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February 3, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 03 February 2026

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General Debate

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Scott

I’ve just finished reading – “Jacinda, the Untold Stories” by David Cohen. This passage from the book was news to me. It may be of interest to Kiwiblog readers:

“In 2024 US philanthropist Melinda French Gates announced a $1.5 billion investment in women’s causes through her organisation, Pivotal Ventures. A key part of this initiative involves distributing $240 million in US dollars among 12 global leaders, each receiving $20 million (NZD $34.5 million) to allocate to organisations they believe are making innovative contributions to women’s well-being. Jacinda was asked if she would like to be one of the recipients. She accepted…
P201

Pivotal emphasised that neither Gates nor her organisation would oversee how the funds were used, placing trust in the recipients’ expertise. Gates expressed her eagerness to learn from their perspectives and see the impact of their approaches. As she put it on LinkedIn in 2025, “I have so much respect for Jacinda, which is why I gave her $20 million last year to grant to organizations of her choice. I can’t wait to see what she does with these funds, but one thing is for certain: She’ll continue to channel her empathy into action that transforms people’s lives.” As journalist Ian Wishart notes, no previous New Zealand prime minister has received that sized gift.”
P202

It’s amazing to me that we heard nothing about this? Imagine if Don Brash got millions of dollars from the Koch brothers? We would have never heard the end of it!

But Jacinda gets US $20M and it’s not a story? And there is no supervision of how the money is spent. They just trust her! I wonder how much money has been disbursed to charities? And how much money has been spent to cover “administration expenses”?

What the book shows is the fawning attention the young, photogenic, female, progressive Jacinda Adern got. She could do no wrong in the eyes of the liberal elite.
So Jacinda, here’s US $20m, we trust you to spend it wisely! 😏
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February 3, 2026 8:02am
- Chuck Bird
  
  I wonder if she paid tax on the US $20 million?
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:25am
  - cmm
    
    Of course not. Unless she was to turn this into either personal or company profit it would just be money in, money out.
    
    Quite likely the money would not even go through her hands. She just sends an email to Gates Foundation: “Please send $5 to xxx”.
    
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    February 3, 2026 9:43am
    - pdm
      
      Makes sense cmm.
      
      I doubt Mr & Mrs Gates would want her and hubby to have their grubby hands on the `cold cash’.
      
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      February 3, 2026 1:04pm
      - cmm
        
        I don’t think that Cindy would want to handle the cold cash either.
        
        If I was in her shoes I wouldn’t want the cash going through my accounts either. I would far rather have the cash either be handled directly from Gates to the receiving account or go though some conveyancing trust account (ie. have your lawyers handle it).
        
        I am not a lawyer or anything like that, but I would presume any reasonable legal advice would be along those lines.
        
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        February 3, 2026 2:09pm
      - Ghost
        
        all Ardern and the other woman selected were given were the job of selecting where the funding would go to.
        
        The money would be put into separate accounts at the National Philanthropic Trust. Ardern then had the job of selecting where those donation would go to.
        
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        February 3, 2026 2:14pm
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    It would not be taxable under New Zealand law.
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:04am
- cmm
  
  Going strong until you hit “photogenic”.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:27am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Gee, you’d think Bryce Edwards would have told us all by now who Jacinda Ardern has been funding…..
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:31am
  - Quail
    
    MW,
    Could be wrong here, but I thought that gifts to any PM, were deemed as gifts to the country and not for personal use? Personal use illegal!
    Is that not the case ?
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:06am
    - cmm
      
      It isn’t a gift to her. It is a gift to a cause of her choice. Huge difference.
      
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      February 3, 2026 10:52am
      - Mike
        
        And came after her resignation as PM.
        
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        February 3, 2026 11:31am
- GJM
  
  That explains how she can swan around the world for 3 years without a real job. On top of whatever else scammed while in Parliament, not to mention the half million dollar salary + perks.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:32am
- rouppe
  
  If that didn’t appear of the register of pecuniary gifts then that’s pretty much close to a crime, if not just plain corrupt.
  
  “The Standing Orders require members of Parliament to disclose to the Registrar of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament any gift received with an estimated market value of more than a prescribed amount”
  https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-business-units/cabinet-office/supporting-work-cabinet/cabinet-manual/2-ministers-crown-9
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:33am
  - Ghost
    
    Jacinda was a private citizen when melinda did this
    
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    February 3, 2026 12:09pm
- Nikola Donatello
  
  That money Jacinda received attracted media coverage at the time.
  
  https://www.forbes.com.au/news/investing/melinda-french-gates-pledges-1-5-billion-to-women/
  
  There was also much discussion on social media.
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:03am
  - Mike
    
    It’s not news to Scott if it’s only in mainstream media.
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/518279/who-is-getting-part-of-melinda-french-gates-1-billion-in-donations-to-support-women-and-girls
    https://time.com/7320931/jacinda-ardern-documentary-prime-minister-interview/
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:10am
    - Scott
      
      Mikey – it would be cruel and unusual punishment to have to listen to Radio NZ for the news.
      But I’m interested. How many people knew at the time the PM got a gift of $20m? I did not hear of it. But did others know?
      
      So there is the vigour with which the story is pursued by the media. Did it get widespread coverage and was there any pushback? The largest gift to a NZ prime minister in the history of NZ? Isn’t that big news?
      
      And where is the followup analysis of how the money has been spent?
      
      Again if Don Brash got a multi million dollar gift from the Koch brothers we would have never heard the end of it.
      
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      February 3, 2026 12:09pm
      - Ghost
        
        Nothing to do with NZ. This was funding allocated for a private citizen who does not live in NZ to select different areas involving woman to be given donations under her name by Melinda.
        
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        February 3, 2026 1:26pm
    - Ghost
      
      and well discussed on this blog when she donated it to ardern, comes up every now and then
      
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      February 3, 2026 1:41pm
  - kowtow
    
    Yes we know that but scott has posed a number of questions , not just one.
    
    The answers to which would be interesting , and given the NZ msm desperate interest in any int’l story to have a NZ angle ,one wonders why there’s been no follow up.
    
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    February 3, 2026 11:44am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Yep. I’m certainly curious to know to whom the money had been given, and how much has been included in the admin & disbursements line.
      
      You’d have thought that there would be gushing media stories of “Jacinda gave $xx to cause yy, isn’t she maarrvelous”, as if it were her own cash (she has form – don’t we all remember “the first year’s on me!”).
      
      After all, it’s not as if the media can count to 20, so they can be relied upon not to ask for a complete accounting.
      
