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April 16, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 16 April 2026

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artemisia

MP Deborah Russell dodges question on whether Labour capital gains tax goes far enough Herald today, not paywalled.

The accusation came after a new report from lobby group Tax Justice Aotearoa called for new taxes.The group called for a more comprehensive capital gains tax, a wealth tax, and windfall taxes for banks and electricity gentailers. The group also called for a tax-free threshold and GST rebates for low-income workers. Summary – eat the rich. And let’s not forget that assets generally increase with age, umm wonder why that is. Maybe something to do with building skills and businesses, working hard and paying off the mortgage.

However the headline is a tad misleading as Ms Russell didn’t really dodge. Russell told Newstalk ZB the report had some good suggestions, and went on to say <i?“I’m just saying, yeah, I think this is on the right track"

A nod is as good as a wink to the skilled, ambitious and asset owners. Plan B?
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April 16, 2026 8:07am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  The problem isn’t really Labour either. The problem is the voter base that votes for them. NZ has a majority of over-entitled people who think they “deserve” just because of an accident of being born in NZ.
  
  That sense of entitlement drives parties to respond by offering tasty treats.
  
  This obsession with “the rich” is Envy. There’s a damn good reason why Envy is a deadly sin along with the other six displayed in excess in NZ (Pride, Greed, Lust, Gluttony, Wrath and Sloth).
  
  They will start with “eating the rich” and find there are not many of them. Once they have their appetite up they will then take on the next bracket down.
  
  Anyone with any sense will see the pattern and take their skills overseas. No wonder we keep losing 180 to 200 a day. Last week, we lost our GP to Australia. What a wonderful man who will serve his next practice well.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:24am
  - gravedodger
    
    “They will start with “eating the rich” and find there are not many of them.”
    
    Then they will find many of those few rearrange their affairs and disappear from the taxable cohort entirely along with their wealth.
    Because they can afford to
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:45am
    - Charlotte Wells
      
      Two points;
      
      First, the UK is in the position of paying more in benefits than it takes in taxes.
      
      Second, it has been calculated that if every bit of wealth was taken from all the rich, the country would run for 6 months then would be out of money. (I think this was the UK, but stand to be corrected on that one).
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:03am
      - Pope Punctilious II
        
        Charlotte: how can a country possibly pay more in benefits than it takes in taxes? What am I not understanding? How are education, health, roads etc funded if the entire tax take goes on benefits?
        
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        April 16, 2026 3:41pm
      - KKNZ2025
        
        PP2: debt. Their children’s children will pay
        
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        April 16, 2026 5:53pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        The UK pays more in benefits than it takes in income taxes, IIRC.
        
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        April 16, 2026 8:10pm
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        “For the first time, the Labour Government is now spending more on welfare than it is raising in Income Tax.
        In the 2025/26 financial year, the Treasury raised £331 billion in Income Tax.
        In the same year, the Government spent £333bn on welfare.”
        
        Dr Luke Evans
        MP for Hinckley & Bosworth
        
        I guess they do the same as we do here, borrow and hope.
        
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        April 16, 2026 8:14pm
  - Im Right
    
    I agree CMM
    I find it hypocritical that a vast majority of these young ‘socialists/Marxists’ who scream to eat the rich have, in most cases, benefitted from parents who sacrificed for them and because they cannot buy a house as lovely as their parents they want to burn it all down.
    Seems when they protest it must sadden their parents to know that they will be part of losing it all.
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:58am
    - Philview
      
      I read recently that the biggest weath transfer in human history is underway. I bet the young socialists will not be so keen for an inheritance tax to gobble up their share of the assets being passed down.
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:11am
  - Jethrod
    
    I think an accident of birth is barely relevant. My ancestors have been in NZ since 1857 on my father’s side(ex Scotland) and 1905 on my mother’s side(ex England).
    We deserve everything that is owed to us, both good and bad.
    If we were unhappy, we would have left.
    You must have been unhappy to have left SA, what is it, 30 years ago.
    I hope you are happy now.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:23am
  - Ra Henare
    
    When I was growing up in Upper Hutt, many Kiwis refered to the UK as Home. Even tho many were born in NZ and had never visited.
    I well remember hearing Holyoake refererencing UK as home.
    
    IMHO Seems we have continued to “follow the leader” in adopting UK style policies of taxing at rediculous levels and an attitude of entitlement.
    
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    April 16, 2026 12:35pm
  - Quail
    
    CMM,
    The fact remains with these proposed taxation increases is the money targeted is largely tax paid money.
    Capital gains is a classic example as much of that alleged $ growth is simply Government induced inflation.
    Savings , (including compulsory KiwiSaver) supposedly a good thing , is taxed as well as being hit with inflation.
    Saving is losing too often.
    Wealth taxes on million dollar homes ,will only steal savings of the past owners
    Businesses ,farms etc can not operate without adequate capital , most of which is invested in expensive land ,buildings, stock and plant.
    Without these investments these ‘ rich’ people can not produce jobs or actually produce anything !
    The jobs created and production is also taxed.
    ALL of NZ needs to support these people .Taxing the life out of them is simply stupid!
    As I posted earlier it is Government who needs to ‘ cut their cloth’ and balance their books!
    
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    April 16, 2026 7:23pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      Capital gains are income. Explain why that is untrue. Please don’t quote some obscure foreign economist. Dance on the heads of pins with talk of “inflation” and “tax paid income” ….
      
      We don’t count inflation in PAYE or GST calculations. If I buy a car with tax paid income I still pay GST on the purchase price … if I buy petrol with tax-paid income I pay both excise and GST ….
      
      A dollar is a dollar is a dollar
      
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      April 17, 2026 9:08am
- In Vino Veritas
  
  Good assets tend to grow over time artemisia. They also grow, or depreciate, due to Government (both local and central) policies of the time.
  There’s no surprise that a parasitical Unionist runs “Tax Justice”. I mean, people like that have done nothing for New Zealand or New Zealanders for 50 + years now. As Labour are beholden to Unions for any significant funding, they will drop pants and skirts for anything the Unions want.
  Just as an aside, only around 14% of the NZ workforce is Unionised. Over two thirds of those are in the public sector. Laughably, Unions are protecting them against their employer. That would be the taxpayer.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:25am
imalwaysright

A Far North District Councillor told Plunket on the Platform about the takeover of the Council by local Iwi.
Councillors have already been outvoted by unelected Maori representatives.

She also said the Council have signed a treaty with Nga Puhi that gives Nga Puhi sovereignty !

It also appears that all proposed Council business has to pass through the approval of a Maori committee, meaning the Council business will be decided by that committee.

Seymour is making an announcement on the matter this afternoon.
Hopefully Luxon and Watts will be beside him.
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April 16, 2026 8:22am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  I wonder if we will see the type of movement called “semigration” in South Africa. As more wealthy people with economic skills see their cities overrun by incompetence, they move to the more competently run cities or smaller towns (Cape Town, Hermanus, …)
  
  This has been a boom period for the smaller coastal towns that were once sleepy hollows and holiday towns.
  
  Of course in NZ it is much easier to emigrate. Once you’ve packed your bags it is as easy to move to Australia as it is to move to Christchurch – probably easier.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:30am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yes, easier to emigrate.
    
    Moving to another area is unlikely to help as yesterday the Gore Council were discussing Iwi registering “cultural interest” in private property.
    That policy will spread like wildfire and result in private property ownership rights being dictated on the whim or fancy of a small group of self appointed Maori representatives.
    
    NZ is being stolen from beneath us while the smiling zombies smirk and tell us it will never happen.
    
    Its happening now .
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:41am
    - Quail
      
      IAAR,
      Racism at its worst. Had a dream two and a bit years ago that this Racist nonsense would stop and every New Zealand resident would be viewed alike under one law.
      Using alleged ethnic origins to obtain privilege ,koha and voting rights appears to be happening more and more from Northland to Bluff.
      There will always be some division , that which is based on merit is reasonable. Ethnic background is not merit.
      If National really wanted to win the upcoming election, all they need to do is dust off ACTs treaty bill and strongly support a referendum , in the first 100 days!
      One New Zealand one law for all!
      
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      April 16, 2026 1:44pm
  - wilderbeast
    
    It’s already happening in the west. Exit New York, California, Oregon etc, enter Texas, Montana, Florida. Same in Canada where Alberta is receiving lots of internal migration. Something also happening here with net migration into the South Island from the North. I consider myself a political refugee out of Wellington, which clearly demonstrated it didn’t value people like me.
    
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    April 16, 2026 12:40pm
- pdm
  
  `Hopefully Luxon and Watts will be beside him.’
  
  Not a chance in hell!!!
  
  These two, both of whom with leading responsibilities to stop this seem to be fully on board with Co Governance.
  
  As is Winston Peters whose actions never ever back up his rhetoric and promises when he is in a position to initiate action.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:35am
  - RoboRob
    
    Luxon might be on board with it (who knows what he believes in). Simon Watts is just a do nothing Goldsmith clone.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:10am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Maybe this is why Luxon took the portfolio fom Simeon Brown, I doubt Brown would be willing to implement this policy.
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:42am
    - crikey
      
      What a terrible indictment, “to be a Goldsmith clone”.
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:35am
    - septic skeptic
      
      I think there is a fair chance Luxon will start pretending to be a right wing equal rights advocate in the run up to the election.
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:59am
- AitchW
  
  I think it’s time to cut Northland loose. Build a wall across the peninsula around Waipu.
  Nga Puhi clearly believe they’re capable of running their own country, have at it I say!
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:35am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    The problem is, Nga Puhiland would be striking a deal with China within six months – qv the Cook Islands.
    
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    April 16, 2026 8:15pm
- gravedodger
  
  Dream on iar, Luxon even getting out a red pen let alone drawing a line anywhere, posted after I picked my self up off the floor laughing.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:48am
  - imalwaysright
    
    I know it won’t happen, but it had to be said. Those two should be all over this.
    
    The only explanation is that it is their policy and they are facilitating its implementation.
    
    Seymour’s media statement at 6pm will make him or break him.
    
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    April 16, 2026 11:03am
- kowtow
  
  The Dunedin City Council also has at least one committee on which unelected , appointed Maori “representatives” sit and have a vote .
  
  From the ODT
  
  ‘Mr Radich was initially successful in convincing enough colleagues mid-project more information was needed, but an 8-7 vote for this at a council meeting was followed by a 9-8 vote the other way two months later.
  
  The committee to which he had the matter sent, infrastructure services, had two extra members who were mana whenua representatives and they voted with the bloc who argued the revamp should continue as planned.’
  
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  April 16, 2026 11:52am
- igm
  
  Do not hold your breath, Luxon and Watts are both co-governance supporters. They have already backed away from Seymour on matters maori.
  
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  April 16, 2026 12:38pm
Master Mariner

If the Iran / US / Israel war is not a wake up call, Then I do not know what is.
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Asia-Faces-Strained-Supply-Lines-and-Volatile-Energy-Markets.html

“Long-term regional stability depends on adopting the disciplined strategies used by nations like Brazil, China, and Norway, which emphasize domestic resource development and decoupled energy systems to insulate against global price shocks.”
And ,
“This means accelerating the transition toward genuine energy security built on diversity, domestic resource development, and long-term demand transformation”.
“For resource-rich APAC economies, such as Australia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and New Zealand, the Norwegian model of converting resource rents into long-term fiscal and energy resilience is a template worth studying seriously.”
Some very pertinent points in this article regarding Energy Security and preparedness.
NZ did the complete opposite , Thanks to warped Ideology and Energy security was thrown out the window.
And this , “Each required sustained political commitment, patient capital allocation, and a willingness to accept short-term costs for long-term structural resilience. “.
We really are not served by our Politicians with a severe lack of problem solving, Strategic and Critical Thinking.
This should be splashed over all news items and papers etc.
Like I have been saying, This is not over by a long shot.
I hope someone is recording Co2 emissions from the Dear Departed “Anointed one’s ” Travel etc etc.
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April 16, 2026 8:24am
- Wairoa Native
  
  We could be self sufficient in fossil fuels and fertiliser if we wanted to be.
  
  New Zealand is sitting on a massive, largely untapped lignite resource, over 15 billion tonnes of coal in total, with around 80% being lignite concentrated in the South Island. In Otago and Southland alone, there are more than 9 billion tonnes of lignite, with enough potential energy to supply fuel and industrial feedstock for hundreds of years if developed.
  
  Lignite deposits in Otago and Southland contain more than 9 billion tonnes in 10 major deposits. This is a very large, nationally significant resource which has the potential to be used a feedstock for a petrochemical industry, using gasification technology to convert lignite to fertiliser, transport fuels or other high value energy products.
  
  https://www.nzpam.govt.nz/nz-industry/nz-minerals/minerals-statistics/coal/regional-coal-resources
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:41am
  - RoboRob
    
    But it is more environmentally friendly to ship fuel and furtiliser from other countries to NZ then use our own. Doing so doesn’t cause the global warming using our own supplies would.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:13am
    - Wairoa Native
      
      Yes, that’s what those brilliant minds in the Labour and Green party think.
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:24am
      - kowtow
        
        The Nats are well into it too .
        
        Because “Nestle” or somethng like that.
        
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        April 16, 2026 11:53am
      - Taieri
        
        That’s what the brilliant minds in virtually every NZ party think. Haven’t heard anyone of standing in the National Party supporting the further development of NZ lignite resources. Or ACT for that matter. Only NZF is a bit of an outlier advocating for the use of local resources, but you never really know with Winnie.
        
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        April 16, 2026 12:31pm
      - Ghost
        
        The Key government supported it, however it was the report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that made it a political headache for national
        
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        April 16, 2026 12:45pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Wairoa Native unfortunately coal is the devil to the many hoodwinked climate catastrophists. Maybe they will have to experience the literal horror of running out of fossil fuels to have an attitude adjustment.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:59pm
Reg Perrin

Not looking good for Australian fuel supplies with a fire at one of their refineries supplying 50% of the states fuel

https://www.9news.com.au/national/geelong-oil-refinery-fire-corio-blaze-triggers-warning-for-residents-to-stay-inside/c9009c7c-4cf1-4674-86b3-02481b25154e
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April 16, 2026 8:29am
- NZer In Exile
  
  The timing does seem rather suspicious.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:10pm
Southern Raider

I think Trump should keep many of his thoughts in his head and off social media, and he would probably find people then can focus on some of the could things he’s done.

However does anyone else think the same should apply to the Pope? Does the world really need his uneducated views on the Iran conflict. Does the Pope’s musing mean anymore than some B list celebrity posting some woke meme.
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April 16, 2026 8:30am
- Taieri
  
  Does the world really need his uneducated views on the Iran conflict.
  ———
  
  Does the world really need “Southern Rider’s” uneducated views on the Pope?
  
  As well as an religious leader, the Pope also happens to be a head of state. A state, which has been remarkably resilient and long lasting.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:35am
  - rouppe
    
    Resilient and long lasting due to a culture of expecting tithe from it’s congregation.
    
    Not to mention it’s less than salubrious activities in the past centuries.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:20am
    - Taieri
      
      It shares its less than salubrious activities with just about every other state that ever existed. Comparing its head, the religious leader of more than 1B people with “some B list celebrity” shows nothing but an ignorance of the papal influence on the political decisions and social and cultural issues.
      
      BTW: the tithe is bugger all compared with the assorted taxes we currently enjoy paying.
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:48am
    - kowtow
      
      It wasn’t that long ago that many commentators on this very site were very happy to point out the alleged role of the Vatican and “Hitler’s Pope” in WW2 and later secreting away all those Nazi war criminals etc to safety in South America.
      
      But then TDS kicks in and suddenly the “Whore of Babylon” is rehabilitated……..
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:57am
  - marcw
    
    And, it must be emphasised, a state which absolutely refuses to accept refugees or immigrants from other countries. This state even has special designated forces to ensure these desperate people are excluded.
    It’s easy to be “resiliant and long lasting” when you have strict borders and effective policing.
    
    Other countries? Well they are exhorted to accept the masses, it’s the kind and charitable thing to do. Just not us.
    
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    April 16, 2026 11:02am
    - Don Beckett
      
      This is a weird comment. If you are referring to the Vatican state, do you know how big it is?
      44 hectares or 110 acres.
      It has about 4,000 residents.
      Sure gonna fit a lot of refugees in there 😆 😆
      
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      April 16, 2026 12:19pm
      - Southern Raider
        
        Not a weird comment
        
        marcw was just highlighting the “do as I say, not as I do” hypocrisy
        
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        April 16, 2026 12:27pm
      - Phronesis
        
        Vatican State statistics are fun. Their per capita crime rate is the highest in the world by orders of magnitude. Roughly one crime per resident. They also have the world’s highest concentration of Popes at 6 per square mile.
        
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        April 16, 2026 12:43pm
  - Graeme Hall
    
    A State that at one stage had three popes running about and one of them was an ex-pirate (John XXIII). Popes have fought wars, ordered Heretics tortured and killed, set up Inquisitions, and been involved in all sorts of iniquitous activities diametrically opposed to their own religion’s teachings.
    
    A good reference of the Church is Bertrand Russell’s History of Western Philosophy (1945).
    
    Popes know they have largely had their day, so now to appear relevant they bless lumps of ice (Climate Change) and make Left-wing political statements.
    
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    April 16, 2026 11:26am
    - Taieri
      
      You are confusing the Pope John XXIII (Roncalli) – 20th century, with the Antipope John XXIII (Cossa) – 15th century.
      
      The three popes you’re referring to were UrbanVI, Clement VII and Alexander V. Cossa wasn’t one of them.
      
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      April 16, 2026 12:13pm
      - Graeme Hall
        
        Sorry no confusion. Pope John XXIII (ex pirate) was elected by a General Council which makes his appointment as official as it possibly gets. A General Council was designed to, and outranks any presiding pope. The Council (1409) was convened in Pisa to sort out the two popes and instead it appointed a third, our John. They intended the two presiding Popes to resign but they did not – hence three. John got deposed seven years later by another Council.
        
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        April 16, 2026 2:57pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      So Pope JohnXXIII – the one who was pope from 1958 to 1963 – was a pirate ?
      You’ve got some REALLY RELIABLE SOURCES for your “Facts”.
      
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      April 16, 2026 12:13pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        The one who lived in the 15th Century.
        
        https://florenceasitwas.wlu.edu/people/baldassare-cossa
        
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        April 16, 2026 12:28pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        Ah yes – one of the false popes. No-one is denying that there is a history fraught with internal struggles in the Vatican, mainly stemming from political iterference.
        But, despite the attempts of its enemies within & without, it still persists.
        There must be something a little bit special about the Vatican. Even today, there are internal squabblings, but yet it persists.
        
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        April 16, 2026 1:27pm
    - Southern Raider
      
      World’s biggest pyramid scheme and they hold more stolen artefacts than the British Museum.
      
      At least at the British Museum you get to see most of them.
      
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      April 16, 2026 12:26pm
      - mogg
        
        Name one stolen artefact in British Museum.
        
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        April 16, 2026 2:51pm
  - Southern Raider
    
    Hitler was a fan.
    
    1. Pope Paul IV (r. 1555–1559) — Issued the papal bull Cum nimis absurdum, forcing Jews into ghettos, imposing severe restrictions on daily life, and mandating visible identification.
    2. Pope Pius V (r. 1566–1572) — Expelled Jews from most of the Papal States and reinforced discriminatory laws that curtailed their economic activity and freedom of movement.
    3. Pope Innocent III (r. 1198–1216) — Formalized segregationist policies at the Fourth Lateran Council, including requiring Jews to wear distinguishing dress and restricting social integration.
    4. Pope Pius XII (r. 1939–1958) — Criticized by some historians for not publicly and forcefully condemning the Holocaust
    
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    April 16, 2026 12:21pm
    - Wandering Star
      
      These are only natural courses of action for the head of the Catholic Church, if you understand the history.
      
      The last 2000 years could well be summed up as “Jerusalem v Rome” with Rome initially designating the Caesars, but then the Catholic Church.
      
      During the 16th century Rome was still in the box seat, but with the rise of anti-Catholic modernity, Jerusalem has increasingly gained ascendence. However, signs are that the worm looks to be turning again.
      
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      April 16, 2026 1:49pm
- Tom Barker
  
  I entirely agree that people should focus more on what Trump’s done than on the ludicrous things he says. For example, when first elected he promised to eliminate the US trade deficit within ten years. In that time it’s doubled. Well done, Donnie.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:40am
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    Considering he’s only been at the helm 5 years I think we can call your statement what it is.
    
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    April 16, 2026 11:54am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Charlotte so what DO you think Tom Barker’s statement “is”?
      
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      April 16, 2026 9:16pm
- Philview
  
  There is an Iranian cartoon doing the rounds online today of Jesus arriving grabbing Trump, chopping his head off and throwing him into hell. Will this be condemned as well.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:15am
- G152
  
  Trump should quietly go away, enter an old age home and die.
  Or just die
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:15am
- grumpy
  
  I regard the Pope in his pastoral sense, that of a Shepherd tending his flock in a manner often referred to in the Bible.
  In a far corner the wolves are attacking his sheep but the shepherd does nothing (probably because they are a long way in the far corner of the paddock and are the less valuable black sheep).
  A passing hunter sees the carnage and killing and starts eliminating the wolves whereupon the shepherd gets off his chair, rushes to the far corner and angrily berates the hunter……
  
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  April 17, 2026 10:47am
Damocles11

Taine Randell apparently supports sensible immigration levels & is also interested in ‘water and energy’ matters….cool, but he considered standing for the dreadful Labour Party at the last election & was apparently in talks with them again quite recently. 😳

‘Taine Randell previously considered running for the Labour Party in 2023, but ultimately decided against it at that time.’
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April 16, 2026 8:41am
- Prince
  
  The All Black captain with the worst win ratio of all time.
  Sounds perfect for Labour.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:05am
- Flossie
  
  Yes he is obviously sensible. He decided not to join Labour.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:15am
  - Damocles11
    
    He’s obviously isn’t sensible, as he was considering standing as a candidate for the Labour Party. Sensible people don’t do that.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:34am
- RoboRob
  
  So a good fit for NZF who have had many leftwing candidates for years. Shane Jones being a prime example.
  
  Heard Randell speak on energy last night and was impressed. He had some conviction.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:16am
  - Damocles11
    
    Yikes. The more left wing MP’s they have the more the party looks to be a good fit in a coalition with Labour. That worries me.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:36am
    - RoboRob
      
      You may not recall but prior to the election when NZF went with Labour I was trying very hard to convince NZF voters here that the people in NZF were a better fit with Labour then National. I was not surprised at all that they went with Labour.
      
      Thanks said. I am out of the loop with regards to the current NZF membership and know that some of the very left wing people are out of NZF. Certainly performance wise, the current crew, Jones included, have been more right wing on many areas then National. In a lot of ways NZF isn’t a Left / Right wing party, more of a ‘Conservative’ party, that wants to conserve existing NZ tradions and ways of life.
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:16am
      - Pope Punctilious II
        
        “In a lot of ways NZF isn’t a Left / Right wing party, more of a ‘Conservative’ party, that wants to conserve existing NZ tradions and ways of life.”
        
        Yes RoboRob, I agree that’s exactly what NZF is. Though the label “Winston First” is also understandable.
        
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        April 16, 2026 3:49pm
  - greybeard
    
    They all sound convincing and likeable when electioneering. He is doing what Winston does, following the Fisheries money.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:40am
- Philview
  
  He was approached by Willie Jackson and he turned the offer down.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:16am
  - Damocles11
    
    So Jackson approached him in 2023 and again recently? Righto. Why has it been reported that he ‘considered standing for Labour’(?)
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:37am
    - Ghost
      
      he considered it and decided it wasn’t what he wanted
      
      Article
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:45am
      - RoboRob
        
        Yeah but there is a difference between thinking ‘hey I might join Labour’ and being asked ‘do you want to join Labour’ and then thinking about it.
        
        The first is proactive and you feel like it is a good idea. It is what people assume when you say ‘considered joining Labour’.
        
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        April 16, 2026 11:18am
  - pdm
    
    Twice – he has said he was considering Labour in 2023 as well but, walked away from them.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:46am
- MCōs
  
  There’s been half a dozen or so ABs sat in parliament over the years and apart from Ben Couch never been particularly prominent.
  Ben Couch was Minister of Maori Affairs and Minister of Police and said he supported apartheid in South Africa in 1981.
  Being a well known All Black captain doesn’t automatically translate to be being a stunning politician, but it will mean the spotlight will be on Mister R.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:33am
  - RoboRob
    
    Heard him last night, he spoke well and clearly. He appears to have some conviction around fixing energy in NZ. I wouldn’t hold being an ex AB against him.
    
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    April 16, 2026 11:20am
    - wsk12345
      
      And sadly probably little knowledge. It’s a complex sector- surely they can fi d someone who understands it to run?
      
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      April 16, 2026 12:21pm
      - RoboRob
        
        Luxon has only just removd Simon Watts from the job 2.5years in. We had Megan Woods for 6 years prior. Both did almost nothing.
        
        He couldn’t be worse then either of those two.
        
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        April 16, 2026 2:07pm
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    AI has given me 3 different answers, it claims Chris Laidlaw and Louisa Wall. A second search gave Fred Allen. Now it says Bill Yeaman, Tony Steel, and Grahame Thorne.
    
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    April 16, 2026 12:01pm
    - MCōs
      
      Louisa Wall represented NZ at netball and rugby and was the MP for Manurewa.
      However you have to be a bloke to be an AB
      Louisa Wall’s big day
      https://youtu.be/DW4DXOAXF8U?si=HjxfeZ3cqLECu5k6
      
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      April 16, 2026 1:38pm
- septic skeptic
  
  Perhaps he has the inside scoop and figures a seat with NZF is the most likely way to get an MPs job in a Labour government.
  
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  April 16, 2026 12:07pm
- MCōs
  
  “Taine Randell apparently supports sensible immigration levels”
  They all say that
  
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  April 16, 2026 4:38pm
sungsamning

In this segment of Dumpster Fire, host Bridget Phetasy sits down with Dr. Eoin Lenihan, author of Vandalising Ireland, to break down why the Irish political system has left its people with no real way to vote for change. Dr. Eoin Lenihan explains that after a major academic analysis of the 2024 general election manifestos, every single party in Ireland was found to range from center left to far left, including the two parties that claim to be centrist. [The two governing parties are far left, and center left. Any right wing party is ‘tainted’ with Thatcherism, or being the Black and Tans in civvvies. The Catholic church is a shadow of its former self. ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2Oiir0i90
Why Irish People Cannot Vote Their Way Out of This.
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April 16, 2026 8:44am
- imalwaysright
  
  “…every single party in Ireland was found to range from center left to far left,…”
  
  You could say NZ is rapidly approaching the same state.
  
  If a party in NZ had some actual Centre Right policies they would be hounded out of existence by the Media AND the public.
  
  Its frightening how deeply we have been unwittingly conditioned.
  
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  April 16, 2026 11:35am
  - sungsamning
    
    You’ve got a point. I think the only country likely to thrive in future is the USA.
    
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    April 16, 2026 1:27pm
sungsamning

The United States Central Command reported Tuesday no ships made it past the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf within the first 24-hours of the blockade. President Donald Trump ordered the blockade after negotiations in Pakistan failed to secure a peace deal between the United States and Iran over the weekend. [Pretty hard to pay Hamas, the IRGC, hangers on, and Hezbollah if there’s no oil being sold. I don’t think any rockets, or missiles are flying in the Gulf of America. Oil futures are dropping in price.]
https://justthenews.com/government/security/centcom-reports-no-ships-made-it-past-us-blockade-strait-hormuz-first-24-hours
CENTCOM reports ‘no ships’ made it past US blockade of Strait of Hormuz in first 24-hours.
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April 16, 2026 8:44am
- rouppe
  
  Yet I heard on the radio this morning 9 tankers of 2 million barrels each made it through
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:22am
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    The blockade applies to Iran ports.
    
    Ships have free passage via other ports.
    
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    April 16, 2026 12:04pm
  - Warren Murray
    
    That may be so. There’s two blockades in effect. Iran is attempting to block most ships. USA is blockading ships to and from Iranian ports only
    
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    April 16, 2026 1:28pm
  - sungsamning
    
    Events are happening rather quickly. It wouldn’t surprise me.
    
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    April 16, 2026 1:28pm
  - Taieri
    
    Some shipping details here:
    
    https://x.com/_MartinKelly_/status/2044372133435035665
    
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    April 16, 2026 1:43pm
- Don Beckett
  
  The latest from Tousi tv. with some interesting updates – streamed last night from Paris, @ 4 am our time today.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8blE4NI2VGs
  
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  April 16, 2026 11:01am
  - sungsamning
    
    Yeah, that’s an excellent source. He doesn’t make stuff up, or make many mistakes.
    
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    April 16, 2026 1:30pm
lastmanstanding

On the matter of The Pope v Trump. Its a pity The Pope has been silent on the Iran regimes treatment of women and girls and the massacre of Christians in Nigeria Sudan and other countries. IMHO he has no credibility.
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April 16, 2026 8:46am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  It took me three minutes to find that the Pope has been active in condemning death and violence in both Iran and in Africa.
  
  How did you come to that conclusion?
  
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  April 16, 2026 8:54am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    It would have been nice if you had shown the links you found.
    
    Feeding the following question…
    
    Please find examples of Pope Leo XIV criticising the Iranian regime for treatment of protestors and also where he criticises Muslim attacks on Christians in Africa.
    
    … into two AI’s:
    
    [ Mod – gennerally we don’t like extended cut/paste from bots. Either a link to the response and possibly a summary ]
    
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    April 16, 2026 11:11am
    - Tom Hunter
      
      Sorry, I’m aware of that but thought I’d kept my excerpts as short as I could. Here are just two links on their own should others wish to read them
      
      Google
      
      Grok
      
      Should you wish to include just those.
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:43am
  - Tom Hunter
    
    @Nikola
    
    Since you are a church-going Catholic I suggest you read the following two essays.
    
    The first is actually an interview with a Muslim-to-Catholic convert, Sabatina James, who has some pretty dire warnings for the Pope:
    
    Recalling Benedict XVI’s apology to the Muslim world following backlash to his 2006 Regensburg address, she contends that Pope Francis “sacrificed the persecuted on the altar of interreligious dialogue” and that Pope Leo XIV has, in the first months of his pontificate, effectively implied that the Christian world ought to “accept or ignore abuses” being perpetrated by Islamists across Europe.
    
    “If the Vicar of Christ does not speak out against the persecution of Christians, then who on earth still can?” she asks, and calls on the new pontiff to step up to support and defend the persecuted.
    
    She makes it very clear that to date, he hasn’t been for people like her, who remain in a literal firing line.
    
    Then there’s this one from 2022, The Church over the Abyss:
    
    But Francis and his acolytes historicize Christian doctrine, convinced that the Holy Spirit can annul, change, and even abolish the unchanging moral law. The Holy Spirit, it seems, is perfectly in accord with the Zeitgeist, with “advanced” opinion on ethics, politics, and sexual morality. None of this is remotely Catholic.
    
    Politically, Francis has been a disaster. He has interpreted Catholic social teaching in a partial and summary way that is at once statist, centralist, humanitarian, and globalist. He unilaterally identifies Catholic teaching with pacifism, even if he has no authority to do so. He is at heart a Peronist, indulgent to (left-wing) populism and oblivious to the role that the free market can play in encouraging individual initiative and producing the goods that prevent the poor from sinking into destitution. The pope’s opposition to the death penalty is far more “humanitarian” than Christian in character and inspiration.
    
    Among other things.
    
    The sub-title of that last article makes the brutal point:
    The substitution of radical social politics for doctrine spells doom for millions of Catholic faithful.
    
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    April 16, 2026 5:18pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      The summation of Pope Francis’ pontificate is correct. He spoke many false doctrines & contradicted many of his predecessors. He will go down in history as a bad pope, even if many of the things he said and did were good.
      The comments re Pope Leo seem reasonable but are probably a bit premature seeing as he has only been in the Chair of Peter a short time – but everyone is entitled to their opinion
      
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      April 16, 2026 7:48pm
- All_on_Red
  
  Follow the money
  From 2025;
  ‘Recent revelations about the federal funding awarded to Catholic non-governmental organizations (NGOs) over the past four years have raised significant questions regarding the motivations behind the U.S. Catholic bishops’ public stances on political issues. An in-depth analysis of federal spending has revealed that the Biden administration granted Catholic NGOs nearly $2.9 billion in immigration-related funding, a figure more than three times higher than the funding awarded under the Trump administration’s first term.’
  https://catholiconline.news/u-s-news/why-2-9-billion-explains-the-us-bishops-support-for-biden-and-opposition-to-trump/
  That said, Trump is an idiot for the stupid picture of himself.
  Have a good day everyone. Off to work for me.
  
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  April 16, 2026 8:54am
- R
  
  I have no doubt that the Pope has commented, often, about the ill treatment of citizens by various governing regimes in the world. That we don’t hear or read about it is a reflection of our so called secular- read selective- reporting by the basically Marxist MSM. To report significantly, would require the media to acknowledge that there is a need for RELIGION and the tenants of christianity within our society; not something that is in the media DNA.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:16am
  - Ghost
    
    its been well reported in the media.
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:21am
  - MCōs
    
    The old Marxist media — at it again!
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:41am
  - SGA
    
    @R – “that there is a need for RELIGION and the tenants of christianity within our society”
    
    Which do you mean? Christians make up less than a third of the world’s religious :-). And which “tenants of Christianity” are you referring to – those of the Catholics, Methodists, Young Earth Creationists, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, … Or, are you referring to the general principles concerning “in-group” violence and honesty that most societies end up adopting as a matter of practical necessicity?
    
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    April 16, 2026 1:06pm
    - Don Beckett
      
      Catholics & Methodists have essentially the same scriptures & are Christian. Young Earth Creationists are probably similar, but have a false interpretation of the Old Testament – especially, Genesis.
      Mormons & Jehovah’s Witnesses are not Christian in the essential meaning – i.e they do not believe that Jesus Christ is God – the Second Person of the Trinity.
      
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      April 16, 2026 2:23pm
      - SGA
        
        Err… that’s sort of my point, Don. Christians don’t necessary share identical beliefs and practices. The Mormon’s see themselves as Christian (Jesus was the son of God) even though they don’t conceptualise the Holy Trinity the way others do. Don’t bother arguing the toss about that with me, I have no dog in the fight 🙂
        
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        April 16, 2026 4:34pm
      - RichardX
        
        They can’t all be right, but they could all be wrong.
        
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        April 16, 2026 5:01pm
- david in Aus
  
  In what universe does Trump have more moral credibility than the Pope?
  The definition of a cult “a group that revolves around extreme, unconventional beliefs and exhibits intense, unethical devotion to a charismatic leader.”
  
  There is definitely Trump Derangement Syndrome but then there is other group: Trump Cultists.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:22am
  - rouppe
    
    Being a Pope in and out itself does not lend moral credibility.
    
    This says nothing of the current Pope of course, but the title means nothing, really.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:30am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Didn’t Jesus say beware of people who put themselves between you and Me?
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:38am
- Damocles11
  
  I’m not a Catholic or a particular fan of the Catholic church, but it seems to me that Trump ends up in a fight with person after person – including people he picked for prominent positions, including for his cabinet – and then his sycophantic supporters will follow along dutifully and attempt to trash that person as much as they possibly can.
  Lately Trump has lost a lot of support on the right, people who were on board with his ‘American First’ agenda & now feel betrayed that he has embroiled them in another foreign war. And he’ll be losing a lot of christians as well, those who view some of his recent posts and verbal attacks as blasphemous and deeply offensive.
  Eventually it will be just the ‘rusted on’ crew who remain.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:45am
  - Ghost
    
    The controversy from the photos takes the focus off a long time friend of Melania’s threatening to take legal action against Melania and her pedophile husband
    
    https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/careful-me-b-melania-trump-receives-brutal-warning-amanda-ungarowho-she-1791169
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:52am
    - NZer In Exile
      
      Do you have hard evidence for your “pedophile” accusation? If not, are you acting with integrity?
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:27pm
      - Ghost
        
        Not my accusation, it’s the comment that Amanda Ungaro made that she will take legal action against Melania and her pedophile husband. You can read it in the above link.
        
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        April 16, 2026 11:04pm
Swifty

A grossly misleading and irresponsible headline from RNZ:

“Which political parties would subsidise your rooftop solar panels?”

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/592485/which-political-parties-would-subsidise-your-rooftop-solar-panels

Political parties will subsidise exactly zero rooftop solar panels.

If any subsidising is done it will be by NZ families through more taxes.
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April 16, 2026 8:48am
- Southern Raider
  
  Putting aside the taxpayer funding element
  
  Residential solar is not very cost efficient. The cost to install 6 or 8 panels on a house, sub scale inverter and all the electrical install/connection costs plus the lines company limitations make the cost per watt generated high and in some cases you can’t even connect it to the grid.
  
  Not saying I support it but if a Govt was going to do it the best option would be to enable a tax write off via accelerated depreciation on commercial buildings. More scale, lower cost per watt, more likely to have lines company capacity and existing accounting method can be used to “fund” the installation.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:33am
  - wsk12345
    
    And they use power at the times of day that the sun shines. That’s the most important factor after having a roof that sees the sun.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:09am
- Burtland
  
  has anything changed under National … the net taxpayer is still being exploited for boiler conversion subsidies to industry …
  
  EECA and Aurora Energy are in a joint venture with Lion and their Speights brewery – Lion are owned by Kirin of Japan
  
  Seems local power users and the tax payers are coughing up for half of the $7M
  
  “Delivered through shared investment with EECA, Aurora Energy and LION, this project is a clear example of our ambition to be a force for good and a force for growth.”
  
  “Aurora Energy upgraded and installed 480m of 11 kV cable along Rattray Street.”
  
  https://buildingtoday.co.nz/2026/04/15/lion-commissions-3mw-electric-boiler-at-speights-brewery/
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:09am
  - Ghost
    
    EECA provided $1.6 million in co-funding towards the project, announced in 2023.
    
    Labour
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:15am
- RoboRob
  
  Act is correct on this, there is NO need to subsidise residential solar. As someone who just signed up for an install, the economics make sense without a subsidy. Also the demand is huge, my install is in mid june (~2.5 mths from decision) which is the earliest they could do it.
  
  National may believe the same as act, but as usual you cant really tell from Luxons response. However they removed the EV subsidy so probably they dont believe in rooftop solar subisidies.
  
  The amazing thing is that the morons on the left continue to be unable to learn from history. When National scrapped EV subsidies the price of EVs dropped rapidly. The retail price had been set at what a consumer would pay AFTER subsidy. When the subsidy went the price dropped to what consumers would pay.
  
  Oh and the woke banks essentially provide a subsidy for rooftop solar anyway. Almost all the big banks provide low or no interest loans for solar.
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:36am
Nikola Donatello

I have noticed a trend post Easter. Frequent use of two words in both meetings and email and just casual conversation.

“pātai” and “mahi.”

So I get told every day that someone is “doing the mahi”. Then at the end of every conversation it is “Any pātai?”

I guess that I will get used to it. However I can’t bring myself to join the trend.
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April 16, 2026 8:49am
- muzled
  
  When I hear ‘doing the mahi’ I clear the small amount of sick in my mouth, and the person saying it goes down in my opinion.
  
  Generally said by someone either working in the public service, or contracting to the public service.
  
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  April 16, 2026 8:58am
- Swifty
  
  I feel like such a fraud throwing the odd Maori word into conversation, especially in a work or professional setting.
  
  It seems to me to be a classic case of ‘virtue signalling – to show that I’m part of the ‘in group’.
  
  I don’t do it.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:02am
- kowtow
  
  It starts small and almost inconsequentially .
  
  Ends up with constitutional change resulting in the destruction of the principles of the rule of law ( accountability to the electorate ) and equality before the law , literally.
  
  I too refuse to join their incrementalist , undemocratic revolution by stealth.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:03am
- pdm
  
  Any patai?
  
  Does that translate to – any party – now or after work and who is supplying the booze?
  
  Asking for myself as I have been wondering what actually happens in those so called work places.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:04am
- graham
  
  You are very fortunate if it’s only since Easter you’ve noticed it. I work in a large corporate environment (think multi-country), and for several years “mahi” has been sprinkled liberally through internal forum posts and the like, along with various other virtue-signalling words and phrases.
  
  I haven’t heard “patai” though.
  
  But these words only seem to be used in emails and online, at least within the environment I work in. I *never* hear anybody talking like that, which leads me to believe it is all quite artificial and forced.
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:04am
  - Flossie
    
    It’s not only in writing graham. I hear it quite often in conversation – and sadly have to report it’s often from the mouths of the grandchildren. We assume it comes from school.
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:43am
  - Cassandra
    
    A word I like is rapihi = rubbish. Obviously made up, a bit like talipon in Malay. Modern Maori and Esperanto have much in common.
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:28am
    - Don Beckett
      
      The word that I like in relation to sprinkled Maori words, is ‘porangi’ – or ‘hoha’. (‘mad’ and nuisance’)
      I sometimes use them together when joking with my Maori friends. 🙂
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:29am
- Flossie
  
  You have seriously only noticed this post Easter? It’s been around considerably longer!
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:08am
  - Ghost
    
    Very long time, I remember pātai from Primary school
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:17am
- AitchW
  
  We’re well on the way to having our very own pidgin English. Or is that pihitini reo?
  
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  April 16, 2026 9:10am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    I have said that to folk. Often the response is that New Zealand does need to create its own English Maori hybrid language. Effectively English interspersed with hundreds of Maori terms. That is where it is headed.
    
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    April 16, 2026 9:56am
    - Notsofast
      
      Alll New Zealanders with any European blood should be required to have an education steeped in western philosophy and literature, alongside the universal discipline of science.
      
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      April 16, 2026 10:15am
    - Gravelroad
      
      Genuine question:
      Why do people think that NZ needs to create its own English Maori hybrid language?
      To what purpose?
      Is it to appease politically motivated race activists or virtue signalling based on some misplaced emotion?
      People here can individually learn any language and speak it if they wish.
      Individuals here (at present) cannot to forced to learn a different language if they do not wish to.
      Why should they?
      
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      April 16, 2026 11:10am
  - MCōs
    
    The way I understand pidgin it’s an amalgamation of two languages spoken when neither party is fully conversant with one or other language.
    My wife’s English is not too flash so she injects a lot of Thai vocabulary into her conversation that I understand. A bit confusing for other people though.
    In NZ our everyday language is nominally English with words subsumed from a variety of different other languages, including increasingly Maori
    
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    April 16, 2026 10:09am
- Dougal10
  
  I find those that use the word don’t know what work is
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:11am
- G152
  
  So it doesn’t ‘work’ for you either
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:19am
- Ian
  
  You should play a game. Patai means question or query. So reply to the email if you need to, first of all by typing your reply into something like Word first, have a translation app convert it to Maori, then copy and paste that into your email body and wait for a reply….
  
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  April 16, 2026 10:43am
  - septic skeptic
    
    I tried that with my building permit application for a swimming pool. We now have approval to build a kumara pit. 😆😆
    
    6 1
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    April 16, 2026 12:16pm
Swifty

Did Trump ‘post’ this? Or did he ‘repost’ something that someone else created?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/donald-trump-infers-his-divinity-again-in-new-social-media-post/R3JDAYOOMZDLTDXTEDGH4I2X4A/

Slightly misleading from the Herald. Not that I’m surprised.

There’s also the claim of ‘inferring his divinity’. The post does nothing of the sort.
11 4
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April 16, 2026 8:57am
- Harlequin
  
  Makes me wonder also. By the time he’s shat, shaved, showered, shampooed and ……seen to the Missus I wonder when he gets time to do all that the media alleges that he dos.
  
  8 3
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  April 16, 2026 9:27am
- Dudley Quaffquaff
  
  Indeed it does not imply that Trump himself is divine. It does, however, show very clearly that Trump believes that he is being guided by Jesus.
  
  Okay, then. Which of Trump’s policies do we think best demonstrates his understanding of the teachings of Jesus?
  
  7 3
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  April 16, 2026 10:00am
  - Swifty
    
    I’m not so sure about Trump’s supposed Christianity – I think he could well be a non-believer, despite what he says.
    
    3 2
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    April 16, 2026 10:49am
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    I have a Greek friend who had a car accident whilst driving around Wellington’s south Coast. She assured me that she survived because God (in the form of Archangel Michael) saved her.
    I drove the same route later that day and felt blessed that a sturdy road barrier was still intact even though her car had crashed into it.
    
    Perhaps President Trump feels that God/Jesus was watching over him when he was shot 2 years ago.
    
    10 2
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    April 16, 2026 11:29am
    - Taieri
      
      He does.
      
      https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/05/30/trump-god-messiah-assassination-attempt-00362322
      
      5 1
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      April 16, 2026 11:50am
- Ghost
  
  There was an interesting post I read elsewhere talking about the previous image. Said he looked more like he was portraying himself as the magician
  
  https://www.thetarotguide.com/the-magician/
  
  4 4
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  April 16, 2026 10:04am
- septic skeptic
  
  Did you hear his pastor kissing his arse and comparing him to Jesus? Flattery gets you everywhere with Trump.
  
  1 5
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  April 16, 2026 12:19pm
Simon

Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
Willis is in DC trying to get information about what is happening with Iran

Not a good sign. Trump Admin totally chaotic and mad dog Israel govt is out of control

National govt trying to get instructions on how to handle things. Not a good sign.

It’s gonna get real bad.
2 38
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April 16, 2026 9:25am
- Cassandra
  
  How many red ticks until oblivion, Simon?
  
  15 4
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  April 16, 2026 10:30am
  - R
    
    I would think that by now, Simon must be drowning in a plague of ‘red ticks’
    
    6 3
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    April 16, 2026 11:46am
  - Jethrod
    
    Oh, he is only after points for Labour list. He must be on about 29th on the list as crazy thi gs are said.
    
    4 0
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    April 16, 2026 3:37pm
DimChappie

This premium (paywalled) article is something of a breakthrough for the vaccine injured and ominous for Hipkins. The headline: “‘It could’ve been avoided’: Families of sick children vent over ‘not appropriate’ Covid vaccine rules” Ex CV-TAG member Peter Mcintyre said: ““I personally think it’s unequivocal that the vaccine requirements were a bad idea. And it’s absolutely 100% gold-plated that they were a bad idea for 12- to 17-year-olds.”

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/it-couldve-been-avoided-families-of-sick-children-vent-over-not-appropriate-covid-vaccine-rules/premium/6IQAYVQISNAVZMZOFM3PX73ZTI/
10 0
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April 16, 2026 9:25am
- wsk12345
  
  Paywalled.
  
  There’s a surprise
  
  8 1
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  April 16, 2026 10:11am
- Burtland
  
  with NZH the headline is usually enough – most of their journalism is the usual crap
  – they use the paywall for censorship
  
  10 1
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  April 16, 2026 10:22am
- septic skeptic
  
  Also ominous for Hipkins that on the latest poll Labour could form a government with Winston First.
  
  1 0
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  April 16, 2026 7:11pm
Taieri

A view from the coal face:

By an anonymous seafarer in the Persian Gulf.

‘(…)We have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since 28 February.
Since then, we have endured nearly 50 days of military planes passing by, of drones flying and being shot down. Sometimes debris hits a fellow tanker. We’ve heard explosions near and far, and sighted fires in the distance. Sighted from afar, those fires might be on the shore or on offshore platforms; it’s hard to tell. But on one occasion, there was no ambiguity. On 31 March, when the Al Salmi oil tanker was hit by an Iranian drone while at anchor in Dubai, we were close enough to see the fire unfold in real time(…)’

‘(…)But this hurricane is man-made. I dislike Trump immensely; I also dislike Iran’s regime immensely. I tend to see this war as an unwanted attack from a bully country, while still at the negotiation table, with very little understanding of the consequences of its actions. There are no right sides in this war, all have done terrible things, and in the end, no one will win (…).’

https://unherd.com/2026/04/can-i-ever-escape-the-strait-of-hormuz/

(May be paywalled)
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April 16, 2026 9:29am
- mogg
  
  you sound like tv3, tv1, rnz and john Campbell rolled into one,
  
  5 4
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  April 16, 2026 2:57pm
  - Taieri
    
    Do I? How lovely.
    Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t watch television and am not sure who John Campbell is.
    
    Full article, from which I quoted, can be found under the link. Well worth reading. And thinking about.
    
    4 0
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    April 16, 2026 5:00pm
  - Ghost
    
    stupid comment
    
    all Taieri has done is post the comments of someone who is in the Persian Gulf. you talk of nz media yet you act like them not wanting to hear other accounts like the one posted.
    
    6 3
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    April 16, 2026 5:08pm
    - mogg
      
      Yet another over emotional reply from your usual repertoire.
      
      2 3
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      April 16, 2026 5:56pm
      - Ghost
        
        over emotional? I’m not the one making a childish comment about Taieri. maybe you should comment on what Taieri shared, which is actually a very interesting personal experience from someone in the Persian gulf
        
        3 2
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        April 16, 2026 8:30pm
Burtland

looks like the BBC is reaping the rewards of woke journalism
– 10% cut in staff is proposed – up to 2000 staff, £500M – wow £250k per staffer !

this will further concentrate woke culture – anyone opposing woke will be first to go

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyv11lryv7ro
12 2
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April 16, 2026 10:37am
- Bernard Black
  
  I recently read Adrian Edmondsons auto biography, Berserker.
  He writes about his time at boarding school in the UK ” we hear stories in the early seventies of Jimmy Savile fiddling with dead bodies in a Leeds hospital, but he doesn’t get outed for another forty years. We know we wouldn’t let ourselves be alone in a room with Savile. We know he is a wrong un back then, and if we school boys know, then everyone must know, they’re just not saying!”
  The BBC is not just woke, it’s rotten to the core, still being regularly rocked by sexual scandals involving its present day presenters.
  
  10 0
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  April 16, 2026 12:11pm
  - AitchW
    
    Absolutely right about the pedos. When I was a boarding school in the late 70s most of us knew which teachers to avoid.
    I and a couple of mates were groomed in the 7th form by a teacher who invited us to his flat, plied us with alcohol and regaled us with his philosophy of sexual independence. We, who had only gone for the alcohol, scoffed at him and, once the booze was gone, went back to our boarding house.
    Shortly after he was sacked, moved to Australia where he was jailed for sexual offences against school boys.
    He was only one of several wrong ‘uns, one of whom was recently locked up for his offending. The others are long dead…
    
    5 0
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    April 16, 2026 1:58pm
  - mogg
    
    There is nothing wrong with BBC, just take a look at this;
    https://youtu.be/aKfbSHW9uGA.
    
    2 1
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    April 16, 2026 3:12pm
Ian

From Stuff – “A 15-year-old boy was driving a car involved in a crash on a Hamilton bridge, killing him and one of his three teenage passengers. The four young people – all known to Oranga Tamariki – were inside a car that collided with a truck on Wairere Drive at Harrowfield on Monday afternoon.” Probably all in a stolen car…
10 1
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April 16, 2026 12:45pm
- AitchW
  
  Perhaps it would be more decent not to speculate before the bodies are cold?
  
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  April 16, 2026 1:58pm
Quail

NZ does not need more taxes,
What is needed is : reduction in Government spending, a reduction in bureaucracy ,a reduction in waste ,a reduction in regulations and regulators and a growth in respect for those who created NZ wealth In the first place.
Then ,those who know how ,just might be able to grow NZ productivity again!
9 0
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April 16, 2026 12:56pm
- Ian Boag
  
  Good stuff. Just don’t touch the old age benefit. 🙂
  
  1 3
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  April 16, 2026 3:53pm
- R
  
  AND A BIG decrease in the welfare dependents, being ‘entitled’ to a lifestyle, that they have been too lazy to work toward in their formative years
  
  2 0
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  April 16, 2026 7:27pm
Swifty

Labour are and always will be addicted to spending:

https://x.com/theconsultant18/status/2044541983709139072?s=46
6 0
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April 16, 2026 1:12pm
- Ian Boag
  
  Is the coalition spending a bit more than Labour was … ?
  
  0 2
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  April 16, 2026 7:31pm
rouppe

John Minto and the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa have forced a review of the NZ Super Funds asset allocation after finding it is invested several companies operating in Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Pretty soon you will have to ask a bunch of [activist group of choice] Aotearoa groups what you’re allowed to invest in. Another reason this country is going down the toilet.
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April 16, 2026 1:31pm
- AitchW
  
  The PSNA would be more accurately described as the Islamic Terrorist Support Network Aotearoa….
  
  11 0
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  April 16, 2026 2:00pm
  - R
    
    I T S N Aotearoa it maybe, but certainly not a NZ organization
    
    1 0
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    April 16, 2026 7:32pm
- RoboRob
  
  Wont read a Stuff article but how the F is it possible that Minto could ‘force’ any kind of review of the super fund? Thre is, to my knowledge, no law preventing them investing in companies that have holdings in Israel or any war zone for that matter.
  
  The way I see it, if the fund is doing a review, its because they want to. Again, the government is all powerful. If they dont want the super fund adopting woke ESG ideologies in their investment strategy they can tell them so. Obviously that wont happen and so we will give up some percentage of our return to meet other peoples ideologies.
  
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  April 16, 2026 2:14pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Ok , have now read the article. Thats just bullshit. becuase the charter says
    ‘..Guardians are required to invest the fund’s on a prudent commercial basis, manage and administer the fund with best-practice portfolio management, and avoid prejudice to New Zealand’s reputation as “a responsible member of the world community”.
    
    The high court has found in favor of Minto becuse of the last clause, ‘a responsible member of the world community’.
    
    Thats just stupid. They should appeal to the supreme court. The government should immediately clarify the charter (but they wont).
    
    10 1
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    April 16, 2026 2:35pm
    - greybeard
      
      “a responsible member of the world community”.
      Dear God, what on earth does that mean ?
      “Responsible” accordingly to whose interpretation ?
      Which “world community” ?
      
      10 0
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      April 16, 2026 4:31pm
    - R
      
      Is there still a non-woke court in NZ, that one can appeal to in this, or any other circumstance?
      
      3 0
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      April 16, 2026 7:35pm
  - MCōs
    
    If you won’t read the article you’ll just have to get John Minto on the blower and ask him
    Make his day, that would!!
    I’m sure he’ll be happy to send you a copy of the judgment
    
    1 5
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    April 16, 2026 2:42pm
    - RoboRob
      
      If I want to talk to John, which I absolutely dont, I could just pop down to the bridge of rememberence where he and his fellow anti Americans protest the invasion of Palestine every weekend.
      
      5 1
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      April 16, 2026 3:24pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Free country alas ….
        
        2 0
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        April 16, 2026 7:33pm
Southern Raider

Obviously a result of colonisation

Doing gang signs in the picture supplied for the article, “known” to Oranga Tamariki and now off to the Marae.

Billions in assets for Tainui and still the underbelly doesn’t change.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360965356/15-year-old-was-driving-car-collided-truck-killing-him-and-another-teen
5 0
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April 16, 2026 1:56pm
greybeard

The worst advertisement on NewstalkZB radio at present must surely be the one for “Hutt Automatics” in Wellington.

It is nothing more than scaremongering, misinfomation and outright bullshit.

I know of nobody whose car’s automatic transmission has failed, and know of nobody who must have their automatic transmission serviced every 40,000 km.

And to describe a car’s automatic transmission as “ a killer under your bonnet waiting to act” is just over the top.

In any case, if everyone in Wellington with a car with an automatic transmission decided to get it serviced at Hutt Automatics every 40,000km then Hutt Automatics would be swamped with customers.

Which, let us face it, is what they want: customers.
Because probably at present they don’t have many.
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April 16, 2026 4:43pm
Albie

Greybeard, the ad’s for pet insurance grind my gears as well. They push a message you are an irresponsible pet owner if you don’t have pet insurance!
4 0
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April 16, 2026 5:25pm
Philview

TVNZ News report tonight about the removal of the statutory requirement for schools to give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi. The reporter said schools just wanted to do what they have always done. The statutory requirement was introduced in 2020 so a very misleading comment.
5 0
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April 16, 2026 7:00pm
Jack5

The NZ Herald undermines Chris Luxon again today, and, of course, the article is placed outside the paywall so everyone can read it.

The Herald Leftists surely want to weaken the Centre-Right before this year’s election. They must feel nervous as Jim Grenon builds his stake in the company.

Chris Luxon, and his media honcho, Paul Goldsmith, must now see the contempt with which the media is rewarding them for not tackling State-owned Radio NZ and TVNZ, and not hitting other media subsidies.

The Herald hits Luxon — again!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxon-speaks-to-media-amid-leadership-speculation-questions-over-contact-with-senior-mp/T4PM54FJHFHJ7NW4Q2XS4BKHWI/
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April 17, 2026 1:30pm

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