argentina.
    
    25 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 9:53am
  - Paulus
    
    Maorification has been working for many years now like rust slowly continuing unabated, and as was said they are winning the battle but more appropriately winning the war, and there is nothing that can be done to stop it as it becoming totally ingrained in many children from birth, through all aspects of their paid for education.
    We are told yesterday that the inept Stats Departemnt in their usual wisdom that there are 18% of the population are now Maori.
    But wait – what is a Maori as without a reasonably accurate Census, which we have not had for some years now , and are going to abolish it, we are being bullshitted by the Maoridon fetish of the of the staff Stats Department.
    What is a Maori !
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 2:08pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    There is no way that Wellington City Council has a serious plan to be a Maori – English bilingual city by 2040.
    What it has is a serious plan to SAY that they will be a bilingual city by some uncertain date in the future, by 2040 that date will be 2060 or just quietly dropped.
    If it was a serious plan then there would be serious targets and bench marks, 50% by 2030, 75% by 2035 etc. with rewards for meeting them and penalties for missing them.
    This is all guff, posing and status signaling, no one is going to put real time, money and effort into it.
    “Put your money where your (bi-lingual) mouth is” is always good advice for seeing who’s full of hot air.
    By 2040 there will probably be more Wellingtonians bi-lingual in Chinese – English than Maori – English.
    Think about it, a Wellingtonian fluent in Chinese & English will be able to get serious money from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Changchun etc. etc.
    A Wellingtonian fluent in Maori & English will only be able to get a slight wage increase and Brownie points (hee hee ! see what I did there?) from Wellington.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 3:32pm
- Quail
  
  Scott,
  Not only that ,they converted on screen a lot of traditional cricketing positions and equipment into made up Maori names.
  One example wicket = wickiti or similar.
  This is deliberate Social engineering by the taxpayer funded media !
  A complete misuse of taxpayers money
  This government was elected to stop this rubbish !
  
  19 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:03am
  - R
    
    Unfortunately Quail, from my reading of public opinion re ‘stopping this rubbish’; should the National Party campaign on this, the MEDIA would slaughter them and we would have a Labour TPM greens government for ever. The upside would be that we wouldn’t have to worry about elections anymore, as there wouldn’t be any again
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 12:13pm
    - Jake Dee
      
      I think you’re wrong on broad public support for what some here lazily call “Maorification” but what I see, in this case, as a slow plan to alter the New Zealand public language, to make it some sort of English – Maori hybrid creole.
      I am confident that those high numbers in opinion polls in favor of some vague notion of “supporting Maori language” are an example of Preference Falsification.
      They say what they thing is the popular and fashionable thing to say.
      If they really supported it they would really be DOING it, fill out your tax forms in Maori, buy groceries and talk to you doctor and pharmacist in Maori etc.
      Start a Maori language book club, get up early every morning and sing Waiatas to Te Ao.
      Go on, do it, nobodies stopping you.
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 3:50pm
    - Quail
      
      R
      Well worth trying though! If we continue down present pathways NZ will soon become just a “small bankrupt island in the South Pacific “
      Appeasement will only lead to more and more trouble!
      NZ is ruled by its bureaucrats not those elected to Governance roles.
      A Government with the courage to do what is right and needed is the only hope we have.
      Churchills “had nothing to offer but blood toil tears and sweat” springs to mind.
      This is not wartime but strong leadership is urgently needed .
      New Zealand needs this attitude.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 3:56pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    The government can’t do it.
    The call is coming from inside the house, not the National party as such but a large part of the Professional Managerial Class of Wellington and beyond.
    It’s not a popular movement but an elite one that can only be stopped by a broad popular counter-movement.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 3:35pm
- pdm
  
  Scott I challenged TVNZ on exactly the same thing when a game was played in a city called Poneke.
  
  My knowledge of Poneke is that it was for many a club rugby team in Wellington and I think Grant Nisbet was one of its best known players.
  
  My challenge to TVNZ was a waste of time.
  
  26 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:12am
  - 2ic
    
    Poneke doesn’t even have its origins as a Maori name for Wellington. Here’s what ChatGPT has to say:
    
    “Pōneke is a Māori transliteration of “Port Nick”, a colloquial English shortening of Port Nicholson, the early colonial name for Wellington Harbour.
    Breakdown:
    – Early settlers called Port Nicholson “Port Nick.”
    – Māori adapted this sound pattern using Māori phonetics → Pōneke.
    – It does not originate from traditional pre-colonial Māori naming; it is a post-contact borrowing.
    So the origin is essentially: Port Nicholson → Port Nick → Pōneke.”
    
    26 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 9:30am
    - Sacha
      
      Port Nicholson → Port Nick → Pōneke.
      We were taught that in primary school c 1950, but without the thingy over the o.
      I have no problems with Maori names – I live in a town with a Maori name, in a valley community with a Maori name . . All the surrounding rural districts have Maori names. These names were known when the first European settlers arrived.
      My problem is when a locality/city, that was built by immigrant endeavour and has a name reflecting that endeavour, is summarily changed to a Maori name, thus erasing history.
      I never hear anything about Hamilton these days – I suppose it is still there, under cover. New Plymouth seems to have become invisible, and Christchurch, well, who knows?
      
      10 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 10:02am
      - kowtow
        
        In addition to that the push to do it is top down , elitist , fringe ,political ,has no democratic mandate and is ( very likely) unwelcome and on a daily basis unused by the inhabitants , who were never axed.
        