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      February 3, 2026 3:15pm
      - Ghost
        
        money went to the National Philanthropic Trust. The woman who were selected by Melinda then select what charities the National Philanthropic Trust is to give the money to. Yes the Trust charge an admin fee, no Ardern never had any other involvement other than telling them who the money was to go to
        
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        February 3, 2026 5:06pm
- Grizz
  
  I think the saying is “cashing checks her ego writes”
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:11am
- Philview
  
  To be fair, it was mentioned in some parts of the NZ media but was promoted as showing Jacinda in a positive light for getting the money.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:25am
- R
  
  By no stretch of the imagination, could anything from the Ardern period of mismanagement be considered PROGRESSIVE. Other than economic decline, which under her stewardship did progressively decline.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:31am
- PurplePen
  
  I’ve never seen her as photogenic. but I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder.
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:44pm
Southern Raider

Following on from my recent posts on Council signage. We had the exit sign in the new CRL station, a cliff hazard sign and now New Plymouth District Council has been painting “Kura” on the roads near schools to get people to slow down and protect kids.

No “School” or speed label, just Kura. Does the Council take the responsibility if a kid gets hit because someone didn’t understand the new road marking?
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February 3, 2026 8:09am
- KiwiSapper
  
  “….No “School” or speed label, just Kura. Does the Council take the responsibility if a kid gets hit because someone didn’t understand the new road marking?….”
  .
  . Even more important , when driving past a stopped school bus loading or discharging school children.
  The law…..”Speed limits relating to school buses
  (1)A driver, when meeting or overtaking any stationary school bus stopped for the purpose of discharging or embarking school children, must—
  
  (a)drive with due care for the safety of the children; and
  (b)while passing any part of the school bus, not drive at a speed exceeding 20 km per hour……….”
  .
  ALSO this applies when passing in either direction, a stopped school bus.
  . Too many woke school bus’s around now bearing only one word “Kura.”
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:04am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  I guess most New Zealanders know what it means. Good luck with any overseas visitors.
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:05am
  - Southern Raider
    
    By most NZers you mean the hundreds of thousands born overseas who are English second language or in Auckland about 1/3 of the population?
    
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    February 3, 2026 11:36am
    - Wandering Star
      
      While they are both problems, I’d say that 1/3 of people living in Auckland being non-New Zealand born is far and away more of a concern than road signs featuring only Maori words.
      
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      February 3, 2026 2:24pm
- PurplePen
  
  I happened to be in Hornby in Christchurch and had some time to kill so got instructions to the local library which was walking distance. it’s in an industrial area but do you think when I found it there was any sign that said library. nowhere. not in the car park, not on the front door, not even inside and actually when I went inside I had to ask is this the library. they said it’s over there. still no sign there either. madness.
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:49pm
Southern Raider

Power prices going up 20 to 25% from March. How is this sustainable to anyone in NZ and successive Govts have just sleep walked into this continuing cost of living crisis.

Power prices must have doubled in last 5 to 7 years after this latest increase. Insurance, gas, water and rates the same.

This is what will kill the Coalition in the election. You can’t have flat wages and necessities rising at 10 to 20% per annum for years.
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February 3, 2026 8:12am
- imalwaysright
  
  Presumably part of the reason for price rises is increased demand on a fixed resource.
  Why then would we allow data centres to be parked here hooked up to an already stressed grid?
  I bet they won’t get a 20% price increase.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:34am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  They didn’t go hard enough in the first two years. They can only blame the previous government for a limited time before they have to own it.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:39am
  - Southern Raider
    
    They also seem to have focused most of there effort on things that don’t impact the average person or won’t do for at least 10 years
    
    Stanford has been an absolute rock star in education and get real traction and benefits today
    
    Who the hell was appointed to restructure the power industry and get some real gains on lowering prices (not just slowing price growth) and getting real competition and supply onboard.
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:03am
- Quail
  
  SR,
  Inflation is happening, at a far greater rate than we are officially informed of.
  It is the government of the days way of dealing with the debt they have created with their deficit budgeting and spending moneys they don’t have.
  According to Milton Friedman ( famous economist ) inflation is actually another tax!
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:39am
- Taieri
  
  Power prices must have doubled in last 5 to 7 years after this latest increase.
  ——————
  From January 2020 to January 2026:
  
  Electricity
  Usage charge increase 55.7%
  Daily charge increase 91.4%
  
  Insurance increase 68%
  
  Rates increase 79%
  
  Income increase 3.4%
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:07am
  - PeterTrentham
    
    I have silar now with a battery and send some back to the grid. Not sure what payback time is, but am glad I got this now. I also run a 32A spa pool, use gas hot water.
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:49am
- Raphael
  
  we seriously need to reopen the discussion on Nuclear power.
  
  The new reactors GE are making are revolutionary.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:03am
  - Southern Raider
    
    I’m not sure the cost drivers are just supply. Dams are at record levels and big solar farms coming on line. Plus still would have the same Transpower, lines companies and retailers all adding their excessive margins
    
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    February 3, 2026 11:38am
  - MCōs
    
    Considering we would be starting from absolute zero it would take 10yrs min and maybe as long as 30yrs for nuclear to produce one watt of electricity
    And it won’t be cheap unless we get a Corolla setup
    
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    February 3, 2026 12:30pm
  - marcw
    
    “The new reactors … are revolutionary.”
    Yes they may well be revolutionary, however, not yet proven.
    
    From Google: GE Vernova Hitachi (GVH)
    is leading in new nuclear technology with the BWRX-300, a 300 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR). Designed for safety and cost-effectiveness, the first unit is under construction in Ontario, Canada, with expected commercial operation by 2030.
    
    So, still a lot of boiling water to go through a reactor before we could possibly start any construction here.
    
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    February 3, 2026 3:41pm
- Handyman
  
  Is it really inflation if the council just decides to spend $100 million on a mini conference centre, increasing rates to pay for it?
  Why are rates included in the inflation calculation, but not income taxes? Both are unavoidable taxes to be paid from income regardless of services received.
  The Ute tax was inflationary because it increased the cost of an existing good. What about increased income tax by $5,000 per household? Why is that not included (ignoring any discussion on fiscal effects)?
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:49am
- Burtland
  
  … most of the power Co.s are majority owned by government and we all know governments only expertise is creating bad policy and waste
  
  so between Labour and National what do they do – create a fake market that increases the prices and increases power poverty, then gives free power to those in poverty
  
  they spill millions of dollars of water because the dams are full and increase network charges to boost grid infrastructure for electric cars
  
  privatize the profits, socialize the cost
  
  the power industry has become a government supported cesspool of extortion corruption and rort – it needs major restructuring
  
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  February 3, 2026 12:34pm
  - Southern Raider
    
    Needs some proper economic analysis to undermine where all the cost impacts are being driven from.
    
