General Debate 12 July 2026

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NeverMindTheBollocks

Who said the NZ oil & gas industry was dead?

“Taranaki Energy – a wholly owned subsidiary of Perth-based Pancontinental Energy – has applied for a permit targeting frontier deepwater off the coast of Taranaki.

It is the fifth permit application to prospect for hydrocarbons in New Zealand waters since the removal of the exploration ban”.

Exploration permits are a long way from drilling, let alone production, but it’s a start.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/701146/australian-company-asks-to-explore-taranaki-basin-for-oil-and-gas
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July 12, 2026 8:02am
- Paulus
  
  It will not be approved as Maori and Greens will oppose it and Labour will repeal it when in power again.
  
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  July 12, 2026 8:45am
  - David Garrett
    
    Paulus: Spot on…and the reason they have applied will be more about taxation reduction than any intention of drilling a well
    
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    July 12, 2026 8:55am
  - CJames
    
    It will be hard for the protestors as it is so far off the coast and the exploration will probably have no NZ presence. It is so far out in the Tasman, they can’t even whine about wind turbines, Maui dolphins or seafood.
    How sad, never mind, carry on.
    
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    July 12, 2026 9:00am
    - David Garrett
      
      CJ: There would inevitably be a “New Zealand presence” probably beginning with a seismic survey vessel taking on provisions at Port Taranaki…but as I have said, I don’t believe this applicant or any of the others actually intend to do some exploring…for the reasons Paulus lists – and others – exploring offshore New Zealand would be an utterly reckless use of shareholders funds
      
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      July 12, 2026 9:09am
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        If Te Atiawa think that there’s oil out there that belongs to them, now is the time to put their money where their mouth is and bid for an exploration licence.
        
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        July 12, 2026 9:18am
  - R
    
    What NZ’s economic future doesn’t need, is pessimists, continually trying to undermine any progressive economic activity.
    All the negative commentators here on KB need to spend their time studying economics.
    
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    July 12, 2026 9:06am
    - David Garrett
      
      R: And you could spend some time studying the risks and costs of oil exploration in a country seen as “gas prone “…
      
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      July 12, 2026 12:17pm
      - slijmbal
        
        @DG
        
        Have to agree.
        
        Very few understand the economics and politics around exploiting petrochems and the enormous volume of petrochems around.
        
        Spent a couple of years working in IT in Shell’s large lab working on exploration and production with their engineers. Back then Shell’s estimates of potential petrochems of various sorts was thousands of years worth even allowing for ongoing growth in use. We need to remember how many MILLION years worth of dead plants are down there. The issue is not availability per se rather how expensive and risky it is to get out.
        
        The main blocks to more oil, gas and coal are both economics and politics. Finding and exploiting this stuff has a very high capital requirement and long term investment horizon. Even with that we still see the likes of OPEC needing their cartel to keep the price profitable.
        
        There are an enormous number of locations where petrochems are potentially available and political stability/suitability is a massive driver of where to drill. Remember Venezuela. Anyone exploring in NZ is likely doing so for diversification of sources and the risk of another super woke government doing a stupid captain’s call is huge.
        
        I am actually surprised but pleased by Taranaki Energy’s actions.
        
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        July 12, 2026 1:00pm
    - Damocles11
      
      Not all economic activity is great activity that should be celebrated. High government spending juices the GDP numbers, but I’m not in favour of it. Mass immigration juices the GDP numbers, but I’m not in favour of it. Malinvestment into unproductive assets juices the GDP numbers, but I’m not in favour of it. I’m not here to be a mindless cheerleader.
      
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      July 12, 2026 12:28pm
      - Quail
        
        D11
        Agreed.
        Even disasters can “ juice “ GDP.
        It is a very limited measure !
        
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        July 12, 2026 4:43pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    “It will not be approved as Maori and Greens will oppose it.”
    
    Don’t forget MBIE, who should be called MABIE, Ministry Against Business Innovation and Employment.
    
