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October 9, 2026 8:00am by Kokila Patel

General Debate 09 October 2026

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General Debate

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CJames

Recently, two government departments issued the last part of their “we are all going to die unless we repent” Climate Change report. New Zealand’s Environmental Reporting Series: Our Atmosphere and Climate 2026. https://www.mcert.govt.nz/news/atmosphere-and-climate-26/

To give a flavour of what it’s like, here is one paragraph: “Climate change is driving changes to ecosystems that could increasingly affect our connections with the natural environment. For many Māori, the transmission of mātauranga and maintenance of reo, tikanga and identity are closely linked to te taiao. The loss of species and reduced access to places can disrupt cultural practices and wider systems of knowledge, relationships and culture. More broadly, the changes to natural spaces and loss of outdoor recreation opportunities result in a reduction of the benefits these places provide “
Sort of sums it all up doesn’t it

They pick a few recent bad weather events and say this is the future, totally disregarding the 200 years of history which show nothing now is out of the ordinary. Of course, the Paris agreement gets star billing as what we have to follow, despite no other country doing that.

Only by burying deep back through the links and references does one find that all their modelling is the totally discredited RCP8.5. Even the IPCC has totally disowned that one but the zombie lives on. It is still driving our government’s thinking. Any we would all change our views if we just had access to trusted information. Of course, the report writers boast about how the information they provide is trusted. Yeah, Right.

It is behaviour like this where activist bureaucrats “are not following the science” but pursuing their own agenda which show why they are held in contempt by the public. Lets hope the Ministry for the Environment is one of those getting the chop after a right-wing election victory. Or even better, make Michael Laws their Minister. That really would be poetic justice.
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October 9, 2026 8:00am
- Maggy Wassilieff
  
  hope the Ministry for the Environment is one of those getting the chop after a right-wing election victory.
  
  The Ministry for the Environment has been subsumed into the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.
  https://www.mcert.govt.nz/
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:32am
- R
  
  The Min for Environment should be the first Government department to be disestabloshed on 9th Nov.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:03am
  - RoboRob
    
    Willis said to Duncan Garner that cuts in the public sector would be achieved by attrition and reduced new employment. Now, I dont thinks its possible to acheive the level of cuts they are talking about that way, but it certainly doesn’t sound like they are planning on shutting major ministries.
    
    I would also add of all the ministries that could be cut I would put serious money on the Min for the Environment NOT being one of them. I doubt there is any appetite for that in National and I haven’t heard support from NZF or Act either.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:17am
    - Paulus
      
      Why are some Departments still advertising for staff especially ones totally immersed in all things maori first and in te reo ?
      
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      October 9, 2026 11:42am
      - RoboRob
        
        My wife works for the evil empire. She works on the front line at the Ministry of Education. Under the current government her role was expanded from early childhood, into primary as well. It was a good decision but of course means many more children to deal with. That means more staff.
        
        Government departments need to be staffed to meet the policy, so of course some departments are hiring. The real issue is around the do nothing departments.
        
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        October 9, 2026 11:57am
    - Benedict Yu
      
      The Ministry for the Environment has already been abolished by the current government.
      
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      October 9, 2026 11:56am
      - RoboRob
        
        Had to look that up!
        
        Ok, so its now part of https://www.mcert.govt.nz/
        
        Hard to know if it is abolished or actually expanded. Lucky no one took my offer of a bet !
        
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        October 9, 2026 11:59am
    - Handyman
      
      Attrition is the worst possible way to reduce staff.
      It is so random. If a person leaves and the department can get by without them then the person wasn’t necessary.
      From my experience in this field there is only one successful method:
      Identify the purpose of processes.
      Design the process optimised on, say, cost, or speed, or security.
      Hire the skills and train to the new process.
      
      Whatever is left is non essential activity.
      I have run workshops where whole departments have been producing output which disappeared into a black hole.
      Savings of 20 percent are common.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:36pm
      - R
        
        I suspect that a lot of the burecratic reluctance to reduce is because the appointed manager(s) are incompetent; and require a beavy of staff around them, that hopefully will include some competent individuals who are capable of completing the task. Thus making the management look capable and competent.
        
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        October 9, 2026 1:55pm
      - Colville
        
        Attrition is the worst possible method for dropping staff levels.
        
        The highly skilled and motivated ones go get a better job because they dont want to work for a sinking ship and you are left with dross that are unemployable elsewhere.
        
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        October 9, 2026 2:29pm
      - rouppe
        
        So many say they are doing things using Agile methodology, but not one does a process map to identify and eliminate wait time, unnecessary deliverables, or duplication.
        
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        October 9, 2026 2:40pm
  - Benedict Yu
    
    It has already been disestablished.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:54am
- Southern Raider
  
  Activist court judges in NSW have ruled that NSW coal mines will need to include any emissions from their coal being used (including exported coal) into their scope 3 emission reporting
  
  This could have massive implications for those NSW producers, reliant cities like Newcastle and I expect will be picked up by activists across the world to pressure this ruling to be extended into new geographies
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:26am
  - Spam
    
    Scope 3 emissions are different from Scope 1 & 2. It is unremarkable that coal is included in Scope 3 emissions: Scope 3 emissions are everything from Co2 emissions from workers working-from-home to emissions from transport of goods to emissions from final use of products. Honestly, Scope 3 is all about creating those feel-good “green jobs” – the ones populated by people with clipboards and audit papers, not creating actual value. Scope 3 emissions reporting in Australia is apparently mandatory. The coal producers’ “Scope 3” emissions are effectively the coal users’ “Scope 1” emissions.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:13am
    - kowtow
      
      Bring on One Nation .
      
      Time to end this madness.
      
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      October 9, 2026 11:27am
- lastmanstanding
  
  IMHO Luxon has done a good job holding the Coalition together. Prior to the 2023 election Seymour and Peters were at each other like Kilkally cats yet they have managed to work together over the past 3 year.
  If God forbid we get the Four Headed Hydra there is no way Hipkins will be able to maintain the same discipline. The Opportunity Leader and MPs have never been in Parliament. They have no experience of being in a political party or in the House. Couple that with the ill disciplined Maori Party and the result will be chaos. Which is good. As I have posted I expect the Four Headed Hydra to implode probably within the first 12 months. It will be pop corn time watching it. They will have little time to damage the economy and be consigned to a decade in opposition.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:28am
  - DukeOfAngus
    
    It’s Kilkenny cats
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:37am
    - lastmanstanding
      
      Apologies DukeOfAngus
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:54pm
  - septic skeptic
    
    There is really no chance of this, unless there is a very thin majority that could be overturned by one or two rogue electorate MPs. These guys livelihoods depend on their coalitions holding together.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:56am
  - wsk12345
    
    They may well implode such that they cant pass any policy other than mire maoridication which they all agree on.
    
    But they will never give up power willingly.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:09am
  - Grumpy Silver Top
    
    If the 4 headed hydra disaster occurs we can pray to whatever gods we believe in that you are right. Perhaps they won’t even be able to form a government in the first instance. That’s a comforting thought, maybe.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:19am
  - imalwaysright
    
    “… Luxon has done a good job holding the Coalition together.”
    
    I would give the credit to Seymour and Peters, they are clearly the leaders of the coalition. Luxon can barely keep his own party together.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:36am
    - Colville
      
      Bullshit.
      Seymour and Peters do not get along at all well and could not agree what day it is let alone how to run the government.
      
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      October 9, 2026 2:31pm
  - pdm
    
    Hipkins would have a 5th component to try and deal with.
    
    That is the (so called) Labour Maori Caucus which appears to be led by Wee Willie Jackson and the awful Willow-Jean Prime these days.
    
    He is no chance to successfully manage all of those Coalition components which I now call the Coalition of Mayhem and Destruction.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:58am
  - Paulus
    
    12 months, you must be joking – 12 weeks max.
    Anyway with the media’s support the next election will be in March 2027
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:46am
  - David Garrett
    
    lastman: An awful lot of damage can occur in 12 months…The Princess destroyed the oil and gas industry in fewer than five minutes.
    
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    October 9, 2026 2:12pm
- Grumpy Silver Top
  
  Completely agree. What a load of jargon filled, incomprehensible junk.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:15am
- tedbear
  
  Yeah but every minute of every day somewhere in New Zealand the weather will be grotty
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:49am
Damocles11

‘The four big banks’ latest annual after-tax profits totalled $6.6 billion ( all Aussie). Woolworths NZ made $32 million on $8.49 billion in revenue.
That’s a 0.38% net profit margin. Not even half of one percent. Just 38 cents for every $100 in sales.
But sure let’s go after the supermarkets. And while we’re at it let’s go after the independent NZ-owned operators too.’

https://x.com/NMowbray23/status/2108254227294232858
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October 9, 2026 8:01am
- Positan
  
  The National Party of today is not the National Party it used to be. Like Labour, it seems far more obsessed with pleasing the masses, in that is has bowed, contrary to its long-established, former principles, to effectively seeking to “buy” votes, and promote utterly wacko ideas – the supermarket proposals fiasco for one – over which, as a government, it should have far greater awareness of the actual, non-commercial constraints of its own limitations.
  
  I was a Nat for almost 60 years, but I can’t now support a party that doesn’t even pretend to uphold any sort of rationale for its existence. Over the last year, National has been haemorrhaging its support to ACT – and on weird and brief moments, to NZFirst.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:52am
  - waikatosinger
    
    National is fundamentally a conservative party. It conserves the status quo. It is the party of “good management”; something which definitely has a place in our politics. Whatever our government does we want it to be well managed. National however lacks ambition to change things. Indeed it’s instinct is to resist change. If we want change we have to look to their coalition partners.
    
    ACT wants to reform the country in the direction of small government, deregulation and individual liberty. So if you want the county to move in that direction maybe vote for them.
    
    New Zealand First is a party which focuses more on social issues. It represents nationalism and social cohesion. It is the party that pushes back the hardest against the woke agenda. If you hate the woke agenda vote for them.
    
    And of course if you want the county destroyed and your grandchildren to live in poverty vote for one of the other parties. I will leave it to someone else to discuss their various agendas which are all utterly disastrous.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:24am
  - kowtow
    
    The other day John Key , of hallowed memory , was on Platform with Plunket and senior Mowbray , talking about the tactical voting …..
    
    Anyway he made it very clear that the Nats for a long time do a lot of focus group work to test ideas .
    
    Says it all really.
    
    I suspect the supermarket madness might have come from same.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:32am
  - Paulus
    
    Nobody is or expects to be what they want or they used to be.
    If only—–
    At 86 years old I am different from when I was born in London at the start of WWII.
    My mother used to say that I started it – well close.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:50am
    - Positan
      
      Of course, Paulus, there will always be variations in stance and in perspective; but my point was – FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES should be upheld and should not change.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:35pm
    - David Garrett
      
      Paulus: It is great to see a fellow of 86 years embracing the internet and the world of political blogging…well done that man
      
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      October 9, 2026 2:16pm
  - Taieri
    
    Like Labour, it seems far more obsessed with pleasing the masses
    ————-
    
    Notwithstanding some of their wacko ideas, how else is a political party supposed to win elections? By displeasing “the masses”?
    
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    October 9, 2026 12:05pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      Of course National isn’t doing stuff to please the masses.
      
      Its just BS to attract a few votes from Labour.
      
      There political nous is sadly missing.
      
      They should ne pushing leadreship and results achieved. Not pissing around with useless freebies and minority BS.. ie drug testing some Bennies.
      
      If they think that will attract lefties they are out of their mind.
      
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      October 9, 2026 3:46pm
- septic skeptic
  
  You have to be very careful assessing profits of multinationals because of the possibility of transfer pricing. For example how much money does Woolies make in Oz by exporting to it’s NZ subsidiary? I’m thinking of home brand stuff in particular. I don’t know how much (if any) goes on, but it’s certainly a possibility.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:01am
- tedbear
  
  There’s a lot of days Woolworths ain’t making $1 million in excess profit.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:54am
- KH
  
  Democles.
  Basic accounting misunderstanding by you.
  Woolworths has an Australian owner. They can make the profit look like anything they have.
  Same as any sole trader. Makes $250 K. But she pays husband $225K for support services.
  Apparent income is $25K. Just a lie.
  It’s why companies (also landlords) pay heaps for their NZ operations into Singapore. The “Dutch shuffle” also Ireland
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:35am
- keepcalmcarryon
  
  Who did Key work for again?
  
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  October 9, 2026 1:08pm
Cassandra

New Zealand has been named the second-friendliest country in the world by Condé Nast.

“Editors noted that the nation’s hospitality is rooted in the Māori concept of manaakitanga.”

What a load of bull dust. 9/10ths of the people visitors meet are not Maori. Most New Zealanders have no contact with manakitanga including most Maoris! Bull dust is being polite!
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October 9, 2026 8:02am
- Damocles11
  
  Disgusting bulldust isn’t it. Most New Zealanders have never heard of ‘manaakitanga.’ New Zealanders do not get their values from Maori culture. We are famously good-natured and peaceable people. There are Christian values and traditions in play, as well as cultural traditions and traditions of hospitality from the British Isles.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:11am
  - Paulus
    
    Like all Maori words it is an invention and has been created to try and fool us !
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:51am
    - Pope Punctilious II
      
      Like ALL Maori words??
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:10pm
- Im Right
  
  C’mon Cassandra, you know 90% of visitors are encouraged, and most do, to attend a ‘cultural event’ at some stage on their visit, see the brown men dancing with spears and the women with their dancing also….they will think it’s marvellous (as they are paying for the dancing show and hangi that follows).
  They don’t see the actual maori experience that we who live here experience, maori fatigue is never an issue with visitors.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:22am
  - pdm
    
    In that respect New Zealand is very little different from Fiji where there are Meke’s, Fire Walking and Village Visits etc as daily and evening options.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:15am
  - In Vino Veritas
    
    Regarding Maori shows, one of the more common comments my wife and I have had from overseas friends who have gone one, is their surprise at the numbers of fatties involved. They think that all Maori are warrior types!!
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:28am
- kevn
  
  Cass… Ask any overseas camper van renter. Northland, BOP and East Cape break ins and thieving.
  Down South? Rarely.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:31am
  - Boy Geoff
    
    Practical understanding of koha?
    
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    October 9, 2026 8:51am
  - Paulus
    
    Inside of my boat in Taupo stolen stuff and wrecked.
    Polic said not unusual.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:53am
  - Taieri
    
    Ask any overseas camper van renter
    ————
    
    Did a campervan trip in the NI some years ago. It was very pleasant experience in general, but, at times, we felt a bit uncomfortable in some places such as around Kaikohe and a certain part of the Coromandel. I was much younger then and I’m not easily scared. The Far North and the NI West Coast were great though.
    
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    October 9, 2026 12:11pm
    - kevn
      
      Taieri… I did the same years ago.
      Try it now, a big deterioration in local ‘habits’.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:58pm
    - Colville
      
      Maybe 10 years back I drove around East Cape alone because I was wanted a getaway.
      Took the snorkeling gear and stopped on the side of the road , climbed down to some rocks for a swim.
      Two VERY large heavilly facial tattooed guys approached and told me to “f**k off you white c**t” so so off I fucked very quickly because its a long way to hospital from there!!
      
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      October 9, 2026 2:36pm
      - Mr T
        
        Same experience
        
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        October 9, 2026 3:57pm
- R
  
  No visitors to NZ today, or any other day will meet a Maori. The last Maori died in the 1960’s , plenty of half caste Maori though.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:05am
  - pdm
    
    Half Caste was a term in common use in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
    
    Very rarely seen or heard in the last 30/40 years.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:17am
    - Flossie
      
      How about Mixed Race? I don’t think we’re quite at the Person of Color stage yet (American spelling quite deliberate there!)
      
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      October 9, 2026 9:41am
      - TripeWryter
        
        I think ‘Mestizo’ fits.
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:51am
      - Jack5
        
        We don’t need a special term in NZ. We have such a long pattern of Maori-European intermarriage, that “New Zealander” does for all. Intermarriage is continuing with Asian migrants.
        
        But, in Latin America: Mestizo, a blend of indigenous and European descent; Mulatto, mixed Black and White, especially 50:50; Pardo, Black without the association with slavery; Zambo, blend of indigenous, African, European; Cafuzo, Brazilian term (also in Portuguese-speaking Africa) for person of mixed African and European ancestry.
        
        Plenty of links on Wikipedia, e.g:
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardo
        
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        October 9, 2026 11:33am
      - NeverMindTheBollocks
        
        Octaroon
        
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        October 9, 2026 12:33pm
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      I was recently surprised to hear a youngster referring to her new niece as a half-caste: the dad is Tongan and the mum Maori.
      
      As it’s not a term in formal use these days, I can only assume it’s how the matter is thought about within her family/whanau setting.
      
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      October 9, 2026 9:54am
      - Jack5
        
        In Samoa, sometimes “Euronesian” is used for mixed European-Polynesian ancestry. The term is also sometimes used in Melanesia and Micronesia.
        
        In Hawaii, they have Hapa Haole for half-Polynesian Hawaiians, and the whole mixed-Hawaiian popular culture.
        
        https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hapa%20haole
        
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        October 9, 2026 11:45am
    - R
      
      Rarely heard…….that is because we as a nation, no longer tell TRUTHS about our nation.
      
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      October 9, 2026 2:03pm
    - David Garrett
      
      pdm: Up in Tonga the term is “half-half”; and that term is the opposite of derogatory.
      
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      October 9, 2026 2:20pm
  - slijmbal
    
    Statistically and based on a genetic study a decade or so ago there are estimated to be approximately 1,000 pure blood Maori – but, yes, the main point stands. There are remarkably few 100% Maori.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:30am
  - Paulus
    
    Half caste – where do you get that % from ?
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:54am
- Simon
  
  “Māori concept of manaakitanga.”
  
  Which must have pacific / Polynesian origins which as Maori are a small percentage of NZ population it follows that the Pacific countries must be 10 times more friendly than NZ.
  
  Who believes this garbage? Wellington Clown Show are all about this though.
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:02am
- kowtow
  
  I really do think all this appeal to indigenous this and that wonderfulness is dangerous rubbish .
  
  Unarmed visitors to these shores prior to the establishment of Her Britannic Majesty’s Peace and Sovereignty were in very real and constant danger of ending up bashed on the head and served up as dinner.
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:39am
- Ra Henare
  
  Its a BS sales gimmick by Conde Nast.
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cond%C3%A9_Nast_Traveler.
  ie Luxury travellers.
  So basically European/first world countries
  
  I hate to say it, but the truth will out.
  
  Cambodia is a way friendlier country than NZ. IMHO.
  
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  October 9, 2026 3:50pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Question of the day: how well does the hospital have to make Christa Pike before she’s strapped to the gurney once more?

And (spoiler alert), should she do a Verity?
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October 9, 2026 8:02am
- Southern Raider
  
  Surely there must be some case for a double jeopardy type ruling where court determines that the State had two goes and stuffed it up so the death sentence is commuted to life in prison?
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:29am
  - Paulus
    
    Maybe not, it is the USA !
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:54am
- Bobba Fret
  
  Yes, it seems very ironic to me, that the hospital is doing everything to make her healthy again, just so she can be put to death.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:35am
- Nigel Kearney
  
  Can anyone explain why it is so hard to kill someone with lethal drugs? I’m pretty sure any anaesthetist could do it with 100% success just by overdosing with propofol or ketamine.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:37am
  - kowtow
    
    That’s not going to be a problem with the Fort Hood mass murderer……
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:10am
  - Biscuit
    
    Agreed, Nigel.
    
    You and I probably look v. carefully at our prescriptions when they tell you to ‘take one pill every 6 hours’, heh.
    
    Leaving aside the mechanics of the execution, mind, I see that the woman involved in the botch-up was arrested within two days of committing murder and sentenced to death in March 1996 at the age of 20.
    
    Thirty years ago…
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:22am
    - Spoff
      
      That is one of the reasons why I do not support capital punishment. Many years ago I read Stephen Levine’s “Death Row -an affirmation of life”. The legal requirements for such an irreversible step require decades of costly litigation. It is unavoidable.
      Every murder conviction that is overturned through new evidence is a powerful argument against and, as Levine relates the tale of a deputy who witnessed many executions then committed a murder, it does not seem to deliver much of a deterrent.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:28pm
      - David Garrett
        
        Spoff: The legal requirements for such an irreversible step require decades of costly litigation. It is unavoidable.
        
        Only in America, where there are seemingly endless avenues of appeal before some cases actually reach the US Supreme Court.
        
        In the UK – and here prior to 1961 – there was one appeal, and if that failed, the only remaining option was a plea for clemency. In practice – in New Zealand at least – clemency was frequently granted. I believe it was much less common in the UK
        
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        October 9, 2026 2:29pm
  - imalwaysright
    
    Yes, its not as if an overdose is going to be an issue.
    Wouldn’t a big dose of morphine be the most humane method.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:42am
  - peterwn
    
    Health professionals and veterinary surgeons would not get involved. They would face disciplinary action and de-registration from their governing boards. So the executioner is basically having to self-teach cannulation (sticking a needle in a vein) with, in this case, disastrous results. This has now given the Tennessee governor and politicians an enormous political headache and the prospect of a multi million lawsuit.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:43am
  - Benedict Yu
    
    It is very easy to explain. Doctors are not involved. The person administering the drugs likely missed or pierced a vein, injecting the drugs into the tissues of the arm rather than the circulatory system.
    
    There is currently an article in the New York Times that quotes a physician of this woman. He claims that he told authorities that the condemned woman had unusually small veins. He said that without cooperation by doctors it was likely that administered needles would miss the blood vessels and instead infuse the muscles, causing severe injury but not death.
    
    Looks like that is what happened but we will need to wait for the report.
    
    This is the result of trying to “sanitise” executions. Yes doctors can kill people with drugs painlessly. It now happens every day. No more difficult than putting down a pet dog
    
    But these people are not doctors. And doctors ethically cannot be part of executions. They should have stuck with firing squads. It would be more humane.
    
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    October 9, 2026 12:07pm
    - keepcalmcarryon
      
      Yes. Pentobarbital/ pentobarbatone is highly irritant outside the vein (patient complained of feeling it)and acts much more slowly.
      I think with human execution there is something like 7 feet of tubing as they are injecting from next door – needs a lot of flushing to get it to pass and would be easy to blow a vein even if originally in, and no trained medical staff as you say.
      
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      October 9, 2026 1:21pm
    - David Garrett
      
      Bene: By virtue of my research for my book on CP published 25 years ago, I believe I can fairly claim to be something of an expert on it.
      
      I concluded that by far the most humane method of execution is long drop hanging, as practised in the UK and here. Albert Pierrepoint’s record from entering the condemned cell to the prisoner being dead on the rope was 7.5 seconds. He rarely took longer than 20 seconds.
      
      In over 600 executions, every single one caused instant death by what is known as “the hangman’s fracture”. Before the long drop was introduced in the early 20th century there were the occasional strangulations or de-capitations.
      
      None of the bizarre American methods of execution – the gas chamber, the electric chair and lethal injection – are used elsewhere in the world. I stand to be corrected regarding the injection.
      
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      October 9, 2026 2:40pm
    - Ra Henare
      
      According to Tennessee’s lethal injection protocol, the intravenous (IV) team is required to consist of at least two members who hold professional medical or emergency credentials. This can include physicians, physician assistants, nurses, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, or military corpsmen with relevant medical training who are currently certified or licensed to place IV lines.
      
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      October 9, 2026 8:36pm
  - David Garrett
    
    Bobba: We once did the same thing here. In 1955 Frederick Foster had been sentenced to death and was awaiting execution when he developed acute appendicitis. He had an appendectomy which saved his life – he was hanged before the wound healed.
    
    Nigel: Apparently the drug was injected into her flesh rather than a vein, which led to the outcome
    
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    October 9, 2026 2:24pm
  - Graham Sharpe
    
    I am a retired anaesthetist.
    There are 3 possible reasons a lethal injection would fail:
    Wrong drug;
    Wrong dose;
    Wrong place.
    From what I know, it would be my best guess that the pentobarb went into the muscle and fat tissues of the arms, providing a depot which slowly reached into her system thus putting her in to a prolonged coma.
    Pentobarb is a poor drug for anaesthesia (slow, highly irritant, unpredictable) and would also be poor as a lethal injection. The US cannot use propofol, ketamine or pentothal for execution as they are manufactured under German licence, and their use in execution is illegal under German and EU law – if they are so used they would no longer be available for anaesthesia in the US.
    Single agent lethal injections are poorly predictable. They do work if a big dose is given very quickly as in Michael Jackson who was given 500ml of propofol over a few minutes (standard dose 20 ml) – mind you the cocaine, heroin and Valium in his system would not have helped.
    Original lethal injection for execution contained pentothal 5g (usual dose 500 mg), pancuronium (muscle paralysis) 100 mg (4 to 8 mg) and potassium 100mg to stop the heart. This was designed by a pathologist, not an anaesthetist. It is extremely efficient but you need excellent intra venous access. In Texas they use ex armed forces medics to get an IV – many of them have battlefield experience and will find a vein, even using the large veins in the neck. They now have the drug availability problem.
    Hexobarbitone would work but in the US is licensed only for animal use, so can’t be used to execute humans (I know but it’s the US – go figure.)
    A large dose of morphine or another opiate would be unpredictable and very prolonged – the prisoner would basically suffocate.
    Interestingly, King George V’s personal physician, Lord Moran, recorded in his memoirs he aided His Majesty’s quick demise by administering a massive dose of heroin and cocaine into the jugular vein i.e. he bumped him off.
    For the record I do not approve of capital punishment, nor of active engagement in it by doctors. Further, lethal injection sanitizes a violent act. If we are going to execute prisoners, do it violently and publicly so society faces its collective actions.
    
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    October 9, 2026 8:27pm
    - keepcalmcarryon
      
      Pentobarb is a very good euthanasia drug in veterinary medicine and I have used it hundreds of times and never failed to euthanase an animal from snakes to horses.
      This has to be a failure of appropriate administration
      not the drug per se.
      
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      October 10, 2026 1:43am
    - artemisia
      
      Thanks for your expert response. Quite a few experts on Kiwiblog, and excellent reading when a post starts with ‘I am a …”.
      
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      October 10, 2026 9:12am
- Jethrod
  
  I think Tennessee has had their opportunity to end her life.
  I hope there is endless State and Federal Supreme Court sessions, many citing the 1st and 2nd ammendments or relevant ammendments.
  Could be the end to the final solution in the US?
  I hope so.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:40am
  - David George
    
    The Muslim terrorist, Nidal Hasan, that murdered 13 of his fellow US service men is to be executed by firing squad.
    Good.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:22am
    - Taieri
      
      Agree.
      But making his execution public is not so good.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:14pm
      - [email protected]
        
        I agree that streaming a public execution in real time is gross. I will not watch it. Hopefully that will cause a few people to think twice before murdering someone however.
        
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        October 9, 2026 4:37pm
      - leoj
        
        Yep, good. Send a message to wannabe terroists. A great send off on their way to the 72 virgins.
        
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        October 9, 2026 8:37pm
    - Southern Raider
      
      And just announced it will be live streamed
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:53pm
      - NZer In Exile
        
        Yeah that will be great for kids’ mental health! /
        
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        October 10, 2026 10:35pm
NeverMindTheBollocks

Arena Williams is increasingly prominent in Labour material. I guess they must be feeling the heat from Quilae Wong. The propensity of the Left to push forward young female politicians is remarkable, it must be said.

Before we get all gooey, recall the scandals of her emergence into national politics. Her nomination for Manurewa was lodged after the deadline; not only was it accepted but incumbent Louisa Wall was shafted by the Party to make way for her (Wall’s payoff was a uncontested MFAT job travelling the Pacific to visit her gay bros and sisters, but that’s another story). And, Kainga Ora used her face in its advertising, despite them knowing that she was running for parliament.

As a lawyer for Chapman Tripp, you would have thought that she would have shown better judgement. But, that’s the ugly scramble for power. Don’t be surprised to see her knife a political leader in the not too distant future.
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October 9, 2026 8:03am
- pdm
  
  I think Arena Williams is being groomed to take over as Deputy Leader, probably under McAnulty after the Election.
  
  Mind you at 10 on the list and based on current polling McAnulty will have to unseat Mike Butterick in Wairarapa to be in Parliament next term.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:21am
- Bobba Fret
  
  On Newstalk ZB last night they were saying she could be the future Labour leader (although they also said many in Labour do not like her???)
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:38am
  - Paulus
    
    I am backing Camilla Belich as she has better Labour bones !
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:57am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      But has she got support from all factions within Labour?
      She’s #23 on the Labour List.
      
      https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oKeJBM78qgZC-Bes80yS10pCVnm_lNrF/view
      
      Look at all the clowns who have been ranked above her.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:22pm
    - amospicton
      
      I met her last campaign as she was running in Epsom. A street corner meeting – no-one turned up so I wandered over. She asked me what I was thinking about for the election. I told her that everything, literally everything was worse after 2 terms of Ardern. Her reply……..they saved 20,000 lives…..
      
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      October 9, 2026 1:45pm
Damocles11

It was the right call from the National strategists to rule out TOP, despite constant pressure from the MSM. Ruling them out ensures they will only take votes from the Left bloc. Now that it is clear that National are ‘not for turning’, the MSM will have to pull the plug on TOP.
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October 9, 2026 8:04am
- RoboRob
  
  I agree, it was a very good call to rule out top*. Next time Luxon is asked why not, instead of talking about taxes, he should point out National cant work with the far left Greens and TOP are essentially the same.
  
  * There is no such thing as ‘rule out’. If National needs TOP and TOP are happy to work with them, it will happen regardless of any ‘ruling outs’. Labour hare ruled out NZF, If required Hipkins would be on the phone in seconds.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:27am
  - peterwn
    
    ‘Hipkins would be on the phone in seconds’ – he was not after the last election. He would have considered the situation hopeless. There was a belated attempt to cobble together a left wing coalition but it failed before Winston was even asked if he would join.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:48am
- Southern Raider
  
  There is zero chance of Luxon NOT doing a deal with TOP on the 8th November if the Coalition is short of seats.
  
  This is all just positioning from Luxon to weaken their bargaining power, but high chance he will be having breakfast with Q on that Sunday if the party numbers for the Nats don’t start to rise soon.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:31am
  - Boy Geoff
    
    How will the Nats party votes rise when their voters are being told relentlessly to give their party votes to either ACT or NZ First?
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:39am
  - kingerstinger
    
    Couldn’t agree more SR, anyone who thinks Luxon won’t pick up the phone has their head in the sand. The latest from TOP confirming they wouldn’t chase tax reform in their first term seals the deal.
    
    If the alternative is being out of Government, Luxon will pick up the phone.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:46am
  - pdm
    
    SR I agree.
    
    What is more he will be more than comfortable with their new bottom lines.
    
    Thank goodness ACT will be there to try and keep him on track.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:07am
    - Jethrod
      
      I don’t think there is a zero chance of National disregarding TOP.
      IF push comes to shove David Seymour won’t want 3 years in opposition (would rather resign if not in Govt), Winston will look sideways at Labour and that lot and roll his eyes.
      I figure if the present coalition can get a sniff of power , they will partly roll over and give TOP 1 or 2 associate ministers positions , if they make the 5%.
      I think it will be that close
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:46pm
  - Isobar
    
    I agree. The National Party’s literal founding and sole purpose through its 90 years is to keep Labour out of Power.
    
    There is no question National will look to do a deal if they need to. And if luxon still refuses, he will be gone in short order and replaced by someone who will do a deal.
    
    National Mp’s and whatever ministers are left will 100% not want to go down in history as being part of the first national one term government.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:21am
- Bobba Fret
  
  It sounds like TOP are already starting to back track on some of their bottom lines.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:39am
  - kingerstinger
    
    Yup, the door is wide open. That said, I also think it lessens their chances of hitting 5% – if those who want extreme reform twig, they’ll flee back to the Greens.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:47am
  - Taieri
    
    They will drop all of their bottom lines if that’s the price of getting into the parliament and being given a few crumbs of power.
    
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    October 9, 2026 12:18pm
BananaLlama

I think the most important lesson for National during this election is going to be that you don’t have nine years to enact your policy, you may not even have three years.
Telling voters you might get around to doing something in the 2030’s will see you thrown out of government on your backsides.
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October 9, 2026 8:09am
- RoboRob
  
  They need to set out a vision. Outline how they plan to get there and then as they enact each policy explain how this ties in to the overall vision. Its not rocket science. People will except cuts IF they understand why. People will except more staff hiring if they understand how it fits into the plan.
  
  That was the major issue this term. We thought they were going to cut hard to get government down to size and fix the deficit. Willis actually implemented a much more gentle plan designed to avoid mass layoffs and huge cuts. If she had outlined that plan better (at all) and got buy in from the start, I suspect there would be a lot less people feeling burnt.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:34am
  - KKNZ2025
    
    National are still backtracking. They’re now saying their announced reduction in the Public servants over 3yrs to 55000 will be achieved by attrition. Yeah, right.
    
    In 2017-2023 Labour increased public servants by 18000/40% to over 60000 with no significant improvement in public services.
    
    In 2000, the number was 30000.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:14am
  - Don Beckett
    
    Do you mean ‘except’, or ‘accept?
    Proof read required ?
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:37am
    - RoboRob
      
      Up, proof read failure (not uncommon for me). Yes accept.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:02pm
      - RoboRob
        
        lol, My ‘Yup’ is missing the Y. Epic fail.
        
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        October 9, 2026 12:47pm
      - ISeeRed
        
        “Proofread” is one word. You’re well come. B-)
        
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        October 9, 2026 1:24pm
  - septic skeptic
    
    Well, we would have known they were only ever intending to maintain the status quo, tinker around the edges and keep Labour’s appointees in place for their inevitable return. That was actually pretty obvious to some of us anyway, but maybe we would have had a bigger ACT vote if National had been honest about intentions
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:39am
  - imalwaysright
    
    Plenty of big companies around the world are laying people off and replacing them with AI based services.
    
    Presumably AI is being used in our Public Service, but we see zero redundancies.
    
    Are our PS using AI informally on an individual basis and yet still taking the full days pay?
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:52am
    - RoboRob
      
      IRD talking about 10% staff reduction. I assume AI will be front line answering questions.
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:02pm
- kingerstinger
  
  Yup – as soon as they realised there would be no honeymoon, and the media would be just as biased as usual, it should have been full steam ahead.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:48am
Yvette

Te Pāti Māori’s tax strategy is to tax the super-rich to fund health, housing, and social initiatives.
Is this a separatist racist party, not only targeting a portion of society (possibly in defiance of Human Rights legislation), but ignoring Article 2 of the Treaty on taonga or treasured property?
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October 9, 2026 8:10am
- RoboRob
  
  Unfortunately section 2 only guarantees Maori protection to taonga / treasured property. If the supermarkets were IWI owned they would be safe.
  
  Otherwise they have the same rights as all other citizens and sadly those rights dont protect our property from the government.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:38am
  - Yvette
    
    “Rich” people
    
    Kiwiblog two days ago –
    Why [Nick] Mowbray donates
    Then we moved to China and lived on US$1 a day for many years. No exaggeration. My brother spent close to a decade living in a tiny room inside our first factory. For a decade we worked almost every day from morning until late at night sacrificing pretty much every comfort to keep building.
    https://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2026/10/why_mowbray_donates.html
    
    GOOGLE Overview
    • Waikato-Tainui: Valued at approximately $2.4 billion in total assets, making it the largest iwi by asset size in New Zealand. It has roughly 94,500 registered members. Its major commercial arm, Tainui Group Holdings, drives large-scale developments like the Ruakura Superhub in Hamilton.
    • Ngāi Tahu: Valued at approximately $2.1 billion in total assets, with around 85,000 members. It is widely diversified across tourism (such as Shotover Jet), property, farming, seafood, and forestry
    
    RoboRob, “Otherwise they have the same rights as all other citizens and sadly those rights don’t protect our property from the government.”
    
    It would seem the Treaty document is an agreement between Maori and the Crown, in which non-Maori New Zealanders are not directly referenced. Pioneer non-Maori were in fact the object in the Treaty, not any partner as 1970s –80s implication would have you defined.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:13am
  - Quail
    
    RR,
    Absolutely, all individual NZ residents need strong legal protection from Government and it’s associated bureaucracy.
    That is what Magna Carta was all about ,and has been a leader in human rights ever since.
    The wear and tear of generations has weakened this concept as Governments lose interest in right and wrong ,focusing on just getting elected.
    The decline in Governments respect for people ,and their property ( and human ) rights is accelerating .
    The classic NZ examples are the RMA . Fiscal matters ,taxation and their favourite ,regulation!
    Now this decline is now affecting the very core of NZ democracy, suffrage and elections .
    No longer do politicians get selected by the people.
    A Classic example: TOP advertised for their paid leader. In short where ( and what )are their principles ? And what can voters expect?
    MMP is driving and enabling the rapid decline in peoples individual rights.
    The parties produce their list, yet again there is no public ballot for those .
    There is no accountability. The parties and their bureaucracy rule NZ.
    It is democracy that is failing!
    
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    October 10, 2026 7:44am
- OlderChas
  
  Yvette: “tax the super rich”. Such as, Ngai Tahu? Tainui? And others
  
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  October 9, 2026 6:43pm
Tomtoddy

I have been thinking about TOP’s release of their bottom lines. The party came into existence and continues to have at its core a universal payment and a land tax. That policy is core to its being.

To then betray its own essence in a vain attempt to gain popularity and be a “kingmaker’ acceptable to either the centre right or centre left, shows not only crude desperation but a casual approach to principles and core beliefs.

The only conclusion is they stand for nothing other than the grasping for power, the very thing they say they want to eliminate from politics.
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October 9, 2026 8:13am
- CJames
  
  ” is they stand for nothing other than the grasping for power, the very thing they say they want to eliminate from politics” Maybe they want to take over from NZ First when Winston dies. That stance is his one, isn’t it? And we know how the baubles of office haunts him, don’t we.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:20am
  - pdm
    
    If I remember correctly that was a stated aim when Opportunity first came to prominence.
    
    I heard Quilae Wong confirm to Moana Maniapoto in a recent interview that they will oppose Winston Peters being Foreign Minister.
    
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    October 9, 2026 8:33am
    - Michael Johnston
      
      And if there’s one thing Winston does very well (apart from chasing baubles), it’s being foreign minister.
      
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      October 9, 2026 8:41am
      - mike
        
        And his achievements as foreign minister are?
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:07am
      - Pineapple Lumps
        
        Winston has been very good as the Foreign Minister, he has made sure we still have a relationship with the USA as well as standing up politely to Chinese expansion in the Pacific. The left bang on about him making racist comments, but he is right that we don’t want a whole lot of low skilled migrants from India.
        
        The narcissistic Jacinda Ardern was very happy to insult President Trump which in the past 3 years would have had detrimental consequences for our trading terms.
        
        Winston has shown wisdom and decorum in this role and NZ is better off for his service.
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:18am
      - pdm
        
        pineapple lumps – not to forget Nanaia Mahuta who could not find Auckland Airport so she could make an overseas trip anywhere.
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:23am
      - Jethrod
        
        Well we have the negative question of the day!
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:53am
      - Pineapple Lumps
        
        PDM – I had forgotten about Nanaia. Winston has improved the dress standard a lot!
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:59am
      - kowtow
        
        PL
        
        Don’t forget that Luxon insulted Trump in that debate .
        
        Blaming him for ‘his” war in Iran and the cost of fuel.
        
        Very short sighted and actually innaccurate.
        
        Iran has been at war with the west since the accession of the Murderous Mullah regime .
        
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        October 9, 2026 11:46am
      - Jethrod
        
        Mmmm……. it seems strange that Nanaia couldn’t find her way to Auckland airport, even though Tainui are said to have a significant interest in the area through TOW//
        
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        October 9, 2026 3:12pm
    - Gravelroad
      
      How long would the more experienced political (but currently shy) activists in TOP allow Ms Wong to be their leader should they gain some power?
      I suspect that having “charmed” enough people to vote for her, she will have served her purpose.
      
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      October 9, 2026 8:55am
      - Tarquin North
        
        I suppose her employer will just give her the don’t come Monday and replace her with their choice, happens all the time in the private sector, I’m sure the voters will be delirious.
        
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        October 9, 2026 9:06am
- kevn
  
  Tt and CJ… Indeed.
  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/opportunity-abandoning-tax-reform-next-term-worth-considering-in-potential-national-led-coalition-qiulae-wong/K77UD6IRHFERBH7RHN5MTK2QLI/
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:29am
- peterwn
  
  The overarching objective of a political party is to get into power and if in power to stay in power. All the ideals in the world is not going to help a political party gain power (or even a wedge of power in the case of a minor party). Winston Peters has learned this on three occasions, when he fell out with his National Party colleagues, and twice when his party was wiped out in elections.
  So The Opportunity Party has been forced to moderate its policies to better appeal to voters and to signal that it can adapt to being a coalition partner with either major party.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:33am
- R
  
  TOP is a subsidiary political party of LABOUR.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:07am
  - kevn
    
    R… Not a peep from the man behind TOP.
    AJ Bertenshaw/Wilderland.
    What’s up?
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:47am
    - R
      
      Difficult to argue your way out of an exposed TRUTH, even for a MARXIST organisation.
      
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      October 9, 2026 4:58pm
- RoboRob
  
  I think TOP are clever here. IF they can get in, even giving up everything they stand for, next election they campaign as an ‘existing party’ that can clear the 5% threshold. At that point they become a real player and can push for more. Look at Act, they worked up from one mp with no power to a serious power that has implemented some of their policy.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:41am
  - Boy Geoff
    
    Imagine the appeal to straight male wokesters of a joint Arena Williams/Qiulae Wong ticket!
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:16am
- Taieri
  
  a casual approach to principles
  ———–
  
  What principles?
  
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  October 9, 2026 12:21pm
- R
  
  Universal Basic Income and land tax are now well established, but not publicised Labour policies. Initiating a associated political party, …..TOP….. and gifting them these two foundation policies is a clever, but dishonest strategy by devious Labour Party.
  
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  October 9, 2026 2:56pm
peterwn

Interesting stand-off in Canberra between the Australian Tax Office and the Labor government concerning ATO’s decision to stop accepting credit cards for tax payments since under changed laws ATO can no longer impose a card surcharge. This would effectively mean a $200M shortfall that has to be accounted somehow, presumably either by absorbing the cost within ATO administration or by accepting that revenue passed on to the Treasury would have a shortfall.
I initially the ATO was to blame for flying in the face of Government policy but I now realise that the ATO commissioner is caught between a rock and a hard place.
The Treasurer Jim Chalmers (ATO’s responsible minister) has been noticeably silent on this and it has been other Ministers and the Cabinet Secretary (effectively a MP who is the PM’s right hand man but not in Cabinet – a vastly different situation than exists in the UK and portrayed in ‘Yes Minister’) who have been making all the noises about ATO. Presumably the Treasurer does not want to lose $200M revenue or provide an extra $200M to ATO so ATO can abide by Government policy.
So far Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not rolled his sleeves up on this one – surely if his Ministers are in such public disarray over this, he should be showing leadership and banging heads together, in particular telling his Treasurer to sort it (by giving ATO direction or legislating).
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/08/calls-ato-to-reverse-credit-card-surcharge-ban-small-business-backlash
(not paywalled – the Guardian does not operate a paywall).
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October 9, 2026 8:25am
- RoboRob
  
  I am stunned that ATO accepts credit cards for tax payment at all. I only just discovered that the IRD does too. Just seems wrong to me.
  
  I guess the easy solve is for the ATO to stop accepting credit card payment. That would deal with the CC surcharge issue. Some Aussies might get upset though, but would can you do, you (generally) cant win against the tax man.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:45am
  - peterwn
    
    IRD accepts credit cards but with a 1.4% ‘convenience fee’ and probably has to face similar issues as ATO had to. IRD does not charge the ‘convenience fee’ on card payments from overseas since cards are the easiest way of remitting money to NZ organisations and IRD does not want to discourage anyone overseas from paying taxes or repaying student loans.
    
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    October 9, 2026 1:25pm
- Flossie
  
  Albanese seems to be quite obtuse. Either that or he thinks the people are. Somebody has to bear the cost of card fees, and if it’s not to be those using the card then it will be everybody once prices rise across the board to cover said fees.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:48am
mike

Random election question:
Had anyone heard of the Women’s Rights Party before its TV advertisement?
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October 9, 2026 8:32am
- peterwn
  
  No, but I have noticed some other political groups or fronts suddenly springing up on Facebook with paid placements.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:37am
  - RoboRob
    
    Yup, there a large number of third parties clearly associated with a real party, that are campaigning on behalf of them. Got a pamphlet just yesterday about selecting my candidate based on their environmental policy.
    
    Its almost like they are trying to get around the election spending limits for the main parties. I am sure the electoral commission will be all over this /sarc
    
    If anything does come of it, it will be after the election and after the results have been achieved. What is there to stop, say Act spending $100m on campaign advertising. They might actually win power. Then the commission comes in after the election and says, ‘hey you overspent in that election’. They hand it off to the police who can then chose if they want to investigate. The maximum penalties appear to be around $40k or two years in jail. Remember Act are now the government, the very worst that can happen is the party secretary gets 2 years jail (which turns into about 8mths). More likely the worst would be home D for a few months. Thats the worst outcome.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:56am
    - wsk12345
      
      The SPCA is campaigning on animal welfare policy. If you don’t want to destroy our economy by banning bottom trawling (for example) you are very very bad in animal welfare terms.
      
      Sheesh I’m a vego, in part due to animal welfare concerns. But I’m also pragmatic. But people are too dumb to realise what the impact on cost of living of these policies is. We can’t all afford free range eggs at $12/doz.
      
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      October 9, 2026 10:21am
    - peterwn
      
      I am not sure if any offender has even received the wet bus ticket.
      
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      October 9, 2026 1:27pm
- Spam
  
  Watching a TV advertisement? How quant!
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:41am
- Philview
  
  Per their website they came about after the violent protest against Posie Parker. Politicians and the media cheered on the violence. I wouldn’t vote for them but can understand that it was a dangerous day against women’s free speech in New Zealand.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:44am
  - mike
    
    Yes, I see they were around last time, scoring an impressive 0.45% of votes. Might break 0.5% this time?
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:44am
    - Pineapple Lumps
      
      Clearly they are a niche cause and lack significant financial backing. But if they were given any coverage it would be damaging to Labour, Greens, TPM, TOP.
      
      Does Chris Hipkins know what a women is yet?
      
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      October 9, 2026 10:06am
      - Pope Punctilious II
        
        “woman” = singular, “women” = plural.
        
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        October 9, 2026 12:20pm
- Notsofast
  
  Yes.
  Jill Ovens established the party immediately following the Albert Park riot fomented by RNZ, the labour party and the Green Party, in March 2023.
  She resigned from the labour party that evening.
  The party is opposed to gender indoctrination, puberty blockers, body part removal and so on for under 18s, as well as the sport, prison, changing rooms violations by men, and generally recognises women and men ARE different.
  There is a website and it costs $5 to join.
  
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  October 9, 2026 8:49am
  - Jethrod
    
    Could it be said Ovens is putting the heat on?
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:59am
  - imalwaysright
    
    It shows how damaged our society is, that a political party would have such policies against things that a decade ago would have been considered the ravings of a lunatic.
    Welcome to NZ 2026
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:24am
- Pineapple Lumps
  
  Yes they were around in the last election – their leader is Jill Ovens, previously head of the Service and Food Workers Union and previously a staunch Labour Party member. I would describe them as old school feminists, greatly concerned by the trans-monster that was spawned from feminist ideology. They have an important message to protect our vulnerable children from indoctrination and chemical and surgical mutilation.
  
  The fact you don’t know anything about them speaks to the absolute bias in the NZ media. The media has given them zero coverage – unlike TOP who just keep getting limitless coverage.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:25am
- Nūhaka Native
  
  Yes, Mike, I had. They stand up for women’s (the female ones) rights and fact-based policy. Unlike Labour, The Greens, TPM and TOP. Ironically, most of them are ex-Labour and Greens members. One was the head of Women’s Studies at Victoria University. That says something about the state of what passes for the ‘Left’ of politics in NZ these days.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:49am
Boy Geoff

Richard Harman’s getting snarky over at Politik – has he got some money on this election result, or something…?
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October 9, 2026 8:33am
David George

Do we have a politician that could, or would, deliver a speech like this? Chris or Chloe? David? Perhaps David.
Marco Rubio at the Acropolis.
https://youtu.be/eOv1DpML7I4
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October 9, 2026 8:41am
- Raphael
  
  Rubio is damn good. And quick on his feet as well when dealing with questions from the media.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:07am
- RichardX
  
  Shame about his corrupt Ambassador to Greece but then he didn’t really have a chance to reject her, given her Trump ties.
  
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  October 9, 2026 1:53pm
Maggy Wassilieff

Massey University’s values are up for investigation

It should be deeply embarrassing for Massey to be obliged to convene a panel to consider whether the articles written by three senior academics “reflect its values”.

https://www.brashandmitchell.com/post/graham-adams-is-criticism-of-ma-ori-culture-permitted-at-massey-uni
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October 9, 2026 8:44am
- Scott
  
  As a graduate of Massey university it is sad to see how woke it has got.
  
  The local young people I know have all skipped Massey and Victoria and instead chosen to go to Canterbury.
  Massey used to be known for its Vet school and its agricultural college. Now it’s a bastion of wokeness. Remember when they disinvited former National party leader Don Brash who was going to speak on leadership?
  
  It seems that young people have noticed the wokeness and are voting with their feet. They’re all going elsewhere.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:02am
  - Pineapple Lumps
    
    All the NZ Universities are woke and openly racist – promoting facilities (dedicated spaces on campus, providing food, financial assistance) only for Māori or Pacific Island students.
    
    Our young people have this rubbed in their faces constantly. Most will suck it up but it is highly divisive.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:38am
- Blog-aholic
  
  Massey live up to Marx’s statements. These are my principles, if you do not like them I have others…..Groucho Marx, that is…..not the other one they seem to be following.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:26am
  - Flossie
    
    Funny I was just thinking of that quote with reference to the Opportunity Party.
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:59am
imalwaysright

Gold card users have to register an account on Motu Move for their free bus rides.

Why?

Why can’t they just show their card to the driver as they do now?

Motu Move could make life difficult for elderly travellers, says letter writer | The Press https://share.google/RXRzhAPiy1dxZihTL
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October 9, 2026 9:10am
- Flossie
  
  This will make it complicated for us country folk on an occasional rare visit to the Big Smoke.
  Australian public transport is so easy to use, even for tourists.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:01am
  - RoboRob
    
    I was in Melbourne earlier in the year, there tram system is ‘stupid’. Its free in a zone but after that you should buy the card and tap on / off. Costs min $5 a trip outside the free zone. If you hop on at the edge of the free zone and travel 100m outside the free zone and follow the rules, that’s $5. I would add that its entirely honesty based, I watched lots of people not do it.
    
    Note you have to have the card, which is what is being complained about here.
    
    Lots of better systems let you use your credit card, as Moto Move will. This means country people can easily use the system when in town. Yes if you are retired you might need to register to get free rides. Its not hard.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:08am
    - MCōs
      
      I went to Denver a long time ago. There were very well patronized free buses that went up and down the media strip of the high street stopping at every intersection.
      They had very big doors and very few seats.
      
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      October 9, 2026 10:27am
- RoboRob
  
  I assume the idea is that people tap on and off buses / trains. Having to interact with a bus driver or admin person at the train stop defeats most of the purpose.
  
  If an elderly person travels every day would they rather have to go and deal with the driver every time or get a moto move card and just tap on and off like everyone else? Seems a no brainer to me.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:02am
  - rouppe
    
    My observation is that the person flashes a super gold card as they walk on, and that’s the extent of the interaction.
    
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    October 9, 2026 2:59pm
- Interested Party
  
  I think the details get linked against your travel card – that’s how it works for the AT Hop card ie you use your hop card only and the freebies are automatically applied
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:04am
- MCōs
  
  I’m not a subscriber to the Press so I could only read a portion of the letter, but from what I can make out the writer is grizzling about what what we’ve been doing for years in Auckland without too much fuss.
  By using the swipe card the transport authority is able to ascertain how many people use the public transport
  The data is collected and the transport authority is reimbursed by the government aka the taxpayer
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:18am
- pdm
  
  `Motu move’?
  
  Wouldn’t that be an earthquake?
  
  I must say Auckland `Hop Cards’ worked very well when we were vising last weekend.
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:23am
- Taieri
  
  Gold card users have to register an account on Motu Move
  ————
  
  That’s an existing practice in Otago. You can’t just show your Supergold card, you have to link your card to a BEE account and use the BEE card to travel.
  
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  October 9, 2026 12:25pm
RoboRob

Melanie Mark-Shadbolt
Elected a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi

Melanie Mark-Shadbolt has been recognized for her significant contributions to the field of science and public policy, particularly in the intersection of indigenous knowledge systems and environmental science. She has been elected as a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi for her sustained nationally significant contribution. Her work has reshaped how Aotearoa understands and applies mātauranga Māori to various fields, including biodiversity, biosecurity, emergency management, and climate resilience. Mark-Shadbolt’s leadership and innovation have been acknowledged with the 2021 Westpac Women of Influence Public Policy Award.

Just as a reminder, this is the woman that rorted the tax payer for 100s of thousands of dollars to trial singing to Kauri to fix Kauri die back. If there were any questions around the royal society this should end them. This is an organisation funnelling government money to work projects with no care for success.
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October 9, 2026 9:13am
- Pineapple Lumps
  
  Just another example of an institution that had been captured by the marxists.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:29am
  - RoboRob
    
    Its even in her name ‘Mark’ 🙂
    
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    October 9, 2026 12:05pm
- Gravelroad
  
  Is there some report somewhere on the results of the taxpayer investment in singing to fix the Kauri tree die back?
  Think it might be called a cost benefit analysis……..?
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:41am
  - Pineapple Lumps
    
    Gravel, they did the analysis and are looking for more projects of this type. Results below.
    
    Benefits
    – Melanie got paid
    – Cultural revolution was advanced
    
    Costs
    – Others peoples money
    
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    October 9, 2026 9:50am
    - RoboRob
      
      Melanies friends and family (all staff) got paid too. Melanie got awards and is now part of deciding who can and cant get govt funding.
      
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      October 9, 2026 10:10am
      - Colville
        
        That is just funny.
        
        The most important job for a consultant is to arrange the next report (s)he needs to consult on so the gravy train continues.
        
        You elevate yourself to being a gate keeper for other consultants is just ninja level troughing!!
        
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        October 9, 2026 12:49pm
  - RoboRob
    
    The TPU did a report on it a few years back.
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:09am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      Yep,
      and Melanie Mark-Shadbolt threatened to sue them over their report…
      
      https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2025/03/peter-williams-taxpayers-union-boss.html
      
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      October 9, 2026 12:44pm
  - Maggy Wassilieff
    
    Yes, there is…and if you work through all their links you will discover that they failed to advance understanding or treatment of Kauri dieback or Myrtle Rust..
    
    https://bioheritage.nz/research/oranga-wellbeing/
    
    Which was meant to be the point of their “research”.
    
    The Masters Project that was funded (by a relative of Melanie Mark-Shadbolt) was on seed germination of a few Coprosma shrubs.
    
    Another summary paper published earlier this year states clearly that the acoustical “research” on kauri disease was deliberately taken within a framework that rejected Western Science.
    
    Ihirangaranga: interwoven tapestry of connection through vibration and frequencies
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/11771801251406142
    
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    October 9, 2026 10:25am
    - Maggy Wassilieff
      
      I would contrast the nonsense pseudo-science funded by the Melanie Mark-Shadbolt contract with the real scientific work on Kauri dieback that has been carried out by NZ microbiologists and Plant Pathologists.
      
      e.g.
      https://www.kauriprotection.co.nz/assets/content-blocks/downloads/25791-C-Ian-Horner-Phosphite-trials-for-control-of-Phytophthora-agathidicida-FINAL.pdf
      
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      October 9, 2026 10:34am
- Northshoredoc
  
  Meh – it’s an independent charitable not-for-profit organisation who they elect is up to them. I don’t believe they were to blame in relation to the Kauri dieback research.
  
  MBIE funded a large part of the Kauri dieback research which was part of the New Zealand’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge
  
  ‘…a 10-year, mission-led research partnership that ran from 2014 to mid-2024.
  
  Core Details
  
  • Objective: Reverse the decline of Aotearoa New Zealand’s native biodiversity, improve biosecurity, and build resilience against harmful organisms.
  • Funding: Allocated $63.7 million by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
  • Host Organisation: Hosted by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, bringing together 18 partner Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), universities, iwi/hapū, and community groups.
  
  Yet another exmaple of successive governments wasteful spending on behalf of the taxpayer
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:24am
MCōs

In light of the conjecture over whether National will have any list MPs in the next parliament it’s interesting to look back over the last few elections
In the 2023 election National won 38.08% of the party vote, 43 electorate seats and 5 list MPs
In 2020 25.58% of the party vote, 23 electorate seats and 10 list MPs
In 2017 44.45% of the party vote 41 electorate seats and 15 list MPs
According to current polling they are likely to win 30% of the party vote this time and on these past figures will lose a lot of electorate seats
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October 9, 2026 9:34am
- kowtow
  
  Maurice Williamson covers this very well in podcast with Duncan Garner , as well as oninterview with Plunkett on the Platform . Well worth looking up.
  
  Nat voters will do quite well in the constituency seats on current polling , but it’s vital they give their party vote ,on current polling to Act ( or NZF) in order to ensure a coaltion win.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:05am
- RoboRob
  
  If my electorate MP is any indicator, they aren’t trying very hard to win the electorate. It is strange, it’s like they want to lose.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:18am
  - septic skeptic
    
    I think the only hope is that the voters overrule National strategy and choose to deliver an overhang.
    
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    October 9, 2026 11:04am
Southern Raider

What are the electoral rules around a party leader being under criminal charges during an election campaign?

John Minto is
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October 9, 2026 9:37am
- Flossie
  
  Perhaps the innocent until proven guilty rule applies.
  
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  October 9, 2026 9:51am
- crash
  
  Which political party is Minto leader of? Where is he standing?
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:30am
imalwaysright

TOP seem to be there to expand the envelope of public acceptance of extreme policies.
What other reason can there be?
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October 9, 2026 9:49am
- kowtow
  
  TOP are a weird mix of Labour/Green.
  I wonder if it was some sort of creation to give Labour a more “reasonable” looking MMP partner .
  
  As an aside if Nat , “I always two tick blue” voters were smart and want to keep the whackos out , then they really should not waste their party vote , on current polling, and give that to Act .
  
  Are Nat voters smart enough though? It is literally for the sake of the country’s future.
  
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  October 9, 2026 10:01am
- kevn
  
  iam… Ask the TOP boss. Mr AJ Bertenshaw aka A Wilderland.
  
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  October 9, 2026 1:02pm
- RichardX
  
  Your exhaustive investigation of every possible reason has me convinced.//
  
  Have you ever considered looking into fallacious reasoning?
  
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  October 9, 2026 1:10pm
Biscuit

I see Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier aced a Par-3 hole at the Spanish Open overnight and, as a result, won a BMW iX5 SUV valued at NZ$280,000.
Good on him.
Though I had to grit my teeth when I read on that he said he thinks ‘it was his fifth career hole-in-one.’
He’s 28, good grief. Moi, I am 73 and I can still remember every single tee shot of mine that finished within 6 inches of the hole…
One day, Grasshopper, one day…
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October 9, 2026 10:40am
- pdm
  
  One is not such a hard number to remember Biscuit. lol.
  
  Talking of numbers mrspdm and I shared seating at a table with a Korean couple on the Devonport Ferry last weekend. They had a daughter aged about 3 who proudly counted to a hundred for us in 10s.
  
  How good is that.
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:31am
- MCōs
  
  In 1994 Kim Jung iI accomplished eleven holes in one in the only round he ever played, at the Pyongyang Golf Course, which is pretty impressive
  There is some doubt about the veracity of the story, but not from those who were there
  
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  October 9, 2026 11:31am
- Colville
  
  Biscuit.
  
  I have hit maybe 20 golf balls in my life and lost most of them.
  I have landed one within a couple of inches of the hole on a par 3.
  I refused to ever hit another ball. I retired 🙂
  
  Give a million monkeys and let them hit a million balls…. 🙂
  
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  October 9, 2026 12:54pm
Southern Raider

In Australia a Somalian immigrant was just given bail while he awaits trial

What is he charged with? Only mass distribution of ISIS propaganda, beheading videos and instructions on how to carry out terrorist attacks
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October 9, 2026 10:45am
Yvette

The US will livestream the Army’s upcoming firing squad execution on 3 December of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in a 2009 shooting spree, a Pentagon official says, in what would be an unprecedented move.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/1802452/us-to-livestream-army-execution-of-fort-hood-shooter-pentagon-official-says

Has anyone told Jacinda or Christchurch Call?
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October 9, 2026 11:31am
- slightlyrighty
  
  leaving aside the merits or otherwise of the death penalty, the idea of livestreaming this is just wrong.
  
  This is not the hallmark of a civilised country, but the manifestation of madness on the part of those in charge.
  
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  October 9, 2026 1:48pm
  - kowtow
    
    We leave babies to die at full term.
    Considered by the PM to be one of her greatest achievements.
    
    Are ‘we” in any position to stand in judgement .
    
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    October 9, 2026 5:22pm
- Lance
  
  Consistent with the recent change in culture of the USA.
  
  The unimaginable, too OTT even for dystopian novels, have become the norm.
  Each day I look at the news feeds to see what batshit crazy event or statement Donald and his sycophants have perpetrated.
  
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  October 9, 2026 2:37pm
- Northshoredoc
  
  If true what a sick and pathetic decision by the self styled secretary of war and the current US administration.
  
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  October 9, 2026 2:42pm
  - MCōs
    
    We used to condemn Saudi Arabia for this sort of thing. They halted the practice some years ago.
    
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    October 9, 2026 6:00pm
lifesgood

It’s all very well for Hipkins to say that teachers know best so the 1 hour a day requirement for maths, reading and literacy is unneccesary. My grandchildren were never taught their times tables at school, I taught them them during covid lock down. Times tables are a valuable life skill in my opinion. You can’t leave it up to the teachers, they don’t always know best. Some do, others don’t, give them clear directives they have to follow.
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October 9, 2026 2:31pm
MCōs

Reading the comments today I’m getting the impression the Opportunities Party is giving a few people the jitters.
There seems to be an attempt to paint them as a rabid bunch of extremists who will lead us down a dangerous path with their seven or so innocuous looking MPs
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October 9, 2026 3:19pm
- graham
  
  “Innocuous looking MPs”??
  
  I’m very impressed that you can instantly tell that someone (who, presumably, you’ve never met) is harmless and unlikely to offend anybody based solely on how they look.
  
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  October 9, 2026 3:25pm
- R
  
  Rabid bunch of extremists……..isn’t that the TRUTH.
  Basically failed ex Labour wanna be’s, who were considered too incompetent even, for the Labour Party, so they are a very low bar of attainment level.
  
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  October 9, 2026 5:06pm
- Southern Raider
  
  Some of their policies including UBI and land tax are extreme.
  
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  October 9, 2026 6:55pm
Southern Raider

Polanski looses the bi election in London. Which is a good payback for him.

Bad news is everyone voted for the Labour candidate who is a Somalian. UK is doomed.
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October 9, 2026 6:54pm
rouppe

18-24 year olds are not enrolling in Henderson.

“For young people finding it hard to vote it’s just lack of word. Not a lot of people are hearing about it. I think that’s what’s holding young people back.”

Another said, “At least if it was just talked about more because I think [for] a lot of people it’s just really overwhelming or a really daunting thing to like get into.”

Some of the most pathetic excuses I’ve ever heard. No wonder this country is going into the shitter if these are the future.
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October 9, 2026 9:25pm

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