About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

June 16, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 16 June 2026

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment189

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (189)

Login to comment or vote

Paul Marsden

Bravo to Simone Brown for cleaning out the NZ Medical Council board members for their ‘idialogical agenda’. This is the best news I have heard in a long while.
69 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:20am
- Northshoredoc
  
  I didn’t know Simeon was transitioning?
  
  14 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:21am
- lastmanstanding
  
  At the start of the Iran US war oil was US$70. The oil companies told us the price at the pump was based on what they had to pay to replace their stocks hence the immediate price rise. The price of oil is now US$80. Betcha their story will now be prices wont fall until all the oil in the supply chain is sold. Lying bastards.
  
  12 6
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:25am
  - Flossie
    
    The price at our preferred pump place fell 21 cents this morning.
    
    17 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:37am
    - Don Beckett
      
      I got 95 petrol this morning at #3.09 pert ltr.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 10:57am
      - pdm
        
        I saw 91 at $3.03 at Caltex, Karamu Road half an hour ago.
        
        10c a litre cheaper than Gull 150 metres or so down the road from them.
        
        3 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 11:56am
      - Ghost
        
        $2.98 down here. minus 15cents when npd and Waitomo have their thursday/friday sale
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 12:03pm
      - GazzaW
        
        $2.93 for 91 at UGO Greenlane.
        
        1 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 1:19pm
    - zulumonster
      
      And the predictable headline in Stuff implies this is bad news for families … https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360993071/us-iran-peace-treaty-what-it-means-your-wallet-and-why-some-families-could-soon-lose-50-week
      Are those families really losing $50 a week? How dare the coalition be so heartless!!!??
      The reference to the temporary subsidies being removed is well down the article, that should be the good news story.
      
      13 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 11:51am
      - cmm (semi-retired edition)
        
        Very few people will read past the headlines.
        
        1 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 2:36pm
- marcw
  
  Great news and an effective start to the clearout required in other health sectors. Please Simeon, can we see the same bold progress with:
  The NZ Nursing Council
  The Pharmacists Council
  The Midwives Council
  
  and any other Regulatory Body in medicine/health which does not have as its primary core the overseeing of health competency.
  
  Ps. The Real Estate Institute requires attention too.
  
  24 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:40pm
  - R
    
    Goodness me! Won’t you give Simeon any time with his family?
    
    4 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:34pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

In all this talk of the brain drain, the loss to Australia of our teachers and tradies and police officers , one group you never hear lamenting their lot are our core public servants. No one is launching a campaign to lure them to Canberra or Brisbane.

That suggests that our policy analysts and non IT project and change managers and general functionaries, and their managers, are overpaid.
46 2
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:20am
- Boy Geoff
  
  Yeah, but are Aussie public servants te Tiriti-compliant? Surely that would send warning bells to Aotearoan public servants…
  
  20 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:31am
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    Remember the cop that came back because there was no special privileges from claiming some maori ancestry.
    
    I guess having to stand on your own merits was too hard.
    
    26 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:55am
  - pdm
    
    Does Aotearoa have Public Servants BG?
    
    That mythical place must be more advanced than I thought.
    
    Do they do anything?
    
    8 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:57am
    - R
      
      …anything?. Yes, that design and build TROUGHS.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:37pm
- Flossie
  
  Don’t really think the quality of our public servants is such that they’re worth pursuing. And I’d say overpaid is right.
  
  32 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:47am
  - imalwaysright
    
    They seem to read their employment contract as if its the treaty.
    All about the rights and benefits but sweet f a about the duties…
    
    23 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:35am
Gravelroad

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360993047/labour-will-scrap-nationals-new-primary-school-testing-tool-if-elected
Here is another example of a left wing politician who thinks they can make up policy as they go along, when it suits.
It is incredible really that this person might be in charge of our kids’ education in a few months time.
I don’t have children at primary school, but from what I hear from those who do – they are crying out for more substantive information about how their children are doing at the basic school subjects.
It’s not about ranking kid against kid. It is about the security (or not) of their academic progress.
53 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:20am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  they are crying out for more substantive information about how their children are doing at the basic school subjects.
  
  Some parents don’t want to learn that their little Jemima or darling Ollie isn’t a creative genius or an intellectual whiz kid.
  
  Many primary school teachers do not want parents to discover that they are ineffective teachers.
  
  67 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:26am
  - rouppe
    
    I’d wager that the union teachers are more focused on the latter metric.
    
    30 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 8:28am
  - Boy Geoff
    
    Hmmm, weren’t all our primary school students ‘gifted’ at one point?
    
    14 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 8:33am
- pdm
  
  Did you look at the poll that Stuff had with that article Gravel?
  
  When I voted about an hour and a half ago it showed 73% against Virginia Anderson’s idea.
  
  Mind you most of the Public Service would still have been in bed then so it might have changed now.
  
  39 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:35am
- mandk
  
  This is just Ginny Anderson doing the NZEI’s bidding.
  
  37 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:48am
  - Swifty
    
    I find it very hard to believe that any removal of student testing isn’t being done solely for the benefit of teachers.
    
    The removal of testing has been a familiar refrain from education unions and academics for decades in NZ. I remember it back in the 80s and 90s.
    
    Funny though, you never hear it from parents and families.
    
    29 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:34am
  - nathie
    
    Unionists (Andersen) gotta do what the unions want.
    
    And that’s why the Labour Party are flawed – they owe more to their ideological (and $$$) backers than even their own voters.
    
    23 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:47am
  - Notsofast
    
    Great vote loser on the Stuff poll, hard to fathom such ideological idiocy by the left.
    
    21 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 10:06am
- Southern Raider
  
  Fundamental principles is
  1) Unions don’t want testing and reporting as could show up the amount of useless teachers they protect
  2) Socialists would rather be the unfunded ambulance at the bottom of the cliff when these kids leave school with no qualifications, than be proactive and look to invest struggling kids when they are younger
  
  Anderson is a Union hack
  
  32 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:16am
  - Taieri
    
    show up the amount of useless teachers
    —————
    
    …the NUMBER of useless teachers, not the AMOUNT.
    
    12 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:33am
    - Notsofast
      
      Losing battle, it’s everywhere.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 12:09pm
  - GazzaW
    
    Ginny Andersen is Bill Andersen’s grandaughter. Enough said!
    
    5 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 1:29pm
    - Individual Responsibility
      
      GazzaW – incorrect – Bill Andersen, a noted activist and trade union leader, was her great-uncle.
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:16pm
- Crafty
  
  Of all the bullshit Labour comes up with, this sort of education union ass covering policy makes my blood boil more than anything else. They should be ashamed of themselves and every parent in this country should ask themselves if Labour actually even care about their child’s education.
  
  31 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:04am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  And this is exactly why we need streaming.
  
  If kids are not going to be tested, and just herded along by age group, then the 14 years old that can do calculus is going to be sitting in the same class as Thick Johnnie that can barely count to 100.
  