    The increased load from EV chargers (yes there is off peak plans but a lot charge at fast chargers during the day on trips and for business) and datacentres (24*7) must be having a massive impact on Transpowers costly upgrade programme and lines companies, let alone generators.
    
    Seems to be a Govt policy double whack of having policies that significantly increase load demand while at the same time just encouraging the industry to do the same as they always have.
    
    Did anyone sit back and think if there was a better future looking approach to generation, storage and distribution?
    
    Also why not have special controls like they did for hot water to decouple EV chargers during peak demand periods.
    
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    February 3, 2026 2:59pm
- PurplePen
  
  I still don’t get that whole Lake Onslow initiative. if the idea was to pump water up a hill into a lake when how was cheap then why couldn’t you just pump water back up into whatever dam the waters were coming out of in the first place. the only infrastructure you’d need to build would be the pump and a few pipes.
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:55pm
  - marcw
    
    Onslow was a “battery” – a storage of reserve potential energy. Just pumping water back into the same dam storage is not creating a new potential storage source.
    
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    February 3, 2026 3:53pm
David Garrett

Slightly cooler in the Kingdom this morning
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February 3, 2026 8:27am
Yvette

Waikato went further, creating Te Rāranga Rangatira, a public list of schools pledging to uphold Te Tiriti. More than 1700 schools – around 70% nationwide – are now signed up to it.
Initially, ministers said schools were free to choose. But when hundreds signed up, the tone shifted.
Education Minister Erica Stanford labelled the list “disgusting,” claiming it pressured schools to conform.
Waikato disagrees: “Schools recognise Te Tiriti as our constitutional foundation. The government saying we can just chuck it outside is a major step backwards.”
For this kura, the commitment runs deep. Its approach reflects a belief that Te Tiriti is not just history but a living agreement shaping education today.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/12/17/inequity-gaps-will-widen-school-stands-firm-on-treaty-commitment/

The belief that “Te Tiriti is not just history but a living agreement shaping education today” is interesting in that a document in which Maori had no recorded conception, writing or even translation – any input, but signatories, with no amendments – is regarded as fore-sighted and wise enough, to be totally applicable to present day national needs, is indeed remarkable, but such exceptionalism surely fades in that of three consecutive Prime Ministers (supposedly so pivotable to the nation’s well-being) one says Maori did cede sovereignty, another says they did not, and the third didn’t know what the First Article included, until prompted.

Nor does such a fore-sighted document look back five years to the Declaration of Maori Independence which it was replacing, to define terms that its existence made the crux of what was to be understood, thus contributing to the vast ambiguity of terms which the Treaty contains.

Given the reverence with which some regard the Treaty, even sanctity for a white man written document, is the Treaty a part of history or a religion?
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February 3, 2026 8:38am
- Cassandra
  
  It has become a religion. And like most zealotry it is divisive. There’ll be lots more coming and eventually there’ll be trouble. My guess is that most people don’t care as long as the Treaty doesn’t affect them. But that day is here already so watch for sparks. Personally I’d scrub it.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:32am
- cmm
  
  The point is that surely, like with all cultures that do not have writing, the whole concept of contracts or agreements is rather foreign to Maori.
  
  Basically might is right. Once Were Warriors. The guy with the biggest mere and the most mercurial temper gets his way. If he gets a tooth ache then he changes his mind about something he said and everything changes. No more agreement.
  
  Thus any concept of signing some agreement and agreeing to the consequences is foreign.
  
  We see this over and over again in things like the “full and final” pay outs which then get “top ups” and have become cheques that can be cashed out as often as you want.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:38am
  - kowtow
    
    Ngai Tahu have had five full and finals , the last one with a perpetual top up clause.( thanks National)
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:49am
  - David Garrett
    
    cmm: To be fair, a contract does not have to be in writing – the problem of course arises when one tries to ascertain just what was agreed when there are at least two competing versions.
    
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    February 3, 2026 10:57am
    - Jigsaw
      
      What happens when as the result of a settlement a tribe promises to do something and then fail to keep their word?
      That has happened here in Taupo where the tribe was given land but guaranteed to provide access through it to the lake. They have now stopped access and ripped up part of the road.
      Government agencies say that there is nothing they can do – local council runs for cover, tribe keeps the money and the land .
      
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      February 3, 2026 11:19am
      - Ghost
        
        where did they do that?
        
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        February 3, 2026 12:04pm
    - cmm
      
      DG: Sure, but the culture not only lacks writing but also lacks any concept of stable contract law etc. As we all know a non-written contract might be legally binding but it is fluid and bullshit vs anything written down. A non-written contract is not grounds for a stable business relationship.
      
      Most cultures understand that without a written language it is virtually impossible to do things like substantial trade or administer an empire or such. All these things need administration and accountants etc.
      
      The Chinese and Romans and Egyptians and such all understood that. That was often where writing came from – the need to have documentation for business purposes.
      
      Indeed that is where the Swahili language came from. The Arabs were so frustrated dealing with the chaotic African slave/ivory/gold traders and such that they basically invented a sort of pidgin mix of Nguni (African) and Arabian that they could trade in and could write down. Originally it was written in Arabian script, but is now Latin.
      
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      February 3, 2026 2:27pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    I heard a contemporary anthropological account of a women living in a remote tribe. Her infant was sick and crying non-stop. Big man of tribe got pissed off and smashed kids brain out to shut it up. He faced no censure.
    
    Manning’s 19th Century account ‘Old New Zealand’ paints a similar picture of pre-treaty Maori culture, where fighting men had all rights/power, especially the chief, and all others were subject to their petty whims.
    
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    February 3, 2026 11:19am
    - cmm
      
      So no real difference from Africa, except Africa had an infusion of Arabian and European technology many centuries earlier (metal working, draft animals,…)
      
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      February 3, 2026 2:30pm
  - Wandering Star
    
    Contracts are, usually in our culture, recorded in writing, but the “contract” properly understood is the common agreement between the parties and their respective intentions, not the written document as such. Accordingly, contracts long predate the written word.
    
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    February 3, 2026 2:31pm
    - cmm
      
      In theory yes. In practice we all know that unwritten contracts are a waste of time.
      
      How do you record a bunch of intricate details in some agreement without writing it down and agreeing that this is what we all agree is the final version of what we’ve hashed out?
      