    They actively worked against the TTR proposal to mine ironsands 25km offshore from Patea.
    
    1800 jobs and at least $1,000,000,000 in export earnings every year ….gone.
    
    Business, Innovation, Employment. Yeah nah.
    
    https://search.brave.com/search?q=ttpr+ironsands&source=android&summary=1&conversation=094f044fe062b580e963b5fdbe43ec97174c
    
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    July 12, 2026 9:21am
    - David Garrett
      
      A billion a year in earnings?? Are you sure about that?
      
      (But I would be in favour of mining ironsands that far out…To be worth mining they would be utterly barren ecosystems – or rather a lack of any ecosystem I would expect.)
      
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      July 12, 2026 11:02am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Yes, and that doesn’t include the associated precious metals that, as a by product, could be worth more than the iron.
        
        Here’s an interview of Trans Tasman Resources boss Ross Eggers by Leighton Smith outlining the behaviour of MBIE and their initiating of Maori protest involvement in stopping the project.
        
        It truly is a scandal.
        
        https://open.spotify.com/episode/4fLNqdnVDJ3jVo2y38JmF2?si=j4LGACtbQ8-bibiKIZQ69Q&utm_source=copy-link
        
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        July 12, 2026 11:17am
      - Ghost
        
        no, it was retracted
        
        https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/350448330/hopeful-taranaki-seabed-miner-retracts-billion-dollar-earning-claim
        
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        July 12, 2026 11:21am
  - Sir Cullen's Sidekick
    
    In power in November 2026…fixed it for you.
    
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    July 12, 2026 10:21am
Cassandra

India and NZ: “On defence, both governments want to deepen their maritime defence ties including a commitment to conduct naval activities such as bilateral naval exercises and engage on cyber security priorities.”

Unless National pulls finger bigly this is a joke. We have two old frigates and therefore much of the time we have no ship to put to sea. The RNZAF can do its bit but the Navy no. We haven’t even decided on the hull, so fulfilling this commitment is a decade away. And where does the money come from?

Successive governments have been grossly irresponsible.
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July 12, 2026 8:18am
- imalwaysright
  
  Modi’s visit looked a bit off.
  
  It reminded me of Arderns trade deal (capitulation to EU rules and regs) where she couldn’t wait to sign the ‘deal’ and get to the photo op.
  
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  July 12, 2026 8:39am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  India manufactures warships. Could be a bid for our business.
  
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  July 12, 2026 8:42am
- R
  
  One of the progressive govt combinations has been hamstrung by the irresponsibility of the previous government. On nearly every occasion.
  
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  July 12, 2026 9:08am
- Jack5
  
  Little New Zealand’s realistic external ally is Australia. It’s also our biggest business partner (add banks and so on to Australia’s place as second biggest trade partner).
  
  Australia is buying Mitsubishi Industries frigates, to be built in Australia, to upgrade its Navy.
  
  A reasonable bet: New Zealand will buy a couple of these Australian-built Japanese ships for the RNZN.
  
  https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2026-04-18/australia-locks-delivery-our-first-three-general-purpose-frigates
  
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  July 12, 2026 10:38am
  - mike
    
    NZ needs at least three to be reasonably sure one is available at all times.
    
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    July 12, 2026 10:58am
    - pdm
      
      Really Mike?
      
      How will they crew them – conscription?
      
      RNZNavy can hardly crew one frigate these days as I understand it.
      
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      July 12, 2026 11:11am
      - mike
        
        Pay more, obviously.
        
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        July 12, 2026 11:15am
      - surfing
        
        DEI hires… that worked ok before, ha.
        
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        July 12, 2026 1:56pm
      - OlderChas
        
        Reponse to Mike actually pdm but only had the Report option !
        Navy pay is lagging a bit at the moment, but on top of the standard pay all of them get, those “at sea” earn another $130 per day on top of other full pay and allowances.
        