  Nobody wins.
  
  23 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:25am
  - lifesgood
    
    I got told off by my gifted son’s first year teacher because he could read before he started school. He had taught himself by watching his older sibling learning to read. Another teacher told me she was annoyed with him because he just sat back in class with a bored face. That was because he wasn’t being extended and already knew most of what was being taught. Fortunately he was self motivated, taught himself, and went on to be very successful in his chosen field. It is sad to think that gifted children are seen as a nuisance by lazy teachers.
    
    19 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:52am
    - R
      
      …..bored face!……a competent teacher, would have paired the bored child with a ‘struggling to read child’ – buddy system. Both children will Excell and enjoy school.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 12:10pm
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        Both children will Excell and enjoy school.
        
        Not necessarily.
        
        It is the teacher’s job to teach….It is NOT the job of a child to do the teacher’s work!
        
        The bored child deserves to be extended with work at or just above his level… He should be spending his time at school increasing his skills and knowledge.
        The slow child is NOT his concern.
        
        6 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 1:32pm
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      And this is why you should not rely on the state to do things for you.
      
      One gifted child (really gifted – not just mummy thinks he’s gifted) is worth 20 average kids in terms of being able to be an engineer etc.
      
      It makes more sense to expend teaching resources getting the best out of them – rather than trying to get everyone to reach “average”.
      
      The state does not, generally, provide any real development needs of gifted children and it really is up to parents to step up.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 12:18pm
    - Paulus
      
      Wot, why not the Lowest Common Denominator ?
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:16pm
    - hookerphil
      
      On my daughters first day at school the teacher at one stage had her reading to the rest of the class while she attended to other things. She had learnt to read from her 13 month older sister and went on to become a teacher herself.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 4:28pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Well another way to look at this is “so what”?
  
  What’s the use of testing kids if they do nothing with those tests?
  
  Unless they are prepared to fail kids who under perform and give special programs to higher performers then what’s the point of testing?
  
  Failing kids is extremely important. It is the only way that you can give the kid a chance to repeat the year, get the basics down solidly and then progress properly.
  
  If you do what NZ does – and force them through with their peers – then the kids are being set up for future failure.
  
  How are you supposed to learn to multiply if you can barely add?
  How are you supposed to do history if you can barely read?
  
  Sure, the kid might feel a bit sad being left behind by his mates. There might even be a few tears. But isn’t that much better than having the rest of your education destroyed?
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:45am
  - Fedup oldie
    
    The value of assessment lies in the use that is made of the information it reveals.
    But if you don’t assess you have nothing on which to identify the needs of individual students and to adapt your approach to either individual students or the class as a whole.
    The same applies as to why the government needs national assessment to measure the effectiveness of their policies and to adapt as required.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:55pm
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      Sure, but if there is no commitment to do anything with the information then what’s the point.
      
      I dare you to go get a blood test just for fun.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:39pm
- Sacha
  
  Back on the good old days (as I now remember them) kids had reading books and times tables. There was ‘homework’ right from the start, a page of the reading book, maybe words to spell . Writing practice. And times tables. All could be done in a few minutes while Mum prepared the dinner.
  The term report always had a comment about diligently completed homework. (And who remembers getting a stamp on their hand for good work?)
  It wasn’t a big deal.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:04pm
  - [email protected]
    
    My father started working at age 15 and never saw the inside of a high school but was keen to see his kids do well in school.
    
    He would consistently make sure that we would do our homework as soon as we got home from school.
    
    One day while working on my algebra homework dad asked me how my homework was going. Like a dumb brat I said ” fine, would you like to check my work?”
    
    I won’t repeat his response to me 🙂
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:48pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    The good old days …. when 30% of all kids left school at 15 and School Cert cut the rest in half.
    
    2 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:47pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Shell Lane (The Terrace) bike rack report:

At 8.22am, just the one bike today.

A cool, damp, light wind morning in the Capital, with the promise of better for later. Not too bad for cycling.
26 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:22am
- Wairoa Native
  
  All ways tempted to reply ‘Here’stheSexPistols’. I do like getting the ‘Shell Lane (The Terrace) bike rack report’. It’s like the bike rack at my Station out in the Hutt Valley. I have never see a bike on it. (you would come back and be lucky to have a bike frame still chained up). For the record, I braved the brisk, cold southerly and slowly rode in to town. Praying the wind doesn’t change for the ride home.
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:25am
  - lifesgood
    
    They removed the disused bike rack in Britomart.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:55am
- GazzaW
  
  Is it the same bike each day?
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 1:33pm
  - greybeard
    
    Yep: early in the morning each weekday a very well-paid council employee drives up to the bike rack in an unmarked council vehicle, takes a bike out of the van, secures it to the rack and goes home ( WFH ).
    Later that day when all is quiet he retrieves it under cover of darkness, and repeats it next day. If by any chance there is already another bike there he checks with his Group Manager for instructions. He cannot be too careful. Ratepayers may be watching.
    
    7 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 3:55pm
Souvlaki

Great news….Simeon Brown has given the DCM to the top two racist idealogs of the NZMC😊.
He & Seymour deserve credit for listening to the bulk of Medical Practioners in NZ, appalled by the Councils proposed take over by Maoritanga!🎊🎉
https://share.google/D2TEWRvqlNqIje2OT
51 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:25am
- Mr T
  
  He is a potential PM ,has the brains and the b***s that Luxon lacks
  
  21 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:41am
  - R
    
    Definitely a potential PM, being mentored by a competent experienced real world PM. Labour can only dream about having such a luxury within their ranks.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:22pm
- Charlotte Wells
  
  Two down; how many hundreds yet to be got rid of?
  
  19 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:57am
- Sacha
  
  Good job, young man!
  It seems to me that some Maori, having come late to the medical scene (in a cultural/educational sense) and not having made significant contributions to it, do not have the respect for human life which Hippocrates emphasised: First, do no harm.
  This was demonstrated by the way that the Covid vaccines were so readily accepted despite there being no clinical trials demonstrating their safety.
  The entire population of New Zealand was put in danger by the carelessness of the Medical Council leadership to its eternal shame.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:48pm
Pope Punctilious II

Good work by Simeon Brown, booting a couple of ideologues from the leadership of the Medical Council: https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360993290/simeon-brown-removes-medical-council-leaders-over-idealogical-agenda
49 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:25am
- Northshoredoc
  
  Hopefully the current head of the ASMS goes the same way.
  
  12 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:24am
  - pdm
    
    Sounds like Erica Stanford has a fair number of bullshitting/devious Immigration Staff too get rid of today too.
    
    16 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:04pm
Maggy Wassilieff

How much longer can Maori seats in Parliament be justified?

https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/don-brash-let-new-zealand-decide-the-future-of-m%C4%81ori-seats
39 1
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:30am
- pdm
  
  Petition signed and slightly amended letter sent.
  