        4 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 1:03pm
    - artemisia
      
      Could use Te Whanganui-a-Tara for Wellington. Good luck with that becoming popular.
      
      12 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 10:21am
      - Notsofast
        
        Whats wrong with 8 syllables instead of 3?
        At a minimum double the complexity with this largely fake transcribed messaging.
        
        8 1
        Report
        November 23, 2025 11:02am
      - Jake Dee
        
        It doesn’t have to become popular. In fact it would work better if it wasn’t widely used.
        It’s a way for the elite class to signal that they aren’t common folk.
        Like the old school European scholars dropping in bits of Latin into their speech.
        Status signaling.
        
        2 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 3:55pm
    - AitchW
      
      It bugs me that when English words are used in Maori they are bastardised.
      Look at pirihimana for policeman, hato hone for St John.
      Maori words when inserted pointlessly English are unchanged, pointlessly because there is already a perfectly acceptable English word for mahi (work), whare (house), aroha (love).
      As usual it’s the coloniser who compromises while the poor, oppressed tangata whenua mangles the coloniser’s language.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 4:59pm
- Nikola Donatello
  
  I agree but on this…
  
  “Why should the NZ taxpayer continue to financially support this organization…?”
  
  TVNZ is a commercial broadcaster. It is not “funded by the taxpayer” in the same manner as RNZ. Further, it has managed last year to make a $25.7 million after tax profit and return a $3.2 million dividend to its owner, the government.
  
  Source: BusinessDesk | NZ https://share.google/lEHjNYxI8c6AaflEw
  
  The cost to the government of owning a commercial TV network is the opportunity cost of the capital. TVNZ could be sold as is tomorrow.
  
  In contrast, RNZ could not be sold in its current form. It, literally, makes no money. It would need to be turned into a profitable, subscription based SOE and then sold.
  
  Back to the cricket. I agree.
  
  On the upside I found that the Ashes series in Australia is broadcast free to air on the 7 network. It is streamed. You just sign up a free account and you are in business. 😐
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:44am
- Pineapple Lumps
  
  Did you wonder what the real endgame of sprinkling maori words into english is? Comments yesterday about the same subject got me thinking of the possibilities. We have been told that the reason for pushing NZ pigin (sic) is an endgame of a bilingual country where everyone speaks maori. But as many commenters have said, this isn’t going to work. Learning a few maori words and sprinkling them into english is at best going to get them incorporated in NZ english. Not one person is ever going to become a fluent maori language speaker from this approach.
  
  So this is 100% about cognitive dissonance, upsetting the traditional power structure, activism. It says we will force you to speak buts if the maori language. We have the power to force these words into your language, thoughts and speech. From a language perspective we at best will fracture NZ English further away from its global links by making it more unique and harder for other english language speakers to understand. But the real goal here is activism, disruption and the establishment of new power structures.
  
  The useful idiots don’t get this, they go along with it thinking they are morally virtuous in their support of this Māori taonga. But in reality all they are doing is uplifting a new clandestine racist power structure.
  
  I have been to Belgium where they speak Flemish, French and English. They don’t scramble those together in some linguistic omelette. Because that just wouldn’t work!
  
  Maybe the best thing we could do is start objecting to the ‘piginising’ of maori and pointing out to all the virtue signallers that this is actually going to destroy the maori language in the long run. Preserve Māori this special treasure, stop fouling it by stealing its words and interspersing into other languages.
  
  18 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:26am
  - Jake Dee
    
    I think you may be responding to some of the comments I made yesterday Pineapple, in which case I thank you for your support.
    But I don’t think you’ve got it quite right.
    This language activism isn’t about creating a new power structure, it’s about reinforcing the old one.
    I’ve been using the phrase the PMC or Professional Managerial Class (or Caste) a lot because I think it’s accurate and they’ve been the dominant elite in New Zealand and the Western world for at least two generations.
    Maori aren’t rising up to finally take their rightful position with their fair share of power and authority in New Zealand.
    The New Zealand franchisee of the PMC is entrenching their power and influence in New Zealand by using pseudo-Maori cultural elements as yet another status signal and barrier to entry by the lower classes.
    Look who’s driving this movement, and where it’s strongest. This isn’t been driven by local grass roots / flax roots activism. It’s coming from university educated managers and professional bureaucrats at the middle and top of society.
    That they’re doing it for marginalized Maori is a cover story and a rationalization. Any benefit to lower class Maori is highly debatable. The benefits to upper and middle class PMCs both Pakeha and Maori, is very obvious.
    I’m going to continue pushing this line in Kiwiblog, there’s a possibility that it might have an effect.
    Virtue signals and status markers lose a lot of their power once they’re seen for what they really are.
    
    6 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 4:13pm
- Pineapple Lumps
  
  At least the game was between New Zealand and the West Indies!
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:35am
- Paulus
  
  Sad that none of the cricket was held in New Zealand cities.
  But I learbed what a batted four and six are called in some non Engllssi language.
  
  7 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 11:34am
- alex Masterley
  
  Digressing slightly.
  Recently, I had the privilege of presenting at a public meeting/forum of one of Aucklands Local Board things.
  There was me and one other person present who could be described as the “public”. The others present were 8 board members and one of the councillors and at least 6 by my count council employees.
  The first order of business of the meeting was a karakia which at best was mumbled by the chair. What a complete waste of box checking that was.
  
