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August 28, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 28 August 2026

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General Debate

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NeverMindTheBollocks

The media need to get their story straight.

On the one hand, they bemoan that women are paid 5% less than men. On the other hand, they tell us that women get sick 25% more often than men.

Frankly, it’s surprising that the gender pay gap is not larger.

http://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/1149383/advocacy-group-says-no-legislation-means-new-zealand-falling-behind-in-gender-pay-gap

http://www.stuff.co.nz/health/361025587/invisible-disease-affecting-twice-many-women-nz-doesnt-know-what-its-costing-us
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August 28, 2026 8:05am
- mandk
  
  “… women get sick 25% more often than men.”
  
  One possible explanation is that women tend to take more sick leave than to care for family members.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:46am
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    The linked report refers to medical rather than sick leave evidence, so in this case that’s not relevant (though I’m sure women’s disproportionate use of sick leave is in part due to the reasons you say).
    
    Having said that, the article appeared to be a thinly disguised attempt to obtain additional public funding, and the heading was at a tangent to the comment, so who knows.
    
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    August 28, 2026 1:21pm
- Handyman
  
  Parliament should pass a law allowing women to work in the high paying occupations currently reserved for men.
  At the same time, they should pass a law allowing men to take the occasional year off where the employer is required to hold their job and the year counts as time served for promotion opportunties.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:56am
  - rouppe
    
    Women are allowed to work in the high paying jobs, and none are reserved for men.
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:14am
    - AitchW
      
      Psst, I believe it was sarcasm….
      
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      August 28, 2026 11:43am
    - Charlotte Wells
      
      What we actually need is a commonsense mandate from the government that orders every occupation must be a perfect split of 50/50 male and female.
      
      Any jobs currently over populated by one sex will be compulsorily reorganised to be evened out.
      
      Those folks who will have to be dis-employed will be then reallocated to jobs that are overpopulated by the other sex.
      
      Those men currently doing the hard, dirty, sweaty low paying jobs will become government lard-arses, teachers and nurses.
      
      The health benefits for all those corpulent, obese public service dronesses will be immeasurable as they will actually have to do physical labour.
      
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      August 28, 2026 11:57am
      - Gussy
        
        HR departments staffed 50% by men. I’d vote for that.
        
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        August 28, 2026 7:50pm
    - Handyman
      
      Which was my point.
      
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      August 28, 2026 12:17pm
- imalwaysright
  
  If the market values women less than men then that means that women working at scale rates are being overpaid.
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:08am
  - Tempist
    
    Or every profit-maximising firm should only hire female employees…
    
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    August 28, 2026 12:30pm
David Garrett

Good morning from the Kingdom…another cool morning up here…20C as I write while I eat breakfast
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August 28, 2026 8:05am
- lastmanstanding
  
  Last week I posted that the NZ Iniative said if Nat voters in safe Nat seats gave their Party vote to ACT or NZF the Coalition would win the election. Here is the article,
  https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/reports/unravelling-mmp-how-the-2026-election-could-break-the-voting-system-from-two-sides
  I would be interested in DPF’s comments on this. If it is correct whilst I know the Nats wont do as the Maori Party has done and come out and say it I suggest they could use subtle messaging and other channels to ensure their supporters in safe seats vote the right ( and I do mean the right) way. The article says up to 900k Nats supporters votes could have no effect on the result. Scary stuff.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:11am
  - AitchW
    
    Every supporter of the current government should electorate vote National and party vote ACT.
    Huge overhang, loopy levy locked out.
    
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    August 28, 2026 9:14am
    - Observer of Life
      
      We’ve voted this way for the last two elections.
      Party Vote: ACT
      Electorate Vote: National
      In the past I have had to hold my nose on electorate vote because of the complete a-hole that was National’s candidate. But the new guy replacing Bayly – Matthew Paul – seems better (I met him recently). So it won’t be so hard this time round.
      
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      August 28, 2026 10:57am
      - OlderChas
        
        As far as I know – we in what will be Penk’s ex-electorate still don’t know who our National candidate is! I saw somewhere that Goldsmith was going to stand here, but then that he had said that he wouldn’t.
        
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        August 28, 2026 5:25pm
  - RoboRob
    
    I doubt National would even subtly hint that you should party vote anyone but them. Many high ups in the party will be unemployed after the election if they cant get their list vote up. I suspect they will be 100% focused on that rather then what might be best for the ‘right’ block as a whole.
    
    That said the word is out and there are even people in the msm actively discussing the possibility of electorate vote Nat party vote Act / NZF.
    
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    August 28, 2026 9:21am
    - AitchW
      
      We need to vote tactically. We really can’t afford a Labour/Green/TPM/TOP horror show.
      
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      August 28, 2026 10:01am
      - R
        
        Sadly Aitch, indications are, that NZ can afford such a overning combination. This would last until ALL THE OTHER PEOPLES MONEY HAS BEEN SQUANDERED.
        
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        August 28, 2026 3:58pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      As I said yesterday, the Labour Party and the National Party could form a coalition and thereby divest themselves of potential partners with inconvenient policies.
      
      Stanford has made it public that she has been in discussions with Labour for the last five months, supposedly about the Social Media proposal, but that could also be discussions about a coalition.
      
      If they did decide to form a coalition there is nothing we can do.
      
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      August 28, 2026 11:27am
      - David Garrett
        
        Imalways: This whole idea of a grand coalition is just fantasy…never going to happen
        
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        August 28, 2026 1:11pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        DG
        Parliament has become the place where our wealth, rights, and future are no longer the reasons for its existence. Most MPs are only there for the salary and the perks, while others are after influence and wealth.
        
        My point is that it doesn’t take many people to decide to ensure they get their share by using the system.
        
        Is it not tempting to Labour and National to be able to guarantee they will be in Government merely by forming a coalition?
        
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        August 28, 2026 1:41pm
      - GJM
        
        You can imagine the clash of egos with a grand coalition, especially on the left and who gets the top spots. The Proles would be going nuts about their leaders consorting with the enemy.
        It would be great though, it would burn both major left wing parties (Nat and labour) to the ground.
        
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        August 28, 2026 3:42pm
    - sungsamning
      
      In 1996, I remember Richard Prebble saying two ticks National was the shortest suicide note in history.
      
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      August 28, 2026 5:26pm
  - ISeeRed
    
    Every time I see some smug Boomer end a vanilla pro-Luxon/National post with “Two ticks blue” I want to scream.
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:27am
    - peterwn
      
      You want a loony left Government – Right?
      
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      August 28, 2026 12:43pm
      - wsk12345
        
        No he wants a government that shows some guts and sorts out this maorification BS and gets rid of 15 k public servants like they said they would. Not thr same thing and stop pretending it is.
        
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        August 28, 2026 1:22pm
      - Pope Punctilious II
        
        How will party voting ACT give us a loony left government? “Two ticks blue” means a continuation of NZ’s trajectory of managed decline, because of the Nats’ great reluctance to oppose Maorification and to fight the culture war generally.
        
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        August 28, 2026 3:19pm
    - R
      
      Keep screaming, one day you will see economic light…if you are lucky!
      
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      August 28, 2026 1:05pm
- lastmanstanding
  
  A comment on AI. It is said AI will take out the entry and lower level jobs for lawyers and accountants and only leave the high level experienced roles.
  In that case can someone tell me how over time there will be high level experienced lawyers and accountants if there are no jobs for them to gain that experience.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:26am
  - David Garrett
    
    lastman: That conundrum precedes AI – employers wanting experienced men, but not wanting to hire “green” employees to get that experience.
    
    100 years ago, when I worked in the oil drilling industry, the trick was to offer to “spell” guys actually doing the coal face stuff while they had a lunch break. By “spelling” guys doing different jobs, you built up the experience to actually replace a roughneck who quit or got injured.
    
    I have no idea how it works today.
    
    But back to graduate lawyers…I think it takes at least two years as a young lawyer before you are of much good to an employer. Sadly AI would in most cases be much superior than a lawyer with six months’ experience.
    
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    August 28, 2026 9:35am
    - David Garrett
      
      …but AI in law has its limits. It can return completely misleading results, and it takes a lawyer with experience to recognise them as such. Once again you have the conundrum – how do young lawyers become lawyers with experience??
      
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      August 28, 2026 9:46am
      - SGA
        
        Fair enough, David, but I will add a few of reservations. First, AI is in its infancy – it’s worse now than it ever will be in the future. Second, there is a tendency to judge AIs (and soon more AI + robotics) against the “ideal” human “professional” (law, accountancy, engineering, computer programming, medicine, therapy) or other jobs. Of course, the quality there varies a lot. Third, AI’s don’t need to take *all* the jobs – they only have to replace in 10%-20% more jobs than those they create (that themselves can’t be done by AI in the near feature) to have a significant impact.
        
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        August 28, 2026 10:23am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Good points SGA, AI doesn’t have to be perfect to take certain jobs.
        
        Most people are crap at their jobs but are very good at hiding it, they excuse, deflect, and defuse their way out of their incompetence and if that doesn’t work they rely on the featherbed of employment law to save their sorry arses.
        
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        August 28, 2026 1:50pm
  - artemisia
    
    It’s a potential problem. And problems usually have multiple solutions. The solutions and adaptations will almost certainly involve fewer humans being employed but that’s been the case for a very long time. Courses will need to adapt, though from what we are seeing with push back on school curriculum changes there will need to be some serious table thumping and layoffs.
    
    One example, a family member is close to completing a degree course requiring hundreds of practical hours on site not counting internships. The idea is that they are up and running on day 1 as part of the team.
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:28am
  - Raphael
    
    It’s a problem in IT as well.
    As a Dev with 25 years of experience, I am using AI regularly.
    
    The problem is that the tasks that would be given to the junior dev, can be done by an AI tool (and a bit quicker). This means that the junior doesn’t get that learning opportunity that will make them into an Intermediate or Senior dev.
    Now in our organisation, we are making sure that our junior dev does get the learning tasks, but it is a very real problem that a number of industries will need to deal with
    
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    August 28, 2026 12:04pm
  - burt
    
    If you think it’s bad in law you should look at IT!
    
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    August 28, 2026 1:21pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Law firms, like all professional services outfits, operate as a pyramid. Lots of juniors, who are progressively weeded out to the lucky few (heh!) who make Partner.
    
    They can easily take many fewer juniors and still end up with the requisite number of seniors and Partners.
    
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    August 28, 2026 1:26pm
- Ra Henare
  
  And another lovely warm sunny day with some white fluffys here in the big Kingdom.
  An enjoyable walk to the market to chat to vendors and buy my eggs and veggies.
  Similiar to NZ 7s, fresh eggs ($2.75 NZD a duz)
  
  Being Friday night, I will meet up with friends later for nice cold draught beers $1.25 NZD 300ml
  
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  August 28, 2026 6:25pm
imalwaysright

Another Nic Blakeley scandal– he’s back at work today.
And so is Brian Roache.
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August 28, 2026 8:12am
- RoboRob
  
  Heard Roache on with HDPA. Pathetic. Thinks that the telling off has been devastating to Blakeley and is more then enough punishment. Said if Blakely lied again he might change his mind and accept the resignation. Inspires confidence doesn’t it!
  
  Roache is going to investigate the private sector to see how they handle this sort of thing. WTF how disconnected from reality is this guy. Brian I will save you some time, if you lie about something important to your boss you are not resigning, you are fired. Contracts often have a ‘honesty’ and ‘theft’ clauses that allows for instant dismissal. I bet Blakeleys does too!
  
  I think this issue has moved from Blakeley to whether Roache is fit for purpose. His role is ….
  
  ‘The Public Service Commissioner is the Head of the Public Service, responsible for leading a unified, high performing system that delivers better services and outcomes for New Zealand. Their role is central to ensuring an effective, trusted, and future‑ready Public Service.’
  
  https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/about-the-commission/public-service-commissioner
  
  Also from the above web site. The heading is…
  
  Te Tumu Whakarae mō Te Kawa Mataaho
  Public Service Commissioner
  
  The guy tasked with running the public sector for the government hasn’t even implemented their own policy on his own web site.
  
  I ask, how can ministers have confidence in Roache?
  
  p.s. I am sure they will have confidence, but that further highlights the issues.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:41am
  - Don Beckett
    
    ‘Tumu’ means a post or a stump. They got that right //
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:55am
  - imalwaysright
    
    I wonder what Roache would do if an MP deliberately lied to one of his CEOs.
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:03am
  - lastmanstanding
    
    Roche is our Sir Humphrey and like Sir Humphrey he is a master at doing nothing whilst appearing to do everything.
    
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    August 28, 2026 12:07pm
- kowtow
  
  Friday .
  
  That’s “working” from home day .
  
  Another expensive consequence of Scamvid.
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:31am
  - imalwaysright
    
    So he’s probably having a ‘lie’ in…
    
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    August 28, 2026 1:54pm
- Ra Henare
  
  Sir Brian Roche if you dont mind.
  Overall he has served NZ well.
  
  But as usual, the experts here give over emotive reactions to single items.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4pUeTkeFDw
  
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  August 28, 2026 6:31pm
- leoj
  
  The coalition government could have stepped in by now and demanded Blakley’s dismissal – BUT THEY HAVE NOT!
  
  They’re all weak.
  
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  August 28, 2026 7:02pm
Yvette

If Te Pāti Māori does not submit a list, there is no overhang
“Not many people know that”

Te Pāti Māori, he says, also has another option on the table – one it has not yet confirmed – but it may choose not to submit a party list.
[Newsroom senior political reporter Marc Daalder] says he’s asked co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer several times whether the party will submit one.
“She said, look, we’re focused on the candidate vote now, we haven’t made a decision on that.”

And the option matters because of a quirk in the Electoral Act, Daalder says. If Te Pāti Māori submits a list, wins four seats and receives, say, one percent of the party vote, it could create an overhang and a Parliament of 123 MPs.
If it does not submit a list, there is no overhang.

“You end up with a Parliament of 120 seats, four of them are Te Pāti Māori MPs, and everyone else’s share of the pie through the party vote is distributed among the remaining 116 seats.”
That would still be disproportionate – “and in fact, more disproportionate.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1155859/the-vote-that-could-change-parliament

I haven’t recently heard Willie Jackson rave on about “the tyranny of the majority” – maybe he can see that the “the tyranny of the minority” would now be thrown back in his face.
________________
( Michael Caine never actually originated the famous catchphrase “Not many people know that”—it was invented by his friend Peter Sellers doing an impression of him.
Does that mean Michael Caine still said it? )
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August 28, 2026 8:13am
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  “Michael Caine never actually originated the famous catchphrase “Not many people know that”—it was invented by his friend Peter Sellers doing an impression of him.”
  
  Not many people know that.
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:30am
Cassandra

The bed tax: it is a proposal to impose a 2.5% levy on hotel and motel users. It is promoted by the mayors of Auckland and Queenstown. It applies to all visitors, not just foreigners. The aim is that visitors should contribute their fair share.

It’d have to apply to every motel in the country. Why should I pay 2.5% when I visit Auckland but an Aucklander will pay nothing when he visits Tauranga or Eketahuna?

And why should staying with friends exempt visitors from paying their “fair share”?

It’s a daft idea, rightly rejected by the Coalition. I can understand Mayor Brown’s enthusiasm. He gets lots of money at no political cost. Someone else pays that. It’s still a daft idea.
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August 28, 2026 8:16am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  One price for locals, another price for grockles?Not uncommon overseas. Hamilton has it for their gardens.
  
  Perhaps cafes outside of Auckland should apply a Jafa tax.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:23am
- [email protected]
  
  Just one more tax. People are going to run out of money.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:37am
- R
  
  Remember, Wayne Brown is a SOCIALIST at heart. They love spending other people’s money
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:14am
- Paulus
  
  Surely jusy easier for Hotels etc to put their price up to correspond with the so called Bed Tax and forward the correct proportion to the Councils.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:33am
  - Cassandra
    
    But why? Why not a sales tax or an entry tax or charge visitors for water or for using the footpaths? NO!
    
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    August 28, 2026 9:56am
    - Ra Henare
      
      Guess you haven’t had anyone apply for a tourist visa to visit NZ. Definitely a tax included.
      
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      August 28, 2026 6:34pm
- Taieri
  
  visitors should contribute their fair share
  ————
  
  “Fair share” of what?
  If a motel in Queenstown charges you, say, $250 per night does it not already include your “fair share”?
  It is a form of a short term rental, do the long term renters also pay their “fair share”? This whole concept is just another way of fleecing visitors.
  Not that I can imagine, why anyone would want to stay in the hellish place that Queestown is these days…
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:52am
- peterwn
  
  Hotels and motels already pay ‘commercial’ rates which are three times or more residential rates. So I see a bed tax as double dipping, but its advantage as a tax is there is no goose squarking.
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:34am
- imalwaysright
  
  The Councils wouldn’t need this money if they didn’t waste rates.
  
  What other business is allowed to squander money and then send the bill to the shareholders?
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:56am
NeverMindTheBollocks

I felt sorry for this family. Fijian Indians, their work visas expired three days before their baby was born, meaning that they were no longer eligible for NZ taxpayer funded medical care. Her pregnancy had been classified as high risk, so she was unable to fly for the last three months. The bill was $32k, and despite working here for three years, they had nothing like that much money. Fortunately, Givealittle had kicked in.

It does beg the question of why cleaners and caregivers received work visas in the first place. No wonder the children in poverty stats are increasing.

I note that the couple declined the offer of one of our weasel lawyers to fight for their “right” to stay, which is to their credit.

Good luck to the whole family.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/361025652/family-forced-leave-nz-huge-bill-c-section-raise-30k-days
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August 28, 2026 8:19am
- Ian Boag
  
  This is what ministerial discretion is for.
  
  If the birth had been induced a few days earlier it would have been on us, but I guess noone thought of that. It sort of looks like they were planning to return to Fiji anyway. The fact that givealittle came up with the cash in a few days tells us something.
  
  What’s weaselly about a lawyer volunteering his/her services? Given their circumstances it would have to be for free ….
  
  The rigidity of the system does us no credit.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:31am
kowtow

Does anyone else remember the media inspired panic over the closing of the Strait of Hormuz .
Briefings , questions and speeches in the House , weekly reports of how little or much car/plane juice there was in the country , how farming and transportation would collapse , children’s futures ruined , operations cancelled ….

…and now nothing! ( a bit like Scamvid)
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August 28, 2026 8:23am
- Notsofast
  
  The world was stupid to rely on passage beside a terrorist government.
  The Iran war is being won.
  The people are becoming progressively rid of their Islamic occupiers.
  The price of oil is unchanged for decades now.
  First here 2006
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:51am
  - Taieri
    
    The Iran war is being won.
    ———-
    
    By whom?
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:58am
    - R
      
      NOT Iran!
      
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      August 28, 2026 1:10pm
    - Notsofast
      
      There is a small group of people who obsess about Islam, and wish the people of Iran to be rid of it if they desire.
      There was no chance before the war, there is some chance now.
      They are winning.
      
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      August 28, 2026 1:32pm
  - sungsamning
    
    Also, neibouring countries are building pipelines to safe areas. There’s even talk of a canal to totally avoid it.
    
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    August 28, 2026 5:35pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    Notsofast.
    I suggest you read more widely.
    Get a more accurate picture of what’s happening in the real world.
    
    But hey, it’s your rant, and no facts or figures will change your mind.
    
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    August 28, 2026 6:38pm
- All_on_Red
  
  Hmmmm
  https://hotair.com/generalissimo/2026/08/26/watching-the-iranian-regime-literally-and-figuratively-run-out-of-gas-n3818362
  https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Qatar-and-Kuwait-Restore-70-of-Pre-War-Oil-Exports-Through-Hormuz.html
  I thought this was funny
  https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/us-aims-to-revive-civil-war-era-court-to-claim-iran-oil-as-prize
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:55am
  - mike
    
    It must be at least a week since the Prez announced yet another peace deal…
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:58am
    - David Garrett
      
      A rare uptick from me Mikey Boy…
      
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      August 28, 2026 2:48pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Brothers in TDS? 😛
        
        Seriously though, it’s not over yet. It’s a wait and see situation. Trump says some bloody stupid things but he also does a lot of good.
        
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        August 29, 2026 7:37pm
  - Ra Henare
    
    By same oilprice.com author.
    
    Interesting to try and read the actual position
    
    OIlprice.com is owned by a British guy and appears to exist without external funding backers, but by advertising and clicks.
    
    The Issue: Because the platform relies heavily on digital ad impressions and external syndication networks (e.g., Yahoo Finance, Investing.com), headlines frequently employ sensationalized framing.
    
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    August 28, 2026 6:53pm
- peterwn
  
  Two things here – the Government and local oil industry (together with the foreign refineries NZ regularly purchases product from) just quietly carried on and using good diplomacy and negotiating skills obtained indirect access to other supply chains of crude oil. No yelling, no skiting, no tub thumping – these would have been counterproductive. No Chris Luxon doing a daily speech from the Beehive. All in all the operation has been successful without the need for rationing etc.
  Secondly the Media and their Left Wing friends wanted to see the oil supply chain break down so they could put the boot into the Government. So they wrote gloom and doom stories and called upon the Government to introduce rationing, start building a new local refinery, etc.
  So the oil situation has now become an election non-issue.
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:47am
  - Taieri
    
    start building a new local refinery
    ———–
    
    Topping refinery in NZ wouldn’t be a bad idea. Not that it’s going to happen.
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:02am
    - peterwn
      
      And the crude comes from where? A new NZ refinery would be rather likw an Egyptian brick factory complete with slave drivers and slaves, but no straw.
      
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      August 28, 2026 12:51pm
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        The crude comes from a range of suitable sources, worldwide. Perhaps Brasil, or Guyana, or Angola, or Libya. Wherever the crude blend suits the refinery and wherever’s peaceful.
        
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        August 28, 2026 7:34pm
- Master Mariner
  
  Dear o Dear,
  What has changed.?
  The only thing keeping the price of Av Gas and diesel down id Refineries are operating 95% capacity. Its all delusional and Dumping of Strategic reserves on the Market.
  Well for me I just got back from overseas doing Prelays and everything is going gangbusters.
  In Singapore where there is huge tonnage waiting for the “opening” of Hormuz which has not eventuated. In meantime there is also a Lot of arrested vessels that need supplied.
  Refineries in Singapore have very little Oil to refine.
  Reminices of the “phoney war” spring to mind.
  If you think every thing is back to normal , Well it is not. Talk about manipulation of the $/bbl.
  Price in Singapore is upside 140$/bbl.
  The oil and Gas Market is not functioning as Markets should.
  This is not only the Mother of all FU’s , It is now disguised as SNAFU.
  Just signed off my vessel. Salvage job in Andaman Sea, Container ship on fire, In addition potential contracts in Persian/Arabian Gulf for Salvage.
  This reminds me of the First WW1 and storm the trenches under modern Machine Guns.
  Machine guns being drones now days.
  People do not really know what is going to hit them.
  This is a Major ClustF##$K . NZ is blindly following into the Abyss.
  Curetntly US is relying on Tar Sand in Canada and Venuzuela for Sour Crude to keep refineries open and will for Years to come.
  
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  August 28, 2026 11:54am
Tomtoddy

Ian Taylor attacks Seymour for wanting to change our legislation involving the constitution and the judiciary. Taylor regards the ACT’s 8.64% of the Party Vote as not being sufficient leverage for them to intervene in such weighty matters.

He seems to conveniently overlook the fact that the country voted in MMP to give small parties greater influence. If the junior partner in a coalition cannot take initiatives of their own, then the very rationale for MMP is destroyed.

Taylor is more concerned that ACT is focused on a number of important matters and is able to gain disproportionate influence for its vote size. That may say more about the intellectual calibre of the ACT team than it does about MMP. There are few commentators who would disagree that ACT brings a high level of intelligent rigour to Parliament even if they dislike the content.

What is deeply concerning is that Taylor is stating, by omission, that our courts should have unfettered ability to inject their own beliefs and ideologies into their decisions even in our highest court. He is apparently comfortable with judicial activism where judges decide that the elected Parliament got it wrong and their own view of matters is more important.

In the Ellis case judges decided that tikanga should be included even though there were no Māori involved. There are potentially huge problems with that approach. (Unless you are a top lawyer – more time in court, more fees) The big enemy in law making and jurisprudence is “uncertainty”. Poor design of legislation and vague terms can lead to conflicting interpretation, delays in the law being applied, on-going appeals, and a very dangerous wet blanket over the economy as investment stops while the courts try to figure out a solution. But when clarity is obvious and judges take it on themselves to intervene and determine what is best, democracy is undermined and judges need their power curtailing.

Noone can define tikanga. It means different things to different people at different times. Using it as a tenet of judgements will lead to massive disruption, greater uncertainty, confusion and heartache.

Seymour is correct. Taylor is wrong. Bias has trumped reason and logic. For now.
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August 28, 2026 8:27am
- David Garrett
  
  Tom: If the junior partner in a coalition cannot take initiatives of their own, then the very rationale for MMP is destroyed
  
  Well said. We – or those who did – supported MMP to avoid the situation where Social Credit once got 20% of the vote but only two seats, and the New Zealand Party – which Bob Jones set up in 1984 – got 12% of the vote but no seats at all.
  
  It’s called representative democracy. Unfortunately along with ACT, that means we also get the looney Greens.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:32am
  - Tarquin North
    
    Hi David, the more I hear from Ian Taylor the more convinced I am he is Verity Johnson in drag, possibly even more vacuous if that’s possible.
    
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    August 28, 2026 8:40am
    - Jack5
      
      Taylor, a former children’s TV presenter with a law degree, was smart in hiring scientists for his successful computer animation business.
      
      Taylor, who is part-Maori, has no special skills that support his view that “stem subjects” (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) are in Maori DNA.
      
      https://openinquiry.nz/a-racial-predisposition-towards-science/
      
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      August 28, 2026 2:32pm
- Master Mariner
  
  “Noone can define tikanga.”
  In Africa it would most likely be called Uhuru, Meaning anything and every thing.
  A great book called this incidently.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:46am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Tikanga is the joker in the pack that only Maori can use.
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:26am
    - Master Mariner
      
      Incidently a Shake of the Fist and the “cry” of Uhuru
      was a “get out of Jail free Card” for me and if used correctly meant you were left alone mostly.
      Fun and games had by all, Not too sure about Tikanga though ?
      
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      August 28, 2026 1:04pm
  - PurplePen
    
    Well that’s likely true of every culture. I imagine it’s difficult to write down with certain what the cultural practices are of any culture. Tikanga isn’t something unique to Maori culture, it is merely the Maori word for customary practices of any culture. As is the practice in NZ, there are types that like to insert the Maori word for something when there’s a perfectly good word already in English. Their purpose in this practice being some sort of signalling or as an attempt to put what they’re saying on an untouchable pedestal.
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:43am
    - Master Mariner
      
      Herein lays the problem and doomed to fail.
      
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      August 28, 2026 1:05pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      “…an untouchable pedestal.”
      
      Or, an unwinnable argument.
      
      The closest legal concept I can think of is the French defense of ‘crime of passion’. I don’t know if that is a real thing, but it does seem to at least have a third cousin twice removed relationship to tikanga.
      
      But the universality of the concept of tikanga, its potency being inversely proportional to its lack of meaning, will also be its downfall.
      
      For a legal term to be acceptable it must be able to be explained and to be understood.
      
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      August 28, 2026 2:11pm
- I remember when
  
  Many people agreed tikanga shouldn’t have applied in the Ellis case but thought it solved a particular problem – a ‘one-off’.
  It was an example of the clever/cunning way we get manipulated.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:55am
- Yvette
  
  Tomtoddy – Taylor regards the ACT’s 8.64% of the Party Vote as not being sufficient leverage for them to intervene in such weighty matters.
  
  • David Seymour is well within his rights to put forward propositions, it is what he is there to do – the majority of Parliament are needed to take those propositions any further.
  And does Taylor actually disagree with [1] Government governing, [2] property protection and [3] all New Zealanders having equal rights and responsibilities?
  
  Taylor is more concerned that ACT is focused on a number of important matters and is able to gain disproportionate influence for its vote size.
  
  • Has Taylor denounced the Maori Party ploy on electorate votes and perhaps not putting forward a Party List to not term any seats they win as “overhang” and that to slightly reduce Parliament proportions beyond their electorate move? (would the Maori Party be able to pull the same stunt if there were not the special Maori Seats?)
  • Would Taylor support Sharia Law as well as the Supreme Court inclusion of tikanga – the Supreme Court having awaited the opportunity of the appropriate case (and Ellis v R wasn’t) to introduce tikanga, although since then the Te Papa Museum Treaty panel vandalisation case has been dismissed because tikanga would have resulted most likely in a Not Guilty verdict?
  Ian Taylor may be a brilliant graphic presenter through his America’s Cup and sports animation systems, but the level of logic required for that is not wildly apparent in his political expressions.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:56am
  - PurplePen
    
    And the mainstream media seem to need to publish his every utterance.
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:44am
- pb
  
  Taylor weak sauce. A socialist with some tech luck. Spent too long hanging around young kids.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:22pm
kevn

More UK migrants heading this way?
https://dailysceptic.org/2026/08/27/i-give-up-and-you-might-as-well-too-britain-has-made-striving-pointless/
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August 28, 2026 8:33am
- artemisia
  
  Thanks for posting that link, Kevin, very interesting. And also very alarming even if only some is true (not suggesting that is the case).
  
  The numbers in the article receiving disability funding from tax payers is a serious concern, in particular the increase recently.
  
  Among psychiatric cases assessed over the last five years, the great majority fall into five groups: mixed anxiety and depressive disorders, mood disorders, ADHD-type conditions, autism spectrum disorders and anxiety disorders. In January 2025 there were 587,000 people receiving the PIP daily-living component whose primary condition was anxiety and depression, while another 75,000 had ADHD or ADD..
  
  And there others under another scheme.
  
  In New Zealand (census info) nearly a million have a disability. Not all will receive government funding, but plenty will and that is the case in my own extended family.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:57am
  - ISeeRed
    
    Our once noble welfare state is being gutted by various grifters, bludgers and parasites like these “persons with disabilities”, the feral welfare class, free-riding Third Worlders, NGOs and charities, the ever-growing “public servant” class, you name it. That’s overlooking the general looting of the economy and Treasury by iwi, overseas banks and other foreign interests, migrant remittances etc. New Zealand is slooooowly bleeding out like some poor lamb under halal slaughter. Many National supporters and others deny, ignore or minimise the death spiral our once great little country is in. How I despise them all.
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:52am
    - Master Mariner
      
      With the again change of definition of AHD etc, It is nothing more then a “Piss poor ” excuse of poor parenting.
      No crediabilty any more.
      By Parents / teachers etc.
      Call it what it is.
      
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      August 28, 2026 1:08pm
      - Ra Henare
        
        Of course a closer look at the teaching profession and their indoctrinating kids to disregard their parents.
        
        Ergo supporting vulnerable early teens to get sex change surgery and not telling the parents.
        
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        August 28, 2026 6:59pm
  - Paulus
    
    But what happens when we no longer have a Census ?
    Like now made up figures to suit.
    
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    August 28, 2026 4:12pm
I remember when

Over many, many years of watching TV news I have often wondered why they have bothered with the warning about an item.
Last night TVNZ stated that their Nepalese flooding item “contains scenes some of you may find disturbing”.
Some of you??
To see people scurrying in panic before the massive deluge of water struck, the mass overpowering of vehicles……
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August 28, 2026 8:42am
- Inandout
  
  Irw, I gave up watching local news outlets at least a decade ago when we got fibre. We do however watch ‘The Chase’ and in the ad breaks they show what guff is ahead in the news or other shows. I do feel sorry for those unfortunates who are chained to TV One and haven’t experienced the world of the internet.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:36am
  - David George
    
    Yes, they carry ads for Shortland Street and segments (presumably the best bits) of the plethora of game shows featuring “adults” behaving like ten year olds.
    Nothing I’ve seen could induce me to watch any of it, though I assume some/many do indeed watch this shite.
    Bring on the asteroid.
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:34am
    - ISeeRed
      
      Shortland Street is still going?! 2026 version: You’re not in Gurajat now, Doctor Ropajeet!
      
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      August 28, 2026 10:57am
      - kowtow
        
        ISR
        
        The head of England’s NHS has declared India’s health system/service as a world exemplar .
        
        Maybe we need more Dr Ropajeets.
        
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        August 28, 2026 2:37pm
      - Paulus
        
        Told Shortarse Street going to 4 nights next year !
        
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        August 28, 2026 4:14pm
    - MCōs
      
      Can confirm that Shortland St is shite; or at least it was the other evening when my sister who was staying and had topped up my petrol earlier in the day, wanted to watch
      
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      August 28, 2026 2:04pm
RichardX

Does anyone still think 2000 Mules was evidence of electoral fraud?

https://www.ajc.com/politics/2026/08/filmmaker-dinesh-dsouza-settles-defamation-case-with-gwinnett-man-on-eve-of-trial/
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August 28, 2026 8:44am
- mike
  
  Maybe Kiwi in America, although we haven’t seen one of his extended rants for a while.
  
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  August 28, 2026 11:03am
- Scott
  
  Maybe he got that one wrong. I’ve read the book. He has tracking mobile phone data showing people visiting multiple ballot drop off boxes. He has in the photos at the end of the book the same guy dropping off ballots at different times in the same ballot box. He has people stuffing ballots in the box and taking a photo, presumably to prove to their paymasters that they have delivered the ballots. We have testimony of a person who lead a team of ballot stuffers.
  
  So I’m happy to say that the 2020 election was stolen. No way did Joe Biden get 81m votes. The most and still the most in history. How is that possible? Democrats cheating at multiple levels. 2000 mules was part of the operation to steal the election.
  
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  August 28, 2026 12:04pm
- zulumonster
  
  Was he forced to rename his documentary to 1999 Mules?
  
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  August 28, 2026 2:36pm
- RichardX
  
  I know Scott has a habit of believing whatever book he has read without any critical thought or testing of the data so maybe he missed where D’Souza’s capitulation was just the latest item against his “documentary”.
  
  https://www.npr.org/2024/05/31/g-s1-2298/publisher-of-2000-mules-election-conspiracy-theory-film-issues-apology
  
  https://www.mediamatters.org/voter-fraud-and-suppression/dinesh-dsouza-admits-his-debunked-election-denial-film-2000-mules
  
  https://www.wsj.com/opinion/dinesh-dsouza-apologizes-2000-mules-film-2020-election-mark-andrews-donald-trump-d521033e
  
  https://uk.news.yahoo.com/bill-barr-outright-cackles-dinesh-174940289.html
  
  https://anncoulter.com/2022/06/15/dineshs-stupid-movie/
  
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  August 28, 2026 5:13pm
  - Scott
    
    It’s very hard to get unbiased info on the 2020 election. Those references, many of which I can’t read the article, include such hopelessly left wing, biased publications like media matters. Also an increasingly unhinged Ann Coulter, who I admit used to be good, but now not so much.
    
    But nothing is more contested than the stolen election of 2020. But look, there are multiple pictures of the same guy stuffing ballots in the same box at different times of the day. There are pictures of people stuffing ballot boxes and then taking a picture which can only be for payment verification purposes. There is the testimony of a person that run a group of ballot stuffers.
    So it’s not debunked. It’s disputed.
    And you are falling for the hopelessly biased left wing narrative of the media elites that run the culture.
    The election of 2020 was stolen. The 2000 mules were part of the steal. And Biden never got 81m votes. 😎
    
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    August 28, 2026 5:36pm
    - RichardX
      
      Would you believe D’Souza himself?
      
      https://web.archive.org/web/20241201203007/https://dineshdsouza.com/statement-on-2000-mules/
      
      During the production of this film, as a supplement to the geolocation data, True the Vote provided my team with ballot drop box surveillance footage that had been obtained through open records requests. We were assured that the surveillance videos had been linked to geolocation cell phone data, such that each video depicted an individual who had made at least 10 visits to drop boxes. Indeed, it is clear from the interviews within the film itself that True the Vote was correlating the videos to geolocation data.
      
      We recently learned that surveillance videos used in the film may not have actually been correlated with the geolocation data.
      
      I know that the film and my book create the impression that these individuals were mules that had been identified as suspected ballot harvesters based on their geotracked cell phone data. While all of these individuals’ images were blurred and unrecognizable, one of the individuals has since come forward publicly and has initiated a lawsuit over the use of his blurred image in the film and the book. I owe this individual, Mark Andrews, an apology. I now understand that the surveillance videos used in the film were characterized on the basis of inaccurate information provided to me and my team.
      If I had known then that the videos were not linked to geolocation data, I would have clarified this and produced and edited the film differently.
      
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      August 28, 2026 9:58pm
      - Ghost
        
        You are wasting your time. Scott lacks any commonsense when it comes to trump. like a few here they refuse to hold this corrupt senile old man to the same standards they held Biden.
        
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        August 28, 2026 10:17pm
- pb
  
  Dinesh a ziobot. Many such cases.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:23pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    What pray tell is a ziobot? A piece of software designed to affirm Israel has a right to exist?
    
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    August 29, 2026 7:38pm
Yvette

The Maori Party wants to change the Government, making the coalition a one-term wonder, and … it’s willing to do just about anything it can to get there, “even if it means tactics that many say are not in line with the spirit of MMP or the electoral system”.
Te Pāti Māori has struggled in the polls since the highs of the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election last year, when it was polling above 5 percent. Its recent numbers have been much lower – some putting it between one and 1.5 percent, others around 3 percent.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/08/28/te-pati-maoris-one-tick-trick-could-change-the-government/?

Does this mean a party which may be supported by only 1 to 1.5 (maybe 3) percent of New Zealand voters
may enter Parliament with the express wish that they desire to stop three other parties become the Government even if on Election night they hold a majority of party votes?

Especially if TPM do not put up a Maori Party list to support their wish to win no more than 7 special Maori Seats? – and despite that indicating to the general voter what Maori Party motivation is, and the advantage the Maori Special Seats give them to perpetrate their agenda against MMP representative democracy?

Indeed, if you don’t put up a Party List, as is the core of MMP, are you just running a First Past the Post system in special electorates where supposedly only one ethnic group may vote?
How many New Zealand voters would rather Winston Peters remain “king maker” after all ?
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August 28, 2026 9:24am
Ghost

what a dick

On Thursday, US President Donald J. Trump renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move he’s been teasing in recent days on Truth Social – including writing that America doesn’t “expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer” amid an ongoing trade spat with Canada.

Article
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August 28, 2026 9:30am
- mandk
  
  It was petulant and stupid.
  
  The greater part of Lake Ontario is in Canada.
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:57am
  - David Garrett
    
    mandk: The man is a child…surely he realises that all these things he’s re-naming will return to their commonly acknowledged names once he is gone? God, if he doesn’t know that it’s even more scary.
    
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    August 28, 2026 10:12am
    - Inandout
      
      DG, so we were ordered to rename Mt Egmont and Mt Cook. But of course it didn’t stop there when New Zealand was transformed into Aotearoa. Whatever Trump suggests may be trolling but we here are stuck with compulsion.
      
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      August 28, 2026 10:44am
      - leoj
        
        C’mon DG.
        Inandout is totally correct.
        If Trump does it – BAD.
        If maori do it – GOOD.
        
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        August 28, 2026 7:16pm
    - Ghost
      
      there are people who find this moronic behaviour from a president acceptable. If this was anyone but this senile old git they would be against him. His behavior is worse than Biden
      
      The next president will have to repair all the damage in the USA and internationally he has done
      
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      August 28, 2026 11:17am
      - keepcalmcarryon
        
        There are people who shriek and clutch their hand bags and sound off on the internet in turn stimulating an increase in Trumps base at the overreaction.
        It’s Trump 101 and he wins, the media, the handbag clutchers and his new supporters are all being played.
        How does it feel?
        
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        August 28, 2026 12:57pm
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  He’s trolling.
  Works a treat.
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:33am
  - Lance
    
    Trolling by signing an executive order??????
    
    That’s even worse
    
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    August 28, 2026 1:37pm
  - Hard Cheese
    
    Trolling to what end? You annoy your trading partners, suddenly they start doing business with other countries. Consumers stop purchasing your exports and buy local instead. All for a few low brow laughs.
    
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    August 28, 2026 8:30pm
    - NZer In Exile
      
      He’s making life difficult for countries run by woke idiots and despots. Not necessarily a bad thing.
      
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      August 29, 2026 7:43pm
- All_on_Red
  
  You seem to have lost your sense of humour Ghost.
  He clearly isn’t doing that and is just stirring.
  Not everybody likes that of course.
  This article on the Trade issues might interest.
  It seems the main problem (which isn’t Dairy-that’s a red herring) is Canada allowing Chinese imports of steel and aluminum and then Canada is on-selling to the US taking benefit of the lower Tariffs they get.
  Also promising Keystone XL and then withdrawing that wasn’t too smart of Carney.
  Carney very much annoyed Ontario when he changed his mind on that too.
  https://spectator.org/mark-carneys-smugglers-blues/
  
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  August 28, 2026 10:41am
  - SGA
    
    “You seem to have lost your sense of humour Ghost.”
    A little farce can be funny, but, like vegemite, too much spoils the flavour 🙂
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:03am
  - Ghost
    
    You cleary still fluff for trump no matter what he does
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:06am
  - virtualmark
    
    Nah, it’s not trolling, it’s just pathetic.
    
    It’s an attempt to distract the weak-minded from his disastrous tariff tiff with Canada.
    
    Which was an attempt to distract from his disastrous war with Iran.
    
    Which was an attempt to distract from his name being all through the Epstein files.
    
    If you think it’s trolling then you’re one of the weak-minded people he’s trying to distract. Look over there! A squirrel!
    
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    August 28, 2026 4:11pm
- Don Beckett
  
  Yes, I think its hilarious – just to piss the Canucks off.
  But so what – half f the lake is US territory anyway, so the US half can be ‘Lake America’ & the Canadian half can remain Lake Ontario.
  I really couldn’t care less.
  
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  August 28, 2026 11:14am
  - mandk
    
    Less than half of Lake Ontario is American territory.
    
    The Canucks should retaliate and change the name of Lake Superior to Lake Canada.
    
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    August 28, 2026 11:30am
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      You mean Lake Trump?
      
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      August 28, 2026 7:58pm
- kowtow
  
  I don’t understand this TDS around his renaming bits and bobs of the American hemisphere ( which is admittedly very silly , undiplomatic , narcissist , trolling).
  
  We should be in way more high dudgeon about the renaming of New Zealand and the insidious slipping in of Maori words where ever the leftist , divisive nut jobs can.
  
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  August 28, 2026 11:34am
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Yep and when you boil it all down, they are driven by vibes rather than facts.
    
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    August 29, 2026 7:49pm
- MCōs
  
  The province of Ontario was named subsequent to the lake, which is a First Nation name meaning ‘great lake’
  One doubts Trump has the authority to rename to lake
  
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  August 28, 2026 11:41am
- Master Mariner
  
  If true?
  It is getting harder and Harder as navigator to work out exactly where you are.
  I’ve lost count.
  
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  August 28, 2026 1:11pm
- virtualmark
  
  He also posted a “Truth” today claiming the Strait of Hormuz as an American territory.
  
  Which would beg the question … if an Iranian fisherman’s wife were to give birth in the Strait of Hormuz wouldn’t that mean the child is a US citizen?
  
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  August 28, 2026 4:19pm
Flossie

Lake America?! I suppose it’s a small mercy it’s not Lake Trump.
26 5
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August 28, 2026 9:35am
- Taieri
  
  I suppose it’s a small mercy it’s not Lake Trump
  ————-
  
  It should be.
  
  5 6
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  August 28, 2026 11:03am
- mike
  
  Next up, an executive order to rename the Atlantic to Trump Ocean.
  
  12 6
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  August 28, 2026 11:06am
  - Don Beckett
    
    Yes, but only from the 31stN parallell 😆
    
    6 5
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    August 28, 2026 11:19am
imalwaysright

Air NZ lose a quarter of a billion, while Qantas makes 1.2 billion
14 1
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August 28, 2026 10:28am
- Burtland
  
  more enshittification
  
  7 0
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  August 28, 2026 12:35pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    A very large amount of that (corporate enshittification) about. We need a de-enshittification revolution.
    
    Corporations are like psychopaths. They need to be strictly watched and supervised by the people for the people.
    
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    August 29, 2026 7:52pm
- Master Mariner
  
  Have a look at there Board of Directors and in Fact look at all NZ quasi “Companies” Board of directors and Private / Public “monopolies” .
  F##$ K all rewards if investing, Confuse every issue with Tikanga and Climate Change FFS.
  Gut the lot.
  
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  August 28, 2026 1:16pm
Swifty

American Presidents ranked:

https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2093089221091148021?s=46

Seems about right.
2 4
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August 28, 2026 10:46am
- Flossie
  
  I would hope he has much better ways to spend his time. His sanity is doubtful.
  
  3 2
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  August 28, 2026 1:13pm
- [email protected]
  
  Kennedy and Reagan are missing.
  
  2 0
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  August 28, 2026 1:14pm
  - Jethrod
    
    About 10 are missing
    
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    August 28, 2026 5:16pm
imalwaysright

Craig Stobo will stand in Botany for New Zealand First.

He’s a very talented man and would make a great Finance Minister.
9 8
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August 28, 2026 11:33am
- R
  
  Has a questionable background!
  
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  August 28, 2026 1:18pm
- greybeard
  
  “Stobo, the former Financial Markets Authority chair, resigned after a review into his conduct.”
  This is nothing more than little Winston having a go at Luxon, because NZ under Luxon has proved to be improving and Winston has become more irrelevant by the day. He sees the writing on the wall: National & ACT will win the next election and will not need NZF.
  
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  August 28, 2026 5:01pm
mandk

How will Hipkins justify $2 billion-worth of infrastructure spending cuts to the construction workers who will lose their jobs?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-signals-2b-cut-to-transport-budget-to-pay-for-fuel-tax-promise/premium/LINXWXMXFVAP5AUMREGAN7A5EU/

I thought Labour prided itself on being the party for workers.

Silly me.
13 2
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August 28, 2026 11:44am
- Ian Boag
  
  Total fuel excise tax + RUCs now is about $4bn/year. Pretty much the only hypothecated (“this tax for that expense”) tax.
  
  Roads bill is about the same.
  
  Excise and RUCs are each about $2bn, so I don’t see how failure to raise the excise will generate a $2bn hole. Must be talking about 3 years or something …
  
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  August 28, 2026 6:51pm
Swifty

Live footage from Lake America:

https://x.com/vootheviking/status/2093094801268994260?s=46
4 2
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August 28, 2026 12:08pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  I hope the American Geese continue to shit all over Donald’s lawn, just as they did when they were Canada Geese.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:03pm
Philview

The media are getting concerned Labour are fully contesting Central Auckland this time which might see the National Party candidate elected ahead of Chloe if the Left vote is split.
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August 28, 2026 12:11pm
Swifty

Stobo standing for NZ First in Botany.
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August 28, 2026 12:17pm
Scooter

I see Craig Stobo is running against Luxon in the Botany electorate for NZ First. This could be very interesting and rightly Luxon should be worried.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1159887/former-fma-chair-craig-stobo-standing-for-nz-first-in-luxon-s-botany-electorate
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August 28, 2026 12:20pm
Flossie

Again I say that Labour’s proposed public transport ideas are of no benefit to many of us who live in the provincial towns where there is NO public transport. We will still have no option but to pay fuel tax – or RUC if that comes to pass.
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August 28, 2026 12:44pm
Scooter

So NZ First and Act have Michael Laws, Paul Henry and now Craig Stobo, all very opinionated and with right leaning views that I think a lot of people wish National had the fortitude to embrace. It will be interesting to see how this translates into their share of votes. Hopefully Act and NZF will increase to the point where National no longer holds all the cards, because they have bluffed their way through the last 3 years
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August 28, 2026 1:00pm
- Hugh Jarse
  
  I used to rate Craig.
  
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  August 29, 2026 1:40am
Steve Todd

Earlier today, Dean Obeidallah (The Dean Obeidallah Show) spoke to the Pulitzer prize winning author (a specialist on economics and tax issues) and investigative journalist, David Cay Johnston, a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York state. I watch Cay-Johnston all the time: he also talks to Mark Thompson at The Mark Thompson Show. The guy is brilliant.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82LFQ5v-pQg [27:05].

The splurge says—

Pulitzer prize winning journalist and Trump biographer David Cay Johnston shared on SiriusXM radio’s Dean Obeidallah show that the reason the Supreme Court keeps ruling for Trump—including in the new decision on voting—is “that five members of the U.S. Supreme Court are white supremacists, and one of them is a self-hating Black man who’s utterly unqualified to be there.” David warned that “We’re now living in a Trumpian dictatorship” and this election is the key to reversing that. Plus, he breaks down how the economy under Trump is a failure on every metric.

In my view, the entire 27 minutes is crucial viewing, so I won’t point out ‘highlights’ along the way. Enjoy.
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August 28, 2026 1:27pm
- Charlotte Wells
  
  That little excerpt tells me everything I need to know to avoid watching that show.
  
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  August 28, 2026 2:21pm
  - Hard Cheese
    
    Ah, the old ostrich strategy.
    
    2 2
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    August 28, 2026 8:41pm
Ian

On Stuff online yesterday. Double shooting in Auckland. Also, posted prior to that, police looking for dangerous wanted man – public told not to approach. This article now taken down. Police of course have suspect in double shooting. Wonder if there’s a connection…
4 0
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August 28, 2026 1:39pm
Jack5

Red Radio doesn’t try to hide its Leftist bias.

The Ministry of Social Development stuffs up winter energy payments.

State-owned Radio NZ pins the stuff-up on Prime Minister Luxon and the Minister of Social Development, Louise Upston.

The RNZ headline:

Another sorry from Christopher
Luxon after beneficiaries miss out

This is the thanks National gets for sidelining Melissa Lee’s planned reform of State owned TVNZ and RNZ, and of subsidies to other media.
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August 28, 2026 2:19pm
mandk

Wasn’t this something the last Labour government promised and failed to deliver?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/361025750/sneak-peek-behind-curtains-nzs-newest-hospital
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August 28, 2026 2:56pm
Steve Todd

Okay. For a month or two, now, I have been rather amused, watching the Right become increasingly distraught at the rise of The Opportunity Party.

In contrast to the Jack Tame interview (Sun 16 Aug 26), here’s the flip side, from earlier today. A perfectly good, respectful, conversation between Qiulae Wong and Ollie Neas at Public Interest NZ.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfINI9LhYrg [44:50].

The splurge says—

“Ollie Neas sits down with party leader Qiulae Wong to discuss whether Opportunity is really left-wing or right-wing, why she thinks New Zealand is “stuck between two economies”, and the party’s approach to inequality, tax, unions, business and the role of the state.

“They also discuss Opportunity’s proposed land tax and citizens’ income, citizens’ assemblies, the power of lobbyists and other vested interests, and what the party would do if it found itself holding the balance of power after the election.”

Again, I believe the entire 44 minutes is excellent viewing, so I won’t point out ‘highlights’ along the way.

In my view, should Opportunity make it into Parliament, the world most definitely will not end. Enjoy.
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August 28, 2026 3:14pm
- pb
  
  TOP backed by the NZ equivalent of the deep state, board controlled systemists. They take distressed lefties and chuck them back into the generic stew of normies. Purely control.
  
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  August 28, 2026 8:28pm
  - NZer In Exile
    
    Looks like a pretty chunderous stew being made there.
    
    What is this chucking back into the generic stew of normies of which you speak? Is there a plain English explanation?
    
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    August 29, 2026 7:55pm
- ecco
  
  Of course you enjoyed that interview Steve by a Labour party youtube channel to the leader of the far left leaning Top party. Soft serve much?
  
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  August 28, 2026 9:58pm
Ghost

King Harald V of Norway, who went into exile in the United States as a child during the Nazi occupation of his homeland and refused a string of European noblewomen in order to marry his school sweetheart, has died. He was 89.

Article
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August 28, 2026 8:24pm
- NZer In Exile
  
  I suppose 89 is a reasonably good innings these days. Hopefully he didn’t suffer too much towards the end.
  
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  August 29, 2026 7:57pm
Jack5

With rugby fever raging, I expected more reaction to a suggestion that bias (presumably ethnic, that is racist) delayed Ardea Savea from becoming All Blacks captain “on a permanent basis.”

“Herald” rugby writer Gregor Paul suggested this yesterday.

His article’s behind the paywall but we can fairly sample it, given the nature of the suggestion and the fact it’s now a day old, and advertises the benefits of subscribing to the Herald.

Gregor wrote:

“The Pasifika influence within the playing base of Super Rugby Pacific teams and the All Blacks has been growing for the past 20 years, but it is men such as Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett who have been asked to lead the national team.”

This changed, wrote Gregor Paul, when coach Rennie made Savea captain. Savea, now 32, captained the team 13 times between 2021 and 2025 but he waited until 2026 to get the role on a permanent basis.

“There is no doubt in my eyes that Savea has been a victim of this underlying bias,” wrote Gregor Paul.

He notes that in formal wear, the All Blacks can now choose to wear Polynesian style lavalavas rather than trousers and blazers.
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August 29, 2026 8:36pm

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