About
Contact
Advertise

Facebook
Twitter

July 14, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 14 July 2026

Like this:

Like Loading…

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Comment184

Uncategorized
General Debate

Comments (184)

Login to comment or vote

Nikola Donatello

Oh well there goes petrol prices again. 😕
13 7
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:04am
- rouppe
  
  I think the USA putting a 20% levy/toll on Iranian shipping is a mistake.
  
  It’s just legitimised what Iran was wanting to do with oil shipping.
  
  21 10
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:56am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    I can’t be bothered even deciphering things. With Trump it is a new thought every day.
    
    23 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 9:08am
    - kowtow
      
      Is Trump the problem or the Ayatollahs who sought by violence and subterfuge to dominate east Asia and to literally eliminate a nation , Israel.
      
      16 10
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:16am
      - Taieri
        
        sought by violence and subterfuge to dominate east Asia
        ————-
        
        Which East Asian country the Ayatollahs sought to dominate?
        
        6 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:44am
      - kowtow
        
        Of course that should be west.
        
        2 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:39pm
  - RoboRob
    
    My understanding is that they are once again blocking all Iranian shipping, or will be shortly.
    
    The 20% toll is on everyone else, ‘to cover the cost of keeping the straight open’. I suspect it is actually an attempt to get other nations, in particular the European ‘allies’, to come to the table and assist in keeping the straight open. Regardless of whose fault the current situation is, it benefits all nations to get the straight open.
    
    Remember the straight is currently mine free. IF the US can keep the straight open then it doesn’t matter what the Iranians do. The US can keep the ‘war’ going as long as is required, it is only the price of oil that gives the Iranians any power.
    
    26 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 9:09am
    - Cassandra
      
      That’s correct, Rob. This move will damage Iran’s economy bigly (sic). The 20% is excessive so that might be renegotiated.
      
      17 5
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:21am
      - Taieri
        
        This move will damage Iran’s economy bigly
        ———-
        
        And NZ economy will of course be immune…
        
        4 5
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:45am
      - virtualmark
        
        Iran’s calculation, consistently through this whole farago, is that they can tolerate more economic pain than the United States can.
        
        To date they have been correct.
        
        I expect that will continue to be the case.
        
        2 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 4:32pm
    - Damocles11
      
      Yeah, the US can just keep the war going, no worries. No problem if inflation becomes sticky. No problem if US domestic gasoline and diesel prices spike. No problem with cost of maintaining a naval blockade. No problem with continuing to expend expensive munitions, further depleting stockpiles. No problem for the Republicans with a new quagmire in the Middle East and the Midterms approaching.
      Trump has said about 46 times over that this war has been won, yet every time the fundamentally incorrect nature of his pronouncements is proven, his disciples immediately start rabbiting on about European countries. It’s a weird deflection.
      If the USA is the all-powerful global superpower it claims to be then surely it will prove it by actually winning this war.
      
      13 10
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:24am
      - RoboRob
        
        I said ‘IF the US can keep the straight open’. If the straight is open then fuel doesn’t spike and inflation doesn’t increase as a result.
        
        The US can easily ‘win’ this war. They can destroy Irans oil industry and wipe out infrastructure. The result is likely damage to other middle eastern oil infrastructure too from the Iranians. Its a balancing act.
        
        What would you prefer they do now?
        
        9 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:48am
      - Damocles11
        
        ‘USA can easily win this war’. So you keep saying, and yet there is a substantial cost to them in what is happening now, which is that an ongoing fiasco is not being brought to any decisive and successful conclusion.
        Blow up all of Irans oil infrastructure and you eliminate a large chunk of global oil supply and you no doubt create twin humanitarian and environmental catastrophes. Or the USA could ‘win’ by nuking Iran, thereby creating humanitarian, environmental, and economic catastrophes & setting a precedent for Russia and China to do the same in any conflict they are involved.
        Just saying “oh, the USA could win if they wanted to” doesn’t solve the problem of how to wind up this debacle without taking drastic measures.
        
        5 7
        Report
        July 14, 2026 11:17am
      - RoboRob
        
        @Damocles11
        
        I get that. It is a shit situation. What is your proposal to exit it?
        
        5 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:12pm
    - Gary Benner
      
      RobobRob, Trump had to appear reasonable, knowing all the while that the Iranian Regime would renege. The high fee for providing a protected transit is a negotiating stance, and invitation for the European Countries to do more.
      
      And at the same time now the USA has more support to cripple the regime to the point where the Iranian people have a chance to move the regime on.
      
      As I understand it, the USA is working with Oman having ships transit the Straits through their territorial waters. Any attack by Iran then is an attack on Oman, so is creating more reasons for the surrounding countries to want to fight back. It’s quite a chess game!
      
      31 8
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:34am
      - RoboRob
        
        Totally agree.
        
        Not sure what the down voters issue is, perhaps any comment marginally positive about Trump is enough to trigger them. Both my post and yours seem to have attracted some hate.
        
        21 5
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:07am
      - Drone
        
        Trump appear reasonable, Dream on..
        
        7 9
        Report
        July 14, 2026 11:43am
      - Gary Benner
        
        RoboRob, the massive increase in downticks is a phenomenon I’ve observed happening over the last year, and I can only suggest that there are those who have a purpose to come on to this forum to push a left wing agenda in what was once a predominantly common sense environment, with a good sense of humour, and critical thought. The high level of downticks, and single line negativity, with often little commentary, indicates to me a planned and concerted attack.
        
        Downticks to this comment will prove my point.
        
        3 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 6:13pm
      - Ghost
        
        yes there is a conspiracy for people who lack the ability to comprehend that people don’t support your views, its a big conspiracy….. Must be those lefties, goddammit it, or it is the terrorists, omg it could be the Russians, the Russians are sponsoring down ticking on this blog……
        
        2 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 6:27pm
      - Gary Benner
        
        Ghost, at least you put fingers to keys, for which you have my respect.
        
        What get’s my goat is when a perfectly reasonable, non controversial post gets a whole bunch of down ticks. Indicating there is just no thought behind the action. Tends to spoil the experience.
        
        In the days of infrequent downticks, someone did admit once they downticked just to indicate that they had read that comment!
        
        0 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 7:28pm
      - Ghost
        
        It’s kiwiblog. I wouldn’t put anything into it, or care. It’s pack mentality here. If you don’t support trump, downvote. If you do support trump, downvotes. If you don’t support act, downvote. Hell, I would even place money that some go around reporting comments just because they don’t like the person or because they are too precious. Ignore the downvotes, ignore the upvotes, they are meaningless.
        
        1 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 7:40pm
    - Tauhei Notts
      
      I have seen a map of that strait. It is actually rather crooked.
      
      17 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:34am
      - Don Beckett
        
        😆 😆
        
        9 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:30am
      - marcw
        
        English as a second language Tauhei? I would have failed at school if I had to learn english if it wasn’t my first language. Perhaps you could learn the difference between the words “Strait” and “straight”. 🙂
        
        2 8
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:45pm
      - David George
        
        All this concern about the Straights of Hormuz, does no one care about the Gays of Hormuz?
        Literally genocide!
        
        9 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:11pm
      - Jack5
        
        Marcw in his 12.45 post about Tauhei’s “strait”.
        
        He know the difference, Marc. He’s just playing on the difference of “strait” and “straight”.
        
        8 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:20pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Dead right Jack5,
        
        Tauhei was just being humerus.
        
        It certainly tickled my funny bone…
        
        6 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 2:24pm
    - mogg
      
      The US has just started using its new Ukraine like amphibious drones on the strait, when launched they can be controlled from on high. Considering air superiority this could make a big change to the balance of power.
      
      8 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 10:54am
    - Charlotte Wells
      
      That charge could be a cattleprod in the bum for those feckless, pantywaist european leaders.
      
      Start negotiation along the lines of make a military contribution and avoid the charge.
      
      6 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 11:16am
    - Bevan
      
      Imagine starting a war, then complaining no one wants to help..
      
      5 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 12:49pm
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        Shoe was on the other foot when Britain got involved in the second european war and got its arse handed to it in France.
        
        5 6
        Report
        July 14, 2026 2:19pm
      - mike
        
        Charlotte has a very weak understanding of the Battle of France.
        
        7 4
        Report
        July 14, 2026 3:11pm
      - Bevan
        
        Charlotte has a weak understanding of WW2 and US involvement as a whole.
        
        2 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 3:39pm
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        An ignominious retreat is a poor understanding?
        
        I would suggest I have far more knowledge about the battle of France than I chose to disclose.
        
        4 5
        Report
        July 14, 2026 4:17pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        I blame the French for not extending the Maginot Line through the Ardennes*.
        
        * Gosh, I’ve just put 2 and 2 together. Somehow, Jacinda was responsible for the Fall of France!
        
        1 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 5:46pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    I’m OK with it. The rich Gulf states seem to be not pulling their weight with regard to sorting the nasty Iranian regime out – a nuclear Shia theocracy is going to be a big problem for Sunni Arabs. They continue to expect USA to do the heavy lifting to keep their export economies running, so seems reasonable for USA to charge a fee and incentivize the gulf states to stop being so lazy.
    
    14 7
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 9:24am
    - Charlotte Wells
      
      As a complete aside but talking about nuclear war.
      
      I learnt last week that every major power, except China, was developing nuclear weapons prior to 1939. The USA was the least advanced.
      
      Russia had a target list for when they were ready to go. Berlin and London were the top 2.
      
      Once war started the major powers didn’t have the resources to continue development. The UK shipped all theirs to the USA to avoid the bombing. The rest were too busy fighting to advance their work.
      
      9 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 10:56am
      - NothingLeft
        
        Pre 1939 bomb plans in major powers is exceedingly unlikely. Neutron chain reactions in fissile materials were only confirmed by German physicists in late 1938 after being posited 6 years earlier. First self sustaining nuclear reaction 1942 (chicago). Prior to Einstein Slizard letter that kicked off Manhatten project really no-one was developing weapons, and Nazis weren’t sharing their interest with Soviets (that they planned to shank at some point in future)
        
        7 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:51pm
      - Jack5
        
        The Manhattan project that developed the atomic bomb in America employed more than 120,000 people and cost the then equivalent of about 48 billion current US dollars.
        
        No other country had the economic power to do it at that stage.
        
        Jeez, in a time warp, NZ could finance half of it in India.
        
        3 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:26pm
      - virtualmark
        
        The first nuclear weapons programme was Tube Alloys, in the UK, which started in August 1941.
        
        Tube Alloys can trace its origins back to the Frisch-Peierls memo of March 1940, which laid out the critical mass of Uranium for the first time. That was also about the time both the Allies and the Germans captured their own shares of the uranium yellowcake from the Belgian-owned mines in the Congo.
        
        So March 1940 would be about the earliest you could say a nuclear weapons programme was being considered, and late-1941 is when it really kicked into life.
        
        4 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 4:15pm
    - virtualmark
      
      Saudi Arabia is already a nuclear power by proxy.
      
      Who do you think paid for Pakistan’s nuclear programme?
      
      Why do you think Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement?
      
      Why do you think Saudi Arabia purchased ballistic missiles from China? (Noting that those types of missiles carry nuclear warheads in Chinese service.)
      
      5 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 4:40pm
  - leoj
    
    You are missing the point that Europe has been absent re this war. Now, they will have to help pay for it.
    
    NATO has failed. Donald is not only fed up with Iran, he is also fed up with NATO and Europe.
    
    2 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 2:54pm
    - virtualmark
      
      NATO is a mutual **defence** pact.
      
      There are no obligations on NATO members to be dragged in to wars of choice started by another NATO country.
      
      4 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 4:41pm
  - Paulus
    
    Venezzuela can easily take over 20% Hormuz selection but it is China who will dictate the terms.
    
    0 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 4:25pm
peterwn

“The Post Weekend” headline (print edition front page) proclaimed “Health NZ’s wait-list data U-turn”. This data was quietly dropped in recent quarterly reports but will now now provided following media pressure. National’s Health Ministers made it clear this data was to be provided following last election. The previous Ardern Labour Government told the Ministry they could stop providing the data meaning the Government and public lost touch with what was going on.
Now this sounds like a typical ‘Yes Minister’ carry-on and the issue is why Health NZ staff were trying to white-ant the Minister and Government. Perhaps they regard the 2023 – 2026 period as some sort of interregnum and things will get back to normal after the election (assuming a change in government). Perhaps they think a new Health Minister will not require this data to be published.
27 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:08am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  Or perhaps there is another explanation. Did the journalist offer any?
  
  8 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:14am
  - peterwn
    
    No.The journo was just reporting the situation as she saw it. She discussed the matter in an ‘opinion’ piece on page 2 which did not actually express any opinion.
    
    9 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 8:54am
- R
  
  Clearly there is still a lot of ideological dead wood employed in the ministry.
  
  9 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 9:21am
  - peterwn
    
    More bluntly known as ‘moles’ or ‘fifth column’.
    
    3 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:27pm
    - Paulus
      
      These often women would not like what you are calling them – they are Patriots remember.
      
      0 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 4:27pm
  - Pope Punctilious II
    
    Nothing dead about it – the termites are very much alive!
    
    5 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 1:05pm
  - Paulus
    
    the Ministry, you mean the Ministries (all of them) !
    
    0 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 4:26pm
david in Aus

The difference in solar energy policy among the parties is interesting to debate. Solar electricity is economic for households as it is cheaper coupled with attractive feed in rates. Despite this the take up rate of solar is low.
In New Zealand, solar is particulary attractive as the downside of solar, that is the lack of peak demand production is mitigated by ample hydro power. If solar becomes a significant source of electricity, it has the potential drive down electricity prices. In Australia, wholesale electricity prices have come down, especially with take up of battteries.

National is proposing loans paid through council rates. Labour is proposed low cost loans as well as $3000 upfront for low and middle income earners.
Act’s policy is red tape removal.

The problem is how do we increase solar electricity production. The incumbants generators are not incentivised to produce solar is it eats away at its profit margins. High electricity prices impacts the overall economy by accelerating deindustrialisation.
I think solar should considered as a part of infrastructure spending. The overall impact on the economy’s productivity is greater than much of the spending we have on roads, bureaucrats. Actually, it could be the cheapest way of funding electricity production, as is mostly uses private funds.

Although, idealogically I am inclined towards National’s and ACT polices. We should look at Australia and their uptake. Incentives makes a huge difference to the uptake of solar and batteries. As the industries grow the costs of installation decrease. There should be incentives for solar available for all. The reality is, the well off are the most likely to drive uptake and improve productivity. Thus improving outcomes for everybody.
3 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:23am
- Taieri
  
  Apparently, the people in NZ change houses every 5.5 years on average. This doesn’t work in favour of investing in a solar set up, which takes about 7 to 9 years to payback on average.
  
  4 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 10:51am
  - david in Aus
    
    There are individual decisions and population decisiosn. For some people, it is definitely not worth it. If the average house stay is 5.5 years, there will be some less than that, also those staying decades.
    
    Remember the house turnover in Australia is similar but the uptake of solar is much higher. People respond to incentives. Electricity companies are incentivise not to canabilise their pricing power by adding solar. Much like Kodak not promoting digital photos while analog was profitable.
    
    From a politics point of view, roof top solar is great. From a policy point of view, a guaranteed minimum solar feed in price for a decade for commercial solar is probably as or more effective. Because of the lower risk, financing would be easier.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 5:55pm
- kevn
  
  Part of the potential issue is… low quality solar products. Planned obsolescence treadmill. Quality long term use? No.
  https://joannenova.com.au/2026/02/solar-photovoltaics-degrading-faster-than-expected-8-may-only-last-11-years/
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:04am
  - kevn
    
    Then we have this issue as well…
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/angry-customers-complain-about-solarzero-contracts/MMKMBKGYINGJJJJYJGWTF44RNQ/
    
    4 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 11:33am
- NothingLeft
  
  Once prices exceed about $0.30/kWh (now sadly the case in NZ) shifting to solar and even going off-grid becomes economic if you live in sunny location that doesn’t get too cold in winter – eg top half north island near coast.
  
  If you own an EV, a larger house, are building a new place or are rural it becomes a no-brainer.
  
  And it’s only getting cheaper with 30yr life batteries now available for about US$60/kWh from CATL as well as inverters and other tech getting cheaper – they are likely to halve in price again in next 5 years as sodium batteries enjoy leaning [learing? 🙂 ] curves that lithium batteries have already gone through. Though may need to invest in a small genset for use a couple of times a year.
  
  4 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 2:10pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Dave,
  Just remind us about the cost of electricity since the large increase in Aus Solar.
  ie 2015 Kwh around 26 c
  Today around 36 c
  
  While at a personal level solar roof panels provide cheaper daytime electricity.
  
  The GRID still needs to be in place.
  Wires, Towers, substations, etc.
  
  So it’s a bit of a fairy tale to say the solution is a solar panel on everyone’s roof.
  
  6 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 2:29pm
  - Quail
    
    Ra H,
    Agree , the grid should be maintained! But ,
    The big worry is profitability .The Lines companies would be stupid not to encourage, by one means or another, solar only in isolated areas..
    Largely the maintenance cost on existing rural customers is substantially more than for urban subscribers.
    It is be conceivable that unprofitable lines will be discontinued and ultimately demolished.
    Similar to the way telephone land lines are disappearing in Rural NZ!
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 5:25pm
  - david in Aus
    
    NZ’s situation is different. We have dispactable electricity in terms of hydro 55-60% versus 5% for Australia. There is less need for extensive batteries.
    
    That being said, in Australia with uptake of batteries the network is much more resilent and the network more localised.
    
    0 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 6:00pm
  - david in Aus
    
    There is no one answer to anything. Solar is now economic, it is about overcoming obstacles and accelerating uptake.
    If the market is structured properly, the cost of electricity should not increase as much or decrease with widespread solar. Even for those without solar on their roofs.
    
    0 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 8:46pm
- GJM
  
  I looked at solar here a few years ago, and payback was 9 years or so. Money went on otherat the time but those numbers should have improved and I will do it in the future. We are not moving except feet first in a box. Our power bill runs $1200/month.
  There are a number of disincentives that aren’t the same as overseas.
  1. High line charges of2/3 of the power bill mean even with 100% solar supply, there is a big bill every month.
  2. Miniscule buy back rates or potentially nothing. This is a key difference from Oz and Europe i understand and drives the economics.
  3. Max 5kw feed allowed into the grid. We have lots of shed roof area and had space for 30kw+ of panels with We would use but grid connection was in issue.
  
  0 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 15, 2026 6:31am
Tomtoddy

The recent RNZ poll reinforced the probability that wasted votes could determine the election outcome. If the Opportunity party were to reach 4% to 4.7% and win no seats and their support comes from the left of centre and as well even Te Pati Maori ending up with the same outcome then, theoretically, some 8% to 9% of the votes wanting a left leaning government may be wasted and not counted.

It may be all that saves the Coalition and Luxon.

I expect the only thing saving Luxon after the election will be the absence of a suitable replacement. The Nats have a bunch of younger potential leaders but they all need more experience and consolidation to be realistic options. They would be high risk.
23 4
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:26am
- crash
  
  I take great exception to the notion that votes in any election can be considered as “wasted”. Any vote, no matter who it supported, is by definition never wasted. Save the ‘wasted’ moniker for those who choose not to vote.
  
  More choices will also result in greater fragmentation of political party support. I cannot recall any electorate MP that secured over 50% of the votes cast, meaning that in every electorate the majority of voters voted against the sitting MP and those votes also cannot be considered as ‘wasted’. The same applies to party vote support.
  
  We vote to support electorate candidates and parties. As long as we have more than 2 electorate candidates or more than 2 parties, the winner is was supported by the largest minority of voters. All votes count.
  
  9 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:41am
  - Tomtoddy
    
    Would “ineffective” suit you better? I still call them “wasted” because they are votes that might have been influential but because they were poorly directed they end up having no input into who runs the country – so “wasted” still works for me.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 6:05pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Depends if National wins or loses (whatever that means in the MMP era).
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:43am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  I am no political strategist. But I doubt that this is a good idea.
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361005760/there-risk-labour-warns-left-leaning-voters-over-party-nearing-5
  
  Chris Hipkins saying don’t vote for the Opportunity Party because it might be a wasted vote. Many voters who are disenchanted with the government but who don’t like Hipkins are even more likely to vote for the upstart.
  
  It will be fascinating to watch. National will be hoping that they are stranded on 4.8 percent. But the more they are talked about the higher they may go. If they do hit 5 percent I think that it is curtains for the government.
  
  15 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 9:04am
  - RoboRob
    
    As usual I disagree with Hipkins. IF I was a left voter keen on a Labour government, getting TOP to 5% gets me a labour government. If they get less then that, I get National. It seems pretty clear a vote for TOP or a clear electoral deal, is the best way to remove the ‘hard right national government’.
    
    If I was Hipkins I would do the electoral deal and then say, ‘Party vote Labour, TOP will get in with 2% now. Hipkins isn’t the sharpest knife in the block set though.
    
    11 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 9:16am
    - Bullion
      
      TOP aren’t tied to a party the way ACT is to National. TOP have said they would negotiate with the largest party first, most polling recently it is Lab but if its Nat on election night then Lab doing an electorate deal could see TOP get in and then do a deal with National.
      
      5 7
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 11:37am
      - RoboRob
        
        Act are tied to National only because of policy. Top are tied to Labour in the same way, Tops policy is mutually exclusive of National. There are almost zero cases where National could accept a Top policy and visa versa. Labour on the other hand has a bit of overlap.
        
        10 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:18pm
  - R
    
    It will be ‘curtains’ for NZ’s future too, if the country reverts to a reincarnation of the last government
    
    17 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 9:24am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Chippie is worried about Lefties voting for TOP becoming a meme, resulting in TOP receiving a higher percentage of the vote than Labour.
    
    I don’t say this often, but on this Chris Hipkins might be right.
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:01pm
- kowtow
  
  Blue Greens and the anti constitutionalists who want race “partnership” are a huge danger.
  
  11 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 9:18am
  - Bullion
    
    What constitution?
    
    4 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 11:38am
    - Cassandra
      
      We have an unwritten constitution with lots of qualifying legislation. It’s still a constitution.
      
      8 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 12:10pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        How can we have a Constitution that isn’t written?
        And, if we do have one, why hasn’t it been written?
        
        2 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:24pm
      - mike
        
        It is written, mostly, just not in one document.
        
        2 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:00pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        “It is written, mostly, just not in one document.”
        
        What does that mean?
        Where is the part that is written?
        
        A disparate selection of possible principles that may or may not form part of a Constitution is otherwise known as a wish list.
        
        What you are both saying is Yeah Nah.
        
        1 5
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:33pm
      - kowtow
        
        Thank you cass .
        
        This topic has been covered so many times on kb , it’s still rather amazing that for a political blog , some posters don’t have even the most basic understanding of our constitutional arrangements.
        
        4 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:43pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Maybe Kowtow can show us the Constitution?
        At least tell us how it begins?
        I’ve heard of the Emperors new clothes, but at least his Constitution wasn’t imaginary.
        
        3 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 2:29pm
      - mike
        
        The written part of our constitution is found in statutes, treaties, and letters patent.
        The unwritten part lies in conventional understandings shared by MPs, officials and the judiciary.
        See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_New_Zealand
        
        6 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 3:33pm
  - Bullion
    
    Of the constitutional documents, there is both the Treaty of Waitangi and The Treaty of Waitangi Act. So…what’s that about partnership?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 5:48pm
- RoboRob
  
  National are now relegated to that of a sports team that had underperformed all season and now sits relying on the results of other matches to get them into the playoffs. Always a terrible position to be in.
  
  30 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 9:21am
  - peterwn
    
    All the other ‘teams’ can talk nonsense and get away with it. National does not have that privilege.
    
    13 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 10:05am
    - RoboRob
      
      Yup, that’s why you want your team to have scored well during the season so that you go in ahead on points.
      
      14 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 10:09am
- Notsofast
  
  Except the taxpayer union Curia poll says differently, and is historically the most accurate for election day.
  However, I see AOC has firmed to 11 to 1 for the US president race. She makes Kamala Harris look sharp. We live in a strange world where all the work to build the west is being squandered.
  
  16 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 9:46am
  - RoboRob
    
    Curia polling is not good for the right either!
    
    3 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 10:50am
- Isobar
  
  Thats gotta be it for Luxon either way right? Even if the coalition is returned, they have a 1 seat majority on these numbers and the minor parties (NZF especially) will be able to extract maximum price. National will essentially become a minority party within the coalition.
  
  Not only that, national are set to lose a big chunk of their caucus and potentially some of their senior list mps. There is no way Luxon will continue as PM till the 2029 election if that occurs.
  
  Whatever happens at this election, he will be gone shortly afterwards.
  
  10 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 10:13am
  - RoboRob
    
    On yesterdays polling National stand to lose all their list MPs and many of their ‘top’ MPs. The minister for finance would be gone. Goldsmith and Gerry would be gone (which wouldn’t be the end of the world 🙂 ). Even people like Bishop might be gone (if he doesn’t win his WELLINGTON seat against Ginny).
    
    National and Act would be beholden to NZF who, deservedly, would control the much of the agenda and portfolios.
    
    Luxon might survive as leader as many key National ‘players’ would be gone leaving a party mostly of ‘unknown’ back benchers.
    
    This is the disaster I have been warning of since early 2025. National has chosen this path by refusing to acknowledge their leadership (and other) issues.
    
    No I don’t want a Labour government and I hope the right coalition manages to sneak in. I will be voting towards that goal, but it sucks to be relying on NZFs success and the kingmaker general!
    
    15 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 10:59am
    - artemisia
      
      If experienced and knowledgeable MPs lose their jobs they will be extremely useful as strategic advisers. Perfect opportunity to semi retire and work part time, if they wish to.
      
      8 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 11:50am
      - RoboRob
        
        Watts and Goldsmith already act like they are semi retired 🙂
        
        7 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:21pm
      - Quail
        
        Artemisia.
        Yes, you are correct .that is what is happening.
        But it should not be!
        This does show the undemocratic disaster that is MMP for all to see !
        Your comment demonstrates only too well how voters are in New Zealand being disenfranchised!
        The concept of people rejected at the ballot by the electorate still having any influence at all within their bureaucracy beggars belief .
        Sadly that is absolutely what is happening.
        NZ is now ruled by a bureaucracy that voters cannot change.
        The parties may change but few of the personnel do.
        The ideas / concepts remain!
        A positive vote for change is now nigh on impossible !
        
        2 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 7:11pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        The concept of people rejected at the ballot by the electorate still having any influence at all within their bureaucracy beggars belief .
        
        Nicola Willis has stood for electorate seats several times but, until now, has never won one. She has entered Parliament and remained there as a list MP. Steven Joyce never even tried …
        
        Both good folk IMHO. Go figure
        
        1 1
        Report
        July 14, 2026 7:52pm
    - Steve Todd
      
      @RoboRob @ 10:59AM
      
      […] (if he doesn’t win his WELLINGTON seat against Ginny).
      
      Oh, Robo!
      
      Clearly, you meant to say, “his Lower Hutt seat”. Hutt City is a separate local government entity; it is not part/a suburb, of Wellington City.
      
      But, you’re a Christchurchian, so I forgive you.
      
      4 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 1:40pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Only for the moment, Steve.
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 5:51pm
      - Steve Todd
        
        At this stage, amalgamation is by no means a certainty, Bolly.
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 7:34pm
    - keepcalmcarryon
      
      It’s not just leadership issues per se, it’s Nats move to the Centre and even to the left on key issues (gender, Maori, immigration) and against actual right wing individual values. There is no political point to them as Labour 2.0.
      Look at the conservatives in the UK and Liberals in Oz to see where it’s going, they are going to get buried when we get a real option like one nation or reform , the fake populists NZ First will profit in the meantime.
      
      5 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 1:51pm
- Steve Todd
  
  @Tomtoddy @ 8:26AM
  
  With regard to your first paragraph, you are wrong.
  
  Take the 2023 general election, for example. The six successful parties each received a percentage share of the total of valid Party votes cast, as follows—
  
  National 38.08, Labour 26.91, Green 11.60, ACT NZ 8.64, NZ First 6.08, and Te Pāti Māori 3.08. (See https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/index.html.)
  
  But, 159,043 out of the total of 2,851,211 Party votes (5.58%) cast were given for the unsuccessful registered parties (of which, in my opinion, 75,143 (47.25%) were given for ‘right-wing’ parties, as opposed to ‘left-wing’ parties).*
  
  * For the purposes of this response, I have taken TOP to be a ‘left-wing’ party.
  
  That meant the six successful parties received elevated percentage shares of the total of 2,692,168 effective Party votes cast, being National 40.33, Labour 28.51, Green 12.29, ACT NZ 9.16, NZ First 6.45, and Te Pāti Māori 3.26%. (See https://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2023/statistics/party-quotients.html.)
  
  So, National’s share of the effective Party vote increased by 2.25 percentage points (5.91%) over its recorded Party vote, Labour’s by 1.6 pp (5.95%), Green’s by 0.69 pp (5.95%), ACT NZ’s by 0.52 pp (6.02%), NZ First’s by 0.37 pp (6.09%), and Te Pāti Māori’s by 0.18 pp (5.84%).
  
  In other words, all six successful parties had an effective vote-share that was around 6% more than its recorded Party votes, which is in line with the 5.58% of the total of Party votes given for the unsuccessful parties.
  
  The same sort of thing will happen this year. If Opportunity fall just short of the 5% Party vote threshold (and do not win an Electorate seat), their vote-share will be spread evenly across all the successful parties, as will the vote-shares of all the other unsuccessful parties.
  
  6 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:58am
pdm

`It may be all that saves the Coalition and Luxon.’

It won’t be if Hipkins says he will stand down as leader and Labour offer Winston 18 months as Prime Minister.

Game over because that is a BAUBLE Winston will not refuse.
19 5
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:32am
- Ipanema69
  
  Yes you are correct. Additionally Winston is 81. How many more opportunities will he get?
  
  10 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:43am
- Notsofast
  
  It is unfathomable to suggest he would do this.
  Bill English never renounced John Key’s position, so Winston did what all sane people predicted, in 2017, when he did not preclude a coalition with labour. This message board is helpful, but not when stupidity is repeated. It is a bit like the carbon deniers, who can be sensible on other matters.
  
  3 3
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:49am
- mike
  
  People voting NZ First with any fixed notions about what Winston Peters will do are asking for disappointment.
  
  36 7
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 8:51am
  - Cassandra
    
    His track record supports that but this time it’s a bit different. His supporters will not be pleased if he goes with Labour.
    
    13 9
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 9:01am
    - Nikola Donatello
      
      Why will he care? If Labour offer him PM he can do that, be knighted and retire. He can’t live forever.
      
      23 4
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:06am
    - pdm
      
      2017 replay then Cass.
      
      He pissed off a lot of supporters then and was gone in 2020.
      
      Only to return as a pain in the arse of good government in 2023.
      
      19 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:08am
      - Taieri
        
        Only to return as a pain in the arse of good government in 2023
        ————–
        
        There’d be no “good government” in 2023 without him.
        
        6 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 9:15am
    - RoboRob
      
      ‘His supporters will not be pleased if he goes with Labour’
      
      Lol, people were saying just that prior to him going into government with JA.
      
      17 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:18am
      - R
        
        But the fools still voted for him.
        
        4 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 9:26am
      - Taieri
        
        But the fools still voted for him.
        ————-
        
        So, anyone who votes for someone you don’t approve of is a fool?
        
        BTW: I’ve never voted for NZF.
        
        4 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:54am
    - mike
      
      As if he cares what his voters think or want. He knows most of them barely think at all.
      
      27 10
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:21am
      - RoboRob
        
        You are on fire today Mike, two upticks from me already 🙂
        
        We might be interested in this stuff but 90% of the country has no interest or idea of what is going on. Sadly flashy headlines and personalities win elections, not sound policy and good management.
        
        23 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 9:24am
      - Poppax8
        
        1st ever uptick for Mike
        
        3 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 9:34am
      - Gary Benner
        
        Au contraire Mike. I am involved with organising local Meet the Candidates meetings and am finding a high level of interest. Like working who the hell the Opportunity Party really are, and how strategic voting can help get what they want.
        
        This election is going to be different. The whole debacle of the Ardern regime followed by a leader (as Muldoon was quoted as saying) as having a shiver looking for a spine to run up, has lead to a far more erudite electorate. So watch this space my friend.
        
        14 4
        Report
        July 14, 2026 9:45am
      - Ian Boag
        
        I am involved with organising local Meet the Candidates meetings
        
        Well from what we can tell – that’s one KBer doing more than just whinge …. 🙂
        
        4 16
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:11am
      - RoboRob
        
        @Gary
        
        I’m sure there is a lot of interest out there but it is amongst the politically active. These are the people that go to the meetings. If you asked 100 random people who they favour in the election and why I guarantee 90 of them would either not know or name a party and then get the reasons for voting for them factually wrong.
        
        I recall my brother once telling me he was going to vote Labour because he really liked John Key ! Admittedly he is a special case 🙂
        
        11 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:13am
      - RoboRob
        
        @Ian
        
        So I take it you are just whinging too then? Otherwise it would be ‘that’s another KBer doing more than just whinge’
        
        13 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:15am
      - Albie
        
        That aside, I am sure Winston would not wish to retire from politics with a legacy like Ardern’s hanging over him. Like most of us he would want to be liked by the majority of New Zealanders and not feel he has to live off shore.
        
        6 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:31am
      - Ghost
        
        Winston doesn’t care what you think of him. He dosent care if you like or hate him.
        
        9 3
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:35am
      - BananaLlama
        
        lol if you are against him then i am all for him. I will descend on this blog like a wolf on a lamb come election day and laugh at him trolling you.
        
        3 5
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:48am
      - Taieri
        
        who the hell the Opportunity Party really are
        ————
        
        That’s a very good question. Very difficult to find out any details about this outfit, such as membership, organizational structure and financing, apart from the names of a few major donors.
        
        6 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 10:57am
    - NothingLeft
      
      Winston only cares for the baubles he gets to fondle, not for what is best for NZ.
      
      6 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:27am
    - Jigsaw
      
      Cass- and that will be different? How?
      
      1 0
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 9:36am
      - Cassandra
        
        Peters and Jones have attacked Labour bigly. Peters has even said he won’t go with Labour.
        
        4 2
        Report
        July 14, 2026 12:17pm
  - Paulus
    
    One simple qjestion
    Can he be Trusted ?
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 4:31pm
- imalwaysright
  
  There’s a chance that Luxon won’t lead National at the election, and neither will Hipkins lead Labour.
  
  2 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 10:31am
  - RoboRob
    
    After the election or into the election?
    
    Do you think National will dump Luxon prior to the election? That seems highly unlikely, but possible.
    
    5 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 11:04am
    - imalwaysright
      
      I think Luxon and Hipkins will both be dumped before the election. August.
      Daily, they look more like caretakers than leaders.
      
      They are both stale, and they are leaving the door open for TOP to take both parties’ fed up supporters.
      
      2 6
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 11:39am
- kevn
  
  WP for PM? = The biggest bauble.
  
  2 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:07am
Southern Raider

On the news last night the Coroner for the inquest into the death of the islamist who stabbed 6 people at Woolsworths New Lynn said they would be looking into if he got the correct care and support for his religious beliefs while on remand.

FFS. Instead of digging into why this islamist was allowed into NZ initially and then why he was kicked out multiple times after all his other offences, we are going to be considered if he didn’t have the correct pastoral care?

Thats why the west is lost.
38 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:41am
- Taieri
  
  support for his religious beliefs while on remand
  ———-
  
  Why should his religious beliefs be “supported”? Is NZ no longer a secular country?
  
  19 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 10:59am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  FFS. Instead of digging into why this islamist was allowed into NZ initially
  
  Exactly.
  
  His story was dodgy from the beginning…..and why did some of his family remain in Sri Lanka if they were targets of terrorists?
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwJv6kcORBU
  
  15 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:36am
  - Ghost
    
    His refugee status was revoked, he was fighting his deportation so allowed to stay while that was going through the courts
    
    7 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 11:42am
  - Jack5
    
    The terrorist stabbed shoppers in a supermarket until his two “minders” outside woke up. Innocent shoppers were left with life-long injuries.
    
    To Hell with the Woke Whimps who seem to blame NZ society for his terror.
    
    10 1
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:12pm
- imalwaysright
  
  I heard he was at the airport to fly home and the Police stopped him.
  
  1 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 12:14pm
  - Ghost
    
    No. He was arrested at the airport as he was trying to travel to Syria to join isis.
    
    6 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:24pm
- rouppe
  
  And this:
  American woman living in Ireland. For some reason she gets involved with a Jordanian asylum seeker, who was rejected for asylum, but was able to stay for an appeal and keep his passport.
  
  He kills her. The UK authorities would not release his name, a picture of him, absolutely nothing while searching for him. He was able to travel by bus to Dublin and board a plane to Istanbul and then on to the country he was selling asylum from, Jordan.
  
  The Jordanians have arrested him but the British say they haven’t formally asked for extradition because they have no extradition year with Jordan.
  
  On every level, this is a complete failure by authorities and government to protect lawful people.
  
  PS: why would someone be seeking asylum from Jordan. The one time I was there, admittedly the 90’s, they were cosmopolitan, welcoming and friendly.
  
  5 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 3:56pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    When you say Ireland, I assume you mean Ulster? Or why would the Brits be involved ?
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 5:54pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    I think you mean Ireland, the UK aren’t directly involved.
    
    If the woman was Irish I doubt the Irish government would make any attempt to catch this scumbag, rather, they would more likely try to forward on to him his dole payments. They are that woke.
    
    2 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 6:12pm
Rusty

Thinking of the sad passing of Sam Neill his first movie the futuristic ‘Sleeping Dogs’ in 1977 was about NZ becoming a police state.
9 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 9:02am
- imalwaysright
  
  NZ would make an excellent Police state.
  You wouldn’t even need the police…
  
  7 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 10:51am
  - KKNZ2025
    
    Key should know all about clowns. The man who gave us UNDRIP.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 1:15pm
  - Jack5
    
    The enduring arrogance of a currency trader.
    
    0 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 1:34pm
- Swifty
  
  I quite liked that movie.
  
  We were required to watch it in our third form in 1979. I think for English having read Smith’s Dream by CK Stead.
  
  I understand it’s looked upon in the film industry as quite important – being the first film of a new wave of great NZ cinema – Sleeping Dogs, Smash Palace, Pork Pie, Utu, Vigil etc etc.
  
  5 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:07am
Cassandra

NZF supporters also pay a lot of bills. It might be wishful thinking but I think we’ll have a different situation this time. We’ll see. I’m sure you all hope I’m right. mike: you’re excused.
4 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 9:27am
jp_1983

The more that comes out of this – the worse it looks
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/361005615/ex-lotto-presenter-told-court-he-was-benefit-while-suspended-government-job-full-pay

An ex-lotto presenter told a court he was on a job seeker benefit, despite being suspended on full pay from a government role following his arrest as part of a global FBI sting targeting organised crime….

Okay – so before the Ministry of Justice being paid by the Ministry of Justice and no-one seems to do fact checking.

It does make you wonder how many of these hardship, stories etc.. are truth adjacent…
18 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 9:43am
- Ian
  
  So the courts never check these statements, more fool them….
  
  7 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:09am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  It does make you wonder how many of these hardship, stories etc.. are truth adjacent…
  
  It makes me wonder if having the right connections in the media counts for plenty when you’re donkey deep in the drug trade.
  
  12 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:33am
imalwaysright

Russel Harrison, ex Lotto presenter and gang mule, lied to the court by telling it he was on the dole.

Ex-Lotto presenter told court he was on a benefit while suspended from government job on full pay | Stuff https://share.google/GTZGjc7gSfWwEp1rQ
16 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 9:47am
Vidar

It’s great to see the U.S bombing Iran again. Trump said today their leader is “90%” gone. The guy hasn’t been seen since day 1.

There is some short term pain (a good buying opportunity in the stock market).

Long term, new infrastructure is getting built. The straight will become less and less important.

Hopefully the evil Islamic regime falls and the Iranian people get some freedom.
20 9
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 9:52am
- mike
  
  Funnily enough, the Iranian regime is more democratic than most Islamic states.
  
  6 12
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:28am
  - Swifty
    
    Doesn’t say much.
    
    2 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:23pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Like, perhaps, Britain?
    
    2 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:37pm
    - mike
      
      Despite predictions from deranged commenters, Britain is very far from being an Islamic state.
      
      4 3
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 1:21pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        Its not a prediction. Its an observation.
        
        4 4
        Report
        July 14, 2026 1:54pm
      - Gussy
        
        It’ll take time, but it’s the trajectory, and the compounding nature of the demographic rate of production.
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 8:05pm
Damocles11

Labour are much further Left and much deeper in the Maorification / co-governance weeds than they were in 2017 when NZ First went with them. The Labour platform in 2017 was essentially grounded in fixing the housing crisis through the 100,000 KiwiBuild houses – and we all know how that turned out – and co- governance didn’t rear its ugly head in earnest until after the 2020 election when NZ First was gone from Parliament. I can’t see how NZ First could possibly go with Labour now, but you never know I guess.
14 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 10:13am
- Charlotte Wells
  
  NZ First will go with the best baubles. Nothing more, nothing less. Always have and always will.
  
  Until Winston dies then they will cease to be.
  
  17 4
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 11:07am
  - Jack5
    
    Similarly with ACT. Labour has moved away from its worker origins and towards the academic elite. National is less fully tied to rural exporters.
    
    The old parties, where various factions settled differences within the party, seemed more durable.
    
    The Greens seem so embedded within the 5 per cent of the population that is fuck-witted they may survive longest.
    
    The 5 per cent that show up as know-nothings in truly random surveys. The 5 per who roughly match Marx and Engel’s “lumpenproletariat” — use-once thicko’s.
    
    3 4
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 12:29pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      Must be great to be so clever and knowledgeable about what is best for the country. Obviously your vote should be worth three or four from the deplorables …. 🙂
      
      I wish I was half as smart as you obviously are …. The Greens seem (unfortunately) to have rather more than 5%. I don’t support them but they consistently poll about the same as the righties in ACT. Same number of electorate seats even. Go figure.
      
      Doncha hate democracy?
      
      0 2
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 7:40pm
      - Jack5
        
        I kowtow before your intellectual eminence, Mr Boag, and I forgive your soft spot for NZ’s Greens. 😉
        
        Kiwiblog posts are democracy in action, and thanks to DPF for that.
        
        Done figuring!
        
        0 0
        Report
        July 14, 2026 9:14pm
imalwaysright

The murder of Anne Widdicombe prompted a Scottish university worker, Heather Herbert, to say she hoped Ann Widdicombe had ‘screamed in agony’ and ‘‘I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.’’

https://metro.co.uk/2026/07/12/fury-university-staffer-heather-herbert-hoped-ann-widdecombe-suffered-painful-death-29119336/
14 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 10:46am
- Charlotte Wells
  
  He/She is also a transgender green candidate and previously known as Scott.
  
  Says it all.
  
  I would wager a closer inspection of him/her/it would serve up a smorgasbord of hypocrisy.
  
  19 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 12:05pm
- Swifty
  
  Sickening.
  
  And this is from a person who has been demanding tolerance and empathy for his/her situation online for some years now.
  
  Disgusting behaviour and I hope Aberdeen Uni take a long hard look at this employee.
  
  17 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 12:30pm
- Philview
  
  For the sake of judicial consistency I assume this person will be seeing the inside of a prison cell fairly soon.
  
  14 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 1:11pm
- Bobba Fret
  
  The university should terminate her employment immediately. That is the best way to distance themselves.
  
  7 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 1:40pm
- Sir Henry Morgan
  
  Just another clue that many (most?) of the noisy gender bending brigade suffer from a compulsion to push their disturbing sexual fantasies down everybody’s throats.
  
  They’re not after acceptance. They just get off on bringing their sexual inner worlds into the public sphere, generating drama, pushing boundaries, causing offense, and finding pleasure in the resulting attention.
  
  11 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 2:19pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Very foolish… now that it looks like there is a political/terrorism angle to Widdecombe’s murder.
  
  https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/just-in/2026/07/14/uk-terrorism-politics
  
  10 1
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 2:33pm
Jack5

Comment by one reader, Susan Gibson, on the Telegraph’s extensive obituary on Sam Neill:

“He didn’t get a real knighthood, only New Zealand’s version.”

This has drawn two responses:

– “Not a proper one, like Starmer’s or Blair’s, you mean?”

And:
– “Or Beckham’s, where you have to campaign for decades and even grovel round the prime minister.”
13 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 11:55am
- Philview
  
  Stuff didn’t waste any time in trying to get political mileage out of Sam’s death.
  
  https://www.stuff.co.nz/culture/361005889/friend-sam-neill-says-abuse-actor-experienced-due-mining-opposition-took-its-toll-him
  
  6 2
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 1:16pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

Of course talking about terminal diagnoses becomes emotional and then logic flies out of the window… but…

A Chilean NZ resident is complaining that the cancer drugs for her specific cancer are not fully funded so it feels like a lottery. The obvious expectation is that everyone should get equal outcomes.

She has an incurable cancer, so we are not talking about curing her – just extending her life. She is currently at stage 4B (ie has spread to more than one distant organ) and the cancer is “aggressive”. There is no stage 5.

Sorry, but not all cancers have the same outcomes. We don’t have infinite resources and not all cancers have drugs that can help effectively

I am not a doctor and have no special insights, but spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to extend someone’s life must meet some sort of standard before we do it:
* Spending $20,000 and extending a person’s quality life by 5 years make sense.
* Spending $400,000 and extending a person’s bed-ridden life by 2 months makes no sense.

Somewhere between those extremes is where this woman sits.

Therefore we have to try to look at this rationally – and use a spreadsheet rather than emotion. I think that is what the Pharmac system does – pretty well.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/woman-with-terminal-cervical-cancer-says-new-zealand-treatment-feels-like-a-lottery/PRAUCXEXYZDN3AIP2WEXCLSWVM/
10 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 2:10pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

I’m in two minds about this one…

Woman found guilty of manslaughter for killing her gang-banger partner.

On the one side, anyone helping to clean up the streets should get a medal and not a conviction.

On the other, by partnering with the gangster she is helping to proliferate gangsterism and is due any outcomes her poor choices have laid at her feet.

She claimed self defence and a victim of domestic violence. Sorry missus, shack up with a gangsta and what else do you expect? Did you expect this was going to end up like a Disney movie?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/margaret-green-guilty-of-manslaughter-for-stabbing-partner-selwyn-robson-in-manurewa/F6POQTADHZDO3M4LEYYWK5M6NM/
10 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 2:31pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Sorry missus, shack up with a gangsta and what else do you expect?
  
  You think she had a choice in which male attached himself to her?
  
  2 5
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 2:36pm
  - cmm (semi-retired edition)
    
    Yup. It is her choosing.
    
    Perhaps she was born into gang life and pressured by a brother or parents or whatever to shack up with him, but there are massive resources in NZ to escape from these situations if you wish.
    
    It might be hard, but it is achievable. Therefore it is a choice – even if it is a tough choice.
    
    If I have this wrong, then what you are saying is that gangs are keeping women as slaves. If that is the case then things are in a far worse in NZ than I comprehend.
    
    8 3
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 2:45pm
  - NothingLeft
    
    Sadly a lot of women are drawn to monsters. Letting their instincts overrule common sense. Men have similar issues with hot+crazy women.
    
    3 2
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 14, 2026 3:43pm
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      Aka choosing.
      If a woman has the rush to get involved with a “bad boy” because he’s exciting, then don’t be surprised when it goes pear shaped.
      
      That’s why they love the state. They can have the bad boy in bed and still get access to the good guy’s wallet.
      
      5 1
      Log in to Reply
      Report
      July 14, 2026 5:08pm
cmm (semi-retired edition)

I see stuff is currently polling to see whether people take their political polls seriously.

As I write this there are 20,700 votes with only 27% saying “yeah”.
9 3
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 2:40pm
Damocles11

‘US President Donald Trump has notified the US Congress that the war with Iran has officially resumed, as fighting over control of the Strait of Hormuz unravelled a truce between the two sides.’
3 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 3:44pm
Tauhei Notts

My wife and I enjoy The Platform. We are concerned that if they cannot fix their software it will fold up.
The cut-outs on my cell phone are annoying in the extreme.
The cut-outs are not as annoying as that hideous bias on National socialist Radio nor the commercial breaks on Ads Talk ZB.
3 2
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 4:12pm
- imalwaysright
  
  Plunket thinks his feed is overloaded and people are getting dropped.
  I’m sure there are people on KB who would know what the possible problem could be.
  
  1 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 4:44pm
Swifty

The trouble is ‘Adam’, you’re not a man.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/transgender-prison-officer-receives-apology-and-compensation-after-being-barred-from-searching-male-prisoners/3Y5YNRVPCVH6FEOPFXIUNDMXGI/
1 1
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 5:54pm
pb

Waihola has 2 high tech “average speed” number plate reading flock cameras.

Meanwhile the roadworks through milton drag on through their 6 month, heavy trucks bypassed through suburban roads destroying them.

Icecream is the two cars who had a head on after aquaplaning on the floods that hung around a week over the main new zealand highway.

Can’t finish roads, or clean drains, but they can digital ID you. Flocking cameras gunna get shortened.
0 0
Log in to Reply
Report
July 14, 2026 8:56pm
- Ghost
  
  Roads are a complicated thing. For some reason, now days, a little rain and they fall apart….. we’ve got so many pot holes that appeared after a few days of rain. Coming out of ashburton last week, there was a large section of road blocked off, remained blocked off over the weekend apparently, the road had just fallen apart, pot holes everywhere. But the good news is Isaac have the contract, their patches down here last a week, worse than downers whose patches lasted a few weeks.
  
  2 0
  Log in to Reply
  Report
  July 14, 2026 9:19pm
  - pb
    
    They should put cones and traffic lights on every pot hole. Cone mafia and their passive aggressive safety enablers will make a killing.
    
    Just been to Pompeii. The romans made good roads. The lava protected them so now we can copy them. Seemed to me that they did everything to: get the water off the roads.
    
    1 0
    Log in to Reply
    Report
    July 15, 2026 7:45am

Add a Comment Cancel reply

Login to comment or vote

« RIP Sam Neill

Half the price! »

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

NZ First's Nazi problem
No Right Turn
"The 'AGI-is-near' community keeps committing the same logical fallacy over and over. Every time there’s an advance, I see the same error."
Not PC
Daily review 03/08/2026
The Standard
Winston Peters – Baby Bonus, Social Media Ban
Bob McCoskrie's McBlog
Word of the day
Hompaddock
Reactionary bookends.
Kiwipolitico
Grounds for grumpiness
Point of Order
The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006 to 2008 (2009)
Utopia
ACT News For Hawkes Bay People
No Minister
Why I am willing to go to prison tomorrow for Free Speech
The Daily Blog
Reform Update
NZCPR
NZ weight-loss ‘supplement’ works?
Stats Chat
Geloso on how to think like a good economist
Offsetting Behaviour
Real wages haven’t fallen 6.4 per cent (or at all)
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: