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March 25, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 25 March 2026

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General Debate

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Cassandra

Apparently a man in Christchurch decided to break into a power transformer to try to rip out copper. A live transformer, carrying enough voltage to light up hundreds of homes, which it did, right up until it didn’t.

The result was predictable. Death. Karma. But 700 houses without power while firefighters shovelled the ashes. Ack to Matua.
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March 25, 2026 8:08am
- peterwn
  
  Similar thing happened years ago when old quarry buildings were demolished along the Hutt River years ago, but luckily there were no fatalities. A digger driver noticed there were old power cables in the locality which he thought were out of service. He came back after hours to salvage them – bang! They were 11,000 volt cables and he was lucky not to have suffered harm.. His employer was sent a $5,000 bill for sorting out the mess which was paid without question.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:20am
- Damocles11
  
  There was a bit of a weird take on the TV news last night, something about desperation and not really understanding risks. They got to a place where I thought there would be a recommendation about putting up signs saying: ‘Warning: Live Wires – Do Not Attempt To Steal’
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:32am
- wisteria
  
  It is a case of natural selection. Sorry for his family but they raised him.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:12am
  - Don Beckett
    
    Yes, will be a positive effect for the gene pool.
    
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    March 25, 2026 11:07am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Does that conflict with Christianity?
      
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      March 25, 2026 11:14am
- imalwaysright
  
  An electric shock would have been karma.
  Dying with flames coming out of him is not karma.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:22am
  - grumpy
    
    11kv tends to do that. Strangely higher voltage tends to go through the skin layer rather than the body itself, hence the fire.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:21am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  In South Africa the practice is rampant and far more organised.
  
  During the periods with load shedding (rolling blackouts), the thieves would use the rolling black out schedules to plan their operations.
  
  The good citizens expecting their power to come back after a rolling blackout were often disappointed due to the wires no longer being there.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:07am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Thankyou Nelson Mandela…
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:16am
  - jkt
    
    It took many electrocutions ..🤬
    Once technician started stealing cables the number of electrocutions dropped. 🤯
    
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    March 25, 2026 11:08am
  - Raphael
    
    Yep. I was onsite once at the Sappi nursery in Richmond, and had to cancel the progress demo of where we were on the project, as, once again, the phone lines had been stolen.
    
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    March 25, 2026 1:13pm
    - jkt
      
      Richmond in the last outpost. Go the Sharks!
      
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      March 25, 2026 2:48pm
- Jack5
  
  You’d think copper theft would be traceable in NZ by policing our isolated countries’ scrap yards.
  
  Copper stripping typically pops up after surges in copper prices.
  
  This month, world copper prices have fallen about 10 per cent because of worry about effects of the Gulf War.
  
  Still, copper’s trading around $US12,000 (about $NZ20,500) a ton.
  
  Cassandra’s Ack to Matua.
  Got me stumped, Cassandra. Translate?
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:44am
  - Observer of Life
    
    Acknowledging Matua Kahurangi. He’s excellent in what he publishes. You should subscribe if you want realistic information on what’s going on in NZ.
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:04pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      It occurred to me the name may be derived from two NZ wine companies.
      
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      March 25, 2026 3:17pm
  - Spam
    
    “Acknowledgement to Matua Kahurangi” -> the person who alerted him to this story.
    https://matuakahurangi.com/
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:07pm
  - Damocles11
    
    ‘According to Metalcorp NZ, clean/high grade copper can currently fetch between $14-17 kg.’
    
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    March 25, 2026 3:00pm
- Squeek
  
  Have had something similar happen in our street. Woke up one morning about 5am and the power was off.
  
  We contacted the power company and about 6am they called back to say that someone had stolen the power lines out on the street.
  
  The ends were hanging off the poles. No death or injury – obviously a good methodology for the job, perhaps with some rubber boots.
  
  But it is unbelievable what people will do as the value of the copper would be at most a few dollars.
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:01pm
- Poppax8
  
  Nominee for a Datwin Award
  
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  March 25, 2026 2:05pm
- peterwn
  
  There was a slightly similar incident in Gisborne some years ago. A guy somehow got hold of a key and locked drugs in a transformer cabinet for safekeeping. Another guy got wind of that and broke the lock to take the drugs leaving the door insecure. A curious 7 year old kid decided to investigate the insecure cabinet and got a 11,000 volt shock. What saved him from worse was his new rubber gumboots he was given for Christmas.
  
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  March 25, 2026 3:04pm
- Gulag1917
  
  A police investigator told me about one copper thief who said getting the copper ready to market was quite a job. Some crims are not too bright and that is one reason why bad things happen to bad people.
  
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  March 25, 2026 4:01pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Illicit drug use is at an all-time high, according to wastewater testing.

Perhaps the price of petrol will see a drop off in consumption.
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March 25, 2026 8:10am
- Michael Johnston
  
  A drop-off in petrol sniffing, at least.
  
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  March 25, 2026 12:55pm
- MCōs
  
  Maybe so, but alcohol causes the most problems
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:00pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Last year The ODT exposed the nepotism and mismanagement of millions of dollars of tax-payer funds in the Dunedin-based social-Health service Charity Te Kāika.
The rest of the MSM ignored the story.

Bryce Edwards has written about it on his blog site:

Yet Te Kāika is exactly the sort of case I have in mind. Here is a charity receiving over $17 million a year in public funds, run by a family, with a board that broke its own rules, paying its chairwoman’s company $123,000, failing to deliver on contracted services, unable to keep staff, missing every filing deadline for a decade. One staff member designated “chief operating officer” was paid $213,000.

https://www.democracyproject.org.nz/p/democracy-briefing-te-kaika-and-the

as did Peter Williams, last year:
https://peterallanwilliams.substack.com/p/the-silence-after-the-scoop

Why has the rest of the MSM ignored this story?
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March 25, 2026 8:11am
- kowtow
  
  Ngai Tahu are involved in this .
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:18am
  - RichardX
    
    How?
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:37am
    - kowtow
      
      Funding.Bigly.
      
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      March 25, 2026 12:29pm
      - RichardX
        
        Yet the Democracy Project article quoted states “Once an organisation is heavily funded by the taxpayer, scrutiny should be non-negotiable. When a charity receives $17.5 million a year, mostly from government contracts, there needs to be accountability.”
        
        Bryce Edwards wrote “Here is a charity receiving over $17 million a year in public funds,…“
        
        How “bigly” is the Ngai Tahu funding and what is your source?
        
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        March 25, 2026 12:45pm
      - kowtow
        
        From ODT
        
        ‘However, despite the revenue rise, the charity still recorded an end of year deficit in 2024-25 of $207,063.
        
        A significantly worse deficit would have been recorded if the charity had not received $666,283 in donations, largely $284,783 from Ngāi Tahu’s regional investment fund and $307,000 from the Otago Community Trust.’
        
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        March 25, 2026 4:54pm
- rouppe
  
  It’s more than the nepotism, mismanagement and fraud.
  