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      February 3, 2026 5:26pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    You define Mr Trump 🙂
    
    Basically might is right. Once Were Warriors. The guy with the biggest mere and the most mercurial temper gets his way
    
    So nothing much has changed in the last gazillion years.
    
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    February 3, 2026 6:32pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Since the Maori race was assimilated and became extinct, there has been the rise of a political movement that has created a manifesto consisting of a false history and culture, and keeping people with Maori ancestry barefoot and pregnant while blaming everything bad on everyone who isn’t them.
  
  This is extremely profitable as the remedy for the ‘blame’ is money, and lots of it.
  So its not history, and its not a religion…unless the deity being worshipped is money.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:47am
- KiwiSapper
  
  …Given the reverence with which some regard the Treaty, even sanctity for a white man written document, is the Treaty a part of history or a religion?”
  .
  Neither, it is a cult.
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:06am
- Prince
  
  Re the Treaty, as Humpty Dumpty says in Through The Looking Glass, “When I use a word… it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less”.
  And that meaning may change from day to day, year to year.
  They’re not called ‘Progressives’ for nothing.
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:41am
- PurplePen
  
  They or no-one ever explains what this means when they say it “Te Tiriti is not just history but a living agreement shaping education today.”. How does it shape education such that it benefits those being educated and helps them remain competitive globally.
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:58pm
Chuck Bird

This should convince most people why Hipkins should never be PM because of his handling of Covid, but it may not.

Top NZ filmmaker unleashes brutal attack on Jacinda Ardern

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOFfZoXiiQQ
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February 3, 2026 8:44am
- Yabster
  
  Teflon Hipkins- one of Cindys puppeteers.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:20am
  - imalwaysright
    
    The level of hatred of Ardern is such that there seems to be none left for her primary henchman.
    Saw him at a local fair walking around like nothing happened.
    
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    February 3, 2026 9:57am
- Chuck Bird
  
  The filmmaker was Galenene Anne Barnes, who directed “River of Freedom” which was in movie theatres around NZ.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:22am
  - MCōs
    
    Gaylene Anne Barnes
    I’d never heard of her either
    
    4 6
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    February 3, 2026 9:45am
    - Chuck Bird
      
      Have you heard of River of Freedom?
      
      7 3
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      February 3, 2026 10:14am
      - MCōs
        
        No, but I see it’s been round since 2023 and is some sort of anti mandate movie, which she directed
        
        3 10
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        February 3, 2026 10:29am
  - sungsamning
    
    If the royals, establishment, and aristocracy in general weren’t a shower of rubbish; I’d say she deserves a Damehood.
    
    3 1
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    February 3, 2026 12:12pm
Maggy Wassilieff

A lawyer considers causative or contributory with regards to the Mt Maunganui tragedy.

https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2026/02/02/erosion/#more-46216

He also discusses the problem Christopher Luxon has with trying to control a narrative by shutting down debate/discussion.

The problem here is that Prime Minister Luxon is falling into the generalizing trap that was so amply demonstrated by his predecessor, Jacinda Ardern. He was critical of those spreading “misinformation” as he called it but failed to define precisely what the misinformation actually was.
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February 3, 2026 8:47am
- Inandout
  
  Maggy, I see Luxon’s popularity in polls slowly sinking yet he seems blind to (or more worryingly deliberately sidelining) the probable causes of this tragic landslide. Yes you can keep your enemies close, but you don’t slip into bed with them.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:07am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Every politician needs vision, especially peripheral vision.
    Luxon seems to have taken to wearing blinkers.
    
    10 1
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    February 3, 2026 10:00am
  - artemisia
    
    There was a lot of commentary right after the landslide, most of it uninformed at least about the specifics. The Prime Minister focusing on the tragedy rather than the tsunami of opinion was IMO the correct approach.
    
    11 4
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    February 3, 2026 10:22am
  - Paulus
    
    So Winston will be Prime Minister after the election even with a small numbers.
    
    1 4
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    February 3, 2026 2:10pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  In addition Maggy the Tauranga City Council are thinking of investigating themselves. They dont understand they are the prime suspects in this tragic affair. A rigorous and robust enquiry may well find the Council and some of its Officers facing very serious charges.
  Instead the Government will hold an enquiry that finds no one accountable and puts it down to “systemic failures” and that there will be “learnings”.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:09am
  - KKNZ2025
    
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/585703/tauranga-city-council-votes-for-independent-review-into-fatal-mt-maunganui-landslide
    
    6 1
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    February 3, 2026 9:12am
  - rouppe
    
    Instead the Government will hold an enquiry that finds no one accountable and puts it down to “systemic failures” and that there will be “learnings”.
    
    That is 100% where this is going. It’s always the same with senior management types.
    
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    February 3, 2026 9:48am
    - Mike
      
      The precedent was set by the commission of inquiry into the 1995 Cave Creek disaster. After a decade of reforms to improve accountability, the judge found the root cause was ‘systemic’ to DoC – no individual could be blamed.
      Thirty years later and the situation is probably worse.
      
      5 0
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      February 3, 2026 2:33pm
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    I think “learnings” is a new word for “lessons”.
    
    My favourite just now is this fad of politicians telling us that they are initiating action “at pace”. 🤔 The rest of say “quickly”
    
    18 1
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    February 3, 2026 10:13am
    - David Garrett
      
      Nikola: Yes, “learnings” is a “word” that is like fingernails on a blackboard to me.
      
      “Space” is another annoyance, as in “s/he has been active in that space for a number of years”
      
      14 2
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      February 3, 2026 11:08am
      - alex Masterley
        
        David, likewise the words “activation” and “Curated” are words whose use causes annoyance. I have hated the word “Learnings” since Sir Graeme Henry used it to describe lessons the All Blacks learnt following one of their then rare losses.
        
        7 1
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        February 3, 2026 1:57pm
      - Littletramp
        
        “reaching out”
        
        6 1
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        February 3, 2026 2:25pm
    - R
      
      Have never discovered the place called PACE that so often has initiating action, for whatever.
      
      4 1
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      February 3, 2026 11:46am
    - muzled
      
      My new fav is – blast radius
      
      I quickly have to consider my job security before I laugh out loud at the manager who just said and quiz them if they’re 4, or now working in a quarry rather than an office.
      
      7 0
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      February 3, 2026 2:34pm
      - Mike
        
        Is ‘blast radius’ a reference to the safe distance from a manager cursing?
        
        1 0
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        February 3, 2026 3:10pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Maybe the “blast radius” refers to the affected area after “crop dusting” a cubicle farm.
        
        1 1
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        February 3, 2026 6:27pm
- Yvette
  
  … the Prime Minister should not have adopted the Ardern default position of describing discussion as misinformation. And it displayed a woeful ignorance of the fact that erosion and landslips have a number of factors present. The removal of trees may be one of those contributing factors. But more importantly the PM’s attitude demonstrated a level of arrogance directed towards those exercising their right to freedom of expression. And that must be a concern.
  https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2026/02/02/erosion/#more-46216
  
  Is consideration that the fatal landslide was within the eastern portion of a much wider land deformity or scarp, defining the outline of an earlier more massive landslide (so inheriting the characteristics which saw that slip, possibly 1977) also misinformation, since the Prime Minister did not define what he was talking about in criticizing what we may talk about?
  
  It appears that while “the Ardern default position of describing discussion as misinformation,” and Luxon is now seen as doing something similar, with all the resources they had at the fingertips, neither replace what they call dis- or mis-information with actual information.
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:35am
  - imalwaysright
    
    What Luxon is saying is that you morons do the voting and leave the thinking and the narrative to me.
    The public seem to know that Luxon sees them as a bunch of kindy kids with him having the sock puppet.
    
    7 2
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    February 3, 2026 1:49pm
    - marcw
      
      Yes, why doesn’t he just come out and say it. Time to call us out as the “deplorables”.
      
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      February 3, 2026 4:07pm
- cmm
  
  I noticed that in his disagreement with Winston over the Indian FTA too.
  
  “He had a difference of opinion, he’s had a long held view around immigration issues, around Free Trade Agreements. That’s well understood, his political party, that’s what he believes … he’s wrong on that,” Luxon said.
  
  He does not articulate details of why Winston is wrong, just high level abstract declaration that “immigration good”.
  
  It just makes it seem like he has an empty tank.
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/585665/nz-first-national-clash-over-india-fta-a-mature-disagreement-christopher-luxon-says
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:50am
  - Interested Party
    
    He’s referencing Winston’s opposition to the China FTA, which in pure economic terms has been hugely beneficial to NZ, contrary to Winston’s views
    
    11 3
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    February 3, 2026 10:16am
    - kowtow
      
      Bit early to make that claim.
      
      China is actively planning for a Pacific war .
      
      7 4
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      February 3, 2026 10:51am
  - G the giant from Dunedin
    
    He is wrong because there is no pathway to immigration. They were already free to immigrate here and Helen Clark did that in about 2000, the worker visa category is not 1600, it’s a lift of 1000 to 1600, the visa is not renewable, and they can not bring family. Now can you tell me how he is right? Because when asked Monday week ago, he couldn’t tell us where the pathway is
    
    7 2
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    February 3, 2026 11:50am
    - greybeard
      
      Winston is quite frankly telling a lie.
      The new visa plan is quite simple:
      Year 1: 1700 allowed in
      Year 2: 1700 allowed in
      Year 3: 1700 allowed in
      Year 4: 1700 allowed in and the Year 1 lot go home
      Year 5: 1700 allowed in and the Year 2 lot go home
      etc
      
      No renewals, no families
      
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      February 3, 2026 12:15pm
      - G the giant from Dunedin
        
        Yes agreed, but it’s only an extra 1000 as 685 are already coming, it’s an extra 1000
        
        2 2
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        February 3, 2026 12:24pm
      - cmm
        
        “Year 4: 1700 allowed in and the Year 1 lot go home”
        
        I have a bridge to sell you.
        
        All those Year 1 people will claim cruel and unusual hardship and the stupid whitey will roll over and offer them all citizenship.
        
        The chance of any of those people being deported against their will is close to zero.
        
        3 0
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        February 3, 2026 5:29pm
- Taieri
  
  A lawyer considers causative or contributory with regards to the Mt Maunganui tragedy.
  ———
  
  The accident investigation practice usually refers to underlaying causes, immediate causes and contributing factors.
  In this case:
  underlaying cause – site geology
  immediate cause – significant rainfall
  contributing factors – vegetation removal, site contour alterations
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:14am
- Gravelroad
  
  I have come to the conclusion that I really have no idea (in the politics sense) what Mr Luxon thinks at all.
  He may be a clever, pleasant man – don’t know.
  But his leadership approach and skills leave a bit to be desired – especially in today’s world of uncertainty, division and lack of purpose.
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:37am
- R
  
  Clearly our past education syllabus have produced worse results than we realised. Does PM Luxon have to spell out every comment he makes, in letters of one sylable for the benefit of the uncomprehending uneducated.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:43am
  - sungsamning
    
    Yes.
    
    5 0
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    February 3, 2026 12:14pm
  - Quail
    
    R ,
    Do you include spelling?
    
    1 0
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    February 3, 2026 4:05pm
- Don Beckett
  
  A good article, and he’s right about Luxon’s comments.
  When the trees were removed in 2017 -18 and 2023, if they had taken steps to plant some native – although slow growing – and maybe some manuka, maybe that would have been enough to give the soil some stability.
  But that is conjecture, Naughty, Naughty.
  
  8 2
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  February 3, 2026 11:59am
  - Don Beckett
    
    This comment is in reply to Yvette @ 9.35 am.
    Just got shoved a long way down.
    
    5 4
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    February 3, 2026 1:08pm
  - Paulus
    
    Council Water pipelines run above where the slip took place.
    Were they leaking all the time?
    
    4 2
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    February 3, 2026 2:14pm
Pavel

In the last 18 months I’ve began to notice something about this country and wonder if any Kiwibloggers can help me work it out.
Almost every single time there is a big topic political issue the media almost always go to Chloe Swarbrick for her opinion. When the media tries to act neutrally they will interview 2 politicians simultaneously but one of them is always Chloe. Is there not 119 other politicians to get an opinion from or is Chloe the intellectual titan of our time?
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February 3, 2026 9:11am
- rouppe
  
  Likely a strategy from either the Greens or the media (or a collaboration) to:
  1. Drive up her visibility over the Christmas break and into election year
  2. Try and present her as a formidable politician
  3. Divert attention away from the succession of criminals in their ranks
  
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  February 3, 2026 9:51am
  - pdm
    
    rouppe – equally it drives people away from her.
    
    mrspdm cannot stand Chloe Swarbrick these days but, tolerated her when she first came to prominence.
    
    5 2
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    February 3, 2026 1:17pm
- cmm
  
  The media are mainly Greenies.
  Chloe is their go-to definition of a politician and the opinion they want is hers.
  
  21 3
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  February 3, 2026 9:52am
  - PurplePen
    
    you’re probably right there. Apart from a few, the age of current media reporters are likely the generation or two that have grown up worshipping the green party as that’s what they were taught at school.
    
