General Debate 23 August 2026

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CJames

It seems like the Arday saga is still growing and won’t go away. Denouncing all the justifiable concerns as a witch-hunt or “lynching” (yeah right) is adding fuel to the fire. The academics and media sympathisers might be circling the wagons, but their already shot credibility is taking a further battering. Their unchecked promotion of him caused his death.

The DEI rector of Ghent used AI to write the letter threatening to dismiss the academic who raised concerns about the plagiarism. This after soliciting complaints so he could act. The rector has form using fake quotes in his speech when he took up the job. Now the US State Department is reviewing all US grants with that university. And all the universities where Mr Arday worked have rightly seen their reputations drop. . I can’t see many in the future wanting to boast that they read Sociology at Cambridge. Jerry Coyne has moved his writing about academic Maorification idiocy onto the subject. https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2026/08/21/ghent-university-suspends-nathan-cofnas-for-his-involvement-in-the-arday-affair/ is perhaps his longest article on it.

It leaves one to wonder that how many universities in NZ are staffed by DEI hires. Not only in their administration staff but right up through their lecturers and professors. When one looks at the pronouncements that numerous academics make (almost always against anything vaguely “rightwing”), where their credentials have to be prominently listed in any media statement. It reads like Dr XYZ, professor of abc, decries the latest news item as proof of .. using their qualifications to boost their unsolicited message. Then look at the quality of that message, often couched in definitive extremist language, and the level of scholarship does not seem very high. One is left thinking whether they could get a job out in the real world. Are the universities a high level sheltered workshop? There also has to be pity for the poor souls who have to be supervised by them.

If NZ First or ACT (National is too scared) want to show their populist credentials, they could announce a policy of examining university courses or even departments here to see if NZ is getting value for money. Degrees in basketweaving are only a slight exaggeration. Look at the number of graduates who don’t get jobs with their qualification, only debt. You can’t pay those off working in Starbucks.
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August 23, 2026 8:02am
- artemisia
  
  TVNZ, reporting on the ACT proposal “Starship for Cancer”, managed to find a well qualified opponent – Professor Chris Jackson quite coincidentally married to Labour MP Rachel Brooking.
  
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  August 23, 2026 8:21am
  - Gravelroad
    
    TVNZ seems to have given up on any principles and have decided to influence a vote left.
    They know they can slant their coverage and that there will be no consequences.
    
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    August 23, 2026 8:41am
  - CJames
    
    As Dr Jackson is a Dunedin hospital oncologist and according to RNZ, the ACT policy would have “Health New Zealand would be a “major customer” of the centre, with ACT expecting it would relocate its existing cancer services in Auckland and Christchurch to the new campuses.” , would he be having an undeclared vested interest in it not going ahead?
    
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    August 23, 2026 8:46am
Yvette

Brian Tamaki Facebook :
The LEGITIMATE page of Brian Tamaki, Founder of Destiny Church, The Freedoms & Rights Coalition, ManUp. Fighting for Faith, Family & Freedom in NZ.
claims –

POLITICIANS: THINK THEY’RE ABOVE GOD

David Seymour wants prayer removed from Parliament.
Jesus Christ was removed in 2017. Now they want the prayer gone too.
God out. Politicians in.
Tonight we expose the rise of secularism, the erosion of our Christian foundations, and ask:
DO OUR POLITICIANS THINK THEY’RE ABOVE GOD?
ARE THEY A LAW UNTO THEMSELVES…
https://x.com/BrianTamakiNZ/status/2089972575388721647?

In the accompanying video, Brian Tamaki demands Every Party: State your position on Christianity
Tamaki then refers to Psalm 96:5 (NKJV) : “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens” and Commandment 1: “You shall have no other gods before me”

I have never seen a quote from Tamaki which reflects his view of Maori spirituality, from te Mana o te Wai [the spiritual force of water], maramataka – “the turning of the moon, personified as Hina, to track time, guide daily life, and understand how the natural world and human energy rise and fall – to the New Zealand Army formally adopting the name Ngāti Tūmatauenga – “Iwi or Tribe of the God of War,” to reflect its bicultural identity and warrior ethos.

Tamaki, along with the sacred name of Christ, appears to tolerate Maori spirituality, which, as Brian seems to define OT Christianity, must be paganism.

Nor does Tamaki seem to realise that removing Government support for Christianity must accompany removal or neutrally treating all religion including paganism – polytheistic and nature-focused spiritual traditions that fall outside major Abrahamic religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam (Sharia Law).

A question is – Would Christ have forgone his own State recognition to also exclude State Aryan-like elevation of pagan spiritualism? Would he have sacrificed his own interest to save people from the other?
Man up?
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August 23, 2026 8:06am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  What a clown 🤡. I am catholic. I attend Mass weekly. The government should be sharply and totally removed from all religion.
  
  EDIT why has the Government not acted to remove all references to Maori spirituality from public policy?
  
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  August 23, 2026 8:43am
MCōs

A winning weekend thus far for our glorious sports teams.
First the Blackferns thumped the oddly named Wallaroos followed by the Warriors thumping the Rabbitohs and the ABs extraordinary win over South Africa after fighting tooth and nail to hang in for the first fifty minutes
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August 23, 2026 8:25am
- Tomtoddy
  
  I thought the score flattered the AB’s. They looked very vulnerable in the first half. Roigard was my man of the match. Very cool and competent throughout.
  
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  August 23, 2026 8:33am
Philview

TVNZ News last night had a story on ACT’s policy on Cancer Centres. They interviewed cancer specialist Chris Jackson who was very critical of the policy. They didn’t disclose that Chris’s wife is a Labour MP. Perhaps Chris had a legitimate viewpoint but I think his association to the Labour Party is important in weighing up the credibility of the interview.
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August 23, 2026 8:36am
- Nikola Donatello
  
  Yes that is very bad but so predictable.
  
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  August 23, 2026 8:46am
- Ghost
  
  Jackson’s advocacy is responsible for the creation of national cancer agency. Founded mercy cancer care hospital. Co-leader of the Cancer National Clinical Network for Health New Zealand. He is worth listening to, however I think people will not get over who he is married to.
  
  We need to look at improving cancer care nation wide, detection, specialist appointments, treatment. He was right, creating two cancer hospitals would take away those staff that are needed in the regions. We need to improve what we have got right now.
  
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  August 23, 2026 8:49am

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