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September 9, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 09 September 2026

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Scott

This from the Daily Mail recently – “More than 60,000 arrested in ‘chilling curb of free speech’ as report exposes social media policing” :

https://mol.im/a/16108341 via https://dailym.ai/android

In the last 5 years in the UK over 60,000 people have been arrested over their social media posts. Sometimes 6 police officers will appear at the door to arrest someone over their social media posts.

The police have become incredibly zealous about speech crimes and thought crimes while generally not attending to actual crimes like theft and burglary.

As people have noted in the article’s comments, the UK now has no free speech while also having out of control crimes of theft and violence. In China by contrast they have no free speech but they also have low crime and safe streets. In the UK they have the worst of both worlds, you can’t speak freely and you have unsafe streets.

Hopefully in the UK the govt will fall and they’ll have an election to try and sort out the mess the country is in.

Here in NZ we have to guard our freedom of speech, so no hate speech laws. And we have to make sure the police fight actual crime and not just thought crime like the UK police.
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September 9, 2026 8:01am
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Well you only get what you vote for.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:16am
- Ian Boag
  
  Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
  In a population of about 60m, 12,000 arrests/year for one category of offense is not a lot. I found a figure (bot) that last year the total number of arrests in England and Wales was 750,000. That did not include Scotland and Ulster so the total will probably give a million a fright. That 750,000 figure is about half of what it was in 2008.
  
  So 12,000 is a bit over 1% of the total. “Incredibly zealous”. I suppose ….
  
  Keep up the good work. 🙂
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:21am
  - imalwaysright
    
    One is too many.
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:24am
    - David Garrett
      
      Exactly. And it is outrageous that they often come and arrest people for “hate crime” late at night.
      
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      September 9, 2026 8:31am
      - [email protected]
        
        Because that is when they are home.
        
        Back in Los Angeles I used to volunteer to ride along in the backseat of police cars during their 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM shift. They would bang on doors at 1:00 AM with search warrants looking for criminals.
        
        One officer would check out the house during the day and note all the escape routes, bushes, windows, etc. Then at night half a dozen police cars would arrive at the same time.
        
        I would go into the houses with the police and I found one suspect hiding behind the clothes dryer in the laundry room.
        
        Not sure which one of us was the more scared.
        
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        September 9, 2026 8:42am
      - Jack5
        
        Police shouldn’t be used to hunt people for opinion expressed on the internet. That’s dictatorship stuff.
        
        However, police calling at homes at night is surely the most efficient way to reach working people. Think of the night arrests in the Soviet Union. That was something really scary.
        
        If police night calls have nasty overtones in our democracy, they’re no different from Immigration officers making early-morning calls or night calls on Aucklanders suspected of not having migrant work permits.
        
        Those raids have been dramatised by Auckland’s migrant communities so well illegal migrants are now probably safe.
        However, NZ night calls are no different from what happens in similar countries.
        
        A TV series in NZ on Australia’s Customs department sometimes shows night raids for suspected illegal migrant workers.
        
        The problem is the State setting the police on people for their internet opinions, not the time of the police raids.
        
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        September 9, 2026 12:09pm
      - pdm
        
        info – were you part of the Police?
        
        Or were you a Bounty Hunter?
        
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        September 9, 2026 1:09pm
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    That there should be even one arrest for this ‘crime’ is chilling.
    
    That’s what is being said here.
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:26am
  - Yabster
    
    – 60,000 arrested for free speech is 60,000 too many- it doesn’t matter the percent- also a huge waste of police time- maybe more time investigating rape gangs huh Boag?
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:30am
  - slightlyrighty
    
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gz1qy30v5o
    
    Not when stuff like this happens…
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:39am
    - Ian Boag
      
      One in a million …. Deplorable. Representative of widespread repression.
      
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      September 9, 2026 8:47am
      - graham
        
        One example that slightlyrighty found and shared.
        
        How many more are there? And how many that haven’t been reported?
        
        I’m sure you’re aware it’s happening here also.
        
        https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=182144
        
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        September 9, 2026 10:19am
      - slightlyrighty
        
        Actually it’s an example of the priorities of the constabulary who seem to be spending far to much of their time in issues that shouldn’t concern them.
        
        That they paid up 20000 pounds as a result of their actions might indicate that they are aware of their over-reach, but they shouldn’t have over-reached in the first place.
        
        It would seem that the vague definitions enshrined in Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 in the UK has led to a huge amount of over-reach as those who may be either overly sensitive or overly vindictive now have the forces of the law behind them when they read something they don’t like.
        
        Ian. If you cannot understand the chilling ramifications of this type of law, and it’s enforcement then I suggest you read a book and not the internet.
        
        Start with George Orwell.
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:03am
      - kevn
        
        iboag… You are safe.
        
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        September 9, 2026 8:07pm
    - kevn
      
      slightly… Or this in NZ.
      https://x.com/BarryYoungNZ/status/2097279295181951343
      
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      September 9, 2026 8:07pm
  - Swifty
    
    I believe it’s amongst the highest in Europe.
    
    Even Russia arrests far fewer for social media posts.
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:57am
    - kowtow
      
      They don’t need to arrest that many people as the people thrown off high buildings are as the Froggies say an example “pour encourage les autres”
      
      Possibly much cheaper too .Don’t have to run as many prisons ,mind you their prisons must be getting pretty lonely places , what with all the “volunteers” dying and being crippled on Putin’s “anti Nazi ” farce in Ukr.
      
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      September 9, 2026 10:10am
      - Skottowe
        
        “…the people thrown off high buildings…”
        
        That’s a new one on me. Got a link for that? Which isn’t MSM, of course.
        
        “…Putin’s “anti Nazi ” farce in Ukr.”
        
        Anti-nazi? Surely you don’t actually believe that? We’ve got extended family connections to both the Ukraine and to Russia. And also church connections to what has been going on in the Donbass. Anti-nazi farce? Nope.
        
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        September 9, 2026 7:22pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    The cops are enforcing the UK law. So the problem is presumably the law, not the fact that UK cops are enforcing it. Someplace on the other side of the world that we are willing to advise about how the place should be run ….
    
    Closer to home, would we really want to see a situation where enforcement of a valid – passed by parliament and all that – law is totally at the discretion of individual police officers?
    
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    September 9, 2026 9:00am
    - Charlotte Wells
      
      There’s plenty that are.
      
      What did Jacinda say about cannabis enforcement???
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:14am
    - RoboRob
      
      Correct, the issue in the UK is not with the cops, but with the law makers. The free speech laws should be repealed, but in the meantime they are valid laws of the land which the police should enforce.
      
      That however is an issue here. We have a number of laws that the NZ police (and other organisations too) refuse to enforce. The electoral laws are one such example, with NZ police having decided not to enforce them and instead declining to press charges in almost all cases.
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:24am
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      “The cops are enforcing the UK law.”
      
      No, not really. They are being very selective about what laws they enforce and how they do so.
      
      Yes, ultimately law is at the discretion of the police and the courts because they end up interpreting and applying the law.
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:33am
      - Yabster
        
        exactly- they are interpreting the law to suit the uk polices woke agenda.
        
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        September 9, 2026 9:35am
      - Nobby2
        
        But why did they need to send 6 Police Officers to the couples home for such a trivial complaint?
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:21am
    - kowtow
      
      The law in Britain says don’t steal . The Fuzz there are now notorious for not turning up to such cases.
      
      It’s not the law , it’s Higher Plod imposed ‘priorities’ that are the problem.
      
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      September 9, 2026 10:12am
    - alphabeatrium
      
      You have an obligation to refuse an unjust order.
      If I was a police office, I would refuse to arrest someone under a hate crime offense. Those that willingly comply are immoral and I hold them responsible, alongside the unjust law.
      
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      September 9, 2026 12:02pm
  - peterwn
    
    And ‘arrest’ in the UK has a broader meaning than in NZ. In NZ someone is only arrested if they are about to be charged with an offence and must be brought before the court ASAP or at least on the next sitting day (unless given police bail). In UK the police can also arrest someone where the Police consider they can ‘help with inquiries’, the scope of ‘arrest’ in the UK case would be covered by their own legislation and their Criminal Procedure. Once inquiries are complete with that person, he/she would be released from arrest or face charges.
    
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    September 9, 2026 10:39am
- lastmanstanding
  
  I see in the lead up to the 25th anniversary of 9/11 the US MSM are painting Muslims as the victims and fretting they will be the target of a backlash. Never mind the 3000 plus who were murdered by Muslim Terrorists.
  Like here the MSM hate their country and hate and loath White citizens.
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:22am
- Northshoredoc
  
  I’ve been in the UK for the last month (London, Midlands and Yorkshire).
  
  I’ve failed to notice any of the lawlessness and lack of free speech as reported by the Daily Mail.
  
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  September 9, 2026 2:59pm
- Wayne1749
  
  “In China by contrast they have no free speech but they also have low crime and safe streets.”
  
  The free speech thing is exaggerated in China. People speak remarkably freely on a private basis, its only if you become an open activist will they clamp down on you. On some topics you can speak more freely than you can in a Western country.
  
  The streets are incredibly safe, but not sure if that is a consequence of political and social control, or simply a cultural thing – almost all East Asian places are incredibly safe, from Singapore, to Hong Kong, to Japan.
  
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  September 9, 2026 3:08pm
  - Skottowe
    
    “On some topics you can speak more freely than you can in a Western country.”
    
    True enough. The situation in China is misrepresented by Western media.
    
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    September 9, 2026 7:26pm
- pb
  
  Hate speech is the speech that the powerful hate.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:24pm
David Garrett

Good morning from the Kingdom. It’s warm and sunny this morning…nights still pleasantly cool
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September 9, 2026 8:11am
- Cassandra
  
  Same here, comparatively. Spring!
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:13am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  You might be interested in this latest article on Sir Keith Park
  
  https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/john-mclean-a-salute-to-the-greatest-new-zealander
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:14am
  - Charlotte Wells
    
    I have read that too.
    
    There’s a lot of interpretations of events that could be argued from that article.
    
    Here’s one; Operation Sealion would never have succeeded. It took the allies until 1944 to amass the experience, skills, and equipment to get back to France. It could be said that had they tried it would have been the destruction of the german army and would have shortened the war as Russia would have launched it’s invasion of Germany in 1941 as planned.
    
    There’s also plenty to be said of the treatment of Park after the battle was won.
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:33am
    - David Garrett
      
      Charlotte: I have corresponded with no lesser expert than Sir Max Hastings on whether, had the Germans won the BoB and achieved air supremacy, they would have attempted Sealion. His view is that they would “probably have given it a go”. Whether they would have succeeded is of course entirely unknown.
      
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      September 9, 2026 10:56am
      - Gussy
        
        Invasion may not have been necessary, DG.
        If the Luftwaffe had crushed the RAF and ranged freely, the attrition could have become unendurable.
        
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        September 9, 2026 12:29pm
    - Manu-Rau
      
      Sorry, but SEALION and OVERLORD can’t possibly be compared.
      
      The British Army had left almost all its armour and anti-tank weapons in Dunkirk, and was basically left with rifles and machine guns. It would have been absolutely no match for a German ground invasion that included even a couple of armoured divisions backed up by close air support.
      
      Also, if Britain had fallen, Japan might well have entered the war earlier, to seize Britain’ and the Netherlands’ Far East colonies. They could have achieved this without attacking the US.
      
      The course of the war would have been completely different.
      
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      September 9, 2026 2:19pm
    - NeverMindTheBollocks
      
      But how can that be? Invading Britain by boat is easy. It happens every day.
      
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      September 9, 2026 6:55pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Maggy: Interesting…but I note the author doesn’t agree with the widely held view – which I share – that removing Park from operations at the end of the BoB was outrageous. Both he and Dowding were victims of shameless politicking by Leigh-Mallory supported by Bader, who stubbornly stuck to his “Big Wing” theory even when it was proved to be rubbish.
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:42am
    - cmm (semi-retired edition)
      
      I was in the army and not the airforce, but…different situations demand different tactics.
      
      It would seem to me that the “Big Wing” tactic is potentially suited to its original purpose – taking large formations on long range missions.
      
      Big Wing leads to cumbersome structures that take a long time to form up and then take forever to redirect making maneuver or changing orders near impossible. Big Wing possibly made more sense when the war had moved “over there” to Europe and also for large bombing missions where there is less need to change tactics quickly and the mission orders are all set up before hand.
      
      But it sounds like exactly the wrong thing to do for a home defence situation such as the Battle of Britain. The Park system was designed to exploit modern (at that time) technology – especially radar and radio comms – to scrambled quickly to meet threats. This is excellent for harassment and defence situation and dealing with a changing picture. Small groups could quickly deploy to meet a threat, deal with it, and be ready for the next task all within minutes.
      
      Battle of Britain was conducted with shortage of planes and pilots and the Brits had to squeeze the most out of the resources they had. The Park system achieved that in a way that Big Wing could not have.
      
      On the ground, the Army would call this maneuver warfare: much more effective use of troops than the older more ponderous methods.
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:15am
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        The big wing was as outdated and stupid as the proponents of it.
        
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        September 9, 2026 9:17am
      - cmm (semi-retired edition)
        
        Yup, Big Wing was certainly outdated and didn’t make good use of the technology at hand, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call the people stupid.
        
        Big Wing is basically the same tactics as used in the Napoleonic wars and before (as well as WW1 trench warfare): form up a large fighting force and yell “charge”. If you have cavalry then hit them from the flanks. It could potentially be effective if you had a massive force on your side and the opposition were limited in their maneuverability.
        
        There’s a saying that generals always fight the last war. That would seem to be the problem here. On top of that Bader’s war hero status gave him credibility far in excess of his tactical command talents.
        
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        September 9, 2026 9:41am
      - Jethrod
        
        Was that the Bader who was legless most of the time and was locked up?
        
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        September 9, 2026 9:52am
      - Charlotte Wells
        
        The big wing was the brain-fart/child of the arrogant Trafford Leigh-Mallory enabled by the unpleasant Bader.
        
        T L-M was a man who had ideas and he believed station in life as an upper-class twit made his ideas brilliant.
        
        His hubris gave him the reverse Midas touch. It eventually killed him.
        
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        September 9, 2026 10:09am
      - Michael Johnston
        
        Jethro, Bader was literally legless, having lost both legs in a 1931 crash. And as far as I know, the only time he was locked up was when he was a POW. His big wing theory might have been rubbish but he was a brave and capable pilot.
        
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        September 9, 2026 10:41am
      - cmm (semi-retired edition)
        
        Michael: Being a brave and capable pilot does not necessarily translate into being any good at tactics.
        
        The Park approach had a lot to do with asking other experts (especially the electronics boffins of the day) for their input and then constructing an entirely new multi-disciplinary system unlike anything ever seen before.
        
        That requires someone who is humble and prepared to learn and listen. Quite the opposite of the cocky and dashing Brylcreem hero pilot type.
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:29am
      - Jethrod
        
        The comments on Douglas Bader were made a bit tongue in cheek. I know when he was initially in POW camp , he was a real pain in the butt for the German commandant and his guards, so much so Bader ended up in Colditz, that place for troublesome prisoners.
        A special flight was made to supply him with replacement prophetic legs after his were destroyed when he initially crashed behind enemy lines.
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:52am
      - Jethrod
        
        Prosthetic….. damn it!
        
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        September 9, 2026 2:59pm
    - sungsamning
      
      There’s a good series of WW2 stuff on YT. the posters name is Lord Hard Thrasher. Not a fan of Mallory, or most of the Luftwaffe general staff. sometimes there are ‘bad words’. They don’t bother me.
      
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      September 9, 2026 2:26pm
imalwaysright

Here’s another cop who won’t see the inside of a jail cell:

Whanganui police officer Peter Gray accused of tipping off drug suppliers – NZ Herald https://share.google/Orqn9UiQru02TikzD
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September 9, 2026 8:11am
- kowtow
  
  The organised crime drug peddling gangs ( and the idiots who buy their product) really have created the conditions for a corrupted and failing NZ.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:39am
cmm (semi-retired edition)

A few people here, including myself, have suggested that maybe NZ needs vocational educational pathways along the lines of the Swiss VET system.

The UK are now adopting some of this to try to overcome their NEET disaster. They’re going to start VET vocational options from Year 10 (14 to 15 years old).

I personally think this could be a good way to keep kids engaged in education rather than letting them drop out and then try to lure them back into a trades programme when they’re 18 or 19.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4k2djd5qpo
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September 9, 2026 8:15am
- Ian Boag
  
  Days of yore. One went to High School and got sorted into streams – Trades, General or Professional. For girls “Trades” was “Commercial”. A lot of the Trades/Commercial streams left at 15 – some of them even got apprenticeships. Generally there was only one 5th form (year 11) class for this stream. I suppose we could learn from that.
  
  Entrance to a trade depends on getting an apprenticeship which depends on how current tradies are feeling today …..
  
  So I’m not sure how this would all work. So I asked the bot to explain the Swiss system. It is pretty comprehensive. The bot did identify what would be a key problem here in NZ ..
  
  whether NZ employers will actually supply enough training places.
  
  Never mind whether an employer is providing “good”, “average” or “mediocre” training. And of course right now, there doesn’t seem to be a surplus of employers looking for apprentices and I don’t see how the VET system would move that needle ….
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:41am
  - artemisia
    
    Apprentices. Seems one problem is employers don’t want to take them on. The below article from a couple of weeks back includes this – According to Master Plumbers, one of the causes was a lack of apprenticeship options. Chief executive Greg Wallace said only 17 percent of the industry took on apprentices. He said across the whole construction industry, that number was lower, at 10-15 percent.
    
    The article includes apprentice experiences from some employers – basically they train them for 5 years and they don’t wash their face for much of that time. Then they qualify and leave for more pay here or across the ditch. Because there’s a shortage so ECON101.
    
    So if that is the problem, what are the solutions? Making taking on apprentices worthwhile could be at least part of it.
    
    I have a family of tradies. One, still in 20s, double trade qualified, trains apprentices. His employer is one of the 17%. Ours is considering moving over the ditch and current employer likely to then become part of the 83%.
    
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/1094565/plumber-shortage-not-enough-people-in-the-pipeline-to-fill-the-gaps
    
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    September 9, 2026 9:08am
    - Colville
      
      I was a tradie for 20odd years and an employer who trained apprentices for most of that time.
      IMHO apprentices work well on jobs/sites/workplaces where there is enough low skilled work to get them thru the first year and get them from unhelpful to at least semi helpful.
      A sparkie or plumber working out of a van doing house calls is going to struggle. A builder doing new builds will be ok. We did HVAC on big sites and did well with them.
      But 2nd year into their time they will be making you money and working independently. If not either they are not right for it or you are a shit teacher.
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:29am
      - artemisia
        
        Colville, these days an employer taking on an apprentice will find more than a few applicants challenged with literacy and numeracy. I have mentioned here before that ours did a trades foundation course at polytech, about 4 months, free fees, as a precursor to an apprenticeship. More than 20 started, 4 finished. There’s a clue ….
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:05am
      - Colville
        
        artemisia
        We did well by getting drop out uni students and we also took on a bunch who had done SCUBA instructors courses and found there were no jobs. We always started them as labourers for 3 months minimum.
        
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        September 9, 2026 12:21pm
      - pdm
        
        Colville I suspect having to pay the minimum wage to an `ineffective’ apprentice in their first year is a big disincentive to taking them on these days.
        
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        September 9, 2026 1:21pm
    - Ian Boag
      
      This thread is about whether an apprenticeship-based education system would be good to have in this country. Maybe, maybe not. Kind of moot when there is so little employer demand for would-be apprentices …..
      
      I remember a conversation I once had with a parent about whether “buying” an apprenticeship might work. Parents often get involved in funding some of kids’ tertiary education costs and this is no different. Employer could call it off if it didn’t work etc etc. I am moderately surprised that this doesn’t seem to happen – or if it does it is well below the radar.
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:29am
      - imalwaysright
        
        Good point.
        The apprentice is getting an education and taught valuable skills whilst being very well paid.
        
        (As an aside, a toolmaker is taught many more skills than a dentist.
        But a dentist can’t fix his fuckups with an angle grinder…)
        
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        September 9, 2026 9:51am
      - Colville
        
        iamalways.
        My favourite is…
        I am a drainlayer…I rate myself alongside the very best surgeon.
        We both bury our fuckups.
        
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        September 9, 2026 10:23am
      - Ian Boag
        
        taught valuable skills
        
        I asked the bot for a comparison between Swiss and NZ system. It’s interesting ….
        
        https://chatgpt.com/share/6aa09a5e-64d0-83ec-b292-376c542427f6
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:30am
      - Ian Boag
        
        FWIW I funded kids through uni. I would have done the same (“buy” an apprenticeship) if it had come up.
        
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        September 9, 2026 12:53pm
      - imalwaysright
        
        IB
        The Swiss seem to have a greater emphasis on measuring knowledge and the ability to execute, whereas NZ is more focused on passing the polytech exams and the employer being entrusted to honestly assess practical skills.
        I’ve seen boxes being ticked by employers that shouldn’t have been.
        
        In the current age of the mobile workforce, I’m surprised that any employer would offer an apprenticeship as anything other than an act of charity.
        
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        September 9, 2026 1:01pm
    - Paulus
      
      Yes, but are these trade apprentices taught as trainees in Maori ?
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:30am
      - david
        
        More to the point Paulus, are they taught traditional plumbing, drain laying, sanitation, construction, cabling, power supply management, metalworking technologies as demanded by “te tiriti”?
        Must be in there somewhere.
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:22am
    - slijmbal
      
      It does seem we (and a large number of ‘developed’ countries) drop the ball in preparing our youth for later life. It ranges from not ensuring they get the basic skills of reading and maths through to lumbering them with large debts to get useless degrees requiring a low level of ability. If we then add poor support for getting trade experience we have the Trifecta.
      
      Considering this seems obvious and significant it also seems obvious that we could make noticeable improvements with basic changes. We have examples we could plagiarise eg the Swiss system as Ian indicated, copy initiatives in England focussing on the basics which have them back in the higher groups of achievement in maths and reading (Wales and Scotland stuck with the old approach and are performing poorly), the past – sometimes the older ways are more successful. It took a school generation, sadly, in England for this to bear fruit.
      
      Simple stuff – focus on the basics at school, hack (I do mean hack) the bloated academic degree factories making degrees harder to get, reduce the number of vanity degrees and subsidise what is remaining so a degree isn’t a mini mortgage but do leave some debt – anything free is not valued. Bring back incentives or even subsidies for vocational training. Bring back the concepts of succeeding and failing.
      
      Would be a brave government to do that as this would lead to howls of horror from an awful lot of predominantly left leaning organisations such as academia with various ‘experts’ popping up to say how elitist this would be.
      
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      September 9, 2026 10:08am
      - Ian Boag
        
        Bring back incentives or even subsidies for vocational training.
        
        Can you be a bit specific?
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:35am
      - slijmbal
        
        @Ian
        
        “Bring back incentives or even subsidies for vocational training.
        
        Can you be a bit specific?”
        
        Don’t have a full thought out structure for this but as an example we can see the current $6k subsidy for the employer for apprentices is pretty basic when even a 1st year apprentice is probably getting ~ $40K. The current training subsidies for the qualification side seem to have been absorbed in to the organisational cost as bureaucracies are wont to do. So the net effects of the current incentives are light.
        
        We could look at equipment, upping the employer incentive etc Would need a lot of thought to construct it well.
        
        My big fear in all of this is the government’s habit of chucking $ at the wall ineffectually, which would be a significant risk.
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:50am
      - Colville
        
        Ian. Back in the day an employer could get half wages for the lad for 6 months refunded by govt.
        It’s a good incentive.
        
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        September 9, 2026 12:23pm
      - pdm
        
        Alternatively bring bring back the youth rate (to apply to girls too) or a special apprentice wage for the first two or three years – depending on the length of time needed to qualify.
        
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        September 9, 2026 1:26pm
    - Drone
      
      My son is an apprentice carpenter who was three years into the system when the business folded leaving him out of work and currently unable to find a job let alone an employer that will accept him as an apprentice. The BCITO are unable to assist with finding a placement which leaves my carpenter stuck and currently unqualified. Pretty much without options in his trade.
      
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      September 9, 2026 8:22pm
  - Taieri
    
    One went to High School and got sorted into streams – Trades, General or Professional.
    ————
    
    A friend of mine wanted to become an oceanographer or a marine biologist. But, because his father was a fitter, he was “sorted” into trades stream and ended up a fitter himself.
    Only in the much later life he managed to get an engineering degree, and ended up as shipyard supervisor in China, but it was too late to do what he always wanted to do.
    Another bloke from a similar background was also “sorted” into trades and did an apprenticeship as a boilermaker. Hated every minute of it. The last I’ve heard of him he’s a ship’s captain.
    
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    September 9, 2026 9:14am
    - fightingtemeraire
      
      I went to a Private School in the UK and wanted to go to sea. Got no help from the school who were so up themselves, most of the Masters had Temporary Commissions from the war and were Captain this and Colonel that. Only one professional soldier amongst them and he was a Gurka Lt Col!!!!
      
      Sent to a pre sea school and went to sea. Ended up as Master.
      
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      September 9, 2026 11:11am
      - Taieri
        
        I went to sea at 15. Ended up as Chief Engineer.
        Wouldn’t be possible today.
        
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        September 9, 2026 4:14pm
  - cmm (semi-retired edition)
    
    I can fully understand it from a tradie’s perspective – especially with all the problems of employment law making it hard to get rid of a slacker. Who would want to take all that on when you can just employ people who have a record and references?
    
    Part of the benefit of the VET system (in Switzerland anyway) is that it also handles the relationships between the young apprentices and the businesses that they work with. Yes, there is a subsidy to the employer, but that is seen as education costs rather than as the dole.
    
    Bottom line though is that keeping kids involved in education requires that it is meaningful to them. Why force them to deal with Shakespeare sonnets until age 18?
    
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    September 9, 2026 9:26am
    - Colville
      
      cmm.
      You really dont understand how the trades work if you think its hard to get rid of someone.
      There is no teenager on the planet who wont throw their toys after a couple of weeks of niggle from senior tradies who are hell bent on getting rid of them. And the tradies are not the employer…so no problem.
      
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      September 9, 2026 9:32am
      - David Garrett
        
        Colville: And you clearly know next to nothing about employment law. The “couple of weeks of niggle” you refer to – leading up to a resignation – is likely to classed as a constructive dismissal.
        
        I will leave you to educate yourself about that.
        
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        September 9, 2026 10:17am
      - Colville
        
        DG.
        I know you are a barrister.
        You want to explain to me how you can prove there is malice on the part of the employer ?
        
        As I said above, I was an employer. I know exactly of what I speak 😉
        
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        September 9, 2026 10:28am
      - David Garrett
        
        Coville: Sure. As you will know, among an employer’s many duties is to provide a safe working environment – both physically and psychologically. And that includes not allowing bullying (or worse) from other employees.
        
        There are many cases where an employee has quit because of harassment from other employees, and that employee has been found to have been constructively dismissed.
        
        That said, constructive dismissal cases are not easy to win – for obvious reasons. I probably should have said “may well be classed as constructive dismissal” rather than “likely”.
        
        Such an employee would have to prove that the boss knew of the “niggle” he was being exposed to, and did nothing substantive to stop it. Also, the “niggle” would probably have had to be longer than a couple of weeks.
        
        Just out of interest, may I ask if you have ever experienced a constructive dismissal claim against you? And if so, was it successful?
        
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        September 9, 2026 11:03am
      - slijmbal
        
        They don’t have to actually succeed in a constructive dismissal case as the costs are such that many pragmatic employers pay off the complainant as it’s still generally cheaper than winning the case.
        
        I’ve been involved with several of these cases where there was absolutely no merit for the complainant and the system that is intended to counter a perceived imbalance of power has led to easy gaming of the system. I was normally advised by an employment lawyer to pay out.
        
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        September 9, 2026 1:48pm
      - Colville
        
        DG.
        Never had any kind of claim against me however more than once I had been threatened with a beating but that was the nature of the industry, I was far from petite and quite capable of carrying a 88kg oxy cylinder up the stairs over my shoulder.
        My back creaks thinking of that now!
        
        and we had circa 60 full time staff spread over about 16 years and around 150 part timers, mainly students on holidays.
        
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        September 9, 2026 3:56pm
Southern Raider

The physics law of equal and opposite forces seems to apply to politics as well

While the Guardian and other left wing media decry the win by AFD in Germany they of course don’t reflect on this being a natural reaction like the law of physics

As the radical left pulled a country towards mass illegal immigration, turned off power generation, victimised anyone who spoke out and created economic issues for consumers did they not stop and think that the mass population from the centre wouldn’t move with?

The AFD (i don’t agree with them by the way) are just a reactionary force to the left wing dogma and the left can’t label a 44% vote now as some extreme fringe minority
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September 9, 2026 8:16am
- RichardX
  
  The physics law of equal and opposite forces seems to apply to politics as well
  
  I apply a pendulum analogy for this. As the pendulum swings further out to the edges in either direction, the correction in the other direction, when it happens, occurs at a faster rate. The downside to this is that the momentum of that rate of change takes the pendulum past any central point of compromise.
  
  The information / opposing views / propaganda available on the internet, through algorithms and confirmation bias, adds to the momentum in an increasingly polarised society.
  I believe this is making it increasingly difficult to reach any sort of compromise or middle ground.
  
  This occurs irrespective of the labels you stick on the extremes of the pendulum. It could be conservative / progressive or left / right or capitalism / communism or just about any other pair of opposing political views.
  
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  September 9, 2026 11:29am
- kowtow
  
  SR
  Don’t mean to be rude but all those negatives you ascribe to the “radical left” , actually happened under Merkel , ostensibly CDU . But by her actions you’d think she was a Soviet plant.
  Conservative voters were left with no where to go but to the AfD .
  The so called mainstream have only themselves to blame for the state of affairs we’re in.
  
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  September 9, 2026 12:38pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    But by her actions you’d think she was a Soviet plant.
    
    Well, she was a member of the East German FDJ. and is a proficient Russian speaker.
    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Merkel
    
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    September 9, 2026 3:52pm
    - Taieri
      
      Started reading her book “Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021”. Gave up after about two thirds.
      What a shallow person she is, no reflections on her political experience and legacy, no deeper insights, just “me, me, me…”.
      
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      September 9, 2026 4:19pm
  - Skottowe
    
    “…a Soviet plant.”
    
    You know what “soviet” means, right?
    
    Note that the USSR collapsed in 1991, and Merkel didn’t become chancellor until 2005. She entered German politics in 1989, at the time of Gorbachev (whom many Russians dislike, and some detest, btw) and Perestroika. Russia remains a very conservative society, underpinned by Orthodoxy. The “left-wing” reforms which we associate with Germany haven’t happened in Russia.
    
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    September 9, 2026 8:25pm
- Paulus
  
  Well done Merkel !
  
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  September 9, 2026 2:05pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  By definition, 44% can’t be “far” anything.
  
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  September 9, 2026 7:02pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Latest PISA results for NZ pupils.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/education/1308226/nz-sitting-below-group-of-world-leaders-when-it-comes-to-reading-science-and-maths

I do wonder how representative they are of 15 year-olds.
The Education Ministry said New Zealand’s sample was skewed toward higher-achieving students, meaning the country’s average scores might be inflated by 10-15 points.

Do schools just select their top class to sit the PISA tests?
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September 9, 2026 8:19am
- Charlotte Wells
  
  Yes, yes they do.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:27am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Probably. And that’s probably true for other countries also.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:29am
- imalwaysright
  
  Today a good friend will be helping 15 year olds sit exams.
  
  Her job is to read the pupil the questions, and to write the answers that they dictate.
  
  The pupils aren’t handicapped in any way, they either struggle to read, or struggle to write.
  
  They are 15 years old, and have been at school for ten years.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:55am
  - lifesgood
    
    Add to that nearly every second kid is either neuro diverse or has a syndrome. Why is this so? It certainly wasn’t how it was when I was at school and don’t tell me it’s because they weren’t diagnosed. Apart from one or two naughty kids in class everyone else seemed normal and toed the line.
    
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    September 9, 2026 1:01pm
    - imalwaysright
      
      Life,
      I think it is because the country is unhappy.
      We know collectively that something isn’t right and it is manifesting in antisocial behaviour and that is leading to fear and personal doubt.
      
      Our kids have lost their confidence and that has made the fear of failure to become overwhelming.
      
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      September 9, 2026 2:28pm
    - sungsamning
      
      And thus in need of lifetime ‘medication’ from big pharma.
      
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      September 9, 2026 2:37pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  Well the wagging rates are so high that perhaps only the top performers actually showed up.
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:16am
- Ehlana
  
  IIRC from a radio discussion on this, some schools opted out, and the rules have been changed so more of them will have to participate next time.
  Apparently the really good news from it was the improvements in the “tail”, the lower end of achievement.
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:53am
sungsamning

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/09/06/british-patriots-clash-with-police-as-organized-ngo-boats-arrive-with-unwanted-migrants-on-the-coast/
British Patriots Clash with Police as Organized NGO Boats Arrive with Unwanted Migrants on the Coast.
Apparently, there was an organized boatlift of north African migrants crossing from France into the U.K earlier today. Various non-governmental organizations were in place with tents and supplies to assist the migrants upon arrival.
By most accounts the influx appears to have been facilitated by NGO’s working with British authorities. However, at various ports where the migrants arrived, they were met with hundreds of young British men who attempted to blockade the activity of the police and nefarious human traffickers. [Around 500 protesters were present. Many were dressed in black. The protestors broke through the police line. The government, and NGOs were facilitating the whole thing.]
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September 9, 2026 8:24am
- imalwaysright
  
  The protestors should storm Parliament.
  
  These feeble and ineffectual protests are exactly what the Government want so that they can label concerned British citizens as far right xenophobes.
  
  It was particularly sickening to watch TV1 last night describe the invaders as “immigrants”.
  
  God knows why our media support foreign regimes trying to destroy our common culture.
  
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  September 9, 2026 11:27am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Tents? Surely you jest! It’s the Hilton or nothing, you know.
  
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  September 9, 2026 11:40am
sungsamning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f51UthnkBlk
Trump’s War on the Harvard Machine: The End of the Liberal Empire and the Battle for America.
President Trump takes on Harvard University’s tax-exempt status as Mike Steger examines Jeffrey Sachs, DEI, globalization, free trade, the American System, manufacturing, and the U.S. Space Academy. [That’s a pretty good start. Now to go after the rest of them. And scrap the Student Loan Scheme. That should be between students, banks, and instititions. Without all the free federal money, the fees should come down.]
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September 9, 2026 8:24am
- virtualmark
  
  Trump’s supporters should be careful with what they wish for.
  
  If (big if) Trump is successful in having Harvard’s tax-exempt status revoked then that will create the legal precedent for a future President to revoke the same tax-exempt status of the mega-churches.
  
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  September 9, 2026 12:15pm
  - sungsamning
    
    That wouldn’t get through the Senate. Failing that, the House of Representatives would block it.
    
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    September 9, 2026 2:40pm
    - virtualmark
      
      But revoking Harvard’s tax exempt status *would* get through the Senate? Where at least 13 current Senators are Harvard alumni?
      
      Trump’s only path to revoking Harvard’s status is via an executive order to the IRS. And then, somehow, getting that to stick through the inevitable appeals. As far as SCOTUS, where 4 of the 9 justices are Harvard alumni.
      
      But if, *huge unlikely if*, he could make that stick then there’s your legal precedent for the next Democrat President to take tax-exempt status off other entities.
      
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      September 9, 2026 6:03pm
      - sungsamning
        
        Plan B should be dropping the Student Loan Scheme.
        
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        September 9, 2026 9:18pm
Damocles11

I just found out that Japan is governed under ‘far right’ principles regarding mass immigration –

‘The Japanese government explicitly rejects a policy of “mass immigration” or open borders, instead officially framing its approach around controlled, pragmatic labor intake and “orderly coexistence”. Japanese authorities consistently refuse to label Japan an “immigrant nation” or pursue broad, unstructured immigration, preferring targeted channels for labour over general demographic replenishment.’
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September 9, 2026 9:01am
- lifesgood
  
  Good on Japan, they are maintaining their culture and protecting their country.
  
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  September 9, 2026 1:03pm
Damocles11

I just found out that China is governed under ‘far right’ principles regarding mass immigration –

‘The governing authorities of China do not permit or encourage mass immigration. Population and border management policies prioritise national security, social stability, and domestic labor protection.’

I am shocked and appalled.
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September 9, 2026 9:03am
- Colville
  
  Those rules are so “far right” that they have come all the way around to the far left! 🙂
  
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  September 9, 2026 10:32am
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Mass emigration is ok, though.
  
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  September 9, 2026 11:41am
MCōs

Brent Crude is nudging on $100/barrel; a level it hasn’t been at for a sustained period since late May and it’s hardly even news anymore
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September 9, 2026 9:05am
Maggy Wassilieff

Some land should never be placed in production forestry.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/361029093/iwi-forestry-companies-and-directors-among-those-councils-crosshairs

My solution for this cut-over steep, eroding land would be to establish a forest cover as quickly as possible … and that means using fast-growing non-native trees as a first crop – Tree lucerne (Tagaste) near the coast, and poplar poles inland….

Once the planted tree cover is established – 4-5 years, introduce plantings of natives in suitable sites. Keep browsing pressure from deer, possums, goats, pigs, feral stock in check; otherwise leave the forest alone. Don’t ever consider harvesting trees off this land again.
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September 9, 2026 9:12am
- Colville
  
  In a perfect world where money grew on trees that might be possible but as people want to be paid for work and land needs to earn its way production forestry is best use for crap land.
  So its up to councils to enforce the rules that they write!
  
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  September 9, 2026 10:31am
- Gravelroad
  
  I live in an area where in the 1960’s there was great consternation about “erosion in the high country”.
  The local Catchment Board voted to solve this by arranging for the aerial application of tree seed called pinus contorta.
  Some of the land owners raised objections to this at the time because they were concerned that pinus contorta would quickly spread onto other land.
  They were assured that if this happened, action would be taken by the local authorities to control the spread of these trees.
  Of course, the trees spread and remediation did not happen.
  And the trees are still spreading onto privately owned land.
  And are still doing so.
  They will never be controlled.
  
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  September 9, 2026 10:59am
- Quail
  
  FYI,
  Tree lucerne is regarded with horror by Forest and Bird ‘et al ‘ because of its impact on waterways,
  However it does fix nitrogen along with Matagouri and some other weeds.
  
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  September 9, 2026 11:59am
  - Colville
    
    Matagougi. The scourge of any pig hunter!
    
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    September 9, 2026 9:44pm
- Damocles11
  
  So the Iwi forestry company were granted a resource consent on the strict proviso that after harvesting they would replant the land in trees, but they haven’t done so.
  So is this story ‘fake news’? We’ve been told over and over again that Maori are the ‘guardians of the whenua’, so surely they would be doing the right thing and responsible on their forestry land?
  
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  September 9, 2026 12:24pm
- Paulus
  
  Trees on Mt Maunganui (old name) were chopped down as they were not native.
  You can see now where that happened !
  
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  September 9, 2026 2:10pm
- Skottowe
  
  “Tree lucerne…”
  
  That’ll please the wood pigeons no end. There is Tree Lucerne growing in this area , and on parts of the Kapiti Coast. When it’s in flower, the wood pigeons come from miles around, and descend upon it with glad…er…coos.
  
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  September 9, 2026 8:32pm
David Garrett

Yesterday there was some discussion of the radio station formerly know as “Radio New Zealand”, now RNZ or “Irirangi o Waitangi” Some readers may be interested in this email exchange with RNZ:

Me: Please treat the below as enquiries under the Official Information Act 1982

1. When, and on whose instructions, did the name of what was formerly known as “Radio New Zealand” become RNZ?

2. When, and on whose instructions, did the term “Irirangi o Aotearoa” begin to be used in place of “Radio New Zealand”

RNZ: Kia ora David,

We have received your OIA request via our online General Enquiry form (as per below); however, in order to process it, we need to establish eligibility – and so require which specific aspect is your qualification.
To be eligible to request official information under the OIA, you must be:
• a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident; or
• a person in New Zealand; or
• a corporate entity (that is, a company or an incorporated society) which is either incorporated in New Zealand or has a place of business here.
More information on establishing eligibility under the OIA can be found here…

My response: Dear “Bek” [no surname provided]

You already well know I am a New Zealand citizen. Please find attached the photo page of my passport.
And please in future address me – including salutations – in English. I neither read nor understand Maori.

Depending on the level of interest here, I shall keep readers posted of developments.
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September 9, 2026 9:13am
- Charlotte Wells
  
  I’m interested.
  
  Particularly the request to use English in all communications.
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:19am
  - David Garrett
    
    Charlotte: I imagine “Bek” is some 21 year old luvvie who thinks everything Maori is wonderful, and the evil honkey is responsible for all Maori ills.
    
    In addition to the use of Maori, I am irritated by communications from someone I have never met (and never will) which begin “Dear David” rather than “Dear Mr Garrett”.
    
    The young all seem totally unaware that such a practice is objectionable to men of my generation.
    
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    September 9, 2026 10:00am
    - fightingtemeraire
      
      David
      
      The Iron Duke had to send a reprimand in writing to a subordiate.
      
      Letter started
      
      Sir,
      
      ended
      
      I have the honour to be Sir, your humble and obedient servant (which you know I am damn well not),
      
      Wellington
      
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      September 9, 2026 11:17am
  - wsk12345
    
    I’d like to know if RNZ has rules for Interviewees that they must use the “morenna” (mareena?) salutation. Every person on 9to noon does it, half seem uncomfortable saying it and I know some from a past life that are defo not Wokesters. Is it mandatory?.
    
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    September 9, 2026 1:22pm
    - David Garrett
      
      wsk: I very much doubt whether it is required for interviewees to use Maori greetings…I suspect most do it because they are concerned they will be called racist if they don’t.
      
      I did a few RNZ interviews in my time, and I certainly never used any Maori…but that was 16 years ago, before Wokeism really began to take off.
      
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      September 9, 2026 2:39pm
    - Skottowe
      
      “….the “morenna” (mareena?) salutation.”
      
      Very odd. It’s a transliteration of the English word “morning”. Don’t know why they’d use that, rather than the traditional “kia ora” or “tena koe/korua/koutou”, as I was taught when I learned Maori, many years ago.
      
      Mind you, the previous Mayor of Wellington referred to this city as “Poneke” – also a transliteration, of “Port Nicholson”. Bizarre, when there is already a Maori name for this area. No: I don’t know why she did it.
      
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      September 9, 2026 8:52pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Wikipedia tells me this:
  
  Former names: Radio New Zealand National (2007–2015)
  National Radio (1925–2007)
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNZ_National
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:25am
- David Garrett
  
  I should add that the sign-off of my email makes it clear I am a New Zealand citizen, licenced to practise law in both NZ and Tonga. “Bek” is simply playing games.
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:29am
  - mike
    
    Sure, the OIA is only available for citizens. I’m not aware of agencies requesting proof of citizenship and would be interested to know if this practice is widespread.
    Perhaps RNZ is checking as you are based in Tonga.
    
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    September 9, 2026 9:51am
- MCōs
  
  If you put this question into google the answer comes up in a flash
  “When, and on whose instructions, did the name of what was formerly known as “Radio New Zealand” become RNZ?”
  Note
  The answer, in English, is logical and not at all controversial
  
  In answer to your second question google replied
  “The term “Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa” (meaning The Radio Voice of New Zealand) was never implemented to replace the name “Radio New Zealand”; rather, it was officially introduced as its dual Māori name in 1995”
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:34am
  - David Garrett
    
    MCos: Well regarding the second question, Google is simply wrong. As I said, I am an occasional listener to the former Radio New Zealand. That term is now never used, but Irirangi o Aotearoa certainly is. Thus it can fairly be said that one replaced the other.
    
    In any event, the crux of my questions – as I am sure you know – is on whose instructions this change was made. I suspect they will refuse to answer, and I will have to escalate it to the Ombudsman – but given the post on John Allen’s somewhat hysterical speech posted earlier this morning, I may not get far with his office either.
    
    18 3
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    September 9, 2026 9:55am
    - alloytoo
      
      The real question is why we as taxpayers are expected to continue to subsidize this services.
      
      12 0
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      September 9, 2026 10:09am
- imalwaysright
  
  The real bastardry is that Bek considers the rather benign information requested as of such importance that it is actually subject to the rules of Official Information and therefore accessible only by qualifying people.
  
  She should have said “Thanks for your interest in us Mr G, no need for an OIA, here are the answers to your questions…”
  
  If you emailed KFC and asked about their name change you would probably get the entire history of the company and a voucher for some chicken…
  
  17 1
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  September 9, 2026 10:05am
- Ghost
  
  How do they know you are a NZ Citizen? I’d guess there will be a lot now days who don’t know who you are.
  
  1 14
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  September 9, 2026 10:10am
  - David Garrett
    
    Ghost: Google is their friend…and as I have said, my email sign-off makes it clear I am a lawyer qualified to practice in New Zealand as well as Tonga.
    
    And note that even old Mikey boy recognises that such an enquiry is – or ought to be – very unusual.
    
    13 3
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    September 9, 2026 10:22am
- David Garrett
  
  Update: Despite my supposedly using “the wrong form”, “Bek” from RNZ has now come back and officially acknowledged receipt of my queries. She says – correctly – that they have 20 working days to respond.
  
  Given the significant interest here (based on the upticks) I shall keep readers informed of the outcome.
  
  23 1
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  September 9, 2026 11:24am
- artemisia
  
  I wonder what the response would have been if you did not specify your request under the OIA. Because referring to the OIA is not required in a request for any information that meets the OI definition. But it is still OI.
  
  8 0
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  September 9, 2026 11:47am
  - David Garrett
    
    art: to be fair, I have sent questions to Radio New Zealand in the past which haven’t specified the OIA…and they have come back and said “We are treating your query as being under the Official Information Act”
    
    9 0
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    September 9, 2026 1:02pm
mike

Surely this must be satire.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/space-force-uniform-nazi-trump-37635564
New uniform design for ‘Space Force’ inspired by baddies from a sci-fi movie.
8 7
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September 9, 2026 9:46am
- Ghost
  
  However, the 1997 film explicitly draws on the Nazi imagery and was described by Paul Verhoeven, its director, as an “ironic” vision of a “fascist utopia”.
  
  “I decided to make a movie about fascists who aren’t aware of their fascism,” he told The Guardian in 2022, saying it had been specifically “about American politics”.
  
  Article
  
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  September 9, 2026 9:50am
- Nobby2
  
  mike, I wonder whether Trump has undertaken any cognitive testing to determine what stage of mental illness or dementia he is currently at. He is almost at the stage Biden was at when he last ran for President.
  
  4 7
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  September 9, 2026 11:56am
  - mike
    
    Not since he ‘passed’ his dementia test in his first term
    
    3 8
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    September 9, 2026 2:08pm
- NeverMindTheBollocks
  
  Hugo Boss wins again
  
  3 0
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  September 9, 2026 7:07pm
Ghost

What a dick. This is how he treats someone that gets on well with him

US President Donald Trump has shared a misleading video of King Charles on social media, edited to make it look like the royal shrugged and walked away when a man fainted in front of him.

In the full video, which Trump did not share, Charles reaches out to the man as he falls. He also stays close as the worker receives medical attention.

Article
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September 9, 2026 9:55am
- Charlotte Wells
  
  You do know that Trump doesn’t actually personally post everything himself, yes?
  
  11 7
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  September 9, 2026 10:13am
  - Ghost
    
    I actually think most people know Trump lacks the intelligence to create what is posted to HIS account, but he is responsible for what is posted. Just like I believe people are starting to realise there are those who lack the intelligence to hold him to account for his pathetic, damaging behaviour to his allies and friends.
    
    10 16
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    September 9, 2026 10:46am
- Damocles11
  
  Will the King now sue Trump for $10 billion due to the reputational damage caused by the doctored video?
  
  9 4
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  September 9, 2026 10:14am
- David Garrett
  
  Ghost: I am convinced – and become more convinced by the day – that Trump is deranged.
  
  A sane man in his position would understand that re-naming lakes and bodies of water – and indeed states of the US – will be reversed as soon as he is gone from office.
  
  16 10
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  September 9, 2026 10:23am
  - David Garrett
    
    Now this is very interesting…If I had posted that comment – say – a year or 18 months ago it would have immediately been downticked to hell – probably 3:1 against. Six months ago it would have been a bit more even.
    
    Now, after “Lake America” the “Gulf of America” – and the latest piece of self aggrandisement, an “Arc de Trump” the size of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, more than twice as many people agree with me as disagree – thus far.
    
    In other words, it is slowly dawning on his admirers that the man is in fact a deranged narcissist. The exact same thing is happening in the US itself with his approval rating plummeting.
    
    9 9
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    September 9, 2026 12:16pm
  - virtualmark
    
    David,
    
    You may have seen today that Trump talked about how he was pulled from the World Trade Center rubble on 9/11 by two big strong firemen (*).
    
    That. Did. Not. Happen.
    
    It’s well known and attested that Trump was in his office in mid-town Manhattan on 9/11.
    
    He’s always been a fabulist and a liar but his stories are getting increasingly implausible. One of dementia’s common aspects is “confabulation”, which is where the failing brain makes up stories to fill in for memories it can no longer access. Trump shows a lot of signs of confabulation.
    
    Honestly … he would not be allowed to drive a school bus in his current state, so it beggars belief why the American establishment think he should run the country.
    
    10 7
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    September 9, 2026 12:22pm
    - [email protected]
      
      No capable person wants the job that pays only $400,000 per year. The president of the USA should at least be paid the same or more than the CEO of the largest companies, $10 million.
      
      0 6
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      September 9, 2026 12:54pm
    - lifesgood
      
      It must be bloody embarrasing to be a yank these days. First Biden, then Trump, what nutter will they pull out next as President?
      
      4 7
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      September 9, 2026 1:10pm
      - virtualmark
        
        Biden wasn’t nuts, he was just old. Too old for the job. But Biden is a decent human being.
        
        Trump is nuts, and he’s also too old to do the job. But he doesn’t really do the job … he enjoys the opportunity to line his own pocket and to bully people, but his calendar is mainly “executive time”.
        
        But I suspect the 2028 election will be a much younger set of candidates. Quite a few of the current contenders are still in their mid-40s.
        
        7 9
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        September 9, 2026 2:34pm
    - rouppe
      
      I also note the Herald had to issue a correction
      
      Clarification and correction: This story originally said Trump had claimed he was “pulled from Ground Zero on 9/11″. The US President instead said he was there “right after it happened”. The story also incorrectly reported that Trump claimed to have been inside the United States Steel Building.
      
      Shortly thereafter the story has been buried. No longer top of the website, I only found it again by searching.
      
      Any news headline about Trump I generally disregard for at least a day. Because it’s likely to contain untruths, be a beat up for clicks or some other rubbish.
      
      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/donald-trump-claims-he-was-pulled-from-ground-zero-on-911/UF376ZCNWZAF3JG4RRA3G4UT3Q/
      
      6 2
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      September 9, 2026 9:49pm
      - Ghost
        
        buried, come on you aren’t that dumb. you know full well that stories get replaced by newer stories and they slip off the main page
        
        1 4
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        September 9, 2026 10:14pm
      - rouppe
        
        Slip off not just the main page, but the world page, the politics page, the USA page.
        
        When a 3 day old story about some dude getting taped to his chair on a plane is ahead of more current content, I’ll stick with “buried”.
        
        You don’t have to, and you certainly don’t have to launch into personal abuse over it.
        
        4 1
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        September 9, 2026 10:27pm
      - Ghost
        
        personal abuse, stop being so precious, and stop making shit up. it is the third story on the world news. Politics as you well know is about NZ politics not american.
        
        https://i.postimg.cc/28spcGQf/Screenshot-9-9-2026-22577-www-nzherald-co-nz.jpg
        
        1 4
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        September 9, 2026 10:57pm
      - All_on_Red
        
        Hahahahahahaaha
        Some people are so gullible- and woefully uninformed about US Politics
        So funny.
        
        1 2
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        September 10, 2026 7:41am
  - Ghost
    
    Here is one that will cost him support, some days you just don’t try to make yourself the focus
    
    https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-claims-firefighters-rescued-him-911-attacks-got-get-out-here
    
    7 7
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    September 9, 2026 12:23pm
  - NeverMindTheBollocks
    
    Steady on, David. Here in little ole NZ, we busily rename cities, mountains etc at the drop of a hat.
    
    Are you suggesting that the NZ Geographic Board members are all senile?
    
    5 0
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    September 9, 2026 7:10pm
imalwaysright

On the Q&A debate the Climate scam came up.
Act MP, and dairy farmer, Andrew Hoggard, had the best line:

“If there is someone who can change the weather, give me his bank account number!”
24 4
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September 9, 2026 10:13am
Yvette

We had this yesterday, I think, but it bears repeating for a little perspective …
The Greens supermarket scheme –
Based on a $2.8 billion setup cost and a $1 million per day profit removal, the break-even period and individual costs calculate as follows: Time to Break Even: 2,800 days ($2,800,000,000 ÷ $1,000,000 per day)
⚬ Total Time: 7 years and 8 months (approx. 7.67 years)

Now, regarding their Climate Change policies …
14 0
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September 9, 2026 11:38am
Ghost

The video of this announcement was bizarre, Hipkins constantly nodding, he looked like a new bobblehead.

Labour is promising to set up an AI office, an online safety regulator, copyright rules that ensure creators are paid for their work, and impose rules on data centres….

Article

identify gaps in New Zealand law and strengthen protections where needed, including a ban on non-consensual deepfake pornography

Not needed, the Deepfake Digital Harm and Exploitation Bill is awaiting it’s second reading.

work with iwi and hapū on how Māori data is collected, owned, governed and used;

Cool, now how about how my data is collected, owned and governed
11 3
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September 9, 2026 12:02pm
- virtualmark
  
  We should absolutely regulate AI, including those aspects like privacy, copyright etc.
  
  But NZ going it alone will achieve nothing. This is something that would need to be done with, at minimum, Australia + UK + Canada + EU.
  
  3 0
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  September 9, 2026 12:24pm
- cmm (semi-retired edition)
  
  It is laughable.
  
  They can hardly run a pissup in a brewery or an (inaudible) in a whore house.
  
  I struggle to believe that anyone in Labour could provide any wise counsel on the use of AI.
  
  11 1
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  September 9, 2026 12:31pm
  - Ian Boag
    
    what’s wrong with “orgy” … ?
    
    6 3
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    September 9, 2026 1:08pm
Ghost

If the threats are genuine, shouldn’t be happening. Don’t be a dick, disabled car parks aren’t for you to take a selfie to promote your business

The owner-operators of an award-winning dairy company say they’re facing ongoing criticism despite apologising for promoting their brand with an image showing their Bentley parked in a mobility spot.

Hamilton-based Vibhah and Vineet Shiriwastow, who run wellness company Four Leaves Co, are still dealing with a backlash from some in the disabled community after promoting their latest product while their Bentley Continental was parked in a designated mobility space.

Article
5 1
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September 9, 2026 2:59pm
- Albie
  
  Ghost, when I was in business I parked in a school disabled park for a couple of minutes to drop off a parcel to reception as every park was taken. When I went back to my car a van with a wheelchair lift was there with a very irate parent who deservedly told me the error of my ways!
  I think the fact that the Bentley owners are well off Indian’s can only fuel the anger that those who take offence are likely to vent.
  
  5 1
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  September 9, 2026 5:33pm
Taieri

The 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks today.
All but forgotten now…?
1 2
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September 9, 2026 4:38pm
- greybeard
  
  You are a few days early. But no, never forgotten.
  
  5 1
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  September 9, 2026 6:40pm
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  Date format:
  
  11th September
  In NZ and British format it would be 11/9 (day/month/(year))
  
  In US it is September 11th
  9/11
  month/day/(year)
  
  2 1
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  September 9, 2026 7:17pm
- Taieri
  
  Bugger…looked at the date wrong way.
  
  0 1
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  September 9, 2026 8:45pm
kevn

Giving TradeMe property a hurry up?
https://www.hougarden.com/nz
1 1
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September 9, 2026 5:36pm

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