        How much more should we be paying sailors to go to sea?
        
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        July 12, 2026 5:30pm
      - Quail
        
        From the “Maritime Executive “
        “NZ Navy Idles one – third of its Fleet Due to Manning Shortage “
        The reason given was “ median wages rose by record setting rate of 9% in June, reaching an Annualised pay of US 40 000 ( approx NZD $70,000 )
        The annual salary for a RNZN sailor is US $ 33 to 38 ooo!
        Two issues:
        One the RNZN is not competing and is failing to use the asset’s it has ,and two,
        The figure of 9% wage and salary increase in NZ ,if true , shows just how out of control real inflation actually is in todays NZ economy!
        Economic management in NZ appears to be obfuscation today!
        
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        July 12, 2026 6:08pm
      - Taieri
        
        Pay more, obviously.
        ———–
        
        An annual salary for the Master of an offshore support vessel in Australia is currently AUD 294050 with equal time off and additional 4 weeks of annual leave. A casual Master receives another 20% on the top of that. The super contribution from the employer is 15.5%.
        
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        July 12, 2026 6:42pm
  - kowtow
    
    Russian maritime losses to Ukr drones is currently huge.
    
    Surely that’s where a small , poor country like NZ could excel .
    
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    July 12, 2026 12:05pm
  - rouppe
    
    I still don’t understand what having frigates does for nz. They can’t patrol our EEZ effectively, they can’t deliver aid effectively, and their role is really to be an annoying little mosquito buzzing around bigger more valuable capital ships.
    
    We can patrol the EEZ and deliver aid more effectively using air assets.
    
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    July 12, 2026 12:51pm
- Quail
  
  Cassandra
  “The RNZAF can do its bit”?
  Pretty small bit IMHO !
  
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  July 12, 2026 11:37am
- Jack5
  
  Also from the Modi visit …
  
  Narendra Modi on his visit seemed to single out the India-NZ trade deal the clauses about New Zealand investing $US20 billion in India. That’s a shade under $NZ35 billion at current exchange rates.
  
  That would build a lot of infrastructure, or provide capital for a lot of potential export or resource-based industries.
  
  Modi spoke as though this was a commitment, but PM Luxon before and since the visit has since argues that this was less than a commitment for NZ. More of a goal, he suggested.
  
  Here’s how it’s reported by the Hindustan Times:
  
  “Based on the fact sheet issued by both governments, New Zealand has committed to a $20 billion investment over the next 15 years.
  
  Did Trade Minister Todd McClay read the FTA agreement? It is two hundred or so pages — but the devil is in the details.
  
  An Indian newspaper’s interpretation:
  
  https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-new-zealand-fta-signed-20-billion-investment-5-000-visas-and-duty-free-access-key-features-of-the-trade-pact-101777279217308.html
  
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  July 12, 2026 12:11pm
- Paulus
  
  The money can come immediately if we stop funding everything Maori !
  
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  July 12, 2026 2:11pm
  - R
    
    Maori!……..and stop funding the unmotivated and lazy with ….
    VERY GENEROUS WELFARE
    
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    July 12, 2026 3:27pm
David Garrett

Back in the Kingdom after several (very cold) weeks in New Zild…a lovely 22C here this am..but the country is closed..

NO Scott, I won’t be going to church! But I’ll probably go into the office later where I can hear the singing from a church nearby
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July 12, 2026 8:26am
- Scott
  
  You’re getting closer David! 😊
  Have a lovely day. 🙏
  
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  July 12, 2026 8:36am
  - David Garrett
    
    Thank you Sir…I have had my office next to the church for almost four years without the slightest inclination to go inside
    But the singing is truly magnificent
    
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    July 12, 2026 8:57am
    - Cassandra
      
      The road to Tarsus……………….
      
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      July 12, 2026 9:04am
      - Peter S
        
        Just being pedantic.
        Damascus.
        