  The other issue that gets on my goat is the focus on “biculturalism”. To say there are two cultures within New Zealand is utter rubbish. The word treats maori as being the same when we know that Maori are hapu iwi and tribe based and one is not the same as the other. Compare Ngai Tahu and Ngapuhi for example. Likewise European NZers do not all come from one place. In my family we have have representatives from Northern Ireland, Lincolnshire, Angus (in scotland) and Surrey. Different places different customs. And then we factor in immigration since the 1970s. New Zealand now is multicultural (the schools my sons attended generally had 38 languages plus spoken in the playground) no matter how much Biculturalism is spun.
  
  15 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 11:36am
  - Handyman
    
    When people say there are only two cultures I always agree: “Pakeha and non-Pakeha”.
    They usually get angry/upset and say: “Maori and non-Maori”, thus proving my point.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 11:54am
  - kowtow
    
    AM
    
    We are multi ethnic but not “multi cultural”.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 1:07pm
  - Paulus
    
    Within so called Maori Tribes it is all about who can get the most money from the rest of us !
    
    5 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 2:12pm
  - Jake Dee
    
    Biculturalism (or multiculturalism in other Western nations) is clearly just another pile of guff.
    It’s Mono-culturalism, the only culture permitted to hold positions of power and influence is Liberalism.
    Try a little thought experiment,
    what would happen if you were to stand up and publicly demand that your Fascism must be given equal status and respect as the dominant Liberalism?
    Try getting Arts Council funding for your little film project about a small group of marginalized Fascist fighting against a cruel and uncaring world.
    You might be able to get funding for your film project about a marginalized group of traditional Christians as long as at least one character is gay.
    Modern Liberalism is a complex beast, you’re allowed to have any sort of faith and belief you like in a Liberal Democracy as long as it’s fake and gay.
    If you want to be an authentic Christian, Muslim, Communist or Fascist you will have to sit down, shut up and move to the absolute fringes of society.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 4:29pm
- Nikola Donatello
  
  “I would be interested to hear from Waikato people have they ever referred to Hamilton as Kirikiriroa?”
  
  None. Apart from references by local Council employees in their opening Karakia.
  
  That is not a sarcastic statement.
  
  If there is a demand for Maori language cricket commentary, by all means have a separate audio channel.
  
  14 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 11:43am
- Flossie
  
  I have lived previously in Hamilton for many years, and never referred to it by any Maori name. In fact I was there years before I ever heard the word Kirikiriroa. My understanding of this is it is more about the NZ Cricket Board (or whatever the powers that be of cricket are called) than about TVNZ.
  Having said that I do not like the constant insertion of Maori words at the drop of a hat that TVNZ is pushing.
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 2:31pm
- Positan
  
  Scott, NZTV and Radio NZ’s virtue-signalling is vomit-inducing. Kirikiriroa MAY or may not HAVE BEEN the name for the area, but it was the settlers who built the city of Hamilton and all its amenities, so HAMILTON should be the name of reference – whenever and wherever it should properly be used.
  
  The same goes for all the other cities and places that settlers built !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  11 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:20pm
Gravelroad

Yesterday I was visiting a family member when he was called on his cellphone by a polling company doing a survey.
It was a poll we had both heard of – (not our host’s company).
He agreed to take part.
The survey went on for 15 minutes or more, and I was concerned about the level of personal detail and opinion being asked for. (I could hear his answers.)
This included information about his work, household income and his wife’s job and income. Did he have kids and how old they were. What did he watch on tv – including a list of programmes. Who did he vote for in the last general election. Who was he voting for next election. On and on it went.
Then they asked for his full name and email address.
That did it for me.
I suggested to him that he needed to be careful about giving out all this info to a cold caller. How did he know his personal details would not be on-sold or the whole thing wasn’t some sort of scam?
No way would I have supplied the information he was asked for, even if it was all legit.
37 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:28am
- greybeard
  
  Well done you: you said “It was a poll we had both heard of” , but really there is no way to be sure that the call was genuine. Personally I have little time for polls and refuse to take part.
  
  27 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:38am
  - Flossie
    
    I do not see how surveys that are only answered by the willing have any value.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 2:33pm
- Philview
  
  I have refused to answer questions before in particular the income one.
  
  3 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:50am
- AitchW
  
  Many years ago I read some advice by either Richard Prebble or David Lange, I forget which.
  His advice re polls was, when asked which party you voted for last time, always say the party opposite the one you intend to vote for this time. It makes it appear that their support has dropped.
  Pointless? Quite possibly.
  Deeply satisfying? Unquestionably .
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:56am
- MCōs
  
  Prior to the last election the Nats instigated an endless string of petitions grizzling about some facet of government policy they disagreed with.
  I wonder what happened to the names and addresses they were thus able to accumulate?
  People who complain about their privacy being eroded have to be very diligent about who they give identifying information to. Slip up and you’re on the slippery slope towards an inbox full of unwanted shit on a daily basis.
  
  3 8
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:16am
  - Pineapple Lumps
    
    MCos – can you provide a source for “the Nats instigated an endless string of petitions grizzling about some facet of government policy they disagreed with”?
    
    I’d be interested to know what the petitions were, how many = endless.
    