    4 3
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    February 3, 2026 3:01pm
- MCōs
  
  There are 122 other MPs, but only five party leaders in the opposition, two of whom lead a party in complete disarray.
  So if a response is required to a government initiative there’s three options. Well a whole lot more, as you say, but there’s a pretty good chance a random backbencher won’t be over the topic
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:09am
  - SGA
    
    No fan of Chloe’s, but MCos makes a fair point – party leaders are expected to “front” more than random backbenches, so putting it in relation to all MPs is probably unfair. Also, we don’t know the occasions in which other leaders were asked to comment but were busy, deferred, or refused. Part of it might be that she is *always* reliable for a comment at short notice?
    
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    February 3, 2026 1:07pm
- NothingLeft
  
  It’s useful to hear the ignorant and stupid virtue-signaling air-head take on political matters, after all they are 20-30% of the voting public. Though most of their information comes through vapid tik-toc sound-bites, not TV or radio. Sadly that is the profile of news-gathering teams in dying MSM.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:22am
- Philview
  
  Yes, last week she was very animated that Chris Luxon should have been on the phone to Donald Trump to condemn his comments about Nato Afghanistan. I did wonder why she was asked for her viewpoint. Thank goodness the electorate normally votes for calmer heads to run the Government.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:31am
- R
  
  Most of our media interviewers, wouldn’t understand the comments from educated informed individuals, with real world experience of the topic.
  
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  February 3, 2026 11:50am
I remember when

Councils spend million of dollars building state of the art council buildings.
Now they have decided to show how cultural they are, by holding as many planning meetings as possible elsewhere.
And here we were hoping they were going to be experts at running councils.
22 1
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February 3, 2026 9:23am
- Phronesis
  
  Not only is it obviously a massive waste of council staff time holding meetings off site but you can bet they are paying top dollar to hold these meetings on marae. It’s just one of the dozens of ways that money is funnelled into brown pockets under seemingly innocuous budget lines.
  
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  February 3, 2026 10:11am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    About $570/hour seems to be the going rate:
    
    As a councillor concerned about rising property rates, Gibson’s third objection to the marae meeting centred on the cost. Ratepayers were stung for $2570 to pay for hiring the marae and catering. He says the session — which lasted only four-and-a-half hours — should have been held in council rooms for free.
    
    https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/graham-adams-councillor-refuses-to-kowtow-to-marae-protocol
    
    16 2
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    February 3, 2026 11:17am
    - Mike
      
      Graham Adams should be careful about his cultural appropriation of the term ‘kowtow’.
      
      4 11
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      February 3, 2026 11:26am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        I’m not sure if the Cantonese are precious about their language.
        
        cha
        chop chop
        chow chow
        dim sum
        kumquat
        kung fu
        lychee
        monsoon
        typhoon
        wok
        wonton
        etc, etc……
        
        10 2
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        February 3, 2026 12:53pm
      - Mike
        
        Sorry, I forgot the sarc mark//.
        
        1 6
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        February 3, 2026 2:10pm
    - R
      
      No public votes in holding important debate about matters affecting citizens, if the meeting is held in Council Chambers; as was once past practice
      
      5 1
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      February 3, 2026 11:52am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  Who?
  
  4 0
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  February 3, 2026 10:14am
- MCōs
  
  “state of the art council buildings”
  Who does that & what should they have done?
  
  4 4
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  February 3, 2026 10:23am
  - Mike
    
    Councils build town halls. Who knew?
    
    3 4
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    February 3, 2026 10:41am
    - Gussy Fink-Nottle
      
      But they don’t Mike, not any more.
      
      Excepting the $300m Wellington Town Hall refurb, which is not their offices anyway.
      
      Pride Month? I wish we could Fiscal Responsibility Month – imagine that?
      
      7 0
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      February 3, 2026 1:05pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    WCC are spending $45 million plus to fit out an existing office building that they don’t even own.
    Tauranga CC are leasing a brand new building for $6.6 million pa and spending $35 million on fit out.
    Both are prime real estate.
    Councils should be sited on cheap fringe land in buildings already owned by the city.
    
    13 0
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    February 3, 2026 11:06am
  - Gussy Fink-Nottle
    
    “Who does that…”
    E.G – Tauranga Council – $50m build, $7m PA rent, approx 1k employees.
    
    “…& what should they have done?”
    Moved into existing, vacant office space for a fraction of the cost.
    
    There’s more – Wellington would make you weep with a fitout circa $40m
    
    7 0
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    February 3, 2026 11:17am
- Paulus
  
  Wait for the plan for the Cultural Centre are retrieved from Tauranga Moana Council, and Maori files, to where it was designed to go – where the hotpools were.
  Watch this space !
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:17pm
Razork

Sky announces they will integrate Te Reo into their Winter Olympics coverage…
Why?

Oh……
Sky TV’s cultural leader Kirstin Te Wao-Edmonds said the network had an important role to ensure “te reo Māori not only survives but thrives”, especially at such major events such as the four-yearly Winter Olympics.

I would have thought they had a role to grow viewers, but I guess that’s not so important!
18 1
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February 3, 2026 9:39am
- Southern Raider
  
  So $70 per month to then get cultural immersion shoved down your throat. A good product manager at Sky TV will probably promote a premium option where if subscribers pay an extra $10 per month they can get the English only version
  
  I also saw Sky TV has a promotion advert for the Winter Olympics. They have the NZ bobsled team in flag patterned speedos, but not the NZ flag – it’s the Māori sovereignty flag.
  
  So is the taxpayer funded bobsled team representing all of NZ or just Te Pati Māori voters
  
  7 2
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  February 3, 2026 1:01pm
  - Paulus
    
    Not my throat thanks !
    
    3 3
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    February 3, 2026 2:18pm
- Jack5
  
  Maori language for the winter Olympics?
  
  Of course, the Maori-Polynesian heritage of ski-ing, ice skating, snowboarding, bobsleigh and luge, and curling.
  
  9 1
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  February 3, 2026 1:42pm
  - greybeard
    
    Which they found useful when discovering and developing the Antarctic.
    
    9 2
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    February 3, 2026 2:22pm
cmm

These dudges are getting dudder every day.

NZ rapper escapes assault conviction because it might have consequences. That included breaching bail conditions which the courts normally take a bit more seriously.