  15 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:36am
- Raphael
  
  TPM has shown that we don’t need them.
  
  14 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:51am
  - pdm
    
    Raphael.
    
    shown?
    or
    proved!!!
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:06pm
    - R
      
      BOTH! … pdm.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 12:47pm
imalwaysright

This is very funny.
The Royal Marines ‘storming’ an oil tanker.
Have a look at where the cameramen are.
https://youtu.be/XJaejHIar7w?si=trCduyOjhSlKML5P

(About 2 minutes)
13 1
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:41am
- rouppe
  
  I assume you’re referring to the camera being at the bottom of the stairs in an area they were “clearing”. Saw that on the news last night.
  
  Rolled my eyes at that one too.
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:12am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Same camera moving backwards past an open door to capture the soldiers then enter the room through said doorway.
    
    Quite a sad portrayal of such good soldiers, the people who thought this up should be apologising to the Royal Marines.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 10:56am
Yvette

The number of Māori electorates is fixed at seven until at least 2032, regardless of how many people are on the Māori roll. Thanks to changes in the way electorate boundaries are calculated, there will be no increase or decrease in Māori seats before then. That means Māori voters can switch to the General roll without affecting the number of Māori electorates at all.

In other words, for the next two elections, Māori activist voters can have their cake and eat it too: retain all seven Māori seats while also gaining influence in closely contested general electorates. [1]

Can anyone explain a solution [like removing the SPECIAL, but no longer justifiable] Maori Seats, just as one Party may take all the votes cast in their favour and after the official voting of an Election is declared, then decide where to assert those votes.

Both of these faults with MMP are just fucking [2] nuts

[1] https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/don-brash-let-new-zealand-decide-the-future-of-māori-seats
[2] reflecting a word status determined by the President of the United States of America, who is also effing nuts.
30 7
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:53am
- Gravelroad
  
  MMP has a lot to answer for.
  But the majority on here, and generally, think it is great – very fair and civilized. So there!
  
  7 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:08am
- Tauhei Notts
  
  Yvette, your footnote (2) is brilliant.
  
  6 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:27am
- RoboRob
  
  The left love the Maori seats as they can give the left block additional seats. The right, primarily the National party, are too scared to remove them.
  
  You will never get the left to remove them, the reason the Maori seats still exists falls squarely on the National party. Remember National actually had a policy of removing the seats but when Key got in he decided to dilute Acts power and bring the Maori party in. As a result the seats were kept.
  
  18 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:27am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Another black mark against Key’s name.
    
    9 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 10:02am
    - RoboRob
      
      And I am a fan of Key, but this was a fail.
      
      9 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 10:50am
      - R
        
        Being unable to remove Maori seats, was a FAIL by the electors. They didn’t give National a ruling mandate; result stalemate! and we all continue to suffer.
        
        5 3
        Report
        June 16, 2026 12:51pm
      - RoboRob
        
        @R
        
        Now you are just being silly. Key got something like 45+% of the vote. Under MMP that was practically unheard of, hardly a lack of voter support.
        
        He had enough seats to govern with Act. Both parties supported removing the Maori seats. National / Key chose to give up on that promise so that he could form a three party coalition instead. Keys idea being to play Act and the Maori party off against each other so that neither could block legislation he wanted.
        
        Now you can argue, and I would, that that was a clever strategy for National. What you cant argue is that national didn’t get enough support to enact that policy and that it was the voters fault.
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 1:23pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    But if Maori seats are held only by Maori party then the left will little value in keeping them – they are taking support from left wing parties and Maori voters would likely switch to left wing electorate candidates if they got rid of the Maori seats (Te Racist party would likely wither and die).
    
    So I would say Greens and Labour probably have more to gain from getting rid of Maori seats than National or Act.
    
    7 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 10:28am
    - wsk12345
      
      No – because it gives the left a 7 seat head start in making the numbers. Even if everyone on the Maori roll shifted to the main roll bar one voter in each Maori electorate, there would still be 7 free seats for the left.
      
      11 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 11:01am
      - NothingLeft
        
        true.
        
        4 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 12:18pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      looked through that lens National and Act probably have more to gain from a more fractured and divided left created by Te Racists holding Maori seats, and so diminishing electoral strength of the racists and economic illiterates and parasites of the left.
      
      4 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 11:11am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        fractured and divided left
        
        Alas, When considering turning NZ into a divided nation of Maori self-governance and non-Maori servitude, then the left is NOT divided and fractured.
        
        Labour, The Greens and TPM want to create separate ethnostates in NZ
        
        5 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 12:51pm
    - Wairoa Native
      
      Back in the good old days (well 1943-1996) The Māori seats were guaranteed for Labour. I just can’t see any left wing party getting rid of them. It’s not in their DNA. Not unless Māori political support changes a lot.
      
      As it stands, Labour will do anything to win the ‘treasury benches’ and will do a deal with anyone who has a Māori electorate seat if they have to.
      
      Te Pāti Māori are really just the very radical Māori wing of the Labour party anyway. Just like the Greens are now just the far left of Labour. As for TOP, they are just Labour/Greens wearing Teal to try and fool gullible people.
      
      11 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 11:48am
      - Ian Boag
        
        Labour will do anything to win the ‘treasury benches’
        
        Don’t they all? The National-ACT deal over Epsom was done to get a few more list MPs from a party that wasn’t going to make 5% …. Heady stuff, this power ….
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 2:51pm
  - Steve Todd
    
    @RoboRob @ 9:27AM and 1:23PM
    
    Remember National actually had a policy of removing the seats […].
    
    Oh, RoboRob. Why do you keep saying this?
    
    As I have previously said, National’s campaign promise, going into the 2008 election, was to abolish the Māori seats once all historical Treaty of Waitangi settlements were resolved (intended to be by 2014). In other words, it was a typical John Key kick-the-can-down-the-road policy.
    
    Also, you know full well it is not sufficient for a simple majority of MPs to abolish the Māori seats, because the necessary consequential amendments require a non-existent 75% majority. For example, see my response to you, here: https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2025/09/can_peeni_lose.html#comment-3756049.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:18pm
    - RoboRob
      
      And I replied the following to you ….
      
      ‘had a quick look over the links you listed. You yourself say that you don’t need a super majority but that some sections of law make it very difficult.
      
      I am not saying that removing them would be easy, but simply that National who have the power to change the existing laws if required, have shown no inclination to actually take any step towards the removal of our race based voting system.
      
      As you point out, they did put in the weasel words, once treaty settlements are complete. Which is pure Winstonisim 🙂
      A: There is no real correlation between treaty settlements and Maori seats
      B: They no full well people will hear ‘abolish Maori seats’ and not the ‘escape clause’.
      
      But I appreciate your knowledge in this area.’
      
      You replied….
      
      ‘Despite what Nigel says, below, any attempt by the (current) government to unilaterally do away with the Māori seats would very quickly bring about social and political chaos.’
      
      Hardly disputing my point.
      
      Nigel and you then go on to have a debate about whether removal of the clause requiring 75% is possible on not.
      
      I am no expert but, we are not the United States with three equal pillars of government and a written constitution. The NZ parliament is the crown and is all powerful, they can amend or remove any law they so desire to. They can undo any previous governments legislation. This is why Luxon claimed he went soft on the new three strikes law, so that a future government wouldn’t just revoke it.
      
      If, as you insist is possible, any government could put a requirement for 75% + to remove legislation to lock in a law, why don’t they? The answer is simple, the crown can’t make a law that it itself cant revoke.
      
      As I keep posting here, the NZ government and the PM in particular are MUCH more powerful then the US president.
      
      2 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:44pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        Yes, that’s why I drew your attention to your 3 Sep 25 comment, and my response to it. I wanted you to see our previous exchange.
        
        If, as you insist is possible, any government could put a requirement for 75% + to remove legislation to lock in a law, why don’t they?
        
        I do not insist that. I simply say that the provisions set out in section 268(1)(c) need a 75% majority of MPs to amend.
        
        But, as I opined here, https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/04/general_debate_04_april_2026.html/comment-page-1#comment-3829958, “No government would ever de-entrench any or all of the provisions of section 268 on a 51% vote. A subsequent government would likely vote to reinstate the Māori seats – and re-intrench the current provisions of section 268 – on a 51% vote, in a tit-for-tat action, thereby rendering the current section 268(2)(a) meaningless.”
        
        That also answers your question, “[…], why don’t they?”
        
        So, while parliament can do what it likes, and can’t be bound by a previous parliament, the fact is section 268 has been there since 1993 (and its predecessor, section 189, since 1956). It means something. It prevents parliament from making our electoral system its personal plaything.
        
        I note that Andy Foster has withdrawn his Māori Seats Referendum Bill (see https://bills.parliament.nz/v/2/fbbb3fcc-4eb6-4d7f-39a8-08dea63eeea9?lang=en, No. 39). In the Second Schedule to that bill, were set out the consequential amendments that would be necessary if a simple majority of voters at the binding referendum provided for voted to abolish the Māori seats. Those consequential amendments included the provisions set out in section 268(1)(c).
        
        That is proof that a simple majority of MPs voting to abolish the seats is not sufficient for their removal; a 75% majority of MPs would also be necessary to amend section 268(1)(c). Such a majority does not currently exist.
        
        At the moment, the best you can hope for, RoboRob, is that, following the election in November, Winston is in a position to be true to his word and insist on a binding referendum midway through the next term.
        
        1 2
        Report
        June 16, 2026 3:28pm
      - RoboRob
        
        @Steve
        
        Ok, If what you say is True, National should never have had it as a policy. Either dont promise things or at least try to implement them. They could have gone to parliament and tried to get the 75% support publicly. Then the parties for or against would be on public record. We could have had the debate.
        
        1 1
        Report
        June 16, 2026 3:40pm
      - Ghost
        
        Winston hasn’t kept his word on Māori seats before, he won’t this time
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 3:46pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        Thanks, RoboRob. No argument with any of that.
        
        1 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 3:50pm
artemisia

Wellington City Council recently posted their response to an information request for senior staff job titles and salary bands. Looks like from the Taxpayers Union so likely part of a wider request to councils.

Anyhoo, the response indicates a lot of very well paid chiefs for what would be a small city in many countries. And noted that the recent Deloitte report suggested that by benchmarks Wellington City Council is overstaffed by about 330 and could (should?) be reducing the number of managers. I expect Mayor Little will be monitoring this closely and perhaps will be regularly reporting progress to we-the-ratepayers.

Meanwhile the council has reported that lots of vacancies have been cancelled. A common response including when public service cuts are required. But honestly, if vacancies can so easily be cancelled why were they advertised in the first place. Answers on the back of a postage stamp.

Noted that the Mayor’s base remuneration is in the lowest band on the table.

Also from the report noted that despite all those managers and excess staff WCC staff estimate only ~20% of contracts are tracked in WCC’s contract management system, making it difficult to monitor spending, payments or supplier performance across the organisation.

To see the response table look for item 26-0161 on the below page.

https://wellington.govt.nz/contact-us/information-requests/responses-to-information-requests
20 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:58am
- rouppe
  
  But honestly, if vacancies can so easily be cancelled why were they advertised in the first place.
  
  It’s possible it’s become a strategy. Have a “workforce” of 500, 50 of which are vacant. Then when there are calls to reduce staff costs, you just cancel 35-40 of those vacant roles and voila, you’ve satisfied the directive without actually reducing spending at all.
  
  25 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:07am
  - RoboRob
    
    Exactly! When National came in various government agencies went on a hiring spree. The majority of the ‘cuts’ were simply cancelling some job adverts. This is how the cuts were so ‘savage’ and yet the total number of staff never dropped.
    
    19 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:30am
  - Paulus
    
    Same as all Departments when the Coalition was formed so that they could say they have dropped applications for these so called vacancies.
    Nothing new !
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:24pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Sadly, it’s the Council CEO and not the Mayor who decides staffing levels.
  
  One question that I have not seen answered is who decided that the Mayor’s office should face a retaining wall, when the new Council offices are superbly located on the waterfront. The Mayor represents the city. No one ever approaches the CEO for comment on government policy or when the storms hit.
  
  Whoever made and approved the selection of the Mayor’s office should be top of the list to receive the DCM.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:11am
  - Prince
    
    Behind all those who signed off on the $600K wallpaper library ‘website’.
    
    10 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 10:57am
- Taieri
  
  Wellington City Council recently posted their response to an information request for senior staff job titles and salary bands.
  ————-
  
  This info should be freely available to all and sundry. And not just as “bands” but as exact amounts. It’s a public money after all. I’d go even further and require annual financial disclosures from all senior managers in the public sector (and that includes the local government); disclosures available for perusal by their employers – US!
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:23am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    From memory, $10k bands are used in Annual Reports in both public and private sectors. It provides an appropriate level of transparency while preserving a level of privacy. The latter can be important when two individuals in comparable positions can have mildly different incomes without it becoming a burr for management over what is a small amount of money.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:41pm
rouppe

The public commentary concerning the murder of Austin Metcalf by Karmelo Anthony continues.

The most recent commentary is that he “wasn’t judged by a jury of his peers” because none of the jury was black. Which isn’t to say the entire jury was white, because there were six from “minority” groups.

So this got me to thinking. Metcalf was white. So if the jury hadn’t had any white jurors, would this have still been a “representative” jury? What actually is a “jury of your peers”? Does – should – skin colour even come into that? How would you balance the representative nature of a jury when the victim and the defendant are different races?

Which brings me back to the idea that you draw 100 random names out of the population pool, and choose the 12 according to the rules of jury selection, which doesn’t include race.