    11 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:31am
- Sacha
  
  I did an RM phone survey a week or two back, and at the end I was asked if I would like to participate in a longer, more intensive survey. The phone interview was quite fun, so I said yes.
  Well! Apart from being very intrusive it was long and boring, and by the end I was getting a bit creative with the replies, and told them so in the last question which invited me to comment on the ‘experience’.
  I hope that someone saw that I was taking the Mickey and threw it in the bin.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:08am
artemisia

Sean Rush takes aim at the Roseneath School Board, one on The List. Following an historical and legal summary he concludes – Your letter engages in political theatre that is ill-informed about a complicated issue. It is at odds with the school’s core purpose: providing quality education and fostering unity among students and the wider community

Will the Roseneath School Board have a full and frank discussion about being called out as indulging in ill-informed political theatre? Probably not.

https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/sean-rush-letter-to-the-roseneath-school-board
19 2
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:36am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  A provocative comment from Sean, alleging in effect the return of feudalism. It would be interesting to be able to follow the money, i.e. into whose pockets the stream of public funding to Maori in its various forms ends up.
  
  “The current push to prioritise Te Tiriti is not about equity; it is about power. Those leading this campaign often descend from elite families who held sway in 1840 —families whose influence rested on mana that often was earned from brutality. For many their goal is not to uplift ordinary Māori, not the Jake the Muss’s or those I acted for in the Napier District Court back in the day. They are agnostic to the plight of those kids in poverty, the boys in trouble, the Mums being beaten. Their aim is restore their own prominence under the guise of cultural revival. ”
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:44am
- PurplePen
  
  You often hear claims about the Treaty that conflate modern political rhetoric with historical and legal reality. Most recently it’s in relation to education. Consider:
  
  The Treaty ceased to have legal force after the Constitution Act 1852 superseded it. That Act was repealed in 1986. For the next 100 years, the Treaty was functionally irrelevant while New Zealand developed its governmental and legal system.
  
  “Crown obligations” exist solely because Parliament created them through the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975, not from the Treaty itself.
  
  Calling the Treaty our “foundational document” ignores that our actual foundations are the Constitution Acts of 1852 and 1986. If the Treaty were truly foundational, it would be entrenched in these. It isn’t mentioned.
  
  The “partnership” concept is Waitangi Tribunal interpretation, not Treaty text. Article 1 ceded sovereignty to the Crown; Article 3 made Māori British subjects. That’s not partnership, that’s subjects under Crown authority with certain protections.
  
  The claim that “legislation states the education system should honour the Treaty” is circular reasoning. Parliament put those words there. Parliament can remove them. The 1975 Act doesn’t mandate Treaty references in other legislation. Each was a separate Parliamentary choice.
  
  If the Treaty were truly “essential” to both parties, the physical document wouldn’t be in tatters from neglect. Its condition reflects how both parties treated it historically: as an artifact, not a living covenant.
  
  The Treaty only “lives” because the 1975 Act revived it after a century of irrelevance. What Parliament revived, Parliament can let rest.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 1:53pm
- Paulus
  
  I am sure
  Not Bloody Likely as we have made our decision as to what WE seethe best for the children, and will not change that.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 2:15pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Liverpool slump into the bottom half of the table.

Someone should check in on Biscuit.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/report/_/gameId/740710
4 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:37am
Chuck Bird

There is yet another article in this morning’s Herald by Heather du Plessis-Allan about whether Luxon should be rolled.

I will be watching with interest if Luxon goes and sees what Dr Will Happer has to say, or if he does not care about Groundswell and the Methane Science Accord. These groups represent a lot of farmers.
8 8
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:43am
- wisteria
  
  I am presuming that HDPA article is behind a paywall. It is probably not worth reading. She claims to be non political, Ha ha ha
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 8:51am
  - kowtow
    
    She’s been stirring this for a while on her radio show. NZME also published Mathew Hooton stirring this this week .
    
    I have a sneaking feeling they ‘re creating mischief to sell more of their pap.
    
    Question is do these things become a self fulfilling prophesy.
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 1:20pm
    - Paulus
      
      That is why the media keep on in the hope that some of what they say will peel off.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 2:16pm
- peterwn
  
  The problem is Superman is not an available contender for party leadership. Todd Muller took on the leadership in 2017 not realising it needed the stamina and fortitude of Superman only to find he was a mere mortal like the rest of us.
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:05am
  - MCōs
    
    Or in some foreign countries leaders like Putin are hard wired with such a strong self belief that they will dispose of the opposition.
    Then it becomes worse when they get old and embittered as opposition mounts because they know if they are toppled, like Hitler, Gaddafi, Mussolini, Hussein they’re dead meat
    
    7 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 9:35am
- AitchW
  
  I do wonder whether the increasing number of articles in the media are not simply a self fulfilling prophecy?
  The deeply biased media started by interviewing their own laptops to muse out loud if there was an appetite to roll Luxon. Each article reinforced the impression that such an appetite existed.
  Left leaning consumers of the articles were motivated by the reports and presented them as proof of unrest in the National party.
  The reason for the unrest is printed as slow progress in reversing the devastation wrought by the last government.
  The final result is a bump in the polls for Labour, the very same people who created the devastation.
  God help us.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:34am
  - Paulus
    
    Don’t forget Tova the Political Editor and as such the leader of the team is back.
    The other women experts will keep well clear of her for as we have seen she has a bad temper off the stage and blames everybody but herself.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 2:20pm
- Nikola Donatello
  
  What is the connection between your first paragraph about an article about Chris Luxon, and your second paragraph about someone called Will Harper?
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:58am
  - Mike
    
    Chuck thinks everyone has reað his previous,comments.
    