Chinese “businessman” gets Xbox leave after smuggling cigarettes skinning the taxpayer of $4M of revenue. Worse yet, it also means uncontrolled cigarettes are released into the market – likely having worse negative consequences for the people that smoke these products. His excuse: cultural pressures.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rappers-us-career-hopes-help-him-escape-conviction-on-assault-charge/HINLKBE6UNAU3MSDIFCJYI4A5A/

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/auckland-import-business-owner-wei-xu-sentenced-for-cigarette-smuggling-scheme/H6NB6DH4QJGXPHMY4TCIMWD33M/
15 1
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February 3, 2026 10:36am
- Gravelroad
  
  Rules for me, but not for thee – especially if you are a wannabe gangsta rapper and friends with Snoop Dog (or similar).
  Entitled violence and excuses are accepted for some in Aotearoa.
  It is a sign of an immature society.
  
  13 2
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  February 3, 2026 10:46am
  - sirknz
    
    Exactly, the wannabe rapper should have the book thrown at him, to hell with the consequences for his career. If we were to behave in such a manner and claim that it would impact our ability to go overseas for any reason, we would be laughed out of the courtroom.
    
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    February 3, 2026 11:51am
Mike

US politics is complicated. How could a Russian asset fall out of favor in the Trump administration?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15520193/whistleblower-complaint-Tulsi-Gabbard-sends-shockwaves.html
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February 3, 2026 10:39am
sungsamning

Dems are hoping for huge confrontations between state and feds in Minnesota and elsewhere. President Trump isn’t playing that game. Federal property will be protected. The economy is being rebuilt along ‘american system’ lines. Globalists are not best pleased.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlEsAWbDqoQ
Civil War? The REAL Reason for Trump’s Shutdown (IT’S NOT ICE)
6 4
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February 3, 2026 11:07am
- NZer In Exile
  
  The Trump Meister is pretty good at giving these juvenile turds a run for their money.
  
  1 1
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  February 3, 2026 6:29pm
sungsamning

This channel should be much bigger. ‘Jacinda saved us’ is fraying at the edges. The interviewer made the famous movie about the protest at parliament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOFfZoXiiQQ
Top NZ filmmaker unleashes brutal attack on Jacinda Ardern.
8 3
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February 3, 2026 11:07am
sirknz

Not all heroes wear capes.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/coatesville-riverhead-highway-speed-camera-cut-down-by-suspected-vigilante-police-investigate/IMY2DGAPBVEVFOEO5RJVAEJNNU/
7 2
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February 3, 2026 11:43am
- NothingLeft
  
  That area has in recent years been hit with a whole raft of new short and long 60km/hr zones along major roads that don’t make sense in a rural area. One can understand the locals annoyance.
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:34pm
Notsofast

The sign police operate under says

YOU MAY BE ARRESTED

Brian Tamaki writes:

“But the decision to deploy this level of intimidation didn’t come from the ground.
It came from the top…from District Commander Naila Hassan…a Muslim Pakistani immigrant.

Her Islamic faith dictated her decisions against me…a Christian leader.”

Disgusting that Islamists take control here.
This is outrageous, the cult must be confronted before we become Londonistan.

https://x.com/i/status/2018408576226820288
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February 3, 2026 11:50am
- Ghost
  
  the right decision was made. Despite not having permission to cross the bridge they continued to say they would be ignoring that and doing so. The bridge is closed to any marches because it is not safe. Nothing to do with her beliefs.
  
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  February 3, 2026 12:02pm
- SoloView
  
  Brian Tamaki may not understand that the harbour bridge march request was denied by the NZTA.
  Much better headline blaming other religions I suppose.
  
  “A planned protest march across the Auckland Harbour Bridge later this month has been blocked after transport authorities declined to issue a permit, citing safety risks and major disruption to Auckland’s transport network.”
  
  https://theasialive.com/auckland-harbour-bridge-protest-plans-halted-after-nz-transport-agency-rules-event-unsafe/2026/01/16/
  
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  February 3, 2026 3:19pm
- MCōs
  
  One could say it’s disgusting how some Christian religion/sects have tried to take control, and largely succeeded, of South Auckland.
  Many times I’ve had Mormons and the Watchtower people blathering away at the door.
  The latter in particular don’t take a firm ‘not in the slightest bit interested’ for an answer. As soon as they found out my wife was Thai they produced a silver tongued Thai woman to talk over me, but got the same response.
  She then resorted to leaving letters in the mailbox.
  Maybe I should have informed Superintendent Naila Hassan there was a stalker in the neighborhood.
  Btw
  I have met a load of Buddhists and Muslims both here and elsewhere and none has ever tried to recruit me to their various religions.
  
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  February 3, 2026 3:31pm
- Sweet Hitchhiker
  
  You’re being silly, Notsofast. Heaps of Muslims are Muslims in name only, just like lotsa Christians and other religions. Im sure the police lady would never have been given her job if she was a rabid type of Muslim.
  
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  February 4, 2026 1:01am
Ghost

With between 30 to 40% of people failing their last practical, I hope this doesn’t mean we see more accidents

Getting a full driver’s licence will cost $80 less under changes confirmed by the Government today, with the second practical test to be scrapped entirely.

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February 3, 2026 12:37pm
- KKNZ2025
  
  Given the last decade of endemic corruption in driver license testing it’s unlikely to make any difference to road safety.
  
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  February 3, 2026 1:59pm
- Paulus
  
  Are over 75’s now going to have a driving test to qualify for their licences ?
  Thought that was to be included due to the accidents from the huge number now of older drivers.
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:21pm
  - KKNZ2025
    
    “….the accidents from the huge number now of older drivers”
    
    Source of your assertion?
    
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    February 3, 2026 2:35pm
    - Ghost
      
      This is a good read
      
      WSP Research Leader Bill Frith says the research debunks the myth that older people are higher-risk drivers.
      
      In reality, he says, older drivers are involved in proportionally fewer crashes than middle-aged drivers. However, due to increased fragility, when they do crash they’re more likely to get hurt than younger drivers.
      
      AA
      
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      February 3, 2026 2:54pm
- cmm
  
  Why do people think this is going to save any money?
  
  So you might save $80 in test fees…. This will just pop up elsewhere in the form of more expensive insurance.
  
  Yesterday I had a very interesting chat with a Fijian Indian guy who has both a NZ truck driver’s license as well as P endorsements to drive taxis and buses.
  
  According to what he said (and I verified) people can come to NZ with a foreign truck driver’s license and drive trucks here for up to 18 months (recently increased from 12 months) before needing to get an NZ license.
  
  He said, and I have no way to verify, that many Indians buy (aka use bribery to obtain) a truck driver’s license in India, then come here and drive trucks for 18 months. After 18 months they hope to have gained sufficient proficiency to get an NZ license
  
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  February 3, 2026 2:42pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Melania film is on a roll…

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/new-movies/melania-documentary-becomes-an-unexpected-box-office-hit/news-story/a569c77c15432c85b8e7040d9c371e27
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February 3, 2026 12:58pm
- Mike
  
  Fake news
  
  5 15
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  February 3, 2026 1:47pm
  - Gravelroad
    
    Fake comment.
    
    11 5
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    February 3, 2026 2:37pm
    - Mike
      
      Well, Amazon paid $40 million for the film (including $28 million for the leading lady) and a further $35 million for marketing. A film costing $75 million with an opening weekend of $7 million is a flop.
      
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      February 3, 2026 3:05pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        So $7m is a ‘flop’
        What would you call a Film by a President and his wife which opened at $67,000 and grossed in TOTAL only $263,000?
        
        Its ok, we all know you have no idea about this sort of thing. Funny to watch your partisan hackery though.
        
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        February 3, 2026 3:39pm
      - Mike
        
        It’s defined as a flop by the return on Amazon’s expenditure. It’s ok to admit it’s just a combination of toadying and a cash bribe from Bezos.
        
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        February 3, 2026 4:19pm
      - MCōs
        
        It’s the sort of film that would be impossible to get a review that isn’t partisan.
        In that respect all those dollar numbers don’t mean a bag of beans and are no reflection on the quality of the movie
        https://x.com/quadcarl/status/2018106524091011574?s=61
        
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        February 3, 2026 5:31pm
Philview

I have noticed a couple of US political commentators saying the footage of the late Alex Pretti kicking an ICE car was AI generated. I will assume such claims are false and he did in fact kick the car. However, it does raise concerns that we can’t trust anything we see now. It goes the other way and any politician can claim their comments reported in the media were AI generated.
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February 3, 2026 1:23pm
- marcw
  
  This is why David Seymour started making his own recordings of any media interviews.
  
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  February 3, 2026 4:23pm
Swifty

“Clark said New Zealanders needed the chance to debate the type of society, economy and environment it wanted.”

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/585803/former-prime-minister-says-government-must-be-more-transparent-about-any-us-minerals-deal

I don’t recall Clark blasting Ardern when she announced the oil and gas ban without even a minute of public consultation or debate.

Clark takes us for fools.
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February 3, 2026 1:49pm
- mandk
  
  I understand that there wasn’t even any discussion in Cabinet about the oil and gas ban before it was announced.
  
  But I do remember there was a great press photo of Shane Jones standing behind Ardern and Megan Woods at the announcement, looking like he had just swallowed a rat.
  
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  February 3, 2026 3:04pm
  - MCōs
    
    A lot of rats
    
    5 0
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    February 3, 2026 4:38pm
- septic skeptic
  
  What part of “it’s different when the left do it” don’t you understand? This hypocrisy is so well established now that it’s no more newsworthy than the rising of the sun in the morning.
  
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  February 3, 2026 4:47pm
  - Swifty
    
    Very true.
    
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    February 3, 2026 6:08pm
- Ghost
  
  she is right, we do need to debate the type of society, economy and environment that we want. I believe though that is the purpose of the election, and that the answer to all the above is one that is not controlled by labour, the Greens and the John Tamihere party.
  
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  February 3, 2026 6:17pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Talking to family and extended family in NZ it appears a LOT of NZers are simply oblivious to what is really going on politics wise in NZ. They get their reality from the legacy media.
    
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    February 3, 2026 6:33pm
  - Sweet Hitchhiker
    
    Hehe, though I believe Winnie calls it “the Racist Party”. Both are accurate IMHO.. 😀
    
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    February 4, 2026 1:07am
Jethrod

Hipkins reluctant to talk about the announcement that Peeni Henare is leaving the Labour party and Parliament in several weeks
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February 3, 2026 3:17pm
Handyman

In the 1960’s there was constant electricity generation and regular predicable demand. Therefore, load shifting was the correct solution with cheap power available at night.

Now we still have regular predicable load cycles but unpredictable, weather dependant generation. There is no certainty there will be excess cheap power at any time of the day to offer on a plan.

The other big change is the big trunk transmission lines have been augmented by a fibrous network of smaller lines which are remote and are underutilised most of the time. The cost of these branch lines is distributed across all electricity users.
It was the main beef by Tiwai Point that the low cost to deliver the dedicated South Island hydro was replaced, by a policy change, to also pay for the new windmill transmission lines being built by Transpower in the North Island.
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February 3, 2026 3:48pm
- wsk12345
  
  I suggest you go and read the current transmission pricing methodology – primarily there are two charge types, connection which pays for assets connecting a party to the grid, and benefit based charges which are paid by those who benefit from a new investment.
  
  absolutely south island gens pay for a chunk of the HVDC link – if it did not exist the price they receive for electricity would be much lower. Ie they benefit. As do NI consumers who get cheaper power due to the link.
  
  As for the large circuits being augmented by smaller ones, it’s actually the other way round. Small ones gradually supplanted by larger capacity new ones.
  
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  February 3, 2026 4:51pm
  - Handyman
    
    Thank you for the information. Will do.
    
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    February 3, 2026 7:13pm
Swifty

Don’t click if you have a weak stomach.

https://x.com/taxpayersunion/status/2018419472491565452?s=46

NZ taxpayers funding public sector unions.
4 3
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February 3, 2026 6:31pm
- Mike
  
  Proving again that the Taxpayer’s ‘Union’ does not know what an actual union does.
  
  3 4
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  February 3, 2026 8:17pm
  - Swifty
    
    Are they just an astroturf outfit Mike?
    
    4 0
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    February 3, 2026 9:00pm
  - KKNZ2025
    
    Ripoff NZ taxpayers while rorting employers to ensure good workers get paid the same as bad ones.
    
    Right?
    
    3 0
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    February 3, 2026 9:36pm
KKNZ2025

Roy Morgan poll update

“Roy Morgan’s first New Zealand Poll for 2026 shows the National-led Government (National, ACT & NZ First) on 52%, up 1.5% points from a month earlier, now 8% points in front of the Labour-Greens-Maori Party Parliamentary Opposition on 44%, down 3% points, the latest Roy Morgan New Zealand Poll finds.

This is the largest lead the National-led Government has had for 16 months since September 2024.”

https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/10111-nz-national-voting-intention-january-2026?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MRU%203rd%20Feb%202025&utm_content=MRU%203rd%20Feb%202025+CID_9f69deadbb321e60f707f47479e3b2d3&utm_source=Market%20Research%20Update&utm_term=Read%20Full%20Article
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February 3, 2026 8:08pm

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