        Paul was from Tarsus. 🙂
        
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        July 12, 2026 9:08am
      - David Garrett
        
        Cass You’ll have to explain that one too…(Google too hard on the phone)
        
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        July 12, 2026 9:24am
      - Maggy Wassilieff
        
        The road from Tarsus…
        Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus.
        
        (Are lightning strikes common in Tonga?)
        
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        July 12, 2026 9:47am
      - David Garrett
        
        Mags: No, we rarely have thunder and lightning…we are somewhat overdue for a decent cyclone tho…about once every ten years is the norm
        
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        July 12, 2026 10:06am
      - Cassandra
        
        Saul later St Paul had his epiphany there. It’s never too late. BTY King’s birthday today. Big party?
        
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        July 12, 2026 10:47am
      - Jack5
        
        A short example of Tongan church singing. This sample doesn’t have the greatest melody but it’s an example of their harmonisation.
        
        https://youtube.com/shorts/LcRl-Kf0Src?si=Bzc5q6QXR0v63qSB
        
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        July 12, 2026 10:47am
      - Don Beckett
        
        Not bad Jack 5.
        But I do hear better than that from the Catholic Maori community at Te Puna – both Maori & English hymns. 🙂
        
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        July 12, 2026 11:25am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  One here for both David and Scott.
  
  http://www.stuff.co.nz/culture/361004965/looking-abyss-and-doing-what-tolstoy-did
  
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  July 12, 2026 8:46am
  - David Garrett
    
    Nevermind: a reasonably decent read until he got to fucking Matariki…there is reasonably good evidence that the ancient Maori were aware of the appearance of Pleiades…there is zero evidence that it was the occasion for celebration…and it sure as hell is NOT the time to plant kumera…a frost tender root vegetable
    
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    July 12, 2026 11:32am
    - Ghost
      
      Currently 5 degrees outside. My kūmara is sitting in a glass of water in the kitchen waiting to sprout
      
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      July 12, 2026 12:02pm
      - Jack5
        
        Kumera v. kūmara …
        
        Aha, Ghost has a macron over the “u” in his kumera/kūmara,
        
        I think this makes the “u” a short sound rather than the equivalent of “oo”.
        
        This will be a test of the written version of New Zealand Pidgin that’s evolving, largely driven by TVNZ and RNZ.
        
        Will supermarkets, advertisers, shoppers, chefs and all add a macron to the “u” in kumera?
        
        I note the online Maori dictionary Te Aka retains “era” for the last two syllables. That is “kūmera”. (But with Ghost’s spelling 2nd choice).
        
        https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?idiom=&phrase=&proverb=&loan=&histLoanWords=&keywords=kumera
        
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        July 12, 2026 12:33pm
      - Ghost
        
        welcome to spellcheck on ios.
        
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        July 12, 2026 12:47pm
    - AitchW
      
      Isn’t most kumera grown in northland? Not a lot of frost there…..
      
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      July 12, 2026 12:08pm
      - R
        
        You obviously haven’t spent much of the winters in Northland. Can be very cold , southerly wind from the Antarctica
        
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        July 12, 2026 1:05pm
- sryland
  
  Put some decent music on
  
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  July 12, 2026 10:08am
- Ra Henare
  
  And in the large kingdom, another Sunday where everything (except some government departments and schools) is operating normally.
  
  The joys of living in a Buddhist country without Christian-based holidays every week.
  
  They do have holidays. Lunar New Year and ancestors’ remembrance holidays get 4 days of festivities. I mean PARTY!!!
  
  It’s the green season, where a daily downpour (think 45 minutes) washes the streets, reduces humidity, and keeps the countryside green.
  26-32C Lovely.
  
