Open mike 15/08/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, August 15th, 2014 - 288 comments
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288 comments on “Open mike 15/08/2014 ”

  1. Matthew Hooton 1

    The Cunliffe effect continues: http://origin-interactives.stuff.co.nz/polling/
    David Parker, Jacinda Ardern and Andrew Little all now at risk.

    • mickysavage 1.1

      So Matthew your thoughts on Hager’s book. Have you read it yet? It explains the current state of politics quite well.

    • Te Reo Putake 1.2

      Oh dear, first I wake up to hear Stephen Franks panicking on RNZ, now we have Matthew Hooton clutching at straws on the PM’s new favourite blog. Oh, what a wonderful day!

      This is the relevant bit of the Stuffed poll:

      Party Vote percentages are only based on eligible and decided voters. Respondents who are undecided, do not intend to vote or are ineligible to do so are excluded from the Party Vote.

      • mickysavage 1.2.1

        Greens are down by a similar proportion and the poll suggests Labour’s vote in Christchurch has collapsed to just over half its previous level.

        Most unlikely. More unlikely that progressives are deciding whether to vote Labour or Green and also lack of landlines is having a disproportionately random effect.

        • Enough is Enough 1.2.1.1

          You bring a smile to my face Micky Savage, with your positive outlook of the state of play. It is refreshing.

          I wake up and despair at our failure to get traction even when we are releasing good winning policy. The trends in the polls are to me depressing, and very confusing.

          Thank you for bringing another perspective to the numbers.

      • marty mars 1.2.2

        The wide-eyed panic is so satisfying – I’m loving it too.

      • Dumrse 1.2.3

        At 22.5% don’t you think its time to focus on what’s important. Never mind Hager, the majority of NZ don’t give a FRA’s.

        • Enough is Enough 1.2.3.1

          That is my concern. They are no really surprised that shock horror Whale, Collins and National are nasty people.

          The problem right now is we are being suffocated.

          Tea Pot Tapes anyone? The left was drowned out for days in 2011 when the talk should have been about asset sales we were crapping on about Key and Banks.

          Time for Cunliffe to get people talking about healthcare and positive progressive policies again.

          • monty 1.2.3.1.1

            Although I am firmly on the right, I can see The “Dirty politics” becoming a massive distraction. This book which labour have little control of does totally undermin labours vote positive campaign. Even if by association. WhaleOil is just loving the pubicity. But I seriously doubt there will be any consequence at the polls.

            labours other big issue is the inability to get its teeth into anything substantial. In 2011 labour and the left had Asset Sales. There is no such issue this year

            When will labour get to talk about policy? I have not heard any more about their $300m health policy since Monday. I went to the candidates meeting in Mt Vic Last night. The room seemed to be full of lefties, but it was green issues that dominated. Issues like the flyover, climate change (yawn) transport for students, binding referendums and the green belt. Economy barely got a mention. No substantial Labour policy was promoted.

            With Labour on 22.5% five weeks out from the election! things are looking very dire. Where is the substantial issue that labour can get its teeth into that captures the imagination of NZers. Or are the parties to the left of Labour just too toxic for middle NZ?

            • weka 1.2.3.1.1.1

              Labour aren’t on 22.5%

              Irrespective of the effect on the election, do you believe there are public interest issues to be looked at that Hager raises in his book? eg the SIS allegations?

              • monty

                I have not read the hager book, and maybe will buy a copy when in the $2 bin. There is so much conjecture in the book that my take is that it is largely being written off and congratulations to the right for being effective in discrediting it. In some ways I think the irony of the left who have screamed about secret spies and hacking by government is not lost when this book is a direct result of the sort of behaviours the left have previously moaned about.

                • TeWhareWhero

                  “I have not read the hager book” …..”there is so much conjecture in the book” that I have not read …. Way to go Monty.

    • Saarbo 1.3

      Re-Think on Maori TV last Monday night had a must see programme on Polls, where Winston Peters was at his best explaining of the damage that inaccurate polls have on the elections (don’t roll your eyes until you see the programme;-)). The other thing re latest Stuff poll, given the incredible dishonesty that the National Party and their cronies have introduced in New Zealand now, we don’t really know whether these Polls are truly representative or whether some vested interests pushing polls in a certain direction, just my thoughts.

      • Tom Jackson 1.3.1

        I’d thought that, but there’s no proof.

      • Olwyn 1.3.2

        This poll is far too handy at the moment. We can put that book to one side, and go back to
        the old “How is Labour going to lift its performance? Is a change of leader possible five minutes out from an election? What do you think John?”

        Furthermore, it runs counter to the mood of the large exuberant crowd I saw at the Labour campaign launch. Sure they were party members, but party members usually have a pretty good instinct for whether or not their party is on the ropes. I will be taking all polls with a grain of salt from now until election day, and concentrating on the only poll that matters.

      • disturbed 1.3.3

        Saabo

        These stuff polls are rigged see below.

        We actually were called by them and they are selecting their own preferences.

        After finding some details of us they declined to take our preference for who we would vote for and stopped the poll with us.

        You know now that these polls are definitely rigged.

        • greywarbler 1.3.3.1

          @ disturbed 9,.23
          Thanks for giving your info on the conduct of the poll. Very good to know their procedures.

        • Lindsey 1.3.3.2

          I was called for this Stuff Poll as well.
          I refused to answer a lot of the questions because they were loaded or biased.

          Example – who do you want to see more of or fewer of in Parliament? Options included dairy farmers and Trade Union delegates.

          A lot of it was just nonsense.

      • ianmac 1.3.4

        That was a sharp well conducted discussion on polls. Can’t find it on Maori TV.

    • Colonial Viper 1.4

      Matthew, when is the PM stepping down from his Intelligence oversight duties, or does he need to stay in place for the moment in order to keep feeding SIS spy dirt on Opposition politicians?

    • trickledrowm 1.5

      Machiavellian Henchman you of course knew nothing or weren’t involved in any of these dirty tricks aye Hooton you must of been involved!
      The next polls may not be so kind.
      so make the most of it.

    • Bearded Git 1.6

      Mathew, this is a slightly weird poll, though agreed a disaster for Labour/the Left if accurate.

      Labour’s vote among over 65’s has dropped from 29.1% to 18.7%. If this is true, and such a massive change has to be suspect, then it may be due to the IMP effect (Fuck John Key) pushing older voters to vote against the wider left.

      15% undecided is also very high. If they were going to vote for Key IMO they would have made their mind up by now so I think most of this will go to the Left.

      I would wait for the latest Roy Morgan, which is imminent, before jumping to any conclusions.

      • Karen 1.6.1

        The “Fuck John Key” video would have had an effect but much more because of the bundling of it together so with the idiotic Labour candidate’s Shylock comment, the effigy burning and the anti-semetic billboard graffiti.

        Interestingly, all these things which occurred over a couple of weeks were all strung together on in the media just before or during the Fairfax poll. Coincidence? Maybe, but I have my doubts. A pity Nicky Hager hasn’t got the emails past January this year.

        • monty 1.6.1.1

          I have noted on another blog and had a chat with grant Robertson last night about this. Internet mana are doing absolutely no favours to labour. They simply are toxic to many NZers who resent and quite correctly the way KDC is using our democracy as his personal plaything to avoid extradition.

          Indirect association with IMP F*** John Key effigy burning anti semantic bill board destroying nasty politics is making NZ realise that National must be the only logical government.

          On the polling this morning I suggest the public have turned off on the left. They will not offer stable government.

          • marty mars 1.6.1.1.1

            “the way KDC is using our democracy as his personal plaything to avoid extradition.”

            How exactly is he doing that monty?

            • monty 1.6.1.1.1.1

              Maybe NGO and read WhaleOil for a more full discussion ( I know what you will say about WhaleOil) but essentially establishing a political party, pairing you with hone and throwing $3m into the bucket and paying Laila to front so that if IMP hold balance of power there will be the expectation of influence to prevent deportion.

              • McFlock

                So are you saying that party donations are made on the expectation of future influence?

                That’s the dumb way of doing it.

                KDC’s objective is to shaft dunnokeyo, because an honest government wouldn’t extradite even if KDC lost the court battles.

                So he funds the party up front because the party’s existence aids a change in government – just like the New Zealand Party did (albeit via different mechanisms). Just as colon craigslist funds a vanity party because he’s a dick and wants everybody to see how much of a dick he is (nb: actual motivations may differ).

                For example, when Owen Glenn explicitly promised on TV to pay millions to help poor children, he said it would be after and contingent upon a national government being elected. That’s how you maintain leverage to get the outcome you want. If the juice is simply having a stronger party that supports the general objective you have, you just give them the money up front.

                • Dumrse

                  “So are you saying that party donations are made on the expectation of future influence? That’s the dumb way of doing it.”

                  Dumb? It’s what the Labour Unions do all the time. Perhaps you need to drop your leader an email and tell him how dumb the party really is. Oh, never mind, 55% of the country knows that already.

                  • McFlock

                    you wish 55%.

                    If the unions genuinely expected the quid pro quo you’re alleging, then Lab4 would have disabused them of that notion.

                    But really you’re just giving back double – national have been exposed as being dirty, so you attack the left with claims of outright bribery.

                    btw – I’m not in the Labour party.

              • “…there will be the expectation of influence to prevent deportion.”

                No there won’t.

                I hope that alleviates your unfounded fears.

    • Blue 1.7

      If you believe National is currently on 55% support Matthew, then I have a very nice bridge I can sell you.

      • Matthew Hooton 1.7.1

        My rule of thumb is to subtract 5 points from National’s polling numbers.

        • Enough is Enough 1.7.1.1

          what’s your rule for Labour?

          • monty 1.7.1.1.1

            The vote for labour can also collapse. I’m not sure Matthew Hooton is correct about the 5%. True it happened in 2011, but that election there was the unpopular asset sales and the tea pot tapes.

            In the absence of an election defining issue, no asset sales, no tea pot tapes saga ( including the “dirty politics” ) national will run a very controlled campaign and their vote is likely to hold up strongly. I think Labour really need to look at why they are not appealing to the middle ground. To me the answer is so obvious.

        • Skinny 1.7.1.2

          Hooton we know not to take any notice of these crap polls. We know the numbers are coming out to vote this election. Spoken & signed up too many people to know that Key-National are out of office.

          Your not the only ones good at spin. We have a nice little number coming up that will resonate with Kiwi’s and say ‘wow that is a Government in waiting.’ Such great policies and their all in harmony, who would have thought going on those stupid polls, hmm probably has something to do with more corrupt goings on.

          Key-National are starting to smell real rotten and John Key appears to have lost his shiny teflon coat and is now speckled in shit.

      • Shrubbery 1.7.2

        (Hint, the bridge is in the middle of the Whanganui National Park, and crosses a tributary of the Whanganui river)

    • Ennui 1.8

      Matthew some questions?
      Are you actually David Farrar, or maybe Mr Ede?
      Are you maybe Guyon, or possibly that sneary looking little fellow on TV3?
      Or perhaps are you a small insect often found under wood piles?
      Could you possibly actually be John Key, or Tony Joyce?

      I am having such great difficulty working out who is actually who, all that I can say for sure is that the orchestrated harmony over Hagers book leads me to believe that the choir practices are well attended and regular. What are the acoustics like in the PMs Office?

    • Enough is Enough 1.9

      I have been crunching the numbers over my coffee table Matthew

      Essentially Labour needs to recover to 25% and the left wins. They need to get some work to get there but I am confident.

      Green Mana Internet NZF

      We will win Hoots

      Cunliffe will be YOUR prime minister

  2. amirite 2

    I can believe this, are Kiwis stupid, or callous, or both? http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/polls/10385525/Labour-at-new-low-poll

    • Tom Jackson 2.1

      Both.

      Looks like we’ll end up with an openly corrupt government this time. It’s like Muldoon: popular authoritarianism.

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1

        Oh forget about that, Key and National are fucked at this stage.

        • Tom Jackson 2.1.1.1

          In a rational world, they would be.

          Note that David Cunliffe was called on to resign over a bottle of wine he didn’t buy or something like that, yet the papers have decided that some unspecified “cleaning house” will be enough to let National off the hook.

          People believe this crap.

        • greywarbler 2.1.1.2

          @ colonial viper 7.30
          Keep up that positivity. I get anxious sometimes.

    • crocodill 2.2

      First comment on that “story” makes me laugh. Some fool saying that all Labour did in the old days was tax people heavily and then did NOTHING but blow it all on welfare programs. NOTHING, I tell you. Welfare is NOTHING.

      Now fair cop, I do kinda squint at the idea of Labour getting an extra $60 a week out to people earning up to the close end of 150K a year, for their kid’s nappies or whatever, while explicitly leaving out any reference to people who aren’t earning and who would like some nappies, too. When accused of bourgeois attitudes toward the poor, Labour tend to veer off into mindless objectivity land in an attempting to prove otherwise, where, since no one should have to be labelled deserving or not, they promptly forget their power and position and the effect of money in a socio-economic context and give equal welfare to rich and poor alike. Stuff like that probably heightens an overall NZ hatred of welfare by certain people who hated the idea anyway.

      So to answer your question, yes, to both.

    • David H 2.3

      Well it seems to have quickly disappeared from the front page, very unusual for Stuff to take the gloating headline down so early.

  3. A lot more than tables gonna be upended oil exploiters – get used to the opposition, get used to the strong feelings and physical actions/reactions and get used to your incomprehension of what people are upset about and once you’ve got used to it – fuck off.

    However, Mr Haremo said he had no chance to discuss those issues. He listened to opinions from iwi and hapu, then the table-turning protest cut the meeting short.

    He found it hard to grasp what had happened and why. He already knew Kiwis cared about their environment – that had been clear from the June 9 hui in Kaitaia – but was surprised by the “physical part, the turning of the tables”.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11308784

    and this video is awesome – love all the flags

    http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/te-rarawa-keeping-close-eye-oil-company-statoil

  4. Gruntie 4

    Connection between labour polls and dirty smear tactics by TeamKey (Slater Farrar, Hoskibg & co)

    • Rosie 4.1

      I heard on RNZ this morning that the stuffed poll was conducted between Saturday and Wednesday of last week, so no connection there.

      • Puckish Rogue 4.1.1

        Yes but was taken after Labours campaign launch and their policy of free GP visits for the elderly

        • tricledrown 4.1.1.1

          and the $16 billion dollar bullshit Key and cronies put out when fact National have a $14 billion dollar spending program

          • Puckish Rogue 4.1.1.1.1

            Don’t worry about that just keep focusing on Nicky Hagers allegations 🙂

            • Dumrse 4.1.1.1.1.1

              You’re falling on deaf ears. Theses nothing in it, get over it. Move on to what’s important….stay focused. Do what the leader said.

        • ianmac 4.1.1.2

          It is very unlikely that there is an instant response to current events. But remember that 15% are undecided. That is 150 out of the 1,000 or that the poll reflects just 850 of those asked.

          • Puddleglum 4.1.1.2.1

            Party vote was calculated out of 803 people who gave a preference. Sample was 1007 so 204 people either ‘did not know’, refused to provide a preference, etc..

            442 people chose National out of 1007 in the total sample. 181 chose Labour, 91 Greens, 27 NZ First.

            Their polling methodology also uses weighting though they don’t provide details for individual polls.

            For example, if they get too few responses from Canterbury they would scale up the responses they do have so as to be a proportion of the overall NZ population who come from Canterbury. An assumption is that the people they do call in, for example, Canterbury are representative of Cantabrians. That assumption is used to justify the upscaling of the responses they did get from actual Cantabrians.

      • disturbed 4.1.2

        Rosie,
        You said today 15th August the stuff poll was taken Saturday and Wednesday of last week, so that’s between 6th and 9th August.

        If I was called on Wednesday 13th August by Stuff pollsters, and you said that last poll was conduced between 6-9th the next poll will be showing the Hager factor?

        This will be why the media are so anti Hager right now trying to drag down any swing voters that might consider switching to labour for their next poll I was contacted for on 15th and denied by vote by stuff pollsters.

        This all shows a pattern the MSM (stuff) & others along with our own taxpayer public media also are involved intensely with National on a corrupted campaign to get Key re-elected if they are indeed successful in causing rigged polls showing a direct stump of Labour support.

        I had a call this morning from a mate in Australia who said that the Australian political arena is in a turmoil now with PM’s being found corrupted after watchdog agency ICAC (Independent Investigation Against Corruption has found a number of M.P.s all now facing corruption charges.

        Why do we not have such a public protection Authority such as a similar ICAC?

        This country is corrupt now and need of a total corruption investigation of both Hager’s evidence and opposition evidence also of the list of National MP’s corruption activities.

        There are like Australia many similar examples of corruption of MP’s in NZ, and to not construct a ICAC here to investigate similar corruption going on in NZ is to be complicit with their illegal corrupt activities carrying on to ruin this country and all who call NZ home.

        We call on all opposition MPs and others to call for a ICAC here in NZ (Independent Commission Against Corruption) with Government funding, to begin all our corruption issues currently occurring.

        • alwyn 4.1.2.1

          Rosie might claim that the Poll was taken from the 6th to the 9th but Fairfax don’t, and it is their poll.
          The Dom/Post this morning says “The poll was taken from August 9 to August 13”.
          These dates are confirmed by the online post (last line)
          http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/polls/10385525/Labour-at-new-low-poll
          It is before Hager’s book but it isn’t the dates she claims.
          Perhaps Rosie can provide a link to the dates she suggests?
          Incidentally the headline says “Nats lick wounds as Labour bleeds” Can anyone explain the first part of that considering that the National percentage was up? At least the online version has a more comprehensible title.

        • Rosie 4.1.2.2

          disturbed, sorry I got the dates terribly wrong. I thought I heard the news reader say last week, which would have been 2nd to 6th, but of course that miles away from today. All I can say is I suffer from chronic insomnia and I hadn’t my coffee at that point.

          Apologies.

          I saw below your comment about being excluded from stuff’s polling because you didn’t fit their sample quota. Out of interest what time on Wednesday 13th did they phone you? I also wonder how pollsters in general obtain contact details for their survey participants and whether they can bias their results with their selection of participants.

          Interesting about the Aussie ICAC – I absolutely agree with you we need a similar structure in place here. My greatest fear is that every corrupt thing that has occurred in the last 6 years (and prior), will just be allowed to slip away, and the enormity of it buried in spin. There has been very little in the media focusing on the actual allegations in the book, and more to do with Nat reaction.

          What do we have left if the public accept what the media says and just shrugs their shoulders at the content of Hagar’s book? A hollow nation?

  5. felix 5

    Something I’d like to see the media address to Joyce and Key and their minions:

    Are the emails stolen? Or are they made-up?

    • A very good point felix.

      If they are ‘lies’ and made up then they haven’t been stolen.

      If they were stolen and have been altered then Cameron Slater can produce the original emails and show the difference. He has the power to establish beyond any doubt that Hager is fraudulently presenting evidence. Will he use it?

      Alternatively, the emails and their presentation by Hager in his book are valid and so Slater will not wish to present evidence that corroborates Hager’s work. He will therefore not be showing us the original emails – that is, he will not be able to produce a ‘smoking gun’ over Hager’s alleged ‘dirty politics’.

    • BLiP 5.2

      Key was – sort of – asked that very question at about 05:05 into yesterday’s stand-up at the rest home. His answer . . .

      “I don’t have any information on that”.

  6. kenny 6

    John Key’s first instinct is to lie.

    John Key is a liar. Bear this in mind when he speaks.

    FJK! FJK! Fuck John Key.

    • monty 6.1

      And here you demonstrate exactly why middle NZ is getting put off the left. Especially in light of the vote positive campaign. This is a milder version of burning effigys, chants, billboard vandalism, and the odd ( and thankfully rare ) anti Semitic statement.

      Where is the attitude that captures the imagination of middle NZ ?

    • idlegus 6.2

      “John Key is a liar. Bear this in mind when he squeaks.” ; )

  7. kenny 7

    Jason Ede and Cameron Slater have nothing to fear if they have nothing to hide.

    So why are they hiding?

    • Puckish Rogue 7.1

      Cameron Slaters right here: http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/

      • felix 7.1.1

        Nope, that’s Ede.

      • Rosie 7.1.2

        Hey Puke. I have just one question for you, it is a sincere and genuine question.

        I really want to know how you can support a person like Slater when they demonstrate a sociopathic streak in their hatred for humanity and disrespect for the dead and those who are suffering loss?

        I am talking about the “West Coast Feral” comment and the Christchurch Feb 2011 comment.

        Do you think such statements are acceptable?

        • Puckish Rogue 7.1.2.1

          I don’t agree with everything the guy says but a lot of the time hes right on the money but its interesting that he had information that Len Brown “slept” with hookers but didn’t publish it yet Nicky Hager did

          I guess I’d have to say I’m not my brothers keeper

          • Rosie 7.1.2.1.1

            Clearly his anti social, spiteful and hurtful comments aren’t enough to put you off though. I guess you can be selective about what you do and don’t “agree” with.

            Thanks for the viewpoint.

            Anyway, speaking of Hagar, I’ve just had a call from the book store to inform me that my reserved copy is ready to picked up. As mentioned yesterday, my advice to you would be to read it too. Might be unwise to continue defending your team when you don’t know what it is you’re defending.

            • felix 7.1.2.1.1.1

              Rosie, when Puke says he doesn’t agree with everything Slater says, why do you assume he means he doesn’t agree with the really nasty, racist, misogynist, homophobic, hateful bits?

              After all, he links to them non-stop all day every day.

              • Puckish Rogue

                Pretty sure I don’t link to things like the West Coast ferals and scum christchurch people but you appear to know more about what I do then I do so maybe you can bring up a link

              • Rosie

                felix I don’t for one minute assume that Puke “doesn’t agree with the really nasty, racist, misogynist, homophobic, hateful bits?”

                He never answered my question about supporting wail oil and he never answered my question about those comments of wails being acceptable.

                He did provide an evasive answer that didn’t in any way deny that he finds those comments appalling.

                The reason I’m not taking it up with him is because I simply can’t be bothered pursuing a more definite answer – he’s not going to give it.

                And why don’t I bother? Because I am related to this these types of people with these types of views, and it’s enough to deal with them IRL. It’s more than simple disagreement over who you vote for, it extends to who we’ve worked for, and those organisations being in conflict with one another.

                I shouldn’t have even bothered asking in the first place. I did because I don’t know how anyone can bring themselves to support such vile-ness. In the case of the people I know, they turn a blind eye to the unpleasant aspects of their work, just as if it doesn’t exist. I’m guessing this is where Puke is coming from.

                • Puckish Rogue

                  Well I might have been more open with you had you called me Puck but instead you called me Puke

                  Now if people want to call me Puke thats all well and good however it makes me assume that they don’t really want an answer, what they really want is confirmation of their own biases and again thats all good as well

                  But it means I won’t give you a considered thought out answer, instead I’ll give you a flippant, off the cuff remark as thats all you deserve

                  • Rosie

                    Oh don’t be so upset Pukey! Have you not noticed that I often give folks a nick name? See it as a sign of affection 😀

          • Murray Olsen 7.1.2.1.2

            More absolute bullshit, Pukish. Seaslug was trying to get information that Brown had visited brothels, in particular the Mustang Club, through and ex-working girl of his acquaintance. It doesn’t look like he came up with anything. This is what Nicky Hager published. He did not say Brown slept with hookers. Your attempts at glorifying Slugboy are pathetic. Please take your lies elsewhere.

  8. Puckish Rogue 8

    Poll showing Labour on 22.5% (is this their worst poll ever?) = National panic 🙂

    • felix 8.1

      Yesterday you claimed to have made a slew of accurate predictions over the past 6 years, but when I searched your name I couldn’t find anything older than 10 months.

      Which other handles should I be searching?

    • Enough is Enough 8.2

      Yes you keep looking at Labour rather than the left.

      The Greens are heading into the home straight in the form of their lives. They have lead the debate in the following week and will continue to do so throughout the campaign. Turei was declared the winner of the TV 3 debates from all commentators left and right.

      Greens will hit 15%, guaranteed.

      Mana/IP are gaining traction and will be 4-5%

      If Labour recover to 25% then guess what

      Cunliffe is your leader.

      It is game on.

      Key is gone.

      • Puckish Rogue 8.2.1

        Greens will hit 15%, guaranteed.

        • Maybe

        Mana/IP are gaining traction and will be 4-5%

        • Now you’re just being silly

        If Labour recover to 25% then guess what

        • Probably will get about that
  9. SPC 9

    The recent comment from Charles Finny on Kiwiblog indicate why Paul Henry chose him to review the Hager book.

    http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2014/08/ive_either_been_hacked_or_spied_on.html/comment-page-1#comment-1381105

  10. disturbed 10

    I was called Thursday morning by someone involved with Stuff doing a poll.

    After asking age groups, gender the lady will you take part in this poll that will take 12 minutes and I said yes, then she said are you o/k if she has her observer boss listening in?????

    I was hesitant but said o/k as I knew there was something not right, then she said oh we have already got our quota on that age group thank you for your time and hung up.

    This is very fishy as the very next day out comes this stuffed poll.

    On face these polls are nakedly being cherry picked by a Natz spin doctor who listens in on these calls asking these questions firstly to seed out the “right types” to use for their polls, making them very shady polls indeed.

    We had someone else about ten days ago was saying something like the same thing happened to her also.

    I discounted her story at the time, but having personally experienced this myself so this is not an isolated incident.

    So I am now convinced and worried that with proper conventional rules around constructing these polls, we will continue to get these fictitious poll results.

    • Te Reo Putake 10.1

      I wouldn’t worry too much, disturbed. Quota sampling is a normal polling practice, which is why gender/age/income are often the first questions asked. Mind you, the Stuff/IPSOS poll is generally rubbish anyway, so you didn’t miss much.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quota_sampling

      • Karpil 10.1.1

        Yes, but the ‘rubbish’ poll is trending in the wrong direction. That is the worry if it is conducted consistently each time.

    • Marg 10.2

      Yes ‘disturbed’ I had exactly the same experience from Stuff poll Friday last week, and also 4 or 5 months ago same formate but then asked for someone in the house between ages of 18 and 25.

      • disturbed 10.2.1

        Marg,

        Yes they asked me the same exact question, and when I said no he is away, they went on to ask another question.

        As if they were on a fishing expedition as well very fishy.

        It has me now thinking they have a duel purpose of gaining household population sourced details to sell on to marketing targeted interested agencies.

        Could be a cover. see my other inclusion on this blog. W need rules placed here, to loose and manipulating

        Thanks Marg.

        • Puckish Rogue 10.2.1.1

          I did some polling for a reserch company a while back and the most likely reason they were being specific about the age group is that the other age groups had already been filled otherwise most polls would be filled by over 65s (most likely at home during the day and most likely to answer polls) and wouldn’t be as representative of all of NZs views

  11. CnrJoe 11

    Surely, if this government gets in again they’ll make themselves unelectable for a generation? For the foulness will just become an open suppurating sore. The photo of the beehive 9th floor lit up the other night
    https://mobile.twitter.com/DawgBelly/status/499481530360545281/photo/1
    resembles the flaming vagina of Sauron in Jacksons Rings fillums

  12. disturbed 12

    Are there any actual “independent polls being taken right now anyone?

    As these polls all seem to be made up from either MSM Corporate backed sponsors or the National spinners?
    This is corporate takeover of our entire democracy here.

  13. halfcrown 13

    We must not let this Hager thing go away as the National would like it to.
    It must not be shut down like the inquiry into the practices by the Australian grocery chain “Countdown” appears to have been since Jones was “retired from Labour, and got a new job from Mc Cully” and National.”

    • Weepus beard 13.1

      Yes, it needs momentum and that requires others using Nicky Hager’s work to force further information out. Hager’s drive is to show the public the connections between John Key’s office and the increasingly unstable Slater to allow the entire voting public to make up their mind.

      He now needs support in that endeavour.

      Whether our media are up to it or not is the question.

      • Chooky 13.1.1

        this concern that the slippery John Key will slide out and away is real…he must NOT be allowed to…the heat must be kept on the media to face up honestly to the moral issues raised in this book

        ‘If Mr Key won’t read the book before the election, then it’s our responsibility to ask him every day until September 20th’

        By Martyn Bradbury / August 14, 2014

        It’s ironic that many in the mainstream media seem to be attacking Nicky Hager for doing their job properly….

        …it doesn’t matter if you are left wing or right wing, there are serious allegations in this book, and nothing that Slater has said to date as defence washes in any way. This is serious and the authorities dealing with it will take it seriously

        . – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/08/14/if-mr-key-wont-read-the-book-before-the-election-then-its-our-responsibility-to-ask-him-every-day-until-september-20th/#sthash.kplUPE6U.dpuf

        • Weepus beard 13.1.1.1

          I know it’s difficult to get a robust message out to all the disaffected who have been hurting under this govt in a way they will notice, but the very real link between the PM’s office and a political activist who genuinely hates the poor and thinks they should all just go away and die quietly would be a good message to send.

    • Puckish Rogue 13.2

      National want this to keep going on long as possible as it takes the focus away from policies, unemployment etc etc

      • Chooky 13.2.1

        @ PR…i think not!

        …slippery John Key and NACT want this to go away !…it is a serious dent in their reputation as honest brokers and moral politicians

        ….feeding the scrofulous beast Slater says it all

        • Puckish Rogue 13.2.1.1

          I think everyone knows that politics is dodgy so this is no real surprise and theres no smoking gun whereas you compare this to how much the government is borrowing which is real…

          • Weepus beard 13.2.1.1.1

            Not this dodgy! I think nearly everyone will be surprised at the depths which this government operates.

            • Puckish Rogue 13.2.1.1.1.1

              Don’t be so naive

            • Puddleglum 13.2.1.1.1.2

              In <a href=’http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2014/08/15/gordon-campbell-on-the-ongoing-fallout-from-nicky-hagers-book/>’>this very good column, Gordon Campbell identifies the ‘smoking gun’ that Hoskings and you appear to have missed.

                • Puckish Rogue

                  So Goffs complaining that he was caught telling porkies and that its not fair he didn’t get away with it…wow thats the game changer* right there

                  *Current game changer as every other game changer hasn’t changed the game at all

                  • Hi Puckish Rogue,

                    I think you’ve missed the politically crucial element here. It has nothing to do with Goff. Rather it concerns the process by which the relevant SIS documents came to be declassified and then rapidly released to the OIA request lodged under Cameron Slater’s name.

                    There’s only one person who has that authority. The Minister in charge of the SIS.

                    Also, we were talking about ‘smoking guns’ not ‘game changers’.

                    • Puckish Rogue

                      Still no proof sorry only innuendo and that still doesn’t cut it

                    • The relevant extract from the link:

                      Incidentally, the Goff affair completely blows out of the water the claim that the National Party’s relationship with Slater is no different to how politicians routinely engage with journalists. Leave aside the fact that Slater’s tone and intent – to damage and silence critics of the government – is a little bit different to what normally constitutes journalism. Believe me, SIS files are not usually released to journalists – they’re almost always flatly denied, as a matter of course. Moreover, they’re not usually speedily released to meet a timeframe calculated to do the most political damage. Time and again, Slater has enjoyed extraordinary, privileged access to the Beehive and to private information that I would safely bet, is unique. No one else gets briefed in this way, on such topics. Journalists get fed, if at all, quite different levels of information and access. Oh, and in the Goff case, who could possibly have authorised the release of those documents? As Goff indicates, it could only have been the Minister of the Security Services, John Key. If Mike Hosking wants a smoking gun, there’s one.

                      It would be interesting to see, for the last six years, how many OIA requests dealing with SIS files (a) have been released, and (b) if any, how long their release has taken.

                      Edit: under (b), the ‘if any’ should read ‘if any others’ as we know the OIA requests in question were released.

                  • adam

                    Wow, PR. Just wow.

                    Is it wilful ignorance, or just so many years of lying to yourself that you can avoid any argument which does not fit your ideological focused little world view?

                  • felix

                    You mean “John Key releasing SIS material to Slater isn’t a smoking gun”.

                    That’s the line.

                    • Puckish Rogue

                      No proof only conjecture

                    • felix

                      Who declassified the material?

                    • One Anonymous Bloke

                      Bill English, as acting Prime Minister, while Key was at a NSA briefing baseball game?

                    • McFlock

                      Let us apply a little Venn diagram conjecture: the person who got the file declassified could only be somebody who had:

                      • the clearance to know it existed; and
                      • the political interest and motivation to declassify it before an election; and
                      • the connections to ensure that the declassified document would be seen and understood by the media before the election.

                      Three circles, and our corrupt little declassifier is in the narrow area where all three intersect. Could be anyone. Must be, oooo, as many as well into the low single digits, that list of suspects.

                • weka

                  Campbell nails it in that article.

      • halfcrown 13.2.2

        Answer to PR at 13.2

        Shit I never thought I would agree with you. But I do, about the “takes the focus away from policies,” bit that is

        Pressure has to be kept on Key over this, but also people have to be told alternative policies and what a shit state this country is in for some after 6 years of this government. Remind the general public with better policies AND the Hager saga these are real reasons why we need a change.

        • Puckish Rogue 13.2.2.1

          The thing is this book isn’t telling people anything they probably didn’t know already, theres no emails from John Key so theres no proof, a number of people have come out and flatly denied whats being said and all the while no ones talking about policies or what Nationals going or haven’t done

          • weka 13.2.2.1.1

            Still playing Spin Bingo PR? Getting a bit boring now.

          • Mark 13.2.2.1.2

            Going by the Herald, Nicky is going to release the emails because all the scum bags say they are false and misleading. Now the Natz spin doctors are going to really earn their money.

          • Murray Olsen 13.2.2.1.3

            Pukish is sounding like the Mexican coroner who ruled that a guy found dead in a police shell had shot himself 6 times in the back of the head in an effort to embarrass the police. Is he worried that the dogs will be set on him if he says anything sensible? Does Seaslug have damning information on his private life?

            He can’t be as stupid as he seems. Or maybe he can. FJK.

    • tricledrown 13.3

      half crown Katherine Rich would have had a hand in that as she is their henchwomen!
      Grocery prices has gone up cosierably in the last 6 months but because of the weight given to the drop in pumpkin prices its masked a 4% rise in groceries in the last 3month reporting period

    • Anne 13.4

      We must not let this Hager thing go away as the National would like it to.

      Hager has got to release the relevant emails. I’m surprised he didn’t anticipate the level of right-wing abuse and denial, and didn’t release them at the same time as the book launch.

      If he doesn’t do so, then Key/Slater and co. will be allowed to get away with it on the grounds:

      There is no proof.

      Unfortunately, the people who need to be convinced of the truth of the claims are the ones who will not actually read the book.

  14. tricledrown 14

    ODT comments that John Key looking very bedraggled maybe pants on fire as well as nose out of place

    • Pasupial 14.1

      tricledrown

      And this was in an article by business editor Dene Mackenzie, who is usually a Nat cheerleader:

      Mr Key did not look entirely at ease as he attempted small talk with a few of those attending before he was whisked to the front of the room and the lectern.

      After a perfunctory welcome, he rose to his feet and lectured the audience in a rapid-fire delivery which seemed at odds with his normal engaging style.

      It was a cold room and Mr Key failed to warm it up.

      http://www.odt.co.nz/news/election-2014/-south/312668/cool-city-key-odds

      Though this latest article is more more Mackenzie’s usual style:

      Prime Minister John Key believes an orchestrated campaign by left-wing activists led up to the release on Wednesday of Nicky Hager’s book… In contrast to claims in the book National wanted to reduce voter turnout, Mr Key told those attending an Otago Chamber of Commerce function to make sure they urged their friends to vote. He expressed concern voter numbers were falling and were possibly headed to a below 70% turnout from a turnout of more than 90% six elections ago.

  15. greywarbler 15

    Can people advise me on their methods of dealing with colds. I have had one all week, first water dripping from my nose, then gunge, then not much sore throat, and my nose cleared, but now a continual cough that is involuntary so I can’t help it.

    Good news is that I haven’t got sore chest muscles from it. But it won’t go away
    and I find myself unpleasant to be around and now have to go out and get more provisions.

    I thought of taking something each hour that would help. I’m keeping hydrated, I’m having Disprin, sucking Strepsils, have codral but that is not well regarded for hearts. But of Berocca vit c but don’t really like that coloured orange stuff, it looks too showy and bright to be good.

    Thought of getting Lemsip. What advice on fruits to add to the usual vit c mandarin orange. I suppose tomatoes would be good. What immune boosting vegs and fruit would be good? I have been having lime juice, or would lemon off my tree add more
    vit c?

    Advice?? I must shake this off. One whole week this virus has had and it’s just a cold. Yeah right!

    • Puckish Rogue 15.1

      Take a day off and stay in bed the whole day , don’t do anything work related (no checking emails or such like) and eat some large high fat meals (bacon and eggs in particular), works wonders for me

      Essentially your body is sick so you need to conserve as much energy as possible + get as much energy into your body as possible so your body can heal

    • joe90 15.2

      In our house tending to the lurgee involves an obsession with hand washing, honey for sore throats, lubricating with lots of hot fruit juice, lemon juice and honey, panadeine ( the codeine will help control your barking), vitamin C, eating if you’re hungry, staying warm, getting some sunlight and rest.

    • vto 15.3

      Best, once you think you’ve broken the back of it, is to swim or do something in the ocean. It will blast the remnants from your system, reinvigorate, and leave you feeling sparkly and new. Try it, it works. You may need a wetsuit depending on where you are – optional though.

    • Pasupial 15.4

      Get yourself a jar of crushed ginger and stir a teaspoon into your lemon-honey drinks (you can brew it up in a pot with sliced ginger, but that takes a while longer, though is pleasantly aromatic). Go out as little as possible as you won’t want to spread the illness. Catch up on reading or videos you’ve been meaning to watch – housework isn’t the best idea as you’ll just end up cleaning everything again after you’ve coughed around it.

      • greywarbler 15.4.1

        Right all. Ta very much. Anyone else that wants to add to the list feel welcome. I will get started and try most of these – the swimming I may leave for another couple of months. Interestingly two of us from this house went away and came back with colds. I went to see my grandchildren but will only do this in winter now when I am assured there are no colds in the house. It seems they have more sources of infection than me. I can’t take this each winter after visiting them.

        And I get the added cross of developing a herpes outbreak on my nose after this stress, if I don’t keep the ointment going all day until it passes. There is no need to spend lots of money exploring the wonders of outer space, when money could be better spent on exploring the wonders of these tiny invisible microbes that help us to live, and others that prey on us. I think I heard recently that half our bodyweight is bacteria. Perhaps WO has more than most, and that accounts for his largeish size. Getting philosophical here.

        • yeshe 15.4.1.1

          Buy some pure cinnamon oil at your local chemist … take two or three drops with some milk ( dairy or alternative, doesn’t matter — it’s just a carrier for the hot-flavour oil). Very old traditional remedy.

          Do this five or six times today and keep on it for a few days.

          It’s not unpleasant in the slightest and very effective and safe; and inexpensive.

          Actually, it’s the very best preventative if you think you are starting a cold or flu … usually then just need to take it three or four times until the symptoms disappear.

          If you are not taking Lysine for your herpes, start immediately .. take 800-1000mgs daily for a few days to build it up, and I suggest staying on a regular 500mgs dose daily … has been known to keep herpes away even for long-time sufferers.

          Hope you feel better soon. And maybe your local chemist might deliver these goodies for you ? Most will, if asked nicely !

        • Belladonna 15.4.1.2

          Sorry that you are unwell greywarbler. This may help, havent tried it myself as I am vegan and cant remember the last time I had a cold, probably 15-20 years ago but I have heard this recipe works well for colds, flu, sore throats, infections, coughs and as a general immune system strengthener.
          Nature’s Penicillin.
          1 grapefruit
          1 orange
          2 lemons
          3 cloves garlic
          1/2 large onion
          3 drops peppermint oil
          Wash fruit well. Cut fruit with skins on and peel onion and then cut into pieces. Blend all ingred except the peppermint oil with a little water to make the mixture blend. Blend well then add the peppermint oil and blend briefly.
          Adults have 1cup per day and a child 1/2c per day taking 1 tablespoon at a time throughout the day.
          Store in covered glass jar in the fridge. Warm slightly before taking it.

        • Rosie 15.4.1.3

          Nothing more that I can add Warbs, except to say that lots of rest, avoidance of annoying people that sap energy, plenty of panadeine, water, tea, vit c, warmth, comfort food and something funny to watch eventually work for me. (I have other health complications that extend the life of a virus).

          Take care and hope you feel well soon 🙂

      • yeshe 15.4.2

        yummy ! best with fresh ginger as no preservatives .. I drink this as my daily morning drink ! Very good as liver tonic also.

    • adam 15.5

      Try this, Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice from our trained registered nurses.

      And remember Nurses are awesome.

    • minarch 15.6

      Vaoprize some strong herb and relax !

  16. greywarbler 16

    Mike Field the Radionz Pacific correspondent had a memory this morning. It was 2006 and he was the only journo at the airport when Frank Bainimarama flew in. Field asked something like this ‘Are you going to stage a coup?” And Mr Bainimarama said “Yes, in two weeks.” However the appointed day for the coup was the date for an important rugby match there, so it was delayed till the next day.

    That’s the way to run a country. Farce.

  17. Pete 17

    I’m seeing a lot of unfamiliar handles in the comments feed. Election year mischief makers, or spermacetaceans spitting the dummy?

  18. TightyRighty 18

    All hager had done is publish a dead tree version of a blog. No evidence, just assertations. A journalist respected by the left does not make a respected journalist. A journalist hurling rumours, even if they are srs business coz of printing, is not doing the job of a journalist. It’s bullshit blog tactics

    [karol: this is off topic. There are other threads for discussing this.

    Moved from the Ede thread]

  19. Mr Calcified 19

    Judith, Joyces and Johns combined logic against Nicky Hager’s book “Dirty Politics”:

    1. Its a left smear campaign?
    2. The exchange of e-mails were stolen? Therefore they cant be true
    3. Other parties use bloggers?
    4. Its perfectly normal for parties to do this?
    5. Don’t mention the SIS
    6. John wont be taking action against Judith

    Conclusion: The Book is wrong, we have nothing to worry about, god is on our side

    Yup, Judith, John, Joyce you rock on, logic and evidence are your strong points.

    Too much casein calcifying the synapses I think!

  20. Wonderpup 20

    Why I am not putting “Dirty Politics” on the Pirate Bay.

    I acquired a copy of Dirty Politics today, through Amazon. I did did think of ripping the DRM off it, and popping a torrent up on pirate bay, but I’m not going to, for two reasons.

    1) I’d have to to find out how – I regularly rip DRM .azw off files (in fact, its automated every time I buy something off amazon), but that is simply because I don’t trust Amazon not to reach back and retract the stuff I have already bought. Its a matter of personal backup, rather than sharing. I don’t know, however, how to put a torrent up. I’m sure its not difficult, but I won’t.

    2) I want as many people as possible to pay for it, and Hager to get his share for all his hard work.

    Of course, that means Amazon gets its cut too, and I’m not the biggest fan of their corporate, anti-union practices. So, to go some way to ameliorate that I always use an affiliate link, so someone gets part of their cut. I don’t know of any local lefty affiliates (this site could use the cash, hint, hint) but I use the fantastic “Best of the Left” US podcast link to feed some cash back to a good cause.

    Go to http://www.bestoftheleft.com/ and use the affiliate link on the right.

    • nadis 20.1

      not quite sure what you mean by saying firstly:

      “I’d have to to find out how”

      and then:

      “I regularly rip DRM .azw off files”

      It’s not automated unless you use XXXXXXX to manage your books after installing “YYYYYYY”

      I’ve redacted those names because it is in fact a criminal offense in NZ to publish information that describes how to circumvent embedded DRM technology

      “It is an offence to import, sell, hire out, or advertise a TPM circumvention device (or provide information allowing TPM circumvention), in the course of business, where it is intended, or known to be likely, that the device or information will be used to infringe copyright.”

      (TPM = Technological Protection Measure)

      I think (not being a lawyer and relying on Google) that this is the Copyright act 1994 which tends to talk about music and software but not ebooks. Anyhoo, be careful as you have just admitted to a crime and don’t post details as publishing or referring to methods to beat encryption is illegal. Very draconian.

      But if you do convert your AZW to an epub, the fun thing to do would be to upload to Mega. Then you could argue you were actually helping to fund progressive causes.

      • Wonderpup 20.1.1

        Hi Nadis,

        Unfortunately your reply is technologically illiterate.

        • nadis 20.1.1.1

          explain?

          You are the one who says “I automatically strip DRM” and “I’d have to find out how” in the same paragraph.

          Its not rocket science – 45 seconds of googling will provide you with all the info you need.

          • Wonderpup 20.1.1.1.1

            Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to mention your little hypocrital tirade about IP, and then suggesting popping the work on Mega. Nice work there including dotcom. Maybe your Nat boss will throw in an extra fish into the whale pool for that.

            • nadis 20.1.1.1.1.1

              Well excuse me Anton. Perhaps my sense of humour is not working to the high level I usually personally over-estimate to.

              But you do come across like an angry school boy – I still can’t see where I am either being technologically illiterate or ranting about the Internet party? Or parroting lines for my Nat boss, or doing anything else which would be regarded as offensive by a sane leftie or a sane rightie (if either such thing exists of course).

              Lets do a deal – lets both get back to work, I’m self employed but you’re a public servant and should really not be reading blogs during work time.

              • Wonderpup

                But… can you name my dog? Huh? 🙂

                I’ve never really protected my ID because after 25 years working in IT I realise its all pretty public for anyone wanting to find out who I am. I’ve taken the line that if I write what I actually think then I’ll stand by it.

                Honestly, this attempt at ‘outing’ me is just creepy.

                • nadis

                  Hardly outing when you publicly display it when commenting. Good on you for that.

                  The real point though is why do you spew such invective at me when nothing you claim to be offended by is actually in my post?

      • felix 20.1.2

        Hi nadis,

        not quite sure what you mean by saying firstly:
        “I’d have to to find out how”
        and then:
        “I regularly rip DRM .azw off files”

        It’s a bit tricky, I know, but if you read all the way to the end of the paragraph and also learn what “however” means, you’ll be well on your way to figuring it out.

    • greywarbler 20.2

      @wonderpup
      I think the book launching was at Unity Books. That would be a start for getting hands on and spreading the moolah.

  21. Rosie 21

    Scene: Purchasing Dirty Politics by Nicky Hagar at a certain book store in Johnsonville (in the Ohariu electorate)

    Characters: me = R, shop assistant = SA.

    R: Thanks for reserving a copy for me. Are you getting many comments from customers about this book?

    SA: No

    R: Oh, there’s been a lot of interest in it elsewhere.

    SA: I guess it’s already been said on talkback, there’s not much else to say.

    R: Oh really? What are people saying?

    SA: Thats it’s nothing we don’t already know about.(perceive a slight stiffening in the body)

    R: Oh, I’m surprised that, that many people have had an opportunity to read the book cover to cover since the book has only been out for two days and that they’ve had time to draw a conclusion based on the information in the book (sarc with a sweet smile)

    SA: Well it was the woman who hosts the show between 5 – 7. She has read it, and said all that’s already known about and its nothing new. (Tightening of the lips, a slight jutting out of the jaw).It’s only a little book you know. Fans the pages with her thumb.

    R: Oh, well thats not what I’ve heard. Still will be very interesting to read the bit about Peter Dunne and the undeclared tobacco donations. Very important for us here in Ohariu to know about don’t you think?

    SA: Doesn’t answer. Appears quite flustered and drops the book on the floor as she rapidly uses three pieces of sellotape to fasten the paper bag containing the book.

    R: Well thanks again for holding me a copy. Have a good day!

    Soooo much more I could have said but I didn’t want to cause her any more stress than I already was. It was the funniest book purchase I’ve made. There appears to be some folk who are very upset about a book that they haven’t even read.

    • Peter Matthews 21.1

      How about next time you buy a book, just buy the thing and leave instead of trying to start an argument with a poor shop assistant?

      • Rosie 21.1.1

        Relax Peter. I wasn’t picking a fight, and I was genuinely interested to find out what level of interest had been shown in the book. It’s a valid enquiry. It was all very friendly from my side of things. “Poor shop assistant” is a bit presumptuous, you don’t know much power this woman wields outside of her work role. She could be capable of anything

        . I’m a shop girl from way back. I can tell you I am a dream of a customer compared to some of the crazies I’ve dealt with over the years. That’s why I always act respectfully as a customer, because I know what it’s like on the other side of the counter.

        So, how about next time, you don’t tell me what to do.

        • Puckish Rogue 21.1.1.1

          Well done for putting her in her place

          • minarch 21.1.1.1.1

            you sound like your starting to hit some holes in your training,

            or your talking points aren’t showing up daily any more so your just winging it since your on the clock and should be seen to be doing something !

            Im imagining your supervisor/handler is a very busy man at the moment and your not getting the support you would usually get, your a bit of a rookie really arent you PR ?

            • Puckish Rogue 21.1.1.1.1.1

              Gasp I’ve been found out….I must now leave and never be heard from again as I have brought great shame on my masters

              • minarch

                I can see youve been clocking up some serious hours, maybe worried about where your next paycheck is coming from ?

                or maybe your just taking advantage of the situation to get some overtime in ?

                Everybody has to pay the rent/mortgage though am I right ?

                dont go though , or they might replace you with someone experianced/talented.

              • minarch

                “I have brought great shame on my masters”

                I doubt you really care about this bit, I mean no body REALLY likes their boss do they ?

          • greywarbler 21.1.1.1.2

            Who what? In what place. Why don’t you go to bed you twisted old coot and get your afternoon nap.? Need for rest could be the reason you are so pernickety. Or you have attention deficit disorder.

      • greywarbler 21.1.2

        @Peter M 2.38
        It is called a short discussion not an argument. And carried out in an attempt to gauge public reaction.

        Some people are interested in what other ordinary people think but you are no doubt at a higher level and prefer the distant approach. All those people doing those funny little jobs out there are real people you know. We aren’t advanced enough to have replaced them with automatons operated by wifi.

    • Karen 21.2

      I went into the Auckland branch of Unity Books late morning to pick up my copy and joined a queue of people doing the same. On the way, I’d noticed Whicoulls had the Key book in a display next to the “Dirty Politics” book. An hour later when I went past the John Key pile appeared untouched but all of Nicky Hager’s had gone.

    • bad politics 21.3

      I know someone who works for a big book chain & they have been told they are not allowed to talk about the book to anyone (I presume just in work time). & apparently John Campbell was snuffling around the book chain shop in CHCH.

      (moderators, i have good reasons to change my handle, thank you.)

      • Rosie 21.3.1

        Interesting comment bad politics. I wonder if that directive came form the owner operator/manager of that particular store or the head office.

        Usually in a workplace where there is a good degree of trust between the employee and employer the employer will accept that workers will apply the appropriate level of discretion when engaging with customers if there is anything potentially controversial about the nature of the product they are selling.

        In a chain store situation that sense of trust may be dissolved due to the large number of employee’s and the loss of opportunity to develop good working relationships and they may feel compelled to tell them how to behave with their customers. If I were in the position of your friend I would feel quite insulted that they didn’t trust my professionalism and discretion.

        A bit neurotic of the employer to give that instruction too.

  22. joe90 22

    The sewer getting into the swing of things with hints and suggestions.

  23. yeshe 23

    Fwiw, I think TVNZ news is censored. Right now online there is no mention anywhere of Dirty Politics, save a grubby little poll, way, way down the pages, as to whether one might read it or not. Hate to say it is huge % in the negative .. but that could be rigged also.

    TV3 by comparison reports fully on the furore raging around it.

    • minarch 23.1

      ” but that could be rigged also”

      http://www.dailydot.com/news/time-person-of-the-year-miley-cyrus-rigged/

      Rigging Time’s Person of the Year poll? All in a day’s twerk

      “it was about 9:30pm Monday and Gains and Marek were already pounding away at their keyboards. Coding in C# (Gains) and Ruby (Marek), each of them was working on a script, a piece of software that automated the process of casting votes by working around Twitter and Facebook’s authentication. By plugging a person’s Facebook ID number (which is public) into their scripts, the duo discovered a sizeable loophole in Poptip’s service: They could vote on behalf of that person without them knowing.”

  24. The Lone Haranguer 24

    I read with dismay that Labour has announced that if elected the Local Bodies can introduce regional fuel taxes.

    As a proud petrolhead, I wonder why anyone would be dopey enough to let local councils tax the fuel in their areas. The poor mugs up the Kaipara must be wondering how much extra per litre they will pay to fund their flash waste water system that was forced upon them.

    My take is its a lazy and dopey idea.

    But feel free to disagree, and if its a great idea, why stop there?

    Why not let the Councils also levy their ratepayers based on power usage (get those buggers in their Prius I say) or put a levy onto fast foods or a levy onto beer sold in their area or even a fat tax?

    Heck The Kaipara could have its own Harbour bridge in no time flat – if anyone up their actually was paying their rates and Labours new “local body taxes”

    • lprent 24.1

      I read with dismay that Labour has announced that if elected the Local Bodies can introduce regional fuel taxes.

      You should probably have read further. Most of your examples are for invalid purposes. It is only for transport. Moreover I suspect you will find that it has be be voted into place.

      Perhaps you should stop stroking your brain and use the other one that is currently short of blood?

      • The Lone Haranguer 24.1.1

        I guess Im no fan of letting local bodies tax beyond their rate takes. What starts out a transport only, has the ability to be the thin end of the wedge.

        It seems to me since Councils were extended the right to spend as they saw fit (about a generation ago) that there have been some great ideas (the New Plymouth walkway comes to mind) and some pretty dopey ones (promoting soccer matches lways ends in tears) and some out of control ones (The Kaipara waste water scheme)

        Parliament seems to have a whole bunch more checks and balances than local government.

        • Molly 24.1.1.1

          The Kaipara waste water scheme was implemented in total contradiction of local government laws and checks. As such it is not a good example of legislation badly written – it is an example of legislation not being followed.

          Joel Cayford’s blog – Reflections on Auckland planning has a vast amount of information on this topic. His experience as a councillor and planner, and his interest as a Kaipara property owner means he has kept a close eye on proceedings in the last few years.

      • nadis 24.1.2

        “Perhaps you should stop stroking your brain and use the other one that is currently short of blood?”

        What? What are you encouraging him to do?

  25. Blevins 25

    I wonder if I am the only person here to note that the John Armstrong herald article “Hager’s claims light a fuse under the State of Key” seems to have had it’s comments frozen at 261 exactly?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11308460

    The last comment was at 3:50pm yesterday by “bellbird”. This seems a bit strange…maybe I missed some type of notification for all comments being closed now because I use a selective javascript blocker (noscript) and forgot to allow the right server.

    On a side note it is interesting to click the sort by button and drop down box selector onto “most liked”, as it would seem that the vast amount of public opinion is as outraged over the revelations as elsewhere on and offline, leaving aside the seemingly bought and paid for public-private-partnerships known as tvnz and radionz.

    Also has anyone else noticed how you can triple like a comment in the heralds comment system with 3 very rapid clicks in quick succession? This results in 3 thumbs up icons as the result. It’s hardly democratic javascript coding, to have this hidden feature.

    If they removed the ‘feature’ it might result in more accuracy than typical political polls, we see echoed in all mainstream media. lol.

    • Molly 25.1

      Discovered the multi-click thumbs up last week. Have guiltily and happily used it since.

  26. joe90 27

    Josie Pagani names names – 11:50.

    http://arntrnassets.mediaspanonline.com/radio/n00/1494551/Friday-Forum-pt-1-August-15th-2014.mp3

    [lprent: I have no ability to play audio from the web here. I’ll have a look when I get home.

    However since she really has no way of knowing that information that I know of, I suspect it will simply be either public information, regurgitation of bullshit from whaleoil, or simply a attack on people she considers to be political enemies.

    Most people here probably won’t comment because they have no idea either. ]

    • Ant 27.1

      Good on Josie doing the job of the right since ages ago.

    • Bob 27.2

      Wow, surprised that hasn’t caused more of a stir on here!

      • McFlock 27.2.1

        even if those names were correct, are they being paid to blog here?
        Are they being hand-fed OIA request wording and attack lines?
        Are they harrassing employers and clients of their political opponents?

        Nope?

        piss off, then.

        • Bob 27.2.1.1

          “even if those names were correct, are they being paid to blog here?”
          Doesn’t sound like it, but if they are employees in David Cunliffe’s office then they are tax payer funded, sort of like Ede….

          “Are they being hand-fed OIA request wording and attack lines?”
          No, I can’t think of anyone being hand fed OIA requests on any blog sites so that is a strange thing to say. Oh! I get it, you are fuelling unsubstantiated innuendo…good one.

          “Are they harassing employers and clients of their political opponents?”
          Don’t know, are they blogging under their own name? Are they using pseudonyms? Are they feeding information to other bloggers on the site? I should hack a server and write a book!

          I was simply stating that I would have expected a reply dismissing Josie’s claims, but it looks like it has hit a nerve aye McFlock.

          • Ant 27.2.1.1.1

            It hasn’t caused a stir because her list is from Failoil’s Greatest Hits: name for name.

            :yawn:

            • lprent 27.2.1.1.1.1

              Oh did she have that r0b was Rob Salmond? That was one that was an epic fail by Cameron Slater after he confidentially said he knew for certain that was who it was. Of course Anthony Robins outed himself a few years later…. 😈

              • Lanthanide

                Neil Jones, Rob Egan, Clint Smith.

                • karol

                  God, Pagani does talk a load of drivel. I’ve never heard of two of the guys she named. Clint Smith I’ve heard of. Do they all still blog here?

                  I thought Clint Smith was with the Greens.

    • weka 27.3

      Joe can you please link to the website direct? I have no idea even what radio station that is, and to listen I need to download first, not live stream. If it’s RNZ, then all their audio has a Share link that gives people a choice about how they listen.

      • felix 27.3.1

        Not sure where it’s from but that player seems to be what wordpress inserts when someone posts the raw url of a .mp3 file.

        If we use the same url from the page source and link to it as text instead perhaps that will give you a link you can right click and download.

        edit ok so even as a text link it still inserts the player. Perhaps if I post a broken link you can fix it by pasting into a new tab and adding .mp3 to the end

        http://arntrnassets.mediaspanonline.com/radio/n00/1494551/Friday-Forum-pt-1-August-15th-2014

        Any use?

        • weka 27.3.1.1

          Interesting, I didn’t realise wp did that. I don’t think I can download an mp3 URL (on a mac), only play it. I need the link on the original page I think.

          I ended up listening to the small bit Joe was referring to. It just means that if I want to listen to audio again I have to use more data (small data limit), so prefer to download. Sometimes my connection is so slow that download and listen is better than stream too.

          cheers.

          • felix 27.3.1.1.1

            I think it’s a wp plugin. If so, maybe Lynn could look at disabling it.

            I agree it’s better to have the file and be able to choose what to do with it.

    • just saying 27.4

      Listening to Josie Pagani makes me feel like giving up on politics. Which would make her happy I guess. First I feel furious, then I just feel the hopelessness of even trying.

      Why doesn’t the Labour Party stop her from commentating as a member of the party? Even the right wing of the party must see the harm she is doing. Defending Cam Slater for fucks sake. Her stupidity is breathtaking.

      • Draco T Bastard 27.4.1

        Why doesn’t the Labour Party stop her from commentating as a member of the party?

        They can’t and they shouldn’t be able to. They can, and should ensure that everyone knows that she’s not speaking for them.

    • adam 27.5

      Josie Pagani, another example of a member of the liberal elite who don’t fear the working class.

    • Murray Olsen 27.6

      She sounds like some ACT fool. She says the same sort of crap as any brain damaged drunk at the Northern Club. Right wing idiot.

      She says Cunliffe has a couple of Standard bloggers working in his office. Well, so fucking what? Is he giving them tips about SIS information? Just a guess here, but I’d say no.

  27. yeshe 28

    Toby Manhire nails it .. and of course, the Herald closes all comments …

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/election-2014/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503581&objectid=11309070##

    (or in the same line as his brilliant writing, maybe should we call him Tibby Manhore ?? :grin:)

  28. Once Was Tim 30

    Jum Mora is about to PROVE he’s fair and balanced. The Panel is stacked with Peter Elliot and a couple of other kinsprissy theirists, sss, sss,ss! loik Geary Kormuk en some otha non-entitty
    Fear n belinsed Raydyo NewZillun with Jum. Follow him on twitter, follow his laugh on air and on line, follow him as you drive in “Drive Time” from RNZ neshnool.
    Media you ken truss!

  29. Fear all 31

    Of course it will never be like 1984 again where we have a shift of power from the war generation to the baby boomers and we wont have a revolution like the rest of the third world because we have his highness the Prince of Parnell to rule without democracy to worry about
    Lets get rid of these twerps so that some credibility can come back to NZ in the form of those with more between their ears than the crap we seen and heard for the last 6 yrs
    You would never want to employ these dodgy bastards would you?

    • greywarbler 31.1

      Fear all 6.17
      ‘those with more between their ears than the crap we seen and heard for the last 6 yrs
      You would never want to employ these dodgy bastards would you?’

      Listening to Bill Ralston this morning. He is one of a clique of smug types joined at the hip who seem to be the high court of NZ radio. And they choose themselves.

  30. With regards to dirty politics and cam’s reaction to it, I read he was boasting about when he got hacked and had his emails stolen, how quick he was is getting the firewall back up so they only got away with 10 or 20%

    Given the gravity of situation with these scandalous revelations, how come there hasn’t been a dawn raid at slater’s house with helicopters landing on his front lawn yet?
    If this 20% is so revealing, what’s in the other 80% we don’t know about?

    If the police won’t do it, maybe the spooks will step in and seize the equipment for the upcoming trials, for sake of the nation, though with the spy boss a best buddy of the main man, I’d wager those hard drives will disappear faster than a spy cctv camera.

    • The Al1en 32.1

      In a Flemming style saga of intrigue and mysterious goings on, the Snowden files released any time soon could be a clincher and sink the blue battleship.
      Wonder if that’s what Kim has planned at his week out from the election meet up?

      • Anne 32.1.1

        I was wondering about the anonymous hacker/hackers Al1en. Nobody, including Hager (at least that’s my understanding) knows who the person/persons were, and I suspect he/we will never know. But they were clearly very professional…. 🙂

  31. Te Reo Putake 33

    Looking forward to the Nation tomorrow morning. The panel features Patrick Gower, Matthew Hooton and Josie Pagani. No lefties were available, apparently.

    Why is she in the NZ Labour party? Anyone know?

    • felix 33.1

      Would be cheaper for tv3 to get a balloon and write on it “I agree with Matthew”

      • just saying 33.1.1

        Frankly it would be more fair and balanced if they did use a balloon.
        It’s not just that she is right-wing, she is a friend and defender of Cameron Slater.
        Labour Head Office needs to take action on this.

    • just saying 33.2
      1. Because it’s easier to get selected as a candidate in Labour than in National
      2. She really wants to believe she is left-wing because she can’t admit to herself who she actually is.
        (For most people being friends with Cam Slater would provide a big clue)
      • weka 33.2.1
        1. her middle class sensibilities are better served by a centre right Labour than a left one.
        2. she’s got some level of power and control in Labour circles and it’s too late to start again in National.
        3. there’s not really much difference between Nat lite and Labour lite, but as js points out, being Labour lite allows oneself to feel better about oneself.
    • greywarbler 33.3

      @ Te reo putake 7.34
      There is a nice tuffet there with her name on it – Josie Muffett.

    • David H 33.4

      Everyone just E=Mail them and say that she has nothing to do with the Labour Party, At ALL.

    • Anne 33.5

      I bet Pagani was only a paid up member while she used Labour to try and get into parliament. Her husband of course will no longer be a member so I would be most surprised if she is still involved. Has anyone ever seen her at an Annual or Regional conference in recent years?

      • just saying 33.5.1

        I feel really strongly about this. I’m about a third of the way through the book. The behaviour described is terrorism. The Labour Party needs to make it clear that Josie Pagani is not representing the party. Unless she is, in which case we should all find something better to do with our time because there is absolutley no point.

        • Anne 33.5.1.1

          The Labour Party needs to make it clear that Josie Pagani is not representing the party.

          That was my thoughts too but they won’t. On her most recent appearances on Q+A she did nothing but run the Labour Party down. Sometimes I wish I could bang a few senior Labour heads together because they let the Paganis of this world get away with it.

          • Colonial Viper 33.5.1.1.1

            It’ll be happening, sooner or later.

          • Puddleglum 33.5.1.1.2

            Josie Pagani was also running down Labour constantly with her incoherent analyses on the radio link that joe90 put up. Some radio station or other.

            One of the blokes on it praised Hoskings’ ‘interview’ of Joyce and Hager with words to the effect that it was brilliant television and that Hoskings really dissected Hager – God knows what distorting ideological lens he must have been looking through to come to that conclusion.

            I may have my own ideological preferences but, honestly, I hope I never become that self-delusional. The ‘interview’ was thoroughly incompetent and riven with illogicality.

            • Colonial Viper 33.5.1.1.2.1

              Josie Pagani and her husband love cosying up to the fancy corporate crowd. They must be a bit slow politically, because that’s not Labour.

        • Murray Olsen 33.5.1.2

          There is a point, js. Both the Greens and Mana are growing. If the Labour that won’t say anything about Pagani were the only electoral option, I’d agree with you.

  32. appleboy 34

    Need some advice

    I am thinking of laying a complaint over Jordan William’s behaviour as outlined in Dirty Politics – – his altering Wiki references on labour MP’s – am working my way through and believe there’s more – would a complaint to the Law Society on ethics/bringing the profession into disrepute be a way to go?

    The utter hypocrisy of this creep in setting himself up as non political with his “Taxpayer’s Union” – I want to shame the creep

    Welcome any ideas on how best to bring his dark festering actions into the limelight

    • small thing 34.1

      Yeah heard that pos on the radio the other day trying to convince people of his validity, good luck

    • vto 34.2

      try the Fair Trading Act.

      It applies to everyone in life except those in politics. It has been long known as the easiest and most secure way of securing a ding on the dong. Used to be sections 9 and 10 – misleading and deceptive conduct in trade.

      There is a looming amendment to the Act when the Vote Them Out Party gets into government whereby it is extended to other more important aspects of life. It will become the Fair Trading (in Politics) Act. Any misleading or deceptive conduct in politics breaches and is liable to the same criminal prosecution.

  33. small thing 35

    As Key stated this week when interviewed this has been a week of allegations and action taken which he believes are part of a smear campaign
    If he wasnt so convinced by the perceived divinity of the polls he mite want to take a look at what hes done to the country in his 2 terms that has brought about the actions of the various people who have chosen to inform the country of this govt actions which are really straight out of the 50s in reinforcing the archaic ignorant tory born to rule mentality which chooses to go out of its way to destroy the democratic principles which if the people of this were better informed would find that party politics has very little to do with progressing the country on a fair and open basis and that our parliamentary system is in dire need of a major overhaul because no party should be allowed to do what this govt has done to increase the loss of democratic rights, sovereignty,control of its economy and the growing gap between rich and poor.
    I only hope that most of this shit sticks all over Key

  34. BLiP 36

    Heh! “Mike Hoskin” finally tells us the truth about what he really things of Nicky Hager.

    • Murray Olsen 36.1

      I loved that. Maybe we’ll get more of it when “journalists” realise they don’t have to be scared of Seaslug any more. It looks to me that he’ll be hung out to dry, possibly with one or two others. Key will try to stop it before anyone in Parliament has to suffer. It’s up to all of us to not let him.

  35. Northshoreguynz 37

    You might not always agree with Danyl, but he’s on the money here.
    http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/dirty-politics-and-consequences/

    Not just words are required, but action.

  36. North 38

    Pauline Henry Show tonight – coupla pissed aging yuppies wanking hard – Janet Wilson (actually really nice person ‘in-person’ and away from narcissistic hubby and equally so others), and ‘Pryce’ Edwards. Such players.

    WTF has New Zealand political ‘commentary’ rave come to ? Don’t go on Pauline Janet.

    Still, s’pose it pays this month’s lease on Billy’s BM’.

    • felix 38.1

      Why “Pauline”?

      It seems like you are making fun of him by pretending he’s a woman.

      That is incredibly offensive, North.

      • greywarbler 38.1.1

        @ North 11.06
        Yes just restrain yourself – you can write good put downs without overhyping it with feminising jokes. Paul is a funny enough man just as he is. And there is sufficient raw material to be worked with.

        Janet Wilson can’t be a nice woman, she is married to Bill Ralston, she earns her own goodly sum, shares his and their life style and the mindset that goes with it. The saying applies that the wealthy can be very charming, if it doesn’t cost them anything.

        They probably wouldn’t consider themselves wealthy but they are on that moving pathway to enduring comfort, and good living, and fully expect to reach the end to where they will watch the view from their patio as the sun goes down over the sea.

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    .“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    3 days ago
  • Expert Opinion: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
    3 days ago
  • Manufacturing The Truth.
    Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet –  is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
    3 days ago
  • A Powerful Sensation of Déjà Vu.
    Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
    3 days ago
  • Can you guess where world attention is focussed (according to Greenpeace)? It’s focussed on an EPA...
    Bob Edlin writes –  And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago
  • Further integrity problems for the Greens in suspending MP Darleen Tana
    Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Greens’ transparency missing in action
    For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago
  • Bernard’s Dawn Chorus with six newsey things at 6:46am for Saturday, March 16
    TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ Herald Thomas Coughlan Simeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • How Did FTX Crash?
    What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago
  • Elections in Russia and Ukraine
    Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
    4 days ago
  • Bernard’s six stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15
    TL;DR: Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it:  We want our country to be a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • National’s clean car tax advances
    The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Government funding bailouts
    Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Two offenders, different treatments.
    See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago
  • Treaty references omitted
    Ele Ludemann writes  – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • The Ghahraman Conflict
    What was that judge thinking? Peter Williams writes –  That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 15
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop: Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The day Wellington up-zoned its future
    Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Weekly Roundup 15-March-2024
    It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago
  • That Word.
    Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • The Hoon around the week to March 15
    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Labour’s policy gap
    It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #11 2024
    Open access notables A Glimpse into the Future: The 2023 Ocean Temperature and Sea Ice Extremes in the Context of Longer-Term Climate Change, Kuhlbrodt et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: In the year 2023, we have seen extraordinary extrema in high sea surface temperature (SST) in the North Atlantic and in ...
    5 days ago
  • Melissa remains mute on media matters but has something to say (at a sporting event) about economic ...
     Buzz from the Beehive   The text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary.  It can be quickly analysed ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago
  • The return of Muldoon
    For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Will the rental tax cut improve life for renters or landlords?
    Bryce Edwards writes –  Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Geoffrey Miller: What Saudi Arabia’s rapid changes mean for New Zealand
    Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    5 days ago
  • Racism’s double standards
    Questions need to be asked on both sides of the world Peter Williams writes –   The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • It’s not a tax break
    Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • The Plastic Pig Collective and Chris' Imaginary Friends.
    I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • Who is responsible for young offenders?
    Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on National’s fantasy trip to La La Landlord Land
    How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
    5 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 14
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop: The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • No, Prime Minister, rents don’t rise or fall with landlords’ costs
    TL;DR: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Cartoons: ‘At least I didn’t make things awkward’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
    5 days ago
  • Solving traffic congestion with Richard Prebble
    The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • I Think I'm Done Flying Boeing
    Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago
  • Invoking Aristotle: Of Rings of Power, Stones, and Ships
    The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
    6 days ago
  • Van Velden brings free-market approach to changing labour laws – but her colleagues stick to distr...
    Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • Why Newshub failed
    Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Māori Party on the warpath against landlords and seabed miners – let’s see if mystical creature...
    Bob Edlin writes  –  The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they  follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • There’s a name for this
    Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago
  • Echoes of 1968 in 2024?  Pocock on the repetitive problems of the New Left
    Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago
  • Two bar blues
    The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Bernard's Top 10 @ 10 'pick 'n' mix' for March 13
    TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago
  • AT Need To Lift Their Game
    Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
    6 days ago
  • Christopher's Whopper.
    Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Funding hole for tax cuts growing by the day
    The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Positive progress for social worker workforce
    New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago
  • Minister confirms reduced RUC rate for PHEVs
    Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • Trade access to overseas markets creates jobs
    Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand.  Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 hours ago
  • NZ and Chinese Foreign Ministers hold official talks
    Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • Kāinga Ora instructed to end Sustaining Tenancies
    Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    23 hours ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber: Growth is the answer
    Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Singapore rounds out regional trip
    Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships.      “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Minister van Velden represents New Zealand at International Democracy Summit
    Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Insurance Council of NZ Speech, 7 March 2024, Auckland
    ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland  Acknowledgements and opening  Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho.  Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau  My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Five-year anniversary of Christchurch terror attacks
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says.  “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024
    Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024  Acknowledgements and opening  Morena, Nga Mihi Nui.  Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau  Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Early visit to Indonesia strengthens ties
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country.   “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • China Foreign Minister to visit
    Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week.  “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister opens new Auckland Rail Operations Centre
    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Celebrating 10 years of Crankworx Rotorua
    The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee.  “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government delivering on tax commitments
    Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today.  “The Amendment Paper represents ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Significant Natural Areas requirement to be suspended
    Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government classifies drought conditions in Top of the South as medium-scale adverse event
    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Government partnership to tackle $332m facial eczema problem
    The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced.  “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • NZ, India chart path to enhanced relationship
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level.   “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Ruapehu Alpine Lifts bailout the last, say Ministers
    Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Govt takes action to drive better cancer services
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Work begins on SH29 upgrades near Tauriko
    Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Fresh produce price drop welcome
    Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024.  “Lower fruit and vege ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Statement to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68)
    Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all.  Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Government backs rural led catchment projects
    The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago
  • Speech to Auckland Business Chamber
    Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction.   Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
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  • Commission’s advice on ETS settings tabled
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