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February 10, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 10 February 2026

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General Debate

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Nikola Donatello

It is an excellent move for the government to build an LNG import terminal.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360936014/government-announce-future-lng

It is certain that demand for gas here will outstrip domestic supply.

Chris Hipkins is wailing about a levy on electrcity users to pay for it. What a stupid person.

Firstly, how does he think that consumers will be affected if we run low on gas? 🙄 Yes prices will be used to ration what is left.

Secondly, this guy was part of a government the banned exploration for new gas. 😡 He and Jacinda bought into the Climate Change Commission advice that the use of all gas should be phased out.

So, Mr Hipkins you should never mention this issue again.
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February 10, 2026 8:03am
- Damocles11
  
  Could the NZ energy sector not pay for the LNG terminal? Surely they will make a profit from sales of the gas & the electricity produced by the gas….or is the government planning to nationalise the sector? Why do any and all costs seem to get sheeted back to taxpayers in New Zealand?
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:08am
  - Cassandra
    
    Isn’t it the users paying?
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:34am
  - R
    
    The most successful economies run on a user pays principal
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:59am
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      Evidence for that claim? Without convincing evidence, it’s just a slogan.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:35pm
  - Wandering Star
    
    Despite the myths we choose to believe about our economic system, nobody loves big government more than big business, which is the reason they spend do much money and effort lobbying government. Meanwhile, free market “capitalism” is for the deluded masses.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:12am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Governments used to invite business leaders to conferences, now its the other way round- Davos, etc.
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:03am
      - Wandering Star
        
        Take banking: in a glodalised finance system, national sovereignty is necessarily lost, because the overseas interests constituting “the markets” dictate the economic imperatives and policies of smaller nations like us. It doesn’t matter what you want, unless you want what the bankers want (which they sell to you via “the news” you consume and which forms the basis of public opinion).
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:01pm
    - In Vino Veritas
      
      “nobody loves big government more than big business”. Seriously WS? Perhaps a decent face palm is in order. You clearly have not been involved in the senior management of any business let alone a big business.
      
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      February 10, 2026 8:34pm
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    The users will pay. This is classic market failure. I rarely support the government intervening in markets but this is a example of good intervention. Individual companies are unlikely to move fast enough..
    
    An LNG terminal has been inevitable since Jacinda killed exploration efforts.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:58am
    - Skippytony
      
      And no sane company would “invest” in this infrastructure given the form of the last government.
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:58am
    - R
      
      Donnelly, this situation wasn’t the result of ‘market failure’. It was the direct consequnece of Political mismanagement by ARDERN and her Labour sycophants.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:00pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Maybe but the Government can only respond to the situation as presented. It is unlikely that large new deposits will come online. At some point New Zealand will import all or most of its gas from Australia. Simple as that.
        
        Thanks Jacinda.
        
        Of course Jacinda would say “just stop using gas”. As she departs on another business class flight to Europe or North America.
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:03pm
- Yvette
  
  I understood gas deposits were supposed to exist off the coast of Oamaru. Was that ever established?
  Or now that a decision is made to facilitate the import of overseas gas, is that more economic than finding further supplies within New Zealand?
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:13am
  - Master Mariner
    
    There was a lot of seismic survey work done at considerable expense and high prospective leads.
    All permits were passed in.
    NZ is too unstable to do business.
    Risk reward and all it entails etc
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:16am
    - R
      
      The direct consequence of political ideological mismanagent. Labour Excell at such, since they have no initiative or economic skills
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:02pm
    - alwyn.a
      
      The feasibility of large deep water production facilities pretty much died with the development of fracking.
      The deep water production took years to build and cost many billions.
      Fracking could be put into production in a couple of months, and shut down very quickly and cheaply.
      It was that rather than political instability that meant that the big offshore platforms became dinosaurs.
      
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      February 10, 2026 2:26pm
      - Master Mariner
        
        Far from the truth
        
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        February 10, 2026 3:13pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Yvette: There are “gas deposits” all over the country, both on and offshore, from the East Coast of the North Island right down to the Great South Basin south of Stewart Island. The big questions are location and infrastructure.
    
    There is a sub-commercial gas field onshore near Wairoa in Hawkes Bay. It is mainly sub-commercial because there is no infrastructure in the area, and the markets in the area are limited.
    
    There is a large gas field in the Great South Basin. Again, very remote from limited markets, no infrastructure, and deep and rough seas.
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:16am
    - Jack5
      
      And we have untapped coal-seam gas (CSG) in our extensive and overwhelmingly unexploited coalfields.
      
      Undoubtedly some, perhaps all, of the imported LPG will come from Queensland. It will be the closest source. That state’s LPG is from CSG extracted from coal deposits.
      
      In 2024, exports of Queensland CSG-origin LPG were worth about $NZ26.7 billion.
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:35am
      - Jack5
        
        Actually those Queensland exports are of CSG-origin LNG rather than LPG. The latter is easier to store and transport in consumer markets.
        
        Thank you to Mr Donatello for pointing out the difference in another part of the gas discussion in this thread.
        
        Queensland exports 22 million tons of LNG (liquefied natural gas) a year, 95 per cent of it from coal-seam gas.
        
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        February 10, 2026 12:08pm
      - alwyn.a
        
        Yes. there is quite a difference.
        LNG is mostly methane. To liquify it you have to cool it down to about -160 C and to keep it liquid you have to keep it at that temperature.
        LPG, the stuff that you use for your barbeque or foe cooking is generally a mixture of propane and butane and can be liquified at room temperature simply by increasing the pressure.
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:35pm
- kowtow
  
  Excellent idea?
  
  Here’s a thought .
  
  How much has the move away from domestic coal cost society across the whole economy.
  
  Loss of jobs , boilers changed over to wood etc , lack of thermal backups , huge spend up on “renewables” ( wind/ solar) , loss of pastoral land to forestry , loss of thermal certainty etc
  
  Now instead of using domestic coal for power ,we’ll import gas . How’s that an excellent idea?
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:18am
  - peterwn
    
    The Huntly Rankine machines are approaching end of life and this shows up by increasing maintenance costs and progressive fatigue failure of components. Currently they are the ‘last resort’ generators for the system and coal is used because it is convenient to import and handle.
    Importing gas for ‘last resort’ generation will enable the Huntly Rankine machines to be decommissioned completely and scrapped. A problem with Huntly as a last resort generator is the machines take several hours to get to full load after starting.
    Ideal last resort generation is simplicity, low capital cost and quick startup. Aeroplane type jet engines coupled to generators can provide such generation (the engines can be swapped out as needed and sent to Air NZ for maintenance and overhauls as needed). Those with skin in the game know that some low capital cost generation is by far the most economic way of meeting ‘tail end’ electricity requirements especially when there is no sun, win or rain. Currently, there are gas fired generators available but they are stranded by a lack of gas.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:26am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    I don’t think that is correct. Switching out coal for has been happening globally for decades. Gas will be a golden fuel for decades.
    
    Putting aside climate change, burning coal pollution.
    
    New Zealand would switch to gas even without climate change policies.
    
    Also the government does not ban the use of coal.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:55am
    - Jack5
      
      Nikola Donatello’s … Switching out coal for has been happening globally for decades.
      
      China brought 78 gigawatts of new coal power capacity online in 2025, a sharp increase from previous years.
      
      https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/why-china-building-many-coal-074248377.html
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:47am
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Yes but what is the share of coal in the total energy mix of China? China is also installing incredible investments in renewables.
        
        I don’t know what point you are trying to make.
        
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        February 10, 2026 12:55pm
      - rangitoto
        
        Coal is used for about 60% of China’s electricity generation from memory.
        
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        February 10, 2026 1:03pm
  - R
    
    The LNG terminal won’t be wasted infrastructure, it will be a useful ASSET. When we start developing the local gas reserves it will be a North island terminal.. At the moment, in order to keep the NZ economy in operation, the competent government we now have, has to impliment stop gap measures. Look upon the construction expense as a penalty to those financial illiterate who VOTED ARDERN in 2020.
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:09pm
    - virtualmark
      
      The LNG terminal will most likely be a floating terminal … basically an oil tanker type ship that has the regasification equipment on it.
      
      When you’re finished with it it up anchors and sails away.
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:28pm
- Cassandra
  
  Hipkins said “Just think how many solar panels and batteries you’d get for a billion dollars “. He then went to say (I wish) that LPG is only useful when the sun doesn’t shine.
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:22am
  - Dudley Quaffquaff
    
    Well, did anybody answer the question? Consideration of what else the same money could have bought – the opportunity cost – is a necessary component of any cost-benefit analysis.
    
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    February 10, 2026 8:58am
    - Cassandra
      
      The gas is for when the sun don’t shine. Two quite different and separate matters.
      
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      February 10, 2026 9:36am
      - peterwn
        
        And when the wind does not blow and it does not rain.
        Also if the Lake Onslow pumped storage scheme proceeds then a heap of energy will be required to prime the system and that would come from gas or coal fire generation. When Lake Pukaki was significantly raised in the 1970’s, hydro capacity was temporarily lost and was made up by burning oil at Marsden.
        
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        February 10, 2026 10:32am
      - Dudley Quaffquaff
        
        That will be why he said “solar panels and batteries“, then.
        
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        February 10, 2026 11:05am
      - pdm
        
        pw I thought Lake Onslow was a goneburger.
        
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        February 10, 2026 12:24pm
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      There will be a detailed cost benefit analysis released. It is not just a brain explosion Jacinda style. That is literally what she did in banning gas exploration.
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:00am
      - Dudley Quaffquaff
        
        And Hipkins’ question had better be answered in it. It’s not an unreasonable question.
        
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        February 10, 2026 11:50am
    - R
      
      Hipkins has never demonstrated, any knowledge of ‘cost benefit analysis’. Such a term is not in the Labour Policy Manual lexicon.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:14pm
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Hipkins question is stupid. It is not a role of government to buy solar panels and batteries. Those decisions are purely private ones.
      
      He comes across as utterly stupid. He just wants to oppose the government but has no reasoned arguments.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:58pm
      - Dudley Quaffquaff
        
        Then why isn’t the decision to build a LNG terminal a purely private one?
        
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        February 10, 2026 1:35pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Because it has public benefits. I am sure that the Regulatory Impact Statement will tell you all you need to know.
        
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        February 10, 2026 1:57pm
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Because it is such a stupid question.
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:58pm
  - AitchW
    
    LNG, quite different to LPG.
    LNG is natural gas, the stuff they pipe into your house.
    LPG is the stuff they put in barbecue bottles.
    They’re not interchangeable without modification of appliances and regulators.
    
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    February 10, 2026 1:02pm
  - KH
    
    Onslow was said to cost $16 Billion. But you know how that goes.
    Ooops. “There is the wrong sort of rock. Who knew”
    And it costs $40 Billion.
    And you know who will pay for that.
    
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    February 10, 2026 3:35pm
- Chuck Bird
  
  This is a much better deal than pumped hydro.
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:31am
  - pdm
    
    Even with a levy that will never disappear on consumers Chuck?
    
    I am not so sure.
    
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    February 10, 2026 8:53am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Why will it be endless? Have you seen that proposal?
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:02am
      - pdm
        
        No I haven’t seen anything ND.
        
        I am working on the natural government process – any levy or tax in place is too good to remove.
        
        Remember when National were going to get rid of working for families – that is a tax never removed.
        
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        February 10, 2026 12:29pm
      - Nikola Donatello
        
        Comparing this to working for families is false equivalence.
        
        I predict that the legislation will specify an end clause.
        
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        February 10, 2026 1:00pm
  - PurplePen
    
    I still don’t understand the lake Onslow solution. I get pumping water up when the electricity is cheap, presumably then generating from Onslow when it’s not. But why not just pump it back up into the existing storage lakes from whence it came when the electricity is cheap.
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:26pm
    - rangitoto
      
      Electricity is cheap presumably because the storage lakes are full, so you need additional water storage capacity somewhere
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:08pm
- wsk12345
  
  Maybe im missing something but why isn’t it funded by a levy on gas users?
  
  Why dies the south island pay a levy when we dont even have a gas network???!!!
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:32am
  - Ian
    
    We are all one people…
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:32am
  - Flossie
    
    There are plenty of North Island areas without gas networks too. I don’t know, but I imagine that the gas that is delivered (or collected) in bottles comes from the same source.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:04am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Happy to be corrected but bottled is LPG. Not LNG
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:03am
- imalwaysright
  
  The import terminal enables us to receive and store the gas.
  
  As soon as it is operational the suppliers and the transporters will increase their prices at will.
  
  Geothermal is our independent energy solution.
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:37am
  - Jack5
    
    The import terminal as defined by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE):
    
    “An LNG import terminal is a highly technical facility that can receive LNG from an LNG carrier, store it, regasify it, and send out the resultant gas for use by end users.
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:32pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      And?
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:13pm
      - Jack5
        
        Imalwaysright’s “..and?”
        
        We receive a liquid and turn it back into gas, largely by raising its temperature.
        
        https://www.cryogenictank.com/how-lng-regasification-works-a-complete-guide/
        
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        February 10, 2026 3:28pm
- Simon
  
  Infrastructure like this in Maorification, dripping wet, the rivers are people, clip the ticket, keep safe NZ is insanely expensive and a decade away.
  
  [Mod – use proper names]is just trying to grab a few headlines for the plebs.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:05am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    No idea what that means.
    
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    February 10, 2026 11:04am
- R
  
  We can expect a lot of crying over spill milk by Labour this year. A mess that the coalition has been left to clean up. Just like 1970’s, 1980’s, 2008 and 2025.
  This year’s Voting people need to learn from past HISTORY
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:25am
- Handyman
  
  Well said.
  However, it again shows how useless National is at politics.
  This is a perfect time to take the moral high ground and go on the offensive.
  
  “Thousands of kiwis depend on natural gas for cooking and heating their homes. Many Kiwi modern homes have an external natural gas hot water heater and no internal water storage tank.
  Thousands of Kiwi businesses, from restaurants to milk factories depend on natural gas where there is no alternative.
  All Kiwis depend on electricity generated by natural gas for peak demand on those calm winter mornings and balmy summer evenings. No amount of solar can help at night or with the morning milking before dawn.
  The cost of the imported gas will be paid by the existing gas users on the normal commercial basis. The import facility will be a national asset, not owned by any of the commercial gas suppliers and funded entirely by the government. The cost will be recovered by a levy on electricity production, initially paid by generators but ultimately passed on to electricity users.
  This decision was inevitable from the day Labour leader Ardern made her “captain’s call” to ban gas discovery and use of New Zealand’s own natural gas. That is why we are naming the new levy the “Captains Call Tax”.
  
  Instead we get:
  “We apologise for not subsidising massive amounts of renewables.”
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:41am
  - Ian Boag
    
    Thousands of kiwis depend on natural gas for cooking and heating their homes.
    