What else can you do?
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 9:03am
- Im Right
  
  There was black jurists, Rouppe, but did not make it past the voir dier (spelling?)….they openly admitted they could not convislct a black man, or sentiments similar and were dismissed.
  Soooo it’s come to the stage in good ol USA that almost no blacks will be on juries where a white victim/black perpetrator is involved.
  Sad state of affairs indeed.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:36am
  - rouppe
    
    I want aware of that. Not that I was following super closely.
    
    So if that’s the case, it is a sad state of affairs that black jurors are doing what they accused white jurors of doing a century ago.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 10:51am
  - Skottowe
    
    “…voir dier (spelling?)…”
    
    Close. Voir dire. Anglo-Norman French, so goes back a wee way….
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:15pm
Yvette

Public “Service”
According to the official tracking data provided by Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission, the workforce size of New Zealand’s core public service measured in Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs) shifted as follows across those periods:

1 – When Labour took over (2017)
• June 2017: 47,252 FTEs
the core public service headcount sat at just over 47,000 roles.

2 – At the end of the Labour Government (2023)
• June 2023: 63,117 FTEs
• December 2023 (The Peak): 65,699 FTEs By the time Labour left office in late 2023, the workforce had grown significantly. It hit its absolute historical peak in December 2023 at nearly 65,700 FTEs — representing an increase of roughly 40% (or nearly 18,500 additional full-time roles) from where it started in 2017.

3 – The numbers now (Most Recent 2025 Data)
• March 2025: 63,238 FTEs Following the change of government and the coalition’s explicit directives to reduce public service spending and enforce baseline cuts, the workforce has been shrinking.

As of the latest official quarterly reporting, the headcount has dropped by 2,461 FTEs from its December 2023 peak, largely driven by a combination of sinking attrition replacement, voluntary delayering, and close to 2,000 redundancies across various ministries. While it is lower than its peak, it currently remains slightly above the June 2023 level.

The March figure [closet to now] at 63,238 is still 15,986 above to June 2017: 47,252 when the Ardernity took office.
22 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 9:06am
- artemisia
  
  There is also the issue if consultants, contractors and fixed term appointments are counted in the numbers. FTEs are (usually?) permies so maybe non permies have been replaced but the numbers don’t reflect that. Does anyone know – it is material.
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:33am
  - Im Right
    
    Artemisia, I personally know of 2 public servants who were made redundant (MoE) great payout, working at the ministry for approx 15-20yrs.
    One month later, caught up with one of them and he is now a consultant with MoE and making more $$$ than when he was actually working for them (he is self employed now.
    The other one just moved ministries, same IT role but now with DoH, redundancy cash in the bank, still earning good money at new role.
    It seems there needs to be table that shows:
    Total amount made redundant = xxx
    Total amount taken on as contractors/advisors/consultants = xxx
    (And how many have the same name on both lists)
    
    17 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 9:44am
    - crash
      
      A far better approach: those made redundant cannot work for the Government in any subsequent role. There can be approved exceptions where a permanent role becomes available with differing skill sets that the applicant qualifies for.
      
      My experience, working for a USA-based mainframe vendor 20 years ago, was that the above was standard practice as they went through various downsizing exercises.
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 12:23pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        “Forever” would probably fall foul of employment law. A condition of accepting redundancy should be a three or six month stand down from employment (direct or indirect) in any public sector role. This would be comparable to a non competition clause, which are common in private sector sales and senior management contracts.
        
        Alternatively, public servants could accept a role with another agency, but would need forgo or repay some or all of the redundancy.
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 2:49pm
- RoboRob
  
  Interestingly the reduction is staff is bigger then I thought! Latest reports were that staff numbers had grown ~2% in the last year. I guess National must have reduced them lower then the 63,238 and is now increasing them in time for the next round of cuts.
  
  9 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:34am
- Alwyn Poole
  
  In the first quarter of this year the Ministry of Education was employing nearly 4FTEs a day.
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 9:59am
  - RoboRob
    
    There has been a large expansion in EIT (Early Intervention Teachers) due to government policy. This has been expanded from ECE (preschool) into Primary schools. As such a large number of additional staff are required. Much bigger workload an all.
    
    I would guess this is at least one part of the reason the MOE is growing at present. These are ‘front line’ on the ground staff, not pencil pushers.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:02am
    - imalwaysright
      
      RR
      Their best method of intervention in the Primary sector would be to identify the previous 8 teachers of every child who presents at college unable to read and count.
      
      There will be easily identifiable rogue teachers common to these children.
      
      Get rid of them, and warn the rest that this will be an annual event.
      
      7 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 11:24am
    - Alwyn Poole
      
      I would be interested if you could find evidence of those numbers as they are not amoung the many roles the Ministry of Education advertises on Seek every day.
      
      2 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 11:34am
      - Ghost
        
        From last year
        https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/largest-boost-learning-support-generation
        
        2 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 1:49pm
    - RoboRob
      
      @Alwyn Poole
      
      Never looked on seek. I personally know of 4 people who applied for these jobs earlier this year (some got the job). I understand another round of hiring is likely on the way. The roles are in Christchurch but I expect the same thing is happening all around the country.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 1:28pm
      - Alwyn Poole
        
        There are a few but it is by no means 4 per day for 3 months.
        
        1 0
        Report
        June 16, 2026 3:39pm
  - Paulus
    
    I have a rellie in Wellington who started in Education, but is now in another Ministry, doing what she did in MOE.
    Numbers matter !
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:29pm
- MCōs
  
  There are ~76k state school teachers who are not defined as *public servants*
  The Min of Education employs about 4,500 *public servants* plus there are ‘tens of thousands’ of support & administrative staff.
  Considered almost all these people are paid for by the taxpayer one way or another it confuses the situation.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:07am
  - Quail
    
    Mcos
    Good point , perhaps the criteria to ID what / who are public service employees should simply be “ are they paid by tax/rate payers?”
    There are many contractors and others relying on the taxpayer as well ,through the public service.
    All Government spending needs clarification including assorted charities!
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:35am
  - Taieri
    
    school teachers who are not defined as *public servants*
    ———-
    
    Teachers are not public servants, they are state employees.
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:35am
    - Quail
      
      State employees should also be included in the wider Government employees!
      They take the taxpayers dollar!
      
      7 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 12:28pm
trout

A nasty opinion piece (since removed) in Stuff this morning with a headline implying that young ‘brown’ workers will have cause to resent helping to pay the Super pension directed to ‘white boomers’.
I went back to reread the content but it has gone. This has got be racial incitement at its worst. Someone may be able to retrieve the piece and identify the author. Shame on Stuff for accepting the diatribe in the first place.
19 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 9:54am
- Ghost
  
  Can you pull the link from your history?
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:24am
  - greybeard
    
    Is this it ?
    
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-listener/new-zealand/aaron-smale-rich-sorted-and-entitled-why-means-testing-for-superannuation-is-a-political-no-go-zone/premium/MX6MHMZZ75FSPGOFQVQRKFF334/
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:57am
    - Ian Boag
      
      Not sure which bits of it are inaccurate ?
      