    4 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:12am
  - Chuck Bird
    
    Dr Will Happer is a scientist who does not believe there is a climate crisis. Luxon is a climate change alarmist. His policies are similar to Labour and the Greens, and so far will not listen to farmers. See below to find out about Dr Happer.
    
    https://co2coalition.org/teammember/william-happer/
    
    If Luxon will not listen to him, he should not be PM. NZ needs a PM who realises how important farmers are to NZ.
    
    4 5
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:28am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Yes but what do you actually want the government to do? The UN is not going to change its methodology to calculate methane emissions. Well I doubt it. The current methodology took about ten years to develop and agree on.
      
      Let’s just assume that the methodology sticks at the UN. In that case, all New Zealand agricultural emissions will be a New Zealand liability. Someone needs to pay for them. If not the farmers, then everyone else.
      
      To emphasise, New Zealand can change the way that it calculates any emissions, but the New Zealand inventory and our liabilities must be calculated according to the UN methodologies. This applies to literally every nation, including the USA.
      
      So I am still confused about your end game. New Zealand is not going to be the first nation to rescind its Paris Commitment. No country will withdraw from the UNFCCC.
      
      So again, what is your actual objective?
      
      The government is doing little on climate change relative to our obligations, which cannot be met. It is all window dressing. An ETS that puts about 20 cents a litre on petrol. Big deal.
      
      On the other hand, the Greens would actually destroy New Zealand on the altar of climate change. This government, no. It is as good as it gets.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 10:37am
      - cmm
        
        IIRC you said you have been to three of these international climate-alarmism conferences which would indicate that you have at least ingested some of the KoolAid.
        
        Let us stop confusing the laws of physics (which cannot be argued with) with arbitrary laws and rules made by cardigan-wearing clipboard-waving government types.
        
        Regulations, especially ideologically-based regulations, can be changed when it is shown that they either have no benefit or fail to make sense. That generally takes someone with guts so we are unlikely to see that under the current government.
        
        Yes, many countries will have to withdraw from the Paris Accord – because eventually reality trumps ideology. That won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
        
        8 2
        Report
        November 23, 2025 11:23am
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        “IIRC you said you have been to three of these international climate-alarmism conferences which would indicate that you have at least ingested some of the KoolAid.”
        
        You recall correctly but you would be very, very, wrong about your assumption on KoolAid.”😅
        
        BTW I pretty much agree with your comment. Apart from the KoolAid jibe. 😳
        
        5 1
        Report
        November 23, 2025 11:29am
      - Chuck Bird
        
        I am not talking about the government. I am talking about Luxon. Luxon expects to force farmers to medicate their livestock to reduce the amount of methane they emit. The farmers say methane is not harmful, but Luxon won’t debate the issue.
        
        The is a clause in the Paris agreement about not restricting food production. Therefore, we can stay in the Paris agreement without telling our farmers how to farm.
        
        Are you going to hear Dr Happer?
        
        6 5
        Report
        November 23, 2025 1:09pm
      - Ghost
        
        Farmers aren’t being forced to medicate their livestock, nor is their plans to do so
        
        3 4
        Report
        November 23, 2025 2:01pm
      - Paulus
        
        Look it gives way to an Annual multi person and million cost Conference somewhere in the World.
        Who voted for us yesterday at the current one.
        
        3 1
        Report
        November 23, 2025 2:22pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        “The is a clause in the Paris agreement about not restricting food production.”
        
        You are conflating two different things.
        
        Yes the Paris agreement recognises the importance of food security.
        
        However New Zealand agricultural emissions are still counted in our inventory. The same as every other country. Using the same methodology. That methodology was deployed after years of negotiation including by New Zealand New Zealand as a leading player.
        
        To repeat, I have no idea what you actually want to achieve. New Zealand agriculture is not currently priced in the ETS. That is probably a good thing but it is not “free”. Everyone else in New Zealand just pays their share.
        
        Do you actually want New Zealand to withdraw from UNFCCC, or do you want the UNFCCC to adopt some different way of calculating methane in the inventory? If it is the latter it is not my area of expertise.
        
        If it is the latter New Zealand will need the support of many nations? Is that likely?
        
        I think that it would be helpful if you could spell all this out rather than name drop an author that few readers of this blog will be familiar with.
        
        4 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 2:59pm
      - AitchW
        
        Are our tens of thousands of hectares of native bush figured into our total emissions? What about the millions of lawns and backyard orchards?
        Our arable crops?
        Or do we only count our fossil fuels and industrial emissions?
        
        5 1
        Report
        November 23, 2025 3:38pm
      - Ghost
        
        Come on down voters, show Chuck is right and the vaccine is compulsory. Hint, you won’t be able to, it’s just another thing Chuck has made up and lied about. All government discussion papers on it, and press releases show it is another voluntary tool for farmers to use
        
        3 1
        Report
        November 23, 2025 4:32pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Only native forests planted or destroyed after 1989 are counted in the emissions inventory.
        
        The methodologies are easily found online if you want the detail.
        
        2 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 4:33pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Ghost you are portraying a complex issue as black and white, just as you did yesterday on another topic.
        
        No farmers will not be “forced” to adopt methane reduction interventions. However those who refuse to do so will be left behind commercially.
        
        https://www.fonterra.com/nz/en/our-stories/media/fonterra-announces-new-incentives-for-farmers-to-reduce-emissions.html
        
        2 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 5:16pm
      - Ghost
        
        Nope. I’m pointing out the constant lie of Chuck that the prime minister is forcing this vaccination, he isn’t. It’s is voluntary. And yesterday you wanted to blame everyone but yourself for your actions.
        
        2 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 5:23pm
    - peterwn
      
      No. Chris Luxon is a political realist. Even if he thinks climate change is a load of nonsense, he cannot peddle that line in public.
      
      3 6
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 1:15pm
      - Chuck Bird
        
        He can say the science is not settled, particularly on menthane. It seems to me he really has adopted the climate change religion.
        
        5 5
        Report
        November 23, 2025 1:23pm
      - cmm
        
        That is not leadership.
        
        4 6
        Report
        November 23, 2025 1:45pm
      - leoj
        
        …. in other words, he is gutless.
        
        3 4
        Report
        November 23, 2025 4:13pm
      - Ghost
        
        Pretty much, it would be political suicide. But there is a small segment that think that if the government did what they want it to do that they will gain more votes. There reality is that they would hand the government to the left.
        
        3 1
        Report
        November 23, 2025 4:30pm
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Ghost you are still doing it.
      
      Yes Chuck can be a bit literal. But farmers are going to be forced to adopt those technologies.
      
      Yesterday I was not blaming anyone for my speeding ticket. Rather I was engendering a debate on the policing of speeding. I drew your attention to the literature on such policing. Instead of reading it and rejoinding, you covered your ears and eyes and became abusive.
      
      To reiterate, Chuck is technically incorrect. However if you could think laterally you would look through his style to address his legitimate point.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 6:38pm
      - Ghost
        
        No, Chuck is not correct. You can’t accept being wrong can you. Chuck has stated over and over again that Luxon is making farmers vaccinate there stock, he isn’t. Go on, for once show evidence that Luxon is making it compulsory for farmers vaccinate their live stock. You can twist what Chuck has said to fit into what you want it to be. But his constant lie that the prime minister is doing this is, and you know, is bullshit.
        
        I don’t care about your inability to hold yourself responsible for your actions. Stop being so damn precious, there was nothing abusive, once again you are twisting and making things up
        
        0 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 10:15pm
  - Chuck Bird
    
    Have a view of the video. It is 46 minutes.
    
    The Crusade Against Carbon Dioxide | Professor William Happer
    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2nhssPW77I&t=1306s
    
    1 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 1:42pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

COP30 wraps up, with no binding commitment to reduce fossil fuel use and a promise from rich countries to triple their payments to poor countries.

However, the meeting was not a complete waste of time. No siree! I can’t parody it any better than they themselves do:

“The meeting has just passed a new “Gender Action Plan”. It instructs countries to improve the representation of women at the talks and to make sure their climate policies addressed how women and girls are impacted.”

Future generations will wonder how so much carbon was burned for so little return.

http://www.bbc.com/news/live/cgqlqyepwylt
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 9:33am
- Chuck Bird
  
  I wonder how they define a woman.
  
  3 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 1:20pm
  - cmm
    
    Well since many different gases count as CO2 via Greehouse Gas bollocks, it would not be surprising if multiple genders count as female.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 1:45pm
- cmm
  
  Yup, makes sense because Gender and CO2 are inextricably linked…
  
  If anyone needs proof this is about idealogy and not science then here it is.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 1:42pm
- PurplePen
  
  I wonder how it is that men and women can be so different that it matters at all and if it turned out that it did, what happened to the skill of consulting.
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 1:58pm
- Nikola Donatello
  
  Things have gone backwards. What a farce.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:00pm
Yvette

How does a school board – like Queens High in Dunedin, for example – determine that as representatives for staff and students, and student families who likely have a strong say in where their daughters are educated, that they want the previous emphasis on the Treaty, or the new status which is not something that has been voted on or has any evidence of its support or not?

What validity is there in statement that over 1000 schools – about 40 percent of the total – are on a list of schools have now publicly reaffirmed they will continue giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, despite the government removing school boards’ Treaty requirement from the Education and Training Act.

“It’s totally organic. It’s not being led by any particular person or movement. It is a wonderful expression of kotahitanga.” said Lawyer Tania Waikato, who is collating the statements and publicly sharing the list :o)
6 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 9:38am
- PurplePen
  
  Wouldn’t it be better to say “abide by the Treaty” rather than “give effect to”?
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 1:59pm
- Paulus
  
  I would say you do it my way or try and find some money !
  The current Coalition Government was voted to Govern, jerks.
  Typical set up for Anarchy.
  But of course the huge Education Department is totally on your and the Teacher’s and children’s mother’s side anyway.
  So next year get one who will be on your sad side.
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 2:27pm
MCōs

The Ashes test in Perth didn’t last long.
The ODI in Hamilton aka Kirikiriroa didn’t last long.
At least the ABs game went for the regulation 80min

I watched some of Irish/South African game. About 10min was taken up with one scrum
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 9:42am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  The century by the Australian opener to seal the win was quite fun to watch. At lunch England had looked the favourites to win.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 9:59am
  - AitchW
    
    But the commentary by the Aussie media team was, as usual, dire!
    Fawning doesn’t even begin to describe the way they talk about their own team. You’d barely know here was another team on the field.
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 11:12am
    - Paulus
      
      You mean there was another team on the field – wow !
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 2:28pm
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Yes makes me wish for the days of Richie Benaud. Some things you do not know how great they were until they are gone.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 5:19pm
Gravelroad

Great cricket supporters here – some former players and one just starting.
We support NZ and any team playing Australia.
4 2
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 10:05am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  Just to balance things, I support the New Zealand cricket team playing every team except Australia, in which case I support Australia.
  
