A flag that suits Key’s NZ

Written By: - Date published: 12:34 pm, September 3rd, 2015 - 95 comments
Categories: accountability, im/migration, interweb, Syria - Tags: , ,

Lyndon Hood in a work of bleak genius has come up with a flag that really suits Key’s NZ.

nz-flag-refugee-crisis-lyndon-hood

95 comments on “A flag that suits Key’s NZ ”

  1. Colonial Viper 1

    This is astonishing; amazing art at its most meaningful.

  2. ianmac 2

    Wow! That is very clever and challenging art Lyndon.

  3. Olwyn 3

    An incredibly poignant piece of art – I hope Key gets to see it.

    • Jenny Kirk 3.1

      + 100% but Key is too shielded to see anything like this.

    • Draco T Bastard 3.2

      About the best that you’d get from Key when shown that would be a sneer and then he’d dismiss it.

      • Olwyn 3.2.1

        @Jenny & Draco: sadly, you are both probably right. From his perspective “courage” is being unflinching when you are hurting someone, not helping them.

      • cogito 3.2.2

        Amazing how one of those poor people looks remarkably like Ruth Lazar….

  4. Bill 4

    Tear down the fucking fences.

    Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir protested against her own government’s decision to accept just 50 Syrian refugees. In just 24 hours, 10,000 Icelanders – 3 per cent of the population – took to Facebook to offer space in their homes and urged their government to accept more refugees immediately.

    http://www.thenational.scot/comment/lesley-riddoch-image-of-despair-demands-our-action.7122

    • aerobubble 4.1

      Iceland limit of 50 should be seen as a warning, these are after all desert people. Iceland wouldbe wiser to offer to take refugees from a colder climate if others who would have taken them give them to syrians.

  5. greywarshark 5

    It’s an old farm fence looking over a barren landscape with some weeds near it.
    Then it still is, look again and there is a different meaning. Subtle and expressive.

  6. mac1 6

    That flag resonates wonderfully.

    I can see in it the agony of the Spartacites crucified along the road to Rome, the barbed wire of war and concentration camps, the age old desperation of refugees, the displaced, and the dispossessed, the agony of the women and children at the mercy of their men’s folly.

    A black and white picture of humanity’s inhumanity.

    • Heather Grimwood 6.1

      Wonderfully expressed Mac 1…….the compassionate grief of many.

    • Heather Grimwood 6.2

      Wonderfully expressed Mac1……the compassionate grief of many and so cleverly shown in Lyndon Hood’s illustrated comment.

  7. In Vino 7

    +1 Almost another Guernica.
    Brilliant satire of the pat cacklemush we are getting about those “inspirational” new flag designs..

  8. Angela 8

    Das ist appropriate for den Hungarian / Austrian border or den USA-Mexico.

    But NZ neiner haven landen borders so Ich neino getten den flaggen idea bitter.

  9. James 9

    Whilst I dont agree with the sentiment – Thats a bloody impressive bit of art.

  10. Good art, I think it’s a bit childish though to channel your resentment to the government through the flag change referendum, especially when it’s an issue that’s long had the support of people on the left, at least until National took it up.

    • cogito 10.1

      A flag change at the right time, for the right reasons, carried out in a genuinely impartial way, over time etc is one thing. Key’s ego-driven RWC-timed cynical manipulation is quite another.

    • greywarshark 10.2

      Matthew W and Wayne
      Both remonstrating with the dissatisfaction and discontent about the flag and we shouldn’t ‘channel your resentment to the government through the flag referendum’.
      1 That’s what a referendum is for – to get a steer from the country.
      2 We are supposed to be a democracy, not a bunch of curtseying milkmaids.
      3 If it is our democratic wish that –
      a) We don’t want a flag change
      b) We don’t want a flag change now
      c) That we think that going through with this flag farce is an insult to citizens costing money that isn’t available for decent housing and training and child care and fruit in school and grants to ease money problems etc etc
      d) That the country should have had an opportunity to have a say from the very first and been able to vote on line or by post for the final design, the present approach is patronising and unacceptable
      e) We are disenchanted with the way that the country is being run and choosing a flag now is like being given the wooden spoon as a sop when you’ve lost.
      The question is what have we got to celebrate – a depreciating economy that is being run like a mature business being kept going while the machine can run and produce – then be scrapped. We feel close to being scrapped. A new flag is like a taunt by National, like it or lump it suckers.
      f) Since Key was elected, we have come to know him so well, and there isn’t much to admire. It’s his flag, not ours. We don’t want a bar of it.
      If it is our democratic wish to reject part, all of it, mention of it, expenditure on it, then as we still are clinging on to a form of democracy, we will exercise it whether people pat us on the head and say we are not being polite, pepper spray us and say we are not being servile, or go to more extreme measures. And always it is important to remember that it is symbolic only. The real country is what matters. and the people and animals in it. The flag is a design printed on some material. It’s not a world changing matter in NZ. But a deteriorating world is what we actually are concerned about in our democratic way.

      We will get a new flag to celebrate having achieved something good for our future. Not for having built expensive monuments to some of the past war dead, and spending on other big vanity projects to serve those who already have.

      • A referendum is to get a view from the public on a particular issue. It’s not supposed to be a partisan thing, and it’s not supposed to be influenced by our emotions on related issues.

        If people aren’t inspired by these choices, (fair) don’t want a flag change now, (also fair) or don’t want change at all, those are the reasons to vote no in the second referendum. The money is wasted if and only if people don’t take the referendum seriously. It is an incredibly small amount of money in government terms, anyway, and this referendum is actually in the top three in terms of “most serious things New Zealand has had a referendum on,” along with retaining MMP and whether we should privatise state assets.

        I agree National’s motives for doing the referendum could very well be cynical. That is completely unrelated to whether we should change the flag. We are adults enough to concentrate on important issues while still talking about flag designs.

        Saying we should vote on change yes-or-no without knowing the alternative is silly. You don’t know what you’re voting for or against without a specific flag, and giving you the chance to pick the favourite alternative first is how you determine what to place against the current flag. Labour’s Charles Chauvel outlined a very similar process in his own member’s bill on this issue during the Clark government.

        Key’s preferred alternative is Kyle Lockwood’s red, white, and blue flag. If you don’t want his flag, I strongly suggest you vote for one of the other three. Engaging in this process gives no credibility to John Key whatsoever- the idea to change predates him by decades, and all he’s done is appoint a panel without any designers or flag experts on it to try to screw things up.

        Keep in mind also, that if you don’t vote in the first referendum, or deliberately perform a no-vote, and we end up changing the flag, you will have had no say in the final design, and we may not end up with your preferred alternative. Even people who don’t want to change should vote in the first referendum, so that if we DO change, we get a flag they are still OK with. The only reason not to vote in either referendum is if you genuinely do not care about changing the flag.

        I agree this is not the correct time for the referendum on a flag, but we’re having it anyway, so if you actually care about this, you should engage with the process, and if you don’t, you shouldn’t pretend it’s due to John Key, you should be honest about the designs being poor, you wanting the referendum later, or simply being opposed. I absolutely believe every voter is capable of making this decision without being influenced by which government started the process, especially seeing the Left generally do a lot better on that front than the Right do.

        • locus 10.2.1.1

          It is an incredibly small amount of money in government terms, anyway,

          $100,000 would more than amply look after the needs of a refugee family of four people for a year while they got onto their feet – people who would bring skills and gratitude to our country – and who would more than return that amount in income tax in a few years

          $26 million for the flag (not including all of the post referendum costs) would enable $100,000 to be spent on 260 families (1,040 individuals),

          As this gritty and intelligent artwork indicates, NZ is being perceived as a country unwilling to increase its its pitifully small intake of refugees

          It also brilliantly and sparsely captures the mood of a large proportion of the NZ public who are shocked by the treatment of refugees by countries like Hungary –

          More importantly, it links this deep concern with NZ’s position on taking in refugees to an increasing sense of public disgust with the amount of money that’s being wasted on a vanity project to change our flag

        • One Anonymous Bloke 10.2.1.2

          The ~30% of the electorate that voted for Key may be prepared to be led by a spiv. It takes a leader to cross partisan divides in a debate like this. Key is not that leader. Too many people regard him with well-founded suspicion and contempt.

        • greywarshark 10.2.1.3

          So I am supposed to be objective about this flag thing. But the flag is intrinsically emotional, it’s all about making you feel something, every mention of it arouses emotion, new or old people get warm about it. You are a funny guy in your po-faced private school principal seriousness about it.

          Having multiple reasons for disliking it seems in your mind to cancel each other out, until all we are allowed to pass judgment on is – do you like the picture or not. Right well f… off then citizen, you had your paltry chance for a say. Go back to your plough or whatever unsophisticated work you are capable of.

      • Tracy Jane 10.2.2

        thank you for the words to express how I have been feeling but not exactly sure how to go about saying it.

  11. Juju 11

    Good art but the bleeding heart club needs to get a reality check about opening the floodgates to refugees. Obviously the country can and should take some but their numbers need to be container, considering NZ’s small population. As for the flag, an expensive new toy in my opinion.

    • Juju- we rank 90th in the world on per-capita refugee quotas. We are hardly stretching our limits, and we could reasonably take several times the current amount without having any significant demographic effect on the population. We have over four million people in the country, and in our three-year program to acclimatise new refugees, we have under 4,000 people. Even if you think 0.1% of our population is an appropriate amount of people to have in our refugee program, you’re still effectively admitting we can triple the amount of refugees we take in.

      I’d be inclined to say we should double or triple our annual quota, and make a one-off emergency quota on top of that to help do our part with the refugees crisis. While refugees generally require some acclimatisation to New Zealand, afterwards they typically make excellent citizens as they are usually keen to get back to building a permanent life when they arrive. Not only are they great people to have in our country, but taking on refugees is a statement about who we are as a country, and that we believe in welcoming people who want to come to New Zealand, even if they’ve been through hard times. I’m not sure how you can oppose that as some “bleeding heart” policy that’s not pragmatic. Have you ever even met a refugee that came to New Zealand? Because I have.

      • cogito 11.1.1

        How many of those refugees we see in Sicily, Hungary or climbing onto trucks near the Channel tunnel etc are real refugees, how many are criminals on the run, how many are ISIS sympathisers etc? How much does anyone actually know about these people? Plenty seem to have enough money to pay traffickers, so where did they get the money from. Very easy to come up with stories of “bombing in my country”. We have to be humane but also very cautious.

        • miravox 11.1.1.1

          Money – family already working abroad sending money, savings from perfectly normal, everyday jobs (Syria was not exactly the third world despite literally being a bombsite now), savings from selling belongings.

          I fail to see how increasing freedom of travel for legal refuge, with associated identification processes will make the situation less dangerous than smuggling people in via people traffickers and/or the back of a lorry.

          • cogito 11.1.1.1.1

            “legal refuge, with associated identification processes”

            I am perfectly in favour of this. The big issue is what to do with all the rest. Images this morning of people throwing themselves on railway tracks etc. because they can’t get to Germany. This is just utter madness.

            • miravox 11.1.1.1.1.1

              Thanks for the clarification. My concern was that you’d advocate for doing that opposite to what is happening now – i.e. send everyone back to where they came from.

              The system is broken. It wasn’t designed the reality of what destabilising a region could cause. The governments of the collective ‘west’ have been asleep for far, far too long on this and it’s way past time the rich world pulled together to fix it and ensure people who need safety get it…. fast.

        • locus 11.1.1.2

          most of the refugees talk about $2000 they had to pay for their passage….

          these are people who would give every last penny to save their families and themselves from the hell that they are leaving

          have a look at these photos and then decide what you’d pay to flee to safety http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/syria-residents-homs-return-city-rubble-1448248

          Ref: http://thestandard.org.nz/get-some-guts-2/#comment-1066583

          • cogito 11.1.1.2.1

            “decide what you’d pay to flee to safety”

            I spent years working in the Middle East. I have visited Palestinian refugee camps. I have listened to all sorts of stories. There are genuine people, and there are the rest. Right now they are all mixed up and creating a tidal wave. The genuine ones should be helped, the rest should be stopped and detained.

            • greywarshark 11.1.1.2.1.1

              cogito
              Your recipe is sound but impractical. The situation has gone beyond that allowing such careful consideration for those in Europe. We could be a bit more careful but I blanched at Peter Dunne’s comment about assessing them as immigrants have been of late, with cherry picked ones with good education getting the nod only.

              People with their children probably first priority I would think. They are unlikely to be ISIS fighters, many of whom would present as individual young males.

              • cogito

                The situation in Europe is absolutely beyond belief.

                We have to ensure that we don’t end up with tomorrow’s Jihadi John or Michael Adebolajo (who murdered Lee Rigby). The cultural and religious baggage that people from some of these countries carry is massive.

                Key could have provided humanitarian assistance months ago – as was suggested by many – but he sent the military to Camp Taji instead.

                • greywarshark

                  Yes cogito
                  I agree with “The cultural and religious baggage that people from some of these countries carry is massive.”

                  I am very conflicted by it all. I have no wish to have people who are receptors for hate stuff exploding locally or being incited to go across and do it. But we can’t guarantee absolutely our safety. Even with we wonderful NZs, so calm, so kind, so thoughtful.

                  Our government wants us to be global and has removed our notional picket fence of tariffs, so everyone is in our face now. Whether they are financial mafia, or global business looking for a quick shell company, or importing fan worms now fornicating freely around our ports (have any of these wunderkind chefs got a recipe for the pests?), we have got to put up with the backwash.

        • Rodel 11.1.1.3

          Refugee is not necessarily synonymous with poverty. It usually means that you don’t want to be killed.
          I once knew a Somalian refugee who drove a Mercedes in New Zealand.
          He had been a successful businessman in Somalia (all legitimate) and fled to New Zealand not because he was wealthy but because people were trying to kill him and his family for not accepting their cultural and religious principles.

          • cogito 11.1.1.3.1

            I know. Same applies to Ahmed Zaoui.

          • greywarshark 11.1.1.3.2

            Interesting but not relevant just now Rodel. For most of us our wealth would be in homes, cars, etc.

            The point that you illustrate is that most of the people who get away to other countries, are sterling people with a lot of drive and determination and probably will come in and be smarter than us and take over the country! It could happen.

            And it would be a good thing for NZ because I think our milk-strong diet has made us slow in the head, and big in the bottom, and particularly suggestible to, what would you think, BS of course. Like drawing to like. Alter the audio dynamics of question time in parliament and the MPs would probably sound like calves calling for their mothers, or bawling out big mooos in moments of stress.

    • Descendant Of Sssmith 11.2

      We’re taking plenty of refugees now – white religious Americans who want to make New Zealand into their own peculiar version of no-government, no tax conservatism,
      disillusioned white English who think that their country is now owned by foreigners who bludge off their welfare state and funnily enough want to impose Thatcher’s principles here with even more enthusiasm despite they don’t want to stay in the mess that Thatcher left behind, white South Africans who despise the demise of apartheid.

      We even had a party who stood candidates who had to rush through citizenship applications before an election.

      They just don’t appear on our refugee numbers.

      We’ve got plenty of room for other refugees. We should just stops bringing these people in.

      • JeevesPOnzi 11.2.1

        Hear! Hear!

        So very true.

        +1000

      • greywarshark 11.2.2

        Descendant of S
        When the Constitution Conversation was being heard around NZ I noticed the old white men who came forward keen to wipe out our agreements with Maori, our years of negotiation on both sides for an agreement that government and Maori iwi, and hapu? could live with.

        It makes my heart sink to think of these ‘Sovereign’ anti-social, government-hating USA people coming here and trying to set up their own Eden colony in the Pacific. They would be just another exotic pest that would give us heartache. I notice from secondhand books handed in for resale, that many children’s books are from USA
        of the preachy religious type, and I have noticed the Prosperity Church type where financial management is explained. I question this type of Christianity, and whether it is Christian at all, and condemn it as a subject for Christian education.

        The South Africans don’t have to cope with the end result of apartheid. The Afrikaaners have set up a contained city state where they have their own laws and
        live very happy lives in a large gated community. and black people can work and I think can be granted residence rights. It can be noted that some of our notable murders have been committed by white South Africans of the professional class!

      • Anno1701 11.2.3

        “white South Africans who despise the demise of apartheid.”

        we even let ex SA death squad members into this country

        and then let them run for election as an MP in a particular Auckland suburb…..

    • locus 11.3

      Juju

      Opening the floodgates

      Really? Do you really mean that?

      There are 542 towns in NZ, so a family of four in each town would mean 2,168 refugees. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_towns_in_New_Zealand

      i.e. more than triple the number of refugees we’re currently taking in would only mean one family in each town in NZ

  12. AmaKiwi 12

    I love this flag debate and I don’t give a stuff what flag we end up with.

    The flag issue is Key’s signature piece of legislation. The more dissatisfaction for whatever reasons, the more his image is damaged.

    • cogito 12.1

      “the more his image is damaged”

      ….the quicker we will see the back of him.

      As far as the flag goes, I am flying the NZ flag from a 20′ flag pole at home. It looks fantastic. It is actually worth looking at the flag afresh sometimes, flying in the breeze. It’s beautiful. Keep the flag.

      • Chooky 12.1.1

        +100 …keep the flag … it represents New Zealand

        …a new flag will represent John Key and his immoral bunch of mates and greedy wannabes

        • cogito 12.1.1.1

          Very well said.

          The right time will come for a new flag, but not now, not with the current alternatives, and not with Key driving it.

  13. mick 13

    Keys flag, poll dancing.

  14. Smilin 14

    A flag summarizing Keys PMship of the last 7 yrs, amazingly historical back to WW2 and the great depression
    DEFINITELY the best flag yet to show whats happened to 26 million bucks and who suffer because of the wastage , the money would help those refugees.Then the flag we have now might mean what it is in history and what it should mean today again
    Key should get rid of his ignorance and blind adherence to his own self importance with his 59 seat continuous rorting of the democratic principles of this country’s and stop being the only authority on whats good for NZ.
    Because he’s not, he is just another gross right wing arrogant purveyor of a lobbyist govt that allows the rich right of passage to NZ but not those living in fear of their lives, being victims of western economic plunder in their country

  15. stever 15

    Great piece of art!

    Sort of related: do the ABs (and other national teams) currently wear the NZ flag on their kit?

    • Paul Campbell 15.1

      well from the pictures on yesterday’s press junket they seem to be representing Adiddas and AIG, not New Zealand – they’re a business, just like facebook, if you’re not paying them then it’s you who are the product being sold

      • stever 15.1.1

        OK…so they don’t currently even remotely have the NZ flag on their kit.

        So, to be consistent and keep up their traditions…they will have to (1) think up a new emblem if one of the ferns gets to be the new flag (they don’t have anything resembling the current flag on their kit, so if the new one has a fern on it they will have to ditch that); and (2) they must of course not have the new flag on their kit (since they don’t have the current one).

        I wonder what the new logo will be for the ABs??

  16. Steve Wrathall 16

    Because a country protected by 1000s of km of ocean and Australia’s turn-back-the-boats policy should be scolding countries with land borders for protecting themselves from economic migrants

    • Macro 16.1

      Could you kindly provide some reasonable argument to show how your comment above relates in any way to the post.
      Or should we again dismiss any comment from you as attempted distraction?

      • Steve Wrathall 16.1.1

        What is there to explain?The image clearly condemns those who want to protect their own borders, and illicits sympathy for the four forlorn figure who are…holding babies…or maybe taking selfies?

        • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1.1.1

          Another fearful vision through the right wing lens. Sad, like Trump.

        • Macro 16.1.1.2

          Can you explain to an simple ignoramus like myself how even a doubling of quota from 750 refugees per year ( a quota incidentally that NZ has failed to reach most years since being reduced from 850 in 1997) http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/opinion/10026355/Miserly-refugee-intake-shows-New-Zealand-has-to-do-more, is an opening up of our borders? Bearing in mind, the fact that NZ’s nett migration for last year was in excess of 100,000. Many of them financial refugees who could afford to purchase their entry into this country?
          You might also like to address the irony of the child of a Jewish refugee who fled from Austria to the safety of England, can so blatantly dismiss the plight of those people caught in a similar situation to that of his mother.
          Your depiction of people suffering from the traumatic disruption of their lives and fleeing for safety does you little credit as a worthwhile human being. May you rot in hell.

          • Steve Wrathall 16.1.1.2.1

            It is ironic that so many contributors to a site that advocates extensive welfarism, cannot see that such welfarism immediately necessitates the building of a fence around it.

            • One Anonymous Bloke 16.1.1.2.1.1

              It is ironic that such a privileged beneficiary can be such an ungrateful prick.

            • Macro 16.1.1.2.1.2

              I’m sorry wrathall but that is simply not an explanation at all!
              Are you now advocating unrestricted access to NZ by all and sundry?
              Or are you advocating that we dispense with all assistance to those on the fringe of society, the children, the disabled, the sick and dying, the unemployed and under employed, and the aged, and let them all rot? Are you advocating a return to dickensian poor houses and child labour?
              I believe the whorehouses were quiet cheap in those days as was gin to ease the pain. Well thanks to your lot were are well on the way back to that state of disgrace but frankly I’d prefer not to go there.

              • Steve Wrathall

                Neither of these ridiculous extremes. I made an entirely valid observation that welfare states require a fence built around them. Thank you all for demonstrating that you have no answer except the standard anti-Key bile.

                • Macro

                  Sorry mate – it’s not me who has no answer – as all those who care to observe this “discussion” can vouch.

                • freedom

                  Steve, the bile would be unnecessary if what the man said didn’t so often resemble great clumps of idealogical lard which is of little benefit to the the body-politic but does clog the arteries of compassion and lead to disease of the heart.

                • vto

                  “Thank you all for demonstrating that you have no answer except the standard anti-Key bile”

                  This issue is entirely about Key so wtf are you on about?

                • Descendant Of Sssmith

                  What fence?

                  In fact it is and should be the reverse.

                  When taking a refugee they will need the best opportunity to get back on their feet and get established.

                  They will often have been through trauma and have psychological issues to deal with, they will often have no resources.

                  The support engendered by the welfare state will give the best chance for the greatest number to get back on their feet.

                  The stony and prickly landscape of the private sector and the cold heart of charity will only produce success for a chosen few.

                  So far from a fence being needed, the welfare state tears down those barriers that face those new to here, that those who come from pain and suffering, those that are persecuted on religious or political grounds.

                • Molly

                  Many – including Key – speak about NZ being a global player.

                  He refers only to the amount of money we can extract from the other countries around the world. In reality, this comes at a cost to other communities and citizens around the world.

                  Our consumerist lifestyle is subsidised by displacement of communities, exploitation of vulnerable and desperate people, disdain for environment and biodiversity and the addiction to the Class-A drug of fossil fuel energy use.

                  These continual withdrawals are finally resulting in a NIL balance – ie. nothing left to take, despoil or destroy.

                  Mass movements of people are the rational expected result. We need to recognise the part we play in that.

                  Global trade – needs to come with global responsibility.

                  Our current government admits to no responsibility, either at home or abroad.

                  It is not “standard anti-Key bile” to state that. It is the truth.

  17. Chooky 17

    We should be taking in lots of these refugees from the Middle East ….from Syria , Iraq , Libya, Afgnistan…how about 20,000 ?…(and many women and children)

    …At the same time we should be putting United Nations pressure on the Western countries who created this Middle East destabilisation, refugee crisis, holocaust, in the first place

    …to take responsiblitiy for what they have done and to take in most of the refugees

    New Zealand does not need wealthy overseas speculators ripping New Zealanders off of their land and housing….and it does not need more wealthy overseas immigrants ….but we can afford refugees

    • cogito 17.1

      20,000 refugees? And put them where? No chance in Auckland, so spread around the zombie towns? What would they do? Live on a benefit and get abused by WINZ staff every other week? Of course they would feel “safe” but it would not be a life for them. You remember Ahmed Zaoui? He was a man of knowledge and culture. Last I heard he was selling kebabs. What a waste.

      • Chooky 17.1.1

        it might not be much of a life for them…but it would be a life ( they are fleeing for their lives!.) … and it would be a chance

        i suggest we nationalise and get back all foreign speculator money laundered ‘owned’ NZ property…plenty of houses all around then…we also get back all our NZ state assets that jonkey nactional has ripped off and sold off to his mates…plenty of money to go around then

        20,000 people are not that many…same size as our largest secondary schools

  18. What about Mike Hosking’s appalling attack upon the RSA?

    That this oily invertebrate sees fit to attack our warriors in another show of lame obeisance to the Key govt is a disgrace.

    Vulgar and effiminate nancy boy whose opinions are as thin and transparent as cellophane.

    More should be made of this gratuitous attack.

    http://truebluenz.com/2015/09/04/mike-hoskings-atrocious-pro-govt-propaganda-attack-on-rsa/

  19. Well, at least I’m not an unprincipled lowlife coward who shelters behind the political sympathies of the blog owners.

    [lprent: That is kind of ironic bearing in mind that I just gave OAB his first ban for a long time – for advocating violence. I will happily ban anyone and do, but I ban them for behaviour. There is an imbalance based on political affiliation, but I suspect that is more related to the distinction between those who value the site and those who don’t.

    Those who don’t value it usually behave significantly worse in terms of what moderators are looking for because they don’t value it – most seem to be of the view that site should never exist or that it should reflect their views rather than those of its authors. Consequently they get far more moderator warnings and bans.

    Those who do value the site seem to actively try to avoid behaviours that get them kicked off the site.

    A much simpler and far more accurate statement that actually fits the facts rather than your delusional paranoid conspiracy theory which ignores showing any proof. Personally and in the same vein as your theory, I suspect that you make up these kinds of ideas by your favoured technique of deciding by sticking your finger up your arse and doing a taste test on what comes out.

    BTW: You are aware of the policy about inferring ulterior motives to the site? Your arse just advised you to violate that. This is your warning. ]

  20. Chooky 20

    ‘Western-made refugee crisis’

    http://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/313860-western-crisis-eu-refugees/

    “The real and imagined refugee crisis engulfing Europe: What accounts for the EU’s near indifference to the plight of refugees clamoring to enter European countries? Could it be that these people are from countries NATO members have attacked, and turned into failed states or havens for terrorists? These refugees never wanted to leave home in the first place…

    CrossTalking with Sukant Chandan, Anders Lustgarten, and Tim Finch.”

    • cogito 20.1

      Some extreme views there.

      Sukant Chandan’s mantra that all the problems are the fault of the British is very old indeed. During my Middle East days I heard similar arguments repeated so many times that I could run them off by heart and even recite them back to people for the fun just to get them to shut up. To their credit, Arabs often have a great sense of humour and when they realise that you know their litanies and tricks they have the grace to back off and share a laugh…. even with an infidel!

      • Instauration 20.1.1

        It is not extreme to assert that the deposing of Gaddafi created a state that compels Exodus. Nor to assert that the scent of Jasmine was toxic.
        The West and Saudi constriction of Assad’s sovereign right to deliver civil redress to Jisr al-Shughour must be viewed for what it is – not what is portrayed.

        So very easy for you cogito to glibly say “because I say this has been heard before – and I know it better – and Arabs laugh” – that we can dismiss such scrutiny.
        We don’t.

        • cogito 20.1.1.1

          @instauration

          If you are going to quote me using quotation marks – do it accurately. Or is that beyond your capabilities?

          • Instauration 20.1.1.1.1

            The preceding adjective “glibly” marked-up the following quotation as a distillation of your ascribed sentiments – this distillation clearly reveals the banality of your reasoning .
            Address the substance of the paragraph that precedes – if you are capable ?

  21. cogito 21

    Great piece by Tim Shadbolt (except that he can’t spell Magna Carta!):

    I’m a Union Jack man

    “We should be proud of our history so I’m sorry Prime Minister, and thanks for your help, but I’ll be voting for the good old Union Jack”.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/opinion/71741307/I-m-a-Union-Jack-man

    🙂 🙂 🙂

  22. Chooky 22

    +100..,. GO Tim Shadbolt !….”I’m a Union Jack man”

  23. bron 23

    Key doesn’t understand anything about flags but everything about logos. He’s ignorant and arrogant with it. Who does he remind u of?

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  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

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    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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