    They account for something like 5% of gas usage.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:00am
    - Cassandra
      
      Which doesn’t mean that its not very important for a lot of people.
      
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      February 10, 2026 10:09am
      - pdm
        
        Also doesn’t mean there are not thousands.
        
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        February 10, 2026 12:32pm
    - Handyman
      
      That was my point. Only 5% of gas usage but they are all voters.
      
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      February 10, 2026 10:44am
    - Local Miller
      
      It’s a small percentage of the total gas consumption, but a lot of users.
      Then there are all the gas BBGs out there.
      
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      February 10, 2026 11:58am
      - marcw
        
        LPG and LNG are not the same thing. Try swapping one for the other – on second thoughts, no, don’t do that.
        
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        February 10, 2026 12:09pm
  - KH
    
    I can demolish the peak demand problem with solar and battery on my house.
    And if everybody had the same.
    No problem across the country
    
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    February 10, 2026 3:40pm
    - Handyman
      
      Same here, so we’re OK, but from a government’s perspective, it is cheaper to build a LNG terminal.
      
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      February 10, 2026 6:13pm
- nz_aj
  
  Building an LNG terminal is a terrible result and cost to NZ. The gas supplied by this terminal will be expensive, it will not provide a source of cheaper electricty generation, or prevent industries closing due to energy costs. It is only a dry year solution. All the money goes overseas.
  If Arderns captains call hadn’t happened and we’d maintained a drilling program, perhaps we’d have enough gas coming on to maintain supply. Or if it’d been followed by a huge increase in construction of electricty generation, this might have lowered electricty prices and provided capacity for conversion of energy sources. We’d need 2-3 times the current electricty capacity to replace fossil fuels, and what gets built needs the cost of dispatchable electrity to be low. i.e. wind or solar plus battery backup is too expensive.
  Otherwise, we still have plenty of coal that could be mined.
  These local solutions are the only likely ways to increase the wealth of the country and support standard of living, compared with our ever worsening balance of trade, increased borrowing and inevitable decline.
  
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  February 10, 2026 10:45am
  - Handyman
    
    Yes you are right on all points. The gas will be expensive and coal would be better.
    But at any price, gas is essential for generating peak electricity. Not just in a dry year but every peak hour on a non-very-windy day. (All peak hours occur in the dark so solar completely useless.)
    Coal would be a better but cannot be assured approval within the timeframe before electricity blackouts.
    
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    February 10, 2026 11:40am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Correct, but don’t forget the geothermal energy that would be available with similar investment.
      Our shallow geothermal reserve stretches from Taupo to White Island.
      Get that going and we have energy that is all ours and is constant and independent of suppliers and shippers.
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:21pm
      - Burtland
        
        trouble is some geologist in MBIE has turned this into a personal crusade for supercritical heat reserves research – when they just needed to build more now
        
        https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018980704/the-next-big-thing-in-geothermal-energy
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:18pm
      - Paulus
        
        But who own the land on which geothermals are to be collected – name your pricec first.
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:30pm
- Sir Cullen's Sidekick
  
  Subjects of the Banana Republic of New Zealand – This is just an announcement. Nothing will be built for another 50 years. So get back to your kitchen.
  
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  February 10, 2026 11:26am
- peterwn
  
  Chris H would say that, he is either pretty ignorant or wilfully misleading. Those hell bent on banning fossil fuels but do not care anything about energy or security of supply or costs will say that fossil fuels should be completely banned. However a realistic compromise of minimising environmental effects while not driving energy costs through the roof is accept that gas will continue to be used for some purposes and is suitable for low cost last resort electricity production. Trying to cover adverse conditions with more ‘renewable’ generation would result in higher electricity costs and in particular sky high spot prices.
  If a Labour coalition gets into power it would probably cancel any LNG proposal leaving customers and industry to flounder and blame the previous government for the ensuing mess.
  
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  February 10, 2026 1:46pm
Damocles11

Richard Prebble wrote a media column some months ago stating that if inflation continued to go down and OCR cuts continued to be implemented, that the election would be won by the current Coalition. But if interest rates were going up when the election was held, the current Coalition would lose. A pretty simple formula from his perspective.
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February 10, 2026 8:06am
- Simon
  
  A bit out of touch. Could say govt is struggling because economy but the share scale that the productive have to carry is overwhelming. NZ just can’t carry the National party like it could previously.
  
  A lot of NZ economic fortunes pre covid was due to China. This hasn’t recovered and importing low wage third world isn’t going to change this
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:11am
  - Paulus
    
    Government is floudering because both women and the media leaders hate Luxon.
    
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    February 10, 2026 2:32pm
    - septic skeptic
      
      True enough. I couldn’t care less about the media, but if National want more votes from women or anywhere else they better sack that charmless excuse for a political leader.
      
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      February 10, 2026 4:12pm
    - Groggy
      
      Or becasue Chris Luxon cannot articulate a vision for NZ, he just keeps repeating the same bland platitudes ad nauseum without actually saying anything. What does he believe in or stand for?
      
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      February 10, 2026 5:19pm
BarryB

Dear Wellingtonians (aka people who pay rates in wellington)
I bet you had no idea what a mess the previous Council would make of your city. Its what happens when you vote (and those who don’t vote also vote by allowing those who do vote to control the result) members from the Asylum into power.

But worry not. Come July 1 the Wellington council will no longer be responsible for anything to do with water – it will be taken over by Tiaki Wai. What a lovely nice name that is. The nice people from Tiaki Wai will say “Golly we suspected that the water system in Wellington was a bit messy but we didn’t know it was this bad – even Gaza has a better system than this lot….”
So from July 1 you will be getting two invoices – one for traditional Wellington rates (which I doubt will be any smaller than it is now – I mean they have got all those insane ideas from the last council to pay for)
I now understand why the current council spokesman said that the sewerage system wont be fixed ‘For Months’…… which I suspect means that it will be Tiaki Wais first job….
And an invoice from Tiaki Wai – and do they have some big jobs to do. There is all the potable (drinking) water system to replace. Then there is the storm water system to remedy – since most of it seems to end up in the waste water (sewerage) system. And then there is the sewerage system to fix – and who knew that it was in such a run down state (answer – the previous council and the current employees). I will not be surprised if the annual invoices from Tiaki Wai will be as big as the current rates invoice.
But fear not – you will have a city with miles and miles of cycle tracks and an upgraded city centre and all sorts of other lovely other things that most of you don’t want nor care about.
I suggest that in future you vote……………
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February 10, 2026 8:06am
- Simon
  
  WCC third world institution but charge and collect first world revenue. Increasingly a common theme in NZ.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:12am
- Paulus
  
  Yes, yes, Vote Tiaki Wai whatever the cost for this name and that is presumably Water Supply, but must be precious as the name must apply !
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:13am
- rouppe
  
  Tiaki Wai will be staffed by the same people as Wellington Water.
  
  So the useless decision makers who let it deteriorate will still be there, making the same bad decisions
  
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  February 10, 2026 10:08am
  - pdm
    
    Are you sure Tiaki is not meant to be tutae?
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:34pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Speaking of which, where’s Tory?
      Having a few “cheeky woines in Melbin” perhaps?
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:26pm
  - Paulus
    
    As long as they can adhere to Maori wish wash and Maori language usage for water manuals.
    
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    February 10, 2026 2:33pm
  - Burtland
    
    “On 27 May 2021, Wellington City Council’s Long-Term Plan Committee faced a clear fork in the road.
    
    Officers presented councillors with water investment options, including one — Water Option 3 — that contained a $391 million wastewater renewals programme. It was not vague. It was explicit. It was designed to reduce sewage pollution, starting with the central city and south-coast catchments now making headlines.”
    
    An amendment was moved by then-councillor Tamatha Paul, seconded by Jill Day (now Labour Party President), to adopt Cycleways Option 4, expanding the programme to $226 million over ten years, compared with $120 million under Option 3, as set out in that consultation document.
    
    That amendment passed. Accelerated wastewater renewal did not.”
    
    so Wellington Central Greens marxist MP Tamatha Paul was instrumental in the decision not to do wastewater renewal – shes now moved on to government to make bad decisions there.
    
    Next they will want taxpayers to foot the $400M bill – National will duly oblige hoping to get some votes out of communist Wellington City 😂🤣
    
    https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2026/02/peter-bassett-wellingtons-sewage-crisis.html
    
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    February 10, 2026 2:39pm
Tomtoddy

Seems like the US is going to pay its dues to the UN to keep it afloat. The US has demanded changes and the dismantling of some of the UN’s excesses but will it lead to actual changes on the ground?

Pity they decided to pay. It would be better to let them wither and die. They are a danger to democracy, capitalism and peace/
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February 10, 2026 8:08am
- Dudley Quaffquaff
  
  Would you prefer no international forum for debate, arbitration, rule development and enforcement, or a different one? If the latter, how would your preferred model differ?
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:19am
  - Paulus
    
    Yes, move it to Moscow then it will work !
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:14am
  - leoj
    
    The UN is a joke. Turn the building into a Trump Hotel and move the organization to Brussels. The Socialists would be much happier there.
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:42am
  - sungsamning
    
    I think a different one is in the wings. Its called the Board of Peace. It can’t possibly be worse than the UN.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:00am
    - Ra Henare
      
      You jest of course. The Board of peace is a Trump Toy, nothing more, nothing less.
      When he is gone, it will be gone.
      
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      February 10, 2026 2:38pm
  - rouppe
    
    Had it actually done any of those apart from the first?
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:09am
  - Dudley Quaffquaff
    
    So do we think that the UN, or a replacement body, should or should not have the powers, and the resources necessary, to force member states to do things they don’t want to do, and/or to prevent them from doing things they do want to do?
    
    You say they haven’t been able to “prevent wars”. How exactly would you have them do that? How do you envisage President Trump’s new “Peace Board” doing that? The war in Ukraine, for example. How might that have been prevented?
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:40pm
  - alphabeatrium
    
    Enforcement 😂
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:58pm
- imalwaysright
  
  The UN don’t seem to be able to stop conflicts.
  What exactly do they do?
  
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  February 10, 2026 10:03am
  - Paulus
    
    Support and then create them further.
    
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    February 10, 2026 2:34pm
Albie

Nikola, we know the likely scenario if Hipkins and Co. were still in power. Endless talk about Onslow and more wind mills and solar farms. Countless millions spent on consultants and conversations. Continued price increases and industry closures.
And over 30% of the population want these morons back in charge?
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February 10, 2026 8:11am
- Chuck Bird
  
  More that 30%. You have to add the Greens.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:12am
- Simon
  
  And over 30% would vote National. Do you not see how grossly stupid National cabinet are?
  
  Give National the benefit of the doubt that they are not marlious
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:15am
- NothingLeft
  
  50% of voters are dumber than average, a majority of the population vote on the basis of their Feelz. Functionally we’ve given children (in adult bodies) the vote.
  
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  February 10, 2026 3:12pm
Positan

The government is seeking to change the present tax system for petrol-driven vehicles to one where every user would have to buy their “travel distance” in advance via Road User Charges. This is to accommodate hybrid vehicles, which under the present RUC system are neither fish nor fowl because the present regulations can’t fit them.

Patently, the present system has untold advantages over what is proposed – tax is collected at the pump, the oil company pays it to government. It’s straight forward, few processing staff needed – and has the lowest possible cost to government and user.

The new system would land drivers with additional hassle – require they pay for up to three-months usage in advance – but worse, require many more administrative staff to handle the extra millions of vehicles. It’d result in a far higher cost to government – which means additional charges to drivers.

Wouldn’t it be far more simple and intelligent to strike a separate RUC for hybrid vehicles – and, without creating all the extra unnecessary hassle, leave the millions of drivers of petrol vehicles unaffected?
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February 10, 2026 8:19am
- Paulus
  
  As a Diesel user I have no problem with the current system which is easily done via what is know as a Computer with very detailed record of all vehicles in New Zealand in Palmerston North I believe.
  Are there not some 2 million + cars etc which can be covered by my laptop size storage if necessary and on no more staff but me.
  I find them to be vere efficient in a current very short time.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:19am
  - Ian Boag
    
    A more intelligent solution would be to do away with all hypothecated tax that funds the roads. Roads cost about $4bn out of a total budget of something like $150bn give or take a bit. Under 3%. We don’t have a health tax or and education tax or a welfare tax – all of which cost a whole lot more than $4bn … In fact we don’t have any other hypothecated taxes at all. Maybe ACC if you want to call ACC levies a “tax”
    
    Arguably we all “use the roads” whether driving a vehicle or not. Sort of like we all use the health system whether or not we went to the doc this week. Ditto for education and welfare. As far as big trucks trashing the roads goes – they are carrying stuff that we will end up buying so the RUCs end up in the price of the things we buy … the truckies just pass the cost through.
    
    We are the only country in the world that levies RUCs on light diesel vehicles (about 800,000 of them) Other countries just charge excise on diesel the same as petrol. The RUC system is there so the cockies won’t have to pay excise on diesel used in their 30,000 bits of farm kit. Now we will move to being the only country that uses RUCs for all of it. There are some Euro countries “thinking about it” and I think Iceland may have gone some distance with the idea. Nothing wrong with being an outlier of course …
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:43am
    - Paulus
      
      Annette King some years ago as Health Minister suggested a unique Tax at 3% I believe dedicated to Health, and Lange canned it.
      
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      February 10, 2026 2:37pm
  - Jack5
    
    The “travel distance” system could also vary charges by weight of vehicles, including of cars.
    
    Posters here have said weight of vehicles is a big factor in wear on roads and bridges.
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:35am
    - the deity formerly known as nigel6888
      
      It already does this through RUC. My understanding is that the difference in damage between zero and 3.5 tonnes is negligible, the real damage is logarithmic above that, and the RUC charged for heavy vehicles reflects this (with tiny exceptions for motorcaravans and vintage – because they do not approach full loads ever)
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:00pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        So what? If truckies pay costlier RUCs because trucks trash roads, that gets built into transport costs for the things we buy …. so why bother?
        
        1 0
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        February 10, 2026 6:52pm
    - Paulus
      
      EVs are much heavier than a petrol driven car.
      Tyre are different too !
      
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      February 10, 2026 2:37pm
- 76_special
  
  ??? Buying RUCs in the current system is very easy. The only change I’d make is to move from the paper system at the postshop to a purely online one by piggy-backing on the existing vehicle licence/rego site.
  It’d require fewer people to admin than present.
  
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  February 10, 2026 10:15am
  - GJM
    
    You can buy online. I do it for our diesel vehicles, and the label comes in the post in a week or so.
    
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    February 10, 2026 1:43pm
- rouppe
  
  You seem to think all hybrid vehicles are the same.
  
  Mild hybrids, super hybrids, hybrids yet to be invented…
  
  RUC for every kilometre you drive, based on vehicle weight. Then pay for your fuel, whether it’s petrol, diesel, electric, hydrogen or anything else.
  
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  February 10, 2026 1:11pm
Cassandra

Piers Morgan has had a hip replacement. His wife is Celia Walden, also a journalist, who writes that caring for her husband is “certainly the biggest test of The Vows we’ve had to endure so far”. She has, she added, “morphed from Florence Nightingale into Nurse Ratched… I’m one 4am fallen crutch away from Kathy Bates in Misery.”

Many – my spouse, for example – will know how she feels.
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February 10, 2026 8:20am
- pdm
  
  Even eye drops twice a day for about 4 weeks, on two occasions in the last 18 months, have been a challenge for mrspdm my loving wife for almost 56 years.
  
  God forbid I should be bed ridden – lol.
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:32am
  - Cassandra
    
    We frequently forget about the carer. They’re often taken for granted and I now know that it is very stressful. Celia Walden’s progression from Florence Nightingale to Kathy Bates is graphic! I take my hat off to people working with dementia patients, for example.
    
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    February 10, 2026 8:49am
  - David Garrett
    
    pdm: 56 years you say? That’s some achievement man! Sadly the best I could manage either time at bat was six years. And great that at age 76 or so you have mastered blogs. You contributions here are always sensible ones.
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:25am
    - pdm
      
      Thanks gd especially as you have docked a few years probably for my good looks. lol.
      
      80 in a couple of months.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:41pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        Well done PDM.
        
        I am Same Same. Except only 45 in the Mary age stakes.
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:48pm
  - mandk
    
    Was there any reason why you couldn’t do your own eye drops?
    
    I’ve done it. It’s not difficult.
    
    5 0
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    February 10, 2026 11:21am
    - Ghost
      
      Many reasons exist.
      
      After eye surgery it’s typically recommended someone else does your drops for a few days
      
      Arthritis in the hands can stop a person being able to do it. Neck problems. Tremors.
      
      7 1
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      February 10, 2026 11:34am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Definitely needed hubby to do my eye-drops after double cataract surgery.
        For the first time in 60 years I was no longer short-sighted, and there was no way I could synchronise a drop with my eye.
        
        6 0
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        February 10, 2026 2:59pm
    - pdm
      
      Simple answer m&k
      
      I wasn’t game to try and really it was not quite the hassle I made out – just a couple of domestic moments so sometimes I exaggerate.
      
      Thanks for bastting for me Ghostie but, I have none of the excuses you raise.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:43pm
    - graham
      
      I use eye drops on a regular basis and do my own. But there are also ointments which can be applied to the eye, and they are damned difficult to do properly. I’ve had to get my wife to do the ointments for me.
      
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      February 10, 2026 1:32pm
- kowtow
  
  Is it just me but I don’t get the fascination or interest in that low life phone hacking adjacent hack , whose real name is O’Meara .
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:57am
- Flossie
  
  Sounds a bit dramatic. I have also had a hip replacement and not a crutch in sight, just a walking stick for a few days. Nobody had to care for me.. operated Monday, home Friday. I would be pretty sure Morgan is way younger than me too.
  But then again, maybe I was just lucky.
  
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  February 10, 2026 10:10am
  - Paulus
    
    My wife had a hip replacement 2 years ago in a surgical private hospital, and 12 hours later had a nasty stroke from which we continue to support her.
    
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    February 10, 2026 2:40pm
- Gussy Fink-Nottle
  
  Problem for Celia Walden is she now has to actually live with Piers Morgan (and the housemaid) in order to care for him.
  It might make good copy, but I doubt she suffers like us mere mortals.
  
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  February 10, 2026 4:34pm
kowtow

The appalling polluting going on in Wellington should be garnering huge front page attention across the country and commentary across the spectrum ,in the way it would if it was say a ship on a reef with a little oil leak.

This is a national disgrace and to a greater or lesser extent is repeated the length and breadth of the country , essentially due to very bad infrastructure policies and choices made by left wing councils .

More bike lanes means more bad beaches.
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February 10, 2026 8:23am
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  Just Wellington city people continuing to live beyond their environmental means whilst lecturing farmers on their pollution.
  Really the effluent should be getting sprayed back over Wellington to complete the nutrient cycle.
  Or maybe retire it and plant it in flammable pest pine trees.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:13am
- Nukuleka
  
  And the blight which is the pervasive stench from the Bromley Sewage treatment plant continues to negatively impact Christchurch residents on a daily basis.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:26am
- leoj
  
  No sympathy for Wellington when it is dominated by leftist voters and left-leaning public servants.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:46am
pdm

Submissions close on the Planning and Environment Bills that replace the flawed RMA on Friday 13 February.

Hobsons Pledge will help you here:
https://www.fairplanning.nz/

and here is my submission sent last evening.
https://nominister.wordpress.com/2026/02/10/my-submission-on-the-planning-and-natural-environment-bills/

Note: the current format of these Bills indicate Iwi have to be consulted before anyone else – is that not a form of Co-Governance or implying The Treaty Of Waitangi is a form of partnership.

The Coalition Government was going to stop that – they haven’t so get your submissions in.
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February 10, 2026 8:27am
- imalwaysright
  
  I’ve heard that some Councils are declaring some some private properties as ‘of cultural significance’ on behalf of local Iwi.
  There’s no compensation to the owner, but there are obligations to notify the Council of anything that could affect the ‘cultural significance’.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:00am
  - Prince
    
    Are these councils also those with unelected Maori ‘councillors’ ?
    
    7 0
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    February 10, 2026 9:23am
    - pdm
      
      They have all got them Prince.
      
      About half of the Councils in the country will be rid of them until the next lefty government shows up.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:48pm
      - Paulus
        
        Not if Labour get in !
        
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        February 10, 2026 2:41pm
- Quail
  
  FYI,
  Have spent decades actively trying to get the RMA to recognise individual property and human rights.
  Our National MP of the time strongly supported these concepts, and we took it to the minister of the time. Sadly National replaced their MP.
  Changes were afoot but those were derailed supposedly by Peter Dunne,
  We addressed the LGNZ conference on the subject , but again no changes.
  Personally have been through the Local Government Course on decision making , plus much research.So these comments are valid.
  About one third of the course documents related to Maori and their beliefs. Some of these beliefs are not shared by most of us, but are still part of the RMA.
  Sadly racism is embedded in the RMA, even to the degree of including indigenous vegetation.
  The individual rights to use the property people have purchased and “ own” have been taken by the state, without any compensation.
  The supposed changes help very, very few.Mostly those in the “built environment “
  Am I going to submit? NO!
  Why ? It is a total waste of time because the huge NZ bureaucracy is not going to allow any diminishing of their powers.
  And to show their good faith they have just doubled the fines for breaches of the act.
  Thank you DonBrash and others for continuing the fight.
  I wish you all well!
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:33am
  - pdm
    
    ACT is the only party truely concerned about individual property rights in the current Parliament Quail.
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:50pm
Chuck Bird

I see Sean Pluncket took down his video criticising Luxon for saying Trump should apologise when Trump already said he would not apologise.

I wonder what or who made Pluncket remove the video.
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February 10, 2026 8:29am
- pdm
  
  Perhaps Luxon agreed to go on his programme if he took it down.
  
  He (Luxon) has only ever fronted once with Plunket as I understand it,
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:34am
  - Spam
    
    A bus shelter I drove past a had some electronic ad for TVNZ or RNZ, with a message like “Luxon says Trump should apologise to the Obamas”. So the story is getting airtime.
    