  2 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:18am
  - Cassandra
    
    Treachery!! 😇
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:23am
  - Pineapple Lumps
    
    Do you own shares in a sandpaper company?
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:34am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      No dual citizen.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 10:41am
      - Paulus
        
        Can you do that,
        I thought Australia did not allow Dual Citz ?
        But I may be wrong.
        
        2 2
        Report
        November 23, 2025 2:30pm
      - Flossie
        
        Paulus – you are wrong.
        
        4 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 2:39pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Paulus. Australia changed the law to allow dual citizenship circa 2003. More than 20 years ago in any case.
        
        1 0
        Report
        November 23, 2025 5:21pm
    - Pineapple Lumps
      
      Apologies if my comment was too abrasive.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 5:39pm
  - Gravelroad
    
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2025/11/22/i-cannot-take-this-stupid-england-team-seriously-anymore/
    Yay- Geoffrey Boycott!
    Probably wouldn’t get picked for the England team today even if he was in his prime.
    Too slow for Bazball.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 11:06am
    - Gravelroad
      
      Apologies – this link seems to be paywalled, but was available on stuff.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 11:16am
- alex Masterley
  
  I couldnt work out who to support and then decided to hell with it and supported the Ozzies.
  It is a step too far to support a BAZ coached and Stokes captained english team.
  
  3 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 11:38am
Steve Todd

The brilliant Jennifer Welch at the I’ve Had It podcast reviews the fun day that was Friday in US politics, starting with Trump’s* suck-up to Zohran Mamdani in the garishly redecorated Oval Office, and finishing with MTG’s resignation.

(See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzzsO4NRLbs; 19 mins.)

It’s well worth watching, if only to get an alternative view of US politics to the one that prevails here – you know, for balance.

* For those of you who won’t have come across this commentator before, she refers to Trump as “Canks”, because of his cankles. “Chuckles” is how she refers to Chuck Schumer.
3 2
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 10:26am
- MCōs
  
  Don’t need Ms Welch to tell us there was some crazy shit going on in America politics in the last couple of days
  To reprise the old cliche
  It’s like living in the highlights reel
  
  1 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 10:55am
  - Steve Todd
    
    It’s a summary of events, MCōs, of the kind we all consume every day. If we accept your comment, the publishing of political commentary / alternative perspectives would die, because, presumably like you, no-one would need to make themselves aware of other people’s views. Clearly, that is nonsense.
    
    As I said, I posted it for balance.
    
    3 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 11:10am
In Vino Veritas

The Perth Ashes test was played on a pitch that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the 70’s and 80’s. The issue today is that most players don’t have the technique to survive and make runs against good bowling on anything but a road or near road. Somewhere on You Tube, there are highlights of NZ chasing 480 to win in England in 1973 (after having bowled out England for 200 then being bowled out themselves for 100). The pitch is still green on day 5 and yet they made 440.
Cameron Green pushing forward to a 150kmhr bouncer and getting hit in the head. Of course not surprising. And certainly cringeworthy.
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 10:29am
cmm

I moved to Christchurch 30 years ago. I never believed I would have the experience I had earlier this week.

I needed to travel from near Riccarton to home and chose to use a taxi. The taxi was driven by a pleasant middle-aged bloke from the Middle East.

As we left the parking lot and entered the road, a car approached with its indicator on – indicating it would turn. The taxi pulled out, but the car did not turn but instead needed to do some violent braking to prevent crashing into the taxi.

The next km or so of driving was road-rage from the driver behind the taxi. Eventually we turned right and the car pulled up alongside the passenger side where I was sitting. The enraged driver (an Indian man in his 30s) began yelling in a language I did not know.

As it happened, my Middle Eastern driver had spent many years living in India and had sufficient Urdu to be able to hold up his side of the discussion. He later told me that the discussion had been about eachother’s mothers and how they earned money.

All in all, having that all unfold in front of me was some of the best entertainment I have had in years.

Yes folk, we now live in a New Zealand where two random people can start yelling at each other and the common language they use is Urdu.
15 4
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 10:49am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  Folk in India would have no idea what an indicator is for. Having been there, my experience was they don’t use them. .
  
  8 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 11:34am
  - Gravelroad
    
    Yes. Big roundabouts with 10 overloaded motorbikes and scooters waiting in a line at each stop.
    They just go.
    You’ve got to be quick even if your big crate of chickens, pile of old tyres or two young children risk toppling off.
    Been there.
    
    6 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 11:58am
  - cmm
    
    I assume the bloke driving in NZ has a local license too, but who knows how that was attained.
    
    Perhaps via a “translator” at the testing station.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 1:41pm
    - MCōs
      
      FYI
      My wife obtained a license some years ago. For the written part she was able to bring along a friend as a translator because they didn’t provide Thai language test papers.
      So she passed that part with ease, but had to do the practical several times.
      Interestingly the Thailand road code is pretty much identical to the NZ version. When I got my license in Bangkok I was given an English language version to read up for a couple of hours, but no written or practical tests (Thais did both) only a string of medical tests.
      
      1 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 7:04pm
  - Swifty
    
    They use their horn instead.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 3:11pm
Jack5

David Seymour is in form today explaining to Jack Tame the Regulatory Standards Bill.

Well done DS!

This video of the interview is 26min and 20sec long, with the last quarter of the talk switching to charter schools:

https://youtu.be/sLSYgOrx0Zc?si=866LkfVYVjp4_sTZ
4 3
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 11:17am
Chuck Bird

Did anyone see Jack Tame interview David Seymour this morning?

Maybe Luxon should watch it. Hopefully, he would learn something from Seymour.
4 5
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 1:26pm
Quail

Listened in , thanks Jack.
Tame’s performance was pretty rude!
9 3
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 1:47pm
- Paulus
  
  Not rude – how dare you ?
  Just normal – but I never have and will never watch the prat.
  
  8 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 2:33pm
Swifty

Ngarewa-Packer also wants Tamihere to resign?

https://x.com/gaye_ess/status/1992368964664705197?s=46

Seismic if true.
5 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 2:36pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  John Tamihere to resign? From his own Party?
  
  I think our Debs misunderstands the fundamentals.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:50pm
Swifty

Extreme-left Pommie socialist and unionist wants to use the powers of the NZ state to rule and dominate our lives:

https://x.com/henrycooke/status/1992398025797566896?s=46
3 4
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 2:39pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  Oh no another impartial economist the media won’t be able to ask questions on coalition policies. Who will they turn to now ? P
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:17pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  It grates on me that so many people with foreign accents inhabit NZ’s parliament. It’s like being a guest in someone’s house and immediately criticising the decor. It’s just rude.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:53pm
  - Swifty
    
    Ever wondered what it would be like as a sole whitey in an African parliament, or Indian, or Chinese, standing up and saying “As I look around all I see are brown faces, it’s just so racist and it’s just got to change.”
    
    The MP for Tijuana said exactly that, in our Parliament and during his inaugural speech.
    
    Utterly loathesome.
    
    8 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 4:23pm
  - MCōs
    
    My late mother had a ‘foreign’ accent being a Salopian.
    I never noticed.
    Why does it bother you?
    
    1 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 4:39pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Because people who are accepted into our country should hesitate before thinking they know more than the locals about how to run the place.
      
      3 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 6:20pm
    - lifesgood
      
      Probably because new immigrants start telling many generational NZers how to live. Bloody disgusting. Julianne Genter and the MP from Tijuana (sorry mod I honestly don’t know his name) are cases in point.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      November 23, 2025 6:34pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Wellington Bays. Pom vs Yank.
  
  The locals just get to vote.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 3:58pm
Swifty

“Damn you Western science!”

https://x.com/etangata/status/1992299442364715490?s=46
2 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 3:10pm
Ra Henare

I dont know whether its hillarious or pathetic.

Dialled up Newstalk Zb website this morning(my time) for the headline. IN Big bold letters -3pm NZ time!!

‘Solid performance’: All Blacks bounce back and beat Wales 52-16
1 2
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 3:26pm
Swifty

“Grok, please list all policies and the policies and actions taken by the New Zealand Labour Government 2017-23 which reduced business productivity.”

https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMw_8178c317-3be0-4dcd-9f24-a589c4cf4e6d

Sometimes you just want to weep.
3 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 4:19pm
Ghost

I wonder, has there ever been a documentary of this nature that included the future Secretary of State before

A new documentary titled The Age of Disclosure claims to expose what might be a cover‑up by the United States government for roughly 80 years, involving not just space crafts but also retrieved alien technology and non-human remains.

Article
0 2
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 5:25pm
- Ghost
  
  Interesting, one person being interviewed states that in Trump’s first term he was preparing to announce that ufos were real.
  
  Some of the people interviewed
  
  Luis “Lue” Elizondo: Former head of the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).
  Jay Stratton: Former Director of the government’s UAP taskforce.
  Christopher Mellon: Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.
  Harold E. Puthoff (Dr. Hal Puthoff): Physicist and parapsychologist.
  Dr. Eric Davis: Astrophysicist/Physicist and UAP researcher.
  Jim Semivan: Former CIA official.
  Karl Nell: Colonel/Intelligence.
  Ryan Graves: Lt. Commander (US Navy), Executive Director of Americans for Safe Aerospace.
  
  Government and Legislative Officials
  
  Marco Rubio: U.S. Senator (and current Secretary of State)
  Kirsten Gillibrand: U.S. Senator.
  Mike Rounds: U.S. Senator.
  James Clapper: Former Director of National Intelligence.
  André Carson: U.S. Congressman.
  Tim Burchett: U.S. Congressman.
  Anna Paulina Luna: U.S. Congresswoman.
  Mike Gallagher: Former U.S. Congressman.
  
  0 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  November 23, 2025 7:50pm
  - Fender
    
    yes he did say pre election that he would release all the ufo files, from memory within the first few weeks of office and indicated it was a big deal
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    November 23, 2025 10:08pm
NZer In Exile

Auckland CBD still a dangerous feral mess:

From the young ones on reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/auckland/comments/1p4dcel/aggro_queen_st_ppl/
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
November 23, 2025 8:47pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« Trump’s Ukraine deal is worse than Chamberlain’s Munich Agreement

Guest Post: The Peasants are Revolting »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 13K other subscribers

Highlights

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

Links

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

[email protected]

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: