Daily review 08/03/2019

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, March 8th, 2019 - 137 comments
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Daily review is also your post.

This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

137 comments on “Daily review 08/03/2019 ”

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  1. Tuppence Shrewsbury 1
    8 March 2019 at 6:01 pm

    Why is Cadbury thrown so much shade compared to our national carrier that’s turning record profits yet tanking in its customer device and staff relationships?

    • Stuart Munro. 1.1
      8 March 2019 at 6:03 pm

      Corporate espionage by fifth columnists from Ocho 😉 .

    • SPC 1.2
      8 March 2019 at 6:18 pm

      Cadbury continue to under deliver on everything but diminishing expectations. Their business plan is to downsize.

    • RedLogix 1.3
      8 March 2019 at 6:28 pm

      The Whittaker brothers continue to do end runs around them.

    • BM 1.4
      8 March 2019 at 7:08 pm

      Their chocolate is compressed arse nuggets.

      • BM 1.4.1
        8 March 2019 at 7:11 pm

        Seem to have lost the edit function.

        On the topic of orangutans, I can recommend Orangutan school on Choice TV, very amusing and heartwarming.

      • Andre 1.4.2
        8 March 2019 at 7:28 pm

        I’m impressed you’re sufficiently familiar with the taste of arse nuggets that you can narrow it down to compressed ones.

    • Shadrach 2.1
      8 March 2019 at 6:50 pm

      The beautiful game, told by beautiful people. Truly inspiring. Thanks Joe90.

  3. Cinny 3
    8 March 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Thanks government for sorting this out….

    “The Government is now considering allowing China expert Anne-Marie Brady to make a submission on foreign interference after previously blocking her.”

    https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/03/labour-u-turn-on-blocking-china-critic-anne-marie-brady-s-foreign-interference-submission.html

    “Mr Huo said: “What I can add is that it appeared to be a set-up by National MP Dr Smith.”

    lmao, we all know Dr custard will do anything for media coverage, so that would not surprise me one little bit.

    • ScottGN 3.1
      8 March 2019 at 6:47 pm

      Well that was an easy win for Smith and National that they never should have got.
      Presumably someone in the PM’s office got Raymond Huo on the blower yesterday and said “Mate what the fuck are you doing?”.

      • Sacha 3.1.1
        8 March 2019 at 6:54 pm

        Maybe waited until later today, cos no hurry, right.

      • Graeme 3.1.2
        9 March 2019 at 12:06 pm

        A counter argument could be that it was a way of averting nat criticism of her submitting. Now they can’t say boo about her being there. Normally they would be screaming their lungs out trying to shoot her down, not defending her.

        In that light I see it as a rather cunning play that might make the muppets breath through their noses and not just bark at every passing car.

    • Anne 3.2
      8 March 2019 at 6:55 pm

      It seems to me though Cinny that the Labour MPs on that committee handed Nick Smith the opportunity to discredit them in the first place. It’s true none of us was there, but it does look like those MPs summarily dismissed Brady’s request to make a submission on specious grounds. Bearing in mind we’re talking about one of NZ’s foremost experts on the subject that was truly insulting.

      As a strong supporter of the Labour Party, I hope they will take more care with such decisions in future.

      • Anne 3.2.1
        8 March 2019 at 7:15 pm

        Oh , and I forgot to add it happened on the eve of International Women’s Day.

        Oh dear oh dear…….

        • Cinny 3.2.1.1
          8 March 2019 at 7:59 pm

          International Women’s Day 🙂 Timing 🙂

          Agree with you Anne, someone made the wrong call.

          However at least our new government appears to be quick to sort things out when an error of ways (as such) occurs. Rather than the we know best attitude of the nats,

          Meanwhile Dr custard is looking for his next photo op.

          • Anne 3.2.1.1.1
            8 March 2019 at 8:14 pm

            I suspect Prime Minister Ardern stepped in smartly and sorted them out. 😉

    • WILD KATIPO 3.3
      8 March 2019 at 6:58 pm

      I think in light of all the oh- so – coincidental incidents and phantom like ,difficult – to – prove goings on over the last few years [ particularly under National ] that there should have been no question at all regarding Prof Brady’s submissions in the first place.

      I’m not that much of a Labourphile that even they get off the hook as they too, have their fair share of resident long term neo liberals. And who , like National , don’t want to rock the boat when it comes to the cash cow that is china.

      The question of chinese spying and subversion should be taken just as seriously as Helen Clarke once did with Israeli spy’s. Lets also remember the Rainbow Warrior and the French special forces in this country to ram home the point even further. Political and economic sabotage is just as serious as blowing up a vessel in our main ports.

      ——————————————

      ” It cannot be denied that Ms Brady has a lot to share on the subject. Her 2017 paper Magic Weapons described the United Front, a Chinese Government group aimed at promoting the policies and ideals of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to control outside forces.

      Her house was burgled in February last year and her old laptop was taken that she’d used for research while travelling in China ”.

      ——————————————

      And despite all the mud slinging and the ‘who said what’ , – when it comes to this country’s sovereignty and the people who live here as CITIZENS under a DEMOCRACY we deserve better from our elected officials. We’re not interested in their song and dance. Or any other skulduggery no matter which party it comes from.

      Good to see the turnaround and thank you for the heads up , Cinny.

      • Mark 3.3.1
        8 March 2019 at 7:12 pm

        “Political and economic sabotage”
        Lets not over-egg the pudding……that’s what Professor Brady is proposing… have you even skim read her ‘magic weapons’ paper? Cheap shot insinuations , no hard evidence of wrongdoing at all on the part of the Chinese, and of course absolutely nothing illegal

        And what the fuck is ‘influence’. Simply hearing a chinese point of view for a change? Are we unduly influenced because we have most of our news piped directly from the US?

        I’ve told you before dude, as a patriotic New Zealander you should round up some of your mates, protest down Queen street hoisting anti-China banners and get in the news…..the Chinese will quitely go away and New Zealand’s unemployment rate will shoot up to beyond 20%, as it would have done if that FTA had not been signed

        • ianmac 3.3.1.1
          8 March 2019 at 7:34 pm

          Yes Prof Brady is very immersed in her field but you would think that she might have uncovered some hard evidence by now. If she has none then what value her opinion? Maybe her submission will deliver something concrete, or not.

          • WILD KATIPO 3.3.1.1.1
            8 March 2019 at 7:41 pm

            You don’t get to make public hard evidence when your data’s stolen and your denied the ability to make submissions though do we…

            • Cinny 3.3.1.1.1.1
              8 March 2019 at 8:04 pm

              You don’t get to make public hard evidence when your data’s stolen and your denied the ability to make submissions though do we

              Very well said WK.

        • WILD KATIPO 3.3.1.2
          8 March 2019 at 7:39 pm

          And I’ve told you before , ‘ dude’ … you should shut your trap, grow a brain and read the condescending , inflated bellicosity and sense of superiority handed down to those who don’t ‘agree’ with the opinions of the celestial homeland..

          ———————————————-

          – It was written by Yu Lei, chief research fellow at the Research Center for Pacific Island Countries at Liaocheng University in China.

          In his article, Mr Lei said , … ” New Zealand’s relations with China have been sliding ever since the Government took power in October 2017, by joining other Western powers to “undermine Beijing’s growing influence”. He noted the Five Eyes meeting of New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the UK and US that took place in July last year in Nova Scotia, Canada, where Mr Lei alleged a “campaign” was cooked up by the group to “kill Huawei”.

          ”New Zealand also made an issue of the cooperation between China and the Pacific Island countries, betraying anxiety over Beijing’s growing influence in the South Pacific,”

          ———————————————–

          He also says that NZ should ”stop acting like an anti-China pawn of the US”.

          So now , ‘ dude’ ‘… lets recap there , shall we?

          Beijing’s little Varsity mouthpiece [ no doubt an active paid up communist party member himself ] hits all the high notes on what REALLY motivates them.

          ——————————————————–

          1/ Undermining Beijing’s ‘growing influence’.

          2/ The Five Eyes meeting where an alleged ‘campaign ‘ was concocted to ‘kill Huaei”.

          3/ ‘Betraying Beijing’s ‘growing influence’ in the South Pacific.

          ——————————————————

          NOW,… what does all this REALLY SOUND LIKE?

          Maintaining a healthy relationship in a spirit of cooperation with a trading partner , – OR – using passive aggressive veiled threats of economic retraction and political coercion while the REAL motive is to further their military and thus economic and political spheres in a bid to undermine their rivals the Americans?

          Come on buddy, we are not that naive.

          So here’s a real cool suggestion for you , champ.

          Piss off , – ( and that bits real important ) – , go back to where you came from, then take your own advice , and proceed to wave a placard around protesting the human rights abuses perpetrated against the Falun Gong and people in Tibet down the main street of Beijing.

          Let me know how you get on.

          • Mark 3.3.1.2.1
            8 March 2019 at 7:53 pm

            WTF?

            The “undermine Beijing’s growing influence” was put in quotation marks in your originally quoted passage. The writer was quoting what many people in NZ feel, and the reason why many in NZ support Five Eyes and the Anglo alliance. He was not taking offense because some New Zealander’s want to ‘undermine Beijing’s growing influence’, rather the writer was referring to the mindset of many kiwis.

            ”New Zealand also made an issue of the cooperation between China and the Pacific Island countries, betraying anxiety over Beijing’s growing influence in the South Pacific,”

            Betraying is used not in the sense of China feels ‘betrayed’ by New Zealand, but simply used in the same way as ‘revealing’ —-you not know proper english eh dude?

            The Five Eyes meeting where an alleged ‘campaign ‘ was concocted to ‘kill Huaei”.
            If you don’t believe the campaign against Huawei is pure spiteful petty jealousy on the part of the Americans, then you are pretty naive.

            And if you think the Chinese don’t have a right to be concerned about a coterie of nations spying on them, and ‘pivots to Asia’ etc, then you are probably a racist.

            “using passive aggressive veiled threats of economic retraction and political coercion”
            But you have previously said that the economic relationship is pretty much useless to NZ anyway….so you have no need to worry.

            • WILD KATIPO 3.3.1.2.1.1
              8 March 2019 at 8:14 pm

              L0L !

              You’re a real true blue ( make that Red Fed ) chinaphile! – you’ve got it bad. From twisting articles to taking things completely out of context that your mates on the other side of the cloak and dagger are saying.

              SO WHAT … if that’s what many people in New Zealand think FFS?

              Are we not allowed to have our own opinions ?

              Or is that only the exclusive rights of the CCP bureaucracy???

              Here’s one for the communist sycophant Prof in Beijing University to consider;

              Why , just why oh why ,.. if you are indeed correct about your superior understanding of the English language , do you think New Zealanders may have anxiety over a major military powers expansion into the South Pacific and at the same time start to see the true colors emerging of just who their Free Trading partner really is once the veil is lifted?

              And then ,…hot on the heels of pulling the racist card yourself and writing : ‘pure spiteful petty jealousy ‘ on the part of Americans … do you even proof read what you say?

              And do you really think we are that gormless to think for a moment china DOESN’T spy on us in turn , – and other members of the 5 Eye partners along with the Russians, and satellite country’s ???

              WOW !!!

              Give us a break.

              Hope your getting your backpack ready for that protest march down Beijing, mate – oh and while your there?… please make some inquiry’s into chinas human rights records. I’m sure you’ll receive a warm and glowing welcome over a cup of tea.

              • Mark …
                8 March 2019 at 8:27 pm

                ‘pure spiteful petty jealousy ‘ on the part of Americans … do you even proof read what you say?

                Well noone has been able to come up with one iota of evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of Huawei. Even the Brits are now having second thoughts, as are the Germans, and the Italians, in spite of immense US pressure.

                “do you think New Zealanders may have anxiety over a major military powers expansion into the South Pacific”

                Has China forced any country to have a relationship with it that that country does not want? Have the Chinese tested atomic weapons over the homes of Pacific islanders? Have they ever ‘blackbirded’ Pacific islanders into slavery, or let of bombs in Auckland harbour? New Zealand rule was pretty horrific for Samoa – misrule killed about a quarter of the population?

                In any case what’s it New Zealand’s beeswax if say a Fijian wants to do business with a Chinese?

    • Tony Veitch [not etc.] 3.4
      8 March 2019 at 7:13 pm

      I wonder if others can see the delicious irony of what National is doing here?

      The party that is so obviously bought and paid for by foreign [Chinese] money is upset the government won’t allow a prominent academic to give details of foreign [Chinese] influence in NZ politics.

      You really can’t make this stuff up!

      • BM 3.4.1
        8 March 2019 at 7:24 pm

        All NZ politicians are working for/with China.

        A strategic decision was made 20 + years ago to align our selves with Asia, what you’re seeing now is the result of that directional change.

        We’re locked in with China and any change will have major economic impacts for NZ, no NZ politician will jeopardise that relationship we’re now too exposed and too reliant, any move away from China will mean economic hardship and loss of power for any political party that instigates a shift.

        • WILD KATIPO 3.4.1.1
          8 March 2019 at 7:56 pm

          Yes BM , but if you haven’t heard, politicians are fond of the word ‘ graduation’.

          And where were our markets before Aunty Helen and her cozy FTD with china?

          Were we exactly ( to use you far right wingers favorite whipping boy ) another Venezuela?

          Obviously not !!! . And Britain joined the EEC LOOOONG before either Roger Douglas and the smash ‘n grabbers came along. Not only that , we also had the Arab Oil Shocks. Again ,… looooooooooong before Uncle Roger rogered us.

          Matter of fact , – that was in the time of Norman Kirk. And I don’t remember large numbers of homeless, children whose family’s are at subsistence levels, run down schools and hospitals… in fact , we were the envy of the world with a cradle to grave welfare net in aland of hig wages and plenty of millionaires…

          Soooooooooooooooo,… whats the problem here?… did finding other lucrative markets start and finish with the neo liberal hijack ? Or was Aunty Helen one of the Valkyries come down from on high and R.Douglas a form of thunder bolt wielding Zeus?

          Or is being pushed around, being whores to the latest faux offer of prosperity , selling off our land to any old Johnny come latelys , not having a sovereign backbone in our bodies and acting like the street corner snitch the ‘New Face ‘ of New Zealand?

          That it huh?

          A gormless, unthinking ,cowering bunch of braindead , screen watching zombies that when to told to bend over simply say ‘ how far’?

          • BM 3.4.1.1.1
            8 March 2019 at 8:15 pm

            The time of Norman Kirk was around the same time the UK told us they didn’t want our produce any more.

            Took about 10 years to go through our monetary reserves and run up enough debt too almost go bankrupt.

            To survive we had to trade with someone, Asia was the market we decided our future lay with.

            What you see now, is the result of that decision.

            • WILD KATIPO 3.4.1.1.1.1
              8 March 2019 at 8:27 pm

              ”About ” the time…

              Answer the question – did we have the burgeoning and overt social conditions and poor wages during either Norman Kirk’s time or Rob Muldoon’s?

              NO . we didn’t.

              And was NZ’s debt private sector or Govt?

              Private sector.

              You and your mates need an education and here’s just the site to give it to you. There you will find just ‘WHO’ was responsible for our ‘ monetary reserves to dry up ‘.

              ——————————————————

              A key point of the free-market cabal’s programme was to devalue the New Zealand dollar, an extremely sensitive issue. Several weeks before the July, 1984 election, Douglas, Labour’s shadow finance minister, “accidentally” released a statement which signaled his intent to devalue.

              Since it was a near certainty that labour, aided by the New Zealand Party’s drawing votes from the Nationals, would win, speculators began to dump the New Zealand dollar, planning, post-devaluation, to cash in each dollar of foreign currency for more New Zealand dollars than previously.

              With Labour’s victory, the simmering foreign exchange crisis exploded. The Reserve Bank’s foreign Exchange holdings quickly ran dry, and Labour demanded, even before the end of the several-week transition period, that Muldoon devalue. After a brief struggle, Muldoon capitulated, and devalued by 20%.

              Speculators made tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars overnight.

              ———————————————————

              New Right Fight – Who are the New Right?
              http://www.newrightfight.co.nz/pageA.html

              • BM …
                8 March 2019 at 8:34 pm

                Whatever, the point still is all our exports went to the UK, the UK sad yeah, nah we don’t want your exports anymore.

                We’re like fucking hell unless we can find countries to sell our stuff to we’re fucked.

                Asia was an emerging market who wanted to trade, we focused on Asia, I doubt back then anyone would have guessed that China would become the number one superpower.

                • WILD KATIPO …
                  8 March 2019 at 8:50 pm

                  We had made a global statement about nuclear arms hence why the Americans shunned us. We withdrew effectively form ANZUS.

                  Again … we self sabotaged.

                  Even the Australians called us bludgers for doing that.

                  Meanwhile all but NZ politicians could see china was going to be an emerging superpower. Which is why the Australians made trade deals with the chinese. And made enormous wealth through iron ore sales to china.

                  Yet ,- did the Australians act like idiots and throw the baby out with the bathwater and cancel all trade ties with the Americans?

                  No.

                  They had two pots on the boil – with china and the USA.

                  Yet all we ever get from all you right wing nutters are excuses why we cant do the same.

                  Think Russia.

                  Then think china and Russia.

                  And if its a bright and sunny day think the USA as well.

          • Mark 3.4.1.1.2
            8 March 2019 at 8:17 pm

            … in fact , we were the envy of the world with a cradle to grave welfare net in aland of hig wages and plenty of millionaires…

            Yeah, because we were part of the British empire —the white part that is, that benefitted from the plunder of the non-white part.

            “And Britain joined the EEC LOOOONG before either Roger Douglas and the smash ‘n grabbers came along. Not only that , we also had the Arab Oil Shocks.”

            That’s when the party sort of ended. The impact would not have been felt right away —-but we had to borrow like crazy to maintain a lifestyle we had become accustomed to.

        • Ad 3.4.1.2
          8 March 2019 at 8:12 pm

          BM you are dead right.

          – $12 billion of our exports goes to China

          – $8.8 billion goes to Australia

          – $5.3 to the United States

          – $3.2 billion to Japan

          and
          $1.5 billion to Korea

          It has been and continues to bring massive benefits to millions of New Zealanders. In reality there’s no pulling away from our trade dependence with China. So it’s also the greatest strategic risk this country faces.

          https://www.nzte.govt.nz/investment-and-funding/investment-statistics

          • Mark 3.4.1.2.1
            8 March 2019 at 8:18 pm

            25% of our exports go to China (biggest trading partner)

            0.29% of China’s go to NZ (44th largest trading parner)

            That’s the reality

          • BM 3.4.1.2.2
            8 March 2019 at 8:25 pm

            What’s the answer?, I don’t want NZ to become a vassal state of China but we are so reliant on them now, it’s almost impossible to pull away without crushing economic hardship.

            • Mark 3.4.1.2.2.1
              8 March 2019 at 8:28 pm

              Well the TPPA would have helped.

            • RedLogix 3.4.1.2.2.2
              8 March 2019 at 8:30 pm

              It used to be called ’empire’, but nowadays it’s more politely called ‘client state’.

            • Sam 3.4.1.2.2.3
              8 March 2019 at 8:31 pm

              Cancelling an FTA will be the last FTA we ever sign. It will say to the world that New Zealand is untrustworthy and can not keep up its end of the bargain. We’d have to sell our soles if we wanted back into a rules based order.

              • WILD KATIPO …
                8 March 2019 at 8:43 pm

                Who said anything about cancelling, and………….. btw …… wasn’t there a fair few country’s who had prob’s with the biggest FTD of all time in the southern climes – the TTPA?

                I think people have got to get past this ‘ all or nothing ‘ mentality and start seeing that trade deals, are not forever. Hostility’s and wars will soon put paid to that Polyanna outlook. And the best way is to have multiple deals on the boil at the same time.

                Not some idiotic lazy one way easily railroaded FTD with anchor ropes attached. And would lil ole NZ be the first nation to adjust its terms in trade? Really?

                • Sam …
                  8 March 2019 at 8:47 pm

                  I actually never saw the TPPA as a problem. I saw it as away of coercing employers into pay higher wages.

                  • WILD KATIPO …
                    8 March 2019 at 8:52 pm

                    Fat chance of that with no tariffs and competing with third world sweat shop labour mate.

                    • Sam …
                      8 March 2019 at 9:03 pm

                      It’s getting to the point now where a good chunk of people are figuring out that the China FTA doesn’t matter for the fate of New Zealand economically. The government has a policy to diversify trade so less likely to induce recession and probably a down turn at worse. No ressision, no doom.

        • Skunk Weed 3.4.1.3
          9 March 2019 at 4:00 am

          Billy Bolger was dead keen to get into bed with China boots and all.

      • Mark 3.4.2
        8 March 2019 at 7:55 pm

        Well it was Labour that went in boots and all when it came to the FTA, so sorry, no ‘delicious irony’

        • WILD KATIPO 3.4.2.1
          8 March 2019 at 8:17 pm

          Then National who wanted to carry the baton further with the TTPA – and , like their corporate overseas mates ,denied sufficient time and access to conduct a truly democratic vote. But 25 million spent on a flag referendum that no one wanted was all just fine and dandy.

          Admittedly , too bad Labour went through with it.

          Eh.

          • Mark 3.4.2.1.1
            8 March 2019 at 8:20 pm

            Then National who wanted to carry the baton further with the TTPA

            Actually I thought you would have supported the TTPA ….which was in part to diversify our markets away from China, and not to have our eggs all in one basket.

            Indeed the Chinese hated the TPPA in its original form as well. So you see, you do have something in common after all with the Chinese

            • WILD KATIPO 3.4.2.1.1.1
              8 March 2019 at 8:35 pm

              No. More in common with downsizing dependence on china and developing markets with Russia.

              Your the china boy , you tell me… last time we all looked… didn’t china and Russia kinda not get along?

              Now then, what better way to play one of the other and ensure not one of them get too uppity and sanctimonious?

              Situated smack bang in the middle of Uncle Sam, the Ruskies and the Sino lot.

              So there you go, more in common with being a New Zealander than a whore for china, after all.

          • ScottGN 3.4.2.1.2
            8 March 2019 at 8:27 pm

            The CPTPP (as it’s now called) doesn’t include China or have anything to do with the FTA that Clark initially negotiated with China. If anything it may provide us with an opportunity to rebalance some of our trade away from China and reduce reliance on that trading relationship.

            • Mark 3.4.2.1.2.1
              8 March 2019 at 8:30 pm

              Is Wild Katipo thick?

              • ScottGN …
                8 March 2019 at 9:01 pm

                Wild Katipo doesn’t make much sense at the best of times but tonight’s shaping up to be a bravura performance. 😁

                • WILD KATIPO …
                  8 March 2019 at 9:16 pm

                  When guys like you and Mark don’t even know their own country’s political history and can only think in terms of the present , – it tells me you are either too young to know or too disinterested to find out or too lacking in the consequences of cause and effect .

                  Its almost as if all you can see is china, china, china and there is no way out.

                  Yet , humorously , – paying lip service with feigned states of chagrin yet in reality… want things as they are because you have vested interests in keeping it that way.

                  Either that or having a very myopic view of the world.

                  And this is especially so as once the flaws in your arguments void your opinions , you both resort to school boy put downs .

                  Lovin’ it.

                  🙂

            • WILD KATIPO 3.4.2.1.2.2
              8 March 2019 at 9:05 pm

              ‘May provide’… as in ‘ none could foresee china becoming a ‘superpower’ as BM writes…operative word being ‘ may’.

              Sounds great on paper, … but there’s a little issue of corporate involvement still… which ‘may’ or ‘may not’ compromise a democratically elected govt – esp of a smaller nation.

              Heres the rub : You renegotiate any FTD and in this case, with china, but you do it while at the same time procuring trade deals in other parts of the globe. That’s called gaining leverage on the deal. china wants to extend its political/military influence in a region. Fine.

              But just to make sure the goal posts are not shifted after a decade to your trade partners advantage and your detriment , you ensure you have other alternatives. All trade deals are renegotiated at some stage, unless your a small country like NZ , it seems. What does that tell you?

              It tells you that times change, leaders change , political alliances change. Just like Britain joining the EEC ‘ changed’. And its a slow minded and naive person who thinks it wont.

          • ScottGN 3.4.2.1.3
            8 March 2019 at 8:39 pm

            50 billion dollars worth of two way trade with CPTPP countries for the December 2018 year. One-third of our total two way trade versus trade with China which accounts for one-fifth.
            https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/two-way-trade-with-cptpp-countries-nears-50-billion

      • mickysavage 3.4.3
        8 March 2019 at 9:06 pm

        Yep.

    • patricia bremner 3.5
      8 March 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Apparently the application was late??? 5 weeks supposed to be in October?? Does anyone know??

  4. UncookedSelachimorpha 4
    8 March 2019 at 6:54 pm

    An accountant evades $1m tax and gets home detention today:

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/384286/home-detention-for-accountant-who-evaded-1m-in-tax

    While a benefit fraudster takes $245k and gets 2 years 5 months jail

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/91956845/husband-and-wife-sentenced-for-one-of-nzs-highest-ranking-benefit-frauds

    Double standards anyone?

    • Skunk Weed 4.1
      9 March 2019 at 4:04 am

      One white priviledged the other a brown honky or PI ?

      Different strokes for different folks ?

      • greywarshark 4.1.1
        9 March 2019 at 9:56 am

        I notice that the beneficiaries have been very blatant in playing the system.
        They should train in accountancy, will some extra learning they could have good careers and never need to break the law again, having a good income assured.

        I notice that the judge’s surname is Ruth. But he wasn’t ruthless in dealing with the pair, not putting the woman in prison so that she can mother her children.

  5. Peter 5
    8 March 2019 at 7:12 pm

    Nick Smith is concerned about foreign interference but then I saw him on TV saying he wasn’t interested in hearing the opinion of Jami-lee Ross.

    He reckons he wants to hear from Anne-Marie Brady supposedly because she’s got the true oil.

    Hello Nick – anyone home? You can be a dick but you can’t have it both ways. Do you want to hear from people who have information of various aspects or not?

    • Muttonbird 5.1
      8 March 2019 at 7:15 pm

      Agree. I think that select committee should be actively seeking Jami-Lee Ross’ testimony.

    • ianmac 5.2
      8 March 2019 at 7:38 pm

      Yes Peter. Saw that and thought how ironic. Jamie-Lee is an expert on money/China influence and his inside knowledge must be credible.
      Brady is really credibility unproven.

      • Anne 5.2.1
        8 March 2019 at 8:06 pm

        Brady’s fellow international academics don’t seem to think so ianmac. A large number signed a petition supporting her a few months ago.

        JLR has all the juice on National’s donations from certain Chinese businessmen but he’s not an expert on China.

        • Mark 5.2.1.1
          8 March 2019 at 8:35 pm

          A vastly vastly greater number did not sign that petition.

          • Anne 5.2.1.1.1
            8 March 2019 at 9:08 pm

            I don’t expect medical, climate and environmental, military, astronomical, mathematical and geological scientists signed it. You could add historians and physicists to that list. I doubt any of them signed it either. Not their line of business eh?

          • Incognito 5.2.1.1.2
            8 March 2019 at 10:16 pm

            The signatories supported the petition; the ones who didn’t sign, didn’t sign.

            • Mark 5.2.1.1.2.1
              9 March 2019 at 12:55 am

              most people simply did not give a shit.
              That ‘intimidation; was most likely a false flag, or she did it herself

              • Anne …
                9 March 2019 at 11:10 am

                I doubt I would agree with Professor Brady on a lot of things but she is an expert in her field of endeavour, and has received accolades from her fellow academics both here and overseas for her research work on Chinese government activity. Note… we are talking about Chinese government entities not the Chinese people. She has many Chinese friends in China and is married to a gentleman of Chinese extraction. She speaks Chinese and can read and write in Chinese.

                As for the harassment and intimidation:
                It follows a well trodden pathway used by operatives working for governments and other global agencies wanting to silence individuals whom they regard as a threat either to themselves or their agency. In their countries of origin they often just throw them into prison but they can’t do that in other jurisdictions so they harass and intimidate them instead.

                I would believe her any day over the likes of someone with such limited knowledge and understanding such as yourself.

              • Incognito …
                9 March 2019 at 12:22 pm

                Ok, all the people who didn’t sign it didn’t give a shit. You are projecting, Mark, i.e. making assumptions about people’s reasons and reasoning to fit your own belief system.

      • Rosemary McDonald 5.2.2
        8 March 2019 at 10:38 pm

        “Brady is really credibility unproven.”

        What a peculiar thing to say ianmac. (It could very well be that my sarcometer is faulty)

        http://www.fpinterrupted.com/fellows/anne-marie-brady/

        What exactly would give her the required level of ‘credibility”?

        She is well educated, speaks fluent Mandarin (which in my book is a triple plus when commenting on things Chinese, know the language, know the culture etc), she was, and for all I know still is, married to a Chinese guy and according to this op ed she wrote for that rag the New York Times, she has the ability to communicate most efficaciously with Chinese bureaucrats.
        https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/opinion/12iht-edbrady03.html

        • Mark 5.2.2.1
          9 March 2019 at 12:54 am

          Oh ffs, so Raymond Huo say speaks fluent english, as do many Chinese, so that must make everything they say about New Zealand automatically true and their opinions are friggin gold?

          What about Pansy Wong….she is also an expert because she speaks fluent english and chinese and so all her points of view are holy friggin writ?

          The fact that she shills for the US neo-conservative Wilson institute, named for a notorious racist who was against racial equality for blacks and asians shows what a rotten egg she is.

          • Rosemary McDonald 5.2.2.1.1
            9 March 2019 at 8:35 am

            Very interesting response there Mark. Is this the ‘best line of defense is attack’ tactic? Kinda acting like a cornered cat you are.

            Maybe we should be taking Brady more seriously.

            • greywarshark 5.2.2.1.1.1
              9 March 2019 at 9:40 am

              Emotive language Mark and hyperbole there. Your points would be if you stuck to them without embellishing.

            • Mark 5.2.2.1.1.2
              9 March 2019 at 10:40 am

              Just pointing out an anomaly within your own thought processes.

              A lot of Anglos (who are typically monolingual) assume that any other Anglo who speaks a foreign language with some facility (or even just a few words) makes him or her an expert on that foreign culture.

              But that is such a laughable assumption. After all we have right here in NZ hundreds of thousands of people who are bilingual in English AND in Maori, or Chinese or Hindi or Samoan or Tongan or Tamil or Afrikaans etc, and many even married to Kiwis.

              Some Chinese chick married to a kiwi who speaks English at IELTS level 5.5 and works at the ASB…..suppose she goes back to say her native Beijing, and suddenly is the NZ expert, on indeed the expert on all things Western eh? Well of course bloody not…..the chinese are not so stupid.

              Let’s be clear. Brady is an agent of foreign influence herself, and works for the US neoconservative think tank the Wilson Centre, named after that most racist of 20th Century presidents Woodrow Wilson.

              • RedLogix …
                9 March 2019 at 10:44 am

                A lot of Anglos (who are typically monolingual) assume that any other Anglo who speaks a foreign language with some facility (or even just a few words) makes him or her an expert on that foreign culture.

                It may not make them an expert, but you could reasonably argue it is a necessary pre-condition.

                • Mark …
                  9 March 2019 at 10:54 pm

                  I worked for years in HK as an engineer. I once had this boss who had studied at Canterbury U in NZ, came back to HK, and thought he was a know it all on all things NZ and Western, but his views were completely off base, and he talked english with a choppy cantonese accent – basically he was full of shit. Like you have the pretentious ‘old china hands’ who think they know everything about china because they have drank in a few hk or shanghai bars and rooted the local women, it goes the other way round as well….like some Chinese ‘canadians’ simply because they migrated to Canada, then come back to Hong Kong and pretend they just couldn’t stand the HK lifestyle anymore, underlining just how so ‘canadian’ they now were…people just want to make you fucking laugh sometimes.

                  In any case I think that one’s views should be judged on their merits only, after all I can have views on Stalin and Hitler, and they should not be dismissed because I speak neither Russian or German. Just because Brady is credentialed in terms of the language and marriage partner does not make her views correct (nor incorrect). After all I speak Cantonese fluently and mandarin haltingly andalso have a chinese ex wife and a chinese partner now —by the standards of some here, that would make me doubly qualified and everything I say about China or china related matters must automatically be accepted as gospel?

    • Fireblade 5.3
      8 March 2019 at 7:58 pm

      Here is the One News story, if anyone is interested.

      Jami-Lee Ross wants new rules around financial donations to political parties from foreigners.

      https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/jami-lee-ross-wants-new-rules-around-financial-donations-political-parties-foreigners

      • Cinny 5.3.1
        8 March 2019 at 8:04 pm

        Thanks Fireblade for the link, much appreciated.

        Edit… that was very interesting, jlr knows the score.

        His recent question in parliament about past ministers traveling overseas and possible donation procurement … joining the dots re said subject. Really interesting.

        • Fireblade 5.3.1.1
          8 March 2019 at 8:41 pm

          He’s also been tweeting tonight.

          Twitter Jami-Lee Ross
          Sorry, but not surprised, to hear Nick Smith isn’t interested in my view on foreign donations. Reality is any foreigner can use a NZ company to donate to a political party. That’s how National’s received a lot of funding. Ignoring me doesn’t make that go away.

          • Cinny 5.3.1.1.1
            9 March 2019 at 9:38 am

            Lollolooooooooo thanks for that 🙂 Need to lol again now, loooooolllllll 🙂

  6. joe90 6
    8 March 2019 at 7:44 pm

    The RWNJ conspiracy mill is giving OAC the HRC treatment.

    https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1103835746845241344

  7. Cinny 7
    8 March 2019 at 7:48 pm

    Another fizzer for the nat’s…..

    ‘Sir Michael Cullen is assuring taxpayers he expects to invoice for no more than two days this month for his fee of $1000 for a six-hour day.”

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/tax-working-group-chair-michael-cullen-only-billing-four-days-in-february-march.html

    • Stuart Munro. 7.1
      8 March 2019 at 8:16 pm

      Cullen has always been so far ahead of the Gnats he has to slow down not to lap them.

    • Incognito 7.2
      8 March 2019 at 10:19 pm

      The Taxpayers Union will be over the moon.

      • Muttonbird 7.2.1
        8 March 2019 at 10:23 pm

        As the reality of the situation comes out, critics look quite foolish as they try to shift the emphasis of their criticism.

        I’m picking Cullen is going to bill about $4000 for February and March. That’s pretty cheap for the amount of hate he’s received from the Nats and their nut job followers.

  8. ScottGN 8
    8 March 2019 at 9:41 pm

    I’m wondering if Mr Armstrong somehow got into a tangle on the pavement between him and his zimmer and a Lime?

    https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/john-armstrongs-opinion-silence-beehive-astonishing-over-lime-scooters-rocky-start-new-zealand-streets?variant=tb_v_2

  9. Muttonbird 9
    8 March 2019 at 10:00 pm

    Appalling comments from Prebble. Quite staggering that this thinking still exists in this country.

    https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/education/111145462/racist-comments-at-tomorrows-schools-meeting-in-auckland

    Secondary school teacher Melanie Webber, who was at the meeting, said Prebble seemed to infer people “should be more concerned about maintaining the success of the 80 per cent than concerned about the 20 per cent who are failing”.

    She said she felt the comments were “racist”.

    Webber raised the issue with Prebble at the end of the night and he took “extreme umbrage”, she said.

    “He thrust his chest up against mine, started jabbing my face […] just absolutely lost [the] plot.”

    She said she was asked to leave by ACT Party leader David Seymour, who organised the event.

    Now, I’m constantly told by RWNJs that the left are guilty of wanting to shut down anyone who doesn’t agree with them but it seems they don’t practice what they preach.

    Shame on David Seymour for promoting such naked racism. The swift demise of ACT and all its supporters can’t come quick enough.

    • Bewildered 9.1
      9 March 2019 at 4:36 pm

      If prebble is saying you don’t distroy 80Pc to save 20pc that seem rather logical Similary what did miss Webber expect calling some one a racist, playing the man and not the ball I am very glad one ms Webber is not teaching my kids, sound as she is nuts and should not be teaching at all

      • Muttonbird 9.1.1
        9 March 2019 at 4:43 pm

        Webber called Prebble’s statements what they were – racist.

        And just how is the Tomorrow’s Schools Review going to “distroy 80Pc”?

        Looks like a decent education missed your family too! 😂

        • Bewildered 9.1.1.1
          9 March 2019 at 4:48 pm

          You are been extremely intellectually dishonest muttonbrain Prebble comments where clearly reflecting you don’t distroy the 80pc to fix the 20, wether you agree with that or not is not the point Prebble is clearly not a racist with a PI wife. Webber and yourself basically have shite for brains 😁

          • Muttonbird 9.1.1.1.1
            9 March 2019 at 5:23 pm

            Rubbish. Prebble, and now yourself are promoting the idea of Apartheid.

            That system of government was crushed 2 decades ago.

            • James 9.1.1.1.1.1
              9 March 2019 at 6:27 pm

              Funny how you use the term apartheid when you are so happy to use the racist term saffa as an insult.

          • McFlock 9.1.1.1.2
            9 March 2019 at 5:35 pm

            You don’t write off 20% to protect 80%, either.

            Prebble never understood the concept of “levelling up” as opposed to “levelling down”.

        • bwaghorn 9.1.1.2
          9 March 2019 at 5:13 pm

          Surely in his ham fisted way he has pointed out how badly nz is failing a large segment of it’s people.

          • marty mars 9.1.1.2.1
            9 March 2019 at 5:16 pm

            Yes he was saying nz have let the 80% down by allowing the dirty 20% to be included and drag all the stats downwards.

            • Bewildered 9.1.1.2.1.1
              9 March 2019 at 5:22 pm

              No you are saying that Marty, not prebble because you are in permanent victim mode What he was clearly saying is fix the 20pc without stuffing up the 80pc , charter schools etc If you can’t see that well you are good example of the 20pc that probably needed more help

              • solkta …
                9 March 2019 at 5:38 pm

                Young citizens have a right to attend their local school and to have that school meet it’s obligations to meet their needs.

                • Bewildered …
                  9 March 2019 at 5:43 pm

                  And the only answer is centralisation because that what your suggesting and if you suggest otherwise you have bad intent and you are a racist Well I guess it 101 left play book to any one who disagrees with them Great argument solkta, can I suggest you don’t join a debating club

                  • solkta …
                    9 March 2019 at 5:51 pm

                    Well fucktard, the current system has been failing for thirty years. Allowing schools to do it on there own has not worked. Tomorrows Schools allows the majority to capture the direction of the school and deny minorities their rights.

                    • Bewildered …
                      9 March 2019 at 6:24 pm

                      Has worked for 80pc, so your wrong there from the start Likewise simply because it has not worked for 100pc means more centralisation is the answer nor that to argue otherwise you are a racist That’s my point dick head not the policy itself

                    • solkta …
                      9 March 2019 at 6:39 pm

                      Leaving schools to do it by themselves has failed so obviously the only alternative is to give them more direction. You really are bewildered aren’t you.

            • solkta 9.1.1.2.1.2
              9 March 2019 at 5:36 pm

              He was basically saying fuck you to those the system is failing.

              • Bewildered …
                9 March 2019 at 5:50 pm

                No he was not he was debating merits of centralisation vs decentralisation and you don’t distroy what’s working for 80 pc to fix 20pc, He was arguing there a way to do both ie Maintain 80 pc and fix the 20pc ( more targeted than blunt policy proposed ) , boy there are some thicko”s out today , is it a full moon or something😞

                • solkta …
                  9 March 2019 at 5:57 pm

                  Oh, so you were at the meeting were you? Where in the article does he say how to actually help the 20%?

                  • Bewildered …
                    9 March 2019 at 6:19 pm

                    I was not there but it’s pretty obvious The key argument he put forward was centralisation was not a good policy to adddress the 20pc, wether he had alternative fk knows, Charter schools maybe Anyway what is clearly obvious he was not been racist or arguing we need to sacrifice the 20pc been the longbow you and a few other knuckleheads have drawn as a conclusion and stuff have used as click bait to suck you guys in

                    • solkta …
                      9 March 2019 at 6:27 pm

                      You can fuck of with your charter schools. Young citizens have a right to attend their local school and to have that school meet its obligations to meet their needs.

                      But as you say you are not sure if he was suggesting that, or suggesting anything.

                      And no:

                      The key argument he put forward was centralisation was not a good policy to adddress (sic) the 20pc,

                      He did not say this at all. What he said was that centralisation would somehow “destroy” the success of the 80%. That seems to suggest that he actually thinks that centralisation would help the 20%.

                    • Bewildered []
                      9 March 2019 at 8:10 pm

                      Regarding your last paragraph More fuzzy logic from the Sok, what you suggest does not suggest at all I agree with your first point but your second obviously highlights some of your synapses are miss firing

          • Muttonbird 9.1.1.2.2
            9 March 2019 at 5:27 pm

            The very review he is arguing against is one set up to lift the achievement of kids in low income communities.

            But Prebble, Seymour, and Bewildered would rather eject them from NZ education achievement stats altogether.

            It is quite a disgraceful position to take.

            • Bewildered 9.1.1.2.2.1
              9 March 2019 at 5:33 pm

              Oh fk off muttonbrain you know very well he is arguing against the policy review of centralisation (impacting all )over decentralisation is the answer to the 20 pc in regard to lifting under achievers not that we should ignore under achievers themselves , your are one dishonest prick Stop lying to yourself would put you on the road to redemption

              • Muttonbird …
                9 March 2019 at 6:24 pm

                No you fuck off. Prebble asked for Maori and PI achievement to be scrubbed to that we might look better.

                Disgraceful. But what is more disgraceful that you try to defend it.

                • Bewildered …
                  9 March 2019 at 7:23 pm

                  Muttonbrain by name and muttonbrain by nature sigh !

                  • solkta …
                    9 March 2019 at 7:28 pm

                    Says the guy with the most appropriate handle on the site.

                    • Bewildered …
                      9 March 2019 at 7:38 pm

                      Oh so original and cutting, I am wounded grieviously👍

                    • solkta …
                      9 March 2019 at 7:43 pm

                      Well, what kind of fucktard would describe themselves as “bewildered”.

                    • Bewildered []
                      9 March 2019 at 8:02 pm

                      Another devastating blow by the Solkta, it’s like debating a goldfish ( possibly insult to all the goldfish out their) or going 10 rounds with Mr Bean 😊

              • solkta …
                9 March 2019 at 6:42 pm

                Prebble has always been an advocate of privatising the education system. He has little care for those that such a move would fail.

                • Bewildered …
                  9 March 2019 at 7:35 pm

                  Your arguement gets weaker and weaker as you dig ,your first premise you neither prove privatisation is good or bad just a deluded half assed weak minded opinion, your conclusion also bares no real relevance to your first premise and again just another half assed opinion based on confirmation bias to justify a some what dim witted ideological position

          • Bewildered 9.1.1.2.3
            9 March 2019 at 5:29 pm

            Agree but Ham fisted only if you are overly sensitive snow flake prone to or seeking offense around every corner

  10. WILD KATIPO 10
    10 March 2019 at 1:24 am

    How China’s trillion-dollar trade initiative helped forge a humanitarian …
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12211113

    Thunder Underground – YouTube

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