      0 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:58pm
    - Ghost
      
      Poster said on stuff, maybe they were confused
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 3:05pm
- Beach Haven expat
  
  Does Mr Smale ponder in his musings that maybe it is the same reason the ‘white boomers’ paid for the increasingly brown workforce’s birth, healthcare, education, (some) benefits, etc.
  This whole argument around state pensions is utter nonsense driven by the envy of the young and ignores the central tenant of the welfare state – it is for the betterment of the whole society that as individuals we all put in trusting that at certain points of our lives we then receive help from society.
  But if the kiddies want to start counting who has put in what and taken out what down to each cent (or penny in my case), I’d be delighted here in the UK to have all what was taken off me under National Insurance contributions for the pension returned to me. I’d even forego the interest. In fact let me work out what I haven’t taken that society provides, minus what I have had off the state and again, quids in.
  What a pity I won’t be around to see these money-grubbing children be the target of the same demands by a younger generation!
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 17, 2026 1:05am
Crafty

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360993047/labour-will-scrap-nationals-new-primary-school-testing-tool-if-elected

Labour really are a horrible group of people. They don’t give a shit about our children’s education, it’s all about covering the Unions failures. Parents should be outraged about this.
20 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 10:00am
- NothingLeft
  
  Teacher unions have been a multi-generational cancer on education throughout the west. Removing accountability and delivering ever worsening pedagogical practises.
  
  Be good to see majority of teaching replaced by AI tutors.
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 11:16am
  - MCōs
    
    What’s an AI tutor?
    I occasionally go along to my granddaughter’s primary school for various activities where there are 20-25 teachers for about 450 kids.
    There’s no way some *AI tutor* is going to lead the pupils into the hall, understand their personalities, calm down the hyper kids, encourage the slower learners, discipline the little shits . . . .
    Maybe the ABs could have an AI head coach?
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 5:08pm
    - NothingLeft
      
      Replacing classroom teaching with a tutor intent only upon the individual student and responsive to their aptitudes and speed of learning increases their educational attainment by about 2 standard deviations. eg average when tutored becomes top 3%, bottom 3% when tutored becomes average.
      
      Rich have always done this, homeschooling partly replicates it and is reason why homeschooling results tend to be stellar even with non-expert parent-teachers. We are on cusp of being able to assign a universally expert AI tutor to every student, able to teach them every subject with endless creativity and patience, and changing pedagogical style to suit students, all with PhD level knowledge for dollars an hour.
      
      It’s going to be absolutely revolutionary.
      
      0 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 5:36pm
surfing

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/boy-racers-pour-diesel-over-central-hawkes-bay-roads-someone-is-going-to-be-seriously-hurt-or-killed/45352MZB5NEPPF7T3J7XPQ6KIM/

Yep, while the whiney left cry about harsh sentences, the boy racers will continue to party.

Vote me PM , you’ll see a few of these louts locked up for 3 months for first offences!
12 1
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 10:24am
- pdm
  
  I am in Surfing.
  
  What party are you leading?
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:27pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

Why you just can’t hate the media enough: Part 345.

“US-Iran peace treaty: What it means for your wallet – and why some families could soon lose $50 a week”

The fragile US-Iran peace deal is already bringing down oil prices.

That might trigger the end of the $50/week hardship allowance.

That means 143,000 families would now suffer.

Of course, in typical Stuff fashion, the article itself is often more reasonable, but few people read past the headline.

As I said at the time, the hardest part of the $50 hand out will be taking it away again – and the political ire that will cause. Of course it was always going to give the shit stirrers more ammunition.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/360993071/us-iran-peace-treaty-what-it-means-your-wallet-and-why-some-families-could-soon-lose-50-week
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 10:33am
- RoboRob
  
  National did well with this, they clearly articulated when the benefit would be removed….
  
  ‘The boost will apply for one year until April 1, 2027 – or until the price of 91 octane fuel drops below $3 for four consecutive weeks – whichever comes first.’
  
  https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/03/24/fuel-relief-package-who-is-eligible-and-how-does-it-work/
  
  This removes the politics from it and should make the removal ‘automatic’. I would be very sad indeed if the benefit was kept on because otherwise it would be dropped to close to the election.
  
  13 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 10:58am
  - cmm (semi-retired edition)
    
    It is all very well to say the benefit will be removed.
    It is quite another to actually remove it.
    
    The current mob have been so damn wishy-washy it is really hard to see them having the spine to do so – especially before an election.
    
    8 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 11:15am
    - RoboRob
      
      Yes, that is my fear too.
      
      3 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 1:30pm
Jack5

What’s happened to industry in Britain, home of the Industrial Revolution?

It’s latest tank, the Challenger 3, has a problem. The turret gearbox isn’t strong enough to cope with the tank’s weight and armour.

The Telegraph reports the problem could delay finishing the Challenger 3 for up to two years.

The evolution from industrial economy to service economy was going to be smooth. No-one pointed out that defence industries depend on parallel non-military manufacturing.

America’s scramble to recreate its once giant shipbuilding industry is another example. Wouldn’t want to subcontract your new aircraft-carriers to South Korea or Japan.
8 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 11:03am
- imalwaysright
  
  What’s happened to industry in New Zealand…
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 11:51am
  - R
    
    Rogernomics and unionism killed it off.
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 1:47pm
  - MCōs
    
    Which particular industry did you have in mind?
    Which industry ever thrived in NZ outside the agrarian sector without being artificially boosted by tax breaks, tariffs/duties on competing imports and so on?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 5:23pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      You forgot import licencing ….. the real protective barrier. Introduced by Labour (with currency controls) in the 1930’s to deal with the fact that the balance of payments was so far down the dunny …. these created the employment that fed a lot of kiwis through to at least the 70’s. Not that we could ever do it again …..
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 7:00pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  I blame modern CAD-based engineering.
  
  Look at all the aircraft too. All the serious workhorses of the US Airforce were designed in the age of the slide rule and drawing boards with pencils:
  * F16: 1970s
  * C130 Hercules: 1957
  * A10 Warthog: 1960s/70s
  
  The problem with designing everything in a computer is that the engineers lose the “feel” of what they are building and thus it is no surprise at all when they have problems like undersized gearboxes.
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:13pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Its not so much using CAD or using a slide rule, its that the engineers today tend to design with insufficient appreciation of the environment of use and the ignorance of the user.
    The latter should add an extra 20% to any and all factors of safety.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:32pm
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    To be fair, pommie tanks have been shit after the first one.
    
    The Centurion is an outlier.
    
    1 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 1:40pm
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      One of the things the Poms always struggled with was cooling.
      
      They’d do all their tests in Blighty in the miserable Pommie weather, then struggle with overheating as soon as they went to Africa etc.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 2:42pm
    - Jack5
      
      Charlotte’s Centurion tank as an outlier …
      
      Views on tanks seem to vary as widely as those on racehorses.
      