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  July 12, 2026 12:05pm
Swifty

A superb performance by Ann Widdicombe:

https://x.com/leeharris/status/2075710847326765126?s=46

A nice pic from earlier years:

https://x.com/ex_princesse/status/2075680925367615918?s=46

RIP.
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July 12, 2026 8:35am
Scott

In other good news the scale of the Somali daycare fraud is becoming apparent as a Somalian woman called Muhammad (last name) awaits sentencing for defrauding the govt of over $4m in false daycare and feeding the poor claims.

https://nypost.com/2026/07/10/us-news/minnesota-daycare-owner-in-viral-video-admitted-to-filing-more-than-4-6m-in-false-claims/?utm_source=chrome&utm_campaign=android_nyp

Uncovered by Nick Shirley it appears that the Minnesota governor Tim Walz turned a blind eye to massive fraud by Somalians. The Democrats rely on the Somalian community to vote them in to power.

This is a real danger to western democracies. Could this type of fraud happen here? 🤔
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July 12, 2026 8:42am
imalwaysright

Was the murder of Anne Widdicombe covered on the news last night?
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July 12, 2026 8:42am
- graham
  
  TV1 News didn’t cover it at all.
  
  My wife did comment that they’re often 24 to 48 hours behind on anything that happens overseas … seems their intrepid investigative reporters haven’t discovered the Internet …
  
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  July 12, 2026 1:30pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    In fact, I did see it on TV One news yesterday.
    
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    July 12, 2026 6:04pm
Swifty

No, no, no.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/boy-with-down-syndrome-denied-residency-after-immigration-nz-cost-concerns/4WJ77KJ66BHDTJRWXEOBFBQYH4/

They knew full well that the boy was ineligible because of the financial burden placed on NZ families but they’ve tried it on anyway.

No.

We cannot burden our families with the cost of medical treatments for severely health-compromised foreign nationals – we’ve got enough on our plates as it is.
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July 12, 2026 8:49am
- David Garrett
  
  Swifty: Agree 100%
  
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  July 12, 2026 11:06am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  In Sri Lanka, where the boy is from, apparently his Down Syndrome is due to sins he committed in a past life.
  
  If we can’t criticise non scientific te ao Maori beliefs, we shouldn’t be criticising the deeply held non scientific beliefs of other cultures.
  
  Seriously, NZ simply cannot take every disabled person from the Third World, just as we cannot accept every LGBT+ person from countries that discriminate against their own citizens of this type.
  
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  July 12, 2026 1:57pm
artemisia

How a silver and gold coin worth $10 cost one Canterbury family their home – Attempt to pay off rates bill leads to forced sale of their property.

That has to one of the strangest headlines because, actually, not paying the rates was the cause of forced sale.

Seems the debtor was relying on this part-definition of legal tender in the RB Act- in the case of coins of a denomination of $10 or more, for the payment of any amount.

https://www.oneroof.co.nz/news/how-a-silver-and-gold-coin-worth-10-cost-one-canterbury-family-their-home-49840
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July 12, 2026 8:54am
- David Garrett
  
  These people are stupid…but as a rural dweller myself I sympathize with them re rates with no services. I get my water from the sky, dispose of my own shit via a septic – but after 20 years I now get a rubbish collection not paid for by the bag
  
  Other than that, I get the use of 2ks of road to the SH and use of the Helensville library…not much for $3,500
  
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  July 12, 2026 9:45am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    And, presumably, roads within Helensville to the supermarket and elsewhere; and the local park(s); and the public toilets; etc.
    
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    July 12, 2026 1:33pm
Yvette

Te Ao o Maori

There are two major influences of Maori on non-Maori New Zealanders
They are culture, and that portion of culture which extends to a religious worldview
It is the latter which is inappropriate, just as a few New Zealanders would be concerned were Islamic Sharia Law to be favoured in the slightest degree that te Ao o Maori is –

Separation of Church and State
New Zealand has no official state religion or established national church. Courts have affirmed the formal separation of church and state. Government agencies must remain neutral and treat all citizens equally.

Secular State Education
Public education is explicitly secular. The Education and Training Act mandates secular teaching in state primary and intermediate schools during instruction hours.
Non-neutral religious instruction, like voluntary Bible classes, can only occur if the school formally closes for that hour and parents explicitly opt-in.

Protection from Discrimination
Government services can’t favour or discriminate based on religion due to two major pieces of legislation:
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (NZBORA): Sections 13 and 15 guarantee freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief, including the right to hold no religious belief. NZBORA applies to all government branches and anyone performing a public function, ensuring public services are delivered without religious coercion.
Human Rights Act 1993: This prohibits government and private entities from discriminating on religious or ethical beliefs, including the lack of a religious belief.

Secular Alternatives in Public Administration
Where religious traditions historically intersected with state functions, the law has been updated to ensure secular options:
Oaths and Declarations Act 1957: Allows anyone taking a public office oath, entering court, or making an official declaration to choose a secular “affirmation” instead of swearing on a religious text.

The Paradox: Residual Traditions
Despite being functionally and legally a neutral, secular state, the government retains a few historic Christian traditions, such as:
Parliamentary Prayer: Every sitting of the New Zealand Parliament still opens with a formal Christian prayer, a tradition that faces ongoing debate from secular groups.
Public Holidays: The state still mandates national public holidays for Easter (Good Friday/Easter Monday) and Christmas.

• Many Nazi leaders promoted the Gottgläubig movement which rejected the Christian God and focused on a mystical, German-centric belief in nature and the Fatherland

The Māori language does not seem to have one exact word for “fatherland.” Instead, Māori words for ancestral or native land focus on heritage, genealogy, and the spiritual bond to the earth.
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July 12, 2026 8:57am
- Jigsaw
  
  Yvette-Sorry but you are wrong about the religious instruction part at least. Under the so-called Nelson system religious instruction was allowed in NZ schools because the schools were closed for the 30 minutes it took place at the beginning of the day but the system was always an opt-out system system which meant that parents were never asked. I understand that at present the BOT must give permission but still parents are not individually asked – and they should be!
  
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  July 12, 2026 9:56am
  - David Garrett
    
    Jigsaw: I beg to differ…at least at Kaukapakapa school, parents had to give written permission for their kids to do “bible class”…for reasons my (Tongan) ex never explained, she was opposed to it. She probably thought it was going to be like the the bullshit full on religious indoctrination up here. I felt the kids needed the basics of Christianity…the daughter is now going through a religious phase…as I thought she might.
    
    I remember my son coming home one day after bible class…he was maybe 8 or 9 at the time. He had asked the teacher who made God…her answer was “God is just God Charlie”…Son said “But that’s not really an answer, is it Dad?” Dad agreed with the nine year old.
    
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    July 12, 2026 11:11am
    - David Garrett
      
      Scott has at least one fellow communicant here this am…
      
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      July 12, 2026 11:35am
  - Yvette
    
    Jigsaw, it is not so much the process of religious instruction per se but the use of te Ao Maori religious world view pushed as normalised teaching along with custom and culture in a simple class context.
    
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    July 12, 2026 12:33pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  You are 25 years too late, Yvette..
  
  Spiritualism (Spirituality) was snuck into the School curriculum in the 1990s via the Health & PE curriculum.
  
  https://www.nzcer.org.nz/nzcerpress/curriculum-matters/articles/attempting-capture-intangible-spirituality-state-education
  
  It came in via Mason Durie’s model of well-being.
  
  This model is found in all aspects of NZ Health and Education now.
  https://www.health.govt.nz/maori-health/maori-health-models/te-whare-tapa-wha
  
  I stopped teaching Health as a subject in secondary school when the Spiritual component was added.
  
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  July 12, 2026 10:03am
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    So did that happen under the Bolger government? The National Party now has quite a track record of failing to defend NZ’s institutions.
    
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    July 12, 2026 10:50am
- imalwaysright
  
  “Courts have affirmed the formal separation of church and state.”
  
  Judges have started wearing Maori garb that makes them look clerical, in the religious sense.
  
  Add to that the introduction of terms such as tikanga, which can only be interpreted by the court, and one could be forgiven for thinking the courts are abandoning the law in favour of a pseudo religion.
  
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  July 12, 2026 11:04am
  - greybeard
    
    I agree, imalwaysright.
    On 8th July I made the following observation on this GD blog:
    ” The issue is the judges. For years I have maintained that lenient sentencing from judges is because they, and/or their families, are threatened by gangs and therefore compromised.”
    Well, maybe I was wrong: maybe the judges have not needed any threats or coercion to pronounce lenient sentences on maori. Maybe they have already been captured.
    
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    July 12, 2026 4:29pm
    - Ghost
      
      The problem is not your made up fantasy. It is the sentencing act. until you get out of these weird fantasies you keep inventing and realise the issue was caused by politicians with the sentencing act, then I guess you will keep pushing this nonsense instead of demanding the politicians fix the f up they have created
      
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      July 12, 2026 4:35pm
Cassandra

The Empire was Christian and Mai adopted Christianity in droves, so from 1840 NZ has been a Christian country. Just not mandated and just as it should be. Christian values, without all the hooha, seems to me to be the best way to go. Plus the singing!
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July 12, 2026 9:12am
- Yvette
  
  By 1852, an estimated 90 percent of the Māori population had converted to Christianity.
  https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/esploro/outputs/doctoral/The-Māori-conversion-and-four-early/9926478475401891.
  
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  July 12, 2026 9:29am
  - Damocles11
    
    There was a noticeable drop-off in ‘Maori on Maori’ cannibalism and slavery at about the same time.
    
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    July 12, 2026 10:24am
- sryland
  
  But is no longer
  
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  July 12, 2026 10:04am
- Cassandra
  
  Mai should read Maori of course.
  
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  July 12, 2026 10:50am
Swifty

Great to see Tamatha Paul of the NZ Greens constraining herself during the climate crisis where we’re shortly to be boiled alive because of our greenhouse gas emissions:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CvbbRCQRY
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July 12, 2026 9:46am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  It’s a long way to Scotland. Let’s hope she’s used up all of her carbon credits on the trip there.
  
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  July 12, 2026 1:37pm
- AitchW
  
  Another jolly on our dime…
  
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  July 12, 2026 3:56pm
- OlderChas
  
  I bet that I paid part of the costs of that trip.
  
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  July 12, 2026 5:51pm
Handyman

Wind is currently producing 31 MW of the 5,631 MW of New Zealand’s electricity. (0.5%).
Remember that number the next time someone suggests doubling the number of windmills to produce -wow- 1% of New Zealand’s electricity.
The same idiots will suggest we also double solar and get double the current zero MW!

The link below is live and will change by the time you see it.
https://www.transpower.co.nz/system-operator/live-system-and-market-data/consolidated-live-data
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July 12, 2026 10:20am
- [email protected]
  
  Our rooftop solar system cost us $13,400 eight years ago. It paid for itself in lower electricity bills after six years. Now we are in full profit mode for the remaining 24 years of its expected life.
  
  One of the best investments ever made. My worst investment was buying a 45 foot sailboat.
  
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  July 12, 2026 7:27pm
  - NeonTeepee
    
    How do you make a million dollars from sailing and boats?
    
    Start with 10 million. 🙂
    
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    July 13, 2026 2:07am
- MCōs
  
  The hydro lakes are at 130% capacity compared to expected capacity for this time of year, which accounts for so much power being generated from that source.
  Hydro is the most cost efficient for the gentailers because the dams have already been built, followed by wind
  Doesn’t make the stuff any cheaper for the end user.
  
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  July 12, 2026 9:03pm
Notsofast

A critically important interview, Erica Stanford and Duncan Garner.
Labour have very specific plans to revert to the innumeracy and illiteracy program they championed from 2017 to 2023, as confirmed independently by Virginia Andersen, labour education spokeswoman, and Christopher Hipkins.
This is to curry favour with teachers and their unions.
This is worse than treason, I suggest sending the link to this interview to voters everywhere, a devastating indictment, showing important workings.

About 15 minutes from 3 weeks ago, it just arrived in my feed, fortunately. Not a rumor, definitive:

https://youtu.be/oQl6JK2IrPY?si=YbX8YOsaLlhSL–_
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July 12, 2026 10:23am
Sir Cullen's Sidekick

The poll of polls by Herald now says, Chippie needs Opportunities Party to get back to power and tax the hell out of Kiwis….
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July 12, 2026 10:24am
imalwaysright

Just watching Professor [Mod – use his correct name] and his mate re-enacting their ancient voyage to Antarctica, but in an American C17 Globemaster.

The aircraft, apparently, started a u turn mid flight because of a mechanical problem.

The mate launched into a Maori prayer and then the plane, apparently, did another u turn and the pilot said they had fixed the problem.

Guess who got the credit for fixing the plane?
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July 12, 2026 10:33am
Swifty

Ann Widdecombe theorising on why the quality of British parliamentarians has fallen so far:

https://x.com/essex_patriot/status/2075842032732447052?s=46

I could say the same about New Zealand’s MPs.
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July 12, 2026 10:34am
Pope Punctilious II

This sweet deal for Pirirakau marae has only just come to my attention:
https://ngaiwifm.nz/stories/aukaha/landmark-35-year-energy-deal-secured-for-pirirakau-marae
Two-tier power pricing now?
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July 12, 2026 10:48am
- PeterTrentham
  
  Now every Iwi will demand it.
  
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  July 12, 2026 11:13am
- Damocles11
  
  We are stuffed. Oh, sorry for being ‘negative’. When someone gets something that has been made artificially cheap, somebody else has to subsidise it. We are stuffed.
  
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  July 12, 2026 12:31pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Why free power for only 35 years? There’s 186 years of hurt, you know.
  
  And, no one’s explained, why not free power for perpetuity? For, reasons.
  
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  July 12, 2026 1:41pm
- OlderChas
  
  Note that Pirirakau has FOUR marae in Wairoa, and that all of them are getting free power for 35 years.
  Maybe the deal is that Pirirakau will not oppose some infrastructure planned by Contact Energy in the next 35 years? (Can’t imagine what that might be in Wairoa!)
  
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  July 12, 2026 5:59pm
BananaLlama

Alright i think that is enough Soccer world cup. They need to take a very close look at what these refs are doing.
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July 12, 2026 11:35am
mogg

The game has finished, ‘football is still coming home’, and the UK pubs are still open for half an hour after the game has finished. The beer will be flowing.
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July 12, 2026 12:16pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  England will make the Final and then get comprehensively outplayed by the winner of the Spain-France semi final.
  
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  July 12, 2026 1:43pm
  - Sir Henry Morgan
    
    No. England will sink the Belgrano, then capture either the Redoutable or the San Martin – as necessary.
    
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    July 12, 2026 9:11pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Another white British national has been arrested in respect of Ann Widdecombe’s murder.
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July 12, 2026 2:35pm
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361005164/hipkins-warns-kiwi-exporters-keep-their-eyes-wide-open-over-differing-india-fta-interpretations
Hipkins desperate to stay relevant. Does he think that we can’t read the terms of the agreement ?
MSM obliges, of course.
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July 12, 2026 4:39pm
AitchW

Wow, Hipkins advising businesses to carry out due diligence before investing. Thank god he did, because no one would have thought to do it on their own.
Perhaps if he’d followed his own advice and exhibited due diligence while in government we wouldn’t be in such a mess financially and socially now.
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July 12, 2026 4:48pm
Ghost

no news on Mitch McConnell, But Lindsey Graham has died

Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was elected to the Senate in 2003 and was a close political ally of President Donald Trump, has died, his office confirmed early Sunday. He was 71.

Article
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July 12, 2026 7:38pm