  It’s the Charities Office, failing to review and rescind the charity status of organisations that are clearly not acting like a charity should.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:22am
  - imalwaysright
    
    The only charity that is fastidious about staying out of politics is the Helen Clark Foundation.
    Surely… ?
    Anyone?
    Anyone?
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:20am
- Ian
  
  Last report I read of this in the ODT was that the service only had one doctor and one part time nurse.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:33am
- Damocles11
  
  Some topics are off limits. We are good at sweeping truth under the carpet in New Zealand.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:33am
- Im Right
  
  “Why has the rest of the MSM ignored this story?”
  
  We will take that as a rhetorical question eh Maggy? lol
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:38am
- Cassandra
  
  We have reached the unhappy stage where every time I see a Maori name I instinctively check my wallet is still in my pocket. How did we get there? I spent much of my life working for and with Maoris. Without exception they were good men, many outstandingly so. That we’re now at this awful stage is very distressing.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:38am
  - Boy Geoff
    
    But many of the younger radicalized ones have been waiting 180 years for a decent pay packet.
    
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    March 25, 2026 8:54am
  - RoboRob
    
    It’s not a fault of the Maori people. They are the same as everyone else, some Maori will be greedy or deceiptful. Just like in other cultures.
    
    The issue is the ‘system’ is broken such that Maori organisations are subject to much less oversight. Government organisations (in particular) are terrified to ask them questions they would normally ask others. This means the opportunity and penalty for dodgy business practices are much higher in Maori organisations (and NGOs in general). Thats why we are seeing this stuff so often.
    
    A good analogy is the IRD. Pre covid they chased PAYE and GST from employers, once they stopped doing that the number of businesses late paying has skyrocketed. If Maori were subject to the same level of oversight that non Maori are, we should see the levels of Maori fraud decrease. It just needs a government / leader with the balls to say it. Ironically, it would be better for Maori long term if someone did.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:17am
    - Cassandra
      
      I wish this was true. Sadly it’s individuals as well as organisations, Rob.
      
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      March 25, 2026 9:23am
      - RoboRob
        
        Its a similar issue. They have been taught that they are oppressed victems. When you feel that way you can excuse your actions as ok.
        
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        March 25, 2026 9:47am
      - imalwaysright
        
        “They have been taught that they are oppressed victims.”
        
        That’s the problem RR.
        Lets not underestimate the power of social conditioning.
        Maori have been conditioned to believe that they aren’t good enough and its someone elses fault. When your own people are telling you that, you soon start to believe it.
        
        Alan Duff did an interview with Peter Williams a few years ago. He asked “where are the Maori leadership building the confidence of Maori children and telling them, not that they are victims, but that they are capable and they can get in the game” (my paraphrase).
        
        Duff could write a good article for KB.
        
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        March 25, 2026 10:31am
  - G152
    
    Very true
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:21am
- R
  
  The incident doesn’t provide an opportunity to castigated the Coalition government, but more importantly not an opportunity to discredit the NATIONAL party. Another example of the activist AHENDAof the MSM.
  Expect to see many more such moments up to the election.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:13am
- Paulus
  
  Ignored because of its name, and Tikanga will be invoked if questioned. and the Judges will agree with that !
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:24am
- Burtland
  
  theres been ‘operational issues’ with Hauora Heath Charities for a long time – the Waitangi Tribunal uncovered these in 2019 but it was too hot to handle and nothing was done
  
  The Waitangi Tribunal is aware of the reasons for the lack of success of the current “by Māori, for Māori system” but refuses to release their findings as they are “sensitive” – Dr Lawrie Knight
  
  so corruption in the funding stream provided by the coloniser is apparently OK
  
  https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2022/03/dr-lawrie-knight-fact-checking-maori.html
  
  https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_195476216/Hauora%202023%20W.pdf
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:57am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Burtland, probably the same reason that TVNZ won’t release the report into TVNZ political bias.
    Another middle finger.
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:11pm
  - Paulus
    
    Are you suggesting that many reports from the Waitangi Tribunal, of which some 3,0o0 are outstanding, are in fact based upon fraud and not tikanga ?
    
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    March 25, 2026 1:56pm
- Taieri
  
  “Sources said the surgery, which sits within Te Kāika’s Caversham wellbeing hub, has about 5000 to 6000 patients, but only one part-time GP on site. A doctor based elsewhere is said to offer some phone consultations and a part-time nurse can write some scripts.”
  
  https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/health/thousands-registered-patients-one-gp-site
  
  (Paywalled)
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:01am
James

Watch the media paint him as a victim. Seems like Darwin’s theory in action to me.
Still, he had a family and they will miss him.
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March 25, 2026 8:13am
Positan

I note, media-wise, that so far in 2026, any coverage of the prominently outspoken Willie Jackson has been virtually non-existent. Contrary to months earlier, we’ve seen literally nothing on the man at all.

Is there any current information available about the MUMA situation which, although media-self-suppressed, has existed for almost a year following events that involved MUMA’s Chief Executive and the discernibly improper conduct of Jackson as he endeavoured to prevent Matt McCarten from pursuing the course of his union duties.

Last I heard, months ago, McCarten with his Unite Union was acting on behalf of MUMA workers allegedly bullied by MUMA’s CEO, Jackson’s wife.

Is the matter still before the court – or has Jackson succeeded in wangling his way out of any sort of legal consequence?
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March 25, 2026 8:19am
- OlderChas
  
  Positan: I was just wondering the other day why we have heard nothing from Te Pati Maori for quite a while. Possibly they and Willie been told to keep a low, low profile until after the election?
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:36pm
imalwaysright

The theory that extra military spending will increase security of our supply routes seems to have a flaw.

No supply means no requirement for a route.

The idea of increasing spending $3 to $4 billion every year on the military instead of building a refinery and improving our infrastructure is ludicrous.
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March 25, 2026 8:20am
- Cassandra
  
  ima: And what would the refinery refine? And how would we pay for it? Nothing in or out is what you’re advocating.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:24am
  - imalwaysright
    
    The South Island coal can be processed into fuel.
    I was going to say we would pay for it by scrapping the military, but maybe we could deploy the military to build the refinery and commission the coal mines.
    Why not?
    
    I’m not advocating nothing in or out, I’m stating that the NZ military are incapable of maintaining a supply route. It took them a week to get some drinking water to the Hawkes Bay a few years ago.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:39am
    - kowtow
      
      Hugely expensive white elephant lake Onslow is reported to be back on “fast track”.
      
      Figures vary from $8.5 billion to 17 billion.
      
      For what , a battery .
      
      That money could help to make our energy ( fuel and fert) independent of crisis prone regions.
      
      ie coal to fuel and fert.
      
      Similarly we could fire our power plants on local coal , instead of imported and /or imported lng .
      
      It’s simple common sense.
      
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      March 25, 2026 12:39pm
      - Ghost
        
        Onslow is a private venture
        
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        March 25, 2026 12:52pm
      - JackRabbit
        
        For what , a battery.
        
        A battery with 30+% losses.
        
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        March 25, 2026 2:57pm
      - jkt
        
        Labour claimed it would show a good return at 30billion.
        I say, take two at that price … especially if it is private money.
        
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        March 25, 2026 3:32pm
    - Cassandra
      
      My contention is that that has got to change or we’ll go down the gurgler. We need armed services, especially a navy, to ensure we keep our lines of communication open. We’ll do that in conjunction with allies. We just need to pay our corner; we can’t do it alone so there’ll have to be compromises such as making supportive noises to Trump and doing the Collins thing with Australia.
      
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      March 25, 2026 1:01pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Suppliers are supplying themselves first. Thinking that buying a boat or a missile that will never be fired somehow buys a share of essential supplies is naive in the extreme.
        
        [Mod – dont make it personal]
        
        We can’t afford billions of taxpayer dollars for boys and girls to play dress ups.
        
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        March 25, 2026 4:06pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Cassandra,
        To clarify the moderation, I wasn’t derogatory towards you personally.
        I don’t do personal attacks or name calling etc and neither would you deserve it.
        
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        March 25, 2026 4:56pm
- grumpy
  
  That is roughly the amount of interest on Jacinda’s $60B loan for Covid.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:25am
- Gulag1917
  
  Do both.
  
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  March 25, 2026 4:02pm
Scott

Democrat senator Chris Murphy says the quiet part out loud, “The people we care about most, the undocumented migrants”

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/03/the-people-they-care-about-the-most.php

On the left this is virtue signalling. “I care about the illegal alien, I am a good person”. But the flipside is they don’t really care about their own citizens. All the crimes and murders and rapes and drug dealing and robberies the illegal aliens commit doesn’t seem to worry them.
The other part of the equation is the allowing into the country of millions of people who are going to vote Democrat. We see this in Minnesota where the Somalians voting as a bloc have given the democrats control of the state.

Here in NZ we have in my mind a related problem with mass immigration. The demographics of the country are being changed to suit the virtue signalling mind of the liberal who can pride himself on his tolerance. And if you worry and complain about the thousands of new people of all different races streaming in then you are automatically labelled as “racist”.

Why can’t we stand up for our own side and our own country and our own civilisation and our own race? Does this govt care about all the kiwi boys trying to get a job? While at the same time thousands of people of a different race come in and buy all the businesses and take all the jobs and employ only their own people in those jobs?

Personally I’m sick of globalism and I like the idea of a govt that puts New Zealanders first. Why can’t we have that?
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March 25, 2026 8:33am
- Damocles11
  
  In New Zealand, both sides of the political spectrum want high immigration, that’s the problem. We know about the Lefts reasons, but over on the Right they want it as well. It keeps wage and salary growth low and each additional person increases the demand for houses, food, fuel, electricity, consumer goods etc. It’s the main driver for growth these days, almost the only driver the big urban centres. A lazy means of getting the GDP numbers up without having to do anything about productivity and innovation.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:36am
  - Scott
    
    Damocles – I think you are quite right. Our economic growth appears to be reliant on importing thousands and thousands of foreigners. It helps our economic numbers.
    
    Meanwhile Auckland is totally overcrowded, the Wellington water system is cracking up and they want to build a big mosque in Carterton. Life here is getting worse but somehow we just carry on with the same policy of mass immigration?
    
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    March 25, 2026 11:45am
    - Damocles11
      
      The ‘powers that be’ – consisting of all main political parties, the banking entities, and the corporate and business community – don’t see any viable alternative that would keep the wheels of ‘economic growth’ turning, therefore don’t expect anything to change. Importing people is an easy, lazy way to achieve a suite of their objectives, and to hell with any perceived negative consequences.
      
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      March 25, 2026 12:26pm
  - Jack5
    
    Damocles on high immigration: … A lazy means of getting the GDP numbers up without having to do anything about productivity and innovation.
    
    Nor helping NZ’s chronic balance-of-payments deficits. Lifts demand for imports and doesn’t help exports.
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:20pm
  - Burtland
    
    with a replication rate of 1.55, NZ is in demographic meltdown
    – it needs immigrants to just survive
    it will have to compete with the rest of the west to stay afloat
    
    more social engineering by the UN thats gone wrong
    
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    March 25, 2026 3:28pm
- jkt
  
  Your flipside says it all.
  
  People know the character of the person they vote for, yet they still vote for that character. It speaks to one’s own character.
  
  Point a finger at someone and you will find three fingers pointing right back at you!!
  
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  March 25, 2026 11:16am
peterwn

Interested in the opposition parties’ responses to the fuel crisis. I think Chris Hipkins said effectively ‘not our problem’. As far as I can see Labour are running ads mocking the Government without proposing solutions.
The Greens are a wee bit more constructive with two ideas:
1. Free public transport – meeting the cost of this via taxes and rates would not directly affect many Green supporters.
2. Close down infrastructure works to free up money to help people meet higher fuel and other prices. Trouble here is, it would make the people redundant both those doing the work and those on the supply chain. They would need to be paid an unemployment benefit as well.
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March 25, 2026 8:34am
- Cassandra
  
  By infrastructure the Greens mean roads. They are not serious, just making a political point. Much of our workforce needs to drive to work. Catching two buses while carrying a tool bag would really appeal. The Greens are protesters supported by the taxpayer ie all those carrying the tool bags!
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:43am
- artemisia
  
  According to Isaac Gunson, spokesperson for the Child Poverty Action Group, said it is outrageous that beneficiaries don’t get this dosh because they need to travel for groceries or job interviews.
  
  Outrageous? OK then.
  
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/590489/is-fuel-support-package-generous-or-not-enough
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:49am
  - greybeard
    
    I wonder just how much Mr. Gunson pays himself out of the CPAG funds.
    
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    March 25, 2026 1:59pm
  - peterwn
    
    It is all politics. People on the benefit are unlikely to vote National. A reasonable number of those receiving the $50 supplement may be National voters,
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:58pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  That over 36% of voters want to elect a Party that brought the economy to its knees tells you all you need to know about the country. As I have posted many time until voters have to pass an IQ test and a political knowledge test we will keep getting incompetents governing the country.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:53am
  - kowtow
    
    I reckon the scamdemic swing voters who gave Ardern her absolude majoridy under MMP are the gold standard for stupid , the same ones who had almost immediate buyers’ remorse.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:02am
    - grumpy
      
      I admit you are talking about me! To my everlasting shame……
      
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      March 25, 2026 10:28am
  - R
    
    These days, an IQ test should be a prerequisite for enrolment as a candidate for potential election.
    Minimum level being 105 plus.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:17am
    - Taieri
      
      IQ Scores for selected politicians:
      Hjalmar Schacht 143
      Arthur Seyss-Inquart 141
      Hermann Göring 138
      Karl Dönitz 138
      Franz von Papen 134
      Erich Raeder 134
      Hans Frank 130
      Hans Fritzsche 130
      Baldur von Schirach 130
      Joachim von Ribbentrop 129
      Wilhelm Keitel 129
      Albert Speer 128
      Rudolf Hess 126
      Martin Bormann 125
      Wilhelm Frick 125
      Fritz Sauckel 124
      
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      March 25, 2026 9:46am
      - Wandering Star
        
        Interesting data. We’ve heard of “low IQ antisemitism” as a recent and common online term to dismiss without argument anyone asking too many questions and noticing too many patterns in across time and space, but the “high IQ antisemitism” apparently espoused by the Nazis is obviously harder to sweep under the rug. I mean, they were, perhaps, so rational and perceptive that they became irrational and unable to perceive things properly. Kind of a cognitive version of the “horse shoe” political spectrum hypothesis, maybe?
        
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        March 25, 2026 1:53pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Go mediocrity !!!
      
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      March 25, 2026 9:58am
  - MCōs
    
    It’s not going to happen so you can stop wasting your time beating that drum.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:22am
  - mogg
    
    Media played a big part in that, first time we had Jacinda Mania, then we had be ‘Kind Jacinda the best PM in the world’. Remember how the ‘Australians were envious and wanted Jacinda’ then it was the UK who wanted their own Jacinda. All of this was happening when the PIJF was in full swing.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:45am
    - TS Child
      
      @mogg
      Heh. The Australians have her now – I’m expecting the celebratory parade any day …
      
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      March 25, 2026 12:37pm
  - Groggy
    
    Yes, that’s why the current crap Finance Minister will be gone in Nov. She is hopeless. Running Bigger deficits than Labour did and crashing the construction market through dumb calls. Oh and where are our ferries – years late – while the current rust buckets break down constantly, over budget already and bargain basement port infrastructure to go with them. Oh and the great call to import LNG even though it’s the most expensive option and climbing. What you get with an English Lit degree and Liz Truss playbook.
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:59pm
    - JackRabbit
      
      Running Bigger deficits than Labour did…
      
      Running Bigger deficits as a result of what Labour did, when the chickens came home to roost on the interest payments on the extra $150,000,000,000 of debt the previous govt ran up.
      
      It is easy to be caviler when you don’t acknowledge the problems Labour left.
      
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      March 25, 2026 3:03pm
- Boy Geoff
  
  Why the Greens (and Te Pati Maori) have any concerns at all over high fossil fuel prices is beyond me.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:59am
- waikatosinger
  
  Labour loves this oil crisis. All they need to do is complain constantly that the government isn’t doing enough, mock anything they do as inadequate, and keep pointing out that the economy is struggling and people are hurting, and the election will fall into their laps. No matter that Labour’s proposed alternative solutions (when it even bothers to make some) are all absolutely terrible and would quickly turn a problem into a catastrophe.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:03am
- MCōs
  
  Well, it isn’t Hipkins problem is it, just as the Covid pandemic wasn’t the problem of whoever happened to be leading the National Party at the time.
  Simon Bridges tried to make it a problem and lost his job
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:09am
  - Don Beckett
    
    He didn’t try to make it a problem – he sought to get the truth out and proposed proper remedial action which our dictator Jacinda didn’t like.
    
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    March 25, 2026 11:18am
  - Jack5
    
    Cossie: And I thought it was dim-witted, mutinous National MPs whipped on by a dimmer-witted scribbler who brought down Bridges and led to the fiasco with his replacement, Todd Muller.
    
    Muller lasted three months, 22 days as Leader of the Opposition.
    
    On Covid: Here is the Bridges speech on the declaration of the Covid state of emergency:
    
    https://newsroom.co.nz/2020/03/25/simon-bridges-full-speech-on-state-of-emergency/
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:36pm
- Raphael
  
  Hipkins said “not my problem” and “why isn’t the government doing more?”
  So criticising with no plans of his own
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:26am
Damocles11

In January 2026, 51.8% of all mortgages approved for first-home buyers were low-equity loans (less than a 20% deposit), marking the first time this figure has exceeded 50% in Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) data dating back to 2014.
This type of high-risk lending has accelerated rapidly, rising from 40.9% in January 2025 and 31.3% in January 2024.
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March 25, 2026 8:36am
Damocles11

‘Trump said a “very significant prize” was given to the US by Iranian negotiators.
“They gave us a present, and the present arrived today. It was a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money and I’m not going to tell you what that present is but it was a very significant prize,” Trump said.
“They gave it to us and they said they were going to give it, so that means one thing to me, we’re dealing with the right people.”
“It was related to the flow, to the Strait [of Hormuz],” Trump said.’
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March 25, 2026 8:39am
- RoboRob
  
  Oooooo
  
  Is it the biggest and best ever in the history of the world?
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:41am
  - Damocles11
    
    ‘Iran’s armed forces say they have carried out drone attacks targeting a facility of Israel’s Rafael weapons firm in the northern city of Haifa.
    According to Iran’s Fars news agency, a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said Iranian forces launched missiles and drones at targets including Eilat, Dimona and areas around Tel Aviv, as well as what it described as US military bases in the region.’
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:58am
  - grumpy
    
    I believe he is talking metaphorically. The “present” is probably something happening in Iran to prove he is negotiating with the right people. Probably identification of a site or people.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:42am
    - Colville
      
      Makes for interesting internal politics when all you need to do to move up the command structure is leak your bosses coordinates to the other side and a bunker buster is on its way via B1 bomber!
      
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      March 25, 2026 11:23am
      - Damocles11
        
        ‘Game Of Thrones: Prince Of Persia’
        
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        March 25, 2026 12:27pm
- virtualmark
  
  It was a big statue of a horse. Made of wood.
  
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  March 25, 2026 8:38pm
peterwn

There was a news item that foreign airlines were concerned that their planes could become stranded in New Zealand because of lack of fuel for the return leg. Could well happen in a banana republic but not in better organised nations. NZ could easily assure foreign airlines that there is sufficient fuel for their return flights. If that assurance could not be given for any particular flight, then the airline would just cancel that flight. Air New Zealand would be faced with a similar issue, they would only fly a route if they were assured of fuel for the return flight.
Incidentally Air NZ is already trimming its schedules in response to higher fuel prices. This would help conserve fuel stocks.
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March 25, 2026 8:43am
- RoboRob
  
  Some might think that Air NZ is taking advantage of the situation to reduce routes it wanted to cut anyway. My money is on many of the cut flights not returning.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:22am
  - MCōs
    
    Listening to the news it’s the smaller independent operators who are and have been withdrawing services.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:25am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Maybe they don’t have enough profitable routes to offset the costly short routes?
      
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      March 25, 2026 9:31am
    - Raphael
      
      Air NZ has used it to ditch a bunch of their regional flights.
      
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      March 25, 2026 9:51am
  - peterwn
    
    Air NZ are not cutting routes. They are reviewing flight frequencies and bookings including Samoa. They are trimming some flights and rebooking passengers on the remaining flights same day or next day.
    
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    March 25, 2026 3:08pm
- david in Aus
  
  Jet fuel is the canary in the coal mine. The inventory of jet fuel has always been the lowest.
  There is a lag of several weeks for other fuels.
  
  There are those here that say this is all panic. That is more sunny optimism than mathematics. The degree of disruption of supply is the mirror of demand destruction from Covid.
  
  Just note, stage 1 of government plans is to say Don’t Panic. As it causes a run on the fuel supplies as people anticipate price rises. The causes local supply issues.
  
  The NZ government should be front-running fuel supplies from the Americas, while they suppress their prices for political purposes. This opportunity may not last for long.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:29am
- Master Mariner
  
  “NZ could easily assure foreign airlines that there is sufficient fuel for their return flights. If that assurance could not be given for any particular flight, then the airline would just cancel that flight”
  
  Thats the thing, Flights are booked weeks in advance, How can NZ guarantee Weeks? It relies on a “Just in time” supply chain via Product tanker which may come or not come on schedule ?
  
  Why would the insurers risk that ? Another thing Jet fuel /av gas has a limited shelf life with a proportion used just by getting here by Ship.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:40am
  - soothsayer99
    
    Master mariner you are probably better placed than anyone. There is no talk of bunker or heavy fuels oil stocks. Jet fuel is one thing, but if we can’t top up the container ships do we have another issue brewing. (I guess they can bring enough to get back to they next port that has fuel)
    
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    March 25, 2026 11:27am
    - Master Mariner
      
      “no talk of bunker or heavy fuels oil stocks”
      There is talk of high sulphur ( More polluting) and Lower “Spec” fuels. I can only think more affordable ( Less refining and quality ) and available as the only reason. ( Refinery anyone ?)
      Maybe from Australia where it is I believe banned.
      However not sure of availabilty.
      Worth keeping an eye on all the same.
      
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      March 25, 2026 12:40pm
      - Ghost
        
        Australia is allowing fuel with higher sulphur levels, allowing them to get fuel from a Brisbane refinery
        
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        March 25, 2026 12:46pm
  - peterwn
    
    The fuel guarantee would only be given hours before takeoff.
    
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    March 25, 2026 5:32pm
- Taieri
  
  Incidentally Air NZ is already trimming its schedules in response to higher fuel prices
  ————-
  
  But they still keep advertising promotions. Got an email just this morning with fare specials to Oz and Pacific Islands – at very reasonable prices.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:11am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Anything in the fine print about the right to add fuel surcharges?
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:26pm
    - Taieri
      
      No mention of any surcharges.
      
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      March 25, 2026 1:55pm
Yvette

Te Papa
A case before the law, Ratana defacecation of the English version of te Papa exhibit of the Treaty has been ‘dismissed’, that apparently placing the case beyond legal reconsideration, but centering on tikanga, there is no public detail it seems to precisely explain why this case is dropped.
Since the Supreme Court took steps to introduce tikanga into New Zealand Law in a Trojan Horse manner in R v Ellis, should the secrecy of the te Papa case be allowed to happen, if only to clear te Papa management of any perceived complicity, and restore a small portion of the damage te Pati Maori has done to tikanga.
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March 25, 2026 8:58am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  As noted previously, it was Crown Law who opted not to prosecute.
  
  It’s Una Jagoze who needs to explain her reasoning.
  
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  March 25, 2026 12:28pm
- Ra Henare
  
  defacecation????
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:32pm
  - greybeard
    
    Defacecation
    (noun)
    (1) the practice of defecating on everything in sight for some obscure reason
    (2) the practice of de-facing everything in sight for some obscure reason
    (3) the practice of removing facecation from various surfaces: facecation is a little-known condition caused by applying a maori-invented substance to a non-maori entity. Or by applying a non-maori invented substance to a maori-entity.
    Very rare, and with very little historical precedent.
    
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    March 25, 2026 6:02pm
    - Yvette
      
      Greybeard, thank you – from here to ardernity :o)
      
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      March 25, 2026 10:24pm
BeaB

RNZ thinks Hipkins is clever not to reveal any policy. Obviously a lot of voters agree. Some people prefer a mystery tour to a known destination.
It still amazes me how supine and complaisent our media are when it comes to Labour. No hard questions, no follow-up, not even a weak challenge. Hipkins keeps on saying they can’t develop policy until they know how much money there is. We manage to understand there won’t be much to play with so why can’t he?
But it looks as though he can rely on winning the election without any policies. Too many voters have blind faith or a wilful amnesia.
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March 25, 2026 8:58am
- RoboRob
  
  To be fair, almost no party has released any policy. Winston first seems to be the only party to have started releasing policy.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:38am
  - Cassandra
    
    ?? Act and even National have plenty of policy.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:27am
    - RoboRob
      
      New election campaign policy?
      
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      March 25, 2026 10:32am
  - kowtow
    
    Throwing red meat to the pack is not what I’d consider “releasing policy”.
    
    tbh I watched his whole speech and found it was classic Winston . He’s taking the piss with a bit of pretend policy at the end .
    
    Oh and he’s starting to stumble . “Socialist” instead of social .( Freudian slip?)
    
    There comes a time when every ring master must realise the show’s over , pity his sycophants keep encouraging him.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:38am
- Mod88
  
  He has released policy, a Capital Gains Tax. That is the foot in the door when you consider who will sit around the Cabinet Table with him. Marama, Chloe, Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi. Get your Passport up to date…
  
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  March 25, 2026 12:37pm
  - Jack5
    
    We already have capital gains tax.
    
    But when Labour was talking of introducing a strong CGT, it was Jacinda Ardern herself who in a quick decision killed it.
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:55pm
surfing

Had the displeasure of booking flights through a travel agent the other day. It’s been years, hopefully it will be years before I have to do again.

If their customers were a bit brighter, they’d be gone! Unfortunately we had no choice due to being part of a group.
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March 25, 2026 9:11am
Gravelroad

One of the local, free, weekly papers here includes what used to be called a “vox pop”. That is where a reporter (usually a very junior one) is sent out to accost people on the street and ask them all the same question of the day.
So today’s results are the from this question: “What would a truly thriving …….. community look like for everyone?”
The published replies included:
Giving, sharing, kindness, bartering, looking after each other. And various other soft world platitudes.
Not one mention of working, producing something, saving or contributing in any substantial way.
These people will be voting later this year.
They won’t care about “the economy.”
They will care about who is going to be the most kind and giving. And who is going to “look after them”.
Good luck National.
That is what they will be up against.
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March 25, 2026 9:13am
- Cassandra
  
  We’ve created a handout mentality. I endorse welfare, along the lines of Peter Fraser ie help when necessary to get you back on your feet. But not this bludger’s paradise both Labour and National have created. Mostly Labour!
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:21am
  - septic skeptic
    
    Mostly Labour? Probably. But note the last tranch of WFF just introduced on a “temporary” basis. What is the chance of that getting reversed if the fuel price drops to the indicated levels a few weeks before the election?
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:10am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      Yes, I suspect that’s why the initial period was set to 12 and not 6 months. Nicola will not want this expiring during the election campaign.
      
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      March 25, 2026 12:31pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      As I understand it. It is a $50 tax credit.
      
      Why are the media and lots of commenters calling it a $50 handout.
      
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      March 25, 2026 1:35pm
      - jkt
        
        Good point.
        It takes understanding of basic economics to explain this … do you think Hipkins will be able to explain the difference?
        
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        March 25, 2026 4:28pm
- Damocles11
  
  Sounds like they will be voting for Labour and the Greens. These party’s sell a fantasy that utopia is achievable and that we can have anything we want, we just have to take it off greedy rich people who don’t deserve it. This is called ‘fairness’ and ‘social justice’, and any truly virtuous person will agree to it. If you don’t, you are just selfish and amoral.
  The other, more recent, part of the fantasy is an assertion that if we change our behaviour here in New Zealand, we will be able to ‘save the planet’. It’s all nonsense but we have so many people in this country that have lost touch with reality that the infantile fantasies of the Left are treated as sound and achievable plans.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:24am
- Ghost
  
  Where I live strongly votes national. Yet I would call it a giving, sharing caring town. Community garden is worked on by many people, providing fresh fruit and vegetables for those who are struggling, mainly pensioners. Many people put their extra fruit and vegetables at their gate or take it down to the library for their free food stand
  
  Everything in your post doesn’t mean that people will vote for labour. The lockdowns here left people wanting to give more and help more.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:42am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Well said. Kiwis are great people when left to their own devices.
    NZ would be the greatest country on earth if it weren’t for our governments.
    
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    March 25, 2026 12:55pm
RoboRob

As predicted, the government is taking flack from all sides on its fuel handout policy.
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March 25, 2026 9:23am
- Damocles11
  
  Yes, they would have no matter what they did. Truly a ‘no win’ situation.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:25am
  - RoboRob
    
    In that case they should have chosen the path that was best for the country.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:49am
    - Damocles11
      
      That would guarantee the election would be lost. Labour have an open chequebook and a magic money tree.
      
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      March 25, 2026 9:56am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Spoken like a true defeatist.
        
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        March 25, 2026 12:56pm
      - Damocles11
        
        I’m a realist. Idealists live in a fantasy world.
        
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        March 25, 2026 1:09pm
      - jkt
        
        There we go, fantasy land, we just cannot escape the covid crisis …
        
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        March 25, 2026 4:30pm
- MCōs
  
  It is a bit of a Clayton’s policy when they’re handing out less than the extra gst they’re pulling in.
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:30am
  - RoboRob
    
    Lol, see everyones a critic 🙂
    
    Re GST. Heard an arguement on that, which makes sense. The government doesn’t actually make extra money off increasing fuel prices. Sure they make more GST dollars off petrol BUT that is offset by less GST in other areas. If people spend more on fuel, they spend less elsewhere.
    
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    March 25, 2026 9:35am
    - Raphael
      
      indeed. I am not going to buy the coffee and a muffin because my spare change for that went into the gas tank.
      
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      March 25, 2026 11:22am
  - jkt
    
    It is actually charging the taxpayer less tax than originally signalled.
    Those who receive it will never know they were allowed to keep a bit more of what they have earned.
    
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    March 25, 2026 4:33pm
- Scooter
  
  It’s hardly a crisis now so why not wait. It’s all down to the COVID panic, we must do something and the media are ramping up the fear mongering. This government have learnt nothing from the COVID fear fest.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:46am
- greybeard
  
  Flak
  
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  March 25, 2026 5:51pm
imalwaysright

Seems that the recently elected Mayor of Upper Hutt could be involved in the Chatham Island financial ‘discrepancies’.
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March 25, 2026 9:24am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Yep,
  she was the lead consultant engaged by Paul Eagle & the Chathams Council.
  
  Then there is Peri Zee. Before she won the Upper Hutt mayoralty in October 2025, Zee was a senior consultant at Agite. In fact, she was the project lead on the Chatham Islands engagement. According to Vance’s reporting, Zee wrote the islands’ failed government regional deal bid and was present at council meetings throughout 2025. She was, in other words, one of the people billing the cash-strapped Chatham Islands Council while simultaneously preparing to stand for election.
  
  https://www.elocal.co.nz/Article/7844
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:02pm
Simon

China brings in temporary price controls on fuel to halt harm in the wider economy caused by rapidly increasing fuel prices.

Because China unlike NZ isn’t run by utter clowns.

Meanwhile RBNZ say no OCR increases unless fuel prices embedded……. RBNZ playing the best hand they can, while they watch the fiscal bozos National perform dancing monkey acts.

NZ 10 year bond yield steadily increases.
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March 25, 2026 9:28am
- RoboRob
  
  You realise that Chinas price controls simply meant that the government (tax payer) is paying the difference between whatever price China set at the pump and the real cost of fuel?
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:51am
- Damocles11
  
  So you are a fan of totalitarianism then?
  How would you go in a surveillance state? Would your social credit score hold up?
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:01am
- MCōs
  
  In Thailand fuel prices are set by the government as used to be the situation here.
  The price is B32.78 which is $1.76 because it’s subsidized
  The petrol is blended with ethanol
  Mr S Jones claims Labour shut down the Marsden Refinery, which is untrue, but my understanding petrol would have been even more expensive if that was still operating.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:19am
  - kowtow
    
    It’s “set” here too . About half being taxes , levies etc
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:31am
  - RoboRob
    
    Labour allowed it to be shut down. There was consultation. There were other options.
    
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    March 25, 2026 10:34am
    - imalwaysright
      
      They didn’t seem to realise that fuel security comes with a price. Its an insurance policy.
      
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      March 25, 2026 11:08am
    - Jack5
      
      In the last few days, the Australian Government announced it will extend its subsidies to two remaining petrol refineries. They supply about a fifth of Australia’s demand.
      
      The expiry date of the subsidies has been extended from mid-2027 to mid-2030.
      
      An anonymous source thrown up by AI says the subsidy is 1.8 cents per litre of refined fuel produced.
      
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      March 25, 2026 1:05pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    I see that its still a free market? as the Thai government expressed dissapointment with some outlets charging 40thb.??
    
    Welcome to SE Asia.
    
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    March 25, 2026 1:44pm
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    I have said this before MCos. The Board of CHI met with Megan Woods and asked her if the refinery was considered a strategic asset by the Government. Woods responded that it wasn’t. After the dismissal of staff and plant decommissioning started, Woods, because she has the IQ of a blob of amoebic goo, changed her mind. But all way, way too late. And quite brilliantly, that other intellectual powerhouse, Hipkins, has her as his Minister for Energy again! Failing upwards is the rule rather than the exception in the Labour Party.
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:35pm
    - Burtland
      
      her new $150M monumental cycleway over brougham street is another brain fart – the amount of steel in the abutments suggests she will open it
      
      https://hail.to/addington-te-kura-taumatua/article/kFtXm7d
      
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      March 25, 2026 4:04pm
      - Burtland
        
        8x 30metre deep piles for a cycleway 😵‍💫
        
        https://createsend.com/t/t-4DDCE2D385EF365D2540EF23F30FEDED
        
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        March 25, 2026 4:34pm
- kowtow
  
  ‘Because China unlike NZ isn’t run by utter clowns.’
  
  Oh dear.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:33am
RoboRob

Heard Mark Mitchel on Hosking this morning. I like Mitchel but not everyone is financially illiterate and he shouldn’t treat people like they are.

To paraphrase…
‘The $300m isn’t going to be extra borrowing, its comming from existing budgets. We are just going to have to work hard to save money in other areas’.

Quit with the BS.

a) If the above is true, and savings were available, why weren’t they already made? Thus reducing the budget and the amount of borrowing.

b) The budget includes an ‘extra’ allowance for unexpected issues. Likely this money comes from that allowance. If this extra spending isn’t required, that money isn’t spent. If it is, then that moeny is borrowed and spent. The budget doesn’t increase, but the borrowing required does.

Please stop treating us like we are thick. Suck it up and admit it. He should have said, yeah we chose to borrow more to help out some sections of society. Labour are saying we didn’t help enough, if they were in they would have borrowed much more to help extra people. See its not hard.
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March 25, 2026 9:31am
Paulus

Of course they are getting flack as all the so called media can do is find in the streets the people who will answer what they want continuing to denigrate the Government and create a real left wing one again and who will complain when they do not get as much from the new one as they want.
Commented recently that Maiki Sherman’s complete anti rhetoric is not so much towards anti the Government, but continually towards the promotion of Maoridom.
Clever really pretending one thing to produce another.
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March 25, 2026 9:32am
- RoboRob
  
  So you are saying, its the MSMs fault?
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:35am
- MCōs
  
  Someone on Morning Report on the street in the Wairarapa said they would be prepared to pay double if it got rid of the Iranians.
  
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  March 25, 2026 10:25am
  - Ra Henare
    
    Wonder how many they had to interview to get that sound byte.
    
    Remember “”reporters”” on radio are just looking for a soundbyte. Does not mean that view is shared by ANYONE else.
    
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    March 25, 2026 1:49pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Annecdatum
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:01pm
Jethrod

Have just read a very good and critical view of Christopher Hipkins, by David Harvey on Substack. And doesn’t even mention his relationship problems!
https://djhdcj.substack.com/?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web
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March 25, 2026 10:37am
grumpy

Many years ago I had dealings with a pair of Danish Venture Capitalists. They had a program that could tell you how much you lost in sales in proportion to the amount you increased your prices.
I suspect Treasury has something similar and can advise Government on the likely drop in sales volume of fuel under levels of price increases. They would have empirical evidence from previous oil shocks to refine that.
What Willis is saying about volumes decreasing has more than the ring of truth to it.
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March 25, 2026 10:39am
- Nūhaka Native
  
  Yes, if it costs more, people will buy less of it.
  
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  March 25, 2026 12:41pm
- Ra Henare
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_elasticity_of_demand
  
  It is a well known economic principle.
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:51pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Apparently not to most politicians.
    
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    March 25, 2026 3:26pm
  - grumpy
    
    Perfect! A great example of there being very clever bastards on this blog.
    
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    March 25, 2026 6:54pm
Damocles11

Some disturbing / alarming facts below regarding the US National Debt:
– The national debt rose from USD 38 Trillion to USD 39 Trillion in only 71 days, with projections that it could surpass USD 40 Trillion by late 2026.
– The Supreme Court has ordered the current administration to refund approximately USD 165 Billion to USD 175 Billion in tariff revenues that were deemed illegal.
– Expenses related to the conflict with Iran are reportedly costing around USD 2 Billion per day, adding significant pressure to the fiscal situation.
– The interest bill on the national debt is projected to exceed USD 1 Trillion annually during 2026, due to rising interest rates on maturing short-term debt.
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March 25, 2026 12:56pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Most of this is all old and here are a few points to consider:
  
  * Yes, the debt is massive.
  * The burn rate in the Biden and Trump era has been around $2tn to $3tn a year, so $40tn is almost certainly coming up soon – almost certainly before the end of the year.
  * The courts make all sorts of noise all the time. Might or might not happen.
  * The costs of running the military are huge. Over $1tn a year (almost $3bn a day). Those costs don’t differ much if they are active or burning the money on exercises/training. Therefore “spending $2bn on Iranian conflict” is really just accounting.
  * They interest on the National Debt has exceeded $1tn (and the military budget) for a few years now. Nothing new in this.
  
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  March 25, 2026 2:28pm
  - Damocles11
    
    ‘Most of this is old’
    The jump to $39 Trillion is recent.
    $40 Trillion is coming soon, almost certainly before the end of the year.
    The determination of the Supreme Court is recent.
    The war against Iran is recent, to the point that it is still ongoing.
    ‘Based on projections and recent data, annual interest payments on the US national debt are expected to exceed $1 Trillion *for the first time* in fiscal year 2026.’
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:36pm
mogg

Hatzola the Jewish charity organisation in London,!who had their four free ambulances firebombed on Sunday night, have raised £1.5 million in charitable donations. They were asking for £65,000, across all platforms the total is thought to be close to £2 million and rising. There is now a new chant on the streets of London “Kier Starmer Jew Harmer”. After all along with his friend Jeremy Corbyn when in opposition they did say “Hamas and Hezbollah are our friends”
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March 25, 2026 1:20pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Wonder how much was donated by “”wealthy”jewish people.
  As opposed to donations from Jo & Jane bloggs
  
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  March 25, 2026 1:53pm
  - greybeard
    
    If the same thing happened in New Zealand to maori-owned ambulances , how much money do you think would be donated by those identifying as “wealthy maori”?
    I would suggest: bugger-all.
    
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    March 25, 2026 4:57pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Certainly, they’re great at assisting in the fundraising effort.
  
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  March 25, 2026 2:03pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Genuine question:
  
  Why do Jews need special ambulances?
  
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  March 25, 2026 2:29pm
  - mogg
    
    It’s a Jewish run charity, but the ambulances are run by volunteers who will pick up all denominations in emergency situations. The NHS are always overloaded with some long delays for ambulances, consequently people are dying unnecessarily
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:43pm
Swifty

Your tax money going to Jew hatred and pro-Palestinian propaganda, all courtesy of the Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

https://x.com/taxpayersunion/status/2036578923404820494?s=46

Heads should roll – but they won’t.
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March 25, 2026 1:27pm
- Ghost
  
  interesting to see when the funding took place. Application made the day the government was sworn in, approved before the new minister would be aware.
  
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  March 25, 2026 4:29pm
JJ56

Julia Gabel again showing she’s in contention for the Herald political editor’s job.

“Speaker Gerry Brownlee asks court to recall and reconsider Mariameno Kapa-Kingi judgment” it shouts.

Buried in the article we find that all Gerry wants a technical rewording so as not to stand on Parliament’s toes. No suggestion Kapa-Kingi isn’t still in the Party.
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March 25, 2026 1:27pm
Swifty

The wonderful Catherine Saunders has passed on:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GjwDWJoE7fU&pp=0gcJCZoBo7VqN5tD
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March 25, 2026 2:20pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

Has driving got worse with the “fuel crisis”?

Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to me that in the last couple of weeks people have become far less patient and will take far bigger risks.

In the last week I have twice encountered people overtaking on a blind corner on Sumner Road above Lyttleton. I’ve also had people make ridiculous turns in front of me to enter car parks etc.

All these required massive braking on my part and would have resulted in crashes if I had not been driving defensively.

On top of that there’s just been more aggro driving.

Of course it could be just some sort of bias on my part (triggered maybe by my semi-retirement), but I’ve definitely noticed this.
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March 25, 2026 2:21pm
- Ghost
  
  Not noticed a difference, but I think there are a l9ad of people who shouldn’t be on the road. Baby on board drivers are the worst. Also noticed this stupid practice of grading the grass away from the side of the road, has so far caused 3 different cars to flip over into the same paddock
  
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  March 25, 2026 2:27pm
  - cmm (semi-retired edition)
    
    How can grading the grass cause a car to flip?
    
    Surely a moron driver still has to drive off the road.
    
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    March 25, 2026 2:31pm
    - Ghost
      
      They’ve taken too much dirt off each time, creating enough of a slope to cause them to flip
      
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      March 25, 2026 3:05pm
Jack5

What’s wrong with NZ when we can’t grow our own food economically?

Wild guess on vegetable porblems: pressure from consumer groups and government on supermarkets over prices has led the two supermarket chains in turn to squeeze suppliers damn near lifeless.

The close of the McCain vegetable processing plant from next January is a blow to NZ consumers as well as vegetable growers. It follows Heinz Wattie announcing that it will close its three NZ plants.

McCains Foods Aust Pty owns the NZ plants through subsidiary Weyville Holdings.

Weyville reported a loss of $16.5 million in its 30 June 2025 years, compared with a loss $2.5 million in 2024. However, operational net cash flow was a deficit of $22.2 million compared with a deficit of $32 million the in 2024.

Sales revenue for 2025, at $306.7 million, compared with sales of $325.6 million the previous year.

In 2023, Weyville reported a profit of $4.5 million, but for quite a few years the company alternated between relatively modest profits, and losses.
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March 25, 2026 2:52pm
- RoboRob
  
  The Mayor in the area of the McCains shutdown was on TV saying that energy costs and reliability were the core issue with the sutdowns.
  
  To be a successful country you need good and affordable communications, transport and energy. It’s not rocket science. Labour screwed us on energy (although there were already issues) and National have done sweet FA to rectify the situation.
  
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  March 25, 2026 3:24pm
- Jack5
  
  Perhaps worth a look …
  
  Do one or both of the supermarket chains own product-supply companies that import food from cheap-labour companies and compete against NZ growers and food processors?
  
  That would be impossible for an NZ producer to compete against: a buyer’s own cheaper line of supply.
  
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  March 25, 2026 3:42pm
Swifty

UNRWA in its death throes?

https://x.com/hillelneuer/status/2036567904200642687?s=46

Good.
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March 25, 2026 3:13pm
Ghost

Questions are being raised about Whanganui District Council’s $62,000 logo redesign, with ratepayer advocates saying the full cost of the rebrand remains unknown and key details around the process are missing.

Article

I cannot work out what the logo is. Someone pissing in the wind? A pair of boobs?
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March 25, 2026 4:06pm
- greybeard
  
  It is “someone pissing in the WHIND: just remember that extra “H”, mate.” It is WHanganui.
  
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  March 25, 2026 4:50pm
Ghost

The latest data shows a very slight dip in the country’s fuel stocks – now just shy of 47 days worth.

That includes about 48.7 days worth of petrol, 46.4 days of diesel, and 43.4 days of jet fuel, either in the country or on its way.

Article

Today I heard of someone filling up a wheelie bin with fuel, a water tank with fuel. Shortages will be because of people hoarding and being stupid.
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March 25, 2026 4:12pm
Jack5

For the Doolans who follow Kiwiblog …

Reuters reports the Vatican says Roman Catholics can receive transplants of animal tissues to address medical conditions, as procedures involving genetically ‌modified pig or cow organs continue to advance.

A pig kidney was transplanted into a human in America in 2024, but the news agency says animal transplants for humans are rare.

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/catholics-may-receive-organ-transplants-animals-vatican-says-2026-03-24/
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March 25, 2026 4:32pm
- Damocles11
  
  The Pope must have checked with his boss who said it was all kosher. He should also ask him if there’s anything in his book he wants to amend or clarify.
  
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  March 25, 2026 5:45pm
Ghost

Don’t need to be a psychic to know that this was going to happen

People who are not eligible for the government’s fuel relief package – including beneficiaries or those living in rural communities with no children – say it is a “kick in the guts”.

Article

This decision could very well be the final nail in the coffin of this government.
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March 25, 2026 7:28pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Aren’t benefit rates and payments going up on April 1st, which is next week?
  Not good enough?
  As a working taxpayer I would have thought some people might be grateful………no?
  
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  March 25, 2026 9:29pm
  - Ghost
    
    And do you actually think that will cover the rising cost in fuel, the cost of living, power, food. everything has gone up. Maybe we should just change our euthanasia laws so the pensioners who are struggling can just be put down to save people like you some money
    
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    March 25, 2026 11:06pm
    - Gravelroad
      
      That is a ridiculous and insulting response.
      
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      March 26, 2026 7:59am
Jack5

Labour’s Woods was in full cry in Parliament today deflecting dissatisfaction with Labour abandoning the Marsden Point refinery.

The media was in bias mode, giving her side of the dispute.

Stuff, for example, let Woods away with the defence, “we did not refine our own oil.”

Woods was alluding to the dribble of oil from Taranaki.

Woods wasn’t asked why Labour didn’t subsidise the refinery in the way the Australian Government has kept two refineries in business with subsidies, only this week extended for a year or three. Most of their crude oil is imported.

No-one asked for a Marsden refinery subsidy, Woods seemed to say.

What about Labour’s strategy for national oil security?

Woods has championed the expensive Onslow storage idea. It would be built over several years and compete with the Clutha generators for water as the lake slowly grew in its expensively created bed.

While Woods dreamed of the big lake, she and her Labour colleagues slept through the security threat posed by the demise of the Marsden Point refinery.

Water and oil …
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March 25, 2026 8:24pm

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