      For example, Britain’s small Valentine was often spoken about in a derogatory way, even compared with other British tanks. I understand NZ Territorials used them — without much respect –until the 1950s.
      
      Yet the Soviet Union, which knew a thing or two about tanks, had the British keep the Valentine in production for Lend Lease supplies until 1945. The Red Army used them in infantry support from the Battle for Moscow until the end of the war.
      
      New Zealand’s 3rd Division used Valentines in the Green Islands battle in the Solomon Islands, after “modding” some with three-pounder guns instead of the initial two-pounders.
      
      Britain and Canada made more than 8,000 Valentine tanks.
      
      Not that Britain’s a giant in the field any longer. Poland, for example, has about three times as many tanks as the UK.
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 4:17pm
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        The Val’ was Ok in some respects.
        
        But a tank is nothing more than a mobile gun platform.
        
        The platform was good but the gun was outdated very early.
        
        It was very much a lighter Matilda. Both got badly exposed for their slowness as the was in Europe continued.
        
        The Japanese armour was lamentable and those slower and lighter armed tanks, including the Lee/Grant were not outclassed in the Pacific.
        
        Our opinions diverge about the soviet armour. Their only grace was the adage ‘quantity has a quality of its own’.
        
        My favourite tank is the Chieftain. Only ruined by the UK desire to always obey EU directives and follow the stipulation for a multi-fuel engine.
        
        0 0
        Report
        June 17, 2026 5:15pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      If you want to read about Pommy tanks – look up “Covenanter” – several thousand built during the war and none went to any sort of fight. Because they were rubbish – designed by a car company and a ratlway company neither of who had ever been near a tank ….
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 7:02pm
  - MCōs
    
    CAD meaning computer aided draughting was originally a more sophisticated way of drawing 2D lines and arcs/circles using programmes such as AutoCad
    Engineering draughtsmen were only too pleased to ditch drawing boards around 1980.
    Slide rules and log books were unceremoniously biffed in the rubbish tin before then.
    Btw
    The World Trade Center was built around 1970 and was a a couple of over designed steel square prisms with about 30% extra steel which was about the best that could be done at the time
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 5:57pm
- Ian Boag
  
  British industry has been on a down trend since a bit before 1900. Aged plant, small-minded owners, reluctance to innovate etc etc.
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 3:02pm
rouppe

Heads need to roll. Publicly. Decisively.

the Immigration Minister was allegedly misled by officials, who used “creative accounting” to avoid Cabinet scrutiny over a “doomed” project that spanned eight years and led to at least $32 million being wasted.

Read the while things. It’s a litany of deception from the ministry
13 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 11:03am
- greybeard
  
  I agree: it is high time that actual names and positions were made public: it is not organisations which make bad decisions, it is real people, and they get paid for doing so.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 11:52am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    They get very well paid to do so
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 2:54pm
- Inandout
  
  rouppe, when was the last time a public servant was prosecuted? That organisation I think is 80% left leaning and other than a complete clean out they will continue to rule.
  
  3 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 2:22pm
- artemisia
  
  This stood out to me from the Herald article – The report, Stanford said, showed the project ….. made effectively undeliverable because of an early change in scope.
  
  And yet, on it went.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 2:50pm
mogg

This morning I have been publicly shamed, four men in high viz jackets have found the wrong type of plastic in my recycling bin, there is now a notice glued on the lid for all to see.
12 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 11:29am
- lifesgood
  
  I put my bin out just before the rubbish truck arrives. Solves that problem.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:01pm
- marcw
  
  Is there some reason you are exempt from the recycling rules mogg? I know they can be confusing, and keep changing, but non-compliance means the cost of the recycling service (bourne by all ratepayers equally) keeps going up? Please, you should just simply use your experience as a learing opportunity.
  
  4 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 1:00pm
Ghost

Anyone withholding information from a minister should be sacked

Failed $33m border security project didn’t deliver a thing in seven years, minister says officials misled her

“From the limited information available to me, it appears MBIE deliberately withheld information from those ministers and did not seek ministerial approval for whole of life cost increases when it was required throughout the p[project. It is also not clear what questions previous ministers asked about the project, ongoing delays and escalating costs, or what information they received,” she said.
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 11:39am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Sacking for criminal levels of fraud?
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 11:45am
  - imalwaysright
    
    NZ, ya can’t start rocking the boat….
    
    3 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:17pm
- rouppe
  
  Almost certainly those fingered would “already have left the ministry” or “were contractors”, no names would be disclosed, even to the minister privately, and nothing would change.
  
  Sack some senior managers. They were either complicit, or knew and did nothing, or are not monitoring their projects adequately.
  
  Whatever, (metaphorical) blood on the floor, in front of the whole staff.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:12pm
  - artemisia
    
    Agree about senior managers being held accountable. At the very least they should be expecting the top risks to be included on every single report to them, or from them. Preferably the top item. If those bosses don’t ask, they don’t want.
    
    9 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 12:49pm
  - RoboRob
    
    Those that already left the ministry are likely still working for the government, in another department and in a higher paying role. They should be given the arse.
    
    6 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 1:34pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

Again, ideologically driven officials hoodwink a minister.

Why does this continue? Well, obviously, for one reason only: the benefits of doing so outweigh the negative consequences.

Anyone “massaging” the numbers like this should be criminally charged with fraud and, hopefully, get to sit a few years in prison.

“The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will also conduct its own review”

Nope. Bring in the SFO! Clearly MBIE is incapable of looking in the mirror and controlling themselves. They need outside guidance.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/furious-minister-reveals-officials-misled-her-knowingly-avoided-cabinet-over-doomed-immigration-project-millions-wasted/RVHZUPXWZ5BG5G2F2DC2QJCQE4/
21 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 11:45am
- Prince
  
  Agree. It’s not ‘creative accounting’, it is outright fraud.
  
  16 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 11:52am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Surely, there will be a few high up public servants responsible for this being given the don’t come Monday letter. That will help as these are easy ones when it comes to reducing the head count.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 12:28pm
  - cmm (semi-retired edition)
    
    The reason they should not be coming on Monday is because they are in remand.
    
    Just firing them (likely with a huge golden handshake) is really not enough of a punishment.
    
    This is fraud. They are stealing from the taxpayer’s pocket. There are real victims.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 5:33pm
  - wgtn_dude
    
    CEO at the time Carolyn Tremain, who oversaw this mess has just been given a King’s Birthday Honour.
    
    Why do the politicians keep allowing these gongs for of mediocre CEOs across the public sector? They are lauded for their “leadership”, but as for their managerial and organisational capability … pfft.
    