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    February 10, 2026 8:41am
- Ghost
  
  What do you mean it’s been taken down?
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM7NEgyRces
  
  4 2
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  February 10, 2026 8:54am
  - Ghost
    
    And before you complain it’s not on the platform
    
    https://theplatform.kiwi/podcasts/episode/sean-plunket-reacts-to-chris-luxon-calling-donald-trump-a-racist
    
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    February 10, 2026 9:24am
- kowtow
  
  Phone in and ask him.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:15am
- imalwaysright
  
  Luxon.
  Bill Rowling in Muldoon’s body…
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:17am
  - Jack5
    
    Bill Rowling’s rating goes up with time and price-regulation Muldoon’s rating goes down.
    
    By now, Rowling’s superannuation scheme would have been great.
    
    On a local angle, he was keen to develop Rolleston, south of Christchurch. Rolleston’s the core of Selwyn District, now the fastest growing area in NZ.
    
    Where they nailed Rowling on Rolleston was his incorporation of passenger rail links to Christchurch, about 25km away.
    
    Generally, voters seemed to regard Rowling as too mild, especially against the boozy, bombastic Muldoon.
    
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    February 10, 2026 12:23pm
    - pdm
      
      Jack5 I think it was Roger Douglas’ Superannuation scheme.
      
      Not sure Rowling was that clever.
      
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      February 10, 2026 12:51pm
      - David Garrett
        
        Pdm You are right; it was my friend Roger’s super scheme…would be worth billions now if Muldoon – in a fit of spite – had not canceled it.
        
        5 3
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        February 10, 2026 1:09pm
      - Jack5
        
        DG, what if Roger Douglas, instead of David Lange, had succeeded “Bill” Rowling as head of Labour?
        
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        February 10, 2026 3:21pm
- Chuck Bird
  
  I wonder if Luxon saw Goff’s attack on Trump encouraged him to make his stupid comment about Trump. At least he did not make anti-Israel comments like Goff.
  
  Phil Goff: NZ’s shameful silence in face of Trump’s insults
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TujyDZGDqQ
  
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  February 10, 2026 1:03pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Looks like Andrew Little is manoeuvring for taxpayers to front up $$$$$$$ for Wellington’s shitty disaster.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/586379/questions-over-who-will-pay-for-wellington-s-sewage-plant-failure
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February 10, 2026 8:46am
- Cassandra
  
  Wellington’s expensive system was always dopey. 40 years ago they hired a Canadian expert who concluded that a long outfall into Cook Strait was the sensible option (sun and tide would work its magic) but no, they had to appease the Water God. No matter that millions of marine creatures use the sea daily for just that purpose.
  
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  February 10, 2026 8:54am
- Paulus
  
  Litte has always been a dreamer and still is !
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:21am
- imalwaysright
  
  Not to let the others off the hook, but we haven’t heard from the Wellington nor Tauranga Councils’ CEO’s on their recent events.
  
  They are very well paid, and apparently virtually omnipotent, shouldn’t they be on the tv answering questions?
  
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  February 10, 2026 10:24am
  - Ghost
    
    The mayor is the elected leader and face of the council, they are the one responsible for and representing the voters. The ceo is accountable to the council. The mayor is the right person to be presenting the details of what happened and what’s going to happen and be done
    
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    February 10, 2026 10:38am
    - Paulus
      
      The Mayor do not appoint the council CEOs – they come from the selected Girls and Boys club.
      
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      February 10, 2026 2:43pm
- Ghost
  
  Here is what Little said
  
  “If there’s been a breach of obligations, a breach of duties, then that, to me, has to be sorted out between the parties. In the meantime, the critical thing is to get the [plant] recovered, fixed and back operating. The Wellington City Council will no doubt underwrite that cost,” Little said.
  
  Article
  
  Sounds more like he wants the company running it to pay up if at fault
  
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  February 10, 2026 11:26am
  - Jack5
    
    Can you get blood from water?
    
    Wellington Water Ltd is quarter owned by Wellington City Council. The rest of the ownership is held by nearby local bodies.
    
    The company’s net assets at 30 June 2025 were $6.646 million.
    
    You can find the annual report here (financials begin around page 70):
    
    https://www.wellingtonwater.co.nz/assets/Reports-and-Publications/Annual-Report-2025.pdf
    
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    February 10, 2026 3:15pm
    - Ghost
      
      https://www.anz.veolia.com/en-au/newsroom/newsroom/wellington-water-and-veolia-sign-170m-contract-wastewater-services
      
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      February 10, 2026 3:27pm
      - Jack5
        
        Veolia Australia New Zealand has a 10 year, $17 million-per-year contract to operate and maintain the four wastewater treatment plants that serve Wellington.
        
        Veolia Australia New Zealand, a subsidiary of the France’s Veolia, brands its NZ operation “Veolia Aotearoa New Zealand”.
        
        A wet start, even for a water company.
        
        It adds the company is deeply committed to “the principles of Te Mana o te Wai.”
        
        https://www.anz.veolia.com/en-nz
        
        4 0
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        February 10, 2026 3:51pm
- Swifty
  
  Wellington voters and councillors must be made to bear the cost and consequences of their decisions.
  
  This was no ‘act of god’ like Christchurch or White Island, where it’s appropriate that the whole country pitches in, all the signs was this was an entirely man-made event resulting from poor decision making.
  
  Insulating Wellington voters and councillors from consequences just increases the chances of it happening again.
  
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  February 10, 2026 12:14pm
Libertarians are right

Yesterday in response to me talking about how the protesters in the US are not peacefully protesting, Andrew Worth said there are considerable protections for speech under the first amendment.

That is the problem. The protesters believe that their actions are speech and therefore protected. Destroying property = speech, lighting fires = speech, assaulting government employees = speech, physically blocking people from going about their lives = speech, throwing things at people = speech.

It’s idiotic but because they aren’t held accountable they think they can’t be held accountable. This is also true in NZ.
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February 10, 2026 8:56am
- kowtow
  
  They are not peaceful.
  
  ‘Dozens arrested as anti-ICE protests erupt outside Whipple Building
  February 9, 2026 | 11:10am
  A protest outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis was declared an unlawful assembly after some demonstrators began throwing objects, including ice chunks, at law enforcement. Authorities said a sheriff’s deputy was hit in the head and a squad car windshield was broken, prompting dispersal orders and arrests. Several dozen people were taken into custody as officers and state patrol troopers broke up the demonstration.’
  
  From NYPost.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:19am
Positan

Could I ask about the system of moderation. I’ve been aware for some weeks that my comments seem to discriminated against, in that the time taken to be cleared by the Moderator is often far longer than comments submitted later than mine.

Today, for example, I commented at 8.19am – but it was still “unmoderated” at 8.53am – despite other bloggers’ comments that had been moderated at 8.20am, 8.22am, 8.31am – as well as others.

I raise this only because I’ve noted the consistency of the phenomenon over the last couple of months.

So I’m curious. Have I done something to offend the Moderator?

[Mod – comments are approved when a moderator is online. There are some people who have supplied their information to dpf allowing them to be unmoderated.]
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February 10, 2026 9:00am
- Yvette
  
  Moderator, may I please ask, What, apart from Username, First Name, Last name and email address, is needed to enable “some people who have supplied their information to DPF allowing them to be unmoderated” [Mod – email him that and ask if there is anything else he needs from you]
  
  I have commented on kiwiblog since before General Debate was recommended by Philu, Johnboy, Penny Bright, myself and others. I think the only time I may have required Moderation was when Tarrant was mentioned and I asked at the time that Moderation be specifically considered, which it was.
  
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  February 10, 2026 9:55am
- cmm
  
  I have been posting, unmoderated, for years as cmm.
  I just followed the very clear instructions at https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/comments_policy
  
  As the Mod says, I just sent off my details in an email to DPF and a reason for wanting to remain cmm and it was all granted in less than 24 hours.
  
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  February 10, 2026 1:16pm
Simon

Peter Thiel should be investigated by NZ police

That dark and evil Israeli Epstein operation needs to be investigated. All Epstein files relating to NZ citizens should be released
5 18
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February 10, 2026 9:17am
- AitchW
  
  Yeah, and man didn’t land on the moon either.
  And chemtrails.
  And Illuminati and Masons…
  
  4 2
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  February 10, 2026 1:17pm
- NothingLeft
  
  I’ve watched a lot of Peter Thiel interviews, he’s a genius gay man, on the autistic spectrum, and seems pretty ethically minded (spends a lot of time ruminating on big-picture civilisational issues, philosophy, religion and history). He’s not some head-up-arse rich hedonist of the type that seemed to get sucked into Epstein’s shenanigans.
  
  Left hate him and have targeted him for decades because he was an outlier young and right-aligned technology billionaire that wouldn’t bend the knee to their ideological insanities when woke was running rampant and identified and funded a lot of right wing talent (JD Vance et al). He used to employ (another genius) Eric Weinstein to manage his investments, and Eric is most definitely a strongly morally oriented man able to choose who he works for.
  
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  February 10, 2026 3:24pm
sungsamning

Backbenchers are revolting. There were resignations from Starmers staff. The Scottish Labour Party don’t like Starmer. The Mandelson thing has done him no good. [Whats bad for Labour is good for the UK.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2fj74jONlE
Civil War ERUPTS In Labour – Starmer Faces Resignation Calls.
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February 10, 2026 9:55am
- Handyman
  
  After listing how useless Starmer is as a person and useless for the UK, attention turns to his replacement. Surely if he is so bad, there must be better talented candidates among the hundreds of Labour MPs.
  Why are they having trouble finding anyone to challenge? Could it be that Starmer represents the best of Labour?
  
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  February 10, 2026 11:10am
  - mandk
    
    I suspect UK Labour MP’s are much likes NZ’s.
    
    Most are apparatchiks, with very little real life experience or talent to offer.
    
    12 4
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    February 10, 2026 12:36pm
    - sungsamning
      
      In deed. Managing decline seems to be a hands off proceedure. Any uni-party cabinet can do the basics.
      
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      February 10, 2026 2:08pm
  - Philview
    
    I recall Angela Rayner used to flash her legs at Boris Johnson when he was trying to do a speech in parliament and really put him off his game. She can look attractive but comes across as very aggressive.
    I doubt she will be selling kindness if she takes over.
    
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    February 10, 2026 1:39pm
  - sungsamning
    
    If he’s the best, I’d hate to see the worst. Maybe their ‘talent pool’ is as shallow as a bird bath. Just like here.
    
    4 2
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    February 10, 2026 2:06pm
    - mogg
      
      From Blue Labour on the right through to Momentum and Corbyn on the Hard Left, there are at least half a dozen major factions in UK Labour Party, all of which want their own choice of candidate for leader. Starmer’s job is to keep the plates spinning for as long as possible.
      They all seem to know that a swap to Streeting or Rayner would further destabilise what is already a heavily indebted and fragile economy. If they don’t behave themselves they know it will be the Bond Markets which decide on the future leader by forcing an early election, and Farage is their worst nightmare.
      
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      February 10, 2026 3:32pm
  - Paulus
    
    Like Conservatives must be a woman now as she can always do better.
    
    1 3
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    February 10, 2026 2:45pm
    - mogg
      
      Badenoch is part of the problem not the solution.
      
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      February 10, 2026 3:34pm
sungsamning

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is projected to win a commanding victory in a snap general election, according to early exit polling released Sunday night. [Puts Japan first, and is sceptical of the CCP. Definitely a keeper.]
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/02/japans-trump-endorsed-iron-lady-scores-landslide-victory/
Japan’s Trump-Endorsed ‘Iron Lady’ Scores Landslide Victory in Japan — Securing Mandate For Deeper U.S. Ties.
10 2
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February 10, 2026 9:55am
- Philview
  
  I listened to a podcast earlier and they were joking about the liberal western media calling her an “ultra conservative” It can’t be just conservative now but needs a more sinister term.
  
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  February 10, 2026 1:30pm
  - Swifty
    
    There’s no ‘right’ any more, especially in NZ.
    
    It’s always ‘far-right’ – even Seymour and National etc, that’s how much of a joke it is.
    
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    February 10, 2026 1:48pm
  - sungsamning
    
    It doesn’t matter. The MSM is shedding jobs at a rate of knots. A quarter of the Washington Post ‘journalists’ have had to enroll in coding courses. I wonder if any went to a learing center?
    
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    February 10, 2026 2:05pm
Jack5

NZ’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade may well cotton on to a Wall Street Journal report that unemployment among American college graduates in their 20’s has risen to roughly its level in February 2009 during the financial panic that year.

“Aha,” MFAT folk will think. “This’ll get NZ a free trade agreement with the United States. We’ll provide an annual immigration quota to five or ten thousand American graduates.”

The WSJ data is from the New York Federal Reserve Bank last week showed that unemployment among college graduates aged 22 to 27 rose to 5.6 per cent in December, roughly what it was, says the newspaper, in February 2009 during the financial panic.
7 0
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February 10, 2026 10:27am
- sungsamning
  
  So, what’s the down side?
  
  2 2
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  February 10, 2026 2:09pm
Albie

Walking along Tamaki Drive in Auckland this morning we witnessed first hand the stupidity of Auckland Transport’s bike lanes. Nearly every cyclist rode on the foot path, ringing their bells warning us to stay out of their way. Meanwhile, a designated green painted cycle way running along side was empty. So we have traffic lanes and parking opportunities reduced and the cyclists it was all done for rarely use it.
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February 10, 2026 11:42am
- imalwaysright
  
  If the ring their daft bells tell them to fuck right off.
  Pedestrians always have right of way on footpaths especially.
  
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  February 10, 2026 12:48pm
OlderChas

I have little sympathy for the aging American skier woman who hunted further self-glorification by competing in the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics with a torn ACL. If any sport needs good knees it’s skiing.
I took no pleasure in seeing her lying in the snow screaming in pain and clutching the heavily strapped knee at only the 3rd turn on the course.
In my opinion the medical and team officials who allowed her to compete should be barred from any further high level sports.
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February 10, 2026 12:33pm
- cmm
  
  Participation is a big deal for Olympic level athletes.
  
  Imagine you had a choice: You could compete, but you will then be bedridden for the rest of your life or you can step down from competition and have the use of your legs.
  
  Almost all Olympic-level athletes would take the first option. It is their whole life.
  
  In the 1976 Olympics when NZ won the gold medal for hockey, the goalkeeper Trevor Manning played with a broken kneecap.
  
  6 1
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  February 10, 2026 1:11pm
- virtualmark
  
  Lindsey Vonn worked her ass off to come back from a previous injury to have one last go at the Winter Olympics. I’ve seen videos of her training and she would put all of us here to shame.
  
  I figure the conversation was something like “Why not just put the brace on and send it one last time – what’s the worst that could happen, I’m going to need a knee reconstruction after the Olympics anyway”.
  
  As cmm says … I think any Olympic athlete worth their salt would have done the same.
  
  5 4
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  February 10, 2026 1:35pm
- Paulus
  
  The really sad part is that she is a female highly worshipped US woman,
  
  3 2
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  February 10, 2026 2:47pm
cmm

India’s Tata Motors, the owners of the Jaguar/Land Rover brand, have just opened a new JLR-centred factory in Ranipet in Tamil Nadu.

Imagine you told people 100, or even 50, years ago that in 2026 that is what the world would look like.

It would have been less believable than flying cars!
9 2
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February 10, 2026 1:03pm
- Philview
  
  Even 10 years ago I wouldn’t have believed a lot of the woke revolution that was coming our way.
  
  7 2
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  February 10, 2026 1:20pm
- imalwaysright
  
  50 years ago you wouldn’t believe NZ is in the state it is today. What a waste of good people and resources.
  
  As for India, i would guess you are aware of their mathematical, scientific, and other intellectual achievements, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they could operate a car factory?
  
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  February 10, 2026 1:47pm
- mogg
  
  It’s the only way to complete with Chinese labour costs.
  
  3 0
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  February 10, 2026 3:39pm
Southern Raider

Finally a Govt and Police force who aren’t afraid to stick it to the radical left protesters.

May have taken 2 years longer than it should have, but Chris Minns and NSW Police did themselves proud yesterday.

The amount of Green MPs, pro Palestinian nutters and unionists loosing their minds is joyful.
12 1
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February 10, 2026 1:25pm
Swifty

“Labour is here to change this dirty, filthy, rotten government.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360936411/willie-jackson-says-labour-can-work-maori-party-change-government

Willie Jackson sets new standards in calm, reasoned debate and delights the country with his ability to wrestle with challenging issues without resorting to freezing works smoko room abuse and name-calling.
10 0
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February 10, 2026 1:45pm
Nikola Donatello

Another reason not to buy a Tesla.

https://people.com/student-died-trapped-tesla-crashed-fire-family-is-suing-11900346

This guy crashed into a tree. Suffered only minor to moderate injuries. He could talk on the phone. The doors were locked. The car caught fire it took fire-fighters four hours to extinguish the fire.
8 1
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February 10, 2026 1:52pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Richard Hammond from ‘Top Gear’ crashed an electric supercar and it caught fire.
  It reignited five days later.
  
  6 0
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  February 10, 2026 2:08pm
- mogg
  
  In an accident would you sooner be sitting next to a battery or a tank full of petrol.
  
  1 1
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  February 10, 2026 3:41pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Tank full of petrol won’t explode.
    A nearly empty tank might erupt if the fumes are ignited, but a fully or partly charged lithium battery will burn hot bright and long.
    
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    February 10, 2026 4:20pm
All_on_Red

Ghislaine Maxwell is trying to bargain clemency for her telling everything that Epstein did- and who with.
Her Attorneys just said; ‘“Ms. Maxwell was not a peripheral figure. She was a central and indispensable architect of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking enterprise,” they wrote. “Despite this, she has refused to meaningfully cooperate with law enforcement or provide credible, complete information about the scope of the trafficking network.”
And this; ‘“Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump,” attorney David Oscar Markus said in a statement during the deposition, which he later posted on X. “Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters. For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing.”

Markus also said that: “Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation.”

So she has cleared both Clinton and Trump.
Not Mandelson though. Hes ****ed. How long will Starmer last?
And who else is there?
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February 10, 2026 2:06pm
- cmm
  
  There’s nothing in this for Trump.
  
  Why would anyone believe Maxwell if she is seen to be trading her “endorsement” for clemency?
  
  She has already basically given Trump her thumbs up (to the extent it is any value), by making the offer. She has played her cards and has nothing left to offer.
  
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  February 10, 2026 2:16pm
  - All_on_Red
    
    Yes, nothing in it for Trump (Bill will be pleased- he looked dubious with all those flights and swimming with girls…)
    But Trump hasnt had anything to worry about at all. We all know how he threw Epstein out and that Epstein didnt like him for it. Trump also helped the victims when Epstein got convicted in Florida originally.
    But looking at what has come out about Mandelson and his sharing secrets with Epstein I admit to curiosity about who else.
    We have seen evidence of Epstein having Text conversations with Democrat Congresswomen DURING hearings and asking for advice etc.
    Lots of people are being implicated all over the place over their interactions.
    So it would be interesting if she told all.
    Not sure its worth a Pardon though.
    
    3 4
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    February 10, 2026 4:09pm
- NothingLeft
  
  Screw that evil POS. Let her rot unto death.
  
  Looks like maybe Two Tier Kier Stalin is going to brazen it out, even having brought prince-of-darkness Mandelson back to shit the bed yet again as he seems to every time he is re-habilitated (for 4 decades now). Likely noone else wants the job given the stench of death around Labour and their general poo-fingers governance, and they know they’re all unemployed next election and are just going to play for time – this is the best paying job most Labour MPs are capable of getting.
  
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  February 10, 2026 3:37pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    There must be some reason why an old Kiwi gets so rarked up about what old Americans of dubious morality get up to ….
    
    4 1
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    February 10, 2026 7:19pm
- imalwaysright
  
  “…For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing.”
  
  Subtext: If Clinton is getting the finger pointed at him then so is Trump since I have now paired them.
  
  5 1
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  February 10, 2026 4:01pm
imalwaysright

Why are the Olympic snowboarders dressed for Arctic military maneuvers while the rest of the competitors are dressed for a disco or yoga class.

Stand by for rich white kids doing a haka on a ski slope. Should be hilarious
6 6
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February 10, 2026 4:04pm
- Philview
  
  Do they have a suitable name such as the Black Skis or the Snow Blacks?
  
  2 1
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  February 10, 2026 4:39pm
- Albie
  
  Right on cue: Te One news tonight- a bunch of rich white kids doing a bloody haka. Give me a break!
  
  7 4
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  February 10, 2026 7:03pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    a bunch of rich white kids doing a bloody haka
    
    The NZ rugby team aren’t all maoris, old or poor …
    
    4 1
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    February 10, 2026 7:20pm
  - Ghost
    
    Right on que someone is whinging about seeing the haka. Try seeing if you can get acc to cover your treatment.
    
    3 6
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    February 10, 2026 7:34pm
Swifty

I read these mass praying events are a purely Western phenomenon, you don’t see them in Islamic countries other than for very special occasions.

https://x.com/whleavitt/status/2020834798055706963?s=46

I wonder why that is
1 0
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February 10, 2026 4:50pm
greybeard

I was looking up the differences between “Rimutaka” and “Remutaka”.
( don’t ask ).
Taka:
https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=taka
Go on, make some sense out of that !
I reckon “rimutaka” originally meant the place where a rimu tree fell down.
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February 10, 2026 6:56pm
Swifty

What the hell is going on National?

https://x.com/rcr_nz/status/2021086836420947973?s=46

Erica, please explain.
1 0
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February 10, 2026 7:34pm
- Ghost
  
  Fast food outlets are accredited, and can only hire if they can prove no New Zealanders wanted the job. There’s your problem, can’t get people to go and work there
  
  1 1
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  February 10, 2026 9:26pm
Ghost

The baby is throwing another tantrum

President Donald Trump today threatened to block the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge across the Detroit River, demanding that Canada turn over at least half of the ownership of the bridge and agree to other unspecified demands in his latest salvo over cross-border trade issues.

Article
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February 10, 2026 9:21pm

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