General Debate 08 July 2026

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General Debate

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Cassandra

Canada has increased its defence spending to 2% of GDP and has committed to reaching 5% by 2035.

As part of the increase Canada has chosen a German defence company to build its navy’s new submarine fleet, in the largest military procurement deal in Canadian history, a 12-vessel contract.

Canada’s current submarine fleet is four, of which only one is currently available.

This is a major change for Canada which has, for years, scrimped on defence. Interesting that the first really big acquisition is naval, persuaded by the sea lanes opening to the north.

NZ remains at 1.2%, with a stated intent but no plan, to get to 2% in 5 years.
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July 8, 2026 8:01am
Benedict Yu

“We’re going to die trying to do something,” Luxon said.”

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361003311/national-labour-and-subscribe-our-new-bill

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Is there evidence that there is such harm from social media that the PM should ‘die trying’ to stop young people accessing it?

I can think of many reforms that I would have instead preferred him die trying to implement.

The other thing is that our online world changes so fast as to make regulating access tricky. Will “social media” as we know it now exist in ten years?

I recall the New Zealand government desperately setting up a three strikes regime to combat illegal music and content piracy. Around 2010. Shortly afterwards the problem largely disappeared because of the emergence of so much legal content. For example Spotify killed music piracy.

In summary, I am not convinced that this is a good idea. I am even less convinced that the Government could ever make it work.
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July 8, 2026 8:03am
- pdm
  
  `I can think of many reforms that I would have instead preferred him die trying to implement.’
  
  Me too BY.
  
  The system for replacing 3/5/10/All/Mahuta Waters is one. Everything I have seen so far suggests the outcomes are going to result in big, big, rates increases by another name.
  
  Co Governance of Councils and Government Departments by stealth is another.
  
  And those two are just for a warm up.
  
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  July 8, 2026 8:21am
  - mike
    
    Two points:
    1. One would hope that the government could deal with more than on issue at a time.
    2. Just because you don’t care about harm caused by unregulated social media doesn’t make it trivial.
    
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    July 8, 2026 8:33am
    - gravedodger
      
      Did putting Hustler and Playboy in Plastic wrappers at news stands stop teenagers reading them, I don’t think so. Who does one turn to to fix internet and appliance hitches, the neighbours teenagers of course.
      
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      July 8, 2026 8:42am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      You actually drew that conclusion from reading my comment?
      
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      July 8, 2026 8:52am
artemisia

Workers claim BNZ boss threatened to cut annual leave over office return Herald today, not paywalled.

Allegedly, anyway.

An ex-employee described BNZ as a “toxic” workplace …. “They have become a terrible organisation to work for. In the end, I was actually glad to be redundant, as at least I got a payout and could leave that toxic place.”

Discussions on restructures and any associated redundancies happen behind closed doors. I’ve been at several. “Toxic” or poorly performing employees are well known.
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July 8, 2026 8:44am
- Cassandra
  
  Seems to me that BNZ staff have very good conditions. If I worked there I’d want to be in the office.
  
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  July 8, 2026 9:01am

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