    5 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 5:51pm
- Southern Raider
  
  Next time the left complain about lack of funding for those on benefits and homeless just point to this $32M as one of hundreds of examples of why we can’t have nice things
  
  10 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 1:19pm
  - Ghost
    
    It’s peanuts though
    
    This years budget set aside NZ$21.6 billion for the main benefits, NZ$26.48 billion for pension. For main benefits $59 million paid out per day, $72.6 million for pension per day. 920,000 People on the pension, 430,000 people on the main benefits. They’d all get a 46 cents per week increase.
    
    It would however give around 1400 hip replacements.
    
    5 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 1:32pm
    - Southern Raider
      
      Yes small in the scheme of things but it all adds up quickly as there would be hundreds of these across the public service.
      
      How many bowel cancer screening tests would $32M buy?
      
      6 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 1:50pm
      - Ghost
        
        In reality, probably none, it would just be $32 million that the government doesn’t need to borrow.
        
        1 5
        Report
        June 16, 2026 1:55pm
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      Yes, $32M it is peanuts. But it is not isolated.
      $32M here, $32M there adds up and soon we’re talking a few jars of peanut butter.
      
      5 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      June 16, 2026 1:54pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        Just 30 x $32m and you’ve saved a billion already. That’s a huge contribution towards the $8000m deficit this year. 1 down, 29 to go. 🙂 For $1bn – only 250 of these needed to sort the whole deficit thing.
        
        Not that I approve of splashing money around like this, but the overall problem is an order of magnitude bigger ….
        
        4 1
        Report
        June 16, 2026 3:07pm
- RoboRob
  
  This is ALWAYS the issue in NZ. There are no negative outcomes when government employees make mistakes or act illegally. Often the worst is a golden parachute.
  
  12 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 1:35pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  So four and a half years was under Labour then, looks like the coalition have years more cleaning up after that bunch of incompetents.
  
  8 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 1:37pm
- AitchW
  
  It’s looking like the SFO should be involved as well as the Commissioner. Systematic efforts to hide information from the minister then they have the hide to blame it on a junior staffer acting outside his authority.
  Sir Humphrey will be turning in his fictional grave at the blatant dishonesty.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 5:37pm
Southern Raider

Labour writing more cheques they can’t afford.

Waiting for the financial academics to model at what decade in the future does the capital gains collected in a single year match that years increased expenditure, let alone pay for the multiple years of increased deficits incurred.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-labour-promises-free-maternity-scans-paid-for-by-capital-gains-tax/7Q7A7IBMLRH7PFM6PTHWRPZLXE/
10 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 1:17pm
- RoboRob
  
  Didn’t they already promise ALL the the CGT was going to cover 3 free doctors visits? Wasn’t it going to be ring fenced for this? Didn’t people already identify that the CGT wouldn’t even cover this additional cost for at least 5 years (being very generous) let alone other spending promises.
  
  Is Labour seriously just going to pretend the CGT will pay for all and any new lollies they dish out?
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 1:37pm
  - Southern Raider
    
    They are so dumb they would believe the full CGT comes in on day 1 and doesn’t take a decade or longer to build up.
    
    7 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 1:51pm
  - AitchW
    
    Yeah, wait for them to spend the CGT over and over and over again. They’re just dishonest.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    June 16, 2026 5:34pm
- AitchW
  
  Labour writing more cheques the taxpayer can’t afford.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 7:24pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

So a century+ old law is going to be scrubbed and Wellington will be allowed to sell skimmed milk again…

It reminds me of something in the 1970s when students at the local law school dredged up an old law.

The Victorian-era lawmakers had introduced modesty by laws banning public nudity in the town, except within 100 yards of the river. The exception was made to allow travelers to strip off and keep their clothing dry while they crossed the rivers with their ox wagons.

The students threw a nude party on the river banks. Cops were called. Lawbooks were waved around and the party continued. The bylaw was amended a few days later.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360993526/trim-milk-soon-be-legalised-wellington
5 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 2:03pm
Gravelroad

@RoboRob- Yes, they are going to pretend that a CGT will pay for a lot of free, shiny stuff.
And people will believe it.
I see from several of the comments below the article that leftists, and the people they seek to influence, still going on unhappily about tax cuts/breaks for the tobacco industry and greedy landlords.
Is that still relevant?
If it ever was relevant.
7 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 2:03pm
- mandk
  
  The tax breaks have benefitted tenants as well as landords. Removing a tax on any good increases the supply and reduces the price.
  
  Rents have hardly increased during the past year.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 4:20pm
Ghost

Not looking good in the USA at the moment.

Cushing’s current inventory is 21.6 million barrels, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

That’s dangerously close to operational stress levels, the tipping point at which Cushing struggles to supply all of its customers with the oil they demand.

When Cushing’s reserves get below 20 million, they effectively hit empty, scraping the bottom of the barrel of what is largely unusable sludge.

Article
2 0
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 6:49pm
Swifty

Beware of AOC.

https://x.com/sga_fla/status/2066702094510215663?s=46

Wise words indeed from Tom Sowell.
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
June 16, 2026 8:05pm
- MCōs
  
  He didn’t say that, of course, the chap is far too civil to use that sort of language, which is one of the reasons he distances himself from from President Trump
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:43pm
- Ghost
  
  smaller than trumps moobs…..
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  June 16, 2026 8:46pm

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« How Superintendent Naidoo could have avoided all the fuss

Labour and Te Pati Maori »

Donations

You can now donate to Kiwiblog

Exclusive content from DPF on Patreon

Become a Patron!

Never miss a post

Email Address

Join 13K other subscribers

Highlights

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

Links

There was a time when they just taught "the 3 Rs"
Not PC
How taxpayers have been short-changed by DoC’s lax partnership with Far North iwi
Point of Order
It Could Be Any MSM in the West
No Minister
Hate speech laws threaten free speech – Keith Locke memorial debate 2026
The Standard
Do falling birth rates boost per capita income?
Utopia
Woman of the day
Hompaddock
And then NZF Gumboot Fascism came for ALL the migrants: Why Winston is a Temu Nigel Farage
The Daily Blog
More lightning legislating
No Right Turn
Refugee sponsorship
Offsetting Behaviour
Opportunity Knocks… To The Left
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
NRL Predictions for Round 18
Stats Chat
Deciding Election 2026
NZCPR
Media Link: “A View from Afar” on Systemic Change.
Kiwipolitico
A central banker’s fiction
Croaking Cassandra
THE WORKING FROM HOME RACKET BY PUBLIC SERVANTS
No Punches Pulled (Bob Jones)
The Accidental Engagement
Imperator Fish
Legal Beagle: Election '23: The Special Votes
Public Address
Get Vaccinated Tomorrow Or Shut Your Pie Hole
Cactus Kate
Making this movie might have been a mistake
Liam Hehir
Why I am retiring from political blogging
Kiwi FireWalker

[email protected]

PO Box 12270, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

Facebook
Twitter
FourSquare
Instagram
LinkedIn
Google+

Archives
Disclosure Statement
Editorial Policy
Privacy Policy
Complaints Policy
Comments Policy

Design by cre8d

%d

Share this:

Like this: