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August 4, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 04 August 2026

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General Debate

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Scott

Winston Peters spoke in Masterton over the weekend and made some news. He was featured on both TV1 and TV3 news Sunday night. He announced Ron Mark will run as a candidate in the next election. I’ve met Ron and he’s a tremendous fellow.

Friends of mine were at the meeting and told me that he didn’t mention immigration but he did mention NZs Judeo Christian values, which got a big cheer.

He also talked about some financial encouragement for NZers to have more children. Given we’ve apparently had to import a million foreigners in the last 25 years I think the idea makes sense.

But kiwibloggers need to know that Winston still has pulling power. A big crowd for a small town like Masterton, over 250 were in attendance.

Winston is probably the only politician who courts the vote of the traditionally minded kiwi. The ones who are not ashamed of our past and want to see a better future for our children. And there are a lot of us.

The venue was full and they had to bring in more seats. And mark my words. Those people there that night, they will vote.
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August 4, 2026 8:02am
- R
  
  ‘only politician…courts the vote…traditionally minded’.
  I guess that you haven’t attended any National Party electoral presentations in the last three years. Crowd size!
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:32am
- pdm
  
  Scott.
  
  ACT regularly do `Town Hall’ meetings with good numbers.
  
  Simon Court was in Hastings 3 or 4 weeks ago (Cameron Luxton was supposed to join him but his flight out of Wellington was cancelled due to weather) and got about 100 attendees.
  
  Will be interesting to see how many David Seymour gets to an afternoon meeting on Saturday 5 September and apparently Paul Henry is scheduled for Napier late September or early October.
  
  The last David Seymour meeting I went to in Hastings before the 2023 election had over 3oo there.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:41am
  - Hugh Jarse
    
    He got a very good turnout in Christchurch a few weeks ago.
    
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    August 4, 2026 3:51pm
- leoj
  
  How short is your memory Scott?
  
  Do you remember 2017?
  
  Winnie screwed us, bigly.
  
  I just hope people have not forgotten.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:17am
  - Scott
    
    leoj, happy to reply. In 2017 no one knew how the Labour govt would turn out. No one knew what sort of prime minister jacinda would be? No one could anticipate covid and the lockdowns.
    Also National under Bill English, if my memory serves me correctly, did their absolute best to upset Winston and alienate him.
    
    So one of the tricks about being a 3rd party is that if you can go with either major party then you increase your leverage, your bargaining position. That’s what MMP does, it increases the power of the minor parties. But if they are like the Greens, could never go with National, then the labour party doesn’t really need to listen to the Greens, where else would they go?
    
    So I’m over 2017. Winston made a decision at the time based on what was known at the time rather than the unforeseeable events that occurred after that.
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:52am
    - Ghost
      
      And yet Winston went on to support Ardern’s damage of the country, supporting and passing the legislation to destroy oil and gas. Supporting the public service act 2020 that is responsible for the woke dei in public service. Strange these two things he helped pass he is now, to the unintelligent, campaigning against. But he will always find idiots to believe him. What’s he up to now, his 3rd or 4th time a referendum on Maori seats will be non negotiable.
      
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      August 4, 2026 11:10am
      - Scott
        
        Ghost, it’s amazing how you can get away with calling people idiots? Others, like myself, would not pass moderation for saying the same thing.
        But Winston has done a lot right this term. English is an official language of NZ. He’s regularly calling out the Maori party in a strong way. He’s been stiffening the spine of national. I think the coalition is going well and National is well served by it’s minor parties, NZ First and Act.
        
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        August 4, 2026 11:16am
      - Ghost
        
        There is nothing wrong with saying he will always find the idiots to belive him. That is what he does. Winston gets in every time because of idiots who forget everything he has done and pretend this time will be different.
        
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        August 4, 2026 11:35am
    - Michael Sommerville
      
      Agree with some of what you say but…
      
      National pissed Winston off big time by releasing his super arrangement. That he then went with Labour, should not be a surprise but what followed was more about Winston and justifies the party name Winston First. He went with Labour for Winston’s sake, not for what was best for New Zealand. That decision was what I can’t forgive him for.
      
      Where was he during the oil and gas exploration ban? He got Foreign Affairs so he was happy.
      
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      August 4, 2026 11:16am
      - David Garrett
        
        Michael: Spot on. He is as responsible for destroying the oil and gas industry as Cindy is. As you say, they couldn’t have passed the necessary legislation without him.
        
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        August 4, 2026 11:51am
    - leoj
      
      Scott: Bill English knew and was proved correct.
      
      Bill knew. We knew. But you have not learned.
      
      Winnie is a traitor.
      
      And we need to remember that.
      
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      August 4, 2026 11:29am
    - R
      
      Scott, your comment is the weakest one I have ever heard in support of Winston First’s behaviour re 2017 election.
      
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      August 4, 2026 11:44am
      - Scott
        
        R, I’m happy with my arguments. Winston could not know how the Labour govt would turn out nor could he anticipate covid. And National did their best to alienate Winston in the lead up to the election of 2017.
        
        I appreciate there is nothing more deeply held on kiwiblog than Winston must never be forgiven 2017.
        
        However the fact is this. You need Winston. Without him there is no coalition and no National led govt. He has many supporters and they will vote for him. So Winston is someone national will have to deal with now and in the foreseeable future.
        
        Under this coalition, which includes NZ First. you’ve maybe got 50% of what you want. Under Labour and the Greens you’ll get 100% of what you don’t want.
        
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        August 4, 2026 12:31pm
    - Quail
      
      Scott,
      “ that’s what MMP does, it increases the power of the minor parties.”
      And that also sums up the anti democratic effect of MMP.
      That is not majority rule or democracy!
      
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      August 4, 2026 12:04pm
      - mike
        
        Which is more democratic, an FPP one-party government with 32% of the vote (UK 2024), or an MMP three-party government with 52% of the vote (NZ 2023)?
        
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        August 4, 2026 1:30pm
      - tavita
        
        The problem is in the way MMP is set up and is being implemented based on parties. Instead of a house of representatives engaged in debate and decision making, we have one or more parties forming a three year term dictatorship just as we had under FPP. It reduces MPs to lobby fodder. We should ban coalitions and encourage minor parties to vote based on the merits of proposals rather than tying themselves to one major.
        
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        August 4, 2026 1:39pm
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      “Also National under Bill English, if my memory serves me correctly, did their absolute best to upset Winston and alienate him.”
      
      I don’t believe any of that discussion was public, so I take your memories with a pinch of salt.
      
      I would expect that Winston came with a long list of demands and English told him no, so Winnie went over to Labour who offered him anything he wanted.
      
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      August 4, 2026 2:24pm
      - Quail
        
        tavita,
        See the above re MMP,
        In addition half of NZ politicians are simply appointed by the parties.
        General NZ voters have no ability at all to choose or influence those politicians.
        So 50% of all NZ politicians are not accountable to the voters!
        That is totally undemocratic
        
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        August 4, 2026 6:22pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        So 50% of all NZ politicians are not accountable to the voters!
        
        You vote – or not – for their party ….
        
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        August 4, 2026 8:41pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      Consider some facts.
      In the 2017 government
      Labour 46 seats
      NZ First 9 Seats
      Greens 8 seats
      
      MMP coalitions are all about tradeoffs.
      
      Plus, remember this was an Ardern Captains call in April 2018 on her way to Europe. No vote by Parliament.
      
      That came later in the year.
      The law passed was to ban future exploration permits.
      Existing permits were protected (allowing current oil and gas production to continue for decades), and a limited allowance remained for new onshore permits in the Taranaki region
      .
      I am not defending the ban (political confetti, IMHO) or Winstons Vote at the time.
      
      But keep in mind that in 2018 (The Colmar Brunton Better Futures Report) more than 51% of Kiwis were worried about climate change.
      Therefore, Winston being a populist was probably reacting to that. Just my opinion, of course.
      
      As I say, just some facts to balance with all the emotive statements
      
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      August 4, 2026 4:03pm
    - than
      
      In your defence, I will say, the worst of the sixth Labour government (maybe excluding the lockdowns which was pre-election) was 2020-2023 when NZ First was out of power. But from 2020 election when Labour had full control they ramped up Maorification, introduced vaccine mandates and more.
      
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      August 4, 2026 6:22pm
- Bullion
  
  If NZF had policy that was supposedly good for younger NZers, surely that would be reflected in polling?
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:50am
- Damocles11
  
  My traditional mind doesn’t allow me to vote for political parties that go into coalition with Left wing entities like the horrendous NZ Labour party. Therefore my traditional mind stops me from voting for NZ First.
  
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  August 4, 2026 6:03pm
KKNZ2025

$69M pa supporting foreign PhD students academic ego gratification.

How many hip replacements is that?
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August 4, 2026 8:04am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Subsidised fees for foreign PhD students are a subsidy to the Universities.
  
  I’d like to see some analysis of the disciplines studied and whether the students opted to stay on in NZ.
  
  Engineering – ok. English Lit – not ok.
  
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  August 4, 2026 11:55am
  - Ian Boag
    
    Another chickenshit $$$ thing. Might even be a few millions in it. You could think of the a couple of thousands of millions doled out to comfortably-off oldies who don’t need it. So when will somewhat have the cojones to do something about it?
    
    If you really want to save some money … go for the big and easy ones. FWIW I’m in that category. I take the handout because it’s there and it’s mine 🙂
    
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    August 4, 2026 8:45pm
rouppe

Police Commissioner adviser criticises Police Minister Mark Mitchell in open letter over Rakesh Naidoo controversy

I think Naidoo wasn’t upfront about his intentions, but I also think investigating whether he gave Labour “secrets” is a stretch. Unless there’s something we all don’t know.

But my interest in this criticism from an “advisor” evaporated once I learned it was Gregory Fortuin. One of the most useless race relations commissioners ever. Barring maybe Susan Devoy.
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August 4, 2026 8:06am
- peterwn
  
  There would have been no issue if say Ginny Anderson had criticised a Pakeha cop who announced he was standing for National.
  
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  August 4, 2026 8:37am
- imalwaysright
  
  Article :
  “Fortuin sent his letter to Mitchell on Monday, acknowledging his role on Chambers’ ethnic advisory board and saying he spoke “only for myself and my own convictions”.
  
  Is Fortuin saying that, while he works for the Police, his open letter to the Minister of Police on a Police matter into which he has inserted himself by deciding to provide mitigating evidence for a breach of Police procedure, is somehow just his personal opinion…?
  
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  August 4, 2026 8:52am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  The point is not whether he did or did not give Labour “secrets”.
  
  The point is that he was secretive about the process. He was not disclosing his intentions and potential conflicts of interest.
  
  Trust in our political system, and the police, is at an all time low (well in the 34 years I have been in NZ anyway).
  
  Someone who fails to understand that needs to be questioned as to whether they are a suitable fit for these roles.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:08am
- R
  
  Have we ever had a ‘useful neutral’ Race Relationships Commissioner?
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:34am
  - pdm
    
    R – yes.
    
    Hiwi Tauroa was better than most, if not all that succeeded him.
    
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    August 4, 2026 9:46am
- EssenX
  
  This was my coffee nearly being spat out of my mouth moment one for the day: I opened that article seriously because I agree, like you, Naidoo wasn’t upfront and the “secrets” seems a bit of a stretch, and expected some senior public servant to have highlighted some facts about where the Minister may be erring, and instead it’s a comment from Fortuin! The media is now running to all manner of “experts” these days who don’t actually have any expertise at all. Stuff is basically campaigning against the Government.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:08am
greybeard

https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361014788/i-voted-national-last-time-time-im-listening-opportunity

I didn’t bother reading this article, the headline was enough for me.

This is simply Stuff running yet another pro-Opportunity campaign, using one of their favourite contributors.
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August 4, 2026 8:09am
- Yabster
  
  yep Ian has lost the plot- beat him in a tennis tournament once in Wanaka- nice guy but geeze mate- Going from National to TOP says alot…
  
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  August 4, 2026 8:37am
  - David Garrett
    
    Yabster: I know nothing about this fellow…I suppose I could Google him…
    
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    August 4, 2026 12:03pm
- MCōs
  
  Ian Taylor contributes regular columns to Stuff expressing his opinions. I can understand not wanting to reading his stuff if you are familiar with the trend of his work, but you could at least read the article before squawking about it.
  
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  August 4, 2026 8:42am
  - David Garrett
    
    MCos: I read it. Who is this joker?
    
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    August 4, 2026 9:06am
    - MCōs
      
      I’m not saying I agree/disagree with him, just that it’s a stretch to denigrate his article without reading it.
      Stuff has regularly printed his opinions at least going back to pre covid times. They are just opinions, the same as all sorts of other people whose opinions are regularly churned out in all the publications big and small.
      If the guy makes you wild you could at least explain why.
      
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      August 4, 2026 3:34pm
  - leoj
    
    Has Taylor ever run for office? If not, why not?
    
    When famous people spout their political beliefs I am always wary until they run for office. Otherwise, shut the f#*k up.
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:23am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Does anyone really believe he voted National in the last election?
  
  Of course it is possible. But it just seems unlikely if he had been a Labour supporter his whole life.
  
  That said, I can fully understand why a bunch of National supporters (especially swing voters) would feel extremely dissatisfied by the difference between the tub-thumping and what National delivered.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:10am
  - Albie
    
    Sir Ian’s company Animation Research Ltd earns over 90% of it’s revenue overseas and from all accounts is very successful.
    Perhaps this is why he can indulge in toying with the idea of voting for a party like TOP as the financial implications wouldn’t affect him?
    
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    August 4, 2026 9:36am
    - pdm
      
      `TOP as the financial implications wouldn’t affect him?’
      
      I would be surprised if Taylor did not own property in New Zealand.
      
      If he has multiple properties then he will be right in Opportunity Party Tax sights.
      
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      August 4, 2026 9:50am
      - RoboRob
        
        Taylor might be very good at movies and art, but he actually seems pretty ‘dim’ for lack of a better word. I don’t think people should see him as some sort of oracle whose opinion is more informed then theirs. It’s the same as actors and singers. Sure, if I need advice on acting or singing they are the go to, but why would I think their political and economic opinions are particularly worthwhile.
        
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        August 4, 2026 10:12am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Rr,
        
        Good point about Taylor and others with profile.
        
        Maybe they exist in circles that affirm whatever they say and therefore believe that their opinions and ideas have been tested.
        
        KB is a very good place to test ones opinion as there is no onus on fellow posters to be anything other than critics, and to therefore themselves be tested on their critique.
        
        If Taylor posted here he would get a worthwhile analysis of his view.
        
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        August 4, 2026 10:37am
      - Taieri
        
        Taylor might be very good at movies and art
        ————-
        
        Being successful at that doesn’t provide him with a gift of an insight into everything else.
        His political pronouncements are not any more profound because of that than these of Taieri or any other Joe Bloggs for that matter. If he thinks that the TOP is the end of its all, it is his choice, but then he’s even dafter that Taieri and other Joe Bloggses.
        
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        August 4, 2026 11:07am
      - Jack5
        
        Ian Taylor’s been a supporter of Maori “knowledge” as science.
        
        Here’s an entertaining look into his views:
        
        https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2024/02/27/a-debate-should-matauranga-maori-indigenous-ways-of-knowing-be-taught-as-science-in-new-zealand-schools/
        
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        August 4, 2026 12:19pm
  - RoboRob
    
    I think its quite possible he did vote National. As I recall at the time he was very upset that labour wasn’t taking his advice and felt betrayed by the otherwise amazing and caring Ardern. He acts like a child who doesn’t know what he wants.
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:14am
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  Taylor is walking proof you don’t have to be intelligent to be successful .
  Here he proving it again.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:32am
  - EssenX
    
    This is a bit unfair. He probably was intelligent and probably successful in his area of expertise. The problem is when people are successful in one area and then think that they can then do well in another area. Look at Colin Neal – made massive windfall on Big Chill Distribution then ended up bankrupt trying to run a retail operation. Similarly, Taylor was good in what he did and now thinks he can educate the rest of the plebs about politics, philosophy and economics.
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:13am
    - leoj
      
      Actually, you just made the case that criticism IS fair. Why the hell should we listen to Taylor? He puts his underpants on exactly the same way as all of us – one foot at a time.
      
      He’s a drongo Labourite. Nuff said.
      
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      August 4, 2026 10:27am
      - EssenX
        
        My point was that it’s unfair to say you don’t have to be intelligent to be successful. He is clearly intelligent. Otherwise, I agree with you. He might be intelligent, but he’s also arrogant.
        
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        August 4, 2026 11:49am
      - keepcalmcarryon
        
        The point is, intelligence is subjective, his opinion should count for no more less than anyone else’s on politics where he’s being led by his feels not his brain, an affliction of modern leftists.
        
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        August 4, 2026 2:19pm
  - R
    
    Animation Research probably has a very large team of IT and graphics wizkids. Taylor is the front who had the idea. I tend towards RoboR’s description of him
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:26am
- EssenX
  
  This was my coffee nearly being spat out of my mouth moment two for the day: as if Taylor voted for National! Again, Stuff simply campaigning against the Government and very much for TOP. It’s interesting that Labour has fallen out of favour and TOP is the preference among the Wellington intelligentsia.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:10am
  - R
    
    What Wellington intelligentsia?
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:27am
    - Hugh Jarse
      
      I think that’s known as an oxymoron.
      
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      August 4, 2026 10:09pm
  - OlderChas
    
    Essen I think the media have been primed by their Labour “mates” to push, push, push TOP because we’ll need them to get into Government. TOP are only Labour Junior, Look at their top dogs and leaders!
    
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    August 4, 2026 5:23pm
- Handyman
  
  There is no risk from the whacko TOP policies.
  The risk lies in them enabling the far left to form a Labour/Green/Maori government and they will absolutely enact their own whacko policies.
  
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  August 4, 2026 11:21am
  - Quail
    
    Tax Old People ( TOP) policy is a real concern faced by NZ pensioners and their lifetime savings.
    Talk about the story of the little Red Hen!
    
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    August 4, 2026 12:39pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Yep, saw the author and scrolled on.
  
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  August 4, 2026 4:06pm
artemisia

The Ceuta Clownshow – eugyppius substack today.

One vid shows the Ceuta police blocking side streets and funnelling a large crowd of young men down a wide road. Assume towards the border. Funnelling is not necessarily via gentle persuasion or a chat.

One comment there – I’ve seen less terrifying scenes in apocalyptic zombie movies.

As usual eugyppius also steps back to take a broader view – And some parties on the left may once have hoped that the migrants would form a favourable client class to cement their political dominance, but on the electoral front migration has served only to fuel the rise of the populist right.
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August 4, 2026 8:17am
- kevn
  
  CCT… The horrid assured us all was well.
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/spanish-outpost-in-north-africa-back-to-normal-after-flood-of-migrants/MNZ7X27XCFCW3LEU7QR6HEIY5U/
  But… Just the usual corruption.
  https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2084392683821466096
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:56am
Southern Raider

NZ has stubborn unemployment, stagnant economy, infrastructure deficit and productivity issues.

NZ Herald decides to focus the top story of today about a mother complaining a school made her son wash off a scribble on his arm even though it’s been school uniform policy for decades.
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August 4, 2026 8:29am
- R
  
  Lazy journalisim and editorial policy. But all will improve at the Herald, once the PIJF is restored, with backpay
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:39am
  - Paulus
    
    I thought that PIJF has been shut down already. !
    Not sure from what I see !
    
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    August 4, 2026 4:25pm
- Raphael
  
  The media will quite frequently run attack articles on schools for enforcing their uniform policies that parents agreed to abide by when they chose to send their kids to those schools.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:45am
  - R
    
    It has been a long time since the media, in any form, has supported discipline or standards anywhere in NZ
    
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    August 4, 2026 11:51am
Southern Raider

The Coalition seems to have missed a major trick to balance activity in the economy.

By all means cut the Public Service as the benefits of huge numbers is very questionable.

But why not at the same time have a pipeline of infrastructure work that could actually be brought forward during times of recession. The building industry in most centres is a disaster and yet no one thought of demanding Kainga Ora bring forwards refurbishment work etc.

All the “quick start” projects never started because once announced they still needed 2 plus years for consenting and commercial contracts and acquisition. Yet most Govt departments would have a work plan that could have been accelerated and then when economy picks up slowed down again.
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August 4, 2026 8:34am
- RoboRob
  
  Yup, one of the things the government should have is a consistent plan and a long term road map of how to get there.
  
  Supposedly Lab and Nat have agreed to build such a thing and not remove each others pet projects from the road map. I don’t believe that will work in practice as much of Labours capital projects were just stupid and I am sure they think the same of the rights plans.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:28am
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  “Shovel ready”
  Noooooooo..
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:32am
- imalwaysright
  
  The Works manager running the rail tunnel drilling in Auckland cited one-off jobs as being very expensive as the startup costs of assembling and keeping a crew for a single job were very high.
  
  His real problem came near the end of the contract as staff left for other contracts overseas. There was a real danger that the drilling would have had to stop.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:44am
- R
  
  Under the Key/English period there were projects planned, and being developed. the Labour governments intellectual giant and her financial genius canceled as many as they could; and never planned nor implemented any new inferstructure projects. The present COALITION virtually had to begin from step one again. Almost ten years of lost opportunity for improvement to the NZ economy
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:34am
  - RoboRob
    
    Labour did plan a lot and spend a shit ton on planning but most of the projects were turds that were cancelled by the following government or already left die by Labour. The harbour crossing foot bridge and tram from AK airport to town being great examples.
    
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    August 4, 2026 11:35am
    - Jethrod
      
      Also the bad design of Cook Strait ferries.
      
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      August 4, 2026 1:21pm
Philview

I have been following the body in the suitcase death in Greece. The Scottish lady looked very lovely. I see an Afghani migrant has been arrested and he has an American wife who also looks lovely. I use the word lovely to infer an attractive and kind face. It appears life was going well for this chap and he still went rogue. They haven’t been able to establish how the lady died yet.
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August 4, 2026 8:41am
mike

I see Trump’s peace deal for Gaza collapsed rather quickly.
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August 4, 2026 8:49am
- MCōs
  
  Did he have a peace deal?
  
  6 2
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  August 4, 2026 9:02am
  - mike
    
    Only in his mind. Meanwhile, his war on Iran is going so well that the Pentagon is asking the soldiers for ideas.
    https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/03/politics/us-military-iran-war-troops-punish
    
    5 22
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    August 4, 2026 9:11am
    - EssenX
      
      So, what you’re saying is that, management consulting employees for their ideas is a bad thing?
      
      11 4
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      August 4, 2026 10:16am
      - mike
        
        LOL. It’s not a sign of progress.
        
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        August 4, 2026 10:36am
    - Jack5
      
      Mike, this is from the CNN report you quote:
      
      ” …. an officer in US Central Command’s intelligence branch wrote in a message sent Wednesday to a broad group of military analysts … ”
      
      It sounds an intelligent step to ask the brains of Army, Navy, Air Force analysts for input.
      
      It’s more than your “asking the soldiers for ideas”.
      
      It sounds an intelligent step
      
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      August 4, 2026 10:27am
      - mike
        
        And if that don’t work, they can ask for ideas from Truth Social members.
        
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        August 4, 2026 11:25am
      - imalwaysright
        
        “It sounds an intelligent step to ask the brains of Army, Navy, Air Force analysts for input.”
        
        Where’s Uncle Ben? Wasn’t he the first one in to Iran?
        The last attack on Iran that I am aware of was conducted by the US and the Saudis.
        
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        August 4, 2026 12:01pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      So all the smart brains in the pentagon have been unable to come up witha winning strategy THAT TRUMP ENDORSED.
      
      So bombing Iran multiple times in multiple locations hasn’t worked.
      
      Blocking the sea to to the east of Hormuz hasn’t worked (i.e., finishing the war).
      
      Defending US allies in the Gulf against missile attacks hasn’t worked.
      
      No wonder the Centcom guy is asking for ideas (military options).
      
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      August 4, 2026 4:16pm
- David George
  
  It’s too soon, the perpetrators of the invasion of Israel are still being hunted down.
  Of course the Gazans could have brought the terrorists to justice themselves (and released the hostages) but chose not to.
  They chose death.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:50am
  - mike
    
    So why does Donnie make these stupid announcements? Apart from manipulating markets for his pals?
    
    7 14
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    August 4, 2026 10:38am
  - David George
    
    Another terrorist has gone to his imaginary perpetual orgy in the sky.
    Muhammad Abd al-Rahman was released from prison and returned to Gaza. He was successfully eliminated yesterday in a targeted operation!
    I heard there’s only about 1,000 of the invaders left.
    Keep up the good work.
    
    11 2
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    August 4, 2026 1:18pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      Where do you source all this Israeli propaganda, David?
      Only about 1,000 of the invaders left.
      
      IDF figures say 3,800 armed combatants/invaders.
      So by your figures only 2800 invaders have been killed amongst the some 70,000-plus deaths recorded in Gaza.
      
      IDF confirms at least 70,000 deaths.
      
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      August 4, 2026 4:22pm
- slijmbal
  
  @mike
  
  While I suspect we share the same opinion that the Gaza deal is yet another hollow announcement from Trump and will drag on without any conclusion and effectively fail, saying it has collapsed already is a bit harsh. It’s common for these types of agreements to be broken during implementation.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:37am
  - mike
    
    Add it to the 30-odd times he has announced a deal with Iran and a pattern emerges.
    
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    August 4, 2026 11:24am
hookerphil

New standards in exciting breaking news has been set by stuffed this morning –
Live: Snow blankets Dunedin and dusts Christchurch – and there’s hail in Wellington

Wow, hail in Wellington, is that a first?
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August 4, 2026 8:59am
- KKNZ2025
  
  Those pesky cars causing drivers to have accidents again…
  
  “A car has slid off the road due to snow in Dunedin”
  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/weather/875731/live-weather-drivers-warned-as-snow-blankets-roads-cook-strait-ferries-cancelled
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:37am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  It’s global warming, you see.
  
  5 0
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  August 4, 2026 12:33pm
- Ra Henare
  
  In your enthusiam to dump on STUFF
  
  I guess you missed the heralds equivalent
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland/polar-blast-brings-low-level-snow-road-warnings-and-ferry-cancellations/23C2ZZVE5RHLBFITLS2HJKAQSY/
  
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  August 4, 2026 4:24pm
Paulus

It has happened – as expected
A young part Maori boy at Mt Albert Grammer has turned up at school with a Maori tats moko of sorts.
His mother, of course, is under the impression that this is alright as whilst it is against school rules it is right for her part Maori child.
The College has a Maori sort of Board as well so we wait but it is of course too late.
I expected a young girl to be the first as from what I see publically those with fascial tatts are getting younger.
May God help New Zealand after the election as this kind of thing just amplifies the division of our Country and a useless Government.
Get a tatt and become one of the real elite.
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August 4, 2026 9:06am
- leoj
  
  Yet another example that maori want to be treated as special.
  
  This crap is not going to stop, espcially under National.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:33am
  - AitchW
    
    Who will stop it?
    
    6 1
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    August 4, 2026 1:39pm
  - Ghost
    
    And what do you want National to do about this? When I was in high school a Jehovah’s Witnesses friend got a rather large tattoo. This is a disciplinary matter for the school if it wishes, not anything for the government. Last i looked tattoos weren’t illegal and if you are underage you just need your parents permission.
    
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    August 4, 2026 1:51pm
Yvette

[Luxon] did eventually admit to having a conversation with Peters, albeit without divulging what was said, and reverted to party politics when asked whether he would sack him as foreign minister, or work with him again in the portfolio next term.
“The point very clearly is that we are 90 days out from an election, and if people feel that that language is unacceptable and they don’t like it, as I keep saying, party vote National.” [1] – Luxon

It seems a little hard to fathom what Winston thinks he is doing, risking pissing off everyone rather than a particular group of voters.
And while Luxon doesn’t want further distraction before the Election, he must also consider if, in a new Cabinet, Winston could be Foreign Affairs Minister again.

It isn’t hard to imagine Xu-Nan and his fellow Green MPs throwing some more heckles in Peters’ direction in the House, either, and if the New Zealand First leader again responds in an offensive manner, there would be even more pressure for a meaningful response.

Does Winston or Luxon now have any prepared response should there be a case of “Play it again, Xu-Nan”?
__________
[1] https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/08/04/luxons-rare-business-apology-exposes-deeper-political-weakness/?
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August 4, 2026 9:27am
- RoboRob
  
  This is Luxons biggest weakness, communication.
  
  All he needs to say in this case is something like ‘I cant just sack Winston as that would cause the government to fail. Do the voters want snap elections every time a minor party does something stupid? If you don’t like what Winston did, don’t vote for him’.
  
  Luxon got part of the way but he just couldn’t bring himself to be straight up about the reality of the situation. I don’t understand why he makes this stuff so hard.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:34am
  - rouppe
    
    Yes, but…
    
    ‘I cant just sack Winston as that would cause the government to fail’
    
    turns into
    
    ‘Luxon will do anything to hang on to power’
    
    I know it’s the same when it’s Hipkins and Waititi or Davidson say something stupid, but that’s not how the message will fly.
    
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    August 4, 2026 9:51am
    - RoboRob
      
      Agree, thats why you are careful to make it about stable government not about getting and holding power.
      
      6 1
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      August 4, 2026 10:16am
  - pdm
    
    Maybe we should be campaigning thus:
    
    `A vote for Labour is a vote for Winston Peters as Foreign Minister’.
    
    Despite:
    1. Peters saying he will not go with Labour.
    2. Hipkins saying he will not allow Peters to be Foreign Minister.
    3. But, what does the much vaunted `heir apparent’ to the Labour leadership Kieran McAnulty say.
    
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    August 4, 2026 9:59am
    - RoboRob
      
      McAnulty would be leader of Labour if not for Luxons performance. We are lucky he is not because he appears to have some political talent.
      
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      August 4, 2026 10:17am
      - Jethrod
        
        That is the guffaw of the day!
        
        4 0
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        August 4, 2026 1:26pm
      - CJames
        
        Yes, but Mr McAnulty’s personal ethics makes Hipkins look good.
        
        3 0
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        August 4, 2026 4:47pm
    - kevn
      
      Baubles beckon.
      
      3 1
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      August 4, 2026 11:01am
  - peterwn
    
    “This is Luxons biggest weakness, communication.”
    Yes – Jacinda Arden communicated and Chris Luxon governs.
    Ideally a leader should have ample amounts of each quality but that is not really practicable.
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:08am
    - RoboRob
      
      Yes it is. See Key, Clark etc. It’s only in the last two governments we have seen the extremes.
      
      JA -> Good political spin and communicator / media. Thick as a plank and useless leader.
      
      Luxon -> Steady as she goes management. No vision, communication skills and unwilling to address any major changes.
      
      At this point I would take Helen Clark back. I say this as a probable Act voter / Former national voter.
      
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      August 4, 2026 10:21am
      - mogg
        
        Good description of JA- she was a hand waving parrot.
        
        10 1
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        August 4, 2026 11:17am
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        I can’t agree with the idea that JA was a good communicator.
        
        Any thorough examination by the media would have exposed her lack of actual communication skill.
        
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        August 4, 2026 12:05pm
      - Taieri
        
        I can’t agree with the idea that JA was a good communicator.
        ———–
        
        May be not. But her message was very effective in 2020. It convinced 50% of voters.
        BTW: I wasn’t one of them.
        
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        August 4, 2026 12:20pm
      - AitchW
        
        Mogg, a high school student politician promoted way, way above her abilities for her kindness.
        Not a clue on how to run a fish and chip shop, let alone a government.
        And yet she still attracts crowds.
        You really can fool some of the people all of the time.
        
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        August 4, 2026 1:42pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        @H
        
        You must feel very smug that you weren’t part of the deluded 50+% who voted for her. Possibly if you had stepped up at the time – or even now – things would be very diffferent 🙂
        
        The JA haters are getting boring – really need to get over themselves and evict her from their heads. If some offshore folk want to pay her as a speaker why do you care – envy perhaps? Ranting on KB about her failures is pure chanting circle stuff.
        
        Funnily enough, the right did not kick up much of a fuss about the money hose when it was being sprayed around. I must have missed all your posts warning us right from the start that it was madness and couldn’t last …. ?
        
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        August 4, 2026 2:12pm
      - Don Beckett
        
        Voted for Jacinda did you, Ian ? 😆
        
        6 2
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        August 4, 2026 2:31pm
      - Ian Boag
        
        @Don
        
        Good question. Who did you vote for …. 🙂
        
        1 8
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        August 4, 2026 2:43pm
      - RoboRob
        
        @Ian
        
        ‘I must have missed all your posts warning us right from the start that it was madness and couldn’t last’
        
        You must have because I was posting that as were many others.
        
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        August 4, 2026 4:20pm
  - R
    
    There is nothing wrong with PM Luxons communications skills; but there is a very, very large segment of the population who need to learn listening and comprehension skills, before the November election. This is not only a problem in the media, general public, but also here in KB
    
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    August 4, 2026 10:44am
    - RoboRob
      
      Ah yes, its never an issue with Luxon or National, they never make mistakes. If people don’t know what Luxon stands for its their poor listening skills,
      
      Luxon has clearly outlined his vision and beliefs. We know that Luxon has / will have spoken to Winston and that he did / will tell him off. We know why Winston still has his portfolios as Luxon has clearly explained that too.
      
      Tell me R, did Luxon make a huge mistake when he publicly insulted small business the other day or was his mistake not standing firm and issuing the apology? Does he believe some businesses are acting like children looking for handouts or was that a mistake and business and government have an equal share in making the country great? Perhaps my listening skills need to be sharpened so I can truly know what the great man thinks.
      
      10 1
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      August 4, 2026 11:42am
      - Quail
        
        Well , any politician telling people to stand on their own two feet is really refreshing in NZ.
        It would help though ,if the said politicians enabled such actions by removing much of the inhibiting regulation that is stopping people getting on with their own lives!
        “ get government off our back and out of our pockets” (RR ) eg RMA consents etc
        
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        August 4, 2026 7:14pm
- leoj
  
  You are assuming that Luxon will still be PM.
  
  The weak, woke Nats are going to have arses handed to them and Luxon will have to stand down as leader, so he won’t be PM.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:35am
  - peterwn
    
    The show is not over until the fat lady has sung.
    
    8 0
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    August 4, 2026 11:31am
    - RoboRob
      
      Winston certainly seems to be working hard to drive some of NZFs voter base back to National.
      
      6 1
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      August 4, 2026 11:47am
      - R
        
        For the future good of the country, that is probably a good idea. Seymour seems to go power crazy as an election approaches. Costs votes.
        
        2 7
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        August 4, 2026 12:04pm
      - RoboRob
        
        @R
        
        I’m not sure what you mean by power hungry. If you mean, he wants to be the largest party in a coalition and be PM, sure doesn’t every leader / party?
        
        If you were to honestly look at Nat, NZF and ACT at the moment, Seymour is the only one not publicly attacking the others. He is the only one talking about how working with the others has been good. Both Nat and NZF have taken the gloves off and are punching each other in the face.
        
        9 1
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        August 4, 2026 1:13pm
      - Ghost
        
        It feels like winston wants an early election while he is polling well. Sack him from government, he will use that to try increase his vote. Leave him there making idiotic comments, his vote will decrease.
        
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        August 4, 2026 4:31pm
peterwn

So a Post editorial (individual writer not named) claims that Chris Luxon is ‘impotent’. The editorial is paywalled, heaven knows why.
Welcome to MMP! Of course Winston can remove Chris Luxon any time he likes but not vice versa. If Chris Hipkins were Prime Minister he would be equally impotent. This is a fundamental feature of MMP – the Prime Minister, unless his party has an absolute majority, is always at risk of being toppled by a minority party and it is made worse if two, three or even four minority parties are part of the coalition, especially if one or more of them is internally undisciplined and in turmoil.
So presumably the editorial writer is implying that because Chris Luxon is ‘impotent’ he is not fit to govern, and therefore someone else should govern who would presumably have such magic charm that they would overcome any potential ‘impotence’. So the editorial is in effect an advertorial for the Left Wing.
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August 4, 2026 9:30am
- RoboRob
  
  Well said. As I mentioned above, if only Luxon would come out and say the same thing. It’s no secret, except to the media that want to use it as a stick to attack Luxon.
  
  Luxon just doesn’t handle this stuff well. He just refuses to be straight up about this sort of thing and it leaves him looking weak.
  
  Hipkins said that Winston could no longer serve as Foreign affairs minister on TV this morning. The mostly useless interviewer correctly asked if that meant that Hipkins wouldn’t have him as foreign affairs minister? Hipkins danced around the question and diverted back to Luxon. Hipkins, the interviewer and anyone with a brain knows full well that if Labour gets in next term, Winston will be Foreign affairs minister.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:38am
  - Nikola Donatello
    
    Hipkins does not come across as a serious person.
    
    16 2
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    August 4, 2026 10:41am
    - kevn
      
      Comes across as fake starting with his ‘smile’.
      
      11 3
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      August 4, 2026 11:03am
      - Paulus
        
        Hipkins is like a fart in a bottle !
        
        8 2
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        August 4, 2026 12:02pm
      - Jethrod
        
        You need a gut to develop a fart!
        
        7 2
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        August 4, 2026 1:29pm
  - newview
    
    Or PM RR. Post election the Labour caucus may dump Hipkins as opposition leader in favour of Winston as PM to get power. Stranger things have happened. Not likely I agree but we know post election all bets are off.
    
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    August 4, 2026 12:56pm
    - RoboRob
      
      Quite possible. Even more possible, on current polling, is that Winston insists on being PM in a NZF, Nat & Act alliance. As I have said previously here, if NZF get 15% and Nats get 28%, NZF have a pretty good basis to ask for significantly more power. Still better then a Labour, Green, TPM & TOP government.
      
      Certainly as the one party that can work with Lab or Nat, he holds all the cards, especially if he gets ~15% of the vote.
      
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      August 4, 2026 1:17pm
      - Paulus
        
        Next election in about March next year !
        
        1 1
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        August 4, 2026 4:33pm
- MCōs
  
  If NZ First left the coalition there would either be a minority government or if they sided with the opposition in a confidence or supply vote, a new election.
  I think we’ve been down this path before with Peters.
  From Google
  Shipley fired Peters, ending the coalition, though Shipley continued to govern with a minority backed by several MPs who split from NZ First.
  
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  August 4, 2026 3:47pm
  - MCōs
    
    Personally I loathe Peters for what he said and has said about Chinese in the past
    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbkuMWvknFD/?igsh=MWF6bmNkNHUxYnQ2dA==
    
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    August 4, 2026 5:07pm
- Jack5
  
  Peterwn’s …a Post editorial (individual writer not named) claims that Chris Luxon is ‘impotent’.
  
  Good chance that editorial writer is the paper’s new editor, Matthew Hooton, who’s been fomenting against Luxon for a long time.
  
  Hooton was a cheerleader in the coup that infamously brought down Bridges and installed Muller. What a bloody farce that was.
  
  The Post is, or is scheduled to be, printed in Christchurch and flown north.
  
  Can Wellingtonians tell us if it’s getting much advertising?
  
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  August 4, 2026 4:49pm
rouppe

On the matter of whether to purchase frigates.

A Danish drone boat sitting at anchor in the Baltic filmed a 330-foot Russian corvette running past at 650 feet with its transponder off, tagged the crew and the helicopter on the pad, and got the quadcopter wrong https://share.google/hw3Qq3x3U5YmFKXbt

A fleet of these can monitor our EEZ more effectively than a frigate.
They could be armed with a small weapon that can disable illegal fishing boats.
They would be useful and able to be integrated into a formal joint response.
Up to 365 days continual operation, not one person on board, all run remotely.
Fits on a trailer.

What’s not to like?
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August 4, 2026 9:34am
- nova
  
  Perhaps you could use a similar setup for doing ocean surveys? Small boat, float right over the top of any reefs, and easy to salvage in the very small chance that something went wrong….
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:48am
  - keepcalmcarryon
    
    DEI proofed?
    
    5 0
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    August 4, 2026 2:21pm
- mike
  
  It’s not a case of either/or. One wouldn’t expect the Danes to be retiring their frigates any time soon.
  
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  August 4, 2026 9:49am
  - rouppe
    
    In our case it might be.
    
    Bear in mind we have a total of 6 vessels in our Navy, Denmark has 74. They are part of NATO and have direct threats from Russia on their doorstep.
    
    So not a reasonable comparison.
    
    We (should) have clear operational goals. Our EEZ and interoperability with Australia and by extension the USA.
    
    We shouldn’t make a purchasing decision on frigates because someone else has them.
    
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    August 4, 2026 11:01am
Quail

Yesterday received an E Mail from Nationals Simeon Brown highlighting no less than 8 proposed new taxes that the opposition have allegedly confirmed !
On top of that the National party were demanding donations to avoid this calamity.
This was one of , or perhaps even the most depressing political e mail I have seen !
That tax list from an elderly perspective was enough to encourage people get as many assets off shore and following them pre – election.
Am sure that many of you will have found it in your in box as well,
It did not say how National would save us.,just asked for money!
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August 4, 2026 9:53am
- RoboRob
  
  I cant stand it when a parties reason to vote for them is solely to keep the other guys out. Just not good enough for me. Tell me why I should vote for you not why I should vote against someone else.
  
  Yes I know most voters probably vote solely on keeping the other side out / a change of government.
  
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  August 4, 2026 10:25am
  - slijmbal
    
    @Robo
    
    Sadly, I don’t share your optimism. The best I expect from ANY government is not to f##k up right royally and keep out of the way of the rest of us. I expect Labour to be as royal and interfering as they can. As such keeping the interfering idiots out is my prime motivation on voting.
    
    9 1
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    August 4, 2026 10:42am
    - RoboRob
      
      I would vote for a government that promised to not fuck up and keep out of the way!
      
      Unfortunately we only get people offering handouts and slanging off the opposition.
      
      11 1
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      August 4, 2026 11:49am
    - imalwaysright
      
      Slij,
      
      The biggest problem NZ has had in the last five decades is its Government.
      
      They have become an entity that sees itself as the reason for its existence.
      
      10 0
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      August 4, 2026 12:07pm
  - Salacious Crumb
    
    I totally agree Robo – being less shit than Labour doesn’t make for great government but that is what we continually geat from the National Party.
    
    9 1
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    August 4, 2026 11:25am
    - RoboRob
      
      And all National seems to aspire to.
      
      7 1
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      August 4, 2026 1:20pm
mogg

Rod Liddell is dead at 66yrs, he was a great English satirist writer, always involved in controversy.
He said about Harriet Harman, deputy leader of Labour Party, “would I – well after a few beers maybe but I would need to be very drunk”.
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August 4, 2026 10:56am
Yvette

Winston
1
“The only thing THICKER than Chris Hipkins ruling me out TWELVE MONTHS AFTER I RULED HIM OUT is the low IQ media who report it,” Peters wrote in a social media post on Tuesday.

2
The Migrant Workers Association cited both the remarks aimed at Xu-Nan and the ongoing rhetoric directed at MPs like Menéndez March as their reason for demanding Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sack Peters.
Winston Peters rejected the MWA’s characterization of the protest as satire, labelling the mock execution a “call for violence” and a criminal act, demanding that police investigate the group.

The MWA stated the mock execution was political satire and theatre staged to protest a ongoing pattern of xenophobic and racist rhetoric from New Zealand First politicians—specifically targeting foreign-born MPs:
“Send the Mexicans home” – NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones previously drew widespread backlash for telling people to “send the Mexicans home,” a comment directly targeted at Mexican-born Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March.
Menéndez March was also repeatedly targeted in Parliament by Winston Peters and Shane Jones for referring to New Zealand as Aotearoa, with the ministers accusing him of disrespecting the country.

Beyond being referenced in their protest statements, Ricardo Menéndez March and the Migrant Workers Association (MWA) apparently have a direct, longstanding working relationship in migrant rights advocacy
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August 4, 2026 10:59am
NeverMindTheBollocks

Here’s the next supply crunch. There’s more or less enough crude being produced, but refined product, especially diesel, is tough to get. So, we may see Brent crude prices dropping but petrol & diesel prices remaining higher for longer.

This would have been less of an issue for NZ if Marsden Pt was still operational.

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Big-Oil-Warns-Global-Fuel-Stocks-Are-Running-Dangerously-Low.html
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August 4, 2026 12:32pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  “So, we may see Brent crude prices dropping but petrol & diesel prices remaining higher for longer.”
  
  It’s even more complicated than that.
  
  Depending on the quality of the oil being processed, the ratios of diesel and petrol can vary. This can simultaneously cause, say, a shortage of diesel and a glut of petrol. This is quite likely what we’ve seen recently with diesel prices increasing far more than petrol prices.
  
  I remember in 1979 South Africa had a surplus of petrol as a huge excess was being made in order to make enough diesel. As a result, oil-starved South Africa was actually selling petrol to overseas (including, IIRC, to Australia).
  
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  August 4, 2026 1:48pm
  - mogg
    
    Who cares, Nasdaq, Dow, S&P, FTSE all up, good capital gains overnight.
    
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    August 4, 2026 2:17pm
- MCōs
  
  The refinery at Marsden Point is closed and there’s no point in indulging in hypotheticals
  It was closed by the owners because cheaper fuel was available elsewhere and spending megabucks to upgrade the facility was not logical
  However it’s closure is a useful cudgel for Jones to beat the previous government over the head.
  
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  August 4, 2026 4:12pm
  - Jack5
    
    The argument for keeping a refinery in NZ wasn’t based on cost; the argument was that it was needed for strategic reserves during world supply problems.
    
    Australia is spending millions on keeping two refineries open, one of them owned by a big shareholder in the old NZ refinery. Australia is also looking at opening a new refinery in West Australia.
    
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    August 4, 2026 4:41pm
Yvette

The Greens’ co-leader Marama Davidson said her party had written to Parliament’s Speaker Gerry Brownlee to request that he require Peters to formally withdraw his comment and apologise.
“The racism towards our Green MP was absolutely unacceptable, but it also has further consequences on the safety of migrant communities across Aotearoa.”
She said the Greens would not go into any governing arrangement with New Zealand First.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/882545/winston-peters-refuses-to-apologise-for-racist-comments-after-meeting-with-pm

Winston says he stated a year ago that New Zealand First would not go with Labour.
Labour will not appoint Winston to be Foreign Minister again.
Greens say (above) they “would not go into any governing arrangement with New Zealand First.”
Is there any way these statements become firm binding commitments?
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August 4, 2026 3:09pm
- kevn
  
  Any change in leaders render the statement(s) void.
  The bauble might land anywhere… 2017.
  
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  August 4, 2026 3:54pm
- rouppe
  
  but it also has further consequences on the safety of migrant communities across Aotearoa
  
  That nonsense hyperbole. The only real threat to safety is from those practicing execution techniques in public.
  
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  August 4, 2026 4:17pm
- Ghost
  
  So the people who wear tea towels and shout from the river to the sea Palestine will be free are upset with a comment. I say they are idiots but someone might get upset
  
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  August 4, 2026 4:23pm
Ghost

looks like someone took the judge’s advice and spoke to a lawyer

https://thedailyblog.co.nz/why-i-am-willing-to-go-to-prison-tomorrow-for-free-speech/
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August 4, 2026 5:27pm
Rumblestrip

It is a complete and utter disgrace that coronial inquests are taking the better part of a decade to convene after an untimely death. Hundreds of families have experienced waits of five or more years for final findings and completed inquests. It is a travesty.

The latest sad case is a young boy who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 2018 due to a dangerously and unlawfully installed gas heating system.

Only now, some 8 years later, did the coroner get around to holding the inquest. One of the gasfitters personally responsible died in 2022 so he is no longer around to testify.

Justice delayed is justice denied and the hopeless delay in our coronial system is denying families closure. The coronial system is broken.
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August 4, 2026 6:20pm
Ghost

Not the coroners fault. As of July 2025 there were 4,990 open cases.

There are 22 Permanent Coroners, 8 Relief Coroners and 8 Associate Coroners. Their backlog is years.
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August 4, 2026 7:59pm
- Rumblestrip
  
  When did I say it was the coroner’s fault? It clearly is bigger than that. I said more than once the “coronial system” is failing.
  
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  August 4, 2026 8:14pm
Nūhaka Native

Always interesting to scroll through the comments of Kiwi Blog late in the day. “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.”

This is the realpolitik. With proportional representation, parties still end up lining up in left and right blocks because at the end of the day they need to form governments and get numbers in Parliament. Voters also want to know who a party is likely to back, so those block signals are important. PR gives you more parties, but it doesn’t get rid of the need for alliances, and that usually pulls things back into political sides.

Luxon can’t sack Winston Peters because he needs NZ First’s numbers to govern, and if the polling holds, he may need them again after the next election too. In MMP, coalition partners aren’t employees; they have leverage.

As the Bard wrote, “The art of our necessities is strange.”
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August 4, 2026 8:22pm

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